Weaning is necessary, and it must above all be gradual.  He decides, therefore, that since he himself cannot go, someone must be sent on his behalf.  Accordingly, he instructs a friend, Udho, to go to Brindaban, meet the cowherds and make excuses for his absence.  At the same time, he must urge the cowgirls to give up regarding Krishna as their lover but worship him as God.  Udho is accordingly dressed in Krishna’s clothes, thereby making him appear a real substitute and is despatched in Krishna’s chariot.

When Udho arrives, he finds Nanda and Yasoda still lamenting Krishna’s absence and the cowgirls still longing for him as their lover.  He begs them to regard Krishna as God—­as someone who is constantly near those who love him even if he cannot be seen.  Krishna, he says, has forbidden them to hope for any further impassioned ecstasies and now requires them to offer him their devotion only.  If they do penance and meditate, Krishna will never leave them.  From the day they commenced thinking of him, none have been so much loved as they.  ’As earth, wind, water, fire, rain dwell in the body, so Krishna dwells in you; but through the influence of his delusive power seems to be apart.’  Udho’s pleading shocks and embitters the cowgirls.  ‘How can he talk to us like that?’ they ask.  ’It is Krishna’s body that we adore, not some invisible idea high up in the sky.  How has Krishna suddenly become invisible and imperceptible, a being without qualities and form, when all along he has delighted us with his physical charms.  As to penance and meditation, these concern widows.  What woman does penance while her husband is alive?  It is all the doing of Kubja, the girl of Mathura whose charms have captivated Krishna.  Were it not for Kubja and other beauties of Mathura, Krishna would now be with us in Brindaban.  Had we known he would not return, we would never have let him go.’  In such words they repudiate Udho’s message, upbraid Krishna for his fickle conduct and demonstrate with what intensity they still adore him.

Udho is reduced to silence and can only marvel at the cowgirls’ bliss in abandoning everything to think only of Krishna.  Finally they send Krishna the message—­that if he really desires them to abandon loving him with their bodies and resort to penance, he himself must come and show them how to do it.  Unless he comes, they will die of neglect.

A few days later, Udho returns to Mathura bringing with him milk and butter as presents to Krishna from Nanda and Yasoda and escorting Rohini, Vasudeva’s other wife and Balarama’s mother.  He gives Krishna the cowgirls’ message and reports how all Brindaban longs for his return.  ‘Great King,’ he says, ’I cannot tell you how they love you.  You are their life.  Night and day they think of you.  Their love for you is complete as perfect worship.  I gave them your advice concerning penance, but I have learnt from them perfect adoration.  They will only be content when they see and touch you again.’  Krishna listens and is silent.  It is clear that efforts at weaning the cowgirls from him have so far failed and something further must be attempted.