The young gopīs were extremely upset to hear that Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma would be going to Mathurā. They lost all external awareness and began to remember Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. Condemning the creator for separating them from Him, they began to lament. They said that Akrūra did not deserve his name (a, “not”; krūra, “cruel”), since he was so cruel to be taking away their dearmost Kṛṣṇa. “It must be that fate is against us,” they lamented, “because otherwise the elders of Vraja would have forbidden Kṛṣṇa to leave. So let us forget our shyness and try to stop Lord Mādhava from going.” With these words the young cowherd girls began to chant Kṛṣṇa’s names and cry.