Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
Luk-lukī-kuṇḍa is another site of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s water-sports (jal- krīḍā), and is therefore also known as Jal-krīḍā-kuṇḍa.
While grazing the cows, Kṛṣṇa would sometimes leave His play with the sakhās for a while to meet with the gopīs in this lovely, secluded place. Kṛṣṇa played hide-and-seek (lukā-chipī) here with the vraja-ramaṇīs. The gopīs closed their eyes, and Kṛṣṇa hid in a cave in a nearby hill. The sakhīs searched for Him everywhere, but were unable to find Him. They became very worried. “Where could Kṛṣṇa have gone, leaving us behind?” they thought, and they began to meditate on Him. That place where they meditated (dhyāna kī) on Kṛṣṇa is called Dhyāna-kuṇḍa, and the cave (kandarā) in which Kṛṣṇa was hiding is called Luk-luka-kandarā.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
The Bhakti-ratnakara says, “This place is called Luklukana-micali where Radha and Krishna performed many pastimes. Michali means closed eyes. As They would play hide and seek at this place Their happiness increased. Here the beautiful Luklukana-michali-kunda is situated within this very dense dark forest.” There used to be a beautiful forest here named Luklukana-micali, where Radha and Krishna enjoyed many wonderful pastimes along with the gopis. There was also a very beautiful lake known as Luklukana-micali-kunda. The word ‘michali’ means that was enjoyed here by Krishna and the gopis. When the gopis would close their eyes Krishna would hide in the forest, or sometimes in a cave on the mountain known as Luk-luki Kandara, or sometimes under the water of the kunda. Although the forest has almost disappeared the shallow kunda is still visible and is located in the middle of a rice-paddy. The mountain Luk-luki Kandara is still visible next to Charana Pahadi but the cave has disappeared. One day the gopis challenged Krishna to a game in Luklukana-micali-kunda, the winner would be the one who could hold their breath and stay under water the longest. When Krishna and the gopis dipped their heads under the water, the gopis cheated and again popped their heads above the water waiting for Krishna to surface.
When the gopis saw Krishna’s head coming up from the water, they would take a deep breath and immediately dip under the water and Krishna would think that He was the first to surface.
The gopis would then pop their heads above the water and claim victory. This went on game after game and each time the gopis were victorious. In the next game the gopis placed a wager on their winning the next round. Again everyone dipped below the water and once again the gopis cheated and popped their heads up waiting to see Krishna’s head begin to surface. Then, as the gopis waited for Krishna’s head to surface, nothing happened. The gopis aguishly waited and waited, but Krishna’s head did not come to the surface.
Suddenly realizing that Krishna may have drowned while trying to defeat the gopis in the game, the gopis became distraught and franticly began searching in the water. Not finding Krishna in the kunda, they began searching on the land and in the nearby forest. Not finding Krishna either in the water or in the forest, or anywhere else, they began to lament and while shedding torrents of tears, began blaming themselves for Krishna’s death. They condemned themselves over and over again for having cheated in order to win the game of ‘hide and seek’, and thus had now lost their beloved Krishna forever. Understanding that the gopis were deeply regretting their cheating activities in the game and were feeling devastated due to His loss, Krishna suddenly appeared before them and the gopis immediately forgot their lamentation and became ecstatic due to having got back their beloved Krishna, the very life-breath of their existence.
