Krishna ExperienceKansa's trap
Having failed to kill Krishna with demons, Kansa planned a festival in Mathura: a bow sacrifice and a wrestling match, where the boys could be killed in public. He sent his minister Akrura, a devotee of Krishna, to invite Krishna and Balaram. Akrura went, overjoyed that he would see Krishna's footprints in the dust of Vrindavan.
The gopis
When the gopis heard Krishna was leaving, they lost all composure. They blamed the Creator, they blamed Akrura, who is called Akrura but is crueller than anyone, and they stood in front of the chariot. Krishna promised to come back. The chariot left, and the gopis watched until even the dust of its wheels had settled.
What happened in MathuraThe bow, the elephant, the wrestlers and Kansa.A vision in the river
On the road, Akrura stopped to bathe in the Yamuna. Underwater he saw Krishna and Balaram, though they were sitting in the chariot. Then he saw Vishnu reclining on the serpent Ananta, attended by sages and gods. Overwhelmed, he understood whom he was driving to Mathura.
Uddhava's message
Krishna never returned to live in Braj. Later he sent his friend Uddhava, a learned man, with a message to Nanda, Yashoda and the gopis. Uddhava came to teach them philosophy and went home humbled by their love. In the gopis' talk with a bumblebee, the Bhramara Gita, they mock the bee as Krishna's messenger and pour out their longing. Uddhava prayed to be born as a bush or creeper in Vrindavan, so that the dust of the gopis' feet might fall on him.
Questions people ask
Why did Krishna leave Vrindavan?
Kansa invited him to Mathura through Akrura, planning to kill him. Krishna went, killed Kansa and freed his parents.
Did Krishna ever return to Vrindavan?
According to the Bhagavata, he did not return to live there. He sent Uddhava with a message, and later met the people of Braj at Kurukshetra.