Palm leaf manuscript of Gita Govinda

In Hindu scriptures Gopis were female worshipers of Krishna upon whom he often played pranks. For example: When the gopis were all bathing in the river Krishna hid their clothing up in a tree. When the gopis came out of the water to dress, Krishna sat on a branch of the tree merrily playing his flute. Unlike the grim patriarchal God of the Judeo-Christian-Islamic faiths, Hindu gods share with humans such frailties as a sense of humor. Some see gopis as representing all humankind approaching God as a woman approaches a man.