When the gopis were Dandakaranya sages, why does the Bhagavtam say that they had not gone on pilgrimage?
From Anuj Agarwal:
NOD 19 give following reference.
SB 11.12.7: “The gopīs in Vṛndāvana did not study the Vedas to achieve Me. Nor had they ever been in holy places of pilgrimage. Nor did they devoutly execute any regulative principle. Nor did they undergo any kind of austerity. It is simply by My association that they have attained the highest perfection of devotional service.”
But a question arises that since the gopis were previously sages in Dandakaranya they must have studied vedas, they must have been to places of pilgrimage (dandakarnya itself is one), they must have executed some regulative principles, they must have undergone austerities. So can you clarify above statement from SB?