Srimad-Bhagavatam: Canto 10 - Chapter 1 - Verse 34

Sanskrit:

यत्त्वहं भवतीनां वै दूरे वर्ते प्रियो द‍ृशाम् ।मनस: सन्निकर्षार्थं मदनुध्यानकाम्यया ॥ ३४ ॥

ITRANS:

yat tv ahaṁ bhavatīnāṁ vaidūre varte priyo dṛśāmmanasaḥ sannikarṣārthaṁmad-anudhyāna-kāmyayā

Translation:

But the actual reason why I, the beloved object of your sight, have stayed far away from you is that I wanted to intensify your meditation upon Me and thus draw your minds closer to Me.

Purport:

Sometimes that which is close to our eyes is far from our heart and mind, and conversely absence makes the heart grow fonder. Although apparently going far away from the gopīs, Lord Kṛṣṇa was bringing them closer to Him on the spiritual platform.