Hare Kṛṣṇa,

In the context of this lesson from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta,  two verses from Śrī Prema Samputa find relevance.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, “In enjoying pastimes of love, Rādhā is the best, and in love-in-separation, Rādhā is the best millions and billions of times over. These two kinds of love attain their highest purity and intensity in Rādhā. Rādhā’s love puts the gopīs to shame. Rādhā’s love is the greatest.

Therefore I will show the gopīs how Rādhā’s love is separation is a flaming volcano of love, a love many millions of times greater than theirs. When they are licked by the flames of that volcano, the gopīs will understand that their love is only a series of small lamps in comparison.” (Śrī Prema-sampuṭa, 85-86)

Combine this with the following verse from Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta:

“The Lord’s desire to appear was born from two reasons: 1) the Lord wanted to taste the sweet essence of the mellows of love of God, and 2) He wanted to propagate devotional service in the world on the platform of spontaneous attraction. Thus He is known as supremely jubilant and as the most merciful of all.” (CC Adi 4.15-16)

Purport: “These reciprocal exchanges of mellows are called rāga-bhakti, or devotional service to the Lord in transcendental rapture. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa wants to make known to all the conditioned souls that He is more attracted by rāga-bhakti than vidhi-bhakti, or devotional service under scheduled regulations. It is said in the Vedas (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.7), raso vai saḥ: the Absolute Truth is the reservoir for all kinds of reciprocal exchanges of loving sentiments. He is also causelessly merciful, and He wants to bestow upon us this privilege of rāga-bhakti. Thus He appeared as His own internal energy. He was not forced to appear by any extraneous force.”

Thus the love in separation (as mentioned in Śrī Prema-sampuṭa and raga bhakti as mentioned in CC) can be harmonized as follows: Rāgānugā-bhakti is the spontaneous, intense, and emotional devotional service (bhakti) that follows in the footsteps of the eternal residents of Vṛndāvana, aiming for a direct, loving relationship with Krishna. This path emphasizes internal dedication over external rules. Love in separation (viraha-bhakti or vipralambha) acts as the highest refinement of this love, serving as a purifying fire that intensifies the devotee’s longing for reunion, often seen as the ultimate test of devotion. 

What is raga bhakti?

“The natural, deep attachment that a sense-enjoyer has towards experiences of sense-enjoyment is known as raga, e.g. the eyes have such deep attachment towards gazing at beautiful objects. Similarly, when a devotee has such natural, deep attachment towards Bhagavan, then such attachment is also known as raga.” (Bhakti-sandarbha, Anuccheda 310)

“When the inclinations to perform bhakti arises not due to raga, but due to dictations of sastra, such an inclination becomes categorized as vaidhi-bhakti.” (Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, 1.2.6)

Lord Krsna is mentioned as reflecting, “Everywhere in the world people worship Me according to scriptural injunctions. But simply by following such regulative principles one cannot attain the loving sentiments of the devotees in Vrajabhūmi.” (CC Adi 3.15)

Therefore, Lord Krsna decided, “I shall personally inaugurate the religion of the age — nāma-saṅkīrtana, the congregational chanting of the holy name. I shall make the world dance in ecstasy, realizing the four mellows of loving devotional service. I shall accept the role of a devotee, and I shall teach devotional service by practicing it Myself.” (CC Adi 3.19-20)

Thus, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared to distribute rāgānugā-bhakti through the process of congregational chanting of the holy name.

For quite some time, I have been contemplating the nature of rāga-bhakti and the qualifications required to progress from vaidhī-sādhana-bhakti to rāgānugā-bhakti. It took me considerable time to clearly understand that the ultimate goal of our movement is rāgānugā-bhakti, culminating in bhāva and prema-bhakti.

Ironically, within the present institutional framework of ISKCON—where vaidhī-bhakti rightly forms the backbone—there is relatively little discussion, understanding, or systematic presentation of rāgānugā-bhakti. Even more rare is a clear and responsible framework to guide sincere and eager devotees in their gradual progression from vaidhī-bhakti to rāgānugā-bhakti.

When it comes to rāgānugā-bhakti, I often feel uncertain and inadequately guided, unsure of how to proceed responsibly. At the same time, I recognize that prematurely assuming oneself to be qualified for rāgānugā-bhakti can easily become a cause of self-deception and spiritual setback rather than genuine progress.

In moments when I have sought clarity or guidance, I have frequently encountered reminders that I have not yet sufficiently traversed the stage of anartha-nivṛtti, and therefore should be cautious even in contemplating rāgānugā-bhakti. At other times, I am reminded that such guidance must ultimately come from one’s guru—a reminder that humbles me and brings me back to my own position as a practitioner still very much in need of purification.

Long story short, in the absence of clear and consistent guidance, the least—and perhaps the safest—course available to me is sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir. That is, while remaining situated in one’s established position, to humbly engage one’s body, words, and mind in hearing, honoring, and offering all respect to the narrations of the Supreme Lord’s personality and activities. This instruction from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.14.3) increasingly feels not like a compromise, but a deeply protective and empowering path—one that keeps aspiration alive while anchoring practice in humility and safety.

I therefore hope and pray that authentic greed (lobha) for rāgānugā-bhakti may one day arise within me, and that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu will compassionately and delicately guide me according to my true qualification.

“Lord Kṛṣṇa in the form of Lord Caitanya educates His devotees to develop progressively to the stage of pure devotional service. Thus He appears periodically as a devotee to take part in various wonderful activities depicted in His sublime philosophy and teachings.” (CC Adi 4.27-28)

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Kṛṣṇa,

In my humble reflection, I cannot recall encountering another Vaiṣṇava text in which Śrī Rādhā so deeply unveils Her heart. We do read in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta that Śrī Kṛṣṇa longs to understand the glory of Rādhārāṇī’s love, the extraordinary qualities in Himself that only She relishes through Her love, and the happiness She experiences in tasting the sweetness of His affection (Ādi 1.6). Yet, neither Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam nor Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta presents extended dialogues directly between Śrī Rādhā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa. In this light, Śrī Prema-sampuṭa stands out, to me, as a truly landmark work of devotional study.

In this beautiful scripture, Śrī Rādhā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa are both eager to glorify one another. Kṛṣṇa’s affection is so profound that He even desires to take all blame and apparent faults upon Himself in order to safeguard Śrī Rādhā’s glory. When He tells Her, “O My most beloved, My passionate love for You has no equal. Not even in a dream can another girl reside within My heart” His words are utterly true. The occasions when Kṛṣṇa places Her and the gopīs in states of apparent suffering serve only one purpose — to deepen the intensity of separation and thereby expand the joy of Their loving union.

“Desiring only the good, one friend may sometimes put another friend into suffering, suffering that will eventually lead to great happiness in the same way a physician may apply to the patient’s eyes a bitter ointment that will eventually lead to good vision.” (Śrī Prema-sampuṭa, 89)

Let’s see the various ways Śrī Kṛṣṇa glorifies Śrī Rādhā.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa says, “In enjoying pastimes of love, Rādhā is the best, and in love-in-separation, Rādhā is the best millions and billions of times over. These two kinds of love attain their highest purity and intensity in Rādhā. Rādhā’s love puts the gopīs to shame. Rādhā’s love is the greatest.

Therefore I will show the gopīs how Rādhā’s love is separation is a flaming volcano of love, a love many millions of times greater than theirs. When they are licked by the flames of that volcano, the gopīs will understand that their love is only a series of small lamps in comparison.

I know that You are the shelter of the love You have described. For You, Your beloved’s faults are all virtues. For You, the hundred sufferings Your beloved brings are all like nectar. You cannot tolerate that Your beloved may feel even the smallest particle of a particle of suffering. Even if it means You must leave Your body, You have no power to renounce Your beloved. Even though they don’t really exist, You imagine that Your beloved possesses a host of peerless glories. That is the love You feel. O Rādhā, I have heard about You. Now I see You directly.” (Śrī Prema-sampuṭa, 85-97)

Now let’s see how Śrī Rādhā glorifies Her beloved Śrī Kṛṣṇa, She says, “Krsna is not at fault for killing Ariṣtāsura, Bakāsura, Aghāsura, and Vatsāsura, who are enemies of all the worlds, and for killing the cheater Pūtanā. Actually it is Lord Viṣṇu’s glorious potency, manifested within Krsna’s own body, that kills the demons. Krsna extraordinary deeds, like His lifting Govardhana Hill and killing the demons, stand as witnesses to the words Garga Muni said to Vraja’s king: `Your son is like Lord Nārāyaṇa Himself.’ Ah! In My heart something more, something the great sage Garga did not say, is manifest. Nārāyaṇa is not Krsna’s equal in handsomeness, sweetness, and transcendental qualities.” (Śrī Prema-sampuṭa, 92-94)

The final section of Śrī Prema-sampuṭa is truly astonishing, as it exquisitely reveals the profound position of Śrī Rādhā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Our ordinary understanding that Śrī Rādhā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa are two separate personalities is, in fact, mistaken.

Rādhā said, “The people may say of Us, `They always stay in each other’s hearts. Therefore They must know what is in each others hearts.’ That idea, the idea that We are two, is a misunderstanding, is an artificial imposition, is only a metaphor spoken by poets. We are one. We can never become two. We are one person with two bodies. We are like a pair of lotus flowers, one blue and the other yellow, growing from a single lotus stem in a fathomless nectar lake. We are like two flames on the wick of a single oil lamp, flames that light up the darkness, flames that delight the gopī friends at Our sides. If the wind of separation makes those two flames flicker or fall, Our friends quickly come, protect Us, and carry Us to the place of happinesses.” (Śrī Prema-sampuṭa, 107-110)

The practical manifestation of the truth that Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are one is revealed in the appearance of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When They unite in a single form, They manifest as Śrī Mahāprabhu. When They expand into two distinct forms, They appear as the Divine Couple — Śrī Rādhā and Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

“The loving affairs of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are one in Their identity, previously They separated Themselves. Now these two transcendental identities have again united, in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. I bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself.” (CC Adi 1.5)

All glories to Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Kṛṣṇa,

My heartfelt gratitude to our dear teachers for introducing us to this gem of a book – Śrī Prema-sampuṭa.

I am reading it for the first time, and I am truly delighted by its beautiful and profound subject matter. Curious to understand more about what this book contains—especially the meaning of the word “sampuṭa”—I did some browsing online and came across an edition by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedanta Nārāyaṇa Gosvāmī Mahārāja. In that book, he defines Samputa as “’that place where precious jewels and other valuable stones are carefully hidden from the vision of people.’Srila Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakura has revealed the unnata-ujjvala prema in Sri Radha’s heart, which is likened to a treasure chest, and protected it in the box in the form of this book. Therefore, the name of this book is Śrī Prema-sampuṭa.”

I am by no means an expert on the rasa aspects of this book, but here is my humble realization from the conversation in the portion we have studied so far.

In texts 4-18 where Śrī Rādhā speaks to Śrī Krsna disguised as a demigoddess, I think it is actually Sri Krsna inspiring Her to reveal Her state of mind and heart in separation from Krsna. In other words, Śrī Rādhā is actually revealing Her own predicament.

Śrī Rādhā asks the demigoddess, “O girl with the bowed face, what do You fear, or of what are You ashamed? You must truly suffer. Otherwise You would not act like this. O girl with the lotus face, please tell Me about it. Trust Me. I will try to help. By telling Your secrets to a friend, You will extinguish the painful flames in Your heart. Are You now separated from Your beloved? Are You unhappy to see his vices? Do You fear he will not forgive Your sins? Did wicked slanderers lie to him about You? Or does Your heart now hate Your foolish husband? Have You fallen in love with another man, a wonderful man, a man You cannot attain? For this reason are You tormented, as I am, by the harsh words of Your superiors? O slender girl, perhaps Your heart was wounded by many arrows of harsh words from a co-wife blind by drinking the madirā nectar of seeing a small part Your good fortune. But that is not possible. Who is more glorious than You, more gloriously anointed with the fragrance of good fortune?… O My friend, are You tortured by the body’s pains? Is the pain in Your chest? Along Your back? Is it a headache?” (Śrī Prema-sampuṭa, Texts 5-12)

In texts 20-30, Krsna (as a demigoddess) speaks to Śrī Rādhā and glorifies Her. He says that even though He/She is a goddess, He/She is Her maidservant also. Krsna first sets the context by glorifying the sweet music of His flute. He says,  “Friend, when it enters the cities of demigods, Krsna’s Vrndāvana flute-music becomes very powerful. Because of it the saintly demigoddesses now feel disgust in their hearts when they even remember their husbands’ neck-to-neck embraces. After a moment’s embrace, the surprised demigods backed away from their wives’ bodies, bodies now feverish like smoldering embers. Having tasted the nectar-poison of Krsna’s flute music, and now burning with fever, the goddesses fell unconscious. In Our cities no one grows old. Who criticizes others there? There everyone is equally pious. Who mocks others there? Still, flooding those cities, this flute-music defeated the saintly goddesses’ chastity. Every day this flute music comes to defeat the demigoddesses. One day I thought in My heart, `What is this music? From where does it come? Who makes it?” (Śrī Prema-sampuṭa, Texts 26-29)

To find the source of the flute-music, the demigoddess sings words of praise glorifying Śrī Rādhā.  She says, “I’m not flattering You. Please don’t feel embarrassed. I’m not neutral. Still, what I say is not a lie. Neither Lakṣmī nor Pārvatī desire to stand on the balance opposite You, on the balance that weighs beauty, virtue, and good fortune. Even in the spiritual worlds above the three material realms no girl even dares think to be Your equal in matters of love. This I heard in Pārvatī’s assembly on the peak on Mount Kaliāsa. When I heard this, a great desire to see You was born in My heart. That desire filled Me. Even though that desire burned wildly within it, My hard heart still did not break into pieces.” (Śrī Prema-sampuṭa, Texts 35-37)

Then the demigoddess/Krsna speaks her heart out in questioning why Śrī Rādhā still loves Krsna despite the way He treated Her and the gopis. She says, “Why do You have such strong, limitless, peerless love for that rake Krsna? Anyone who knowingly places his faith in a great sinner will suffer. Even though He is filled with handsomeness, heroism, good fortune, fame, and wealth, and even though He is decorated with the jewels of every virtue, He has no understanding of true love. He is a rake. Therefore no girl should take shelter of Him. During the day He enjoyed many pastimes with You. Again and again He earnestly declared that He loved You. At night He met You in the forest. Then that cheater left You and delighted some other girl. Then You lamented. You filled Your friends with anguish. You made the birds and the vines weep. Hiding at Vaṁsīvata, I angrily saw everything. While enjoying the rāsa dance He suddenly left all the others and showed His great love for You. Staying with You for only a moment, He left You alone in the forest, alone and exhausted from enjoying many amorous pastimes. Then You were plunged into grief. You fell deeply unconscious. Whatever You did was bewildered and disoriented. As I live many lifetimes, and as My body passes through its eight transformations, the grief You felt will stay in My heart… I always fear Krsna. He is not ashamed to misbehave before saintly people. He never walks on the path of mercy. In His childhood He killed a woman, and in His youth He quickly killed a bull and a calf.” (Śrī Prema-sampuṭa, Texts 39-47)

In other words, the heavenly damsel said, “It is true that Sri Krsna has all good qualities, but He has one bad quality that destroys all the good ones. You, Śrī Rādhā, and the gopis have left everything – Your father, mother, brother, friends, husband, society, modesty and the orders of Your elders – all so that You can love Krsna. Yet He treats You so cruelly that He abandons You and disappears. I cannot fathom this. In My opinion, You should not love Him, for if You do Your future will be full of suffering.”

These words prompted Śrī Rādhā to explain to the damsel the very nature of prema (true love). Śrī Rādhā then goes on to explain true love. She explains, “If You wish to know about love, then please listen. A person may be a great scholar learned in the Vedas and still not know what is true love and what it is not. O My friend, to an eager student someone may give an abstract explanation of true love, but true love is understood only by direct experience. When one tries to analyze it, true love disappears, and when one does not try to analyze it, true love disappears again. When the heart is free of these two, then pure love gloriously sits on the throne of one’s nature. Then one acts to please the beloved, and the beloved’s pleasure shows the true nature of love. As a lion is nourished by defeating many elephants, so powerful love is nourished by defeating many troubles, troubles like Mount Sumeru, troubles that come from the two worlds, from one’s kinsmen, from outsiders, from oneself, and even from the beloved who is more dear than life itself. True love is like a proud, fearless, self-assured, glistening-limbed lion that, even while he sleeps, with a single roar defeats a host of dogs. True love is like a lamp gloriously shining in the darkness. Because it is very intense and wanton, true love brings great pleasure and wild passion. It make the beloved new and delightful at every moment. As the nectar moon delights the three worlds, it delights the lover. Its shines like the sun at the time of cosmic devastation, a sun that makes the three worlds burst into flames. O My friend, does anyone in the three worlds, above or below, bear this kind of love for any beloved other than Krsna? Only the doe-eyed girls of Vraja love, some more and some less, in this way. When that pure love sometimes pretends to be lust, the beloved Krsna finds limitless pleasure in it. But when lust sometimes pretends to be pure love, intelligent Krsna knows at once.” (Śrī Prema-sampuṭa, Texts 51-58)

Finally at the closing of her explanation, Sri Radha defends Krsna. She says, “Krsna is an ocean of love. He is a jewel-mine of transcendental qualities. His cheating, deceptions, and crookedness are all delightful. Pretending it is lust, He uses these to show His love for the gopīs. He uses them to attract the gopīs. Who are the hundreds and thousands of passionate girls that, banned all together, have the power to satisfy the desires of Krsna? Krsna loves the beautiful gopīs with no motive for His own pleasure. He loves them because He is conquered by their love for Him. This I have personally seen.” (Śrī Prema-sampuṭa, Texts 60-61)

This illustrates why the gopīs, headed by Śrī Rādhā, are the supreme crest jewels among Kṛṣṇa’s devotees. Their love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa is utterly selfless, completely free from any trace of personal desire or self-gratification.

I am eagerly looking forward to the teachers sharing the next—and final—portion of this beautiful book.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Kṛṣṇa,

I offer my sincere gratitude to our respected teachers for sharing supplementary materials on the rāsa dance pastimes.

As I mentioned in my previous forum post, the notion that one lacks adhikāra (eligibility) to study certain books of our ācāryas is another phenomenon often seen in our movement—much like the commonly cited “prohibition” against studying the five chapters describing the rāsa-pañcādhyāya. My humble reflection is this: our ācāryas and Gosvāmīs have bestowed these sacred literatures upon us as a priceless inheritance. If we consider ourselves perpetually unqualified to approach them while we are living and practicing devotional service, then at what point will such works ever be properly studied?

Why should our sincere daily chanting of the prescribed sixteen rounds, adherence to the four regulative principles, and study conducted under the guidance and association of advanced Vaiṣṇavas not serve as a genuine foundation of qualification?

Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta (by by Viśvanātha Cakravarti Ṭhākura) is one such text about which we often hear cautionary reminders not to approach lightly. Certainly, these works describe the most confidential and exalted pastimes of the Divine Couple. Yet, with proper guidance, reverence, and Vaiṣṇava association, I feel that we may carefully and responsibly study them, always maintaining a mood of humility and service.

I do not have any realization or understanding of Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta. But I would like to quote Srila Prabhupada referring to it in Krsna book (Ch. 46: Uddhava Visits Vṛndāvana). He writes, “Those in the most exalted position of devotional service and ecstasy can live with Kṛṣṇa always by remembering His pastimes. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has given us a transcendental literature entitled Kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta, which is full with Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. Exalted devotees can remain absorbed in Kṛṣṇa-thought by reading such books. Any book of kṛṣṇa-līlā, even this book, Kṛṣṇa, or our Teachings of Lord Caitanya, is actually solace for devotees feeling separation from Kṛṣṇa.”

In another place, Srila Prabhupada writes something very encouraging:

“A devotee is always transcendentally situated. paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate: (BG 2.59) one who has seen the Supreme Personality of Godhead is no longer interested in material sense enjoyment. Even such an exalted devotee as Dhruva Mahārāja went to the forest for the sake of material benefit, but when he actually saw the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he refused to accept any material benediction. He said, svāmin kṛtārtho ‘smi varaṁ na yāce: (CC Madhya 22.42) “My dear Lord, I am fully satisfied with whatever You have given me or not given me. I have nothing to ask from You, for I am fully satisfied to be engaged in Your service.” This is the mentality of a pure devotee, who does not want anything, material or spiritual, from the Personality of Godhead. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is therefore called kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta-saṅgha, the association of persons who are simply satisfied in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa. Being absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa is neither expensive nor troublesome. Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru: (BG 18.65) “Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, offer obeisances and worship Me.” (BG 9.34) Anyone can always think of Kṛṣṇa, without difficulties or obstacles. This is called kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta. One who is absorbed in kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta has no material benefits to ask from Kṛṣṇa. Instead, such a person prays to the Lord for the benediction of being able to spread His glories all over the world. Mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatād bhaktir ahaitukī tvayi (CC Antya 20.29, Śikṣāṣṭaka 4). A Kṛṣṇa conscious person does not even want to stop his cycle of birth and death. He simply prays, “I may take birth as You like, but my only prayer is that I may be engaged in Your service.” (SB 9.9.45 Purport)

From the actual content posted from Kṛṣṇa Bhāvanāmṛta, the last two verses caught my attention. I find it very inspirational.

Text 19.81-82 — How can recent people taste or describe the rāsa dance with their tongues? Even those who witnessed the pastime with their eyes cannot describe it. Even if prema inspires a skillful person who possesses prema to describe it, he will not able to describe it, since his external consciousness will be destroyed by its sweetness.
But the unequalled śakti of mercy of the couple which brightly illuminates the world through the mouth of Śukadeva has given some indications. By this, an intelligent person can attain the essence of the rāsa dance.

This unequalled śakti of mercy of the Divine Couple has descended to us through Śrīla Vyāsadeva, Śrī Nārada, Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, His intimate associates and followers, Śrīla Prabhupāda, and his devoted disciples—many of whom are present in this august assembly of sādhu-saṅga study group. With utmost gratitude, I offer my prostrated obeisances unto them all. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Kṛṣṇa,

For many years I remained under the impression that the sacred narration of the rāsa-līlā was a subject to be approached only with great hesitation and restraint. Among devotees it was commonly advised that one should set aside the five chapters describing this divine pastime and instead read the remaining portions of the Tenth Canto. It was often said—citing Śrīla Prabhupāda—that he had prohibited us from entering into these topics. Thus, not having carefully studied his books with sufficient attention and discrimination, the true import of his instructions remained concealed from my understanding.

Only when I began to hear and study these five chapters under the guidance, shelter, and association of advanced Vaiṣṇavas did the genuine purport of the ācārya’s words gradually become revealed. In such proper association, what once appeared forbidding became illuminated with spiritual meaning, and the Lord’s most confidential pastimes were understood as transcendental and purifying, rather than mundane.

Let us see what Srila Prabhupada actually instructed us about reading the rāsa-līlā chapters.

“How they should hear and from whom is also explained by Sukadeva Gosvami. The difficulty is that the whole world is full of Mayavadis, and when they become professional reciters of Srimad-Bhagavatam, and when people, without knowing the effect of the Mayavada philosophy, hear from such persons, they become confused. Discussion of rasa-lila among people in general is not recommended because they are affected by the Mayavada philosophy, but if one who is advanced explains, and people hear from him, certainly the hearers will be gradually elevated to the position of Krsna consciousness and liberated from materially contaminated life.” (Kṛṣṇa Book)

Srila Prabhupada further says, “One who has developed his faith in Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Supreme Spirit Soul, can both describe and hear. Sukadeva also uses the word anusrnuyat. One must hear from disciplic succession. Anu means following, and anu means always. So one must always follow the disciplic succession and not hear from any stray professional reciter, Mayavadi or ordinary man. Anusrnuyat means that one must hear from an authorized person who is in the disciplic succession and is always engaged in Krsna consciousness. When a person wants to hear in this way, then the effect will be sure. By hearing rasa-lila, one will be elevated to the highest position of spiritual life.” (Kṛṣṇa Book)

Srila Prabhupada’s teachings are exactly in line with the instruction of our predecessor acaryas.

“Anyone who faithfully hears or describes the Lord’s playful affairs with the young gopīs of Vṛndāvana will attain the Lord’s pure devotional service. Thus he will quickly become sober and conquer lust, the disease of the heart.” (SB 10.33.29 – Sārārtha-darśini)

Thus, it is to be understood that Śrīla Prabhupāda indeed desired that his disciples hear and study the chapters describing the rāsa-līlā, provided such hearing is received through bona fide sources and in proper devotional association.

This concluding section of the rasa-lila chapters is profound and instructive in many ways. For the sake of my own clarity and remembrance, I shall now present a summary of its principal teachings in a question-and-answer form.

If Krsna is self-sufficient, why should He at all manifest pastimes with the gopis, which are disturbing to the so-called moralists of the world?

Answer: “The answer is that such activities show special mercy to the fallen, conditioned souls. The gopis are also expansions of His internal energy, but because Krsna wanted to exhibit the rasa-lila, they also appeared as ordinary human beings. In the material world, pleasure is ultimately manifested in the sex attraction between man and woman. The man lives simply to be attracted by women, and the woman lives simply to be attracted by men. That is the basic principle of material life. As soon as these attractions are combined, people become more and more implicated in material existence. In order to show them special favor, Krsna exhibited this rasa-lila dance. It is just to captivate the conditioned soul. Since they are very much attracted by sexology, they can enjoy the same life with Krsna and thus become liberated from the material condition. In the Second Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam, Maharaja Pariksit also explains that the pastimes and activities of Lord Krsna are medicine for the conditioned souls. If they simply hear about Krsna they become relieved from the material disease. They are addicted to material enjoyment and are accustomed to reading sex literature, but by hearing these transcendental pastimes of Krsna with the gopis, they will be relieved from material contamination.” (Kṛṣṇa Book)

How can one get rid of the material disease of lust from one’s heart?

Answer: “Sukadeva Gosvami concludes this episode of rāsa-līlā by pointing out that if a person hears from the right source of the pastimes of Krsna, who is Visnu Himself, and the gopis, who are expansions of His energy, then he will be relieved from the most dangerous type of disease, namely lust. If one actually hears rasa-lila, he will become completely freed from the lusty desire of sex life and elevated to the highest level of spiritual understanding. Generally, because they hear from Mayavadis and they themselves are Mayavadis, people become more and more implicated in sex life. The conditioned soul should hear the rasa-lila dance from an authorized spiritual master and be trained by him so that he can understand the whole situation; thus one can be elevated to the highest standard of spiritual life, otherwise one will be implicated. Material lust is a kind of heart disease, and to cure the material heart disease of the conditioned soul, it is recommended that one should hear, but not from the impersonalist rascals. If one hears from the right sources with right understanding, then his situation will be different…The most dangerous aspect of contamination is lust or sex life. Bhaktim param devotional service is so potent that the more one advances in this line, the more he loses his attraction for material life. One who is actually deriving benefit from hearing rasa-lila dance surely achieves the transcendental position. He surely loses all traces of lust in his heart.” (Kṛṣṇa Book)

How was it possible that the rasa dance was performed during the long period of Brahma’s night?

Answer: “The answer is that He can do anything for the pleasure of His devotees. Similarly, because the gopis wanted to enjoy Krsna, they were given the opportunity to associate with Him for a long period. This was done according to His promise. When Krsna stole the garments of the gopis while they were taking bath at Cirghat on Yamuna, Krsna promised to fulfill their desire in some future night. In one night, therefore, they enjoyed the company of Krsna as their beloved husband, but that night was not an ordinary night. It was a night of Brahma, and lasted millions and millions of years. Everything is possible for Krsna, for He is the supreme controller.” (Kṛṣṇa Book)

“The transcendental power of spiritual reality is concisely explained in Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Laghu-bhagavatāmṛta: “Nothing is impossible for the Lord, His dear devotees, His transcendental abode or the time of His pastimes; for all these entities are inconceivably powerful.”  (SB 10.33.38 – Sārārtha-darśini)

What is the phala-sruti of hearing the rāsa-līlā?

Answer: “One who hears and chants about Kṛṣṇa’s rasa-lila, which is the crest-jewel of all pastimes, gets the crest-jewel of all results, namely kṛṣṇa-prema (bhaktiṁ parāṁ). One who continuously hears, glorifies or writes poetry about this autumnal rasa-lila and similar pastimes of Kṛṣṇa described by other poets, first of all, even if he has the heart disease of material lust, becomes imbued with prema; then, by its effect the disease of the heart is destroyed. Thus it is understood here that this prema is independent; it is not weak or dependent like jñāna-yoga…Kṛṣṇa-prema will definitely appear in that person who is devoid of foolishness and who accepts the statements of scripture with full faith. However, kṛṣṇa-prema will not appear within those who have no faith in Kṛṣṇa or who offend Kṛṣṇa’s holy name. The divine rāsa-līlā is like the loving smile of the intimate devotee of Kṛṣṇa, who is victorious and glorified for his ability to conquer Kṛṣṇa by his pure love.” (SB 10.33.39 – Sārārtha-darśini)

I offer my heartfelt gratitude to our revered teachers and to the like-minded Vaiṣṇavas, in whose sacred association I received the precious opportunity to hear, contemplate, and write about this most confidential of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s divine pastimes. May the lusty desires in my heart be extinguished by their mercy.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Kṛṣṇa,

This lesson on the conversation between Maharaja Pariksit and Sukadeva Goswami is deeply profound. Mahārāja Parīkṣit’s question to Śukadeva Gosvāmī reveals a crucial theological tension:

Parīkṣit Mahārāja said: O brāhmaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Lord of the universe, has descended to this earth along with His plenary portion to destroy irreligion and reestablish religious principles. Indeed, He is the original speaker, follower and guardian of moral laws. How, then, could He have violated them by touching other men’s wives? (SB 10.33.26-27)

To phrase it in another way, he asks, “In order to establish dharma and destroy adharma (irreligion), svayam bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, whose expansion is Visnu has appeared. Or svayam bhagavan Kṛṣṇa has appeared with His aṁśena, Balarama. How then can Kṛṣṇa perform acts contrary to dharma? If you say that Kṛṣṇa can act contrary to dharma because He is the independent Lord (īśvaraḥ), then He should also accept the sinful reaction, just as He sometimes gets cursed and accepts the result.”

His concern is not born of doubt but of reverence. As Pariksit Maharaja observes, Vedic morality strictly forbids association with others’ wives, and thus Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa-līlā appears, on the surface, jugupsitam—abominable. Yet Parīkṣit simultaneously affirms Kṛṣṇa as aptakāma, fully self-satisfied, and yadu-pati, the crest jewel of a supremely pious dynasty.

Pariksit Maharaja: “Then how could Kṛṣṇa be the head of the Yadus who follow the highest dharma? This is not only our doubt but the doubt of many people. Sri Kṛṣṇa is āpta-kāmaḥ and ātmā-rāma, yet He enjoyed enthusiastically with the gopis, who were the very form of prema and bliss. This is a very deep concept, so naturally people will have doubts. You yourself are totally committed to proper conduct, still you have become fully absorbed in Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes portraying such condemned behavior. This too creates another doubt.”

This apparent contradiction forces a deeper conclusion: Kṛṣṇa’s actions cannot be judged by the moral framework meant for conditioned souls.

Śukadeva Gosvāmī said: The status of powerful controllers is not harmed by any apparently audacious transgression of morality we may see in them, for they are just like fire, which devours everything fed into it and remains unpolluted. (SB 10.33.29)

Morality governs those bound by desire, karma, and the modes of nature; Kṛṣṇa, however, stands as their source and controller. As Śukadeva Gosvāmī explains, when the Supreme Controller appears to transgress moral law, it does not indicate moral failure but supreme autonomy. Just as fire remains pure while consuming impure substances, and the sun purifies even contaminated places, Kṛṣṇa remains untouched by actions that would bind any other being. His līlās reveal not moral weakness but transcendental supremacy.

Śukadeva Gosvāmī further clarifies that what is permissible for the controller is never permissible for the controlled.

One who is not a great controller should never imitate the behavior of ruling personalities, even mentally. If out of foolishness an ordinary person does imitate such behavior, he will simply destroy himself, just as a person who is not Rudra would destroy himself if he tried to drink an ocean of poison. (SB 10.33.30)

The Lord may act beyond His own injunctions, but such acts are non-imitable and deeply dangerous if misunderstood. Hence the strong warnings against sahajiyā tendencies and Māyāvāda imitation, where conditioned souls falsely place themselves in Kṛṣṇa’s position. Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa-līlā was not driven by personal desire—na māṁ karmāṇi limpanti—nor by subjugation to the gopīs’ emotions. Rather, it was an act of divine reciprocation, fulfilling vows made across lifetimes to eternally perfected devotees. His extraordinary deeds—lifting Govardhana, killing Pūtanā, and dancing with the gopīs—belong to the same category of absolute freedom. Because Kṛṣṇa is the supreme controller of karma, morality, and material nature itself, He is not subordinate to religious or irreligious principles. Instead, those principles derive their authority from Him. Thus, Kṛṣṇa is above morality because He is its very source, eternally pure, eternally free, and eternally acting only for the welfare and delight of His devotees.

Some of Srila Prabhupada’s statements defending Krsna’s transcendental morality are worth pondering.

“There are many other circumstances also which testify to the supreme authority of Krsna and show that He is not bound to the rules and regulations of the material world. In special cases, He acts as He likes to favor His devotees. This is only possible for Him, because He is the supreme controller. People in general should follow the instructions of Lord Krsna as given in the Bhagavad-gita and should not even imagine imitating Lord Krsna in the rasa dance… Duties are required for ordinary persons. They should not jump up and try to imitate Krsna and indulge in rasa-lila and thus bring about their ruin. One should know with certainty that Krsna had no personal interest in whatever He did for the benediction of the gopis… As stated in the Bhagavad-gita, na mam karmani limpanti: Krsna never enjoys or suffers the result of His activities. Therefore, it is not possible for Him to act irreligiously. He is transcendental to all activities and religious principles. He is untouched by the modes of material nature. He is the supreme controller of all living entities, either in human society, in the demigod society in heavenly planets, or in lower forms of life. He is the supreme controller of all living entities and of material nature; therefore, He has nothing to do with religious or irreligious principles.”

Therefore, what should be the attitude of sadhakas like us who hear these intimate pastimes of the Lord?

For one, Sukadeva Goswami advises that it is more important to follow the instructions of the Lord, the demigods or great personalities than imitating them.

“Sukadeva Gosvami replied, “The instructions of the demigods or great personalities are always auspicious for the devotees to follow. When the Lord performs pastimes as Rāma, one should follow His instructions. One should perform only those acts which do not contradict the orders given by the demigods or great persons. But even those instructions must be approved by scriptures. Then one can act, otherwise not. An intelligent person should conduct himself in this way.” (SB 10.33.31, Sārārtha-darśini)

Sukadeva Gosvami said, “Even the devotees of the Lord are not bound by religion or irreligion. Satisfied with their exclusive service to the dust of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet, the devotees become liberated from the bondage of karma by the power of bhakti-yoga. What is the question of bondage for the Lord of those devotees, who accepted the transcendental bodies of others’ wives by His unrestricted free will? (SB 10.33.34, Sārārtha-darśini)

In conclusion, Kṛṣṇa is above all morality and immorality, not vice-versa. When He appears to violate morality, He is not being immoral but is demonstrating His supremacy over morality. Unlike us, who are tempted to break moral principles by the force of alluring temptations, Kṛṣṇais never motivated by selfish desire. He is always motivated by love, and everyone gets the supreme benefit whenever He breaks any moral principle. In all the Vraja-lila pastimes (including the rasa), it is love that reigns supreme. The gopis thus demonstrated the supreme level of renunciation, and that is the reason they are known as the greatest devotees of Kṛṣṇa. They transcended all moral obligations, including their chastity, and surrendered their lives completely to Him. And as a result He feels free to exchange the most loving relations in the sweetest possible manner.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Kṛṣṇa,

Lord Caitanya’s remembrance of the rāsa dance lovingly instructs us sādhakas on how to remember and meditate upon Lord Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa-līlā pastimes. The act of reading or meditating on the rāsa-līlā is not forbidden; what is forbidden is to hear these sacred pastimes from non-devotees, devoid of proper realization and devotion.

In a letter, Srila Prabhupada wrote, “It is forbidden that a mundane person should not indulge in hearing Rasaleela or one should not hear Rasaleela from a mundane person. In your organization both the audience and the lecturer are mundane persons and their indulgence in the matter of Rasaleela out of sheer foolishness will result in imitating Rudra who swallowed up an ocean of poison. There is nothing immorality in the transcendental activities of the lord neither it requires to be defended by any immoral man because simply by remembering the holy name of Krishna or by serving His lotus feet one can at once become a liberated person. Besides that the result of reading or hearing the Rasaleela in the devotional mood is stated to become culminated in complete disappearance of the devotee’s lust disease in the heart. Persons who are not pure devotees and must have therefore an impure heart full with dirty things of mundane affairs will not only try to defend Rasaleela[handwritten] by interpretations or decry the dealings but also shall be ruined as by drinking poison a man goes to hell.” (Letter to Ratanshi Morarji Khatau written from Bombay; 1958)

In another place, Srila Prabhupada writes, “The Lord is so merciful that He Himself descends to take the fallen souls back home to the kingdom of Godhead, where the erotic principles of Godhead are eternally relished in their real form, distinct from the perverted sexual love so much adored and indulged in by the fallen souls in their diseased condition. The reason the Lord displays the rāsa-līlā is essentially to induce all the fallen souls to give up their diseased morality and religiosity, and to attract them to the kingdom of God to enjoy the reality. A person who actually understands what the rāsa-līlā is will certainly hate to indulge in mundane sex life. For the realized soul, hearing the Lord’s rāsa-līlā through the proper channel will result in complete abstinence from material sexual pleasure.” (CC Adi 4.30 Purport)

Finally, I would like to quote another beautiful passage from the introduction to Kṛṣṇa Book, in which Śrīla Prabhupāda offers an elaborate explanation.

“The pastimes of the Lord are generally heard and relished by liberated souls. And yet the descriptions of the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa are so attractive that they are relishable for all classes of men. There are three classes of men in this world. One class consists of liberated souls, another consists of those who are trying to be liberated, and the third consists of materialistic men. Whether one is liberated or is trying to be liberated, or is even grossly materialistic, the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa are worth studying. This kṛṣṇa-kathā will also be very much appealing to the most materialistic persons because Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes with the gopīs (cowherd girls) are exactly like the loving affairs between young girls and boys within this material world. Actually, the sex feeling found in human society is not unnatural because this same sex feeling is there in the original Personality of Godhead. The pleasure potency is called Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. The attraction of loving affairs on the basis of sex feeling is the original feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we, the conditioned souls, being part and parcel of the Supreme, have such feelings also, but they are experienced within a perverted, minute condition. Therefore, when those who are after sex life in this material world hear about Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes with the gopīs, they will relish transcendental pleasure, although it appears to be materialistic. The advantage will be that they will gradually be elevated to the spiritual platform.
In the Bhāgavatam it is stated that if one hears the pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa with the gopīs, from authorities with submission, then he will be promoted to the platform of transcendental loving service to the Lord, and the material disease of lust within his heart will be completely vanquished. In other words, such hearing will counteract material sex life.”

(From Śrīla Prabhupāda’s introduction to Kṛṣṇa, The Supreme Personality of Godhead.)

Hence, the conclusion is that studying, hearing, and meditating on the Lord’s rāsa-līlā is certainly permissible—but only when done with reverence, correct understanding, and in the association of spiritually advanced devotees

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Kṛṣṇa,

For one who aspires to study and appreciate the rāsa dance of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs, it is absolutely essential to be firmly situated in proper philosophical understanding—namely, that these divine pastimes are completely devoid of even a trace of material sexual desire. On this point, all our ācāryas speak with one voice.

SB 10.33.25: Although the gopīs were firmly attached to Lord Kṛṣṇa, whose desires are always fulfilled, the Lord was not internally affected by any mundane sex desire. Still, to perform His pastimes the Lord took advantage of all those moonlit autumn nights, which inspire poetic descriptions of transcendental affairs.

In Kṛṣṇa book, Srila Prabhupada writes, “Sex desire is especially excited in the autumn season, but the wonderful thing about Krsna’s association with the gopis is that there was no question of sex desire. It was, as clearly stated in the Bhagavata description by Sukadeva Gosvami, avaruddha-sauratah, namely the sex impulse was completely controlled. There is a distinction between Lord Krsna’s dancing with the gopis and the ordinary dancing of living entities within the material world.” (Kṛṣṇa book)

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura further clarifies this deep and often misunderstood topic. The following summary reflects my understanding of his commentary on SB 10.33.25, with special attention to key Sanskrit terms that require careful understanding.

The rāsa-līlā and Kṛṣṇa’s conjugal interactions with the gopīs do not arise from material lust or conditioned desire. Because these pastimes are fully spiritual, they belong to the plane of Absolute Truth (satya) rather than material kāma.  Kṛṣṇa is called satya-kāmaḥ (one whose desires are always fulfilled). Satya means the form of the Absolute Truth and kāma means pastimes of love. In other words, Kṛṣṇa engaged in pastimes of love which are the Absolute Truth, and the source of all pure selfless love. In other words, satya-kāmaḥ means that Kṛṣṇa’s desires are identical with truth itself—His loving pastimes are the very source of all pure, selfless love. Unlike conditioned desire (which seeks personal gratification), Kṛṣṇa’s kāma is fully spiritual and liberating. Although Kṛṣṇa is the original source of all pleasure and enjoyment, He voluntarily places Himself in a position where the gopīs become the cause of His enjoyment. This reversal highlights the supremacy of bhakti over God’s own independence.

Kṛṣṇa is described as anurata-abalā-gaṇaḥ, one who followed after the pleasure of the gopis. Though He gives pleasure to all beings, here He is shown as attracted and subordinate to the gopīs’ love, demonstrating bhakti’s power to bind the Supreme.

The word Abalā does not imply weakness; rather, it paradoxically indicates that the gopīs were unmatched in their strength to express pure love. Their apparent helplessness intensifies the force of their prema, which overwhelms even Kṛṣṇa.

The term ātmany avaruddha-saurataḥ conveys that Kṛṣṇa’s mind was completely absorbed in conjugal exchange during the rāsa dance. This absorption includes the full spectrum of rasa-tattva:

• Emotional states (bhāvas)
• Vyabhicārī-bhāvas (transitory emotions like eagerness, joy, perverseness)
• Sāttvika-bhāvas (ecstatic symptoms such as being stunned, trembling, sweating, color change)
• Anubhāvas (external expressions like seeing, touching, speaking, embracing)

Thus, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s description shows that conjugal love in Kṛṣṇa-līlā is not chaotic emotion, but a perfectly orchestrated spiritual rasa involving mind, body, and emotion—fully under yogamāyā’s control. This aligns with other scriptural descriptions (e.g., Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes with Rukmiṇī), confirming the consistency of this theological principle.

“Thus the self-satisfied Supreme Lord of the universe enjoyed with Rukmini, engaging her in erotic love talks (saurata-saṁlāpa) and thus imitated the ways of human society.” (SB 10.60.58)

Thus, Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa-līlā reveals the supreme victory of selfless love over divine self-sufficiency. The Absolute Truth becomes “controlled” not by force or obligation, but by pure prema, establishing the gopīs’ love as the highest theological ideal.

“Rasa indicates the spiritual bliss one derives from his loving relationship with Sri Kṛṣṇa. This ecstatic bliss is relished between Kṛṣṇa and His devotees during various transcendental pastimes.“ (SB 10.33.25, Sārārtha-darśini)

The rāsa-līlā is displayed in its fullest depth only when the devotee, exemplified by the Vraja-gopīs, is established in the highest realm of prema. As devotional life matures—from śraddhā and sādhu-saṅga to bhāva and prema—material desires naturally wither away, giving rise to fully awakened transcendental qualities. In light of this progression, how can one mistake the loving exchanges between Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs for anything material?

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Kṛṣṇa,

The description of the Rāsa dance becomes progressively more esoteric, confidential, and intimate—so much so that it feels technically beyond my present ability to fully grasp its essence. Nevertheless, the following are some key aspects of this lesson that especially stood out to me:

The gopis had only one desire – to please Kṛṣṇa, the best of the dancers. Srila Prabhupada, in Kṛṣṇa book, says that “One has to dance to please Kṛṣṇa, not to imitate or to become equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The gopis wanted to please Krsna, and therefore as Kṛṣṇa sang, they responded and encouraged Him by saying, “Well done, well done.” Unfortunately those in the material world try to imitate Krsna as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. They they end up dancing under the direction of Krsna’s maya and are thinking that they are equal to Krsna. (Kṛṣṇa, Chapter 33)

There is a description about the word ‘ vadhū. Conventional meaning of  vadhūis wife, sister-in-law or else a woman in general. But Sri Sanatana Gosvami says “the golden-limbed gopis are the vadhūs “wives” of beautiful dark-blue Kṛṣṇa in the sense that, just like wives, the gopis are embraced only by Kṛṣṇa, sheltered only by Kṛṣṇa and enjoyed only by Kṛṣṇa.” (SB 10.33.7, Sārārtha-darśini) This is very profound and showcases the constitutional position of the living entity. We are expected to be embraced, sheltered and enjoyed by Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa is the supreme enjoyer and we are the enjoyed.

jīvera ‘svarūpa’ haya — kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’
kṛṣṇera ‘taṭasthā-śakti’ ‘bhedābheda-prakāśa’

sūryāṁśa-kiraṇa, yaiche agni-jvālā-caya
svābhāvika kṛṣṇera tina-prakāra ‘śakti’ haya

“It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṇa and a manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord, like a molecular particle of sunshine or fire. Kṛṣṇa has three varieties of energy.” (CC Madhya 20.108-109)

The last thing that stands out is that these gopis are not ordinary personalities. To refute the argument that Kṛṣṇa’s enjoyed with young girls, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura conclusively proves that all these gopis are expansion of Kṛṣṇa’s own form.

“The gopis were the hladini-sakti, pleasure potencies, expanded from Kṛṣṇa’s personal form (svarupa). Similarly Srimad Bhagavatam (3.2.11) states that sva-bimbaṁ refers to Kṛṣṇa’s own form. Therefore the meaning of the verse is: “Kṛṣṇa, expanding Himself in unlimited, fully potent forms, enjoyed with each of the gopis who were manifested from His own internal potency.” (SB 10.33.16, Sārārtha-darśini)

The final takeaway for me is that the rāsa dance reveals the zenith of the jīva’s surrender and prema to Śrī Kṛṣṇa—a level of love so pure that nothing remains except the desire to serve His happiness. Reflecting on this leaves me acutely aware of my own distance from such love, yet deeply inspired to walk, however imperfectly, in the footsteps of those exalted devotees.

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

Hare Kṛṣṇa,

It is good to have a proper definition of the rāsa dance as given by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura.

“When the actions of singing, dancing, kissing and embracing combine together they produce rāsa. Amusement composed of rāsa is called rāsa-krīḍām or the rāsa dance. Joyfully entwining their arms together, Kṛṣṇa played with those gopis, the jewels among women, who were now favorably disposed (anuvrataiḥ).” (SB 10.33.2: Sārārtha-darśini)

Sanātana Gosvāmī, in his Bṛhad Vaiṣṇava Toṣaṇī, also provides similar definition.

“Rāsa dance is defined as women holding the neck of the male dancer on either side and forming a circle. They thought “He should remain in this circle and not leave.” Thus they held their hands tightly.”

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura further glorifies the rāsa dance a festival.

“The rāsa dance is called a festival (rāsa-utsavaḥ) because it was full of music, singing and dancing, merry-making and wonderful food in the form of blissful nectar for the cataka birds of the devotee’s eyes and minds. The festival began in a perfectly arranged way with Kṛṣṇa entering between each pair of gopis who were standing in a circle.” (SB 10.33.3: Sārārtha-darśini)

However, I find the concept of rāsa-krīḍā difficult to understand. Although I searched for other references discussing this technical term, I was unable to locate any substantial explanations. It could be

What stood out for me are the statements:

“One should not think that this verse means that Kṛṣṇa initiated the rāsa-krīḍa. Kṛṣṇa was not the doer; the rāsa-līlā was the doer. Kṛṣṇa gave the rāsa-līlā the independence to initiate the action.” (SB 10.33.3: Sārārtha-darśini)

This naturally raises the question: Who is the rāsa-līlā? Since everything in the spiritual realm is conscious and endowed with personality, it is conceivable that rāsa-līlā itself may be a personality. Alternatively, it may be an expression of Yogamāyā, who orchestrates and facilitates the unfolding of the rāsa-līlā.

Setting aside the technical aspects, what is striking is that the rāsa-līlā requires several actors and essential elements to fully manifest the dance. From this lesson, I can identify the following participants.

• Sri Kṛṣṇa – The most excellent of the Supreme male
• Srimati Radharani – the most excellent of the gopis and the very cause of the rāsa-līlā
• The gopis – the best of all women
• Intense Prema in its highest zenith
• Harmony between Krsna’s and gopis’ minds
• Banks of the Yamuna
• Music, singing, dancing, merry-making, wonderful food
• Sri Kṛṣṇa as the perfect master of all methods of artistic skills and the means of acting thus

Finally, a question that has long remained in my mind is how the denizens of heaven, headed by Brahmā, were able to witness such a supremely confidential, intimate, and private festival. How were they qualified to do so? Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura once again comes to the rescue by clarifying that—

“At that moment the sky became crowded with hundreds of airplanes belonging to the denizens of heaven, headed by Brahma. They eagerly watched Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa dancing, but they were not qualified to witness Kṛṣṇa’s confidential pastimes with the gopis because they are dasya-bhaktas, worshiping Him in the mood of servitude. Yogamaya thus arranged everything so expertly that the men of heaven could see the dancing of Kṛṣṇa but not His beloved gopis.” (SB 10.33.3: Sārārtha-darśini)

In closing, it is important to highlight Śrīla Prabhupāda’s guidance regarding the proper hearing of the topics of the rāsa dance.

“So we should not take Kṛṣṇa’s dancing like our ball dance. No, that is mistake. If we understand Kṛṣṇa’s dancing, then we become liberated. It is said in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam that instead of reading some books of this ball dance, if you read about Kṛṣṇa’s dancing, then what will be the result? The result will be hṛd-rogam-kāmam apahinoty āśv acireṇa dhīraḥ [SB 10.33.39]. Everyone, we have got these lusty desires, but if actually one is advanced and he hears from a realized person what is the meaning of Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa dance, then the result will be hṛd-roga-kāmam. We have got a heart disease. Heart disease means lusty desire. Hṛd-roga-kāmam apahinoti: “It becomes vanquished.” If one actually hears Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa-līlā, then no more material lusty desires. This is the result.” (Srila Prabhupada Lecture — Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.28.18 – Oct. 27, 1975, Oct. 27, 1975)

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!