The devotional poems of the two foremost female Krishna bhaktas, Aantaal and Mirabai, are congruent at this point to the discussion. Aantaal, regarded as one of the twelve Aalvaar Vaishnava... Read more

Krishna allowed women to play out the fantasy of being in control, of being able to bend the will of men to their commands. In the Gitagovinda, Radha compelled Krishna to repent and, when th... Read more

Chandidasa writes: How can I describe his relentless flute, which pulls virtuous women from their homes and drags them by their hair to Shyam as thirst and hunger pull the doe to the snare?... Read more

Krishna As Lover: Part – II There was a shudder in her whispering voice. She was shy to frame her words. What has happened tonight to lovely Radha? Now she consents, now she is afraid.... Read more

So the encounter in love began, when the shuddering of bodies hindered firm embrace; where the joy of contemplating one another with searching looks was interrupted by blinkings; where the m... Read more

Radha was supposedly betrothed to one Ayana (or Rayana) while still a child. Ayana, who was much older than her, is said to have been the brother of Yasoda, Krishna’s foster-mother. On... Read more

In theGitagovinda, Jayadeva succeeded eminently in his purpose. Indeed, the profile of Radha as Raseshvari emerged so strongly that Jayadeva appears to have been daunted by his own effort. S... Read more

The gopis became jivatmas (individual souls) seeking merger with the paramatma (the absolute). Physical passion became an aspect of bhakti (devotion). The erotic was sanctified; the spiritua... Read more

When Krishna, sweetness and grace itself, played the flute its impact was bewitching. Indeed, his flute, with its obvious phallic connotations, was but an extension of his beauty. The Bhagav... Read more

The description in the Harivarnsa is matter of fact, its brevity reinforces its sincerity. There is in its narration the glimpse of a spontaneous folk culture unburdened with the constraints... Read more