TABLE OF CONTENTS: List of Figures and Tables ix
Foreword by Norvin Hein xi
Acknowledgments xvii
Pronunciation xxi
Abbreviations xxv
Introduction: The Sacred Love Story 1
A Drama of Love 1
Sacred Love Stories 6
India's Song of Songs 8
Bh gavata as the Ultimate Scripture 11
Sacred Context of the Rasa Lila 16
Part I: Poems from the Bhagavata Purana Dance of Divine Love: Rasa Lila 23
Act One. Krishna Attracts the Gop s and Disappears 25
Act Two. The Gop s Search for Krishna 39
Act Three. The Song of the Gopis: Gopi Gita 51
Act Four. Krishna Reappears and Speaks of Love 58
Act Five. The Rasa Dance 65
Song of the Flute: Venu Gita 78
Song of the Black Bee: Bhramara Gita 86
Part II: Textual Illuminations Chapter 1: Background of the Text 97
Devotional Love as "Rasa" 97
Ancient Sources of Devotional Love 101
Devotional Love as the Path to God 105
Forms of the Deity Vishnu 108
Chapter 2: Aspects of the Story 111
Framing Passages of the Rasa Lila 111
Poetic and Dramatic Dimensions 114
Krishna: Lord of Love and Beauty 117
Vraja: Pastoral Paradise 125
Yogamaya :Potency for Intimacy 130
The Gopis: Beloveds of Krishna 137
The Special Gopi :Radha 147
Chapter 3: Messages of the Text 152
Devotional Yoga Transcends Death 152
Ethical Boundaries and Boundless Love 158
The Vision of Devotional Love 166
Symbolism in the Rasa Lila 172
Part III: Notes and Comments Introduction 187
Act One 189
Act Two 222
Act Three 237
Act Four 250
Act Five 263
Part IV: The Sanskrit Text Introduction 291
Act One 293
Act Two 304
Act Three 313
Act Four 318
Act Five 322
Appendix 1: Note on Translation 331
Appendix 2: Poetic Meters in Sanskrit Text 336
Accent and Syllable Length: Emphasis and Rhythm in Sanskrit Verse 337
Sanskrit Meters Used in R sa L l Te x t 337
Story Line and Poetic Meter Analysis 339
Verse Number Variations and Actual Verse Count 342
Appendix 3: Synoptic Analysis of the Rasa Lila 344
Glossary 347
Bibliography 355
Index 367
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