Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Presentation of Prema Based on Vidagdha-mādhava

Abstract

This article delves into Rūpa Gosvāmī's seminal work, Vidagdha-mādhava, focusing on seven key verses presented to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and his associates to illustrate the essential nature (svabhāva) and characteristics (lakṣaṇa or dharma) of divine love (prema) for Kṛṣṇa. Drawing primarily from the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, which recounts the circumstances of the play's composition and its early reception, the analysis centers on these specific verses as representative texts for understanding the dynamics of prema within the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava tradition. The article explores the context of Vidagdha-mādhava's creation, Rūpa Gosvāmī's mastery of dramaturgy and Sanskrit poetics, and the significance of these verses in elucidating the often paradoxical and transformative qualities of divine love, particularly as experienced by Rādhikā and Kṛṣṇa in their initial stages of amorous attraction (pūrva-rāga) and its subsequent complexities.