Did the Gita Govindam book impact the Bhakti movement in India?

[Prof J.S.R. Prasad asked:- Saashtaanga Namaskaaram Swami. I heard a professor saying that the Sanskrit book ‘Gita Govindam’ is full of eroticism and for some time, it was banned from the general reading in the medieval times. She also commented that it had an impact on the later Bhakti movement in India. Kindly enlighten me on this point.]

Swami replied:- Everybody reads a verse at the end of the most holy ritual called ‘Sandhyaa Vandanam’, which is done three times every day. That last verse is supposed to contain the entire essence of the worship to God. That last verse says “Whatever actions are done by body, words, mind, senses of the body, intelligence and soul are dedicated to God only (Kāyena vācā manasendriyairvā…)”. Here, all the actions done by the body (Karmendriyas) and specially done by all the senses of the body, which are based on awareness (Jnaanendriayas) are surrendered to God. The eroticism is the love shown by the body and the senses. We are clearly telling that whatever action done by body and its senses is to be surrendered to God only and not to any other worldly bond. Salvation means liberation from all the worldly bonds and union (Yoga) means merging with God. On one side, you are criticizing the eroticism and on the other side, you are adding eroticism as a part of the total devotion dedicated to God. The eroticism is unjust and illegal if it is diverted to another illegal worldly bond in worldly life (Pravrutti) since the soul shall vote for justice against injustice in Pravrutti. But, in the case of spiritual life (Nivrutti), the soul shall vote for God even against justice if required (Sarvadharmān parityajya... – Gita).

The love between Radha and Krishna and the love between Krishna and Gopikas are also misunderstood as the attraction between male and female genders. This misunderstanding is based on the external ignorance about the deep background. Radha is the incarnation of Sage Durvaasa and Sage Durvaasa is the incarnation of God Shiva. Krishna is the incarnation of God Vishnu. The love between Shiva and Vishnu is at the level of unimaginable climax. Actually, the Veda says that both are one (Śivaśca Nārāyaṇaḥ). The heart of Vishnu is Shiva and the heart of Shiva is Vishnu (Śivasya hṛdayaṃ Viṣṇuḥ, Viṣṇośca hṛdayaṃ Śivaḥ). A scholar sees the background and an ignorant fellow sees only superficial layers. Coming to Gopikas and Krishna, Krishna is the fullest expressed form of God (Paripuurna-tamaavataara) and the Gopikas are the sages, who did penance for God for millions of births. Penance means the agony like pain suffered for the sake of God in every minute of their life. In such case, just imagine the level of love for God that exists in the sages! The lack of deep study and half-knowledge are responsible for such foolish comments.

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