Does Kṛṣṇa Marry the Gopīs in the End?

Abstract

The article "DOES KRISHNA MARRY THE GOPIS IN THE END? THE SVAKIYA-VADA OF JIVA GOSVAMIN" delves into the svakiya-vada doctrine within the Gaudiya Vaishnava school, primarily championed by Jiva Gosvamin. The article explores the controversial assertion that the Gopis, particularly Radha, are eternally married to Krishna, and that this marital relationship represents the purest form of their transcendental love. It meticulously examines Jiva Gosvamin's interpretations, based on Rupa Gosvamin's works, and contrasts them with the opposing parakiya-vada, which emphasizes the unmarried state of Krishna's loves. The study analyzes Jiva's theological arguments, particularly from his Krishna-sandarbha and Gopala-campu, where he re-narrates Krishna's life to support the notion of his return to Vraja and subsequent marriage to the Gopis, revealing their previous marriages as illusory. The article also discusses the concepts of rasa and siddhanta, and how Jiva addresses the theme of separation (viraha) and union (sambhoga) in the context of Krishna's lila, arguing for the necessity of a physical union in the manifest world to achieve complete aesthetic experience and satisfy the desires of both Krishna and his devotees.