Reading for Krishna’s Pleasure:

Gaudiya Vaishnava Meditation, Literary Interiority, and the Phenomenology of Repetition

Abstract

The article "Reading for Krishna’s Pleasure: Gaudiya Vaishnava Meditation, Literary Interiority, and the Phenomenology of Repetition" by Tony K. Stewart explores the distinctive meditative practices of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, particularly the ritual visualization technique known as mañjarī sādhana. Stewart foregrounds how meditation in this tradition is not an abstract formless absorption but an immersive literary and affective engagement with scripturally described divine pastimes—especially those involving Rādhā, Krishna, and Caitanya. Drawing on narrative texts like the Bhāgavata Purāṇa and Caitanya Caritāmṛta, the article discusses how devotees read and internalize these stories to generate vivid, structured visionary experiences. Stewart compares this meditative process to reading with devotional intent, suggesting that repetition of sacred narratives fosters a phenomenological transformation of the self that culminates in intimate participation within the cosmic drama. He also reflects on the limitations of Western conceptual frameworks—like method acting—in fully capturing the internal, text-governed dynamics of this sādhana.