Talking to Plants:

The Vraja Gopikās

Abstract

In this poetic and philosophical essay, Schweig turns to the Rāsa Līlā episode of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, where the gopīs of Vraja speak to and with plants in their longing for Kṛṣṇa. He argues that this plant consciousness and emotional dialogue reflect a deeply relational cosmology, where the natural world becomes a partner in divine love. This article blends eco-poetics, theology, and rasa aesthetics to highlight the spiritual voice of nature in Vaishnava thought.