History of Mediaeval Hindu India (being a History of India from 600 to 1200 A.D.) v3.c41.s7.4

v3.c41.s7.4

But though this new Vaishnavism and Jainism were at one on the doctrine of Ahimsā, they unfortunately differed most strongly on the question of asceticism. The Hindu world has also swung alternately between asceticism and epicurianism, the philosophy of self-mortification and that of self-indulgence. Śrikrishna’s life practically preached the doctrine of the enjoyment of world’s blessings, though he always preached the value of the golden mean. His worship, however, soon drifted into what may be called for want of a better word, Epicurianism which appeared in Bengal and in Mid-India at this time and soon became popular. While therefore, the new Vaishnavism taught Ahimsā like Jainism, unlike Jainism it taught the enjoyment of worldly blessings. The swing went naturally to the other extreme point of the swing like a pendulum and licentiousness became the leading feature of this new Vaishnavism. The cult of Rādhā worship does not appear to have yet arisen; for Rādhā is not mentioned even in the Bhāgavata. But the amours of Krishna with the Gopis had become the leading doctrine of the Vaishnavas at this time; for even the Bhāgavata the chief new Purāṇa teaching the Vaishnava cult, could not but depict these amours in their objectionable character, concealed in later times under the allegorical cloak of Vedānta. For in the Bhāgavata, a direct question is asked by Parikshit as to whether these immoral deeds of the great are an example to be followed by ordinary beings. Suka does not say in reply in the Bhāgavata that these were mere allegories embodying the yearning of the human soul for the Supreme Soul; but straightly answers that the teachings and not the actions of great men are to be followed. The Bhāgavata, therefore, plainly held these amours to be not only historical, but also unworthy of being imitated. The Rādhā cult was, however, a natural outcome of this belief in the amours of Śrikrishna, as the human mind can not be satisfied without assiging one woman as the object of greatest love and we find Gitagovinda of Jayadeva, a court-poet of Lakshmaṇasena, describing at this time in most enchanting tones the amours of Krishna and Rādhā who is still an adulteress.