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Shishir Katote R

Question: Are gopis celibates?

Answer: There are 2 types of srinagar rasa that culminate into transcendental sex. First is sambhogeccha mayi bhakti and another is tad tad bhava icchatmika bhakti.

Although it may appear that sex here does not let gopis remain celibate, they in reality still are celibates. Why? Because there is no desire for personal sex gratification. The desire is to please Krishna, not their own senses.

Various Levels of Spiritual Love

In ujjvala-rasa (the topmost pinnacle of all devotional mellows), the permanent mellow is madhurya-rati (loving attachment for Krsna expressed in the mood of a lover). This madhurya-rati is of three kinds: (1) sadharani [attachment wherein one’s own personal enjoyment is present], (2) samanjasa [attachment wherein both one’s personal enjoyment and the desire to please Sri Krsna are equally present], and (3) samartha [attachment wherein only the desire to please Krsna is present]. The sadharani-madhurya-rati found in Kubja is like an ordinary gemstone. The royal queens of Dvaraka, beginning with Rukmini, are possessed of samanjasa-madhurya-rati. This is compared to cintamani or touchstone. The gopis of Vraja are possessed of samartha-madhurya-rati, and this is compared to the Kaustubha jewel.

That attachment which has of its design and intent one’s own personal enjoyment is called sadharani. That attachment, which has as its purpose the enjoyment that accr