Why does the Krishna book include explicit descriptions of female beauty?

This is an AI-generated transcript and it might not be fully accurate:

Question: Why are there references to raised breasts of Rukmini and others in 10th canto of Srimad Bhagavatam and as rendered in Srila Prabhupada’s Krishna book?

Answer: Yes, this is one of the challenging aspects when we read the description of the epics, especially of female beauty, there seem to be quite explicit descriptions on various occasions. My understanding of this is threefold, that first, what to us seems questionable or explicitly sensual description at that time in that culture was just a routine description of the attributes of people. So, just as males are described in terms of their physical prowess or their heroism.

So, females are described in terms of their beautiful features and this seems to be something which is culturally quite normal at that time. If we look overall Indian culture and Indian history, it seems that the combined effect of Islamic invasion and then British, what was called as Victorian morality, Indian culture became a bit more prudish in terms of certain descriptions being considered unacceptable, at least in cultured circles. So, it seems to be the cultural norm in those times and I think this changes with time.

So, for example, how physical attributes are described, in the past somebody would be referred to as a cripple, now we say a person with special needs. Now, it is not exactly the same, but my point is that how physical attributes are described is, it varies according to culture and what is considered questionable in one cultural time may not be considered similarly at another time. The real question is that for us today, such descriptions are often triggering or agitating.

It seems in the past, such descriptions were not triggering or agitating to people. We will find them everywhere. Now, Ravan while describing Sita s beauty is explicit, we may say he is a demon, but Yudhishthira while staking Draupadi in the Mahabharata, the gambling match also describes her beauty in quite explicit terms.

Now, we could say even that is he is in a daze at that time and because of being in a daze, he does not know what he is doing and he speaks like that. That is also acceptable. But then we have sages in the narratives describing Sukadeva Swami and Suta Goswami who are extremely renounced sages.

They describe beauty not just of Mohini Murthy, but even of other characters and so it seems that was a cultural norm over there. It was non-triggering. Today, it is triggering.

So, Prabhupada was quite straightforward about it. He said that if we read such descriptions and we feel agitated, then that means we are not yet ready to read those descriptions. So, we can skip them.

He is especially referring to the Rastlila descriptions. And at the same time, he did give those descriptions of the 10th Canto in the Krishna book because that is there in the original book and it cannot be hidden. So, that is one point.

It seems the cultural norm. The second point I would say is that within Sringararas, the description of beauty is a part of literature. And in every literature, there has to be some Sringararas described as the rule of Kavya.

So, now in different ways, that particular Sringar is described. So, if we consider, there are, there is, even in the movies, if we consider, there is, there are categories, the romantic, erotic and pornographic. So, romantic is where the focus is more on the relationship between the hero and the heroine.

And within that, the attractive features of both of them may be described. The focus is more on the relationship and the story. In erotic, the much more than the relational emotional aspects, the physical aspects become much more explicit.

And in pornographic, the whole story just becomes incidental. And what is primary is the description of what will trigger lower desires in the audience. So, we may have a Mayavadi attitude towards all physical descriptions and conflate them or reduce them to just one thing as essentially triggering.

And that may be true for us today. But it is not that simple. So, just because somebody gets triggered does not mean that that was meant for triggering someone.

Just like if we have classical dance form like Bharatanatyam. Now, those dance forms may also involve beautiful women dancers. And their purpose is not to essentially trigger those dances.

Their purpose is to depict some stories and some pastimes. But by that somebody might get triggered. So, I think the differentiation has to be kept in mind.

So, in the story, if we consider that Krishna is the supreme enjoyer and for Krishna, everything will be, Krishna himself will be attractive. Krishna s associates will also be supremely attractive. And that will be conveyed in some way.

The point is not to trigger our desires within us. The point is to take the narrative forward. So, the key point would be that, is it playing a significant role in the narrative, that description? So, in general, wherever I have observed, there is a narrative role over there.

That when Ravan is looking through the palaces in Lanka and he sees the beauty of, he sees the women semi-clad over there and their beauty is described. That is to convey how Hanuman, Hanuman s firm resolve to serve Lord Ram by which he does not get agitated. Second is, similarly other places also, Mohini Murthy s explicit description is required because there is a dramatic twist over there in the story.

How would the demons who had given so much, fought so much and endeavoured so much to get the nectar pot suddenly just give it up? So, my understanding, that is the purpose of the author, purpose of the description in the epic. Thank you, Hare Krishna.