Contents Foreword v Preface vii Abbreviations xi Map ofMathura District xiii Map of Vrindaban xv 1.INTRODUCTION . 1 2.MYTHIC VRNDAVANA AS THE SCENE OF KRSNA'S INCARNATION 11 Sanskrit Sources Krsna-Visnu Motifs in Vedic Literature The Epic and Puranic Approach to the Relation between Krsna and Visnu Vrndavana Motifs in Vedic Literature The Nature of Vrndavana - Celestial and terrestrial - in the Puranas The Gaudiya Approach to Krsna-Visnu Krsna-Visnu and the Concept of avatara in Braj Bhasa Literature The Non-sectarian Approach ~ The Surasagara The Sectarian Approach 3.VRNDAVANA AND ITS ROLE IN LfLA 63 The Nature of Lila Lila in the Puranas Lila in the Sectarian Philosophical Texts The Braj Bhasa Treatment of Divine Sport The Role of Vrndavana in Ltta - An Aspect of the Divine In the Puranas In the Sectarian Philosophical Texts Vrndavana in the Braj Bhasa Texts 4.GEOGRAPHY AND SYMBOLISM IN THE REPRESENTATION OF VRNDAVANA 87 The Mythological Representation The Symbolic Representation The Geographical Representation 5.THE ROLE OF VRNDAVANA IN DEVOTIONAL PRACTICE AND EXPERIENCE 129 The Mythological Tradition The Symbolic Approach 6.CONCLUSION 147 Appendix 151 Glossary 167 Bibliography 171 Index 175