"Exploring Devotional Poetry: Sanskrit, Rasa, and Bhakti with HH Krishna Kshetra Swami & HG Gopinathacarya Prabhu"

Sat Sanga - Special Guest HG Gopinathacarya Prabhu - HH Krishna Kshetra Swami - 26.10.2024 - YouTubeThe video is a recorded online discussion featuring HH Krishna Kshetra Swami and special guest HG Gopinathacarya Prabhu, held on October 26, 2024, as part of the Sat Sanga series. The discussion starts with Krishna Kshetra Swami sharing his location in Poland, then diving into the ongoing celebration of the Damodara month. They cover the reading of various bhakti songs, especially those from Narottama Das Thakur’s prayer book Prarthana, explaining the Bengali and Sanskrit verses, their meanings, and the poetic structure. Gopinathacarya Prabhu joins later, contributing insights on Sanskrit poetics and the concept of rasa (the essence of aesthetic experience in poetry) and dhvani (suggestion in poetic expression). They explore the depth of devotional emotions in Sanskrit and Bengali literature, emphasizing how poetic conventions and implied meanings enhance the spiritual experience. They also discuss famous Sanskrit verses, Krishna Kshetra Swami's recent translation work, and anecdotes on the lives of devotees, particularly the poet Keshava Kashmiri. The video concludes with reflections on the beauty of devotional poetry and anticipation for future gatherings in the series.