The Understanding of Krsna in Sankaradeva

The Krsna of Sankaradeva (and Madhavadeva) wandering through Vraja looking for butter is not the Krsna of Gujarat but, rather, Paramatma, the supreme spiritual personality, in the setting of the microcosm, on the lookout, as it were, for the product of the senses. Krsna is God Himself in His capacity as the “cowherd” of the senses. It is this paramatmic understanding of God that allowed the “nirguna” poets like Kabir and even Muslim poets—who were from traditions other than the Vedantic-puranic one—to immerse themselves in the love of Hari and Krsna. This is because Krsna is the transcendent Supreme Spirit (Brahman)—Allah or the Lord Himself— in His role of the ‘Preserver of the Senses’ (Go-pala).