Introduction to Śrī Gīta-govinda

Aprākṛta-tattva (spiritual principles) is not perceivable to those whose hearts are shackled by mundane sentiments.

For those whose spiritual eyes have not been opened, such persons have no eligibility for prema–tattva (the principle of divine love).

The essence of all spiritual truth is madhura-sādhana (the cultivation of conjugal rasa), by which the sādhus attain absolute bliss.

That lotus (of mādhurya-rasa) has manifest as the wonderful book, Gīta Govinda, and based upon various kinds of eligibility, it either contracts or expands.

With the mind’s eye, a qualified person, who possesses prema, perceives Vṛndāvana with the help of eternally blissful jñāna.

For one who has not become qualified, but incessantly yearns for the nectar of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa prema, his desire is never fulfilled. He only sees a picture created by the schemes of Māyā.

He views the spiritual reality of Vṛndāvana as material and considers the glories of the Supreme to be very trivial.

With his mind bound to the concepts of hero and heroine, he surrenders himself to believing this book to be about mundane exploits.

Therefore O sādhus, while reading this book, take shelter of the spiritual bhāva within your mind.

Whatever was relished by the husband of Padmāvatī (Jayadeva) – that is the pure prema that you should cultivate.

Transcendental principles are most pure and they are the abode of sattva-guṇa. They are the repose of the sāragrāhī Vaiṣṇavas (those who seek the essence).

Whoever rejects Goloka Dhāma to engage their mind in tamo-dharma (religions of ignorance) is always considered to be impious.