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In Praise of Krishna: Songs from the Bengali
Arising out of a devotional and enthusiastic religious movement that swept across most of northern and eastern India in the period from the fourteenth through the seventeenth centuries, the powerful and moving lyrics collected and elegantly translated here depict the love of Radha for the god Krishna—a love whose intensity and range of emotions trace the course of all true love between man and woman and between man and God. Intermingling physical and metaphysical imagery, the spiritual yearning for the divine is articulated in the passionate language of intense sensual desire for an irresistible but ultimately unpossessable lover, thus touching a resonant chord in our humanity.
118 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1967
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
November 24, 2024
Some very beautiful lines, would love to see how modern translations compare/scholarship now would describe these poems. Something very queer about the criss-crossing of love poems and spirituals.
November 5, 2025
How beautiful the deliberate, sensuous union of the
two; the girl playing this time the active
role,
riding her lover's outstretched body in delight;
her smiling lips shine with drops of sweat; the god
of love offering pearls to the moon.
She of beautiful face hotly kisses the mouth of her
beloved; the moon, with face bent down,
drinks of the lotus.
two; the girl playing this time the active
role,
riding her lover's outstretched body in delight;
her smiling lips shine with drops of sweat; the god
of love offering pearls to the moon.
She of beautiful face hotly kisses the mouth of her
beloved; the moon, with face bent down,
drinks of the lotus.
March 3, 2019
Beautiful!!!
August 16, 2025
An earnest attempt, but the essence remains elusive.
In Praise of Krishna is a commendable effort to introduce Western readers to the divine love between Radha and Krishna—a love that transcends worldly attachments and embodies selfless devotion, spiritual yearning, and sacred intimacy. The book succeeds in making this mystical bond somewhat accessible to those unfamiliar with its cultural and emotional depth.
However, the translations of these devotional songs often dilute the very essence they seek to convey. The longing, the surrender, the worshipful nature of Radha and Krishna’s love—so central to the original verses—are softened, even lost, in plain English renderings. Their love was not merely romantic; it was an act of worship, a merging of souls beyond material desire. To reduce it to simple love poetry is to miss the divine pulse that animates every word.
I understand the challenge: for readers unacquainted with the nuances of Bhakti literature, certain terms and metaphors may seem obscure. Perhaps that’s why the translators chose to simplify or transliterate. Yet in doing so, the emotional intensity—the ache, the ecstasy, the sacred surrender—is often stripped away.
Had I not known the story of Radha and Krishna beforehand, these poems might have read as beautiful but ordinary expressions of love. The spiritual gravity, the unwavering devotion, the eternal bond—they would have remained hidden beneath the surface.
I believe that future translations should strive to retain fragments of the original language—certain words, phrases, or lines that carry emotional weight. These anchors can amplify the reader’s experience, offering glimpses into the devotional fire that fuels these songs. Plain English alone cannot capture the divine resonance behind them.
Radha and Krishna did not merely love each other—they worshipped each other. And that sacred reciprocity deserves to be felt, not just understood.
In Praise of Krishna is a commendable effort to introduce Western readers to the divine love between Radha and Krishna—a love that transcends worldly attachments and embodies selfless devotion, spiritual yearning, and sacred intimacy. The book succeeds in making this mystical bond somewhat accessible to those unfamiliar with its cultural and emotional depth.
However, the translations of these devotional songs often dilute the very essence they seek to convey. The longing, the surrender, the worshipful nature of Radha and Krishna’s love—so central to the original verses—are softened, even lost, in plain English renderings. Their love was not merely romantic; it was an act of worship, a merging of souls beyond material desire. To reduce it to simple love poetry is to miss the divine pulse that animates every word.
I understand the challenge: for readers unacquainted with the nuances of Bhakti literature, certain terms and metaphors may seem obscure. Perhaps that’s why the translators chose to simplify or transliterate. Yet in doing so, the emotional intensity—the ache, the ecstasy, the sacred surrender—is often stripped away.
Had I not known the story of Radha and Krishna beforehand, these poems might have read as beautiful but ordinary expressions of love. The spiritual gravity, the unwavering devotion, the eternal bond—they would have remained hidden beneath the surface.
I believe that future translations should strive to retain fragments of the original language—certain words, phrases, or lines that carry emotional weight. These anchors can amplify the reader’s experience, offering glimpses into the devotional fire that fuels these songs. Plain English alone cannot capture the divine resonance behind them.
Radha and Krishna did not merely love each other—they worshipped each other. And that sacred reciprocity deserves to be felt, not just understood.
April 2, 2023
***** A Five Star Poetry Book: Recommended for All Readers *****
Poet Denise Levertov and Indian scholar Edward C. Dimock, Jr. collaborated on this 1967 verse translation of the lyrics of Bengali devotional songs portraying the lover's longing for the beloved as a metaphor for the soul's longing for the divine, and in doing so, they created an enduring classic that should both impress readers knowledgeable about poetry and delight a more general audience. The poetry is clear, lucid, vivid, and a splendid example of artless art; it is great erotic poetry as well as great devotional verse. This is one poetry book that I'd recommend everyone have in their library. With a useful introduction and notes, and and attractive wood-block style illustrations.
Poet Denise Levertov and Indian scholar Edward C. Dimock, Jr. collaborated on this 1967 verse translation of the lyrics of Bengali devotional songs portraying the lover's longing for the beloved as a metaphor for the soul's longing for the divine, and in doing so, they created an enduring classic that should both impress readers knowledgeable about poetry and delight a more general audience. The poetry is clear, lucid, vivid, and a splendid example of artless art; it is great erotic poetry as well as great devotional verse. This is one poetry book that I'd recommend everyone have in their library. With a useful introduction and notes, and and attractive wood-block style illustrations.
August 2, 2022
āksepānurāga — a tale as old as time <\3
December 6, 2008
This is a short little book comprised of poems writtent to describe love. There are a few short areas that are a bit hard to follow if you have limited knowledge of Hinduism, however, the majority of the book provides great material for those that are new to this form of faith and the culture surrounding it.
May 27, 2013
I wanted to love this collection, but I will settle for liking it instead. Even with a great poet like Denise Levertov as one of the translators, I have to say these English renderings don't quite soar the way they clearly want to. Still, it is a good selection of Krishna bhakti poems. I'd give it a modest recommendation, particularly to Krishna devotees.
June 14, 2007
Marvelous love poems from the bhakti tradition celebrating the love of Krishna and Radha.
March 11, 2010
Beautiful. Throws me more deeply in love with Krishna, while totally connecting with Radha's situation. I want to know more.
July 10, 2010
Beautiful translations of Bengali songs that fuse erotic and religious longing.
August 28, 2014
Accessible.
September 10, 2020
Capturing in crisp phrasing the helpless desire, burning longing, and exhausted surrender to the beloved.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews