Is reading the Personal lilas of Krishna with Gopis is offensive?
It needs maturity to understand them in correct way.
So, starting level devotees who do not know the positions of Krishna, Radharani, Gopis, etc, may avoid reading the personal lilas of Krishna.
Because, they can’t understand them properly.
If they read those lilas as if reading a material love story, they will get more sense disturbances.
(KRISHNA’s LILAS WITH MARRIED GOPIS -HOW TO UNDERSTAND IT? READ HERE!)
So, those lilas should be read after the right understanding of the Krishna thru revered acharyas.
That is why, even while reading Srimad Bhagavatham, it is advised to first read the first nine cantos before reading the tenth canto because the tenth canto has the lilas of Krishna. Only if a devotee reads the first nine cantos sincerely, he will get spiritual maturity and hence he can understand the tenth canto properly.
If the lilas of Krishna are read with right understanding, they will help us to keep our senses under control that will be favourable for devotional services.
Now, Let us read the views of Srila Prabhupada about your question whether reading the lilas of Gopis with Krishna is offence.
Srila Prabhupada says like this here:
“Actually, the s….x feeling found in human society is not unnatural because this same s….x feeling is there in the original Personality of Godhead.
The pleasure potency is called Srimati Radharani. The attraction of loving affairs on the basis of s….x feeling is the original feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and we, the conditioned souls, being part and parcel of the Supreme, have such feelings also, but they are experienced within a perverted, minute condition.
(Why Krishna stole the clothes of Gopis while they were taking bath in the river Yamuna, although it is not ethical? READ HERE!)
Therefore, when those who are after s….x life in this material world hear about Krsna’s pastimes with the gopis, they will relish transcendental pleasure, although it appears to be materialistic.
The advantage will be that they will gradually be elevated to the spiritual platform.
In the Bhagavatam it is stated that if one hears the pastimes of Lord Krsna with the gopis, from authorities with submission, then he will be promoted to the platform of transcendental loving service to the Lord, and the material disease of l….st within his heart will be completely vanquished.
In other words, it will counteract the material s…..x life.”
So, first read about the glories and Supreme position of Krishna and also the positions of Radharani, Gopis, etc..
(Gopis’ Lilas with Krishna – Right way of understanding them! READ HERE!)
These transcendental pastimes of Krishna with the gopis will replace the material sense disturbances and hence we will be actually purified from the contaminations of material lust.
When we get thus purified, we will grow fast in our love for Krishna.
So, we will get Krishna Himself.
Therefore, Reading the Personal lilas of Krishna with Gopis is not offensive if they are rightly understood and applied.
But, do not rush to read them. First learn about Krishna. For that, Read Bhagavad Gita and the first nine cantos of Srimad Bhagavatham.
Krishna is VERY MERCIFUL with His devotees. He is not like a Policeman. He is our Sweetheart. So, though we make small innocent offenses, He will forgive them.
If your intention is good, reading the Personal lilas of Krishna with Gopis will elevate you in spiritual platform.
Hope you are clear.
(WHO ARE GOPIS? HOW DID THEY GET KRISHNA? COMPLETE DETAILS! READ HERE!)