You have to understand Krsna tattvatah, in truth, not superficially. Then you’ll misunderstand. Without understanding Krsna, if we try to understand Krsna’s pastimes with Radharani, that is foolishness. But they do not know Krsna. How can understand His pastimes with the gopis? That is foolishness. Therefore we have to understand Krsna first of all, and Krsna Himself, explaining Himself. In the Bhagavad-gita, Krsna does not speak anything about His pastimes with Radharani. That is strictly prohibited. You never find Krsna is speaking about His pastimes with the gopis or with Radharani. No. He’s officially speaking about Himself, “I am this, I am that.” Mattah parataram nanyat kincid asti dhananjaya [Bg. 7.7]. Mam eva ye prapadyante mayam etam taranti te [Bg. 7.14]. First of all try to understand Krsna. Thoroughly study Bhagavad-gita, and after studying Bhagavad-gita, if you are fortunate enough to understand what is Krsna, then, Krsna says, surrender. That is the beginning of understanding Krsna. Don’t try to understand the pastimes of Krsna with the gopis. Just like if you make a friend, ordinarily, if you become intimate friend, then you can understand about his household affairs. If you are newly a gentleman introduced with another gentleman, you cannot ask him, “What is the affair in your household or with your wife or with your beloved?” That you cannot ask, neither it is possible to understand.

So the foolishness is going on that without understanding Krsna, there are so-called rascal foolish poets. They are describing Krsna’s pastimes with Radharani. That is the cause of falldown of the so-called Vaisnavism.

From Srila Prabhupada’s lecture on Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 1.6 — Mayapur, March 30, 1975