Using descriptions found in Viśvanātha Cakravārtin's Mādhurya Kādambinī (c.17th century) as a case study, the author argues in this article that research in the psychological sciences offers a plausible account within the framework of naturalism for the occurrence of private perceptual experiences that can serve as a basis for what Viśvanātha and other early Gauḍīya theologians describe and appraise as direct perceptual experiences (sākṣātkāra) of Kṛṣṇa. The purpose of this investigation is to bridge the methodological divide that often separates the humanities and sciences and facilitate a richer interpretation and explanation of historical claims than what is usually available through traditional humanistic approaches alone. The results of this research have implications for the study of private perceptual experiences of deities across cultures in both historical and contemporary contexts.