20211211 The Gradations in the Intensity of Love in the Five Kinds of Mellows, Part 1

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on 11th December 2021 in Śrīdhāma Māyāpur, India

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Dear Devotees! Today is the compilation of Caitanya līlā book, the chapter today is entitled:

The Gradations in the Intensity of Love in the Five Kinds of Mellows, Part 1
Under the section: Life’s Ultimate Goal — Love of Godhead

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.38

kṛṣṇeratira’ cihna ei kailuṅ vivaraṇa
‘kṛṣṇa-premera’ cihna ebe śuna sanātana 

Translation: “These are the symptoms of a person who has developed attraction [bhāva] for Kṛṣṇa. Now let Me describe the symptoms of a person who is actually elevated to love of Kṛṣṇa. O Sanātana, please hear this from Me.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya is describing the symptoms of pure love of Godhead to Sanātana Gosvāmī.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.39

kṛṣṇa-premika vaiṣṇava vā śuddha-bhakta—

prākṛta sarva-śreṣṭha sūkṣmadarśī samālocakerao durbbodhyaḥ— 

yāṅra citte kṛṣṇa-premā karaye udaya
tāṅra vākya, kriyā, mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya

Translation: Even the most learned man cannot understand the words, activities and symptoms of a person situated in love of Godhead.

Jayapatākā Swami: A person who is situated in love of Godhead, their activities are such that people in the material world cannot understand what they are doing, even if they are very learned because they don’t have any reference of this love for Kṛṣṇa

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.40

dhanyasyāyaṁ nava-premā yasyonmīlati cetasi
antar-vāṇibhir apy asya mudrā suṣṭhu su-durgamā

Translation: Even a most learned scholar cannot understand the activities and symptoms of an exalted personality in whose heart love of Godhead has awakened.

Purport: This verse is also found in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.4.17).

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.41

prema-bhaktera lakṣaṇa o kriyā-ceṣṭā:—
Śrīmad-Bhāgavate (11.2.39)—

evaṁ-vrataḥ sva-priya-nāma-kīrtyā
jātānurāgo druta-citta uccaiḥ
hasaty atho roditi rauti gāyaty
unmāda-van nṛtyati loka-bāhyaḥ

Translation: When a person is actually advanced and takes pleasure in chanting the holy name of the Lord, who is very dear to him, he is agitated and loudly chants the holy name. He also laughs, cries, becomes agitated and chants just like a madman, not caring for outsiders.

Purport: This verse is quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.40).

Jayapatākā Swami: These are symptoms of someone who has developed intense emotions or ecstasies for Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.42

premera gāḍhatvera tāratamya-vaiśiṣṭya; sarvaśeṣemahābhāva’:—

premā krame bāḍi’ haya—sneha, māna, praṇaya
rāga, anurāga, bhāva, mahābhāva haya

Translation: Love of Godhead increases and is manifested as affection, counterlove, love, attachment, subattachment, ecstasy and sublime ecstasy.

Jayapatākā Swami: There are eight levels of pure love for Kṛṣṇa which are mentioned here.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.43

bīja, ikṣu, rasa, guḍa tabe khaṇḍa-sāra
śarkarā, sitā-michari, śuddha-michari āra

Translation: This development is compared to sugarcane seeds, sugarcane plants, sugarcane juice, molasses, crude sugar, refined sugar, sugar candy and rock candy.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, one’s devotion to Kṛṣṇa, one’s love for Kṛṣṇa gets refined and concentrated. The steps are analogously presented here.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.44

bījarūpā rati o premera gāḍhāvasthā-samūhera tāratamye rasāsvādanādhikya-tāratamyaḥ—

ihā yaiche krame nirmala, krame bāḍe svāda
rati-premādira taiche bāḍaye āsvāda

Translation: One should understand that just as the taste of sugar increases as it is gradually purified, so when love of Godhead increases from rati, which is compared to the beginning seed, its taste increases.

Jayapatākā Swami: Rati is also in the stage of bhāva, it is ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa, preliminary to pure love or prema.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.45

pañca-vidhā ratiḥ—

adhikāri-bhede rati—pañca parakāra
śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya, madhura āra

Translation: According to the candidate possessing these transcendental qualities [sneha, māna and so on], there are five transcendental mellows — neutrality, servitorship, friendship, parental love and conjugal love.

Purport: In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.3.41.44), rati (attraction) is thus described:

“The real symptoms of the fructification of the seed of love (rati) are manifested because the heart is melted. When such symptoms are found among speculators and fruitive actors, they cannot be accepted as real symptoms of attachment. … Foolish people without knowledge of devotional service praise such symptoms of attachment even when they are based on something other than a desire to serve Kṛṣṇa. However, one who is expert in devotional service calls such symptoms raty-ābhāsa, a mere glimpse of attachment.”

Jayapatākā Swami: The actual rati experienced by devotees is very intense and it is seed which will grow into pure love.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.46

pañca-rasei kṛṣṇa vaśaḥ—

ei pañca sthāyī bhāva haya pañcarasa’
ye-rase bhaktasukhī’, kṛṣṇa hayavaśa’

Translation: These five transcendentals mellows exist permanently. The devotee may be attracted to one of these mellows, and thus he becomes happy. Kṛṣṇa also becomes inclined toward such a devotee and comes under his control.

Purport: In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2.5.1), sthāyi-bhāva, permanent ecstasy, is thus described:

“These moods (bhāvas) bring under control the favorable ecstasies (such as laughing) and unfavorable ecstasies (such as anger). When these moods continue to remain as kings, they are called sthāyi-bhāva, or permanent ecstasies. Lord Caitanya is revealing that devotees can achieve this permanent ecstasies leaving all material experiences far behind, and therefore He is trying to inspire people to take up pure devotional service.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.47

sthāyibhāva vā ratisaha sāmagrī-milane rasotpatti; ratii raseramūla:—

premādika sthāyi-bhāva sāmagrī-milane
kṛṣṇa-bhakti rasa-rūpe pāya pariṇāme

Translation: When the permanent ecstasies [neutrality, servitorship and so on] are mixed with other ingredients, devotional service in love of Godhead is transformed and becomes composed of transcendental mellows.

Purport: by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupāda In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2.1.4-5), the following definition is given:

“Love for Kṛṣṇa, Keśava, as previously described, reaches the supreme state of being composed of mellows when its ingredients are fulfilled. By means of vibhāva, anubhāva, sāttvika and vyabhicārī, hearing and chanting are activated, and the devotee is able to taste love for Kṛṣṇa. Then attachment for Kṛṣṇa, or permanent ecstasy (sthāyi-bhāva), becomes the mellow of devotional service (bhakti-rasa).”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, here it describes one who is situated in the five standard mellows, neutrality, servitorship, friendship, parenthood and lover. So, depending on one’s particular mellow in devotional service their advancement in devotional service they experience sthāyi-bhāva or permanent ecstasy.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.48

cāriprakāra sāmagrī:—

vibhāva, anubhāva, sāttvika, vyabhicārī
sthāyi-bhāvarasa’ haya ei cāri mili’

Translation: Permanent ecstasy becomes a more and more relishable transcendental mellow through the mixture of special ecstasy, subordinate ecstasy, natural ecstasy and transitory ecstasy.

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya is describing the different ecstasies which devotees in pure love experience.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.49

dadhi yena khaṇḍa-marica-karpūra-milane
‘rasālākhya’ rasa haya apūrvāsvādane

Translation: Yogurt mixed with sugar candy, black pepper and camphor is very palatable and tasty. Similarly, when permanent ecstasy mixes with other ecstatic symptoms, it becomes unprecedentedly tasty.

Jayapatākā Swami: Different ecstasies mixed together create unique experience, a taste which is unprecedented.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.50

raserahetu’ vibhāva dvividha— (1) ālambana o (2) uddīpanaḥ—

dvividhavibhāva’,—ālambana, uddīpana
vaṁśī-svarādi—‘uddīpana’, kṛṣṇādi—‘ālambana’

Translation: There are two kinds of particular ecstasies [vibhāva]. One is called the support, and the other is called the awakening. The vibration of Kṛṣṇa’s flute is an example of the awakening, and Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself is an example of the support.

Purport: In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2.1.14), vibhāva is described as follows:

“The cause bringing about the tasting of love for Kṛṣṇa is called vibhāva. Vibhāva is divided into two categories — ālambana (support) and uddīpana (awakening).”

In the Agni Purāṇa it is stated:

“That which causes love for Kṛṣṇa to appear is called vibhāva. That has two divisions — ālambana (in which love appears) and uddīpana (by which love appears).”

In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2.1.16), the following is stated about ālambana:

“The object of love is Kṛṣṇa, and the container of that love is the devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Learned scholars call them ālambana — the foundations.”

Similarly, uddīpana is described as follows:

“Those things which awaken ecstatic love are called uddīpana. Mainly this awakening is made possible by the qualities and activities of Kṛṣṇa, as well as by His mode of decoration and the way His hair is arranged.” (B.r.s. 2.1.301)

The Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2.1.302) also gives the following further examples of uddīpana:

“Kṛṣṇa’s smile, the fragrance of His transcendental body, His flute, bugle, ankle bells and conchshell, the marks on His feet, His place of residence, His favorite plant [tulasī], His devotees, and the observance of fasts and vows connected to His devotion all awaken the symptoms of ecstatic love.”

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya is presenting the awakening of pure love for Kṛṣṇa and one can see how this is a great science, of how Kṛṣṇa is inspiring such ecstasies and how the devotee is manifesting symptoms of love of Kṛṣṇa.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.51

raserakārya’ anubhāvera 13 prakāra bheda; 8 prakāra sāttvikao raserakārya’:—

‘anubhāva’—smita, nṛtya, gītādi udbhāsvara
stambhādi—‘sāttvika’ anubhāvera bhitara

Translation: The subordinate ecstasies are smiling, dancing and singing, as well as different manifestations in the body. The natural ecstasies, such as being stunned, are considered among the subordinate ecstasies [anubhāva].

Purport: by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupāda The Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2.2.1) describes anubhāva as follows:

“The many external ecstatic symptoms, or bodily transformations which indicate ecstatic emotions in the mind and which are also called udbhāsvara, are the anubhāvas, or subordinate ecstatic expressions of love.” Some of these symptoms are dancing, falling down and rolling on the ground, singing and crying very loudly, bodily contortions, loud vibrations, yawning, deep breathing, disregard for others, the frothing of saliva, mad laughter, spitting, hiccups and other, similar symptoms. All these symptoms are divided into two divisions — śīta and kṣepaṇa. Singing, yawning and so on are called śīta. Dancing and bodily contortions are called kṣepaṇa.

In his Anubhāṣya, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura quotes the following verse from the Vedic literature describing udbhāsvara:

“The ecstatic symptoms manifest in the external body of a person in ecstatic love are called udbhāsvara by learned scholars. Some of these are a slackening of the belt and a dropping of clothes and hair. Others are bodily contortions, yawning, a trembling of the front portion of the nostrils, heavy breathing, hiccupping and falling down and rolling on the ground. These are the external manifestations of emotional love.” Stambha and other symptoms are described in Madhya-līlā 14.167.

Jayapatākā Swami: These ecstatic symptoms are not normally experienced by one in the material world, one who awakened his love for Kṛṣṇa, they can experience these various ectsatic symptoms and it is completely transcendental.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.52

raserasahāya’ vyabhicārī bhāva—tetriśṭīḥ—

nirveda-harṣādi—tetriśavyabhicārī’
saba mili’rasa’ haya camatkāra-kārī

Translation: There are other ingredients, beginning with complete despondency and jubilation. Altogether there are thirty-three varieties, and when these combine, the mellow becomes very wonderful.

Purport: Nirveda, harṣa and other symptoms are explained in Madhya-līlā 14.167. The transitory elements (vyabhicārī) are described in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2.4.1-3) as follows:

“There are thirty-three transitory elements, known as vyabhicārī ecstatic emotions. They especially wander about the permanent sentiments as assistants. They are to be known by words, by different symptoms seen in the limbs and in other parts of the body, and by the peculiar conditions of the heart. Because they set in motion the progress of the permanent sentiments, they are specifically called sañcārī, or impelling principles. These impelling principles rise up and fall back in the permanent sentiments of ecstatic love like waves in an ocean of ecstasy. Consequently they are called vyabhicārī.”

These ingredients of ecstasies which are experienced by a devotee in pure love is something very wonderful and Lord Caitanya is explaining all these details to Sanātana Gosvāmī. So if one doesn’t engage in devotional service, then all these esoteric realizations cannot be achieved.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.53

pañca-rasera varṇanaḥ—

pañca-vidha rasa—śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya
madhura-nāma śṛṅgāra-rasa—sabāte prābalya

Translation: There are five transcendental mellows — neutrality, servitorship, friendship, parental affection and conjugal love, which is also known as the mellow of sweetness. Conjugal love excels all the others.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, one takes a particular mellow and engages in his devotion in that aspect.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.54

‘prema’ paryanta śāntarasera orāga’ paryanta dāsyarasera sīmāḥ—

śānta-rase śānti-ratiprema’ paryanta haya
dāsya-ratirāga’ paryanta krameta bāḍaya

Translation: The position of neutrality increases up to the point where one can appreciate love of Godhead. The mellow of servitorship gradually increases to the point of spontaneous love of Godhead.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is describing how each process of devotion can take one to what level of pure love.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.55

‘anurāga’ paryanta sakhya o vātsalyera sīmā; tanmadhye subalādi priyanarmma sakhāraobhāva’ paryanta sīmāḥ—

sakhya-vātsalya-rati pāyaanurāga’-sīmā
subalādyerabhāva’ paryanta premera mahimā

Translation: After the mellow of servitorship, there are the mellows of friendship and parental love, which increase to subordinate spontaneous love. The greatness of the love found in friends like Subala extends to the standard of ecstatic love of Godhead.

Purport: by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupāda Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that the mellow of neutrality increases to simple love of Godhead. In the mellow of servitorship, love of Godhead increases beyond that to affection, counter love (anger based on love), love and attachment. Similarly, the mellow of friendship increases to affection, counterlove, love, attachment and subattachment. It is the same with the mellow of parental affection. The special feature of the mellow of friendship exhibited by personalities like Subala is that it increases from fraternal affection to counterlove, to spontaneous attachment, to subordinate attachment, and finally to the ecstasy where all the ecstatic symptoms continuously exist.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, each level of devotion takes one to a certain level of pure ecstatic love but that there are some devotees like Subala sakha who experience even greater love.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.56

śāntādi pañca-rasera bheda-vaicitryaḥ—

śāntādi raserayoga’,viyoga’—dui bheda
sakhya-vātsalye yogādira aneka vibheda

Translation: There are two divisions of each of the five mellows — yoga [connection] and viyoga [separation]. Among the mellows of friendship and parental affection, there are many divisions of connection and separation.

Purport: by His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupāda In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (3.2.93), these divisions are described:

“In the mellows of bhakti-yoga, there are two stages — ayoga and yoga.” Ayoga (viyoga) is described in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (3.2.94) as follows:

“Learned scholars in the science of bhakti-yoga say that when there is an absence of association with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, separation takes place. In the stage of ayoga (separation), the mind is filled with Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is fully absorbed in thoughts of Kṛṣṇa. In that stage, the devotee searches out the transcendental qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is said that in that stage of separation, all the devotees in the different mellows are always active in thinking of ways to attain Kṛṣṇa’s association.”

The word yoga (“connection”) is thus described in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (3.2.129):

“When one meets Kṛṣṇa directly, that is called yoga.”

In the transcendental mellows of neutrality and servitorship, there are similar divisions of yoga and viyoga, but they are not variegated. The divisions of yoga and viyoga are always existing in the five mellows. However, in the transcendental mellows of friendship and parental affection, there are many varieties of yoga and viyoga.

The varieties of yoga are thus described:

“Yoga (connection) is of three types — success, satisfaction and permanence.” (B.r.s. 3.2.129)

The divisions of ayoga (separation) are described as follows:

“Thus, ayoga has two divisions — longing and separation.” (B.r.s. 3.2.95)

Jayapatākā Swami: Lord Caitanya taught us to worship Kṛṣṇa in separation ayoga, ayoga, and that this means we can be fully in Kṛṣṇa conscious.

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.57

dvārakāya aiśvaryamayī svakīyā madhura-ratiterūḍha-mahābhāva’ evaṁ vṛndāvane mādhuryamayī kevalā pārakīyā madhura-ratiteadhirūḍha-mahābhāva’:— 

‘rūḍha’,adhirūḍha’ bhāva—kevalamadhure’
mahiṣī-gaṇer arūḍha’, adhirūḍha’ gopikā-nikare

“Only in the conjugal mellow are there two ecstatic symptoms called rūḍha [advanced] and adhirūḍha [highly advanced]. The advanced ecstasies are found among the queens of Dvārakā, and the highly advanced ecstasies are found among the gopīs.

Purport: The adhirūḍha ecstasies are explained in the Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi (Sthāyi-bhāva-prakaraṇa 170):

The very sweet attraction of conjugal love increases through affection, counterlove, love, attachment, sub attachment, ecstasy and highly advanced ecstasy (mahābhāva). The platform of mahābhāva includes rūḍha and adhirūḍha. These platforms are possible only in conjugal love. Advanced ecstasy is found in Dvārakā, whereas highly advanced ecstasy is found among the gopīs.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the super excellence of conjugal love is being described by Lord Caitanya, so this highest ecstasy is experienced by Śrīmatī Rādhārānī and its very rare and Kṛṣṇa is completely affected by this mahā-bhāva.