Bhakti-rasa

Expressions researched:
"Bhakti-rasa"

CC Madhya-lila

CC Madhya 1.41, Purport:

In the dakṣiṇa-vibhāga (southern division) there is a general description of the mellow (relationship) called bhakti-rasa, which is derived from devotional service. There are also descriptions of the stages known as vibhāva, anubhāva, sāttvika, vyabhicārī and sthāyi-bhāva, all on this high platform of devotional service. Thus there are five waves in the dakṣiṇa-vibhāga division. In the western division (paścima-vibhāga) there is a description of the chief transcendental humors derived from devotional service. These are known as mukhya-bhakti-rasa-nirūpaṇa, or attainment of the chief humors or feelings in the execution of devotional service. In that part there is a description of devotional service in neutrality, further development in love and affection (called servitude), further development in fraternity, further development in parenthood, or parental love, and finally conjugal love between Kṛṣṇa and His devotees. Thus there are five waves in the western division.

In the northern division (uttara-vibhāga) there is a description of the indirect mellows of devotional service—namely, devotional service in laughter, devotional service in wonder, and devotional service in chivalry, pity, anger, dread and ghastliness. There are also mixing of mellows and the transgression of different humors. Thus there are nine waves in this part. This is but a brief outline of the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu.

CC Madhya 19.185, Translation and Purport:

“The chief transcendental mellows experienced with the Supreme Personality of Godhead are five—śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya and madhura.

Śānta-bhakti-rasa is described in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (3.1.4–6) as follows:

vakṣyamāṇair vibhāvādyaiḥ śamināṁ svādyatāṁ gataḥ

sthāyī śānti-ratir dhīraiḥ śānta-bhakti-rasaḥ smṛtaḥ

prāyaḥ sva-sukha-jātīyaṁ sukhaṁ syād atra yoginām

kintv ātma-saukhyam aghanaṁ ghanaṁ tv īśa-mayaṁ sukham

tatrāpīśa-svarūpānubhavasyaivoru-hetutā

dāsādi-van-mano-jñātva-līlāder na tathā matā

When śānta-rati (neutral attraction) exists continuously and is mixed with ecstatic emotion, and when the devotee relishes that neutral position, it is called śānta-bhakti-rasa. Śānta-bhakti-rasa devotees generally relish the impersonal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since their taste of transcendental bliss is incomplete, it is called aghana, or not concentrated. A comparison is made between ordinary milk and concentrated milk. When the same devotee goes beyond the impersonal and tastes the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His original form as sac-cid-ānanda-vigraha (Bs. 5.1) (His transcendental, blissful body, complete in knowledge and eternity), the taste is called concentrated (ghana) transcendental bliss. Sometimes the devotees in śānta-rasa relish transcendental bliss after meeting the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but this is not comparable to the transcendental bliss relished by the devotees situated in dāsya-rasa, the transcendental mellow in which one renders service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Dāsya-rasa, or dāsya-bhakti-rasa, is described in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (3.2.3–4) as follows:

ātmocitair vibhāvādyaiḥ prītir āsvādanīyatām

nītā cetasi bhaktānāṁ prīti-bhakti-raso mataḥ

anugrāhy asya dāsatvāl lālyatvād apy ayaṁ dvidhā

bhidyate sambhrama-prīto gaurava-prīta ity api

When according to his desires the living entity develops love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this beginning stage of love is called dāsya-bhakti-rasa. Dāsya-bhakti-rasa is divided into two categories, called sambhrama-dāsya and gaurava-dāsya. In sambhrama-dāsya, the devotee renders respectful service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but in the more advanced gaurava-dāsya, his service takes the form of giving protection to the Lord.

Sakhya-bhakti-rasa is described as follows in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta sindhu (3.3.1):

sthāyi-bhāvo vibhāvādyaiḥ sakhyam ātmocitair iha

nītaś citte satāṁ puṣṭiṁ rasaḥ preyān udīryate

“According to one's original consciousness, ecstatic emotions may be exhibited as continuously existing in fraternity. When this stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is mature, it is called preyo-rasa or sakhya-bhakti-rasa.”

Vātsalya-bhakti-rasa is described in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (3.4.1) as follows:

vibhāvādyais tu vātsalyaṁ sthāyī puṣṭim upāgataḥ

eṣa vatsala-nāmātra prokto bhakti-raso budhaiḥ

"When eternally existing love of Godhead transforms into parental love and is mixed with corresponding emotions, that stage of spiritual existence is described by learned devotees as vātsalya-bhakti-rasa."

Madhura-bhakti-rasa is described in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (3.5.1) as follows:

ātmocitair vibhāvādyaiḥ puṣṭiṁ nītā satāṁ hṛdi

madhurākhyo bhaved bhakti-raso ‘sau madhurā ratiḥ

“If in accordance with one's own natural development in Kṛṣṇa consciousness one's attraction leans toward conjugal love within the heart, that is called attachment in conjugal love, or madhura-rasa.”

CC Madhya 19.187, Translation and Purport:

“In addition to the five direct mellows, there are seven indirect mellows, known as laughter, wonder, chivalry, compassion, anger, disaster and fear.

Hāsya, adbhuta, vīra, karuṇa, raudra, bhaya and bībhatsa—the seven indirect mellows—are explained in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (4.1.6). The hāsya-bhakti-rasa, laughing devotion, is explained as follows:

vakṣyamāṇair vibhāvādyaiḥ puṣṭiṁ hāsa-ratir gatā

hāsya-bhakti-raso nāma budhair eṣa nigadyate

"When through devotional service a laughing attachment to Kṛṣṇa is developed, it is called hāsya-bhakti-rasa by learned scholars."

Similarly, adbhuta-rasa is described in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (4.2.1):

ātmocitair vibhāvādyaiḥ svādyatvaṁ bhakta-cetasi

sā vismaya-ratir nītādbhuta-bhakti-raso bhavet

“When one's general attachment is fixed in wonder, it is called adbhuta-bhakti-rasa.”

Vīra-bhakti-rasa is described as follows (B.r.s. 4.3.1):

saivotsāha-ratiḥ sthāyī vibhāvādyair nijocitaḥ

ānīyamānā svādyatvaṁ vīra-bhakti-raso bhavet

yuddha-dāna-dayā-dharmaiś caturdhā-vīra ucyate

"When attachment to Kṛṣṇa mixes with the bellicose tendency, the charitable tendency or the merciful tendency in the heart of the devotee, such devotion is called vīra-bhakti-rasa."

Karuṇa-bhakti-rasa is described as follows (B.r.s. 4.4.1):

ātmocitair vibhāvādyair nītā puṣṭiṁ satāṁ hṛdi

bhavec choka-ratir bhakti-raso hi karuṇābhidhaḥ

“When one's devotional attitude and attachment for Kṛṣṇa is mixed with lamentation, it is called karuṇa-bhakti-rasa.”

Similarly, raudra-bhakti-rasa is described as follows (B.r.s. 4.5.1):

nītā krodha-ratiḥ puṣṭiṁ vibhāvādyair nijocitaiḥ

hṛdi bhakta-janasyāsau raudra-bhakti-raso bhavet

"When devotion is mixed with anger in the heart of the devotee, the taste is called raudra-bhakti-rasa."

Bhayānaka-bhakti-rasa is described as follows (B.r.s. 4.6.1):

vakṣyamāṇair vibhāvādyaiḥ puṣṭiṁ bhaya-ratir gatā

bhayānakābhidho bhakti-raso dhīrair udīryate

"When devotion is mixed with fear, it is called bhayānaka-bhakti-rasa."

Bībhatsa-bhakti-rasa is described as follows (B.r.s. 4.7.1):

puṣṭiṁ nija-vibhāvādyair jugupsā-ratir āgatā

asau bhakti-raso dhīrair bībhatsākhya itīryate

“When one's attachment for Kṛṣṇa develops in an abominable way, and the devotee enjoys it, that is called bībhatsa-bhakti-rasa.”

In conclusion, when a pure devotee is situated in any of the five principal mellows (śānta, dāsya, sakhya, vātsalya or madhura) and that mellow is mixed with one or more of the seven indirect bhakti-rasas (hāsya, adbhuta, vīra, karuṇa, raudra, bhayānaka or bībhatsa), the indirect mellows become prominent.

CC Madhya 23.47, Translation and Purport:

“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.

In the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (2.1.4–5), the following definition is given:

athāsyāḥ keśava-rater lakṣitāyā nigadyate

sāmagrī-paripoṣeṇa paramā rasa-rūpatā

vibhāvair anubhāvaiś ca sāttvikair vyabhicāribhiḥ

svādyatvaṁ hṛdi bhaktānām ānītā śravaṇādibhiḥ

eṣā kṛṣṇa-ratiḥ sthāyī bhāvo bhakti-raso bhavet

"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)."

Teachings of Lord Caitanya

Teachings of Lord Caitanya, Chapter 1:

When one actually becomes situated on the transcendental platform, he becomes steady. Unless one is so situated, his position may not be steady and he may fall down. When one is actually situated transcendentally, there is no fear of falling down. This stage of understanding is technically called sthāyi-bhāva. There are even stages beyond this position, and they are known as vibhāva, anubhava, sāttvika and vyabhicārī. After one attains these, there is actually an exchange of rasa, or transcendental activity with the Supreme Lord. This exchange in loving reciprocation between the lover and the beloved is generally called kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa. It should be noted that the transcendental loving exchanges stand on the steadfast position of sthāyi-bhāva, as explained before. The basic principle of vibhāva is sthāyi-bhāva, and all other activities are auxiliary for the development of transcendental love.

Nectar of Devotion

Nectar of Devotion Preface:

Bhakti means "devotional service." Every service has some attractive feature which drives the servitor progressively on and on. Every one of us within this world is perpetually engaged in some sort of service, and the impetus for such service is the pleasure we derive from it. Driven by affection for his wife and children, a family man works day and night. A philanthropist works in the same way for love of the greater family, and a nationalist for the cause of his country and countrymen. That force which drives the philanthropist, the householder and the nationalist is called rasa, or a kind of mellow (relationship) whose taste is very sweet. Bhakti-rasa is a mellow different from the ordinary rasa enjoyed by mundane workers.

Nectar of Devotion Preface:

Bhakti-rasa, however, the mellow relished in the transcendental loving service of the Lord, does not finish with the end of life. It continues perpetually and is therefore called amṛta, that which does not die but exists eternally. This is confirmed in all Vedic literatures. Bhagavad-gītā says that a little advancement in bhakti-rasa can save the devotee from the greatest danger—that of missing the opportunity for human life.

Nectar of Devotion Preface:

This eternal engagement in bhakti-rasa can be understood by a serious student upon studying The Nectar of Devotion. Adoption of bhakti-rasa, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness, will immediately bring one to an auspicious life free from anxieties and will bless one with transcendental existence, thus minimizing the value of liberation. Bhakti-rasa itself is sufficient to produce a feeling of liberation, because it attracts the attention of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. Generally, neophyte devotees are anxious to see Kṛṣṇa, or God, but God cannot be seen or known by our present materially blunt senses. The process of devotional service as it is recommended in The Nectar of Devotion will gradually elevate one from the material condition of life to the spiritual status, wherein the devotee becomes purified of all designations. The senses can then become uncontaminated, being constantly in touch with bhakti-rasa. When the purified senses are employed in the service of the Lord, one becomes situated in bhakti-rasa life, and any action performed for the satisfaction of Kṛṣṇa in this transcendental bhakti-rasa stage of life can be relished perpetually. When one is thus engaged in devotional service, all varieties of rasas, or mellows, turn into eternity. In the beginning one is trained according to the principles of regulation under the guidance of the ācārya, or spiritual master, and gradually, when one is elevated, devotional service becomes automatic and spontaneous eagerness to serve Kṛṣṇa. There are twelve kinds of rasas, as will be explained in this book, and by renovating our relationship with Kṛṣṇa in five primary rasas we can live eternally in full knowledge and bliss.