Prabhupāda: Śānta, dāsya, sākhya, vātsalya, and mādhurya.
Dr. Patel: Mādhurya-bhakta is the best. Like gopīs. But that is very difficult to be.
Prabhupāda: No, best, it is just one's conception, you see? Otherwise, all are best. All are best. But śānta-bhaktas do not take Kṛṣṇa very intimately.
Dr. Patel: (laughs) You are... You take me below the belt.
Prabhupāda: Yes, śānta-bhakta means the bhakta who appreciates the greatness of the Supreme, but does not take Kṛṣṇa as very intimate. That is śānta-bhakta.
Dr. Patel: How can, ah, can you imagine God without taking Him very intimately? These are two, I mean...
Prabhupāda: No, no. Just like... Intimately... Just like I can give this example, that you have got a great regard for me, but not as intimately as my other disciples.
Dr. Patel: Ah, that is possible. Because I am, I have not put on the order clothes.
Prabhupāda: This example is, I think, proper.
Dr. Patel: (laughs)
Prabhupāda: They have sacrificed their life for me.
Dr. Patel: That's right.
Prabhupāda: But you have got regard for me, but you cannot sacrifice your life for me.
Dr. Patel: You are trying to tempt me, sir, but I don't think it will be for that. I will not be turned away. I've got my duty to do toward my family. (laughing)
Prabhupāda: No, no. This is, this is the stage of śānta-bhakta. I am explaining śānta-bhakta.
Dr. Patel: I can understand you. You... (laughs)
Prabhupāda: No, no, it is according to śāstra, śānta. There are the different types of mellows, variety mellows. (aside:) Hare Kṛṣṇa. śānta, dāsya, sākhya... I do not say that you become my disciple. I don't say that.
Dr. Patel: I am your disciple in all respects. I should not put on your, these clothes and come and do all the...
Prabhupāda: No, no, no. That is not our program. That is not our program. We do not ask anyone to change his cloth, never. I never ask them to change his cloth, or change his position. That is Caitanya Mahāprabhu's philosophy.
Dr. Patel: That's right. We, we always... We always consider a guru in the form of God. God comes to you in the form of a guru.
Prabhupāda: That is... That we also accept.
Dr. Patel: And that is the way I was... I mean, I love you, treat you as such and worship you.
Prabhupāda: Yes.
Dr. Patel: And if you think it is any other form, I have no objection, whatever bhāva you may call it. What is the matter?
Prabhupāda: No, I am speaking on the principle of śāstra. śānta-bhakta, dāsya-bhakta, sākhya-bhakta, vātsalya-bhakta, mādhurya-bhakta.
Dr. Patel: You see, I can...
Prabhupāda: It is not that mādhurya-bhakta is greater than the dāsya-bhakta. The example has been given: just like sound. Sound is generated from the ether, sky. You are scientific man. You will understand.
Dr. Patel: Yes, yes.
Prabhupāda: But that sound is existing in all other five elements, four elements.
Dr. Patel: Right.
Prabhupāda: The sound is not only in the ether, but sound is on the air. The sound is in the fire, the sound is also in the water, and sound is also on the land. So the basic principle of śānta-rasa is there.
Dr. Patel: In all of them.
Prabhupāda: All of them. But according to the position, it is more developed.
Dr. Patel: Yes.
Prabhupāda: You see? In the earth, this sound is very... Just like you take any earthly object, metal. The sound is very strong there. Is it not?
Dr. Patel: Yes.
Prabhupāda: Just like water. There is sound. But that sound and metallic sound are different. Sound is there, but the sound of the water and sound of the metal—in the metal the sound is more prominent than in the water. But the sound is there. Similarly...
Dr. Patel: Love is there.
Prabhupāda: Yes, love is there.
Dr. Patel: But there is more close love.
Prabhupāda: Ah, yes. More developed. Yes. In the śānta-rasa, simply this appreciation of the greatness of the Absolute. That is śānta-rasa.
Dr. Patel: Once upon a time the scientists of the world had considered this religion, belief in God to be bosh. Now the scientists have started thinking, and thinking very rightly that there is nothing else but God as you have said. That is the greatest thing that they are doing today.
Prabhupāda: Yes, so that I am explaining. The sound is there. God consciousness is there, sound as the God consciousness, but in different phases the development is there differently. That is the principle. Everyone has got God consciousness. There is no doubt about it.