Loving sentiments

Expressions researched:
"loving sentiment" |"loving sentiments"

SB Canto 2

There is a common saying that one should first love the dog of the beloved before one shows any loving sentiments for the beloved.

SB 2.3.23, Purport:

There is a common saying that one should first love the dog of the beloved before one shows any loving sentiments for the beloved. The stage of pure devotion is attained by sincerely serving a pure devotee of the Lord. The first condition of devotional service to the Lord is therefore to be a servant of a pure devotee, and this condition is fulfilled by the statement "reception of the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee who has also served another pure devotee." That is the way of pure disciplic succession, or devotional paramparā.

CC Adi-lila

CC Adi 3.15, Translation:

"Everywhere in the world people worship Me according to scriptural injunctions. But simply by following such regulative principles one cannot attain the loving sentiments of the devotees in Vrajabhūmi."

It is said in the Vedas that the Absolute Truth is the reservoir for all kinds of reciprocal exchanges of loving sentiments.

CC Adi 4.15-16, Purport:

The real purpose of Lord Kṛṣṇa's appearance was to stage a dramatic performance of His transcendental pastimes at Vrajabhūmi, thus exhibiting the highest limit of transcendental mellow in the exchanges of reciprocal love between the living entity and the Supreme Lord. These reciprocal exchanges of mellows are called rāga-bhakti, or devotional service to the Lord in transcendental rapture. Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa wants to make known to all the conditioned souls that He is more attracted by rāga-bhakti than vidhi-bhakti, or devotional service under scheduled regulations. It is said in the Vedas (Taittirīya Up. 2.7), raso vai saḥ: the Absolute Truth is the reservoir for all kinds of reciprocal exchanges of loving sentiments. He is also causelessly merciful, and He wants to bestow upon us this privilege of rāga-bhakti. Thus He appeared by His own internal energy. He was not forced to appear by any extraneous force.

When devotees worship their beloved as the most venerable object, spontaneous loving sentiments are observed to be lacking.

CC Adi 4.26, Purport:

The informal language used between lover and beloved is indicative of pure affection. When devotees worship their beloved as the most venerable object, spontaneous loving sentiments are observed to be lacking. A neophyte devotee who follows the Vedic instructions that regulate those who lack pure love of Godhead may superficially seem more exalted than a devotee in spontaneous love of Godhead. But in fact such spontaneous pure love is far superior to regulated devotional service. Such pure love of Godhead is always glorious in all respects, more so than reverential devotional service rendered by a less affectionate devotee.

In the spiritual loving sentiment induced by the yogamāyā potency, both Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the damsels of Vraja forget themselves in spiritual rapture.

CC Adi 4.30, Purport:

In the spiritual loving sentiment induced by the yogamāyā potency, both Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the damsels of Vraja forget themselves in spiritual rapture. By the influence of such forgetfulness, the attractive beauty of the gopīs plays a prominent part in the transcendental satisfaction of the Lord, who has nothing to do with mundane sex. Because spiritual love of Godhead is above everything mundane, the gopīs superficially seem to transgress the codes of mundane morality. This perpetually puzzles mundane moralists. Therefore yogamāyā acts to cover the Lord and His pastimes from the eyes of mundaners, as confirmed in the Bhagavad-gītā (7.25), where the Lord says that He reserves the right of not being exposed to everyone.

Nectar of Devotion

The particular type of ecstatic loving sentiment that develops within the heart of a particular devotee is considered to be vibhāva.

Nectar of Devotion 34:

The particular type of ecstatic loving sentiment that develops within the heart of a particular devotee is considered to be vibhāva. And the resultant manifestations such as moving of the eyebrows, fear, astonishment and smiling, which have been explained hereinbefore, are called anubhāva. The different causes for developing anubhāva and vibhāva are called steady ecstasy, or sañcāri-bhāva.

Krsna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead

Similarly, in order to increase the love of My devotees, sometimes I appear to be lost to them, and instead of forgetting Me, they feel their loving sentiments for Me increase.

Krsna Book 32:

"My dear friends," Kṛṣṇa continued, “you might be aggrieved by My words and acts, but you must know that sometimes I do not reciprocate My devotees' dealings with Me. My devotees are very much attached to Me, but sometimes I do not reciprocate their feelings properly in order to increase their love for Me more and more. If I can very easily be approached by them, they might think, "Kṛṣṇa is so easily available." So sometimes I do not respond. If a person has no money but after some time accumulates some wealth and then loses it, he will think of the lost property twenty-four hours a day. Similarly, in order to increase the love of My devotees, sometimes I appear to be lost to them, and instead of forgetting Me, they feel their loving sentiments for Me increase. My dear friends, do not think for a moment that I have been dealing with you as I do with ordinary devotees. I know what you are. You have forsaken all kinds of social and religious obligations; you have given up all connection with your parents. Without caring for social convention and religious obligations, you have come to Me and loved Me, and I am so much obliged to you that I cannot treat you as ordinary devotees.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

The spirit soul is originally in love with the Supreme, so he is trying to express his loving sentiments or life's symptoms

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.80-95 -- San Francisco, February 10, 1966:

Just like a man in love in this material world, also, he sometimes becomes just like madman, so similarly... Material manifestation is simply perverted reflection of the real love. Here there is no love. It is simply a reflection. Because the spirit soul is originally in love with the Supreme, so he is trying to express his loving sentiments or life's symptoms, but because it is not on the platform of the Supreme, therefore materially they are manifested sometimes, but it breaks. It breaks. It does not exist. So similarly, as in the ordinary love affairs there are so many emotions, similarly, Caitanya Mahāprabhu says this is the nature of love, nature of love. Premāra sva-bhāve kare citta-tanu kṣobha. Kṣobha means there is some agitation, within the mind, of the body. There are so many symptoms. Kṛṣṇera caraṇa-prāptye upajāya lobha: "And the more you increase the symptoms and this emotion, the more you will be anxious to be a sincere lover of God, or Kṛṣṇa.

1968 Correspondence

I am so pleased for your valuable loving sentiments upon me and this will keep you advanced in Krishna Consciousness, rest assured.

Letter to Gargamuni -- Allston, Mass 31 May, 1968:

I am so pleased for your valuable loving sentiments upon me and this will keep you advanced in Krishna Consciousness, rest assured. Next time when I come back to San Francisco, some of the boys who have regularly chanted 16 rounds at least for one year shall be initiated for the second time, and offered sacred thread to recognize them as complete Brahmins.