bhaktänäà bhedataù seyaà ratiù païca-vidhä matä |
agre vivicya vaktavyä tena nätra prapaïcyate || 24 ||

– 24 –

There are five types of Rati in five different types of devotees. I will thoroughly examine this ahead, so I will not expand upon it here.

The five types of Rati are appreciation, subordination, friendship, parenthood, and romance. Rupa Goswami will describe these in great detail from the 5th wave of the Southern Ocean through the end of the book.

Initial Expressions of Bhäva

 

kñäntir avyärtha-kälatvaà viraktir mäna-çunyatä |
äçä-bandhaù samutkaëöhä näma-gäne sadä ruchiù || 25 ||
äsaktis tad-guëäkhyäne prétis tad-vasati-sthale |
ity ädyo ‘nubhäväù syur jäta-bhäväìkure jane || 26 ||

– 25, 26 –

1. Forbearance
2. Not spending a moment in another pursuit
3. Indifference
4. Absence of conceit
5. Bondage to hope
6. Yearning
7. Constant taste to sing his name
8. Addiction to speaking about his character
9. Love for his place of residence.

These expressions are the initial signs that Bhäva is beginning to sprout.

Here Rupa Goswami lists the external expressions characteristic of an initial internal realization of Bhäva Bhakti.

 

tatra kñäntiù

kñobha-hetav api präpte kñäntir akñubhitätmatä || 27 ||

– 27 –

Forbearance

The visible characteristic of Forbearance is that one remains placid even amidst causes of disturbance.

In Caitanya-caritämåta (2.23.20), Krishnadas Kaviraj explains: präkåta-kñobhe tiara kñobha nähi haya. “S/he is not disturbed by material disturbances.”

 

yathä prathame

taà mopayätaà pratiyantu viprä
  gaìgä ca devé dhåta-cittam éçe |
dvijopasåñöaù kuhakas takñako vä
  daçatv alaà gäyata viñëu-gäthäù || 28 ||

– 28 –

First Canto [1.19.15]: “I have taken shelter of you brähmaëas and of the goddess Gaìga because you hold God within your hearts, so please accept me. Let the flying snake, or whatever trickery the brähmaëa created, bite me right now – just go on speaking about Viñëu.”

This is from the story of King Parékñit

 

atha avyärtha-kälatvaà

yathä hari-bhakti-sudhodaye

vägbhiù stuvanto manasä smaranta-
  stanvä namanto ‘py aniçaà na tåptäù |
bhaktäù sravan-netra-jaläù samagra-
  mäyur-harer eva samarpayanti || 29 ||

– 29 –

Not Spending a Moment in Another Pursuit

Hari Bhakti Sudhodaya: “Endless glorification with their words, endless remembrance in their minds, endless obeisance with their bodies – devotees thus give themselves fully to Hari, with tears flowing from their eyes.”

In Caitanya-caritämåta (2.23.22), Krishnadas Kaviraj explains: kåñëa-sambandha vinä käla vyartha nähi yäya. “S/he does not allow a moment to become useless by not being related to Kåñëa.”

Avya-artha ­means “another goal.” käla means “time.” When one attains Bhäva Bhakti one exhibits the quality of never spending time in pursuit of any goal other than seeking to attain and please Krishna, etc. In the example from Hari Bhakti Sudhodaya we see persons worshiping Krishna at every moment without ceasation, not spending any time in any other pursuit.

 

atha viraktiù

viraktir-indriyärthänäà syäd arocakatä svayaà || 30 ||

–  30 –

Indifference

“Indifference” is a natural lack of appetite for the objects of the senses.

In Caitanya-caritämåta (2.23.24), Krishnadas Kaviraj explains: bhukti siddhi indriyärtha tare nähi bhäya. “S/he has no attraction to sense objects, mystic powers, or heavenly pleasures.” The symptom of the beginning of Bhäva Bhakti is that one becomes naturally detached from everything not related to Krishna. This detachment is “natural” because it is due to an inherent lack of attraction, rather than an external and forced separation. This natural detachment is the emblem of the Paramahaàsa “Açrama” – the status of Vaiñëava renunciation.

 

yathä païcame

yo dustyajän dära-sutän suhåd räjyaà hådi-spåçaù |
jahau yuvaiva malavad uttamaùçloka-lälasaù || 31 ||

– 31 –

Fifth Canto [5.14.43]: “Because of his desire to attain Uttamaùçloka, he discarded his wife, children, friends, and kingdom, as naturally as one gives up excrement, even though they were all difficult to renounce and were dear to his heart, and even though he was still in his youth.”

This is from the story of King Bharata.

 

atha mäna-çünyatä

utkåñöatve ‘py amänitvaà kathitä mänaçünyatä || 32 ||

– 32 –

Lack of Conceit

“Lack of Conceit” means absence of conceit in spite of being the very best.

In Caitanya-caritämåta (2.23.26), Krishnadas Kaviraj explains: ’sarvottama’ äpanäke ‘hina’ kari mane. “Though s/he is ‘the best’ s/he considers himself ‘the least.’”

 

yathä pädme

harau ratià vahann eña narendräëäà çikha-maëiù |
bhikñäm-aöann ari-pure svapäkam api vandate || 33 ||

– 33 –

Padma Puräëa: “Due to affection for Hari, this crown-jewel of all kings became a vagrant beggar in his enemy’s city, respectfully begging from even the outcast members of society.”

This is from the story of King Bhagératha.

 

atha äçä-bhandhaù

äçä-bandho bhagavataù präpti-sambhävanä dåòhä || 34 ||

– 34 –

Bondage to Hope

“Bondage to hope” means being firmly bound to hopes of attaining intimacy with God.

In Caitanya-caritämåta (2.23.28), Krishnadas Kaviraj explains: ‘kåñëa-kåpä karibhena’ – dåòha kari’ jäne. “S/he is bound firmly to the hope: ‘Krishna will show me mercy.’”

 

yathä

na premä çravaëädi-bhaktir api vä yogo ‘tha-vä vaiñëavo
  jïänaà vä çubha-karma vä kiyad aho saj-jätir apy asti vä |
hénärthädhika-sädhake tvayi tathäpy acchedya-mülä saté
  he gopé-jana-vallabha vyathayate hä hä mad-äçaiva mäm || 35 ||

– 35 –

For example: “I have no Prema, nor do I even practice bhakti by hearing, etc. As far as Vaishnavism is concerned, I do not even practice yoga, nor have I any knowledge or pious works.  Aho! Not even a little! I do not even belong to a good family. But still, you bestow the greatest blessings to those who have nothing, O Gopéjana-vallabha! I therefore cannot uproot my desire to attain you – Alas! Alas! – although my desire brings me pain.”

This is an illustration of Bondage to Hope, composed by Rupa Goswami himself. As described in 1.3.1, Bhäva Bhakti softens the heart and thus sets in motion various emotions like the desire to attain Krishna personally. Due to lack of conceit, the Bhäva Bhakta does not think s/he has any chance of attaining Krishna. This causes great despair, but his or her awareness of Krishna’s merciful nature causes unyielding “hope against all hope.”

 

atha samutkaëöhä

samutkaëöhä nijäbhéñöa-läbhäya guru-lubdhatä || 36 ||

– 36 –

Yearning

“Yearning” is a heavy, covetous greed to attain the object of one’s desire.

In Caitanya-caritämåta (2.23.30), Krishnadas Kaviraj explains: samutkaëöhä haya sadä lälsä-pradhäna. “The Primary aspect of ‘Yearning’ is constant ardent desire.”

 

atha kåñëa-karëämåte

änamräm asita-bhruvor upacitam akñéëa-pakñmäìkure
  ñväloläm anurägiëor nayanayor ärdräà mådau jalpite |
ätämräm adharämåte mada-kaläm amläna vaàçé-svane-
  ñväçäste mama locanaà vraja-çiçor-mürttià jagan mohiném || 37 ||

– 37 –

Kåñëa-Karëämåta:

Black eyebrows slightly bent,
             Eyelashes thick,
            Moist eyes roving about, full of passion,
Speech so soft and gentle,
            Full, fresh ambrosial lips, a little copperish,
             Flawless flute-song that enchants the world…

My eyes always long to see the form of that Vraja Kishor.

This is the 54th poem in the Kåñëa-Karëämåta of Bilvamangal Thakur. In Caitanya-caritämåta (2.23.31), Krishnadas Kaviraj also quotes the following from Kåñëa-Karëämåta (32) in illustration of “Longing:”

tvac chaiçavaà tri-bhuvanädbhutam ity avedhi
  mac-cäpalaà ca tava vä mama vädhigamyam
tat kià karomi viralaà muralé-viläsi
  mugdhaà mukhämbujam udékñitum ékñaëäbhyäm

“I think your adolescent beauty (“kishoram”) is the most wonderful thing in the three worlds. Therefore you can understand how eagerly unsteady I am for you, and I can understand you, too, O Flute Player! My eyes yearn to fill up with the enchanting vision of your lotus-like face in a lonely place. What shall I do?”

 

atha näma-gäne sadä ruciù

yathä

rodana-bindu-maranda-syandi dåg-indévarädya govinda |
tava madhura-sarva-kaëöhé gäyati nämävaléà bälä || 38 ||

– 38 –

Constant Taste For Singing His Name

“Govinda! Today streams of tears flow from this young girl’s lotus-eyes, like nectar flowing from flowers, as she sings songs of your name in a voice full of sweetness.”

In Caitanya-caritämåta (2.23.26), Krishnadas Kaviraj explains: nama-gäne sadä ruci laya kåñëa-näma. “Because s/he is always attracted to Krishna’s name, s/he sings it.”

The young girl in this çloka is Çré Rädhä. Rupa Goswami compares her eyes to the Indévara because this type of lotus flower opens only at night for the moon. Rädhä’s eyes open only at night to see moon-like Krishna. During the day her closed eyes shed tears as she sings of Krishna.

 

tad-guëäkhyäne äsäktiù

yathä kåñëa-karëämåte

mädhuryäd api madhuraà
  manmathatä tasya kim api kaiçoram |
capalyäd api capalaà
  ceto vata harati hanta kià kurmaù || 39 ||

– 39 –

Addiction to Speaking About His Character

Kåñëa-Karëämåta:

Sweeter than even the sweetest…
            Who is this who intoxicates me with youthfulness?

More unsteady than even the most unsteady…
            But stealing my mind.

Oh Child! What should I do now?

In Caitanya-caritämåta (2.23.34), Krishnadas Kaviraj explains: kåñëa-guëäkhyäne haya sarvadä äsakti. “In all circumstances, s/he is addicted to describing Krishna’s qualities.” In the above çloka we hear of someone who is constantly addicted to describing Krishna, unable to stop. The author (Bilvamangala Thakur) says, “Krishna has intoxicated me with his sweetness and has stolen my heart. Thus, although I know that he is very fickle and unreliable, I cannot stop loving and glorifying him. What shall I do?”

In Caitanya-caritämåta (2.23.35), Krishnadas Kaviraj quotes the following from Kåñëa-Karëämåta (92) in illustration of “Addiction to Speaking About His Character:”

madhuraà madhuraà vapur asya vibhor
madhuraà madhuraà vadanaà madhuram.
madhu-gandhi måòu-smitam etad aho
madhuraà madhuraà madhuraà madhuram.

“The form of this great one is double sweet. His face is triple sweet. But, oh, his soft smile, like the fragrance of honey, is quadruple sweet.”

Krishna’s sweetness intoxicates the Bhäva Bhakta. An intoxicated person often repeats their words. Similarly, the Bhäva Bhakta constantly and repeatedly glorifies Krishna.

 

tad vasati-sthale prétiù

yathä padyävalyäm

aträsét kila nanda-sadma çakaö asyäträbhavad bhaïjanaà
  bandhacchedakaro ‘pi dämabhirabhudvaddho ‘tra dämodaraù |
itthaà mäthura-våddha-vaktra-vigalat-péyüñadhäräà piba
  nnänandäçru-dharaù kadä madhupuréà dhanyaç cariñyämy aham || 40 ||

– 40 –

Love for his Place of Residence

Padyävali: “‘Here was Nanda’s house! This is where the cart was broken! This is where Dämodara, who cuts the bondage of everyone, was bound up!’ Thus drinking the waterfall of words flowing from the mouths of Mathurä’s residents, with eyes bearing tears of joy, when will I wander about that blessed, sweet town?”

In Caitanya-caritämåta (2.23.36), Krishnadas Kaviraj explains: kåñëa-lélä-sthäne kare sarvadä vasati. “S/he resides in the place Krishna performed his pastimes.” The meter to the above çloka composed by an unnamed poet is: ­“– – – ^ ^ – ^ –, ^ ^ ^ – – –, ^ – – ^ –.”

In Caitanya-caritämåta (2.23.37), Krishnadas Kaviraj quotes the following in illustration of “Loving to Live in His Residence.”

kadähaà yamunä-tére nämäni tava kértayan
udbäñpaù puëòarékäkña racayiñyämi täëòavam

“O Lotus Eyed, when will I sing the glories of your name on the banks of the Yamunä river, full of tears, and creating a fervent dance?”