Bhakti-rasåyana verses
dhanyeyam adya dhara√î t®√a-vîrudhas
tvatpåda-
sp®ço druma-latå˙ karajåbhim®ß†å˙
nadyo ’draya˙ khaga-m®gå˙ sadayåvalokair
gopyo ’ntare√a bhujayor api yat-sp®hå çrî˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.15.8); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.107)
[Çrî K®ß√a said to Balaråma:] Today this
land, along with all its
green grass, has become fortunate due to
receiving the touch of
your lotus feet. And receiving the touch
of the fingers of your
lotus hands, the trees, creepers and
bushes consider that they
have attained the greatest treasure.
Receiving your affectionate
glances, the rivers, mountains, birds and
animals are all feeling
fully gratified. But most fortunate of all
are the vraja-gopîs, who
have been embraced to Your strong chest, a
favour which even
Lakßmî-devî herself always desires.
v®ndåvanaμ sakhi bhuvo vitanoti kîrtiμ
yad devakî-suta-padåmbuja-labdha-lakßmi
govinda-ve√um anu matta-mayüra-n®tyam
prekßyådri-sånv-avaratånya-samasta-sattvam
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.21.10); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.108)
[The gopîs said:] O sakhî, this V®ndåvana
is expanding the glories
of the Earth planet because it is being
adorned with the lotus
footprints of Çrî K®ß√a. Hearing Him play
a soft and deep note
on the flute, the peacocks have become
maddened and have
begun dancing. Beholding this spectacle,
all of the birds and
181
animals who reside on the mountainside
have abandoned their
usual restive activities.
hantåyam adrir abalå hari-dåsa-varyo
yad-råma-k®ß√a-cara√a-sparaça-pramoda˙
månaμ tanoti saha-go-ga√ayos tayor yat
pånîya-süyavasa-kandara-kandamülai˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.21.18); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.109)
[The gopîs said:] This Govardhana Hill is
the best of all those
who are known as hari-dåsa because he is
feeling great jubilation
from the touch of the lotus feet of K®ß√a
and Balaråma. With
great respect Govardhana is worshipping
them by providing all
their necessities such as caves, fruits,
flowers and water for their
pleasure, and for the pleasure of their
cowherd friends, cows and
calves.
d®ß†våtape vraja-paçün saha råma-gopai˙
sañcårayantam anu ve√um udîrayantam
prema-prav®ddha udita˙ kusumåvalîbhi˙
sakhyur vyadhåt sva-vapußåmbuda åtapatram
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.21.16); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.110)
[The gopîs said:] Seeing K®ß√a and
Balaråma playing their flutes
in the afternoon sun and taking the cows
and calves out for grazing,
the clouds burst with divine love, and
like an umbrella shield
their friend Çrî K®ß√a from the sun while
showering tiny drops of
rain that are like a shower of flowers.”
(K®ß√a has been referred
to here as a friend of the clouds because
their natures are similar.
Both are dark blue in complexion, and as
K®ß√a eradicates the
heat of material existence by bestowing
the nectar of His mercy,
the clouds give relief from the heat of
this world by showering
rain. K®ß√a also plays soft and deep
melodies on His flute that
resemble the clouds’ thunder.)
182 Bhakti-rasåyana
nadyas tadå tad upadhårya mukunda-gîtam
åvarta-lakßita-manobhava-bhagna-vegå˙
åli∫gana-sthagitam ürmi-bhujair murårer
g®h√anti påda-yugalaμ kamalopahårå˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.21.15); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.111)
[The gopîs said:] O sakhîs, when the
rivers of V®ndåvana headed
by the Yamunå hear the vibration of K®ß√a’s
flute, their currents
completely stop, and their waters begin to
swirl as if they are
overcome with desire. With their arms in
the form of waves they
reach out to touch and offer lotus flowers
to His lotus feet.
vana-latås tarava åtmani viß√uμ
vyañjayantya iva pußpa-phalådhyå˙
pra√ata-bhåra-vi†apå madhu-dhårå˙
prema-h®ß†a-tanavo vav®ßu˙ sma
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.35.9); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.112)
[The gopîs said:] Look how the creepers
and the branches of the
trees of V®ndåvana are drooping down due
to their weight! They
must have also taken Çrî K®ß√a within
their hearts, because tears
of love in the form of streams of honey
are dripping from them,
and the emergence of their fruits and
flowers bear witness to their
ecstatic rapture.
ete ’linas tava yaço ’khila-loka-tîrthaμ
gåyanta ådi-purußånupathaμ bhajante
pråyo amî muni-ga√å bhavadîya-mukhyå
gü∂haμ vane ’pi na jahaty anaghåtma-daivam
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.15.6); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.113)
[Çrî K®ß√a said to Balaråma:] O
Ådi-purußa, although you are
keeping your opulences hidden and are
performing pastimes as a
young boy here in V®ndåvana, still the munis,
who are among the
Bhakti-rasåyana verses 183
best of your devotees, have recognised
you. Not wanting to be
separated from you for even one moment,
they have assumed the
forms of bees and are worshipping you by
constantly singing your
glories as the purifier of this world.
sarasi sårasa-haμsa-viha∫gåç
cåru-gîta-h®ta-cetasa etya
harim upåsata te yata-cittå
hanta-mîlita-d®ço dh®ta-maunå˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.35.11); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.114)
[The gopîs said:] It is very astonishing
that K®ß√a steals away the
hearts of the swans, cranes and other
water-birds in such a way
that they approach Him, sit down and
worship Him with their
eyes closed, and fully concentrate their
minds on Him.
pråyo batåmba vihagå munayo vane ’smin
k®ß√ekßitaμ tad-uditaμ kala-ve√u-gîtam
åruhya ye druma-bhujån rucira-pravålån
ç®√vanti mîlita-d®ço vigatånya-våca˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.21.14); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.115)
[The gopîs said:] O friend, the birds of
V®ndåvana are actually
sages. They have taken positions on the
branches of trees that have
new and fresh leaves from where they can
easily have darçana of
Çrî K®ß√a. Sitting there and hearing the
sweet vibration of His
flute, they close their eyes and become
immersed in divine bliss.
dhanyå˙ sma mü∂ha-gatayo ’pi hari√ya etå
yå nanda-nandanam upåtta-vicitra-veçam
åkar√ya ve√u-ra√itaμ saha-k®ß√a-sårå˙
püjåμ dadhur viracitåμ pra√ayåvalokai˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.21.11); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.116)
184 Bhakti-rasåyana
[The gopîs said:] These ignorant deer are
also fortunate, because
accompanied by their husbands they are
standing motionlessly
and listening to the vibration of K®ß√a’s
flute. It is as if they are
offering püjå to the gorgeously attired
son of Nanda with their
loving glances.
gåvaç ca k®ß√a-mukha-nirgata-ve√u-gîtapîyüßam
uttabhita-kar√a-pu†ai˙ pibantya˙
çåvå˙ snuta-stana-paya˙-kavalå˙ sma
tasthur
govindam åtmani d®çåçru-kalå˙ sp®çantya˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.21.13); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.117)
[The gopîs said:] In order to drink the
nectarean vibration of the
flute-song emanating from the lotus mouth
of Çrî K®ß√a, the
cows have raised their ears. The grass
which they were chewing
just remains in their mouths, and milk
begins to drip from their
udders. The calves at once stop drinking
their mothers’ milk, and
as they embrace K®ß√a within their hearts,
tears of love begin to
glide down their faces.
v®ndaço vraja-v®ßå m®ga-gåvo
ve√u-vådya-h®ta-cetasa åråt
danta-da߆a-kavalå dh®ta-kar√å
nidritå likhita-citram ivåsan
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.35.5); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.118)
[The gopîs said:] Hearing the vibration of
Çrî K®ß√a’s flute, the
bulls, cows and deer of V®ndåvana approach
Him. Unable to
swallow the grass that they had taken into
their mouths, they
stand silently with their ears raised and
appear like animals in a
painting.
Bhakti-rasåyana verses 185
pür√å˙ pulindya urugåya-padåbja-rågaçrî-
ku∫kumena dayitå-stana-ma√∂itena
tad-darçana-smara-rujas t®√a-rüßitena
limpantya ånana-kuceßu jahus tad-ådhim
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.21.17); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.119)
[The gopîs said:] O sakhî, we consider the
Pulinda girls who collect
grass and wood to be greatly fortunate,
because by spreading
the ku∫kuma that lies upon the grass on
their faces and bodies,
the desires which arise in their hearts
from seeing that very
ku∫kuma are pacified. In reality, that ku∫kuma
is from the
breasts of Çrîmatî Rådhikå, and at the
time of enjoying pastimes
with Çrî K®ß√a, it becomes smeared on His
lotus feet. Then as
They wander in the forest, it falls from
His feet onto the grass.
yadi düraμ gata˙ k®ß√o
vana-çobhekßa√åya tam
ahaμ pürvam ahaμ pürvam
iti saμsp®çya remire
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.12.6); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.120)
[Çrî Çukadeva Gosvåmî said:] When Çrî K®ß√a
would sometimes
wander far away to see the splendour of
the forest, the cowherd
boys would revel in running after Him,
saying, “I will be the first
to touch Him! I will be the first to touch
Him!”
itthaμ satåμ brahma-sukhånubhütyå
dåsyaμ gatånåμ para-daivatena
måyåçritånåμ nara-dårake√a
sårdhaμ vijahru˙ k®ta-pu√ya-puñjå˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.12.11); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.121)
186 Bhakti-rasåyana
[Çrî Çukadeva Gosvåmî said:] In this way
the greatly fortunate
cowherd boys enjoy in various ways with
Çrî K®ß√a, who is seen
as the Brahman effulgence by the jñånîs,
as the supremely worshipful
deity by His servants and as an ordinary
boy by people in
general. (Or måyåçrita can also mean that
those who had received
His utmost mercy, due to being devoid of
the mood of opulence,
saw Him merely as the son of Nanda.)
yat-påda-paμçur bahu-janma-k®cchrato
dh®tåtmabhir yogibhir apy alåbhya˙
sa eva yåd-d®g vißaya˙ svayaμ sthita˙
kiμ var√yate di߆am aho vrajaukasåm
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.12.12); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.122)
[Çrî Çukadeva Gosvåmî said:] Great yogîs perform
severe austerities
for many lifetimes, but even when with
great difficulty they
have completely controlled their minds,
they still cannot attain
even one particle of the dust of the lotus
feet of Çrî K®ß√a. How
then can I possibly describe the good
fortune of the Vrajavåsîs,
who daily received His direct darçana?
kvacit pallava-talpeßu
niyuddha-çrama-karçita˙
v®kßa-mülåçraya˙ çete
gopotsa∫gopabarha√a˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.15.16); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.123)
[Çrî Çukadeva Gosvåmî said:] When Çrî K®ß√a
would become
fatigued from wrestling with the cowherd
boys, He would accept
the lap of one of His friends as a pillow
and lie down beneath
a tree on a richly decorated bed of
flowers and leaves.
Bhakti-rasåyana verses 187
påda-saμvåhanaμ cakru˙
kecit tasya mahåtmana˙
apare hata-påpmåno
vyajanai˙ samavîjayan
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.15.17); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.124)
[Çrî Çukadeva Gosvåmî said:] At that time,
one greatly fortunate
sakhå would massage His feet, and another
would fan His body
with a fan made of leaves.
anye tad-anurüpå√i
manojñåni mahåtmana˙
gåyanti sma mahå-råja
sneha-klinna-dhiya˙ çanai˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.15.18); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.125)
[Çrî Çukadeva Gosvåmî said:] My dear
Mahåråja, other sakhås
would sing attractive songs appropriate
for resting-time, and all
the cowherd boys’ hearts would melt in
affection for K®ß√a.
nanda˙ kim akarod bråhman
çreya evaμ mahodayam
yaçodå vå mahå-bhågå
papau yasyå˙ stanaμ hari˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.8.46); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.126)
[Çrî Parîkßit Mahåråja asked:] My dear bråhma√a,
which supremely
auspicious sådhana did Nanda perform, and
which austerities did
the supremely fortunate Yaçodå undergo to
have her breast-milk
drunk by Çrî Hari?
188 Bhakti-rasåyana
tato bhaktir bhagavati
putrî-bhüte janårdane
dampatyor nitaråm åsîd
gopa-gopîßu bhårata
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.8.51); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.127)
[Çrî Çukadeva Gosvåmî replied:] O Bharata,
for fulfilling the
promise of His dear devotee Brahmå, Çrî
K®ß√a, the Supreme
Lord Himself and the destroyer of evil,
appeared as the son of
Nanda and Yaçodå. In comparison to all of
the other gopas and
gopîs, this couple possessed the most love
for Him.
nanda˙ sva-putram ådåya
proßyågatam udåra-dhî˙
mürdhny avaghråya paramaμ
mudaμ lebhe kurüdvaha
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.6.43); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.128)
[Çrî Çukadeva Gosvåmî said:] When
magnanimous Nanda
returned from Mathurå, he took his own son
Çrî K®ß√a on his lap
and experienced immense pleasure by
repeatedly smelling His
head.
sa måtu˙ svinna-gåtråya
visrasta-kavara-sraja˙
d®ß†vå pariçramaμ k®ß√a˙
k®payåsît sva-bandhane
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.9.18); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.129)
[Çrî Çukadeva Gosvåmî said:] When K®ß√a
saw Yaçodå labouring
so desperately that her whole body was
dripping with perspiration
and the flower garland that was entwined
in her hair braid was
falling down, He mercifully allowed
Himself to be bound by her.
Bhakti-rasåyana verses 189
nemaμ viriñco na bhavo
na çrîr apy a∫ga-saμçrayå
prasådaμ lebhire gopî
yat tat pråpa vimuktidåt
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.9.20); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.130)
[Çrî Çukadeva Gosvåmî said:] Neither
Brahmå, Çiva, or even
Lakßmî-devî – who eternally resides at K®ß√a’s
chest in the form
of a golden line – have ever received as
much mercy as Yaçodå did
from He who is the bestower of liberation.
payaμsi yåsåm apibat
putra-sneha-snutåny alam
bhagavån devakî-putra˙
kaivalyådy-akhilårtha-da˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.6.39); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.131)
[Çrî Çukadeva Gosvåmî said:] Bhagavån Çrî
K®ß√a, the bestower
of all the objectives of human pursuit
including all varieties of
liberation, drank with full satisfaction
the milk of all the motherly
gopîs and cows who were dripping with milk
due to their
motherly affection for Him.
tåsåm avirataμ k®ß√e
kurvatînåμ sutekßa√am
na puna˙ kalpate råjan
saμsåro ’jñåna-sambhava˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.6.40); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.132)
[Çrî Çukadeva Gosvåmî said:] O King, those
gopîs and cows were
always feeling maternal love for K®ß√a,
and therefore after leaving
their bodies they could have never
re-entered the cycle of birth and
death, the calamity which is imposed on
those who are ignorant.
190 Bhakti-rasåyana
gopînåμ paramånanda
åsîd govinda-darçane
kßa√aμ yuga-çatam iva
yåsåμ yena vinåbhavat
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.19.16); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.133)
[Çrî Çukadeva Gosvåmî said:] The vraja-gopîs
would experience
supreme pleasure upon receiving the darçana
of Çrî Govinda, but
they would consider one moment of His
absence to be like one
hundred yugas.
tan-manaskås tad-ålåpås
tad-vice߆ås tad-åtmikå˙
tad-gu√ån eva gåyantyo
nåtmågårå√i sasmaru˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.30.43); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.134)
[Çrî Çukadeva Gosvåmî said:] Those vraja-gopîs,
who had fully
given their hearts to Çrî K®ß√a, would
imitate His manner of
speaking and His activities. Since they
had offered their very
souls to Him and always sang His glories,
they completely forgot
themselves and their family interests.
gopyas tapa˙ kim acaran yad amußya rüpaμ
låva√ya-såram asamordhvam ananya-siddham
d®gbhi˙ pibanty anusavåbhinavaμ duråpam
ekånta-dhåma yaçasa˙ çriya aiçvarasya
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.44.14); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.135)
[The ladies of Mathurå said:] Which
austerities did the vrajagopîs
perform by which they could always drink
through their
eyes the nectar of Çrî K®ß√a’s form –
which is the very essence of
loveliness, which is unequalled or unsurpassed,
which is perfect
Bhakti-rasåyana verses 191
in itself and always appears new and
fresh, which is extremely rare
to behold and which is always the
exclusive shelter of all fame,
splendour and opulence?
yå dohane ’vahanane mathanopalepapre∫
khe∫khanårbha-ruditokßa√a-mårjanådau
gåyanti cainam anurakta-dhiyo ’çru-ka√†hyo
dhanyå vraja-striya urukrama-citta-yånå˙
Çrîmad-Bhågavatam (10.44.15); B®had-bhågavatåm®ta
(2.7.136)
[The ladies of Mathurå said:] The gopîs are
extremely fortunate,
because their hearts are always so
absorbed in Çrî K®ß√a that while
milking cows, churning yoghurt, applying candana
and other
decorations to their bodies, comforting
crying babies, washing
their floors and performing all other
household duties, tears of
love flow from their eyes as they
continuously sing about His
purifying fame.
Glossary
A
åcårya –
spiritual preceptor; one who teaches by example.
adhirü∂ha – the highest state of mahåbhåva, found only in the
gopîs of Vraja. The mood in which all the anubhåvas
that are
manifested in resolute mahåbhåva attain
special characteristics
that are even more astonishing than those anubhåvas
in their
normal forms.
anarthas – unwanted desires in the heart, which impede one’s
advancement in devotional life.
añjana –
an ointment used to darken the edges of the eyelids.
arcana – deity worship; one of the nine primary processes of
devotional service.
anuråga – an intensified stage of prema; a stage in the development
from prema up to mahåbhåva. In Ujjvala-nîlama√i
(14.146)
anuråga has been defined as follows: “Although
one regularly
meets with the beloved and is well
acquainted with the beloved,
the ever-fresh sentiment of intense
attachment causes the beloved
to be newly experienced at every moment as
if one has never
before had any experience of that person.
The attachment that
inspires such a feeling is known as anuråga.”
åçrama –
the residence of someone practising spiritual life.
åtmå –
the soul.
B
bhajana – spiritual practices, especially hearing, chanting and
meditating upon the holy names, form,
qualities and pastimes of
Çrî K®ß√a.
193
bhakti – the word bhakti comes from the root bhaj, which means
to serve. Therefore the primary meaning of
the word bhakti is to
render service. The performance of
activities meant exclusively
for the pleasure of Çrî K®ß√a, which are
done in a favourable spirit
saturated with love, which are devoid of
all other desires and
which are not covered by the pursuits of
fruitive activity (karma)
or the cultivation of knowledge aimed at
merging one’s existence
into that of the Lord ( jñåna), is called bhakti.
bhåva –
(1) spiritual emotions, love or sentiments. (2) the initial
stage of perfection in devotion (bhåva-bhakti).
Brahman – the impersonal, all-pervading feature of the Lord,
which is devoid of attributes and
qualities.
bråhma√a – the intellectual class amongst the four castes within
the Vedic social system.
brahmånanda – the bliss experienced by merging into the Lord’s
impersonal aspect, Brahman.
brahmå√∂a – a single, egg-shaped material universe.
C
cakra –
the Lord’s disc, used as a weapon to subdue demons.
cåmara –
a fan made of the hair of a yak’s tail, employed especially
as part of the paraphernalia offered to
the deity.
candana – sandalwood paste.
D
darçana – seeing,
meeting, visiting with, beholding.
dåsya-bhåva – one of the five primary relationships with the Lord
that is established in the stage of bhåva or
prema; love for or
attraction to the Lord that is expressed
in the mood of a servant.
dhåma –
a holy place of pilgrimage; the abode of Çrî Bhagavån,
where He appears and enacts His
transcendental pastimes.
194 Bhakti-rasåyana
G
ghee –
clarified butter.
gopas –
the cowherd boys who serve K®ß√a in the mood of intimate
friends. This may also refer to the
elderly gopas who serve
K®ß√a in the mood of parental affection.
gopîs – the young cowherd maidens of Vraja, headed by Çrîmatî
Rådhikå, who serve Çrî K®ß√a in the mood
of amorous love. This
may also refer to the elderly gopîs,
headed by Mother Yaçodå,
who serve K®ß√a in the mood of parental
affection.
gopî-bhåva – the mood of devotion for Çrî K®ß√a possessed by
the cowherd women of Vraja.
H
hari-kathå – narrations of the Lord’s pastimes and personal
nature.
harinåma – the holy name of the Lord, especially referring to the
mahå-mantra.
hlådinî – this refers to the Lord’s internal potency (svarüpa-çakti)
that is predominated by hlådinî. Hlådinî is
the potency that
relates to the ånanda, or bliss, aspect of
the Supreme Lord.
Although the Supreme Lord is the
embodiment of all pleasure,
hlådinî is that potency by which He
relishes transcendental bliss
and causes others to taste bliss.
J
jîva –
the eternal, individual living entity, who in the conditioned
state of material existence assumes a
material body in any of the
innumerable species of life.
jñånî – one who pursues the path of jñåna, knowledge directed
towards impersonal liberation.
Glossary 195
K
karmî –
one who engages in pious activities, thinking they will lead
to material gain in this world or in the
heavenly planets after death.
kila-kiñcita – bodily symptoms of ecstasy. They are explained in
Çrîla Rüpa Gosvåmî’s Ujjvala-nîlama√i (Anubhå√a-prakara√a
39):
“Pride, ambition, weeping, smiling, envy,
fear and anger are the
seven ecstatic loving symptoms manifested
by a jubilant shrinking
away, and these symptoms are called kila-kiñcata-bhåvas.”
kiçorî – an adolescent girl.
k®ß√a-kathå – narrations describing Çrî K®ß√a and His activities.
kßatriya – the second of the four var√as (castes) in the var√åçrama
system; an administrator or warrior.
kuñja – a grove or bower; a natural shady retreat, the sides and
roof of which are formed mainly by trees
and climbing plants.
ku∫kuma – a reddish powder or liquid used by married women
to apply to the part in their hair.
L
la∂∂u –
an Indian sweet made from chickpea flour.
M
mådana –
highly advanced devotional ecstasy that is experienced
when meeting with the object of one’s
worship.
mådhurya-rasa – one of the five primary relationships with K®ß√a
established in the stage of bhåva and prema;
love or attachment
towards K®ß√a that is expressed in the
mood of a lover. This
mood is eternally present in the gopîs of
Vraja.
mahåbhåva – the highest stage of divine love.
måna –
an intensified stage of prema; a stage in the development
from prema up to mahåbhåva. It is
described in Ujjvala-nîlama√i
(14.96): “When sneha reaches exultation,
thus causing one to
experience the sweetness of the beloved in
ever-new varieties, yet
196 Bhakti-rasåyana
externally takes on a crooked feature, it
is known as måna.”
mantra –
a spiritual sound vibration that delivers the mind from
its material conditioning and illusion
when repeated over and
over; a Vedic hymn, prayer or chant.
måyå –
the Lord’s illusory potency, which influences the living
entities to accept the false egoism of
being independent enjoyers
of this material world.
modana –
highly advanced devotional ecstasy that is experienced
when separated from the object of one’s
worship.
N
nirgu√a – literally means “devoid of personal attributes”. Refers
to the impersonal Brahman.
P
praÌma Рan obeisance.
pra√aya – an intensified stage of prema; a stage in the development
from prema up to mahåbhåva. It is
described in Ujjvala-nîlama√i
(14.108): “When måna assumes a feature of
unrestrained intimacy
known as viçrambha, learned authorities
refer to it as pra√aya.”
The word viçrambha used in this verse
means “complete confidence
devoid of any restraint or formality”.
This confidence causes one
to consider one’s life, mind,
intelligence, body and possessions to
be one in all respects with the life,
mind, intelligence and body
of the beloved.
prasåda – literally meaning mercy, especially refers to the remnants
of food offered to the deity.
prema –
divine love.
püjå –
offering of worship.
pußpåñjali – an offering of flowers from cupped hands to the
Lord or his exalted devotee.
Glossary 197
R
råga –
(1) a deep attachment that is permeated by spontaneous
and intense absorption in the object of
one’s affection. The primary
characteristic of råga is a deep and
overpowering thirst for
the object of one’s affection. (2) an
intensified stage of prema;
a stage in the development from prema up
to mahåbhåva. It is
described as follows in Ujjvala-nîlama√i (14.126):
“When
pra√aya reaches exultation, thus causing
even extreme misery to
be experienced within the heart as
happiness, it is known as
råga.” In his commentary on this verse
Jîva Gosvåmî explains
that if by accepting some misery there is
a chance of meeting with
K®ß√a, then that misery becomes a source
of great happiness. And
where happiness affords one no opportunity
to meet with K®ß√a,
that happiness becomes the source of great
distress. When such
a state is experienced, it is known as råga.
(3) a classical Indian
melody.
rågånuga-bhakti – an elevated stage of devotion that is motivated
by spontaneous attraction or love.
rågåtmikå – one in whose heart there naturally and eternally
exists a deep spontaneous desire to love
and serve Çrî K®ß√a. This
specifically refers to the eternal
residents of Vraja.
råkßasî – a demoness.
rasa –
the spiritual transformation of the heart that takes place
when the perfected state of love for K®ß√a,
known as rati, is converted
into “liquid” emotions by combination with
various types
of transcendental ecstasy.
råsa-lîlå – Çrî K®ß√a’s dance with the vraja-gopîs, which is a pure
exchange of spiritual love between K®ß√a
and the gopîs, His most
confidential servitors.
rasika –
one who relishes the mellows of devotion (rasa) within
his heart.
198 Bhakti-rasåyana
S
sac-cid-ånanda – that which is eternal, composed of spiritual
consciousness and full of transcendental
bliss.
sådhaka – one who follows a spiritual discipline with the objective
of achieving pure devotion for Çrî K®ß√a.
sådhana – the stage of devotional life in which a spiritual
discipline is performed for the purpose of
bringing about the
manifestation of ecstatic, pure love for
Çrî K®ß√a (bhåva).
sådhu – a saintly person.
sådhya – the goal of one’s spiritual practice.
sakhå –
a male friend, companion or attendant.
sakhî –
a female friend, companion or attendant.
sakhya-bhåva – one of the five primary relationships with K®ß√a
that are established in the heart at the
stage of bhåva or prema;
love or attachment for the Lord that is
expressed in the mood of
a friend.
çålagråma-çilå – self-manifesting deities of Nåråya√a in the form
of small, round black stones that are
found in the Gandakî
River
in the Himalayas.
sampradåya – a school of religious thought.
saμvit –
this refers to the internal potency (svarüpa-çakti) that is
predominated by saμvit. It is the potency
that relates to cit, the
cognisant aspect of the Supreme Lord.
Although the Supreme
Lord is the embodiment of knowledge, saμvit
is the potency by
which He knows Himself and causes others
to know Him.
sannyåsa-da√∂a – a stick carried by sannyåsîs, renunciants in the
fourth stage of life according to the
Vedic social system.
sarva-çaktimån – the Supreme Lord, Çrî K®ß√a, who possesses all
potencies.
çloka –
a Sanskrit verse.
sneha –
an intensified stage of prema; a stage in the development
Glossary 199
from prema up to mahåbhåva. It is
described in Ujjvala-nîlama√i
(14.79): “When prema ascends to its
ultimate limit, intensifies
one’s perception of the object of love,
and melts the heart, it is
known as sneha.”
sürya-püjå – worship of Süryadeva, the sun-god.
svarüpa-siddhi – the advanced stage of devotional life in which a
devotee’s svarüpa, internal spiritual form
and identity, becomes
manifest.
T
tapasvî – one who practises austerities as part of his spiritual path.
tulasî –
a sacred plant whose leaves and blossoms are used by
Vaiß√avas in the worship of Çrî K®ß√a; the
wood is also used for
chanting beads and neck beads.
V
var√åçrama-dharma – the Vedic social system, which organises
society into four occupational divisions (var√as)
and four stages
of life (åçramas).
vastu-siddhi – the stage in which the vastu, or the substantive
entity known as the jîva, is fully
liberated from matter. After
giving up the material body, the living
entity who has already
attained svarüpa-siddhi enters into Çrî
K®ß√a’s manifest pastimes,
where or he or she receives the
association of K®ß√a and His
eternal associates for the first time.
There one receives further
training from His eternal associates. When
one becomes established
in the mood of their prema and one’s
eternal service to
K®ß√a, one gives up all connection with
this world and enters His
spiritual abode. At this point the jîva becomes
situated in his
pure identity as a vastu, and this is
known as vastu-siddhi.
våtsalya-bhåva – one of the five primary relationships with K®ß√a
that are established in the stages of bhåva
or prema; love or attach-
200 Bhakti-rasåyana
ment for the Lord expressed in the mood of
a parent.
vipralambha-bhåva – the loving mood that is felt when separated
from one’s beloved.
viçuddha-sattva – the state of unalloyed goodness; the quality of
existence that is beyond the influence of
material nature; Çrîdhara
Svåmî has defined viçuddha-sattva in his
commentary on a verse
from the Viß√u Pürå√a (1.2.69): “tad evaμ
tasyås try-åtmakatve
siddhe yena svaprakåçatå-lakßa√ena
tad-v®tti-viçeße√a svarüpaμ vå
svarüpa-çakti-viçi߆aμ våvirbhavati,
tad-viçuddha-sattvaμ taccånya-
nirapekßas tat-prakåça iti jñåpaμ
jñåna-v®ttikatvåt saμvid
eva. asya måyayå sparçåbhåvåt viçuddhatvam
– the Lord’s cit-çakti
is known as svaprakåça. The term svaprakåça
means that it reveals
itself and illuminates others also. Just
as when the sun rises, it
makes itself known and illuminates other
objects, so when citçakti
arises in the heart, one can know what is cit-çakti
and one
can know oneself in one’s true spiritual
identity. Because the citçakti
is svaprakåça, its v®tti is also svaprakåça.
The word v®tti
literally means function, which refers to
the active agency
through which the cit-çakti operates. The cit-çakti
is composed of
hlådinî, sandhinî and saμvit. The
particular svaprakåça-v®tti of
this threefold cit-çakti that reveals
Bhagavån, His form and the
transformations of His cit-çakti, such as
His associates and
dhåma, is known as viçuddha-sattva. In
other words viçuddhasattva
is the self-revealing agency of the cit-çakti
through which
the Lord and His paraphernalia are
revealed to the devotees.
Because it has no contact whatsoever with
the external energy, it
is known as viçuddha-sattva.”
Y
yavana –
a barbarian.
yogî –
one who practices the yoga system with the goal of realisation
of the Supersoul or of merging into the
Lord’s personal body.
Glossary 201
yuga –
one of the four ages described in the Vedas: Satya-yuga,
Tretå-yuga, Dvåpara-yuga and Kali-yuga.
The duration of each
yuga is said to be, respectively:
1,728,000; 1,296,000; 864,000;
and 432,000 years. The descending numbers
represent a corresponding
physical and moral deterioration of
mankind in each
age.
End of Bhakti Rasayana
Om Tat Sat
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