Chapter Thirty
Rasa-vicara
The Rasas
Today, after honouring kichari prasadam, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha saw the samadhi of Haridasa Thakura. Then they saw the temple of Sri Tota-Gopinatha, and then they went to the temple of Sri Radha-kantha. There they offered dandavat obeisances to Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami and then sat down. They discussed many things with Sri Dhyanacandra Gosvami. Meanwhile, Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami honoured prasadam and then also sat down on his seat. Vrajanatha humbly asked him about vatsalya-bhakti rasa. Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami said, "In vatsalya-rasa Krishna is the visaya, and His elder relatives and superiors are the asraya. Krishna's body is dark and handsome. He has all virtues. He is gentle , a pleasing speaker, honest, sincere, shy, humble, respectful, and generous. The king and queen of Vraja, Rohini, the elder gopis, Devaki, Kunti, Vasudeva and Sandipani Muni are included among the devotees in vatsalya rasa. Nanda and Yasoda are the best among them. The uddipanas include Krishna's kaumara age and other ages and His form, garments, childhood, restlessness, talking, joking and pastimes.
Vrajanatha: What are the anubhavas in this rasa?
Gosvami: The anubhavas include smelling Krishna's head, massaging His limbs, offering blessings to Him, giving orders to Him, caressing Him, protecting Him, and giving good advice to Him, kissing Him, hugging Him and calling His name are also included among these activities.
Vrajanatha: What are the sattvika ecstatic symptoms in this rasa?
Gosvami: The sattvika ecstatic symptoms in this rasa include milk flowing from the breasts and the eight ecstatic symptoms that begin with becoming stunned.
Vrajanatha: What are the vyabhicari-bhavas in this rasa?
Gosvami: The vyabhicaris in vatsalya rasa are like those in prita-rasa (dasya rasa).
Vrajanatha: What are the sthayi-bhavas in this rasa?
Gosvami: The sthayi-bhavas are mercy and love that is free from awe and veneration. The parental love felt by Yasoda and other great devotees is naturally very strong. The sthayi-bhava in this rasa proceeds from prema, to sneha and raga. Lord Balarama's rasa is a mixture of dasya-rasa and vatsalya rasa. King Yudhisthira's rasa is a mixture of vatsalya, dasya and sakhya. King Ugrasensa's rasa is a mixture of vatsalya and sakhya. The rasa of Nakula, Sahadeva, Narada Muni and many others is a mixture of sakhya and dasya. The rasa of Shiva, Garuda, Uddhava and many other is a mixture of dasya and sakhya.
Vrajanatha: O master, now we have heard your description of vatsalya-rasa. Please be merciful now and describe madhura rasa, the most exalted of the rasas. By hearing your description we will become fortunate.
Gosvami: Madhura-rasa is said to be the most important of the bhakti-rasas. A living entity who has taken shelter of the material rasas may become devoted to the Supreme Lord and may thus gradually turn from the things of the material world and thus attain renunciation. A person who is not renounced in this way is not qualified to understand the spiritual rasas. Therefore the people in general are not qualified to understand the madhura-rasa. Madhura-rasa is very difficult to understand. It is not easy to find a person qualified to understand it. This rasa is very confidential. Therefore it is appropriate to keep it hidden from general view. Therefore, even though many things could be said about madhura-rasa, I will describe it only briefly.
Vrajanatha: O master, I am a follower of the cowherd boy Sri Subala. Please consider what I am qualified to hear, and tell me only that much.
Gosvami: The priya-narma-sakha friends of Krishna are to a certain extent aware of the activities of madhura-rasa. Taking this into consideration, I will tell you what is right for you to hear, and I will not tell you what is not appropriate for you to hear.
Vrajanatha: What are the alambanas of this rasa?
Gosvami: In this rasa the visaya is Sri Krishna, the hero whose handsomeness has no equal. The transcendental asraya is the devotees who relish pastimes with Him. Therefore the vraja-gopis are the asraya in this rasa. Of all the dear gopis, Sri Radha is the best. Of the many uddipanas in this rasa, the sound of Krishna's flute is the first. The anubhavas of this rasa include sidelong glances and smiles. All the sattvika-bhavas are gloriously present in this rasa. All the vyabhicaris, except for laziness and ferociousness, are also present in this rasa.
Vrajanatha: What are the sthayi-bhavas of this rasa?
Gosvami: The appropriate vibhavas act to increase the love present in madhura-rasa. No vijatiya or svajatiya bhavas can break the love that Sri Radha and Sri Madhava feel for each other.
Vrajanatha: How many are the different varieties of madhura-rasa?
Gosvami: Madhura-rasa is of two kinds: 1. vipralambha (separation) and sambhoga (meeting).
Vrajanatha: What is vipralambha?
Gosvami: Vipralambha is of many kinds, including purva-raga (the beginning of love), mana (jealous anger), and pravasa (the beloved goes far away).
Vrajanatha: What is purva-raga?
Gosvami: Purva-raga is said to be the situation before the lover's have met.
Vrajanatha: What are mana and pravasa?
Gosvami: Mana is well known. Pravasa is when the lover loses the association of the beloved.
Vrajanatha: What is sambhoga?
Gosvami: When the two lovers meet and enjoy (bhoga) together, that is called sambhoga. I will not say anything more about madhura-rasa. Persons qualified to understand madhura rasa should study the confidential description of it in the book Sri Ujjvala-nilamani.
Vrajanatha: Now please briefly describe the gauna-bhakti-rasa (the secondary rasas of devotional service).
Gosvami: The seven gauna-rasas are: laughter, astonishment, chivalry, lamentation, anger, dread, and ghastliness. When one of these secondary rasas becomes very powerful, it occupies the place of primary (mukhya) rasas. In this situation it seems to be independent of the primary rasas. Seemingly independent in this way, the secondary rasa then becomes nourished by its own sthayi-bhavas, vibhavas, and other bhavas. However, the truth is that the five rasas beginning with santa-rasa are the only primary rasas. The seven secondary rasas, which begin with hasya (laughter), are considered vyabhicaris in relation to the five primary rasas.
Vrajanatha: From my study of rhetoric (alankara), I have learned all these things about the rasas. I know all this about the secondary rasas, which begin with hasya (laughter). I wish to know how these secondary rasas are related to the primary rasas of devotional service. Please be merciful and explain this.
Gosvami: It is said that among the five rasas some are friends (compatible) and some are enemies (incompatible). The friends of santa-rasa are dasya, ghastliness, dharma-vira (chivalry in performing pious deeds), and astonishment. The friends of astonishment are dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhura-rasa. The enemies of santa-rasa are madhura rasa, yuddha-vira (chivalry in battle), anger, and dread. The friends of dasya-rasa are ghastliness, santa-rasa, dharma vira (chivalry in performing pious deeds), and dana-vira (chivalry in giving charity). The enemies of dasya-rasa are madhura-rasa, yuddha-vira (chivalry in battle), and anger. The friends of sakhya rasa are madhura rasa, laughter, and yuddha-vira (chivalry in battle). The enemies of sakhya-rasa are vatsalya rasa, ghastliness, anger, and dread. The friends of vatsalya rasa are laughter, compassion, and dread. The enemies of vatsalya rasa are madhura rasa, yuddha-vira (chivalry in battle), dasya rasa, and anger. The friends of madhura-rasa are laughter and sakhya rasa. The enemies of madhura rasa are vatsalya rasa, ghastliness, santa-rasa, anger, and dread. The friends of hasya-rasa (laughter are ghastliness, madhura-rasa and vatsalya-rasa. The enemies of hasya rasa are compassion and dread. The friends of adbhuta-rasa (astonishment) are chivalry, santa rasa, dasya rasa, sakhya rasa, vatsalya rasa and madhura rasa. The enemies of adbhuta rasa are anger and ghastliness. The friends of vira-rasa (chivalry) are astonishment, laughter, sakhya-rasa and dasya-rasa. The enemy of vira-rasa is dread. Some think that santa rasa is also an enemy of vira-rasa. The friends of karuna-rasa (compassion) are anger and vatsalya rasa. The enemies of karuna-rasa are chivalry, laughter, astonishment, and the sambhoga (meeting) part of madhura rasa. The friends of raudra-rasa (anger) are compassion and chivalry. The enemies of raudra-rasa are laughter, madhura rasa, and dread. The friends of bhayanaka rasa (dread) are ghastliness and compassion. The enemies of bhayanaka-rasa are chivalry, madhura rasa, laughter and anger. The friends of bibhatsa rasa (ghastliness) are santa rasa, laughter, and dasya rasa. The enemies of bibhatsa rasa are madhura rasa and sakhya rasa. All the other rasas are closely related.
Vrajanatha: Please explain the result of these rasas meeting with each other.
Gosvami: When the friendly rasas meet, the result is very palatable. It is good when an anga rasa (part) meets with an angi rasa (whole). The rasas may be primary or secondary, an angi rasa should meet with a friendly anga-rasa.
Vrajanatha: Please explain the difference between angi (whole) and anga (part).
Gosvami: Whether it is a primary rasa or a secondary rasa, when on rasa dominates another, the dominating rasa is called angi. The anga rasa (dominated rasa) then becomes a sancari-bhava that nourishes the angi-rasa. In the Visnu-dharmottara Purana is said:
"When rasas meet, the dominating rasa becomes the sthayi bhava and the others become the sancari bhavas."
Vrajanatha: How is it possible for one of the secondary (gauna) rasas to become an angi rasa (a dominating rasa).
Gosvami: Srila Rupa Gosvami explains (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 4.8.45):
"Lord Vamanadeva is actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He appeared to have been 'born' as one of the brothers of Indra. Although Vamanadeva is sometimes taken as a less important demigod, He is actually the maintainer of Indra, the king of the demigods. Thus, although sometimes Vamanadeva is considered to be a subordinate demigod, His actual position is that of the supreme whole, the source f the entire demigod system. In the same way, a rasa which is actually prominent may sometimes appear to be manifested in a subordinate way, although its actual position is as the main or prominent loving feeling of a devotee."*
Vrajanatha: What happens when two inimical rasas meet?
Gosvami: It becomes like sweet nectar when something salty or sour is mixed in. This mixing of incompatible rasas is called 'rasabhasa'.
Vrajanatha: Is the mixing of incompatible rasas never good in any situation?
Gosvami: Srila Rupa Gosvami explains (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 4.8.63-64):
"When an opposing argument is to be refuted, or when remembering something, or when speaking impartially, or in a favourable way one stands between two rasas, or when there is a difference of the lover (asraya) and beloved (visaya), then the meeting of incompatible rasas does not produced an unpalatable result."
In this way it is seen that even though dasya-rasa and vatsalya rasa are enemies, when they are present, at different times, in the relationship of King Yudhisthira with Lord Krishna, there is no incompatibility. Although these two rasas are enemies, they are not present simultaneously. Sometimes, when the ecstasy of bhava is very intense, there is no incompatibility when incompatible rasas meet. Srila Rupa Gosvami explains (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 4.8.83):
"Sometimes, when they are present in very exalted and powerful personalities, many different incompatible rasas join to become compatible."
Vrajanatha: I heard from the Vaishnavas that Lord Mahaprabhu was not very happy to hear words contaminated with rasabhasa, and he would not agree to hear songs contaminated with that defect. Now I understand the fault of rasabhasa. Now please kindly explain the different kinds of rasabhasa.
Gosvami: Rasabhasa, or incompatible mixtures of mellows, may be classified as uparasa (false expression), anurasa (imitation), and aparasa (perverted or misrepresented mellows). In this way there is great, intermediate, or lesser expression of rasabhasa.
Vrajanatha: What is uparasa?
Gosvami: Pushed by sthayi-bhava, vibhava, anubhava, and the other bhavas, the twelve rasas may become uparasas. When sthayi-bhava, vibhava, or anubhava are manifested in a distorted way, then uparasa is manifested.
Vrajanatha: What is anurasa?
Gosvami: When the twelve secondary rasas are manifested, but they have no relation to Krishna, then they are anurasa. When chivalry and other like rasas only approach the borderline of having a relationship with Krishna, they are also considered anurasa.
Vrajanatha: If these sentiments have no relationship with Krishna, then they are not rasas at all. They are only material. What is the distinguishing feature of anurasas that makes them different from material feelings?
Gosvami: Anurasas do not have a direct relationship with Krishna. Some examples of anurasas are the gopis' laughing (hasya rasa) when they saw a monkey dance, and Narada's astonishment (adbhuta-rasa) when he heard two parrots debating Vedanta in Bhandiravana. In these examples one can see a relationship with Krishna, but it is distant. One cannot see a direct relationship with Krishna. In such a situation there is anurasa.
Vrajanatha: What is aparasa?
Gosvami: If Krishna becomes the object of His enemy's laughter or other unfavourable sentiment, that is called aparasa. When he saw Krishna flee from the battlefield, Jarasandha laughed again and again. That is an example of aparasa. Srila Rupa Gosvami explains (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu):
"Some call these incompatible mellows 'tad-abhasa' and others call them 'rasabhasa'. But person who know the truth about the rasas use the word 'rasa' to refer to the compatible, pleasing rasas only."
After hearing these words, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha, tears in their eyes and their words choked up, at once fell before the lotus feet of their spiritual master and said:
"I offer my respectful obeisances unto my spiritual master, who with the torchlight of knowledge has opened my eyes, which were blinded by the darkness of ignorance."*
Filled with the bliss of spiritual love, Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami embraced the two disciples. With a sincere heart he blessed them, "May the truth of the rasas be manifest before you."
Every day Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha discussed the spiritual truth with Sri Dhyanacandra Gosvami. They would also accept the caranamrta from Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami's feet and the nectar remnants of the prasadam foods that had touched his lips. Some days they stayed in their own bhajana-kutira. Other days they would visit Sri Haridasa Thakura's samadhi. Other days they would visit the temple of Sri Gopinatha. Other days they would see the many pure Vaishnavas performing devotional service under the siddha bakula tree. In these ways the two devotees became plunged in the nectar ocean of devotional service. Sometimes they would see the places where Lord Mahaprabhu was overcome with ecstatic love, places described in Srila Rupa Gosvami's Stava-mala and Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami's Stavavali. Sometimes they would join the pure Vaishnavas in chanting the holy names of Lord Hari. In this way Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha gradually became advanced in devotional service. Vijaya-kumara thought, "Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami briefly described madhura-rasa to us. I should hear a more detailed explanation of it from his mouth. Let Vrajanatha remain plunged in his mellows of sakhya rasa. I will go alone and learn all the truths of madhura-rasa." By the kind help of Dhyanacandra Gosvami, Vijaya-kumara got a copy of Sri Ujjvala-nilamani. He studied that book. When any doubts arose, he placed his questions before Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami.
One afternoon Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha were sitting by the seashore, looking at the waves, and observing how the wave-filled ocean was like life. Vijaya-kumara said, "No one could say what would happen next in life. We should learn about the path of raga-marga (raganuga-bhakti) from Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami." Vrajanatha said, "Sri Dhyanacandra Gosvami has written a book about raga-marga. I have seen it. If our spiritual master teaches us that book we will gain a great result. Good. I will make a copy of that book." After coming to this conclusion, he approached Sri Dhyanacandra and requested a copy of the book. Sri Dhyanacandra replied, "I cannot give you a copy. You must first get permission from Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami.
Then the two of them approached Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami and placed their request before him. He said, "Good. Get a copy and then return." With these words as their permission, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha got a copy of the book. They thought that at appropriate times they would approach Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami and learn the book under his guidance.
Sri Dhyanacandra Gosvami was learned in all the scriptures. Especially in the scriptures that describe devotional service to Lord Hari, he had no equal. He was the foremost of Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami's disciples. Thinking them good candidates for devotional service, he taught Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha everything about the path of devotional service. Again and again they approached Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami's holy feet, and again and again Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha had their doubts answered. They learned about Lord Mahaprabhu's daily activities and Lord Krishna's daily pastimes. Following these pastimes, they worshipped the Lord during the eight portions of the day.