Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's
Sri Jaiva-dharma
The Universal Religion
Volume Five

Table of Contents
Chapter Twenty-four
Nitya-dharma O Sambandhabhidheya-prayojana (Prameyantar-gata 
Namaparadha-vicara)
Eternal religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana 
(Offenses to the Holy name)						Page	2
Chapter Twenty-five
Nitya-dharma O Sambandhabhidheya-prayojana (Prameyantar-gata 
Namaparadha-vicara)
Eternal religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana 
(Offenses to the Holy name)						Page	9
Chapter Twenty-six
Rasa-vicara Arambha
The Discussion of Rasa Begins					Page	16
Chapter Twenty-seven
Rasa-vicara
The Rasas								Page	22
Chapter Twenty-eight
Rasa-vicara
The Rasas								Page	27
Chapter Twenty-nine
Rasa-vicara
The Rasas								Page	34
Chapter Thirty
Rasa-vicara
The Rasas								Page	41
Chapter Thirty-one
Madhura-rasa-vicara
Madhura-rasa							Page 	47
Chapter Thirty-two
Madhura-rasa-vicara
Madhura-rasa							Page	56

Chapter Twenty-four
Nitya-dharma O Sambandhabhidheya-prayojana (Prameyantar-gata 
Namaparadha-vicara)
Eternal religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana 
(Offenses to the Holy name)	
	That evening Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara purely chanted 50,000 holy names (29 rounds) on their tulasi beads.  Late at night they finally fell asleep.  As they purely chanted the holy name, they both felt the presence of Lord Krsna's mercy.  The next morning they told each other all they had felt.  They were blissful.  They bathed in the Ganges, worshipped Lord Krsna, chanted the holy name of Lord Hari, recited the Dasa-mula, studied Srimad Bhagavatam, served the Vaisnavas, honoured the Lord's prasadam, and performed other devotional activities.  In this way they passed the day.  At dusk they visited the cottage of the elderly saintly babaji at Srivasa's courtyard.  After offering dandavat obeisances, they said down, thinking of what had been proposed during the previous evening's talks, Vijaya-kumara asked about the offenses to the holy name.  With the cheerfulness that was a part of his nature, the saintly babaji said, "As chanting the holy name is the best of all spiritual activities, so offenses to the holy name are the gravest of sins.  When a person takes shelter of the holy name, all his sins flee far away.  But the offenses to the holy name do not flee away so easily.  In the Padma Purana it is said:
	"The chanting of Hare Krsna is recommended for persons who commit offenses, because if they continue chanting they will gradually chant offenselessly.  Even if in the beginning one chants with offenses, one will become free from such offenses, one will become free from such offenses by chanting again and again."*
	Baba, look.  How difficult it is to become free from offenses to the holy name!  An intelligent person will strive to chant the holy name without offense.  A person who takes great care to avoid offenses is quickly able to chant the pure holy name.  A person may display ecstatic symptoms, may shed tears, and the hairs of his body may stand up, but he may still be committing offenses and he may still not chant purely.  If they do not take special care, the aspiring devotees will not be able to chant the holy name purely.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, what is pure chanting of the holy name?
	Babaji: When one does not commit the ten offenses to the holy name, then he chants purely.  Chanting purely here does not mean chanting with accurate pronunciation.  In the Padma Purana it is said:
	"If a devotee once utters the holy name of the Lord, or if it penetrates his mind or enters his ear, which is the channel of aural reception, that holy name will certainly deliver him from material bondage, whether vibrated properly or improperly, with correct or incorrect grammar, and properly joined or vibrated in separate parts.  O brahmana, the potency of the holy name is therefore certainly great.  However, if one uses the vibration of the holy name for the benefit of the material body, for material wealth and followers, or under the influence of greed or atheism - in other words, if one utters the name with offenses - such chanting will not produce the desire result very soon.  Therefore one should diligently avoid offenses in chanting the holy name of the Lord."*
	Vijaya-kumara: Now I can see that the aspiring devotee has no alternative but to be aware of the offenses in chanting the holy name.  Please be kind and describe those offenses.
	Babaji: There are ten offenses to the holy name.  They are described in these words of the Padma Purana (Brahma-khanda 25.15-18):
	"1. Blasphemy of the great saintly persons who are engaged in preaching the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, is the worst offense at the lotus feet of the holy name.  The nama-prabhu, who is identical with Krsna, will never tolerate such blasphemous activities, even from one who passes as a great devotee.  2. In this material world, the holy name of Visnu is all-auspicious.  Visnu's name, form, qualities, and pastimes are all transcendental, absolute knowledge.  Therefore if one tries to separate the Absolute Personality of Godhead from His holy name or His transcendental form, qualities and pastimes, thinking them to be material, that is offensive.  Similarly, to think the names of demigods such as Lord Siva to be as good as the name of Lord Visnu is also blasphemous.*
	"3. To consider the spiritual master to be material and therefor to envy his exalted position.  4. Blasphemy of Vedic literature, such as the four Vedas and the Puranas.  5. To give some interpretation on the holy name of the Lord.  6. to consider the glories of the holy name to be imaginary.  7. To think that since the Hare Krsna mantra can counteract all sinful reactions one may therefore go on with his sinful activities and then at the same time chant the Hare Krsna mantra to neutralise them is the greatest offense at the lotus feet of Hari-nama.  One who thinks in this way cannot be purified by any means, such as by austerities or by the various punishments of Yamaraja.*
	"8. It is a great offense to consider the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra to be equal to the performance of religious ceremonies, following austere vows, practicing renunciation, and fire sacrifices, which are all materialistic auspicious activities.  9. It is an offense to preach the glories of the holy name to those who will not hear, to those who are atheistic and those who have no faith in the chanting of the holy name.*
	"10.  That lowest among men, who, even after hearing the glories of the transcendental holy name of the Lord, continues in a materialistic concept of life, thinking, 'I am this body, and everything belonging to this body is mine (aham mameti)', and does not show respect and love for the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is an offender to the holy name."*
	Vijaya-kumara: Please kindly explain each verse separately so I may understand the offenses.
	Babaji: Two offenses are described in the first verse.  The first offense is blasphemy of the great saintly persons who have renounced karma, dharma, jnana and yoga, and have completely taken shelter of the holy name.  That is a very great offense.  And why should it not be a great offense?  The holy name of Lord Hari will not excuse the blasphemy of great souls who properly preach the glories of the holy name to the world.  The holy name is quickly merciful to persons who chanting the holy name in the company of the most saintly devotees and who avoid blaspheming devotees attached to the holy name.
	Vijaya-kumara: I can understand the first offense very easily.  O master, please explain the second offense.
	Babaji: In the second half of the verse we are discussing, the second offense is described.  This offense may be explained in two ways.  The first explanation is this: Lord Visnu and Lord Sadasiva are the leaders of the demigods.  To see that Their qualities, names, and other features show that They are both independent of each other is an offense to the holy name.  The idea that Lord Visnu may be a supreme controller, but Lord Siva is also a supreme controller, and he is independent of Lord Visnu, is an idea that leads to bhava-isvara-vada, the idea that there are many independent gods.  That idea is a great obstruction blocking the path of unalloyed devotional service.  The truth is that Lord Siva and the other demigods have no power independent of Lord Visnu.  If one understands in this way, then he does not commit this offense to the holy name.  The second interpretation is this: To think that the name, form, qualities and pastimes of the all-auspicious (siva) Supreme Personality of Godhead are different from the transcendental and eternally perfect spiritual body of the Lord is an offense to the holy name.  The truth is that Krsna's for, Krsna's name, Krsna's qualities, and Krsna's pastimes are all spiritual.  They are not different from each other.  A person who understands this theoretically (jnana) and practically (vijnana) when he chants the holy name of Lord Krsna does not commit this offense to the holy name.  It is with this knowledge that one should chant the holy name of the Lord.
	Vijaya-kumara: I understand the first and second offenses.  By your mercy I have understood that Lord Krsna's form is spiritual and not material, that He is not different from His qualities, names, parts-and-parcels, and all else in relation to Him.  A person who takes shelter of the holy name is obliged to learn the truth of matter and spirit by approaching the feet of a bona-fide spiritual master.  Now please explain the third offense.
	Babaji: One should have unwavering devotion to the spiritual master who gives one the holy name, for the holy name is the highest of all spiritual activities.  A person who disrespects the spiritual master who gives the holy name, a person who thinks that although his spiritual master may be learned in the scriptures describing the holy name, he is not learned in Vedanta and other philosophies, a person who then thinks he knows more about philosophy than his spiritual master, commits an offense to the holy name.  No teacher is superior to the spiritual master who knows the truth of the holy name.  Therefore to think lightly of him is an offense to the holy name.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, if we are purely devoted to you, then our lives will be auspicious.  Now please be merciful and explain the fourth offense.
	Babaji: In the Sruti sastras it is said that chanting the holy name is the best of all spiritual activities.  There it is said (the Vedas, quoted in Hari-bhakti-vilasa 11.510-512):
	"O Lord Visnu, now that we understand the truth, we worship the glory of Your holy name.*
	"Om Tat Sat Om.  I offer my respectful obeisances to the feet of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.  To attain liberation, the pure devotees chant and hear His transcendental holy names.*
	"As far as they can understand You, the sages in ancient times chanted the glories of You, who are perfect and complete, and who are the father of the Vedas.  O Lord Visnu, now that we understand the truth, we worship the glory of Your holy name."*
	In this way it is seen that all the Vedas and all the Upanisads chant the glories of the holy name.  To blaspheme all these scriptures is an offense to the holy name.  If one honours the scriptures but blasphemes the parts of the scriptures that teach the glories of the holy name, one commits an offense to the holy name.  Because of this offense one will not feel attracted to the holy name.  Fully aware that the holy name is the crest jewel of all the Vedas, one should respectfully chant the holy name.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, your mouth is showering nectar on us!  Now we thirst to learn about the fifth offense.
	Babaji: The fifth offense to the holy name of Lord Hari is to give some interpretation on the holy name of the Lord.  In the Jamini-samhita it is said:
	"Persons who give the interpretation that the glories of the holy name as described in the Sruti-, Smrti and Puranas are exaggerations, live always in hell."
	In the Brahma-samhita, the Supreme Personality of Godhead explains to Bodhayana:
	"Any person who, after hearing the descriptions of the various benefits obtained by chanting the holy name thinks these benefits are exaggerated, I throw into a host of sufferings and torture in many horrible ways."
	The scriptures explain that the holy name has all the powers of the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself.  The holy name is perfectly spiritual.  Therefore it has the power to deliver one from the cycle of birth and death.  In the Visnu-dharma Purana it is said:
	"My dear king, this word Krsna is so auspicious that anyone who chants this holy name immediately gets rid of the resultant actions of sinful activities from many, many births."*
	In the Brhan-Naradiya Purana it is said:
	"O best of the brahmanas, chanting Lord Hari's holy names is the only way the people can become free of all sins.  I do not see any other way."
	In the Brhad-Visnu Purana it is said:
	"A person who chants the holy name of Krsna can at once counteract the resultant actions of more sinful activities than he is able to perform."*
	These descriptions of the holy name's glories are all completely true.  However, when they hear these descriptions, persons who earn their livelihood by performing the rituals of karma or teaching the impersonal speculations of jnana, in order to protect their livelihood, say these descriptions are all exaggerations.  Their interpretation is this: "The scriptures' descriptions of the glories of the holy names are not really true.  Exaggerated descriptions of the benefits brought by chanting are given so that the mind may be attracted to the holy name."  Persons who commit this offense do not attain attraction to the holy name.  Therefore, with full faith in the words of scripture, you should chant the holy name of Lord Hari.  But you should avoid the company of people who give the interpretation that the glories of the holy name are exaggerated.  If somehow you see such a person, you should at once bathe while still wearing all your clothing.  That teaching Lord Gauranga has given.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, it is not easy for householders to chant the holy name purely.  And why not?  They are always surrounded by non devotees who are all offenders to the holy name.  Brahmana panditas like myself find it very hard to have the company of pious devotees.  O master, please be merciful and give me the spiritual strength to avoid the company of non devotees.  As I hear the words from your mouth, my faith grows more and more strong.  Now please explain the sixth offense.
	Babaji: The sixth offense is to consider the glories of the holy name to be imaginary.  The impersonalists and fruitive workers think that the Supreme is formless and nameless.  They think the sages invented the names Rama, Krsna and the other names of the Lord to help the people attain perfection.  Persons who accept this conclusion are offenders to the holy name.  The truth is that the holy name is spiritual and eternal.  The holy name appears only on spiritual senses engaged in devotional service.  Taking lessons from the bona fide spiritual master and the holy scriptures, you should understand that the holy name is real, spiritual and eternal.  The holy name will not be merciful to you if you think he is imaginary.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, before we had taken shelter of your feet, which bring freedom from fear, we stayed in the company of fruitive workers and nyaya logicians and we thought as they did.  Now, by your mercy, we have thrown those ideas far away.  Please be merciful and now explain the seventh offense.
	Babaji: To think that since the Hare Krsna mantra can counteract all sinful reactions one may therefore go on with his sinful activities and then at the same time chant the Hare Krsna mantra to neutralise them is an offense at the lotus feet of Hari-nama.  A person who commits sins expecting that the holy name will purify him does not become purified even by practicing austerities.  And why not?  His action is counted among the offenses to the holy name.  Its only atonement is the atonement that removes offenses to the holy name.  That is the only way it is removed.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, in this world no sin exists that is not destroyed by chanting the holy name.  Why, then does the holy name not destroy this sin?  Why is it counted among the offenses to the holy name?
	Babaji: Baba, on the day when a living entity purely takes shelter of the holy name, from that day forward all his sinful reactions, either prarabdha (that have already begun to bring suffering) or aprarabdha (that will bring suffering in the future), are at once destroyed.  Eventually the holy name gives him prema (pure love of God).  A person who purely takes shelter of the holy name throws sinful desires far away.  He does not even desire the benefits attained by performing material pious deeds.  He throws talk of material piety and sin far away.  Neither is he attracted to impersonal liberation.  Thus a person who purely chants the holy name does not commit sins.  However, if a person commits offenses while he chants the holy name his chanting is namabhasa (a reflection of the holy name).  It is not pure chanting of the holy name.  In the stage of namabhasa, the chanter's past sins are all destroyed and at present he is not attracted to sinning.  However, some remnant of past sinful habits remains and only gradually is destroyed.  It is because of past habits the chanter accidentally commits some sins, the namabhasa (reflection of the holy name) throws that sin far away.  However, if a person who takes shelter of the holy name thinks, "The chanting of the holy name destroys all sins.  If I commit a sin, then the holy name will then destroy that sin." and if he then commits sins expecting to be forgiven, his sinful action is an offense to the holy name.
	Vijaya-kumara: Now please explain the eighth offense and thus make us happy.
	Babaji: It is a great offense to consider the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra to be equal to following the varnasrama-dharma, giving charity, performing religious ceremonies, following austere vows, practicing renunciation and performing fire sacrifices, astanga-yoga and other like deeds, which are all materialistic auspicious activities.  These and the other pious deeds described in the scriptures are all material activities.  However, the holy name of the Lord is beyond the world of matter.  The pious activities described here are all means to attain certain goals.  The final goal is spiritual in nature.  All these pious deeds are means.  They are not goals.  However, the holy name of Hari is a means during the period of sadhana-bhakti, and a final goal when the devotee reaps the fruit of his spiritual activities.  Therefore ordinary material pious activities are not equal to chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.  A person who thinks ordinary material pious activities are equal to chanting the holy name of Lord Hari commits an offense to the holy name.  Material pious deeds bring only very small and pathetic benefits.  A person who prays that the holy name grant him these pathetic material benefits commits an offense to the holy name.  And why not?  Such a persons thinks material pious deeds are equal to chanting the holy name.  A person who knows that material pious deeds bring only small and pathetic results and who understands that the holy name of Lord Hari is perfectly spiritual has the knowledge called 'abhidheya-jnana (knowledge of how one makes spiritual advancement by engaging in devotional service).
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, now I understand that nothing is equal to the holy name of Lord Hari.  Now please explain the ninth offense.  My heart thirsts to hear of it.
	Babaji: The Vedas teach that the chanting of Lord Hari's holy name is the best of all spiritual activities.  A person who has faith in unalloyed devotional service is naturally qualified to chant the holy name of Lord Hari.  Persons who have no such faith are naturally averse to spiritual activities.  When they hear the holy name they are not attracted to it.  To teach such persons about the holy name is an offense.  Chanting the holy name of Lord Hari is the best of all spiritual activities.  The holy name brings auspiciousness to everyone.  Therefore the teaching is that it is best to chant the holy name and allow such persons to hear the chanting.  However, without first seeing that the recipient is properly qualified, one should not give initiation into the chanting of the holy name.  When you become a parama-bhagavata (great devotee of the Lord), the you will have transcendental potency.  By the Lord's mercy you will have the power to give people faith in the holy name.  To such persons you may teach the truth about the holy name of Lord Hari.  As long as you remain a madhyama-vaisnava (intermediate devotee of the Lord) you should avoid the faithless, the non devotees and the persons who hate the Lord.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, pushed by greed for fame and money, many spiritual masters initiate unqualified persons in the chanting of Lord Hari's holy name.  What is the status of these spiritual masters?
	Babaji: They are offenders to the holy name.
	Vijaya-kumara: Please be merciful and explain the tenth offense.
	Babaji: A resident of the material world who is intoxicated with the idea, "I am wealthy and glorious.  I have many servants and followers", and who on some rare occasions thinks favourably about renunciation or has a glimpse of spiritual understanding, or hears the glories of the holy name from panditas, but does not earnestly love the holy name as he should, commits an offense to the holy name.  To teach these persons, the Lord says in Sri Siksastaka (verse 2):
	"O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names like Krsna and Govinda.  In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies.  There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names.  O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by chanting Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them."*
	Baba, avoid these ten offenses and chant Lord Hari's holy name always.  Then the holy name will quickly be merciful to you, give you prema (pure love of God) and turn you into a parama-bhagavata (a great devotee of the Lord).
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, now I see that the impersonalists, fruitive workers, and yogis are all offenders to the holy name.  When many people gather together to chant the holy name (sankirtana) is it right for a pure Vaisnava to join them?
	Babaji: If offenders to the holy name are prominent among the chanters, then it is not right for a true Vaisnava to join them in chanting.  However, if the chanters are mostly pure Vaisnavas or Vaisnavas whose chanting is on the level of namabhasa (the reflection of the holy name), then there is no  harm.  In truth it is good.  That chanting brings spiritual happiness.  Now it is late at night.  Tomorrow you will hear more about namabhasa.
	Their voices choked with love for the holy name, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha offered prayers to the saintly babaji, touched the dust from his feet, and, signing the song "Hari haraye namah", began walking to Bilva-puskarini.

Chapter Twenty-five
Nitya-dharma O Sambandhabhidheya-prayojana (Prameyantar-gata 
Namaparadha-vicara)
Eternal religion and Sambandha, Abhidheya and Prayojana 
(Offenses to the Holy name)	
	The next evening, at dusk, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha approached the saintly babaji and offered dandavat obeisances to him.  When it was appropriate, Vijaya-kumara said, "o master, please be merciful and fully explain namabhasa (the reflection of the holy name).  We thirst to hear about the holy name."  The saintly babaji replied, "You are very fortunate.  To understand the holy name you should first understand three things: 1. nama (the pure chanting of the holy name), 2. namabhasa (the reflection of the holy name) and 3. namaparadha (offenses to the holy name).  Now I will explain about namabhasa.  The reflection of the holy name is called 'namabhasa'.
	Vijaya-kumara: What kind of reflection is it, and how many kinds of reflection are there?
	Babaji: The word 'abhasa' has three definitions: 1. kanti (light), 2. chaya (shadow) and 3. pratibimba (reflection).  An effulgent object manifests light and also creates shadows.  In this way the sun of the holy name manifests as nama-chaya (the shadow of the holy name) and nama-pratibimba (the reflection of the holy name).  The wise speak of 'bhakty-abhasa" (the partial presence of devotional service), "bhavabhasa' (the partial presence of ecstatic love of God), 'namabhasa' (the partial presence of the holy name), and 'vaisnavabhasa' (being a Vaisnava in part).  Each of these 'abhasas' is divided into two aspects: 'pratibimba' (reflection) and 'chaya' (shadow).
	Vijaya-kumara: How are bhakty-abhasa, bhavabhasa, namabhasa, and vaisnavabhasa related to each other?
	Babaji: A Vaisnava chants the holy name of Lord Hari.  If he chants the holy name with bhakty-abhasa, then the holy name manifests before him as namabhasa, and he himself is a Vaisnavabhasa.  The words bhava and bhakti refer to the same thing.  They are called by different names because one is contracted and the other expanded.  
	Vijaya-kumara: In what condition of life is one a Vaisnavabhasa?
	Babaji: In Srimad Bhagavatam (11.2.47) it is said:
	"A prakrta, or materialistic devotee does not purposefully study the sastra and try to understand the actual standard of pure devotional service.  Consequently he does not show proper respect to advanced devotees.  He may, however, follow the regulative principles learned from his spiritual master or from his family who worships the Deity.  He is to be considered on the material platform, although he is trying to advance in devotional service.  Such a person is a bhakta-praya (neophyte devotee), or bhaktabhasa, for he is a little enlightened by Vaisnava philosophy."
	The word 'sraddha' (faith) in this verse means 'sraddhabhasa' (the partial presence of faith).  And why not?  When faith is directed to the Lord alone and not to the Lord's devotees, such faith is called chaya (shadow) or pratibimba (reflection).  That is the faith of ordinary materialist people.  It is not the spiritual faith of pure devotional service.  Because a bhaktabhasa (a person who is partially a devotee) has faith and worship that are material (prakrta) in nature, a bhaktabhasa devotee is also called a 'prakrta-bhakta' or a "Vaisnavabhasa'.  Lord Mahaprabhu said that Hiranya-Govardhana was a 'Vaisnava-praya'.  The word "Vaisnava-praya' means 'a person who, wearing beads, tilaka markings and other things, looks like a true Vaisnava, although his chanting of the holy name is only namabhasa'.  Such a person is not a true Vaisnava or a 'suddha-Vaisnava" (pure Vaisnava).
	Vijaya-kumara: If an impersonalist accepts the various outward markings of a Vaisnava and chants the holy name, is he then a Vaisnavabhasa?
	Babaji: No.  They cannot be called 'Vaisnavabhasa'.  They are offenders.  They should be called "Vaisnavaparadhi" (offenders to the Vaisnavas).  They who take shelter of pratibimba-namabhasa (the reflection of the holy name) and pratibimba-bhavabhasa (the reflection of ecstatic love for the Lord) may be called Vaisnavabhasa.  But it is not right to call the great offenders by the name "Vaisnava".  They should be called something else.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, please explain more clearly the nature of the pure chanting of the holy name, so we may understand it better.
	Babaji: When a person who chants the holy name is 'anyabhilasita-sunya' (free of all material desires), 'jnana-karmady-anavrta' (free of impersonalism and fruitive work), and 'anukulya-bhava' (favourable to Lord Krsna), then his chanting is pure chanting of the holy name.  Here the word 'anyabhilasa' does not refer to the desire to taste the transcendental bliss that comes when the spiritual holy name is openly manifested.  "anyabhilasa' here refers to the desire to attain impersonal liberation or freedom from sins as the result of one's chanting of the holy name.  If these desires are present, then one's chanting of the holy name will not be pure.  If one is not free from the desire to enjoy the so-called benefits obtained by jnana (impersonal speculation) and karma (fruitive work), then his chanting of the holy name will not be pure either.  If one throws far away all feelings of enmity toward the Lord, and maintains only favourable emotions directed to the Lord, then one's chanting of the holy name will be pure.  In this way you can see that when one's chanting is free of namaparadha (offenses to the holy name) and namabhasa (the partial manifestation of the holy name), then his chanting is suddha-nama (the pure chanting of the holy name),  Lord Gauracandra, the purifier of the Kali-yuga has described this pure chanting in the following words:
	"One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street.  One should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and ready to offer all respect to others.  In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly."*
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, how are namabhasa and namaparadha different?
	Babaji: Namabhasa is not suddha-nama (the pure chanting of the holy name).  In one circumstance the chanting of the holy name is called 'namabhasa' and in another circumstance it is called 'namaparadha'.  When out of bewilderment and foolishness one does not chant the holy name purely, his chanting is called 'namabhasa'.  On the other hand, when a rascal impersonalist who yearns to attain impersonal liberation chants the holy name, or when a hedonist who yearns after material pleasures chants the holy name, their impure chanting is called 'namaparadha' (offense to the holy name).  I have already described to you the ten offenses.  If a sincere person out of ignorance commits these offenses, his chanting is namabhasa.  This should be understood:  As long as one's chanting is namabhasa and does not have the nature of namaparadha, then one may hope that one day he will rise above namabhasa and attain suddha-nama (the pure chanting of the holy name).  As long as one is in the stage of namaparadha it will not be easy for him to chant the holy name purely.  I have already explained how one becomes free from namaparadha (offenses to the holy name).  Aside from that, there is no other method by which one can attain auspiciousness.
	Vijaya-kumara: What should a person whose chanting is namabhasa do to turn his namabhasa chanting into suddha-nama (the pure chanting of the holy name)?
	Babaji: By associating with pure devotees one quickly becomes attracted to pure devotional service.  When the holy name dances on the tongue of such a person, that chanting is suddha-nama (pure chanting of the holy name).  However, such a person must scrupulously avoid the association of persons whose chanting is namaparadha.  And why not?  If he associates with them, he will not be able to chant the holy name purely.  Association with saintly devotees is the only way for the individual soul to attain auspiciousness.  For this reason Lord Gauracandra, who is the master of our lives, taught Sanatana Gosvami that association with saintly devotees is the root from which devotional service grows.  When one associates with saintly devotees and avoids the association of non devotees and women, he will be able to chant the holy name of Lord Krsna properly.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, does this mean that if a man does not renounce the association of his wife he will not be able to chant the holy name purely?
	Babaji: One should renounce association with women.  When a householder Vaisnava associates with his wife and he lives Vaisnava household life in an unattached way, that is not what is meant here by "association with women".  When a man has a material attachment to a woman or a woman has a material attachment to a man, that is what is meant here by 'association with women'.  A householder may remain in family life, and if he is free from material attachment he can chant Lord Krsna's holy name purely and he can attain the final goal of life.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, what are the different kinds of namabhasa?
	Babaji: In Srimad Bhagavatam (6.2.14) it is said:
	"One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly (to indicate something else), jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully.  This is accepted by all the learned scholars of the scriptures."*
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, what does it mean to 'chant indirectly' (sanketya)?
	Babaji: At the moment of his death Ajamila called for his son, who was named Narayana.  By speaking the word "Narayana", which is a name of Lord Krsna, Ajamila attained the benefit brought by chanting the Lord's name indirectly.  The mlecchas use the words 'Harama! Harama!", which means "Pig"!, to show their horror and contempt.  However, these words mean "Ha Rama!" (O Lord Rama!).  By chanting the Lord's holy name in this indirect way, the mlecchas become free from Yamaraja's grip.  Namabhasa (the glimpse of the holy name) brings liberation.  That is the conclusion of all the scriptures.  The holy names of Lord Mukunda (Krsna) are not different from the Lord Himself.  Therefore a person who says the word "Mukunda" touches Lord Mukunda directly.  In this way he easily attains liberation.  By following the path of impersonal speculation one attains liberation only after much difficulty.  But by namabhasa (the glimpse of the holy name)everyone attains liberation very easily.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, many arrogant impersonalist scholars, mlecchas completely ignorant of the truth and demons who stand opposed to all spiritual goals attained liberation by jokingly (parihasya) chanting the holy name.  This I have read in many places in the scriptures.  Please describe this joking chanting of the holy name.
	Babaji:  When a person disrespectfully chants the holy name that is called 'stobha'.  As a Vaisnava chants the holy name aloud, a blasphemer may approach and say, “He, your ‘Hari Kesta’ will bring everything to you!"  By thus chanting the holy name, even disrespectfully, the blasphemer will eventually attain liberation.  That is the power of the holy name.
	Vijaya-kumara: What is chanting the holy name neglectfully (helana)?
	Babaji: That is chanting the holy name without honouring it.  In the Prabhasa-khanda it is said:
	"Krsna's name is the sweetest of sweet things, the most auspicious of all auspicious things, the transcendental fruit of the vine of all Vedic literature.  O best of the Bhrgus, chanted even once, either with faith or contempt, it delivers the chanter."
	In this verse the word 'sraddhaya' means 'with respect' and 'helaya' means 'without respect'.  The words 'nara-matram tarayet' mean that the holy name delivers even the yavanas.
	Vijaya-kumara: Is it not an offense to chant the holy name without showing respect?
	Babaji: If it is done because of a demonic nature it is an offense.  But if it is done because of ignorance, it is namabhasa (a glimpse of the holy name).	
	Vijaya-kumara: Please explain what benefit namabhasa brings and what benefit it does not bring?
	Babaji: Sense pleasures (bhukti), liberation (mukti) and the eighteen yogic perfections are included among the benefits namabhasa brings.  However, pure love for Lord Krsna (krsna-prema) which is the highest goal of life, is not granted by namabhasa.  If a person whose chanting is on the level of namabhasa associates with a pure devotee (suddha-bhakta), then the chanter can come to the level of a madhyama-Vaisnava (intermediate devotee).  From that status he can become further elevated, attain pure devotion, chant the holy name purely, and finally attain pure love for Lord Krsna (krsna-prema).
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, in this world there are many devotees who are on the platform of Vaisnavabhasa.  They have the outward marks of a Vaisnava and they diligently chant the holy name although their chanting is on the level of namabhasa.  Even though they chant, after many days they still do not attain pure love for Lord Krsna (krsna-prema).  Why is that?
	Babaji:  The reason is confidential.  It is this: Persons on the level of bhakty-abhasa (a glimpse of devotional service) are certainly eligible to eventually attain pure devotional service.  However, if such persons mistakenly think impure persons, persons who do not have unalloyed devotion to the Lord, to be great saints, and if by this bad association they eventually associate with impersonalists and other offenders, by that bad association they also become offenders to the pure Vaisnavas.  In this way their path of gradual spiritual advancement becomes checked.  Thus by bad association they come to accept the doctrines of the impersonalists or other offenders.  In this way they wander far away from pure devotional service and eventually they become offenders.  However, if, because of past pious deeds they are able to shun bad association and remain in the association of good devotees, then they eventually will become pure Vaisnavas.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, what result is obtained by namaparadha (offenses to the holy name)?
	Babaji: Even if they were multiplied millions of time, the five sins would not equal an offense to the holy name.  You can very easily see the result reaped by offending the holy name.
	Vijaya-kumara:  O master, a person who offends the holy name certainly reaps an inauspicious result.  Still, does he not also obtain a good result because he has spoken the syllables of the holy name?
	Babaji: The holy name fulfils the chanter's desires, whatever they are.  However, to the offensive chanter the holy name will not give pure love for Lord Krsna (krsna-prema).  Eventually the offensive chanter must taste the result of his offenses.  However, a person who, although he commits offenses to the holy name, regularly chants the holy name will attain the result of his chanting.  After some time his chanting will become a great transcendental pious deed.  As that transcendental pious deed grows greater and greater, he will attain the association of saintly devotees who devotedly chant the holy name in a pure way.  Thus by always chanting the holy name, the offender eventually becomes free of his offenses to the holy name.  By following this path even impersonalists gradually become sincere devotees of Lord Hari.
	Vijaya-kumara: By chanting the holy name only once a person is freed from all sins.  Why, then should one chant the name always?
	Babaji: Offenders to the holy name have hearts and activities that are always impure.  They are naturally averse to the Lord.  They are never attracted to saintly persons, holy objects, or holy times.  They are naturally attracted to evil persons, evil theories, and evil deeds.  However, constant chanting of the holy name turns them away from evil persons and evil deeds.  Free from bad association, they come to chant the holy name purely.  The holy name then gives them the strength to proceed on the spiritual path.	
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, from your saintly mouth flows a nectar stream of the descriptions of the holy name, a stream that flows through the cave of our ears and into our hearts.  Drinking from this stream makes us intoxicated with the nectar of love for the holy name.  Now we understand the difference between nama (the pure chanting of the holy name), namabhasa (a glimpse of the holy name), and namaparadha (offensive chanting of the holy name).  Now our lives are a success.  Please tell us the conclusion of all this.  We yearn to hear it.
	Babaji: In Jagadananda Pandita's Prema-vivarta the conclusion is eloquently taught.  Please listen to it.
	"O brother, the holy name of Lord Krsna does not come from a person who associates with non devotees.  The syllables of the holy name may come from him, but the true holy name does not.
	"Sometimes a glimpse of the holy name (namabhasa) comes from him.  Always offenses to the holy name (namaparadha) come from him.  O my brother, please know that these are all obstacles to the path of devotion to Lord Krsna.
	"If you wish truly to chant the holy name of Lord Krsna, then stay in the association of devotees and keep far away from the desire for sense gratification, impersonal liberation, and yoga-siddhis.
	"Avoid the ten offenses, remain aloof from praise and blame, perform your duties, and chant the holy name of Lord Krsna.
	"Always accept what is favourable to Lord Krsna's devotional service and always reject what is not favourable to Lord Krsna's devotional service.
	"Avoid impersonal speculation, yoga, and fruitive work.  Avoid the pretended renunciation practiced by persons who are like monkeys.  That so-called renunciation is only a funny comedy played on the stage of the material body.	
	"Always think, 'Krsna is my protector'.  By humbly surrendering to Him you will be free of troubles.
	"It is very difficult for a conditioned soul to meet a great saint.  That is why Lord Krsna came, in the form of a great devotee, to the land of Nadiya.
	"If you are wise, you will take shelter of Lord Gaura's feet.  Where is there a saintly guru like Lord Gaura?
	"O sannyasi brother, don't talk or hear gossip when you meet with others.
	"O my sannyasi brother, even in dreams do not talk to women.  O my brother, please remember that you have left your wife at home, and now you live in the forest.
	"If you wish to keep Lord Gauranga's love, then please keep in your mind the story of Chota Haridasa.
	"Don't eat opulent food.  Don't wear opulent clothing.  In your heart always worship Radha and Krsna.
	"Like Haridasa Thakura, always chant the name of Lord Krsna.  At every moment of the eight parts of the day worship Radha and Krsna in the groves of Vrndavana forest.
	"To both householder and sannyasi, Lord Gaura Raya says, 'My brother, do not pass your days without chanting the holy name.'
	"O my brother, there is no need to perform a great variety of many different devotional activities.  You need only purely take shelter of Lord Krsna's holy name.  Pass your life in that way.
	"Merciful to the conditioned souls, Lord Krsna has descended as His holy name.  Merciful to the people in Kali-yuga, Lord Krsna has descended as fair-complexioned Lord Gaura.
	"Sincerely worship Lord Gaura's devotees.  O my brother, that is the way to attain Lord Krsna's feet.
	"In the company of Lord Gaura's devotees, chant the names of Lord Gaura, chant the Hare Krsna mantra, and dance again and again.
	"O my brother, in this way you will quickly attain the wealth of love for the holy name, a wealth that our Lord personally came to Nadiya to deliver."
	Hearing Sri Jagadananda Pandita's Prema-vivarta from the mouth of the elderly saintly babaji, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha were overcome with spiritual love.  For some moments the saintly babaji fell unconscious.  Then, placing his arms around Vijaya-kumara's and Vrajanatha's necks, he began to sing:
	"How powerful is the holy name of Lord Krsna!
	"Ablaze with material desires, my heart has become like a desert scorched by the sun.  But now something walks on the pathway of  my ears.  Now it enters my heart.  It is like a peerless shower of nectar.
	"That shower of nectar has now left my heart.  Now it walks on my tongue.  Assuming the form of a sound, it dances again and again.  My voice is choked.  My limbs tremble.  My feet cannot stay still.
	"A torrential stream flows from my eyes.  My body is covered with perspiration.  The hairs of my body stand erect.  I fall unconscious.  I think the end of the world has come.  My entire body is filled with ecstatic love.
	"It greatly troubles me.  It showers my heart with nectar.  It plunges me into an ocean of love.  Now I do not understand anything.  It has made me a madman.  It has robbed all the wealth I keep in my heart.
	"I take shelter of Him, and this is the way He acts.  I cannot tell it all.  The holy name of Lord Krsna is independent.  He acts as He likes.  If He wishes, He makes me happy.  He is the wealth of my happiness.
	"The holy name is the budding flower of love.  It is the resting place of wonderful nectar.  It shows so much power.  The budding flower begins to open.  It shows a little of its beauty and virtue.  Binding me with the ropes of Krsna, it steals my heart.
	"When it opens fully, that flower carries me to Vraja.  It shows me its own form and pastimes.  It gives me a perfect spiritual body.  It places me by Krsna's side.  It completely destroys my material body.
	"The holy name of Lord Krsna is a cintamani jewel.  It is the spring from which all nectar flows.  It is eternally liberated.  It is pure and sweet.  If I can die plagued by the troubles brought by the holy name, then I will be happy."
	Again and again he sang the glories of the holy name.  In this way half the night passed.  Then he stopped.  Taking permission from their spiritual master, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha, now plunged in the nectar of the holy name, returned to their own place.

Chapter Twenty-six
Rasa-vicara Arambha
The Discussion of Rasa Begins
	Vijaya-kumara did not come for almost a month.  Knowing the desire of Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara, Vrajanatha's grandmother arranged, with the help of a matchmaker, for a suitable bride.  Hearing this news, Vijaya-kumara sent his brother to Bilva-puskarini to perform his nephew's auspicious wedding ceremony.  The auspicious day of the auspicious ceremony came.  Hearing all about the wedding, one day Vijaya-kumara came there.  His heart was restless for spiritual advancement.  He would not talk of material things.  Vrajanatha said to him, "Uncle, why is your heart not peaceful today?  Tell me confidentially.  By your order I now wear the shackles of household life.  Please tell me what you are thinking about your own self."  Vijaya-kumara replied, "Baba, I have decided that at least once I should see Jagannatha Puri.  In a few days I will leave with a group of pilgrims from Jagannatha Puri.  Come, let us go to our spiritual master and I will ask his permission.  After lunch, Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara went to Sri Mayapura, told everything to saintly Raghunatha dasa Babaji and asked his permission to go on pilgrimage to Jagannatha Puri.  With great happiness the saintly babaji said that nowadays in Jagannatha Puri, at Jagannatha Misra's home, where Lord Mahaprabhu stayed, resides Sri Vakresvara Pandita's disciple Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami, whose saintly feet Vijaya-kumara should see, and whose teachings he should devotedly hear, and around whose neck now rest the teachings of Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami.  When Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara returned, Vrajanatha declared that he also wished to go to Jagannatha Puri.  Vijaya-kumara was very glad to hear this.  When they both explained all this, it was finally decided that Vrajanatha's grandmother would accompany them.
	The month of Jyaistha (May-June) had not yet come when the pilgrims left their homes and entered the path to Jagannatha Puri.  Walking and walking, after some days they came to Dantana and then Jalesvara.  Eventually they saw the Deity Sri Ksiracora Gopinatha.  Then they came to Sri Viraja-ksetra.  After performing the nabhigaya-kriya ritual, they bathed in the Vaitarani River and then went to Cuttack, where they saw the Deity of Sri Gopala.  Then they saw a Deity of Lord Siva in a mango grove.  Finally they came to Jagannatha Puri.  There the panditas arranged lodgings for each of the pilgrims.  Vijaya-kumara, Vrajanatha and Vrajanatha's grandmother all stayed at the home of Haracandi-sahi.  They circumambulated the holy place, bathed in the sea, saw the five famous holy places, and honoured the prasadam foods offered to the Lord.  Three or four days passed in this way.  Then, in the temple Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha saw a picture of Lord Mahaprabhu as well as His footprints and fingerprints.  Overcome with love, that very day they went to the home of Kasi Misra.  In Kasi Misra's home they saw the stone Gambhira room and they also saw Lord Mahaprabhu's sandals and other things.  On one side was the temple of Sri Radha-kanta and on the other side was the room of Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami.  Their voices choked with the happiness of spiritual love, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha fell before Gopala-guru Gosvami's feet.  Gopala-guru Gosvami mercifully glanced at them, embraced them, and asked, "Who are you?"  When Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha told about themselves, tears flowed from the eyes of Gopala-guru Gosvami.  When he heard the word "Sri Navadvipa", he said, "I am fortunate, for today I have seen two residents of the holy abode.  Please tell me: How are Raghunatha dasa and Gauracanda dasa and the other Vaisnavas in Sri Mayapura these days?  Ah! Whenever I think of Raghunatha dasa Babaji I also remember my siksa-guru Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami.  Then Gopala-guru Gosvami called for his disciple Sri Dhyanacandra and said to him, "These two great souls should be given prasadam."  Going to Dhyanacandra's room, Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara honoured the maha-prasadam.  After honouring maha-prasadam, the three devotees talked about many things.  Learning that Vijaya-kumara was a scholar of Srimad Bhagavatam and Vrajanatha was a scholar of many scriptures, Dhyanacandra Gosvami became very happy.  He approached Gopala-guru Gosvami and told him all about it.  Gopala-guru Gosvami merciful said, "These two persons are the great treasure of my heart.  Please bring them to see me every day that they stay in Jagannatha Puri.  At that time Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha said, "O master, Raghunatha dasa Babaji Mahasaya of Sri Mayapura has been very merciful to us.  He ordered us to take instructions at your feet."  Gopala-guru Gosvami said, "Raghunatha dasa Babaji is very learned.  You should carefully follow whatever advice he gives.  If you wish to study something he has not yet taught you, then you may come tomorrow at midday, honour the Lord's lunch prasadam and then ask questions.  After accepting Gopala-guru's invitation, the two devotees returned to Haracandi-sahi's home.
	The next day, at the appointed time, the two devotees went to the temple of Sri Radha-kanta, honoured prasadam, and then placed some questions before Gopala-guru Gosvami's feet.  They said, "O master, we wish to understand the transcendental rasas (relationships with Lord Krsna).  By hearing the description of the rasas of devotional service to Lord Krsna from your holy mouth our lives will become successful.  You are the foremost spiritual master of Lord Nimai Pandita's sampradaya.  You stay in Lord Mahaprabhu's home, and you have accepted the seat given by Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami.  You are the spiritual master of the entire world.  When we hear from your mouth about the transcendental rasas, whatever little we have learned about the transcendental science will finally bear its proper fruit.  Taking these two disciples to a secluded place, he happily said, "May Nimai Pandita, who is the son of Sri Saci-devi, and who, descending to this world in the land of Sri Mayapura, mercifully delivered the people of Bengal and Orissa, grant transcendental bliss to us.  May Sri Svarupa Damodara Gosvami, who pleased Lord Mahaprabhu by describing to Him the sweet mellows of madhura-rasa, appear in our hearts.  May Vakresvara Pandita, whose dancing made Nimai Pandita into his submissive servant, and who purified Devananda Pandita, grant auspiciousness to you.
	"The rasas cannot be compared to anything else.  When the moon of the Supreme Lord's transcendental pastimes directly rises, then the activities of pure devotional service become 'bhakti-rasa' (the mellows of devotional service).
	Vrajanatha: What pious deeds must one have performed in the past in order that one may attain rasa?
	Gosvami: I cannot answer this question with only a brief explanation.  I will explain elaborately.  Then you will understand.  From your spiritual master you have heard about 'krsna-rati' (attachment to Krsna), which is also called 'sthayi-bhava' (steady ecstasy).  When that ecstatic love increases, it becomes krsna-bhakti-rasa (the mellows of devotional service to Lord Krsna).	
	Vrajanatha: Please describe 'sthayi-bhava' (steady ecstasy) and "samagri' (the ingredients of rasa).  I have already heard my spiritual master explain what is 'bhava'.  I did not hear from him how these things combine to become 'rasa'.
	Gosvami: Generally, bhava-bhakti (ecstatic devotional service) and krsna-rati (attraction to Lord Krsna) appear because of transcendental pious deeds performed in this life or a previous life.  In this way one attains a condition of life that is filled with bliss.  There are four kinds of samagris (ingredients or rasa).  They are: 1. vibhava (special symptoms or causes of ecstasy), 2. anubhava (subsequent ecstasy), 3. sattvika-bhava (constitutional or existential ecstasy), and 4. vyabhicari-bhava (aggressive ecstasy) or sancari-bhava (continuously existing ecstatic symptoms).  Let me begin by explaining these different samagris (ingredients of rasa).  Vibhava, which causes one to taste the sweetness of attraction to Krsna, is of two kinds: 1. alambana (basic) and 2. uddipana (impelling).  Alambana is itself of two kinds: 1. visaya (the object of love), and 2. asraya (the reservoir of love).  The object of love is the visaya-alambana, and the person who possesses the love is the asraya-alambana.  thus the person who is the object of attachment or love is the rati-visaya, and the person who is attached or who loves is the rati-asraya.  Thus a devotee who in his heart loves Lord Krsna is the rati-asraya, and Lord Krsna, who is the object of His devotee's love, is the rati-visaya.
	Vrajanatha: I have understood that vibhava is divided into alambana and uddipana.  Further, alambana is of two kinds: visaya and asraya.  Lord Krsna is the visaya and the devotee is the asraya.  This I desire to know: Is there any situation where Lord Krsna Himself is the rati-asraya (a person who loves someone).
	Gosvami: Yes.  When Lord Krsna loves His devotee, then Krsna is the rati-asraya and the devotee is the rati-visaya.
	Vrajanatha: From my spiritual master I have heard the description of Lord Krsna's sixty four qualities.  Please tell me what more may be said about Lord Krsna.
	Gosvami: Lord Krsna is perfect and complete.  He has all transcendental qualities and virtues.  When He is in Dvaraka He is perfect.  When He is in Mathura He is more perfect.  When He is in Gokula He is  most perfect.  His transcendental qualities are manifested in this way in different degrees.  In His different pastimes Lord Krsna appears as 'dhirodatta', 'dhira-lalita', 'dhira-prasanta', and 'dhirodhatta'.  In these four ways Lord Krsna is a hero.
	Vrajanatha: What is "dhirodatta"?
	Gosvami: As a dhirodatta hero Lord Krsna is very grave, gentle, forgiving, merciful, and virtuous in many ways.
	Vrajanatha: What is 'dhira-lalita'?
	Gosvami: As a dhira-lalita hero Lord Krsna is naturally very funny, always in full youthfulness, expert in joking, free from all anxieties, and domesticated and very submissive to His lovers.
	Vrajanatha: What is "dhira-prasanta"?
	Gosvami: As a dhira-prasanta hero Lord Krsna is very peaceful, forbearing, considerate and obliging.
	Vrajanatha: What is 'dhiroddhata'?
	Gosvami: As a dhiroddhata hero Lord Krsna is very envious, proud, easily angered, restless and complacent.
	Vrajanatha: Many of these qualities you have described contradict each other.  How is that possible?
	Gosvami: Lord Krsna possesses all powers and opulences without any limit.  Therefore by His inconceivable potencies it is entirely possible that He possess many mutually contradictory qualities.  This is described in the following words of the Kurma Purana:
	"He is not great and He is not small.  He is the greatest and He is the smallest.  He has no colour.  His colour is dark and the corners of His eyes are red.
	"Because He has all powers and opulences, the Supreme Personality of Godhead possesses contradictory qualities.  Even so, there is no fault in this.  His contradictory qualities are glories."
	In the Maha-Varaha Purana it is said:
	"All the forms of the Supreme Personality of Godhead are eternal and everlasting.  Nothing can be given to improve them, for they are perfect.  Nothing can be taken from them.  They are not material.
	"They are full of transcendental bliss and knowledge.  They are filled with all virtues and free from all faults."
	In the Vaisnava Tantra it is said:
	"The form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is eternal, full of knowledge, bliss, power and opulence and free of the eighteen faults."
	"The eighteen faults are: illusion, fatigue, errors, roughness, material lust, restlessness, pride, envy, violence, disgrace, exhaustion, untruth, anger, hankering, dependence, desire to lord over the universe, seeing duality, and cheating."*
	The forms of the Lord's incarnations are all perfect.  The form of Lord Krsna, who is the source of all incarnations is supremely perfect.  Aside from what has already been said, Lord Krsna possesses the eight qualities of a great personality: 1. decorated, 2. enjoying, 3. pleasing, 4. dependable, 5. steady, 6. predominating, 7. a meticulous dresser, and 8. a magnanimous personality.  It is said that a person is great if he is decorated with the qualities of being very merciful toward the unfortunate, very powerful, superior, chivalrous, enthusiastic, expert, and truthful.  When a person is always happy and is accustomed to speak smilingly, he is considered to be in the mode of enjoyment.  When one's characteristics are very sweet and desirable, his personality is called pleasing.  Any person who is reliable in all circumstances is called dependable.  A person who is not disturbed even in a situation of reverses is called steady.  A person who can affect the mind of everyone is called predominating.  A person who is fond of dressing himself is called lalita, or a meticulous dresser.  Persons who can give themselves to anyone are called magnanimous.  Although Krsna is independent of everyone, out of His causeless mercy He is dependent upon Garga Rsi for religion instruction, for learning the military art He is dependent upon Satyaki and for good counsel He is dependent upon His friend Uddhava*
	Vrajanatha: Now I have learned how Lord Krsna is the hero of rasas.  Now please describe the devotees who are qualified for the rasas and who have attain vibhava.
	Gosvami: A person who in his heart has ecstatic love (bhava) for Lord Krsna is considered a devotee situated in the rasas.  The 26 qualities of Lord Krsna that begin with truthfulness and end with shyness are all present in the devotees of Lord Krsna.
	Vrajanatha: What are the different kinds of devotees qualified to participate in the rasas?
	Gosvami: The devotees of Krsna can be classified into two groups:  1. sadhaka (those who are cultivating devotional service in order to enter into the transcendental kingdom), and 2. siddha (those who are already in the perfectional stage of devotional service).
	Vrajanatha: Who are the sadhakas?
	Gosvami: A person who has the stage of attraction for Krsna and who is not freed from the material impasse, but who has qualified himself to enter into the kingdom of God is called sadhaka.  Sadhaka means one who is cultivating devotion in Krsna consciousness.  The description of such a devotee is found in the Eleventh Canto, Second Chapter, verse 46 of Srimad Bhagavatam.*
	Vrajanatha: O master, are not the devotees described in Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.47 also qualified for the rasas?
	Gosvami: If one has not obtained the mercy of a pure devotee and become a pure devotee himself, then he cannot be considered a sadhaka.  An example of a sadhaka cultivating devotional service is Bilvamangala Thakura.
	Vrajanatha: Who are the siddha devotees?
	Gosvami: When a devotee is never tired of executing devotional service and is always engaged in Krsna conscious activities, constantly relishing the transcendental mellows in relationship with Krsna, he is called (siddha).  There are two kinds of perfect devotees: 1. they who attained perfection (asamprapta-siddha) and 2. they who were always perfect (nitya-siddha).
	Vrajanatha: Who are the samprapta-siddha devotees?	
	Gosvami: The perfectional stage can be achieved (samprapta-siddha) in two ways: one may achieve this stage of perfection by gradual progress in devotional service (sadhana-siddha), or one may become perfect by the causeless mercy of Krsna, even though he has not executed all the details of  devotional service (krpa-siddha).*
	Vrajanatha: Who are the nitya-siddha devotees?
	Gosvami: Srila Rupa Gosvami writes (Bhakti-rasamrta sindhu 2.1.290):
	"Persons who have achieved eternal, blissful life exactly on the level of Sri Krsna and who are able to attract Lord Krsna by their transcendental loving service, and who love Lord Krsna millions of times more than they love themselves are called eternally perfect (nitya-siddha)."
	In the Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda it is said:
	"Just as Lord Ramacandra descends along with Laksmana (an incarnation of Sankarsana) and Bharata (an expansion of Pradyumna), so the members of the Yadu dynasty and the cowherd men of Vrndavana also descend with Lord Krsna in order to join in the transcendental pastimes of the Lord.  When the Supreme Lord returns to His  eternal abode, His associates return with Him to their respective places,  As such, these ever-liberated Vaisnavas are not bound by the material laws of birth and death."*
	Vrajanatha: O master, now I can understand the alambana part of vibhava.  Please explain the uddipana part.
	Gosvami: Some things that give impetus (uddipana) or stimulation to ecstatic love of Krsna are His transcendental qualities, His uncommon activities, His smiling features, His apparel and garlands, His flute, His buffalo-horn, His leg-bells, His conchshell, His footprints, His places of pastimes (such as Vrndavana), His favourite plant (tulasi), His devotee, and the periodical occasions for remembering Him.  One such occasion for remembrance is ekadasi.*
	Vrajanatha: As far as Krsna's transcendental qualities are concerned, they can be divided into three groups: qualities pertaining to His transcendental body, qualities pertaining to His transcendental speech, and qualities pertaining to His transcendental mind.  Krsna's age is considered in three periods: kaumara, pauganda, and kaisora.  These are described in the following words (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 2.1.309):
	"Krsna's age is considered in three periods: from His appearance day to the end of His fifth year is called kaumara, from the beginning of the sixth year up to the end of the tenth year is called pauganda, and from the eleventh to the end of the fifteenth year is called kaisora.  After the beginning of the sixteenth year, Krsna is called yauvana, or a youth, and this continues with no change."*
	Krsna's kaisora age may be divided into three parts.  Among His many transcendental qualities manifested in this age, His handsomeness is very prominent.  Lord Krsna's limbs are graceful and appropriately shaped.  This feature is called 'saundarya' (handsomeness). Lord Krsna is dressed in exquisite garments, decorated with ornaments, and His hair is also decorated.  All this is called 'prasadhana' (decoration).
	There are three kinds of flutes used by Krsna.  One is called venu, one is called murali and the third is called vamsi.  Venu is very small, not more than six inches long, with six holes for whistling.  Murali is about eighteen inches long with a hole at the end and four holes on the body of the flute.  This kind of flute produces a very enchanting sound.  The vamsi flute is about fifteen inches long, with nine holes on its body.*  The right turning conchshell Krsna holds in His hand is called "Pancajanya".  All these uddipana's increase the devotee’s attraction and love for Krsna and fill the devotee with bliss.  The result is that rati (attraction) and sthayi-bhava (continuous ecstasy) turn into rasa (the transcendental mellows of a personal relationship with Krsna).  Come again tomorrow and I will describe anubhava and other things.
	The two devotees then took their leave of the Gosvami's feet.  Again and again thinking about the rasas, Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha happily saw the siddha-bakula tree and other holy places in Lord Jagannatha's temple.  Finally they returned to their lodgings.

Chapter Twenty-seven
Rasa-vicara
The Rasas
	After the next day's noon-arati, the two devotees, thirsting to understand about rasa, honoured prasadam and then went to the Sri Radha-kanta temple.  Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami honoured maha-prasadam and waited for the two inquisitive devotees.  Nearby Sri Dhyanacandra Gosvami was writing a book about the path of devotional service.  The features of Gopala-guru Gosvami were very wonderful.  He was dressed as a sannyasi.  He wore Vaisnava Tilaka.  The holy name of Lord Hari was written on the various limbs of His body.  On his neck were four strands of tulasi beads.  His hands were always on His japa beads.  He was rapt in meditation, his two eyes half closed.  From time to time he was decorated with a stream of tears.  From time to time he would call out, "O Gauranga! O Nityananda!"  His body was a little large.  His complexion was dark and splendid.  He sat on a banana-bark seat.  At a little distance were wooden sandals and a coconut shell pitcher of water.  Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha were both learned in many scriptures, were sincere Vaisnavas and were residents of Sri Navadvipa.  For these three reasons everyone at the temple carefully honoured them.  Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha offered dandavat obeisances to Gopala-guru Gosvami and he respectfully embraced them.  In the course of time Vrajanatha humbly introduced the topic of rasas.  The Gosvami carefully said, "Today I will teach you about anubhava and other topics related to the rasas.  The four samagris (ingredients of rasa) are vibhava (special symptoms or causes of ecstasy), anubhava (subsequent ecstasy), sattvika-bhava (constitutional or existential ecstasy), and vyabhicari-bhava (aggressive ecstasy).  Yesterday I explained about vibhava.  Today I will begin the explanation of anubhava.  Please listen.  When one is attracted (rati) to Krsna, that is called vibhava.  When, as a result of that attraction, ecstatic love (bhava) appears in the heart, the result is called 'udbhasvara'.  The bodily symptoms manifested by a devotee in expressing that ecstatic love for Krsna are called anubhava.  Practical examples of anubhava are as follows: dancing, rolling on the ground, singing very loudly, stretching the body, crying loudly, yawning, breathing very heavily, neglecting the presence of others, drooling, laughing like a madman, wheeling the head, and belching.
	Vrajanatha: How is it possible that these unusual external symptoms can increase the sweet taste of the rasas of sthayi-bhava?  When the devotee relishes the rasas in his heart, that taste is manifested externally as these anubhavas. Why, then, should these anubhavas be considered a samagri separate and distinct from the taste of rasas in the heart?
	Gosvami: Baba, you have learned the nyaya-sastra very well.  Till this day I have not seen anyone raise such a subtle point of logic.  When I studied the rasas I also asked this question of Srila Pandita Gosvami.  By my spiritual master's mercy my doubt was thrown far away.  The secret is this:  When the heart is agitated by the ecstatic feelings of vibhava, many extraordinary and wonderful feelings (vaicitrya) are manifested.  These feelings blossom in many different ways in the heart.  When these feelings blossom in the heart, they eventually bear fruits of ecstatic symptoms that are manifested in the external body.  These fruits are called 'udbhasvara'.  The fruits of ecstatic symptoms are manifested as dancing and in many other ways also.  Thus, when the heart dances, then the body dances also.  When the heart sings, then the tongue sings also.  In this way you should understand it.  Thus the ecstatic symptoms called udbhasvara are the root from which all this comes.  However, the anubhavas do increase the vibhavas within the heart.  In this way the udbhasvaras are manifest in the body.  Thus the sthayi-bhava and vibhava in the heart manifests the anubhavas, and the anubhavas in turn also have an effect upon the heart.  Because the anubhavas have this effect they are considered separate samagris (ingredients of rasa).  When there are singing, yawning, and other like activities, the symptoms are called 'sita', and where there is dancing and other like activities they are called 'ksepana'.  There are other ecstatic symptoms, such as blossoming of the body, the flowing of blood, and expansion and contraction of the body's joints.  However, because these symptoms are very rare, I will not describe them further.  However, when He assumed the form of a tortoise and manifested other unusual activities, these symptoms were present on the body of our master, Lord Nimai Pandita.  Still, these symptoms are not seen on the body of a sadhaka devotee.
	After hearing these confidential explanations from Gopala-guru Gosvami, the two inquiring devotees were silent for a long time.  Then, touching the dust of his feet, they asked, "O master, what are the sattvika-bhavas?"
	Gosvami: When a devotee is always intensely affected by love for Krsna in a direct relationship with Him - or even a little apart from Him - his status is called sattvika-bhava' (existential ecstatic love).  The symptoms originating from such existential ecstatic love are divided into three headings - namely moist (snigdha), burnt (digdha) and dried-up (ruksa).
	Vrajanatha: What is moist sattvika-bhava?
	Gosvami: Moist sattvika bhava is divided into two: direct and indirect.  When the heart is directly attracted to Lord Krsna, that is called "mukhya-snigdha-sattvika-bhava" (direct moistened existential ecstatic love).  Being stunned and perspiring are some of the symptoms of mukhya-sattvika-bhava.  When the heart is attracted to Lord Krsna indirectly, that is called 'gauna-snigdha-sattvika-bhava' (indirect moistened existential ecstatic love).  Changing of bodily colours and faltering of the voice are the two symptoms of gauna-snigdha-sattvika-bhava.  Aside from direct and indirect moistened existential ecstatic love, digdha-sattvika-bhava (burnt existential ecstatic love) may also enter the heart.  Trembling of the body is the symptom of digdha-sattvika-bhava.  When a non devotee is filled with wonder and bliss by hearing the description of the great wonder that is Lord Krsna's sweetness, the ecstatic symptoms are called 'ruksa' (dried up).  Standing of the hairs on the body is the symptom of ruksa-sattvika-bhava.
	Vrajanatha: How is sattvika-bhava created?
	Gosvami: When the sadhaka devotee's vital force of life is in contact with the various external elements, agitation and transformation result.  From this agitation the various ecstatic symptoms, such as becoming stunned, are manifested.
	Vrajanatha: What are the different ecstatic symptoms manifested?
	Gosvami: There are eight symptoms of sattvika-bhava (existential ecstatic love): becoming stunned, perspiring, standing of the hairs on the body, faltering of the voice, trembling of the body, changing of bodily colours, shedding of tears and devastation.  When the vital force of life is in contact with the earth one is stunned.  When the same force comes into contact with water, there is shedding of tears.  When the same force comes into contact with fire, there is perspiration.  When the force comes into contact with sky, there is complete devastation.  And when that force comes into contact with air, there is trembling, failing of the voice, and standing up of the hairs on the body.  In this way the different ecstatic symptoms are manifested.  These symptoms are sometimes manifested internally and sometimes externally.  Sometimes they are called 'bhavas' and sometimes they are called anubhavas.  All the anubhavas are manifested externally only.  This is not said of the sattvika-bhavas.  For example, in dancing or other like activities, the bhava (ecstatic love) is not manifested directly.  The bhava is rather manifested by the intelligence or the heart.  Therefore the various external symptoms of ecstasy, such as becoming stunned, are considered anubhavas, and are not sattvika-bhavas.  Therefore the anubhavas and sattvika bhavas are different from each other.
	Vrajanatha: I desire to understand why the ecstatic symptoms, such as becoming stunned are manifested.
	Gosvami: Joy, fear, wonder, lamentation, and hatred create an emptiness in the heart that manifests the ecstatic symptom of becoming stunned.  Joy, fear, anger and other emotions combine to moisten the body and thus manifest the ecstatic symptom of perspiration.  Wonder, joy, eagerness, fear and other emotions combine to manifest the ecstatic symptom of the body's hairs standing up.  Lamentation, wonder, anger, joy, fear, and other emotions bring the ecstatic symptom of faltering of the voice.  Fear, anger, joy, and other emotions bring the ecstatic symptom of trembling of the body.  Lamentation, anger, fear and other emotions bring the ecstatic symptom of changing of bodily colours.  Joy, anger, lamentation, and other emotions bring the ecstatic symptom of shedding tears.  When they are produced from joy, the tears are cold, and when they are produced from anger and other like emotions, the tears are hot.  Happiness and unhappiness combine to make one fall unconscious and attain other like conditions of life, conditioned that are the ecstatic symptom called devastation.  These transcendental ecstatic symptoms gradually develop, and in the course of such development, they are sometimes called smoky, sometimes called blazing, sometimes called shining, and sometimes called intensely shining.  These are the four kinds.  In dried up sattvika-bhava the symptoms are smoky.  In moistened sattvika-bhava the ecstatic love rises higher and higher.  Real love (rati) for Lord Krsna produces all bliss and wonder.  When there is only the semblance of love (raty-abhasa), the symptoms are dried up.  Then there is no wonder.  
	Vrajanatha: O master, the ecstatic love of sattvika-bhava brings all good fortune.  However, to attain material benefits many people may make a show-of these ecstatic emotions, as if they were acting in a drama.  What is the position of these people?
	Gosvami: Genuine sattvika-bhava is manifested from genuine pure devotional service.  The ecstatic love (bhava) felt by true Vaisnavas is genuine.  Aside from this genuine bhava, the other so-called bhavas are divided into four groups: raty-abhasa, sattvabhasa, nihsattva and pratipa.
	Vrajanatha: What is raty-abhasa?
	Gosvami: When they hear the descriptions of Lord Krsna, the impersonalists or the sannyasi followers of Sankaracarya, manifest raty-abhasa.
	Vrajanatha: What is sattvabhasa?
	Gosvami: when they hear about Lord Krsna, persons who are naturally soft-hearted may manifest the semblance of joy, wonder, and other ecstatic emotions.  The mimamsaka philosophers and ordinary women may manifest this when they hear about Lord Krsna.
	Vrajanatha: What is nihsattva-bhavabhasa?	
	Gosvami: Some wicked-hearted persons exhibit artificial ecstatic symptoms as a sort of dramatic show.  In this way they shed tears and perform other actions.  These actions are called nihsattva.  In this way some hard-hearted persons put on an artificial show of crying in ecstatic love.  These persons are wicked at heart.
	Vrajanatha: What is pratipa?
	Gosvami: One who acts as Krsna's enemy manifests the semblance of the ecstatic emotions like anger and fear.  This is called pratipa-bhavabhasa.
	Vrajanatha: O master, now I have understood vibhava, anubhava, and sattvika bhava, and I have also understood the difference between sattvika and anubhava.  Now please explain vyabhicari-bhava.
	Gosvami: There are 33 vyabhicaris.  These 33 bhavas work to increase the sthayi-bhavas.  That is why they are called 'vyabhicari'.  They are manifested in the words, limbs, and thoughts.  They are also called 'sancari-bhava'.  They are like waves in the nectar ocean of sthayi-bhava, waves that rise from, and then again disappear into the ocean of sthayi-bhava.  The 33 vyabhicari-bhavas are: disappointment, lamentation, humility, guilt, fatigue, intoxication, pride, doubt, apprehension, intense emotion, madness, forgetfulness, disease, confusion, death, laziness, inertness, bashfulness, concealment, remembrance, argumentativeness, anxiety, thoughtfulness, endurance, happiness, eagerness, violence, haughtiness, envy, impudence, dizziness, sleepiness, and alertness.  Some of the sancari-bhavas are independent (sva-tantra) and others are dependent on something else (para-tantra).  The para-tantra sancari-bhavas are of two kinds: superior and inferior.  The superior sancari-bhavas are themselves of two kinds: direct and indirect.  The sva-tantra sancari bhavas are of three kinds: rati-sunya (without attachment to Krsna), raty-asparsa (with a touch of attachment to Krsna), and rati-gandha (with the scent of attachment to Krsna).  If these bhavas are directed to the wrong object they are of two kinds: pratikulya (unfavourable) and anaucitya (improper).  All these bhavas are manifested in four different conditions: 1. utpatti (growth), 2. sandhi (union), 3. savalya (variety) and 3. santi (peace).
	Vrajanatha: Bhava-utpatti is easy to understand.  What is bhava-sandhi?
	Gosvami: When two like or unlike emotions meet, that is called 'sandhi'.  Desirable laziness and undesirable laziness may both appear simultaneously.  This is an example of the meeting of like emotions.  Joy and fear may also appear simultaneously.  That is an example of the meeting of unlike emotions.
	Vrajanatha: What is bhava-savalya?
	Gosvami: When two emotions clash, that is called 'bhava-savalya".  When he heard about Krsna, Kamsa became simultaneously angry and fearful.  That is an example of bhava-savalya.
	Vrajanatha: What is bhava-santi?
	Gosvami: When an intense emotion suddenly disappears, that is called 'santi'.  When they could not see Krsna, the boys of Vraja became anxious, but when they heard the sound of Krsna's flute from afar, their anxiety was at once pacified.  This is an example of the pacification of happiness.  
	Vrajanatha: If anything else remains to be known about this topic, then please explain it.
	Gosvami: To these 33 vyabhicari-bhavas may be added the one primary (mukhya) sthayi-bhava and the seven secondary (gauna) sthayi-bhavas).  In this way there are 41 bhavas that produce ecstatic symptoms on the body and the senses. The activities of the mind are the origin of these bhavas.
	Vrajanatha: What are the various bhavas produced in this way?
	Gosvami: They produce the eight sattvika-bhavas, the vibhavas and the anubhavas.
	Vrajanatha: Are all these part of the original nature?
	Gosvami: No.  Some are part of the original nature and other come from outside the original nature.  The sthayi-bhava is part of the devotee's original nature, but the vyabhicari-bhavas mostly come from outside the original nature.
	Vrajanatha: Do all devotees possess the same bhavas?
	Gosvami: No. The devotees have different natures.  That is because the nature of the mind and heart is different in each devotee.  According to the condition of the heart, the bhava is more or less exalted.  The heart may be exalted, lowly or in an intermediate state.  The bhavas are manifested according to the condition of the heart.  However, nectar is always liquid, and therefore a devotee's heart is naturally soft and liquid for it like nectar.  Today we will end here.  Tomorrow I will describe sthayi-bhava.
	Vijaya-kumara and Vrajanatha offered dandavat obeisances and took their leave.

Chapter Twenty-eight
Rasa-vicara 
The Rasas
	Vrajanatha: O master, I see that vibhava, anubhava, sattvika-bhava, and vyabhicari bhava are all bhavas. What is sthayi-bhava?
	Gosvami: The one bhava that controls all the other bhavas, both obstructed and unobstructed, and that is the monarch even of Lord Krsna Himself is called 'sthayi-bhava'.  When 'Krsna-rati' (attraction to Krsna) takes shelter of a devotee's heart, that attraction is called 'sthayi-bhava',  Look, among the samagris is vibhava and included within vibhava is alambana.  However, there is another bhava, a bhava independent of all these others, a bhava that is the origin and the helper of the rasas, a bhava that becomes both the enjoyment (asvadana) and the object of enjoyment (asvadya).  Please think deeply about this and try to understand how sthayi-bhava is different from the other bhavas.  Sthayi-bhava is divided in two: primary (mukhya-rati) and secondary (gauna-rati).
	Vrajanatha: What is primary sthayi-bhava?
	Gosvami: In the description of bhava-bhakti you have already heard about suddha-sattva-rati.  That is the same as mukhya-rati.
	Vrajanatha: When I read the alankara-sastras (books of rhetoric) the love that I understood there was all material.   It was very different.  The spiritual love that is now described is very different from that material love.  Now I understand that only when a person is pure in heart will he attain the nectar (rasa) of love for the Supreme Lord.  The so-called love written about by the authors of the alankara-sastras is only the love that appears in the material bodies and material minds of souls imprisoned in the material world.  Now I can understand the other kind of love, the love you have described in your explanation of the rasas.  This pure spiritual love is the be-all-and-end-all of the pure liberated souls.  By the mercy of the hladini sakti, this pure love is sometimes experienced even by the conditioned souls imprisoned in the material world.  Now I wish to understand the different kinds of pure spiritual love (suddha-rati).
	Seeing Vrajanatha's clear grasp of the spiritual truth, Gopala-guru Gosvami, shedding tears of happiness, embraced him and said, "I am very fortunate to have a disciple like you.  Please listen,  Mukhya-rati is of two kinds: svartha (for the sake of one's own self) and parartha (for the sake of the beloved).
	Vrajanatha: What is the nature of svartha-mukhya-rati?
	Gosvami: When no obstacles stop the bhava (aviruddha-bhava) then svartha-mukhya-rati increases.  However, when obstacles do stop the bhava (viruddha-bhava), then svartha-mukhya-rati diminishes.
	Vrajanatha: What is the nature of parartha-mukhya-rati?
	Gosvami: Whether obstacles are present or not, parartha-mukhya-rati contracts of its own accord.  Aside from these two, there is also another kind of mukhya-rati.
	Vrajanatha: What is it like?  Please tell.
	Gosvami: This is suddha-mukhya-rati (pure love).  It is divided into five rasas: santa (neutrality), dasya (servitude), sakhya (friendship),  vatsalya (parenthood) and madhurya (conjugal love).  As sunlight is divided into different colours when it passes through a prism or other like object, so sthayi-bhava assumes different features according to the different kinds of persons who contain it.
	Vrajanatha: Please describe this suddha-rati (pure love).
	Gosvami: Suddha-rati is of three kinds: samanya (ordinary), svaccha (clear) and santa (peaceful).  Samanya-rati is the love the people in general feel for Lord Krsna.  When mukhya-rati is manifested in different ways in the different kinds of devotees, as light assumes different colours as it passes through coloured glass, that kind of mukhya-rati is called 'svaccha' (clear).  In this way some devotees offer prayers to Krsna and call Him "master", others joke with Krsna and call him "friend", still others protect Krsna and call him "son", and still others meditate on Krsna and call Him "the Supersoul".  A devotee in santa-rati (neutrality) meditates with a peaceful mind on the unchanging Supreme.  Suddha- rati is of two kinds: 'kevala' (unmixed) and 'sankula' (mixed).  Among the residents of Vraja, Rasala and Sridama are examples of devotees whose love for Krsna is of one kind only, unmixed with even the slightest scent of any other kind of rasa.  Their pure love (suddha-rati) is called 'kevala' (unmixed).  Other devotees, such as Uddhava and Bhima have love that is a mixture of different rasas. Their pure love (suddha-rati) is called 'sankula' (mixed).
	Vrajanatha: Formerly I thought their was not santa-rati in Vraja.  Now I see it is slightly present there also.  When they consider the different kinds of rati (love), books of material rhetoric (jada-alankara) do not accept santa-rati as a genuine kind of love.  Here it is seen that santa-rati must be accepted as one kind of love for the Supreme.  Now please describe dasya-rati (love in the rasa of servitorship).
	Gosvami: When the devotee thinks, "Krsna is the master, and I am His servant", he loves Krsna in the dasya-rasa.  When he is attached to Krsna in this way, a devotee is not attracted to or pleased by anything outside this rasa of servitorship.
	Vrajanatha: What are the qualities of sakhya-rati (love in friendship)?
	Gosvami: When a devotee is firmly convinced that Krsna is his equal, his love for Krsna is called sakhya-rati.  In sakhya-rati there are joking, laughing, and other like activities.
	Vrajanatha: Please described the nature of vatsalya-rati (parental love).
	Gosvami: the kindly love that His elders give to Krsna is called vatsalya-rati.  Embracing and fondling Krsna, performing auspicious rituals for His benefit, pronouncing blessings upon Him and affectionately touching His chin are some of the activities of vatsalya-rati.
	Vrajanatha: Now kindly describe the qualities of madhura-rati (conjugal love for Krsna).
	Gosvami: The eight kinds of pleasing activities, beginning with remembering Krsna and gazing at Krsna, that are performed in the deer-eyed gopis' love for Krsna are called the activities of 'priyata' (love) or 'madhura-rati' (sweet love).  Included in these activities are sidelong glances, moving the eyebrows, speaking sweet words, and speaking joking words.  beginning with santa and extending up to madhura-rati, the devotees' love, relish, and bliss increase more and more.  Thus I have briefly described the five kinds of mukhya-rati (primary rasas).
	Vrajanatha: Now please describe the secondary (gauna) spiritual rasas.
	Gosvami: The secondary rasas (gauna-bhava) which are part of alambana, are: laughter, astonishment, chivalry, lamentation, anger, dread, and ghastliness.  In the first six of these rasas the devotee always meditates on Krsna.  When the devotee attains pure love (suddha-rati), then he finds the material body and material activities to be very distasteful.  He is horrified by them.  That is the seventh rasa, ghastliness.  Although these seven rasas are different from pure love (suddha-rati) because they are in contact with parartha-mukhya-rati (the primary rasas), therefore these seven secondary emotions are included among the rasas and the word 'rati' (love) is used to described them.  For some devotees one or more of these secondary rasas remain a permanent part of their relationship with Krsna.  But this is not true for every devotee by any means.  For most devotees these secondary rasas are manifested only temporarily.  In some situations one or more of these secondary rasas become so strong that they eclipse the natural primary rasas.
	Vrajanatha: In material rhetoric (alankara) eight rasas, beginning with conjugal love, laughter, and compassion are described.  I can understand how these material rasas look beautiful only from the point of view of pathetic material heroes and heroines. These material rasas have no bearing on the spiritual rasas of Vraja, which are the activities of the pure spirit soul,, and thus have nothing to do with the activities of the material mind.  The great devotees have divided sthayi-bhava rati into five primary and seven secondary rasas.  This is proper.  Now please kindly describe hasya-rati (the rasa of laughter).
	Gosvami: Certain unusual words, appearances, or activities cause laughter to appear in the heart.  In laughter the eyes may open wide, and the nostrils, lips and cheeks may tremble.  This laughter is produced by sankoca-bhava-rati directed toward Lord Krsna.
	Vrajanatha: What is the rasa of astonishment (vismaya-rati)?
	Gosvami: When one sees something extraordinary, astonishment is manifested in his heart.  Some of the symptoms of astonishment are: opening the eyes wide, speaking words of praise, and standing of the body's hairs.
	Vrajanatha: What is the rasa of chivalry (utsaha-rati)?
	Gosvami: When the heart is determined to perform the noble deeds that are glorified by great saints, that is called chivalry.  Promptness, impatience, and enthusiasm are among the symptoms of chivalry.
	Vrajanatha: What is the rasa of anger (krodha-rati)?
	Gosvami: When actions of an enemy make the heart burst into flames, that is called anger.  Harshness, knitting the eyebrows, and redness in the eyes are  among the symptoms of anger.
	Vrajanatha: What is the rasa of dread?
	Gosvami: When the sight of horrible things makes the heart wish to flee, that is called dread.  Hiding oneself, dryness of the heart, and fleeing away are among the symptoms of dread.
	Vrajanatha: What is the rasa of ghastliness?
	Gosvami: When one is averse to abominable things, that is called ghastliness. Spitting, curling the lips and speaking harsh criticisms are among the symptoms of ghastliness.  When this emotion is in relation to Lord Krsna, then it is considered on the spiritual rasas.  Otherwise it is merely another material emotion.
	Vrajanatha: How many bhavas (emotions) are present in bhakti-rasa (the mellows of devotional service)?
	Gosvami: Sthayi-bhava has eight bhavas, sancari bhava has 33 bhavas, and sattvika bhava has eight bhavas.  Combined together there are 49 bhavas.  When these bhavas are manifested from the three modes of nature and are thus material, they are causes of material happiness and material suffering.  When these bhavas help one attain Krsna, they are spiritual, beyond the material modes, and filled with bliss, and what seems to be sorrow in them is actually spiritual happiness.  Srila Rupa Gosvami explain that Lord Krsna and Krsna's dear devotees are the two alambanas, or resting places, and therefore the causes of the rasas of spiritual love (rati).  The ecstatic symptoms that begin with being stunned are counted among the effects of rati and the ecstatic symptoms that begin with lamentation help the progress of rati.  When the rasas are awakened, these ecstatic symptoms are no longer called cause, effect, and helper.  Then they are called vibhava.  Because these activities then have an especially sweet taste, the panditas call them 'vibhava'.  When dancing and other activities increase the sweetness of vibhava, the vibhava is called 'anubhava'.  Spiritual (sattvika) activities bring spiritual results.  Thus these actions are called 'sattvika-bhava'.  When these vibhavas bring renunciation and other like emotions, the bhava is called 'sancari-bhava'.  Readers attracted to poems, plays, and other books describing Lord Krsna know that the vibhavas are causes of devotional service.  In truth these activities of rati (pure love) are inconceivable.  They are very great pastimes of devotional service.  In Mahabharata and other scriptures it is said that these activities of devotional service are very exalted.  They are beyond the touch of ordinary, material logic.  In the Mahabharata it is written that these bhavas are beyond the understanding of the material mind, and therefore material logic cannot be employed to understand them.  Whatever is beyond the world of matter cannot be understood by the material mind.  One who attains sweet love for Lord Krsna's form and other features attains vibhava.  This vibhava does not remain static.  It spontaneously increases, growing greater and greater.  Rati (love for Krsna) enables one to directly perceive Lord Krsna, who is the resting place of transcendental sweetness and other virtues.  On the other hand, when he directly sees Lord Krsna's form and other  features, the devotees love Lord Krsna more and more.  In this way vibhava, anubhava, sattvika-bhava and vyabhicari-bhava all increase rati, and rati increases them.
	Vrajanatha: What is the difference between love for Krsna (krsna-rati) and material love (visaya-rati).  Please kindly explain.
	Gosvami: Material love is part of the material world.  Lord for Krsna is beyond the material world, and it is also the origin of many wonderful things.  Material love is pleasant when the beloved and present and unpleasant when the beloved is absent.  When a person loves Krsna and Krsna is present, then the lover experiences the taste of a certain kind of rasa, the rasa of sambhoga-sukha (the happiness of enjoying with Krsna).  However, when Krsna is absent, the lover experiences the rasa of vipralambha (separation), which itself produces a specific kind of wonderful transcendental bliss.  In answer to one of Lord Mahaprabhu's questions, Ramananda Raya described (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya 8.194) the wonderful bliss the devotee feel in separation from Krsna, a bliss he called 'vivarta'.  Therefore what seems here to be suffering is in truth the highest spiritual bliss.
	Vrajanatha: Material logician says that the rasas are unimportant.  They are only a small portion of what exists.  What is the answer to that claim?
	Gosvami: It is true that the material rasas are unimportant.  And why not?  In the material rasas material ingredients (samagri) may nourish the material sthayi bhava (permanent emotions).  However, these are only material rasas.  They are not spiritual.  In the state of spiritual perfection, the spiritual rasas are eternal, complete and self-manifest.  However, to an inexperienced devotee the spiritual rasas may seem to be material.  When the lover is separated from the beloved, the material rasas o love do not remain indefinitely.  The spiritual rasa of love in separation is much more beautiful and glorious than its material counterpart.  The great potency hladini-sakti brings transcendental bliss to the rasa of spiritual love in separation.  That is why the rasa of spiritual love in separation is blissful and why it is beyond the power of material logic to understand.  Therefore it is said to be inconceivable. 
	Vrajanatha: How many kinds of spiritual rasas are there?
	Gosvami: Even though the primary rasas are five, they are still considered as one.  Therefore, adding the seven secondary rasas, there are eight rasas all together.
	Vrajanatha: Please recite the names of these eight rasas.  The result of my hearing your words is that my desire to hear grows stronger and stronger.
	Gosvami: Srila Rupa Gosvami explains (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 2.5.115-116):
	"The five primary rasas each more exalted than the preceding one, are: neutrality, servitorship, friendship, parenthood, and conjugal love.
	"The seven secondary rasas are: laughter, astonishment, chivalry, lamentation, anger, dread, and ghastliness."*
	Vrajanatha: In the context of the spiritual rasas, what is the proper definition of the word 'bhava'?
	Gosvami: Considering the truth in their spiritually purified hearts, great panditas have written many books about rasa (rasa-sastras), and in these books they have defined the word 'bhava'.  I have already explained that rasa is of two kinds: 1. cintya-bhava (bhava that can be understood by the material mind), and 2. acintya-bhava (bhava that is inconceivable, beyond the understanding of the material mind).  Material logic can be used to understand cintya-bhava.  And why not?  The emotions that arise in the heart of a conditioned soul imprisoned in the material world are all material in nature.  The conditioned souls material ideas and emotions about the Supreme Lord are also understandable by the material mind.  However, true ideas and emotions directed to the Supreme Lord are inconceivable, beyond the power of the material mind to understand.  And why not?  The Supreme Lord is far beyond the touch of matter.  Because the Supreme Lord is inconceivable, it is not good to think there can be no bhavas (emotions) in relation to Him.  All emotions are possible in relation to the Supreme Lord.  But they are inconceivable, beyond the material mind's understanding.  In your heart remain rapt in meditation on one of the inconceivable rasas in relation to the Lord.  Meditate on the appropriate sthayi-bhava and samagris.  Then the eternal and perfect spiritual rasa will be manifest to you.
	Vrajanatha: O master, what does 'being rapt in meditation' mean?
	Gosvami: Baba, contaminated by matter, you have wandered in the circle of karma for many births.  Meditation is of two kinds: previous meditation (praktani) and present meditation (adhunika).  By staying in the material world your originally pure heart and pure thoughts have both become contaminated.  However, by associating with saintly devotees and by performing spiritual pious activities, one can throw far away the contaminated material thoughts and regain his original, natural, spiritual meditation.  When this spiritual meditation becomes strong, the inconceivable truth appears in his heart.  That is the meaning of 'being rapt in meditation'.
	Vrajanatha: Who is qualified to understand the spiritual rasas?  That I would like to know.
	Gosvami: A person who, by constant meditation in this way, finds that the inconceivable spiritual truth is manifested in his heart, is along qualified to understand the spiritual rasas.  No one else is qualified to understand the spiritual rasa.  No one else is qualified.  Srila Rupa Gosvami explains (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 2.5.132):
	"When one transcends the status of ecstatic love and thus becomes situated on the highest platform of pure goodness, one is understood to have cleansed the heart of all material contamination.  In that pure stage of life, one can taste this nectar, and this tasting capacity is technically called rasa, or transcendental mood."*
	Vrajanatha: Who is not qualified to thus taste the nectar of the transcendental rasa?  As it is an offense to give the holy name to an unqualified person, so it must also be an offense to explain the rasas to an unqualified person.  O master, please be merciful and explain this point to poor and fallen people like myself.
	Gosvami: Renunciation that has nothing to do with pure devotional service is called phalgu-vairagya (false renunciation).  Persons who are in the fire of false renunciation, the dry speculative habit, and who neglect devotional service are in a lamentable situation.  Persons who are attached to the ritualistic ceremonies recommended in the Vedas and to the impersonal Brahman cannot relish the transcendental pleasure of devotional service.  Therefore devotees who have already tasted the nectar of devotion should be very careful to protect devotional service from such dry speculators, formal ritual elevationists and impersonal salvationists.  Devotees should protect their valuable jewel of spiritual love from the clutches of thieves and burglars.  In other words, a pure devotee should not describe devotional service and its different analytical aspects to speculators and false renounces.*
	Vrajanatha: I have become very fortunate.  I will always honour the order that comes from your saintly mouth.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, I maintain my family by reading and lecturing on Srimad Bhagavatam.  Srimad Bhagavatam is a book describing the rasas of devotional service.  If man reads and explains Srimad Bhagavatam to the people in general in order to earn money, does he commit an offense?
	Gosvami: Ah! Srimad-Bhagavatam is the crest jewel of all scriptures.  It is the mature ripened fruit of the tree of Vedic knowledge.  In Srimad Bhagavatam (1.1.3) it is said:
	"O expert and thoughtful men, relish Srimad Bhagavatam."*
	The meaning of these words is that only the expert and thoughtful, who know how to relish the transcendental rasas are qualified to taste the nectar of Srimad Bhagavatam.  No one else is qualified.  Baba, give up this profession.  You are a person who likes to drink the nectar of the transcendental rasas.  Don't commit an offense to the rasas.  In the Vedas (Taittiriya Upanisad 2.7) it is said:
	"The Supreme Lord is rasa."
	This means that the rasas are Lord Krsna Himself.  There are many other books you could teach to maintain your material body.  Teach some other book for that purpose.  You should not read Srimad Bhagavatam to the people in general in order toe earn money.  If you find a person qualified to taste the spiritual rasas, then with great bliss you may read Srimad Bhagavatam to him, but do not accept any salary or any daksina (donation).
	Vrajanatha: O master, today you have saved me from a great offense.  What will come from the offense I have already committed?
	Gosvami: That offense will not stay.  With an honest heart surrender to the rasas and take shelter of them.  They will certainly forgive you.  You need not worry.
	Vrajanatha: O master, if need be I will accept a very lowly profession.  But I will not describe the rasas to an unqualified person, and I will not accept money for teaching about the rasas.
	Gosvami: Baba, you are very fortunate.  Lord Krsna has accepted you as His own devotee.  If this were not so, then how could you be so sincere and dedicated to devotional service?  Lord Gaura has given all His potencies to you.

Chapter Twenty-nine
Rasa-vicara
The Rasas
	Vrajanatha and Vijaya-kumara decided to stay in Jagannatha Puri for caturmasya.  After hearing about the rasas from the mouth of Sri Gopala-guru Gosvami, they both decided to follow the path of worshipping the Lord according to the rasas.  Hearing from him the glories of observing caturmasya, Vrajanatha's grandmother accepted his suggestion to stay in Jagannatha Puri.  Every morning and evening they would all see Lord Jagannatha.  They bathed in Narendra-sarovara, and they saw all there was to see in Jagannatha-puri.  With devotion they saw Lord Jagannatha as He was being served.  When he learned of their decision, Sri Gopala-guru was very happy.  He said, "O Vrajanatha, O Vijaya-kumara, I love you as a father loves his sons.  I am not happy to be separated from you.  If your stay here for many days, then I will be happy.  It is easy to find a sincere spiritual master, but it is not easy to find a sincere disciple."
	Vrajanatha humbly asked, "O master, please explain the features of the different rasas.  We will consider ourselves fortunate to hear about them from you.
	Gosvami: Your proposal is excellent.  Please hear the words Lord Gauracandra will place in my mouth.  First is santa rasa (neutrality).  In this rasa the sthayi-bhava is santa-rati.  The happiness attained in the impersonal Brahman is very slight.  The happiness attained in a relationship with the Supreme Person is much greater than that impersonal happiness.  The cause of that personal happiness is the direct perception of the Supreme Personality of Godhead's spiritual form.  The alambana (object of worship) in santa rasa is the four-armed form of Lord Narayana.  This form of the Lord manifests qualities like supreme power and opulence.  In this way the visaya and anubhava are manifested in alambana. Peaceful persons situated in santa-rasa are the asraya of santa-rati.  Atmaramas and persons who have faith in the Supreme Personality of Godhead are qualified for santa rasa.  The four sages headed by Sanaka and Sanandana are prominent among the atmaramas.  These four sages are boy sannyasis.  At first they were attached to the impersonal Brahman.  Later they became attracted to the sweetness of the form of the Supreme Person.  They began  to  worship the Lord's spiritual form.  Persons who are austere and renounced, but who have not yet thrown far away the desire for impersonal liberation, are eligible for santa-rasa.  Hearing the important Upanisads, living in a secluded place, meditating, searching for the truth, study, seeing the universal form, associating with persons engaged in devotional service mixed with impersonal speculation (jnana-misra-bhakti), and studying the Upanisads with others of equal scholarship are the uddipanas that inspire this rasa.  The fragrance of tulasi offered to the Supreme Lord's lotus feet, the sound of the conchshell, sacred mountains, sacred forests, sacred places, the Ganges, being free of material desires, and the awareness that time will eventually destroy everything material, are also uddipanas that inspire santa-rasa.
	Vrajanatha: What are the anubhavas of this rasa?
	Gosvami: Staring at the tip of the nose, acting like an avadhuta, looking for a distance of four hands as one walks, assuming the jnana-mudra (joining the forefinger and thumb), not hating the enemies of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, being slightly inclined to the devotees dear to the Lord, being attracted to the soul's liberation and the end of his residence in the material world, being neutral and aloof, being free of false ego, material possessiveness, and material pride, and feeling a sort of cool tempered love for the Supreme are included among the anubhavas of santa-rasa.  Yawning, swelling of the limbs, teaching about devotional service, bowing down before Lord Hari, and offering prayers to Lord Hari are also included among anubhavas.
	Vrajanatha: What are the sattvika ecstatic symptoms in santa-rasa?
	Gosvami: Devastation (except the aspect of falling to the ground) and being stunned are included among the many ecstatic symptoms in this rasa.  There are no passionate (dipta) ecstatic symptoms in this rasa.
	Vrajanatha: What are the sancari-bhavas in this rasa? 
	Gosvami: Lamentation, patience, joy, thoughtfulness, remembrance, melancholy, eagerness, anxiety and argumentativeness are seen among the sancari bhavas of santa-rasa.
	Vrajanatha: How many are the different kinds of santa-rati?
	Gosvami: Sthayi-bhava santa-rati is of two kinds: 1. sama (equipoised) and 2. sandra (intense).  In sama santa rati is manifested asamprajnata-samadhi, where the activities of the body are filled with awareness of the Supreme Lord's presence.  In sandra santa rati is manifested nirvikalpa-samadhi where all ignorance is destroyed and the direct manifestation of the Supreme Lord's form brings intense bliss.  On the basis of these two kinds of santa-rati, there may also be divisions of pariksya (indirect) and saksat-kara-rupa (direct) santa-rati.  Sukadeva Gosvami and Bilvamangala Thakura are examples of two persons who renounced santa-rasa and became expert in tasting the bliss of the rasas of direct devotional service.  The great scholar Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya is also an example of that.
	Vrajanatha: The books of material rhetoric (alankara) do not accept santa-rasa.  Why is that?
	Gosvami: Peacefulness is far away from all materialistic activities.  When spiritual activities are performed, then the peacefulness of santa-rasa gradually become manifested.  In this way the spiritual rasas become manifested.  The Supreme Lord Himself declared, "Faith in Me brings peacefulness."  Look, how can one attain faith in the Lord without first being situated in santa-rati?  Therefore, at the beginning of spiritual life one must first accept santa-rasa.
	Vrajanatha: Now I understand santa-bhakti-rasa.  Now please explain, one by one, the vibhavas and other aspects of dasa-rasa (servitorship).  Dasya rasa is also called prita-bhakti rasa by the panditas.  Dasya rasa is of two  kinds: 1. anugrahya-patra-dasya (the object of mercy), and 2. lalya-patra dasya (the object of affection).  Prita rasa is also divided into these two kinds: 1. sambhrama-prita (with pride) and 2. gaurava-prita (with submission).
	Gosvami: What is sambhrama-prita?
	Vrajanatha: Persons who are proud to be servants of Krsna have sambhrama-prita for Krsna, the son of Nanda.  When this rasa develops it is called sambhrama-prita.  In this rasa Krsna and Krsna's servants are both the alambanas.
	Gosvami: What form does Krsna manifest in this rasa?
	Vrajanatha: In Gokula sambhrama-prita Krsna has two arms.  In the other parts of this rasa He sometimes has two arms and sometimes four arms.  In Gokula Krsna is a cowherd boy, has two arms, holds the flute and is decorated with a peacock-feather and other ornaments.  When He is manifested outside of Gokula, Krsna is decorated with jewels and His feature is that of aisvarya (power and opulence).  Srila Rupa Gosvami (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 3.2.11-15) explains:
	"Krsna possesses the following qualities: 1. Many millions of universes come from the pores of His body, 2. He is an ocean of mercy, 3. He has inconceivable potencies, 4. He is served by all mystic powers, 5. He is the seed from which all incarnations have come.  6. His transcendental qualities attract the hearts of the liberated souls.  7. He is the supreme controller.  8. He is the supreme object of worship.  9. He knows everything.  10. He is determined.  11. He has all wealth.  12. He is tolerant and forgiving.  13. He protects the surrendered souls.  14. He is happy.  15. He is truthful.  16. He is expert.  17. He brings all auspiciousness.  18. He is powerful.  19.  He is religious.  20. He sees through the eyes of the scriptures.  21. He is the best friend of the devotee.  2. He is generous.  23.  He is glorious.  24.  He is grateful.  25.  He is the resting place of fame.  26  He is the best.  27.  He is powerful.  28. He is controlled by love.  In this way Lord Hari is the alambana (the object of love) for His four kinds of servants."
	Vrajanatha: What are these four kinds of servants?
	Gosvami: The devotees who have taken shelter of dasya-rasa are of four kinds: 1. prasrita (who humbly look down when they stand before their master), 2. ajnanuvarti (who humbly carry out their master's orders), 3. visvasta (who have full faith in their master), and 4. prabhu jnane namra-buddhi (who are humble and very conscious of their master's superiority).  These four are also called: 1. adhikrta (they who are qualified), 2. asrita (they who have taken shelter), 3. parisada (associates) and 4. anugata (followers).
	Vrajanatha: Who are the adhikrta servants?
	Gosvami: Brahma, Siva, Indra, and the other demigods and demigoddesses are adhikrta servants and maidservants.  By fulfilling various duties in the material world, the eventually become qualified (adhikrta) to serve the Supreme Lord directly.
	Vrajanatha: Who are the asrita servants?
	Gosvami: The three kinds of asrita servants are: 1. saranagata (surrendered souls), 2. jnani (wise philosophers) and 3. seva-nistha (intent on serving).  Kaliya and the kings imprisoned by Jarasandha are counted among the saranaagata servants.  Saunaka and the other sages who have rejected the desire for impersonal liberation and taken shelter of Lord Hari are counted among the jnani servants.  Because they were attached to worshipping the Lord from the very beginning of their lives Candradhvaja, Harihara, Bahulasva, Iksvaku and Pundarika are counted among both the seva-nistha and saranaagata servants.
	Vrajanatha: O master, who are the parisada servants?
	Gosvami: Uddhava, Daruka, Satyaki, Srutadeva, Satrajit, Nanda (this is another Nanda, not Lord Krsna's father), Upananda, and Bhadra are counted among the parisada servants.  Although these persons give advice to Lord Krsna, at the appropriate times they also serve Him.  Among the Kauravas, Bhisma, Pariksit, Vidura and others are counted among the parisada servants.  Among them all Uddhava, who is filled with pure love (prema) is the best.
	Vrajanatha: Who are the anuga devotees?
	Gosvami: The anugata devotees, whose hearts are always eager to serve the Lord are of two kinds: 1. the servants who stay in Dvaraka, and 2. the devotees who stay in Vraja.  Sucabdra, Mandala, Stambha, and Sutambha are included among the anuga devotees in Dvaraka.  Raktaka, Patraka, Patri, Madhukantha,  Rasala, Suvilasa, Premakandha, Makarandaka, Ananda, Candrahasa, Payoda, Bakula, Rasada and Sarada are included among the anuga servants in Vraja.  Raktaka is the best of the anuga servants in Vraja.  The parisada servants are of three kinds: 1. dhurya (leaders), 2. dhira (philosophers) and 3. vira (heroes).  The asrita servants are also of three kinds: 1. nitya-siddha (eternally perfect), 2. siddha (perfect), and 3. sadhaka (aspiring for perfection).
	Vrajanatha: What are the uddipanas of dasya-rasa?
	Gosvami: The sound of Krsna's flute, the sound of His buffalo-horn bugle, His smiling glance, hearing the narration of His glories, His lotus footprints, His bodily limbs splendid like a new monsoon cloud, and the fragrance of His transcendental body.
	Vrajanatha: What are the anubhavas of this rasa?
	Gosvami: To perform one's duties in every situation, to follow orders, to be free of envy, to make friendship with devotees sincerely surrendered to Lord Krsna, and to have faith in Lord Krsna are included among the extraordinary anubhavas of this rasa.  Dancing all the udbhasvaras, respect for Lord Krsna's personal friends, and renunciation for everything outside the realm of Krsna consciousness are also included among these anubhavas.
	Vrajanatha: What are the sattvika-vikaras (ecstatic symptoms) of these three aspects of prita-rasa (dasya rasa)?
	Gosvami: In this rasa are many sattvika-bhavas, among which being stunned is the most prominent.
	Vrajanatha: What are the vyabhicaris in this rasa?
	Gosvami: Joy, pride, determination, remorse, melancholy, humility, anxiety, remembrance, misgivings, thoughtfulness, eagerness, fickleness, argumentativeness, passion, shyness, being stunned, illusion, madness, concealment, awakening, dream, exhaustion, disease and death are the vyabhicaris of this rasa.  Arrogance,, fatigue, fear, forgetfulness, ferocity, anger, envy and sleep are not present among the vyabhicaris in this rasa.  When he meets the Lord, the devotee manifests joy, pride, and peacefulness.  When he is separated from the Lord, the devotee manifests withering away, disease and death.  The eighteen bhavas that begin with remorse are seen in all circumstances, whether the devotee meets the Lord or is separated from Him.
	Vrajanatha: I wish to know what are the sthayi-bhavas of prita-rasa.
	Gosvami: The sthayi bhava of this rasa is the love (priti) that appears in the heart when the heart is filled with awe and trembles at the thought of master.  In santa-rasa, attraction to the Supreme is the only sthayi-bhava.  In dasya-rasa, affection combined with the possessive idea that 'the Lord is mine' is the sthayi-bhava.  This respectful affection gradually grows stronger and stronger until it becomes pure affection (prema), love (sneha) and intense love (raga).  When it is free from fear and awe, and when it is deep rooted, this respectful affection (sambhrama-priti) becomes pure affection (prema).  When that pure affection becomes intense, the heart melts and the pure affection (prema) is called love (sneha).  In this condition of sneha, the devotee cannot bear even a moment's separation from the Lord.  When this love (sneha) increases to the point where the devotee finds that even his sorrow brings happiness, the love becomes intense love (raga).  At this point the devotee wishes to do whatever pleases Krsna, even if the devotees loses his own life in the process.  Adhikrta and asrita servants experience love up to the stage of prema.  The parisada servants experience love up to the stage of sneha.  Pariksit, Daruka, Uddhava, and the anuga servants in Vraja experience love up to the stage of raga.  When raga is manifested, then a small portion of sakhya-rasa (friendship inevitably comes with it).  Panditas say that in this rasa meeting with Krsna is called 'yoga' and separation from Krsna is called 'ayoga'.  Ayoga is of two kinds: 1. utkanthita (filled with longings), and 2. viyoga (tragic).  Yoga is of three kinds: 1. siddhi (perfection), 2. tusti (happiness), and 3. sthiti (residence).  Siddhi is to see Krsna after longing to meet  Him.  Tusti is to see Krsna after a long separation.  Sthiti is to live in the same place with Krsna.
	Vrajanatha: I understand sambhrama-priti (respectful affection).  Now please explain gaurava-priti (love mixed with pride).
	Gosvami: When he is proud to be able to embrace Krsna, the devotee's affection is called gaurava-priti.  When the affection present in this rasa is increased by the vibhavas and other bhavas, it becomes gaurava-priti.  Lord Hari and the servants Lord Hari love are the alambanas of this love.  In gaurava-priti the devotee thinks that Krsna is more important, more famous, more intelligent, and more strong than the devotee.  The devotee thinks Krsna is his protector and affection parent.  In this way Krsna becomes the object (visaya) of the devotee's love.  The affectionate devotees are of two kinds: 1. the devotees proud to be younger associates of Krsna, and 2. the devotees proud to be Krsna's  sons.  Sarana, Gada, and Subhadra are among the devotees proud to be younger associates of Krsna.  Pradyumna, Carudesna and Samba are among the devotees proud to be Krsna's sons.  Sri Krsna's parental affection, gentle smiles, and other activities are the uddipanas of this love.  These affection devotees sit on a seat below that of Krsna.  They respectfully follow behind Krsna.  The renounce their own wishes and fulfil Krsna's wishes.  These are the anubhavas of this relationship.  The sancaris and vyabhicaris of this relationship are like those already explained.
	Vrajanatha: What does the word 'gaurava' mean?
	Gosvami: The word "gaurva" means 'the situation where the devotee is proud to have Krsna as his father or superior (guru)."  Love that is mixed with pride to have such a relationship with Krsna is called 'gaurava-priti'.  That is the sthayi-bhava of this rasa.
	Vrajanatha: O master, now I understand the priti rasa (dasya rasa).  Now please explain the rasa that is called preya-bhakta rasa or 'sakhya-rasa'.
	Gosvami: In this rasa Krsna and His friends are the alambanas.  Krsna, who is the prince of Vraja, and who holds the flute in His two hands, is the visaya.  Krsna's friends are the asraya.
	Vrajanatha: I wish to understand the different kinds of friends Krsna has and their qualities and features.
	Gosvami: Their forms, qualities, and garments are like those of Krsna's servants.  However, Krsna's friends are confident to approach Krsna as equals.  They are not filled with awe and veneration like Krsna's servants.  These friends are of two kinds: 1. friends in Dvaraka and 2. friends in Vraja.  Arjun, Bhimsena, Draupadi, and Sridama Vipra are among the friends in Dvaraka, and the other cities.  Among them, Arjuna is the best.  The friends in Vraja are always eager to see Krsna.  Krsna is their very life.  They are the best of Krsna's friends.  In Vraja, Krsna has four kinds of friends: 1. suhrt (well-wishers), 2. sakha (friends), 3. priya-sakha (confidential friends) and 4. priya-narma-vayasya (intimate friends).  Krsna's well-wisher friends are a little bit older than Krsna and they have some parental affection for Him.  Because of their being older than Krsna, they always try to protect Him from any harm.  As such, they sometimes bear weapons so that they can chastise any mischievous persons who want to harm Krsna.  Counted among the well wisher friends are Subhadra, Mandalibhadra, Bhadravardhana, Gobhata, Yaksa, Indrabhata, Bhadranga, Virabhadra, Mahaguna, Vijaya, and Balabhadra.*  Among these friends Balabhadra and Mandalibhadra are the best.  Friends who are younger than Krsna, who are always attached to Him, and who give Him all kinds of service are called ordinary friends, or simply friends.  Such ordinary friends are called sakhas, and the names of some sakhas are Visala, Vrsabha, Ojasvi, Devaprastha, Varuthapa, Maranda, Kusumapida, Manibandha, and Karandhama.*  Among them Devaprastha is the best.  The more confidential friends are called priya-sakhas and are almost Krsna's age.  Because of their very confidential friendship, their behaviour is only on the basis of pure friendship.  Some confidential friends are as follows: Sridama, Sudama, Dama, Vasudama, Kinkini, Stoka-krsna, Amsu, Bhadrasena, Vilasi, Pundarika, Vitanka, and Kalavinka.  There are other friends who are more confidential than the suhrt, sakha and priya-sakha friends.  They are called priya-narma or intimate friends.  Counted among the priya-narma friends are Subala, Arjuna, Gandharva, Vasanta, and Ujjvala.* Among them, Ujjvala, who is always eager to speak joking words, is the best.  Among these friends some are nitya-siddha (eternally perfect), others are suracara (demigods who eventually attained this rasa) and others are sadhaka (human beings who by performing devotional service eventually attained this rasa).  The friends serve Krsna in many different ways.  Thus they perform a wonderful variety of different activities.
	Vrajanatha: What are the uddipanas of this rasa?
	Gosvami: Krsna's age, His beauty, His bugle, His flute, His conchshell, His pleasing attitude, His exceptional joking abilities, His great power, and His playful activities all provoke (uddipana) love in friendship for Him.  When Krsna is spending His days as a cowherd boy, he is in the kaumara and pauganda ages.  In the kaisora age, when Krsna appeared in Gokula, He acted as a cowherd boy, and then, when He was sixteen, He went  to Mathura.
	Vrajanatha: I request that you explain to me the anubhavas of Krsna's friends.
	Gosvami: Krsna played with His intimate friends sometimes by fighting or wrestling with their arms, sometime by playing ball, and sometimes by playing chess.  Sometimes they carried one another on their shoulders and sometimes they exhibited their expertness at whirling logs.  And the cowherd friends used to please Krsna by sitting together with Him on couches or on swings by lying together on their beds, by joking together, and by swimming in the pool,* by playing with the monkeys and other animals and by dancing, singing and other activities.  All these activities are called anubhava.  The suhrt friends used to sit together and advise one another what to do, sometimes inducing one another to be engaged in welfare work.  The sakha friends would offer betel nuts to one another, decorate one another's faces with tilaka, or smear pulp of candana on one another's bodies.  The priya-sakha friends wanted to defeat Krsna.  Sometimes they used to snatch His clothing or snatch away the flowers from His hands.  Sometimes they would try to induce one another to decorate His body for Him, and failing this, they were always ready to fight, challenging one another to combat in wrestling.  The priya-narma-sakha friends would make arrangements for Krsna's madhura-lila.  Like the servants, these friends also decorated Krsna with forest flowers and fanned Him.
	Vrajanatha: What are the sattvika bhavas and sancari-bhavas of this rasa?
	Gosvami: They are like those for dasya-rasa, only a little more.
	Vrajanatha: What is the sthayi-bhava for this rasa?
	Gosvami: Srila Rupa Gosvami explains (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 3.3.105):
	"When there are dealing between Krsna and His friends, which are completely devoid of any feelings of respect and they all treat one another on an equal level, such ecstatic love in friendship is called sthayi."*
	Vrajanatha: What does the word 'visrambha' mean here?
	Gosvami: It is said (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 3.3.106):
	"Visrambha means firm confidence that one is equal to his friend."
	Vrajanatha: How does this kind of friendship develop?
	Gosvami: The stages of sakhya-rasa are: prema, sneha, raga and pranaya.
	Vrajanatha: What are the qualities of pranaya?
	Gosvami: In this kind of love awe and veneration are completely absent, even in situations where they might be appropriate.  Sakhya-rasa is very wonderful and unprecedented.  Sakhya-rasa is very different from either dasya-rasa or vatsalya-rasa.  Among all the rasa, sakhya-rasa is especially dear to Krsna.  And why not?  Krsna and His friends have a very close relationship.  In some ways the spiritual ecstasy of sakhya-rasa is almost similar to the ecstasy of madhurya-rasa.

Chapter Twenty-six
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 Krsna is the visaya, and His elder relatives and superiors are the asraya.  Krsna'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 Krsna'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 Krsna'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 Siva, 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 Krsna 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 Krsna, 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 Krsna'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 Krsna, 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 Vaisnavas 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 Krsna, then they are anurasa.  When chivalry and other like rasas only approach the borderline of having a relationship with Krsna, they are also considered anurasa.
	Vrajanatha: If these sentiments have no relationship with Krsna, 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 Krsna.  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 Krsna, but it is distant.  One cannot see a direct relationship with Krsna.  In such a situation there is anurasa.
	Vrajanatha: What is aparasa?
	Gosvami: If Krsna becomes the object of His enemy's laughter or other unfavourable sentiment, that is called aparasa.  When he saw Krsna 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 Vaisnavas 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 Vaisnavas 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 Krsna's daily pastimes.  Following these pastimes, they worshipped the Lord during the eight portions of the day.

Chapter Thirty-one
Madhura-rasa-vicara
Madhura-rasa
	Autumn came.  After five hours of night, the moon rose.  Vijaya-kumara thought, "I should see Sraddhavali and Sundaracala.  Vijaya-kumara had studied the method of worshipping the Lord in pure madhura-rasa.  He liked only Lord Krsna's pastimes in Vraja and nothing else.  He was always rapt in thinking of Lord Krsna's pastimes with the gopis in Vraja.  He had heard that Lord Mahaprabhu saw Sundaracala as the land of Vraja.  Vijaya-kumara set out for Sundaracala.  He crossed the Balagandi and began to proceed toward Sraddhavali.  AS he walked he saw gardens on both sides.  Finally Vrndavana appeared before him.  Plunged in an ocean of spiritual love, Vijaya-kumara said, "Ah! How fortunate I have become today!  Today I can see Vraja Puri, which even Brahma and the demigods cannot easily attain.  Here is a forest garden.  Here, in a bower of malati and madhavi vines, Sri Krsna, the master of my life, is joking with the gopis."  Pushing aside all feelings of awe and veneration, agitated Vijaya-kumara ran to that place.  As he was running, Vijaya-kumara fainted and fell unconscious to the ground.  A gentle breeze blew on Vijaya-kumara.  After a short time Vijaya-kumara became conscious again.  He looked in one direction and then another.  Not seeing the Lord's pastimes, he became unhappy at heart.  Eventually Vijaya-kumara returned home.  He went to bed.  He did not tell anyone what he had seen.  The sight of Lord Krsna's pastimes in Vraja made Vijaya-kumara's heart blossom with joy.  In his heart Vijaya-kumara thought, "Today I have seen something very confidential.  Tomorrow I will tell my spiritual master."  After a few moments he remembered that a person who sees the Lord's confidential pastimes should not reveal that fact to anyone.  Thinking about this again and again, he gradually fell asleep.  When he rose in the morning he could think of nothing else.  He honoured prasadam, went to the home of Kasi-misra and offered dandavat obeisances to his spiritual master.  His spiritual master respectfully embraced him and asked about his welfare.  Vijaya-kumara kept his eyes on his spiritual master's lotus feet.  With a steady heart he asked about the madhura-rasa.
	Vijaya-kumara, "O master, you have been merciful to me without limit.  I would like to ask a question about the confidential truths of the splendid madhura-rasa.  I have been reading Sri Ujjvala-nilamani, and some parts of it I do not understand."  Hearing this, the spiritual master replied, "Baba, you are a very dear disciple of mine.  You may place your questions before me.  I will answer as far as I am able.  
	Vijaya-kumara said, "O master, it is said that among the five primary rasas, the madhura rasa is the most confidential.  And why not?  Madhura rasa eternally possesses all the virtues present in santa, dasya, sakhya and vatsalya rasas.  Madhura rasa is the most wonderful and beautiful of all rasas.  How can there be any doubt?  Persons who follow the path of dry renunciation are completely unqualified to understand the truth of madhura rasa.  On the other hand, the path followed by the materialists is not a good path to follow.  The Vraja madhura rasa is completely different from material sexual activities.  The madhura rasa cannot be understood very easily.  If the madhura rasa is so wonderful, why it is so much like the affairs of ordinary men and women in the material world?
	Gosvami: Baba Vijaya-kumara, you know very well that the wonderful variety present in the material world is only a perverted reflection of the wonderful variety present in the spiritual world.  The confidential truth here is that in a reflection everything is the reverse of the original.  Thus what is highest in the original is lowest in the reflection, and what is lowest in the original is highest in the reflection.  When we look in the mirror, we see our limbs reflected in reverse.  That is easy to understand,  In the same way, when the shadow of the Supreme Lord's inconceivable potency is reflected in the material world, that reflected image is in reverse.  Thus when the spiritual rasas are reflected in the material world, that reflected image is in reverse.  The Absolute truth has a great variety of unprecedented and wonderful happinesses.  The highest stage of those happinesses is the rasas.  The conditioned souls think of these rasas only in terms of their material reflections.  Some thinkers claim that the spiritual truth has no variety.  These persons try to become one with the Supreme.  They think variety exists only in the material world and in the world of spirit there is no variety.  These persons cannot understand the truth about the spiritual world.  However, a person who takes shelter of logic and simple common sense can easily understand the truth.  The reality is that the Supreme is the resting place of all rasas.  Therefore wonderful variety exists in Him.  The great variety of material rasas are all reflected from Him.  Therefore, by looking at the material rasas we can understand something of the original spiritual rasa, which cannot be perceived by the material senses.  A great variety of rasas exist within the Supreme.  That much may be understood.  The lowest rasa in the spiritual world is the peaceful rasa called santa-rasa.  Above that is dasya-rasa.  Above dasya rasa is sakhya rasa.  Above sakhya rasa is vatsalya rasa.  Then, above them all, is madhura rasa.  However, when these rasas are reflected in the material world, their positions are all inverted.  Thus, in the material world the madhura rasa is in the lowest position.  Above that is vatsalya rasa.  Above vatsalya rasa is sakhya rasa.  Above sakhya rasa is dasya rasa.  Then, above them all, is santa rasa.  They who analyse the different rasas in the material world come to the conclusion that madhura rasa is the lowest of all.  That is why the activities of madhura rasa in the material world are very unimportant and are a source of embarrassment.  However, in the spiritual world the madhura rasa is the most pure of all the rasas.  It is filled with purity, splendour and wonderful sweetness.  In the spiritual world when Krsna, the supreme male, meets with His potencies, who are all female, Their activities are supremely pure.  Their activities are the root of spiritual reality.  However, the perverted reflection of those activities in the material world is degraded and a source of embarrassment.  The truth is that Krsna is the only male, and His potencies are all female.  Therefore, in this rasa in the spiritual world there is nothing that is impious or goes against the teachings of religion.  In the material world one individual soul is the enjoyer and another individual soul is the enjoyed.  In this way the material madhura rasa contradicts the original spiritual reality.  That is why the material madhura rasa is the resting place of revulsion and embarrassment.  The truth is that it is not possible for one individual soul to be the enjoyer of another individual soul.  All individual souls are meant to be enjoyed, and Lord Krsna is the only enjoyer.  It is because it is so much in opposition to the true nature of the individual soul that the material madhura rasa is so abominable, repulsive, and embarrassing.  How can there be any doubt?  Look, consider the nature of a reflection in a mirror?  There must be some similarity between the reflected material couples in the material world and their origin in Lord Krsna's supreme pure transcendental pastimes.  However, the difference between them is that one is the most abominable and the other is the most exalted.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, now my life is a success.  I fully accept your very pleasing conclusion.  Now my doubt is destroyed.  Now I am able to understand the madhura rasa present in the spiritual world. Ah, the very word 'madhura rasa' is sweet.  It is spiritual and free from the touch of matter.  It is the source of supreme transcendental bliss.  Who is so unfortunate that he will refer to the happiness of santa rasa to the sweet happiness of madhura rasa?  O master, I am very eager to understand the madhura rasa.  Please be merciful to me.
	Gosvami: Baba, please listen carefully, and I will speak. In madhura rasa Krsna is the visaya and His beloveds are the asraya.  Their meeting is the alambana.
	Vijaya-kumara: What are the features of Krsna when He is the visaya in madhura rasa?
	Gosvami: Ah! That is a very pleasing question.  Krsna's complexion is the colour of a new rain cloud.   He is charming.  All His features are sweet and charming.  He is the strongest.  His youthfulness is always new and fresh.  He speaks eloquently and sweetly.  He is intelligence, glorious, sober, profound the best, famous, charming to all women, always new and fresh, the enjoyer of incomparable transcendental pastimes, handsome, the most dear and expert at playing the flute.  The supreme male Krsna has  many transcendental qualities like these.  The glory of all the Kamadevas is at once eclipsed by a mere glimpse of the glory of Krsna's feet.  Lord Krsna's sidelong glance enchants the hearts of all.  Krsna is the great treasure of transcendental pastimes.  He is the good fortune attained by the gopis.
	Vijaya-kumara: Krsna has a great host of wonderful spiritual qualities.  Krsna is the only hero of the wonderful and spiritual madhura rasa.  Now I can fully understand all this.  Previously I studied many scriptures.  I had praise only for material logic.  Even though I would sometimes meditate on Lord Krsna, I did not have firm faith in Him.  But now, by your mercy a little bit of devotion, devotion that is the root of attraction to Krsna, has risen in my heart.  Now that my heart has become purified by devotion, I have attained the direct perception of Lord Krsna.  I turned away from Krsna.  But still Krsna never left my heart.  Ah, how merciful He is!  Now I can understand these words (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 2.5.131-132):
	"Non devotees cannot understand the transcendental mellows experienced between the devotee and the Lord. In all respects, this is very difficult, but one who has dedicated everything to the lotus feet of Krsna can taste the transcendental mellows.*
	"When one transcends the status of ecstatic love and thus becomes situated on the highest platform of pure goodness, one is understood to have cleansed the heart of all material contamination.  In that pure stage of life, one tastes this nectar, and this tasting capacity is called 'rasa' or transcendental mood.
	O master, now I can directly understand that the true rasas are the splendid spiritual rasas in the heart.  The so-called rasas in the material world are not the true rasas.  The true rasas are in the spiritual world.  Each living being is a tiny particle of spirit, a soul.  When the soul becomes rapt in the meditation of devotional service (bhakti-samadhi), then the spiritual rasas are manifested in him.  By the mercy of the spiritual master one is able to understand both the soul's pure, original, spiritual identity, and the soul's conditioned existence in the material world.  One who understands this has no doubts.
	Gosvami: Baba Vijaya-kumara all you say is true.  To further remove any doubts you may still have, I will explain more about the spiritual truth.  Tell me: What is the relationship of pure truth and mixed truth?
	Vijaya-kumara: (offering dandavat obeisances to his spiritual master's feet's) O master, only by your mercy I will be able to speak properly.  If my explanations are faulty, then please be merciful and correct me.  That which truly exists is called 'existence' (satta).  Thus it is said that there is 'true existence of a particular place' (sthiti-satta), 'true existence of a form' (rupa-satta), 'true existence of certain qualities' (guna satta) and 'true existence of certain activities' (kriya-satta).  True existence (satta) has neither beginning nor end.  True existence is manifested in an eternal present, uncontaminated by past or future.  It is filled with many great wonders and it is perfectly pure in nature.  That is pure existence (suddha-sattva).  Pure existence is manifested by the Lord's pure spiritual potency (suddha-cit-sakti).  The material world of maya, where past and future are manifested, is only a shadow of the original spiritual potency (cit-sakti).  When that something is seen to begin its existence in the world of maya, that beginning comes from the material mode of passion.  When something is seen to come to an end in the material world of maya, that ending comes from the material mode of ignorance.  These kinds of existence are all mixed.  The pure spirit soul, however, is unmixed, pure existence (suddha-sattva).  The form, qualities, and activities of the pure soul are all pure existence (suddha-sattva.  However, when the individual spirit soul is imprisoned by maya, the soul's qualities are seen to be mixed with the material modes of passion and ignorance.
	Gosvami: Baba, your analysis is very subtle.  Now please tell me: How does the living entity's heart become enlightened with pure existence?
	Vijaya-kumara: As long as he remains imprisoned in the material world, the soul does not manifest its original, pure existence.  Only the is the soul's original, pure form manifested.  The soul's original form is not manifested as a result of impersonal speculation (jnana-cesta) or fruitive work (karma cesta).  How can one become clean if he washes himself with dirt?  Spiritual knowledge is like fire.  With the fire of knowledge one should burn away the contamination of materialism.  How does one attain the spiritual happiness that comes from washing away the contamination of matter?  By the mercy of Krsna and the Vaisnavas one attains devotional service.  By engaging in devotional service one regains his original spiritual identity.  When that original identity is regained, the heart becomes effulgent with pure spiritual existence.
	Gosvami: Baba, I am very happy to teach a qualified student like you.  What other questions do you have?
	Vijaya-kumara: Previously you said that there are four kinds of heroes: dhirodatta, dhira-lalita, dhira-prasanta and dhirodhatta.  Which kind of hero is Krsna?
	Gosvami: Krsna is all four of these heroes.  If one asks how a personality can be beheld in four quite opposing ways the answer is that the Lord is the reservoir of all transcendental qualities and activities.  Therefore, His different aspects can be analysed according to the exhibition of Hi limitless variety of pastimes, and as such there is no contradiction.*
	Vijaya-kumara: If you are merciful, then please kindly explain all this.  (speaking these words), Vijaya-kumara fell, with tears in his eyes at the feet of his spiritual master.  The saintly Gosvami lifted him up, embraced him, and tears flowing from his own eyes, began to speak.
	Gosvami: In madhura rasa Krsna assumes two roles: that of husband and that of paramour.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, Krsna is our eternal husband.  How can He be a paramour?
	Gosvami: This is very confidential.  In the realm of spiritual activities, madhura rasa is a secretly hidden jewel.  Among the many jewels of madhura rasa, the jewel where Krsna assumes the role of paramour (parakiya) is the best, the Kaustubha jewel.
	Vijaya-kumara: The devotees who have taken shelter of madhura rasa worship Krsna as their husband.  What is this secret, that Krsna can be a paramour?
	Gosvami: If the Supreme is impersonal and without qualities, then there is no possibility of a rasa with Him.  If He is impersonal, the Veda's declaration, 'raso vai sah' (The Supreme Personality of Godhead is the reservoir of transcendental rasas) has no meaning.  If the Supreme has neither qualities nor happiness, then He cannot have any contact with rasa.  Only if He has qualities may He have contact with rasa.  The rasas are manifested in the heart.  The rasas cannot be manifested in relation to an impersonal qualityless Supreme.  They are manifest only in relation to the Supreme Person.  In santa rasa the Lord's supreme power and opulence are prominent.  The dasya rasa, where the Lord's position as the supreme master is prominent, is above santa rasa.  The sakhya rasa, where the idea that one is the Lord's equal is prominent, is above dasya rasa.  The vatsalya rasa where the idea that one is the Lord's superior is prominent, is above sakhya rasa.  The madhura rasa is above the vatsalya-rasa.  It is above all the other rasas.  In madhura rasa, parakiya is above svakiya.  These two are based on 'atma' (myself) and 'para' (another person).  The one means that one is Krsna's, and the other means that one belongs to another.  These two opposites are both manifested in relation to the Supreme Person.  In one part of Krsna's pastimes, svakiya love is manifested, and in another part of His pastimes parakiya love is manifested.  When the hero and heroine passionately meet, that is the wonderful parakiya rasa.  Parakiya rasa is much great then svakiya rasa.  The svakiya rasa is dry in comparison, and the parakiya rasa is blossoming with happiness.  When Krsna is the hero, parakiya rasa is not at all abominable.  If an individual soul is the hero, then one can consider whether his actions follow the path of religion or oppose it.  If an individual soul is the hero in parakiya love, then that is very abominable.  Therefore philosophers affirm that an individual soul who becomes a paramour is very rehensible.  Srila Rupa Gosvami explains that in books of ordinary material rhetoric (alankara-sastra) it is accepted that a paramour is in an inferior position.  This is true for a material paramour, but it is not true for Sri Krsna, the spiritual Supreme Personality of Godhead, the origin of all incarnations.
	Vijaya-kumara: Lord Krsna then appears as both husband and paramour.  Please first explain His role as husband.
	Gosvami: When He accepts a girl's hand in marriage, then He is the husband.
	Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of His role as paramour and His parakiya rasa?
	Gosvami: When love becomes everything for Him, and when, passionately desiring another's wife, He jumps over the rules of religion, then He is a paramour.  When He ignores the religious rules that govern this life and the next and when He has only contempt for the institution of marriage, and when He thus offers Himself to a girl, then Lord Krsna enjoys the parakiya rasa.  In parakiya rasa there are two kinds of heroines: 1. an unmarried girl and 2. the wife of another.
	Vijaya-kumara: What is the nature of svakiya rasa?
	Gosvami: When He accepts a girl's hand in marriage, becomes her husband, and protects her, and when she is always faithful to Him, that is svakiya rasa.
	Vijaya-kumara: When does Sri Krsna accept the svakiya and parakiya rasas?
	Gosvami: When He marries the queens in Dvaraka, He accepts svakiya rasa and when He becomes the lover of the girls of Vraja, He accepts the parakiya-rasa.
	Vijaya-kumara: What is the position of these two kinds of beloveds in Lord Krsna's unmanifested pastimes?
	Gosvami: This is very confidential.  You know that Lord Krsna's opulences are four quarters.  Three quarters are the spiritual world, and one quarter is the material world.  Within that one quarter of the Lord's opulences exist the material universes that have fourteen planetary systems.  On the boundary that divides the material and spiritual world flows the Viraja river.  On the father shore of the Viraja is the spiritual world.  The spiritual world is enclosed by a wall of light called the Brahmajyoti.  Beyond that wall may be seen the spiritual sky of Vaikuntha.  In Vaikuntha the Lord's opulence is prominent.  There Lord Narayanacandra, the king of kings, is served by numberless spiritual opulences.  In Vaikuntha the Lord accepts only the svakiya rasa.  There Sri, Bhu, Nila and the other wives serve their husband, Lord Narayana.  Above Vaikuntha is Goloka.  In Vaikuntha the Dvaraka queens serve Krsna according to svakiya rasa.  In Goloka the girls of Vraja serve Krsna according to their own rasa.
	Vijaya-kumara: If Goloka is Lord Krsna's highest abode, why is Vraja gloried as the most wonderful place?
	Gosvami: Vraja, Gokula, Vrndavana, and many other places are all situated within Mathura-mandala.  Goloka is the highest abode.  When it is manifested within the material world, Goloka is called Mathura-mandala.  They are both the highest abode.
	Vijaya-kumara: How is that possible?  I don't understand.
	Gosvami: It is possible by the power of Lord Krsna's inconceivable potency.  Lord Krsna's inconceivable potency cannot be understood by material thought process or material logic, the spiritual realm called Goloka comes to the material world and is then called Mathura-mandala.  In the Lord's unmanifested pastimes (aprakata-lila) that same world is called Goloka.  Lord Krsna's transcendental pastimes are eternal.  When one is qualified to see pure spirit, then he can see the world of Goloka.  Then he sees that the Gokula present in the material world is the same as Goloka in the spiritual world.  However, when a person's intelligence is tortured by material ideas, he cannot see that Goloka is the same as Gokula.  He sees that they are different.  He sees that Gokula is part of the material world.
	Vijaya-kumara: How does one become qualified to see Goloka?
	Gosvami: Sri Sukadeva Gosvami explains (Srimad Bhagavatam 10.28.14-15):
	"Krsna immediately thought that His devotees in Vrndavana should be informed of the spiritual sky and the Vaikuntha planets therein.  Thus Krsna showed them the eternal, ever-existing spiritual sky, which is unlimited and full of knowledge.  Information of the spiritual sky can be had only from great sages and saintly persons who have already surpassed the influence of the three material modes of nature."*
	Baba, with Krsna's mercy, no one can see Goloka.  It was by His mercy that the people of Vraja were able to see Goloka.  Goloka is the supreme spiritual abode, far beyond the material world.  It contains all wonders.  It is eternal and spiritual.  It is the home of limitless spiritual pastimes.  The spiritual effulgence called Brahmajyoti is the eternal effulgence emanating from Goloka.  The devotees who have completely renounced the material world are able to see Goloka as it is.
	Vijaya-kumara: Are all liberated souls able to see Goloka?
	Gosvami: Among millions and millions of liberated souls it is hard to find a single devotee of the Supreme Lord.  Persons who follow the path of astanga yoga or the path of impersonal speculation may attain liberation, but in that kind of liberation they forget their original spiritual identity in the spiritual world of Vraja.  Devotees who are attracted by the Supreme Lord's opulences also cannot see the world of Goloka.  Following their hearts, they go to Vaikuntha and there they serve the Supreme Lord in His form of opulence and majesty.  Among the devotees who worship Krsna according to the rasas of Vraja, only they who by Lord Krsna's mercy are released from Maya's prison are able to see Goloka.
	Vijaya-kumara: Well, if one these few liberated souls can see Goloka, then why is Goloka described in Sri Brahma-samhita, Hari-vamsa, Padma Purana and other scriptures?  Simply by worshipping Him in Vraja one can easily attain Lord Krsna's mercy.  Why, then do all these scriptures describe Goloka?
	Gosvami: A rasika devotee who worships Krsna according to the rasas of Vraja Lord Krsna lifts from the material world and places in Goloka.  Such a person can see Goloka in full.  Among the pure devotees who worship Krsna in Vraja some, very few are able to see Goloka.  There are two kinds of devotees: siddha (perfect devotees) and sadhaka (aspiring devotees).  The sadhaka devotees are not qualified to see Goloka.  The siddha devotees are of two kinds: vastu-siddha (perfect in reality) and svarupa siddha (perfect in conception).  The vastu-siddha devotees are persons who by Lord Krsna's mercy are taken directly to Goloka.  The svarupa-siddha devotees are persons who, although they are not taken, by Lord Krsna's mercy, from the material world and placed in Goloka, can still see the true form of Goloka.  There are many kinds of devotees whose eyes of devotional service are gradually opened, by Lord Krsna's mercy.  Some can see a little of Goloka, some can see more of Goloka and some can see a great deal of Goloka.  According to the degree they have attain Lord Krsna's mercy, to that degree they can see Goloka.  In the stage of sadhana the devotee can have a brief glimpse of Goloka in Gokula in the material world.  When a devotee leaves the stage of sadhana-bhakti and attains bhava-bhakti, then he can see Goloka to a greater extent.  When a devotee attains the stage of prema, then he can see Goloka to a very great extent.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, what is the difference between Goloka and Vraja?
	Gosvami: Whatever can be seen in Vraja can also be seen in Goloka.  However, persons with different kinds of qualification may see Vraja differently.  The truth is that Goloka and Vrndavana are not different in anyway.  However, there may be differences in different persons' ability to see.  A person tightly bound by the mode of ignorance will see Vraja as just another place in the material world.  A person influenced by the mode of passion will see Vraja as a pleasant place.  A person in the mode of pure goodness will see Vraja more clearly than the others.  In this way different people are more or less able to properly see the land of Vraja.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, I can understand a little.  Please give one or two examples to help me understand.  Examples comparing things in the spiritual world to things in the material world are always imperfect.  Still, they can be useful, for the nature of one thing can be hinted by comparing it to another.
	Gosvami: This is a very difficult topic.  If one has a direct spiritual vision, he is forbidden to reveal it to others.  If by Krsna's mercy one is able to see directly, one must keep that revelation always a secret.  I will repeat to you what the previous acaryas have taught about this.  Anything more than that you will soon see for yourself by Lord Krsna's mercy.  Pure spiritual perception exists in Goloka.  Material ideas do not exist there at all.  To nourish the rasas, the Lord's spiritual potency (cit-sakti) manifests all wonderful states of being (bhava).  In this way many ideas and conceptions are manifested.  In Goloka Krsna is beginningless.  He is never born.  Still, to help the Lord's pastimes, the Lord's spiritual potency convinces Nanda and Yasoda that they are Krsna's parents.  In this way the vatsalya rasa is manifested.  In madhura rasa the wonderful varieties of vipralambha (separation) and sambhoga (enjoying pastimes together) are also manifested by the Lord's spiritual potency.  In this way the parakiya rasa and svakiya rasa are manifested in an eternal present (nitya-vartamana). Look, in this way many different ideas and beliefs are manifested by Yogamaya in Vraja.  Yogamaya convinces Yasoda that Krsna was born in her maternity room.  Yogamaya convinces the gopis that they were married to Abhimanyu, Govardhana-gopa, and others.  In this way the parakiya rasa is nourished.  These various ideas and beliefs created by Yogamaya are not really untrue.  They are part of the total reality of Goloka.  Thus the different residents of Goloka do indeed see things differently.
	Vijaya-kumara: Should one purify his thoughts by meditating on the Lord's pastimes in the eight periods of the day (asta-kalina-lila) and in this way be able to see the Lord in meditation?
	Gosvami: It is not like that.  One first sees the Lord's pastimes in Vraja, and then one remembers those pastimes of the eight periods of the day.  By engaging in devotional service one obtains Krsna's mercy, and then the Lord's pastimes are manifested before one.  There is no need to first purify one's thoughts by meditating on the Lord's pastimes.
	Vijaya-kumara: It is said:
	"One attains perfection that corresponds to his meditation."
	Does this mean that when one attains perfection he will obtain what he meditated on during the period of sadhana-bhakti?  Therefore one should strive to meditate purely one Goloka.
	Gosvami: What you say is true.  All the ideas and beliefs present in vraja are pure truths.  There is nothing imperfect or wrong with about them.  If there were anything untrue about them, they would be faulty.  When one perfectly practices sadhana bhakti, he attains perfection.  What one purely meditates on during the practice of sadhana bhakti, one directly sees when one attains perfection.  Try to perform the duties of sadhana bhakti nicely.  Do not try to purify these activities.  To purify them is beyond your power.  With His inconceivable potency, Lord Krsna Himself will purify them.  If you try to purify them yourself, you will be pricked by the thorn of material ideas.  If Krsna is merciful to you, the fruit you pick will not be bitter.
	Vijaya-kumara: Today I have become fortunate.  I have one more question.  Do the Lord's wives in Dvaraka reside in Vaikuntha?  If not, do they reside in Goloka?
	Gosvami: All bliss is found in Vaikuntha in the spiritual world.  There is no attainment higher than Vaikuntha.  Dvaraka and all the cities where the Lord resides are manifested in Vaikuntha.  each in her own abode, the Lord's wives in these different cities serve the Lord there.  As far as madhura-rasa is concerned, only the girls in Vraja reside in Goloka.  Whatever pastimes were manifested in Vraja in the material world are all manifested in Goloka. Also, in the Gopala-tapani Upanisad it is seen that Rukmini devi, following the svakiya rasa, enjoys pastimes in Mathura-puri in Goloka.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, the activities of parakiya rasa are manifested in a certain sequence in Vraja in the material world.  Are they all manifested in exactly the same sequence in Goloka?
	Gosvami: They are all exactly the same.  They are all spiritual.  Only the beliefs created by Yogamaya are absent.  Those beliefs do not remain there.  Only the pure spiritual part remains there.  I cannot explain that any  more clearly.  By the power of your devotional activities you will come to understand what I mean.
	Vijaya-kumara: At the time of cosmic devastation the entire material world disappears.  How, then, is it possible that the Supreme Lord enjoys pastimes eternally in His abode of Vraja in the material world?
	Gosvami: The Lord's pastimes in Vraja are eternal in two ways.  Travelling in a great circle through the numberless material universes, the Lord manifests all His pastimes, one after another.  In this way the Lord's pastimes are manifested eternally.  Also, the Lord's pastimes always exist in the spiritual eternal present (nitya-vartamana), even when they may be invisible to material eyes (aprakata).
	Vijaya-kumara: If the Lord openly manifests (prakata-lila) His pastimes in every material universe, does that mean that every universe has its own land of Vraja?	
	Gosvami: Yes, it does.  Goloka has the power to manifest itself anywhere.  In every material universe the abode of the Lord's pastimes is manifested.  The world of Goloka also manifests itself in the heart of every devotee of the Lord.  Why does the land of Mathura (Mathura-mandala) continue to exist in the material world, even though the Lord no longer manifests (prakata) His pastimes there?
	Vijaya-kumara: The Lord continues to enjoy pastimes there eternally, even though those pastimes cannot be seen by material eyes (aprakata).  Also, to show mercy to the devotees, the Lord keeps His abode manifested in the material world.
	In that way the day's conversation ended.  Again and again thinking of the Lord's pastimes during the eight periods of the day (asta-kaliya-seva), Vijaya-kumara returned to his residence.

Chapter Thirty-two
Madhura-rasa-vicara
Madhura-rasa
	Vijaya-kumara honoured prasadam and took rest at night.  Vrajanatha completed his devotional activities, chanted the holy names of Lord on his beads, and went to sleep.  Vijaya-kumara did not sleep.  He used to think that Goloka was a different place.  Now he could understand that Goloka and Gokula were not different.  The parakiya rasa has its root in Goloka.  However, how could Krsna be a paramour?  That was his only doubt.  Now he thought, "Krsna is the Absolute Truth.  The potency and the master of potencies are not different.  If Krsna and His potency are not different, then how can Krsna be the husband or the paramour of His potency?"  Once he thought, "Tomorrow I will place this question before my spiritual master, and he will remove my doubt."  Then again he thought, "It would not be good to ask the master again about Goloka.  Still, I must throw this doubt far away."  Thinking very seriously about all this, he fell asleep.  Asleep, he dreamed that he met his spiritual master and placed this question before him.  In the dream his spiritual master resolved the doubt.  The spiritual master said, "Baba, Vijaya-kumara, Krsna's desires are not dependent on the wishes of others, pushed here and there like an elephant prodded with a goad.  He eternally desires to conceal His own opulence and divine power, and instead manifest His charming sweetness.  He makes His potency exist as a separate entity.  Then His potency manifests Herself as millions and millions of beautiful girls.  In this way His potency serves Him very diligently.  Krsna is not very pleased when His potency serves Him in the mood of opulence.  With the wonderful power of His potency, He makes these manifestations of His potency into married girls.  Then He becomes their sole paramour.  Desiring to enjoy the parakiya-rasa, Krsna rejects His own natural self-sufficiency (atmarama-dharma), and enjoys the rasa dance and other wonderful pastimes with His potencies, who are all convinced that they are the wives of others.  In all these activities, His flute becomes a dear friend.  In this way the parakiya-rasa is eternally perfect in the realm of Goloka.  It is for this purpose that the pastime forests of Goloka and Vrndavana exist.  Vraja's rasa-mandala, Yamuna shore, Govardhana Hill, and other pastimes places all exist in Goloka also.  In this way svakiya rasa and parakiya rasa both exist in Goloka.  Pure svakiya rasa is splendidly manifested in Vaikuntha.  Svakiya rasa and parakiya rasa, which are simultaneously one and different from each other, are both seen in Goloka.  Look.  This is very wonderful.  Although the parakiya-rasa in Vraja seems to be material and Krsna seems to be an ordinary paramour, the truth is that it is not material and Krsna is not a paramour at all.  And why not?  Krsna has been enjoying the company of His potencies from a time without beginning.  Their relationship is actually the perfection of svakiya-rasa, of the love of a husband and wife.  That His potencies are married to others and Krsna is their paramour is only an idea created to nourish the bliss of Their pastimes in Vraja.  This same idea also nourishes the Lord's pastimes in Goloka, which is far from the world of matter.  In Gokula, which is manifested within the material world, Yogamaya creates the idea that Krsna's potencies are married to others and Krsna is their paramour."
	Hearing this explanation in his dream, Vijaya-kumara threw all his doubts far away.  He became fully convinced that Goloka beyond the material world, and Gokula situated within the material world are indeed the same place.  Then the bliss of the rasas of Vraja appeared in his heart.  He became firmly convinced of Krsna's eternal pastimes in Vraja during the eight periods of the day (asta-kalina).  Rising the next morning, he thought, "My spiritual master has been merciful to me without any limit".  From that time he had full faith in his spiritual master's descriptions of the rasas.
	Vijaya-kumara honoured prasadam and, at the appropriate time, shedding tears of love, fell down before his spiritual master's lotus feet.  Filled with spiritual love, the spiritual master picked him up and said, "Baba, you have attained Lord Krsna's mercy.  Simply by seeing you, I have become fortunate."  He hugged Vijaya-kumara and then he began to sing these verses from Prema-vivarta:
	"A person who has attained Lord Krsna's mercy is the most fortunate person in the entire world.
	"The spiritual love of Goloka is manifest in his heart.  He sees Goloka and Gokula.  Maya flees from him."
	After singing this song for many minutes, the spiritual master again became aware of the external world.  Then Vijaya-kumara offered dandavat obeisances to him.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, I do not know anything about Lord Krsna's mercy.  I only know that everything has come from your mercy.  Stopping all efforts to see Goloka directly, I am now content to place my eyes on Gokula.  For now it is good that I try to understand the wonderful variety of rasas in Vraja.  Now I will return to the original topic we were discussing.  O spiritual master, May it be said that the gopis who thought of Krsna as their husbands are situated in svakiya rasa?
	Gosvami: The gopis who thought of Krsna as their husband may at that time be situated in svakiya rasa.  However, the natural position of the girls in Gokula is parakiya rasa.  Although their natural position is not svakiya rasa, because they marry Krsna by the gandharva rite or another rite, they may for some time be situated in svakiya-rasa.  This is manifested in the Lord's Gokula pastimes.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, I have many questions.  I shall ask them according to the sequence presented in Sri Ujjvala-nilamani.  Now I would like to learn about the nayakas (heroes).  There are four kinds of nayakas: anukula (friendly) daksina (sincere), satha (deceptive) and dhrsta (arrogant).  What is the nature of the anukula hero?
	Gosvami: A hero who is attached to one heroine does not desire any other, is an anukula hero.  Lord Ramacandra has that kind of love for Sita.  Lord Krsna has anukula love for Sri Radhika.
	Vijaya-kumara: I wish to learn how the anukula hero is manifested in the four personality types that begin with dhirodatta.  Please be merciful and describe the dhirodatta-anukula hero.
	Gosvami: The dhirodatta-anukula hero is grave, humble, tolerant, merciful, true to His word, averse to praising Himself, modest and generous at heart.  However, the dhirodatta-anukula hero will renounce these qualities in order to secretly meet with His beloved.
	Vijaya-kumara: What is the dhira-lalita anukula hero?
	Gosvami: The dhira-lalita hero is naturally very funny, always in full youthfulness, expert in joking, and free from all anxieties.  If He always enjoys pastimes with the same heroine, the dhira-lalita hero becomes a dhira-lalita anukula hero.
	Vijaya-kumara: What is a dhira-prasanta anukula hero?
	Gosvami: A dhira-prasanta anukula hero is very peaceful, forbearing, considerate, and obliging.
	Vijaya-kumara: What is a dhirodatta anukula hero?
	Gosvami: A dhirodatta anukula hero is very envious, proud, easily angered, restless, and complacent.
	Vijaya-kumara: What is a daksina hero?
	Gosvami: The word 'daksina' means 'honest'.  A hero who does not stop feeling respect, awe and love for His previous beloved, even after He becomes attached to a new beloved is a daksina hero.  A daksina hero treats His many beloveds equally.
	Vijaya-kumara: What is a satha hero?
	Gosvami: A hero who is affectionate to His beloved when she is present, but blasphemes her when she is not present, is a satha hero.
	Vijaya-kumara: What are the qualities of a dhrsta hero?
	Gosvami: a dhrsta is expert at fearlessly speaking lies, even when His body clearly bears many marks showing how He enjoyed with another beloved.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, how many different kinds of heroes are there?
	Gosvami: As far as we are concerned, there is no hero but Krsna.  In Dvaraka He is perfect.  In Mathura He is more perfect.  In Vraja He is most perfect.  In each of these places He is both husband and paramour.  In this way He is six (3 x 2) heroes.  In each of these six different situations He is also the four kinds of heroes that begin with dhirodatta.  In that way he becomes 24 (2 x 3 x 4) different kinds of heroes.  In each of these 24 situations he is also an anukula, daksina, satha and dhrsta hero.  In this way He becomes 96 (2 x 3 x 4 x 4) kinds of heroes.  Thus there are 24 svakiya heroes and 24 parakiya heroes.  The svakiya heroes are less prominent and the parakiya heroes are more prominent.  In the rasas and pastimes of Vraja the 24 kinds of parakiya heroes are manifested eternally.  In different kinds of pastimes a different kind of hero is required.  In this way Krsna assumes the roles of these different kinds of heroes.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, now I can understand the different qualities of the hero and heroine.  Now I request that you teach me about the hero's different assistants.
	Gosvami: The hero had five kinds of assistants.  They are: ceta (confidential messenger), vita (valet), vidusaka (comedian), pitha-mardaka (constant companion), and priya-narma-sakha (dear friend).  All these assistants are expert at speaking joking words, always bound by ties of strong friendship, an expert judge of time and circumstances, expert, and expert at speaking confidential words to pacify the gopis when they become angry.
	Vijaya-kumara: Who are the cetas?  Please say.
	Gosvami: The cetas are expert at arranging Krsna's rendezvous with the gopis.  The cetas are naturally bold and arrogant.  Bhangura and Bhrngara are prominent among Krsna's ceta companions in Gokula.
	Vijaya-kumara: Who are the vitas?  Please say.
	Gosvami: the vitas are expert in dressing and decorating Krsna.  They are clever, skilled in conversation, and expert in bringing other under their control.  Kadara and Bharatibandhu are prominent among the Krsna's vita companions.
	Vijaya-kumara: Who are the vidusakas?  Please say.
	Gosvami: The vidusakas are fond of eating, fond of quarrelling and expert at inducing laughter by means of their funny gestures, expert jokes and funny appearance.  Vasanta, Madhumangala, and many other gopas are prominent among Krsna's vidusaka companions.
	Vijaya-kumara: Who are the pitha-mardakas?
	Gosvami: The pitha-mardaka has qualities like those of the hero.  He is the hero's constant companion.  Sridama is Krsna's pitha-mardaka companion.
	Vijaya-kumara: What are the qualities of the priya-narma-sakha?
	Gosvami: The priya-narma-sakha companions have taken shelter of friendship with Krsna.  They know Krsna's closest secrets.  Subala and Arjuna are prominent among Krsna's priya-narma-sakha friends.  The priya-narma-sakhas are the best of these five kinds of assistants.  Among these five assistants - the cetas, vitas, vidusakas, pitha-mardakas, and priya-narma-sakha - the cetas are in dasya rasa, the pitha-mardakas are in vira-rasa (chivalry), and the others are in sakhya rasa.  The cetas are servants, and the other four kinds of assistants are friends.
	Vijaya-kumara: Are there no women among the assistants?
	Gosvami: Yes.  There are.  They are the dutis (messengers).
	Vijaya-kumara: How many different kinds of dutis are there?
	Gosvami: There are two kinds of dutis: svayam-duti (messengers of their own accord) and apta-duti (they who are appointed as messengers).  The svayam-dutis are Krsna's sidelong glance and the sound of His flute.
	Vijaya-kumara: Ah! Who are the apta-dutis?
	Gosvami: Vira, who is expert at speaking bold and outrageous words, and Vrnda, who speaks sweetly, are Krsna's two apta-dutis.  The svayam-dutis and these two apta-dutis are extraordinary.  In addition there are many ordinary dutis, such as Lingini, Daivajna, and Silpa-karini.  It is better that I describe them later, when we discuss the heroines and messengers.
	Vijaya-kumara: Now I understand Sri Krsna's natures, qualities, and other features as a hero.  I have also learned that Krsna eternally enjoys pastimes as both a husband and a paramour.  As a husband He enjoys pastimes in Dvaraka, and as a paramour He enjoys pastimes in Vraja.  Our Krsna is a paramour.  Therefore we must learn about the beautiful girls of Vraja.
	Gosvami: Almost all of Krsna's gopi-beloveds in Vraja are in the parakiya rasa.  And why not?  In madhura rasa nothing is higher than parakiya.  The svakiya rasa felt by the queens in Dvaraka is dull and stunted in comparison.  Therefore the parakiya-rasa gives the most pleasure to Lord Krsna.
	Vijaya-kumara: What is the meaning of all this?
	Gosvami: Lord Siva, who is expert at understanding the mellows of madhura rasa, explains that when women are very contrary or hard to find, or when they are protected by a host of obstacles, then Kamadeva uses his most powerful weapons.   Visnugupta also explains that when the hero is forbidden to  meet His beloved, or when His doe-eyed beloved is unapproachable then the hero's heart is very strongly attracted to His beloved.  Look, even though He is always self-satisfied (atmarama), Krsna expanded into as many forms as there were gopis in the rasa dance pastime.  A sadhaka devotee should try to understand the rasa dance pastime of the Lord.  The instruction is given that if a sadhaka devotee desires to attain auspiciousness, then with devotion he should enter into an understanding of the rasa dance pastimes.  Of course, he should not be so foolish as to try and imitate Lord Krsna's activities in the rasa dance.  The meaning is that the devotee should try to understand how much the gopis love Lord Krsna.
	Vijaya-kumara: Please clearly describe the love the gopis feel for Lord Krsna.
	Gosvami: Krsna is a gopa.  He is the son of Nanda.  He enjoys pastimes of madhura rasa only with the gopis.  He does not enjoy these pastimes with no other girls.  A devotee who is qualified for madhura rasa, and who is either a sadhaka bhakta or a bhava bhakta should worship Krsna as the gopis do.  In your meditation, you should serve Sri Sri Radha-Krsna as the fortunate gopis of Vraja do.  If you cannot think of yourself as a gopi married to someone other than Krsna, then you will not be able to attain the parakiya rasa.  To think that they are married to someone less is the nature of the gopis in Vraja.  Srila Rupa Gosvami has written (Sri Ujjvala-nilamani, Krsna-vallabha-prakarana 19):
	"The Vraja-gopis never meet with their husband, nor do their husbands even feel jealous, for the gopis husbands are all creations of Yogamaya."
	The gopis' weddings and husbands are both creations of Yogamaya.  The gopis never had any husband but Krsna.  Still, in the eternal present (nitya-vartamana) that is the feature of time in the spiritual world, the gopis eternally think that they are married to someone other than Krsna.  If this were not the case, then the wonderful rasas where the beloved in contrary, unattainable, surrounded by obstacles, and forbidden, would not be possible.  It is because she refuses to accept parakiya rasa that Goddess Laksmi in Vaikuntha cannot become on of Krsna's beloved in the rasas of Vraja.
	Vijaya-kumara: How does a gopi think herself married to someone other than Krsna?  
	Gosvami: A gopi thinks, "I was born in a gopa's house.  At the appropriate time I was given in marriage to a certain gopa."  Thinking in this way, a gopi develops a strong yearning to enjoy pastimes with Krsna.  In this way the gopis think they are married to a certain gopa, and that they have no children.  This is called 'gopi-bhava' (the assumptions of the gopis).
	Vijaya-kumara: How does a male attain this conception?
	Gosvami: It is only because of the power of Maya that a soul residing in the material world imagines that it is male.  In the understanding of pure spirit, Krsna is the only male and all others are female.  In spirit there is no sign of material male or female.  Still, if one intently meditates on this rasa, one can become qualified to become a gopi in Vraja.  A person who yearns to attain the madhura rasa will become qualified to become a gopi in Vraja.  By again and again desiring in this way, one attains that perfection.
	Vijaya-kumara: What is the glory of being a gopi married to a gopa other than Krsna?
	Gosvami: When the vraja-gopis married to other gopas yearn to enjoy pastimes with Krsna, then the greatest splendour and the greatest virtues decorate them with the beauty of pure love.  Their rasa is sweeter than the rasas of Laksmi and all the goddesses of fortune.
	Vijaya-kumara: How many different kinds of beautiful girls are there in Vraja?
	Gosvami: There are three kinds: sadhana-para (persons who became gopis by performing sadhana-bhakti), devi (demigoddesses who became gopis) and nitya-priya (eternally dear gopis).
	Vijaya-kumara: Are the sadhana-para gopis divided into different groups?
	Gosvami: The sadhana-para gopis are divided into yauthiki and ayauthiki.	
	Vijaya-kumara: Who are the yauthiki gopis?
	Gosvami: Persons who performed sadhana-bhakti in order to enter this rasa in Vraja, and become yauthiki gopis, that is gopis who belong to certain groups.
	Vijaya-kumara: Which sages in this way took birth in Vraja?
	Gosvami: Some sages found that even after dutifully worshipping Lord Gopala, they still could not attain their desired perfection.  However, when they were able to personally see the glorious handsomeness of Lord Ramacandra, the diligently performed sadhana-bhakti in order to attain their desire.  As a result they attained ecstatic love (bhava) and they took birth in Vraja as gopis.  This is described in the Padma Purana.  In the Brhad-Vamana Purana it is said that some of these gopis attained their desires perfection at the beginning of the rasa dance.
	Vijaya-kumara: How did the personified Upanisads take birth as gopis?
	Gosvami: When they saw the gopis' good fortune, the intelligent Upanisads became filled with wonder.  They faithfully performed austerities, and as a result were born in Vraja as gopis filled with spiritual love (premavati).
	Vijaya-kumara: Who are the ayauthiki gopis?
	Gosvami: Persons who, seeing the gopis' passionate love for Krsna, yearn to become like them, and to attain this end engage in sadhana bhakti, become the ayauthiki gopis (which are divided into two groups: pracina (elderly) and navina (young).  In this way one, two or three of these gopis are born in Vraja.  The pracina ayauthiki gopis eventually attain salokya-mukti, and in the spiritual world they associate with the eternally dear (nitya priya) gopis.  After a lifetime as demigoddesses, human beings  or other kinds of beings, the pracina ayauthiki gopis take birth in Vraja.  Eventually they become pracina gopis and at the end attain the salokya-mukti I have just described.
	Vijaya-kumara: I can understand this description of the sadhana-para gopis.  Now please described the devis.
	Gosvami: When Lord Krsna took birth as an amsa incarnation among the demigods in Svargaloka, some eternally dear (nitya priya) gopis took birth as amsa incarnations among the demigoddesses to please Him.  When Krsna took birth in His original form in Gokula, they took birth as daughters of the gopas.  They became the dear friends (prana-sakhi) of the eternally dear (nitya-priya) gopis.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, when did Lord Krsna take birth as an amsa incarnation among the demigods?
	Gosvami: Taking birth from Aditi's womb, Lord Krsna appeared as the amsa incarnation Vamana.  The demigods are also vibhinnamsa manifestations of Lord Krsna.  Siva and Brahma were not born from a mother's womb.  Brahma and Siva posses fifty of Lord Krsna's qualities, as do the ordinary souls.  However, Brahma and Siva are not counted among the ordinary souls, for they are vibhinnamsas.  In addition to the fifty qualities all individual souls possess, Brahma and Siva also possess five other qualities.  Therefore they are called the best of the demigods.  Ganesa and Surya are also considered on the same level as the millions of Brahmas.  All other demigods are considered ordinary individual souls.  All the demigods are vibhinnamsas manifested from Lord Krsna.  The wives of the demigods are also vibhinnamsas of the Lord's cit potency (spiritual potency).  Before Krsna's appearance on the earth, Brahma ordered the demigoddesses to take birth on the earth in order to please Krsna.  Following Brahma's order, they took birth in different places in Vraja according to their own inclination and their activities in sadhana-bhakti.  These demigoddesses born in Vraja became dear friends (prana-sakhi) of the Lord's eternally dear (nitya-priya) gopis.  They yearned to attain the association of Lord Krsna.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, the personified Upanisads took birth as gopis.  Did the goddesses who rule over any other scriptures also take birth in Vraja?
	Gosvami: In the Padma Purana, Srsti-khanda it is said that Gayatri-devi, the mother of the Vedas, took birth as a gopi and attained Lord Krsna's association.  It was at that time that she manifested the form of Kama-Gayatri.
	Vijaya-kumara: Is the Kama-Gayatri not beginningless?
	Gosvami: The Kama-Gayatri is certainly beginningless?  However, there is a time when this beginningless Gayatri first appeared in the form of the Goddess Gayatri who is the mother of the Vedas.  Because of her engagement in sadhana-bhakti, the Goddess Gayatri could understand how fortunate the Upanisads were to have become gopis.  Then, accompanied by the Gopala-tapani Upanisad she took birth in Vraja.  In this way it is understood that the Kama-Gayatri is eternal, and the Goddess Gayatri who is the mother of the Vedas is eternally distinct from the Kama-Gayatri.
	Vijaya-kumara: All the Upanisads took birth as gopis in Vraja.  They all accepted the gopa-hero Krsna as their husband (pati).  Following the marriage ritual of the gandharvas, these gopis then accepted Krsna as their husband.  This much I understand.  However, the nitya-priya (eternally dear) gopis associate with Krsna from time without beginning and in that relationship is their paramour.  Is this relationship created by Maya?
	Gosvami: It may be created by Maya, but it is not created by the Maya of the material world.  The Maya of the material world has no power to touch Lord Krsna's pastimes.  Even though it may be manifested within the material world, Lord Krsna's Vraja pastimes are beyond the touch of the material Maya.  Another name of the Lord's cit sakti (spiritual potency) is Yogamaya.  She arranges Lord Krsna's pastimes so that ordinary people influence by Maya see them as material.  She makes the nitya-priya gopis of Goloka think they are married to persons other than Krsna, and she also brings those gopis to Vraja in the material world.  She arranges the nitya-priya gopis' wedding ceremonies, and she arranges that Krsna becomes their paramour.  The all-knowing supreme male, Krsna and His all knowing spiritual potencies voluntarily accept the rasa roles Yogamaya gives The.  Thus it is seen that this is the best of all rasas, Lord Krsna is supremely independent, all His desires are at once fulfilled, and His iccha-sakti (the potency that fulfils His desires) is supremely glorious.  The great glory of this rasa is not seen in Vaikuntha, Dvaraka, and other places.  When they attain salokya liberation, the prana sakhi gopis and the nitya priya gopis leave behind any idea that He is their paramour.  That is their final attainment.
	Vijaya-kumara: The conclusion is very wonderful.  Now I am fully satisfied.  O master, please teach me about the nitya-priya gopis.
	Gosvami: If you were not qualified to hear these explanations would Lord Gauracandra make these confidential truths appear in my mouth?  Look, all knowing Srila Jiva Gosvami kept these truths hidden in his heart, although in some places in his commentaries, in his Krsna-sandarbha, and in other books he did reveal them.  Srila Jiva Gosvami was always anxious that if unqualified persons heard these confidential truths, they would take shelter of irreligion.  Seeing how the Vaisnavas mostly understood the rasas and accepted rasabhasa, Srila Jiva Gosvami became anxious.  For this reason he took great care not to write anything that would support any false conclusion.  You are qualified to hear these things.  I do not reveal these truths to unqualified persons.  Now I will describe the nitya-priya gopis.
	Vijaya-kumara: Who are the nitya-priya gopis?  Although I have studied many scriptures, I still yearn to drink the nectar words that come from my spiritual master's saintly mouth.
	Gosvami: The nitya-priya gopis in Vraja, among whom Radha and Candravali are the most important, possess transcendental beauty, intelligence and a host of virtues.  In this way they are like Lord Krsna Himself.  They are described in these words Brahma-samhita (5.37):
	"I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who resides in His own realm, Goloka, with Radha, who resembles His own spiritual figure and who embodies the ecstatic potency (hladini).  The companions are Her confidants, who embody the extensions of Her bodily form, and who are imbued and permeated with ever-blissful spiritual rasa."*
	In these words of Brahma, which are the essence of all the Vedas, the nitya-priya gopis are described.  The nitya priya gopis are said to be 'nitya' (eternal) because they are the Lord's spiritual potency, and therefore they are beyond the limitations of time and space imposed by the material energy.  They are an eternal spiritual reality.  The word 'kalabhih' here may refer to the sixty four arts practiced by the nitya-priya gopis in their eternal pastimes.  Or, this word may have another meaning.  The commentary of this verse explains:
	"Here the word 'kalabhih' means 'with the potencies who are expansions of Her form."
	What I have explained to you are the opinions of Srila Svarupa Damodara Gosvami.  Please know that these confidential explanations are the great treasure that Srila Rupa Gosvami, Srila Sanatana Gosvami and Srila Jiva Gosvami keep hidden in the vaults of their hearts.
	Vijaya-kumara: My ears yearn to hear the names of the nitya-priya gopis?
	Gosvami: Radha, Candravali, Visakha, Lalita, Syama, Padma, Saibya, Bhadrika, Tara, Vicitra, Gopali, Dhanistha and Pali are among the names of the nitya-priya gopis written in the Skanda Purana, Prahlada-samhita and other scriptures.  Candravali is also known by the name Somabha.  Radha is also known by the name Gandharva.  Khanjanaksi, Manorama, Mangala, Vimala, Lila, Krsna, Sari, Visarada, Taravali, Cakoraksi, Sankari, Kunkuma and many other gopis are also famous in this world.
	Vijaya-kumara: How do these gopis relation to each other?
	Gosvami: All these gopis are yuthesvaris (leaders of groups of gopis).  There are hundreds and hundreds of groups, and in each group there are hundreds of thousands of gopis. From Radha to Kunkuma, all these groups are yuthesvaris.  Visakha, Lalita, Padma and Saibya are also mentioned here.  Among the yuthesvaris, eight gopis, headed by Radha, are considered the most fortunate.  They are called the 'pradhana' (most important) gopis.
	Vijaya-kumara: Visakha, Lalita, Padma and Saibya are all pradhana gopis.  They are all very expert in making Lord Krsna's pastimes especially glorious.  Why were they not clearly mentioned as yuthesvaris?
	Gosvami: They have all transcendental virtues, and they are certainly very qualified to become yuthesvaris.  However, Lalita and Visakha are so overcome with bliss simply by associating with Sri Radha that they have no desire to become independent yuthesvaris themselves.  Some gopis are followers of Srimati Radharani and other gopis are followers of Candravali.  This is described in the scriptures.
	Vijaya-kumara: Still, I have heard that Lalita does indeed have a group.  What is it like?
	Gosvami: Srimati Radharani is the foremost of all group leaders.  Out of special affection and respect some gopis are said to belong to Lalita's group or Visakha's group.  However Lalita, Visakha, and the other eight principal friends (asta-sakhi) of Radha are considered the leaders of different factions in Sri Radha's group.  By great good fortune one may be able to enter Srimati Lalita's group.
	Vijaya-kumara: O master, in which scriptures are the names of the gopis found?
	Gosvami: All these names are found in the Padma Purana, Skanda Purana, and Bhavisya Purana Uttara-khanda.  In the Satvata Tantra many other names are also found.
	Vijaya-kumara: Srimad Bhagavatam is the crest jewel of all scriptures in the world.  If all these names were found in Srimad Bhagavatam, that would be a source of great bliss.
	Gosvami: Srimad Bhagavatam is a scripture that teaches the highest truth.  It is an ocean filled with the nectar of the spiritual rasas.  Persons expert at relishing the spiritual rasas (rasika) can see that all the truths of the rasas are described in Srimad Bhagavatam.  The name of Sri Radha and the names of all the gopis are secretly written in Srimad Bhagavatam.  If you carefully read the verses of the Tenth Canto, you will see them all.  To keep unqualified persons far away, Srila Sukadeva Gosvami described all these things very secretly.  O baba Vijaya-kumara, what will happen if you give japa beads to a person who will wear them only as an ornament around his neck.  The more the reader is exalted in devotional service, the more he will understand the secrets hidden in Srimad Bhagavatam.  Here the skill of Srila Sukadeva Gosvami was shown in his power to explain very confidential truths in a way the people in general could not understand.  Only a reader qualified to understand these secrets properly has the power to understand them all.  The truth is that without taking shelter of the disciplic succession (guru-parampara), no one can understand these truths.  A person studying on his own cannot understand them.  Carefully study Ujjvala-nilamani and you will become able to see how all the rasas are described in Srimad Bhagavatam.
After talking for a long time, they ended the day's conversation about the Lord (ista-gosthi).  Again and again thinking about the transcendental hero and heroines in the spiritual world, Vijaya-kumara walked to Haracandi-sahi's place.  As he thought about the vidusakas, pitha-mardakas, and other associates or the Lord, he tasted many different kinds of happiness.  As he thought about Krsna's flute and the other svayam-duti messengers, tears came from his eyes.  The spiritual love (bhava) of Vraja rising in his heart, Vijaya-kumara blissfully danced.  The pastimes and gardens he saw last night splendidly rose again in his heart.