"Its two types are external and internal. In the external, the devotee through his physical organs performs listening (to chant) and chanting, while in his mind he imagines himself to be identical with his ideal [such as any sakhi or cowherd mate of Krishna], and thus [in fancy] serves Krishna at Brindában day and night. With drawing himself into his own mind, such a votary ever remains close to his object, the dearest Krishna, and thus serves Him incessantly. In the path of inclination (rág), he takes Krishna as the object of his chief emotion, viz., as master, comrade, child or sweetheart. (Bhágabat, III. xxv. 35)
"From the sprout of love (prem) issue two things, rati (addiction) and bháb (emotion). These two conquer the Lord for us. Thus have I expounded ebhidheya, from which we gain the treasure of love for Krishna." [Text, canto, 22.]
CHAPTER XXI
On Love, the fruit of Devotion
[The Master continued]—"Listen now, Sanátan, to love, the fruit of bhakti, the hearing of which gives knowledge of the spirit of bhakti. When passion (rati) in Krishna is deepened it is called prem (love), the permanent form of bhakti in Krishna. It also has two aspects, viz., swarup and tatastha. If any man has the grace to feel shraddhá, he consort with pious men, from which companionship result the hearing and chanting of Krishna's name. From the attainment of bhakti, all his troubles are removed, and as a consequence of the latter, his faith becomes constant, which gives him a taste for the listening and [hymning of Krishna's name]. From taste (ruchi) comes strong inclination (ásakti), which gives birth to the sprout of passion for Krishna in the soul. When this emotion is deepened, it takes the name of love (prem). That love is the (ultimate) fruit, the source of every bliss. Vide Bhágabat, III. xxv. 22. The man in whose heart this emotion sprouts up is marked by the many qualities named in the Shastras. (Bhakti-ras-amrita-sindhu, I. Rati-bhakti, verse 11, Bhágabat I. xix. 13). No earthly affliction can disturb his mind. Such a man never wastes his time without communing with Krishna. He never fears [attack by] enjoyment, material success, or the objects of sensual gratification. (Bhágabat, V. xiv. 42). Even the noblest bhakta considers himself as lowly, and firmly believes that Krishna will take pity on him. He is ever expectant, ever passionately longing [for union with Krishna]. Ever does he relish the work of singing Krishna's names, and ever engages in it. At all times is he addicted to holding forth on Krishna's charms. Ever does he reside at the scenes of Krishna's exploits.
"So far I have described the marks of rati for Krishna. Now let me describe the characteristics of love for Krishna. Even the wise fail to comprehend the speech, acts and gestures of the man whose heart is full of love for Krishna. (Bhágabat, XI. ii. 38). As love develops, it takes the forms of sneha, mán, pranaya, rág, anurág, bháb, and mahábhab, just as, from the same source of sugar-juice we have molasses, gur (khanda), black sugar, [yellow] sugar-candy, and white sugar-candy. As these grow successively purer and more delicious, so too do the above stages in the development of love. In relation to its subject, rati is of five kinds viz., shánta, dásya, sakhya, bátsalya, and madhur. These five permanent emotions (bháb) have five different flavours, which delight the bhakta and over-power Krishna. The permanent emotions of love etc., on meeting with the proper ingredient, mature in the form of Krishna-bhakti ras. The permanent emotion (bháb) on being mingled with ras is changed into these four,—bibhába, anubhába, sátivika, byabhichári;—just as curd, on being mixed with gur, black pepper, and camphor, becomes a thing of matchless deliciousness named rasál. Bibhába is of two kinds, (i) álamban, which is kindled by Krishna, etc., and (ii) uddipan, by the notes of His flute, etc. Anubhába is stimulated by smile, dance and song. Stupor and other sensations are included in sátwika anubhába. Byabhichári is of 33 kinds, such as delight, rapture, &c.
"Ras is of five kinds,—shánta, dásya, sakhya, bátsalya, and madhur. In the shánta ras, rati advances to the stage of prem; in the dásya to rág, sakhya and bátsalya attain to the limit of anurág (as was the case with Subal and others love for Krishna).
"Krishna, the darling of Braja's lord, is the chief of lovers, while the lady Radha is at the head of mistresses. Krishna's qualities are endless, even a single one of them when unfolded can soothe the ears of a bhakta.
"Countless are Radhiká's qualities, of which 25 are the principal ones, which have conquered Krishna.
"The lover and his mistress are the themes of two rasas, and the foremost of the class are Radha and Krishna. Similarly, in the dásya ras, the subject is a servant, in the sakhya a comrade, in the bátsalya the parents.