Amrta Tarangini Comp

Amrta Tarangini Comp
The unprecedented gift of Śrīman

Mahāprabhu (Radha-dasyam) is available for
every sadhaka
AUGUST 15, 2016 / TARUN GOVINDA DAS
Table of contents
1) Our constitutional position/ our essential nature

2) Our chosen path
3) Developing a taste for raganuga-bhakti
4) How is our attraction for a certain kind of love determined?
5) From primary attraction to eternal love
Introduction:
anarpita-carim cirat karunayavatirnah kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasam sva-bhakti-sriyam
harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah
sada hrdaya-kandare sphuratu vah saci-nandanah
“May the Supreme Lord who is known as the son of Srimati Saci-devi be
transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart.
Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of
Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered
before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the
mellow of conjugal love.”
(Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 1.4)
Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami writes:
” There are different types of devotees—those in śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, sakhya-

rasa, vātsalya-rasa and mādhurya-rasa. Although all the rasas are on the
transcendental platform, mādhurya-rasa is the supreme transcendental mellow.
Consequently, it is concluded that the worship of devotees engaged in the Lord’s
service in mādhurya-rasa is the supreme spiritual activity.”
Srila Ananta das Babaji explains further:
“The vine of devotion, which Śrīman Mahāprabhu gave to the people of the
world, yields the fruit of brilliant rasa, the amorous love of Vraja, particularly
the rasa of the most confidential personal service of Śrīmatī Rādhārānī, named
mañjarī-bhāva-sādhanā.
This great gift was not given before by any other descension of God; even the
wise men who were experts in devotion to God did not know this secret fruit of
the vine of devotion. They used to practice vaidhi-bhakti, regulated devotion to
God, out of fear and respect for the Supreme Lord, and even if there were any
rāga-bhaktas in the Vraja-bhāva before Mahāprabhu’s descension, they all
would be serving Krishna in the mood of a servant or a friend. Nobody knew the
secret of the sweet devotional love of the gopīs for Krishna, what to speak of the
topmost mādana-mahā-bhāva of Śrī Rādhā, the crown jewel of all the gopīs!
In the pre-Caitanya era there was a cult of sakhī-bhāva (love for Krishna as a
participating amorous consort) preached by great devotees like the poet
Jayadeva, Caṇḍīdāsa, Vidyāpati, Bilvamangala and others, but the mañjarī-
bhāva-sādhanā, the personal and exclusive service of Śrī Rādhā, was a new gift,
introduced by Śrī Gaurasundara and the ācāryas who took shelter of His lotus
feet.
…
This is the premojjvala-rasa- phalām mentioned in the verse starting with
anarpita-ciram…”
So, we can see that Śrīman Mahāprabhu came to give us the highest gift, entrance
into Rādhā-dasyam.
Śrīman Mahāprabhu´s lila is called AUDARYA, magnanimous. He distributed

this “unnatojjvala-rasa-sva-bhakti-sriyam FREELY.
Srila Ananta das Babaji:
“One may ask now: ‘Why did Śrīman Mahāprabhu reveal this confidential
bhakti-kalpalatā, which is not perceived even by the great sages or the Vedas, to
the degraded and sinful people of the present age of Kali (quarrel)?’ The plain
reason is that Śrīman Mahāprabhu is the fully independent and most merciful
descension of God, therefore it is said here: kṛpālus tāṁ gauḍe prabhur ati
kṛpābhiḥ prakaṭayan – The completely independent and capable Śrīman
Mahāprabhu has most mercifully revealed this in Bengal.
The mercy of the Lord completely erases the candidate’s unworthiness. The kṛpā-
sakti (power of compassion) is the crown jewel of all the Lord’s innate potencies
and makes Him truly worthy of the title Bhagavān, the Qualified One. This
mercy-potency finds its culmination in the Lord´s giving something that precious
to an undeserving soul.
In Śrīman Mahāprabhu this kṛpā-śakti is again manifest to its fullest extent, not
tolerating any distinction.”
He made no distinction, eradicating all the disqualification of the sadhaka.
The seed of this vine of devotion is given by a Gaudīya Vaishnava saint or guru
and it is sprinkled by the water of hearing, chanting and remembering, so that the
vine will ultimately bear the ripened, delicious fruits of rādhā-dāsya-bhāva.
“Every individual soul is qualified to become Rādhikā’s maidservant; this is the

great, rare gift of Śrīman Mahāprabhu.
…
The mahājanas say that each and every soul is eligible for the service of Śrī
Rādhā, and by the power of associating with these mahājanas pure God-
consciousness spontaneously manifests itself in the pure spirit soul.
sei gopī bhāvāmṛta yāra lobha hoy (C.C.) –
[Anyone who becomes greedy for that nectarean mood of the gopīs…]
These people are the fortunate souls who have obtained the grace of like-minded
great rasika devotees.
The fullest manifestation of devotion is gopī-bhāva, for the gopīs are exclusively
dedicated to the pleasure of Śrī Krishna. This gopī-bhāva is the treasure of the
practice of the pure swan-like devotees, and the culmination of this sakhī-bhāva
is mañjarī-bhāva. By following in the footsteps of the eternally perfect devotees,
that belong to the Lord’s internal potency, one can attain the confidential
nikuñja-sevā of Śrī Rādhā and Mādhava.”
(Radhakunda Mahanta Sri Srimat Ananta das Babaji, tika Vilapa Kusumanjali)
Recently in a discussion, the following statement was brought forward:
“The jiva has its own svarupa. Inherent is its name, shape and everything else
are eternal. Among the various individual jivas, each has its own svarupa. The
jiva`s constitutional name, form, bodily limbs and nature – are present in an
unmanifest form within him.”
This might be the theory of certain Vaishnava scholars, but nowhere in the
writings of the Goswamis can we find a statement which mentions that inherent
in the svarupa of the jiva are the name, shape, nature, rasa, etc…
In fact, Srila Jiva Goswami writes about the nature of the jiva in his Paramatma
Sandarbha from Anuccheda 19 – 47. We can find NOTHING about the inherent
svarupa with everything belonging to it.
This was elaborately discussed in the essay “Jiva-tattva 3.0”.
According to the “everything-is-inherent-and-prefixed” – vada (theory), only a

few then would be able to receive this highest gift of unnatojjva-rasam-sva-
bhakti-sriyam, namely those who would have a “seed” or a “prefixed
constitution” of madhurya-rasa already in their jiva-svarupa.
So, from millions of jivas only those few can then receive this most wonderful
gift?
Now, where is the MERCY in that?????
Was Sriman Mahaprabhu an elitist?
No. Like mentioned above, He distributed this unnatojjva-rasam-sva-bhakti-

sriyam FREELY to those who are willing to receive it.
How to receive this most wonderful gift?
“These people are the fortunate souls who have obtained the grace of like-
minded great rasika devotees.”
By the mercy of the Vaishnavas who act as the gateway of Sriman Mahaprabhu´s
mercy.
“The mahājanas say that each and every soul is eligible for the service of Śrī
consciousness spontaneously manifests itself in the pure spirit soul.”
Why would Sriman Mahaprabhu advise us all with this following wonderful
vani, if He knew that only a few “prefixed-rasa-svarupa-inherent” souls could
follow it?
ataeva gopī-bhāva kari aṅgīkāra

rātri-dina cinte rādhā-kṛṣṇera vihāra
“Therefore one should accept the mood of the gopīs in their service. In such a
transcendental mood, one should always think of the pastimes of Śrī Rādhā and
Kṛṣṇa.”
Clearly we can see that by the mercy of Sriman Mahaprabhu, every jiva is
eligible to receive this most wonderful gift, not only a few chosen, “prefixed”
ones…every jiva has now the possibility by this mercy to become a maidservant
of Srimati Radhika.
If you can or want to accept this gift or not belongs to a different subject matter.
There are different types of devotees—those in śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, sakhya-

rasa, vātsalya-rasa and mādhurya-rasa. Although all the rasas are on the
transcendental platform, mādhurya-rasa is the supreme transcendental mellow.
sevā sādhaka-rūpeṇa siddha-rūpeṇa cātra hi |

tad-bhāva-lipsunā kāryā vraja-lokānusārataḥ ||Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu 295||
“Following after the inhabitants of Vraja, one should perform service in one’s
physical body and in one’s siddha body, with a desire for a particular bhāva.”
So, if you develop a desire for serving in madhurya rasa, by Sriman
Mahaprabhu’s mercy, you can receive this gift by taking shelter of Sri Gurudeva
in such rasa.
Srila Rupa Goswami didn´t write:
“Following after the inhabitants of Vraja, one should perform service in one’s
physical body and in one’s inherent siddha body, with a bhava already being
fixed in the jiva´s svarupa.”
In fact, where in the whole BRS did he write:
“Jiva, just uncover your spritual form. Just awake your already inherent rasa.
Everything is there.”
In fact, if everything is THERE, why did he WRITE the full Bhakti Rasamrita
Sindhu AND the Ujjvala Nilamani?
He could have just written one verse:
“Just chant the Holy Name. Everything is already there in your jiva-svarupa. It
will all come out. Don´t worry.”
He didn´t.
Let us go deep into why every sadhaka is eligible to receive this most wonderful
gift.
1) Our constitutional position/ our essential nature

jivera ‘svarupa’ haya –
krishnera ‘nitya-dasa’ krishnera ‘tatastha sakti’ ‘bhedabheda-prakasa’
(Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya-lila, 20.108)
“The jiva’s constitutional nature is to be an eternal servant of Sri Krishna. The
jiva is the marginal potency of Krishna and a manifestation simultaneously one
with and different from the Lord.”
It is our constitutional nature to be an eternal servant of Sri Krishna. Now,
several persons claim that actually here we have a “hidden” meaning and they
say that this is the evidence for the ETERNAL SVARUPA (the siddha deha) to
be present within the jiva.
This is not supported by neither Srila Jiva Goswami nor any other acarya. Here,
JIVERA-SVARUPA does not mean the “eternal form (siddha deha) of the jiva”.
Svarupa does not necessarily mean FORM.
Srila Jiva Goswami writes in his Paramatma Sandarbha:
jñānāśrayo jñāna-guṇaś cetanaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ |

na jāto nirvikāraś ca eka-rupaḥ svarupa-bhāk ||
“The jiva is the conscious substratum and is endowed with the attribute of
knowledge. It is conscious and beyond prakrti. It has no birth and no change. It
is of one form (uniform) and situated in its own essential identity”
aṇur nityo vyāpti-śīlaś cid-ānandātmakas tathā |
aham-artho’vyayaḥ kṣetrī bhinna-rupaḥ sanātanaḥ ||
“The jiva is small, eternal and pervades the body. It is of the nature of
consciousness and bliss, and the sense of “I”. It does not decrease, is the knower
of the body, and is different from other jivas eternally.”
The word svarupa in Sanskrit can mean one’s own form (sva-rupa), or nature.
The first meaning is not applicable here because atma is anu.
Besides, it cannot mean form here, because it is ridiculous to say that the form of
jiva is to be an eternal servant. It is not that some particular form can be servant
and others not. Rather, it is the nature of the jiva to be a servant because one’s
nature can be of a servant or of no servant.
From Anuccheda 19 until the end of anuccheda 47, Srila Jiva Gosvamipada
describes the svarupa of the jiva, provides sastra pramana for the qualities of the
jiva’s svarupa and refutes Advaita (mayavada) concepts of the jiva.
This would be the perfect opportunity to advise us that different types of jivas
have different inclinations, likes and dislikes as part of their svarupa (or due to
some sakti always acting on the jiva).
Baladeva Vidyabhusana in his Prameya Ratnavali also confirms the

constitutional position/essential nature of the jiva.
In the fifth prameya (pañcama-prameyam) of his “Prameya Ratnavali”, he wishes

to establish that all living beings are servants of Hari.
pādme ca jīva-lakṣaṇe—
dāsa-bhuto harer eva nānyasyaiva kadācana ||
“And in the definition of the jiva in the Padma Purana: “The servant of Hari
alone, not ever of any other.”
iti prameya-ratnāvalyāṁ jīvānāṁ bhagavad-dāsatva-prakaraṇaṁ nāma
pañcama-prameyam
“Thus ends the Fifth Truth entitled: The Living Beings Are Servants of Hari”.
Now, which kind of servant do we want to become?
2) Our chosen path
vaidhi raganuga ceti sa dvidha sadhanabhidha ||

(Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu 1.2.5)
“Practice is of two kinds, namely vaidhi and raganuga.”
“As one desires to approach the Lord, so the Lord will approach the aspirant.”
(Bhagavad-gita 4.11)
vaidhi-raganuga-marga-bhedena parikirtitah |
dvividhah khalu bhavo’tra sadhanabhinivesajah ||
(BRS 1.3.7)
“The paths of vaidhi and raganuga are known to be separate from each
other. Engagement in these two forms of practice certainly awakens two distinct
varieties of bhava.”
The goals of these two paths of devotion in practice are understood as follows:
vidhi-bhaktye parshada-dehe vaikunthete yaya ||
(Caitanya Caritamrita 2.24.87)
“Through vidhi-bhakti, one will attain the form of an associate in´Vaikuntha.”
raga-bhaktye vraje svayam-bhagavane paya ||
( CC 2.24.85)
“Through raga-bhakti, one will attain the Lord Himself in Vraja.”
raganuga-marge tanre bhaje yei jana |
sei-jana paya vraje vrajendra-nandana ||
( CC 2.8.221)
“He who worships on the path of raganuga will attain Vrajendranandana (Sri
Krishna) in Vraja.”
Now, why not just follow the advice of Sriman Mahaprabhu?
sakala jagate more kare vidhi-bhakti |

vidhi-bhaktye vraja-bhava paite nahi sakti ||
aisvarya-jnanete saba jagat misrita |
aisvarya-sithila-preme nahi mora prita ||
( CC1.3.15-16)
“Everyone in this world worships Me through vidhi-bhakti.
Vidhi-bhakti has no power for attaining the feelings of Vraja. The devotion of the
world is mixed with knowledge of My divine prowess. I do not delight in love
diluted with prowess.”
How can we start with raganuga-bhakti?
krsna-tad-bhakta-karunya-matra-labhaika-hetuka
pusti-margataya kaiscid iyam raganugocyate
(BRS 1.2.309)
“The mercy of Krsna and His devotees is the only cause of attaining raganuga-
bhakti. Some call this type of devotion pusti-marga.”
Commenting on this verse, Sri Jiva Gosvami states:
krishneti – matra padasya vidhi marge kutracit karmadi samarpanam api

dvaram bhavatiti tad vicchedarthah prayoga iti bhava ||
“The word matra is used in the above because sometimes the offering of fruitive
activities can lead to entry into vaidhi-bhakti, whereas raganuga-bhakti is only
(matra) attained through grace.”
3) Developing a taste for raganuga-bhakti
tat tad bhavadi madhurye srute dhir yad apekshate |

natra sastram na yuktim ca tal lobhotpatti lakshanam ||
(BRS. 1.2.292)
“When one hears about the sweetness of their feelings and so forth, and a desire
for attaining the same awakens in the consciousness without dependence on
scripture and logic, this is a symptom of the awakening of greed (lobha).”
rāgamayī bhaktira hoy rāgātmikā nāma;
tāhā śuni lubdha hoy kon bhagyavan
lobhe vrajavāsi-bhāve kore anugati;
śāstra-yukti nāhi māne – rāgānugāra prakṛti
(C.C.)
“Devotion full of sacred passion is called rāgātmikā. If a fortunate soul becomes
greedy for that devotion after hearing about it he will eagerly follow the feelings
of the people of Vraja without bothering about scriptural injunctions and logical
arguments. Such is the nature of rāgānugā bhakti.”
“After the rāgānugīya practitioner has taken shelter of the lotus feet of Śrī Guru
the stream of his bhajana starts flowing as he engages in hearing and chanting
the glories of the Lord in the company of the devotees. Thus his heart is
gradually cleansed from vices like lust and becomes completely immaculate. The
purer his heart gets through this cleansing-process, the stronger the sacred greed
will get in his heart.
(Srila Ananta das Babaji)
“Now it will be described how the rāgānugīya bhakta gradually advances
through the stages of anartha nivṛtti (cessation of bad habits), niṣṭhā (fixation),
ruci (taste), and āsakti (attachment to the beloved deity) up to the stage of prema
(love of God) and the direct attainment of his beloved deity.”
(Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipada, RVC)
ajata-tadrisa-rucina tu sad-viseshadara-matradrita raganugapi vaidhi-
samvalitaivanushtheya |
tatha loka-samgrahartham pratishthitena jata-tadrisa-rucina ca |
atra misratve ca yatha-yogyam raganugayaiki krityaiva vaidhi kartavya ||
(Bhakti-sandarbha 312)
“Those in whom such taste (ruci) has not yet fully awakened, but who have a
special interest for it, should engage in a mixture of raganuga and vaidhi. For
the sake of establishing an example for the people of the world, the one in whom
such ruci has awakened will do the same. Therefore, as appropriate, raganuga
should be performed together with vaidhi.”
4) How is our attraction for a certain kind of love determined?
In raganuga-bhakti, we can develop four kinds of loving relationships:

Dasya-rasa, sakhya-rasa, vatsalya-rasa and madhurya-rasa.
seva sadhaka rupena siddha rupena catra hi |

tad bhava lipsuna karya vrajalokanusaratah ||
(BRS 1.2.295)
“One should serve both in his present sadhaka-body and in his siddha-form,
following in the wake of the residents of Vraja, desiring to have feelings similar
to theirs.”
DESIRING TO HAVE FEELINGS (BHAVA) similar to the Vrajavasis.
As Rupanuga Gaudiya Vaishnavas, externally, we follow Srila Rupa Goswami

and internally we follow Sri Rupa Manjari. And if we desire the unprecedented
gift Sriman Mahaprabhu is ready to distribute, we take shelter at a Sri Gurudeva
who is a worthy recipient of that marvelous gift.
guru-padasrayas tasmat krishna-dikshadi-sikshanam |

visrambhena guroh seva sadhu-vartmanuvartanam ||
(BRS 1.2.74)
“(1) Taking shelter of the feet of a guru,
(2) Accepting initiation in Krishna-mantra and subsequent instructions,
(3) Serving the guru with confidence, and
(4) Following the path traversed by the saints.”
Thus, Sri Gurudeva will bless us with instructions on how to become ourselves
worthy recipients of this “unnatojjvala-rasa-sva-bhakti-sriyam (Radha dasyam)”.
So, what then determines our desire to engage in a certain relationship with
Krishna and Radha?
Let us again see what Srila Rupa Goswami writes in his Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu
(BRS 2.5.13):
“When a devotee’s rati, like a clear crystal, becomes similar in form to that of
the devotee to whom he is attached, it is called svaccha-rati.”
Jiva Gosvami’s Commentary:
This verse shows how devotee association acts as the seed of rati. Through
association with various types of devotees, various types of sadhana which are
like watering the seed will be performed.
bhavāpavargo bhramato yadā bhavej
janasya tarhy acyuta sat-samāgamaḥ
sat-saṅgamo yarhi tadaiva sad-gatau
parāvareśe tvayi jāyate matiḥ
(SB 10.51.53)
“When the material life of a wandering soul has ceased, O Acyuta, he may attain
the association of Your devotees. And when he associates with them, then
devotion unto You will start, You Who are the goal of the devotees and the Lord
of all causes and their effects”.
So, the seed of RATI is sown by sadhu-sanga.
vaiśiṣṭyaṁ pātra-vaiśiṣṭyād ratir eṣopagacchati |

yathārkaḥ pratibimbātmā sphaṭikādiṣu vastuṣu ||7||
BRS 2.5.7
“Specific rati appears according to the specific impressions from previous
experiences in the individual [jiva], just as the sun reflects itself on things like
crystal.”
Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipad explains that just as the sun is one color so love
is one, but just as the color of the light of the sun is determined by the color of
the jewel through which it shines, so the particular flavor that love takes is
determined by the particular experiences of the individual, gained in sadhu-
sanga.
Here we find the connection to BRS 2.5.13:
Sri Jiva Goswami: “Devotee association acts as the seed of rati. Through
like watering the seed will be performed.”
The main word is vaiśiṣṭya, which has many meanings.
These are the recent entries into the dictionary:
वैशिष्ट्य vaiziSTya n. peculiarity

वैशिष्ट्य vaiziSTya n. distinction
वैशिष्ट्य vaiziSTya n. superiority
वैशिष्ट्य vaiziSTya n. difference
वैशिष्ट्य vaiziSTya n. pre-eminence
वैशिष्ट्य vaiziSTya n. excellence
वैशिष्ट्य vaiziSTya n. endowment with some distinguishing property or attribute
“vaiśiṣṭyaṁ pātra” here means that the jiva is endowed with a specific RATI
according to previous experiences. (See BRS 2.5.38, discussed later)
“Endowed” means something that is “acquired”, something which is “received”.
It is not something “inherent” which is “eternally THERE”.
Sometimes BRS 2 .5.7 is translated as follows:
“The rati takes on a specific type (one of the five) according to the individual
nature of the devotee. Just as the sun takes on various forms when reflected
through crystals and other items, the rati takes on various forms when
manifesting in different individuals.”
Actually, the word patra is usually used to mean a worthy recipient, like adhikari,
or a student who is worthy of receiving the gifts of the guru.
We can´t find here the words “individual nature of the devotee” as the meaning
of PATRA.
This would lead to the conclusion that the “individual nature of a devotee” would
determine the specific rati.
We can only understand the verse – “Specific rati appears according to the
specific impressions from previous experiences in the individual [jiva], just as
the sun reflects itself on things like crystal” – when we check with B.R.S 2.5.38:
yathottaram asau svāda-viśeṣollāsamayy api |
ratir vāsanayā svādvī bhāsate kāpi kasyacit ||
“Even though Primary Love (rati) always consists of the joy of a particular taste,
it is differentiated in a hierarchical manner as the five forms of love. The
particular form that love takes for a given individual is determined by
unconscious impressions from previous experiences (vasanas).”
This verse has nothing to do with “intrinsic inclinations” in the jiva.
It is about 2 things:
1. the sadhaka´s greed for a specific love/rati is determined by previous

experiences
2. only the one who is FIXED in one rati can discern the “ranking” of the 5
primary rasas
This fixation happens by the mercy of Sri Gurudeva. Then we can realize, taste
and understand the hierarchy of the rasas Srila Rupa Goswami is talking about in
verse 2.5.38:
Part of Sri Jiva´s commentary:
nanv atra vivekta katamah syat—nirvasanah, eka-vasanah, bahu-vasano va ?

tatradyayor anyatara-svadad abhavad vivektritvam na ghatata eva | antyasya ca
rasabhasita-paryavasanan nastiti | satyam, tathapy eka-vasanasya etad ghatate |
rasantarasyapratyakshatve’pi sadrisa-rasasyopamanena pramanena visadrisa-
rasasya tu samagri-pariposhapariposha-darsanad anumanena ceti ||38||
“Each of the ratis starting with shanta [in the usual order] is always more tasty
than the one that precedes it. Even so each devotee adopts the specific mood that
he has a taste for. One may ask who could possibly ascertain which of these five
ratis is superior or inferior.
After all, those who have no desire for devotion (nirvāsana) or those who are
bound to a single desire (eka-vāsana) cannot judge, since they have no
experience of any of the other rasas.
On the other hand, one who has a taste for more than one mood (bahu-vāsana)
will be hampered by his inability to fully know or relish any one of them
(rasābhāsa). Who then will be able to judge properly?”
Jiva answers his own question:
“These objections are true, but ultimately, it is only the one immersed in a single
rasa who can discern the merits and limitations of the different moods of love.
Though he does not have direct experience of the other ratis, he can recognize
their similarities and see how they do or do not nourish the various ingredients
that lead to the experience of rasa.”
There is nothing here that indicates that RATI or RASA is inherent.
Since Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipad mentions previous lives or this life, it is

ALL a matter of mercy from a devotee.
prāktany ādhunikī cāsti yasya sad-bhakti-vāsanā |

eṣa bhakti-rasāsvādas tasyaiva hṛdi jāyate || BRS 2.1.6
“The taste for bhakti-rasa arises in the heart of a person who has had
experiences of pure bhakti in previous and present lives.”
Jiva Gosvami’s durgama-sangamani commentary
yadyapi rater astitvenādhunikī vāsanāsty eva | tathāpi rasatāpattau prāktanī

cāvaśyaṁ mṛgyata ity āha—prāktanīti | prāg-janma-jātā prāktanī | ādhunikī
janmany asminn udbhutā ceti madhye tirodhānāpekṣayaiva bhedo vivakṣitaḥ |
idam api prāyikam | tātparyaṁ tu raty-atiśaya eva jñeyam ||6||
“Even though there are impressions in this life for giving rise to rasa from the
presence of rati in this life, it is necessary to seek out impressions from a
previous life as well to explain the occurrence of rasa. This distinction between
past life experiences of rati and present life experiences of rati applies to those
person’s subject to disappearance (and not the nitya-siddhas). This is the rule for
most cases discussed in the book. The import is that rati has to be intense for
bhakti-rasa to appear.”
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s Bhakti-sara-pradarsini commentary
yadyapi rater astitvenādhunikī vāsanāsty eva tathāpi spaṣṭatārtham uktam |

prāktanī vāsanā tu raty-āsvāde’vaśyam apekṣitā | ata eva ekasminn eva janmani
daivān niraparādhair guru-pādāśrayaṇādibhir bhajanais tasminn eva janmani
ratau jātāyām api tasyāḥ āsvādaḥ kintu janmāntara iti bodhyam ||6||
“Though there are recent impressions for giving rise to rati, past life impressions
also are needed to give a taste of rati. Though in this life itself rati appears in
persons who have surrendered to guru, performed bhakti, and destroyed all
offences, the taste for rati arises from experiences and actions in previous lives.”
This is the most important line (written by Srila Jiva Goswami).
“This verse shows how devotee association acts as the seed of rati.”
So, the seed of RATI (attraction) is sown by sadhu-sanga.
Srila Sanatana Goswami in his Brihad Bhagavatamritam confirms this.
vicitra-līlā-vibhavasya tasya samudra-koṭī-gahanāśayasya vicitra-tat-tad-ruci-

dāna-līlā- vibhutim uttarkayituṃ prabhuḥ kaḥ ( BB 2.4.190)
“Who is capable of conjecturing His opulence of the pastime of giving various

tastes? He has the majesty of performing varied lilas and His heart is deep like
millions of oceans”.
Commentary by Srila Sanatana Goswami:
“A doubt is raised: Hṛṣikeśa is the prompter of the potencies of cognition and

action of every one. Then why does He not give the best process of worship
equally to everyone? In response to this doubt Nārada Speaks the present verse
(2.4.190). [The commentator explains the compound word vicitra-tattad-ruci-
dāna-līlā-vibhutim.] [He] distributes (dānam) to them [the various people who
take to different types of worship] the various types of (vicitrāṇām) specific
bhāvas (rucinām) or relish. If the reading is tāna, instead of dāna in the
compound word, then the meaning is that He expands [instead of He distributes].
This indeed is His Play (līlā). Who (kaḥ) is capable(prabhuḥ) of conjecturing or
ascertaining properly (uttarkayitum) the grandeur (vibhutim) of His līlā. Indeed,
there is no one. The reason behind this incapability is given in the adjective
samudra-koṭī-gahanāśayasya – one Whose intention (āśaya) is deeper or more
mysterious (gahana) than millions (koṭi) of oceans (samudra). The reason behind
expanding [or distributing] various types of relish is given in the adjective
vicitra-līlā-vibhavasya – one Who has various types of majesties (vibhava) of His
myriad (vicitra) līlās. Otherwise He will not accomplish the sweetness of the
majesty of His various līlās – This is the sense.”
Now, how does Sri Krishna distributes/gives/bestows (DANA) the various tastes
to the various people who take to different types of worship?
He does this via the gateway of the mercy of His devotees.
Again, Srila Jiva Goswami:
“This verse (BRS 2.5.13) shows how devotee association acts as the seed of rati.
Through association with various types of devotees, various types of sadhana
which are like watering the seed will be performed.”
Nowhere does Srila Jiva OR Srila Rupa Goswami write that sadhu sanga brings
out the INHERENTor PREFIXED rati of the jiva. Nowhere.
It is all happening by mercy and mercy alone.
5) From primary attraction to eternal love
tatra sādhana-bhaktiḥ—
kṛti-sādhyā bhavet sādhya-bhāvā sā sādhanābhidhā |
nitya-siddhasya bhāvasya prākaṭyaṁ hṛdi sādhyatā ||
(Sri Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu 1.2.2)
“Action of the senses, which produces the stage of bhava, is called sadhana-
bhakti.
This attained state of bhava-bhakti (sadhyata) is an eternal sthayi-bhava which is
not created, but simply manifests within the soul by the spiritual energy of the
Lord.”
Jiva Goswami´s tika:
Uttama-bhakti has been described in a general way. When bhakti is cultivated

(sadhya) by actions (krti) of the senses, it is called sadhana-bhakti.
Actions of the senses are included within the term bhakti in the same manner that
preliminary purifying actions for performing sacrifice are included within the
term “sacrifice,” though technically they are not part of the sacrifice.
In order to distinguish this sadhana-bhakti from forms of bhakti that involve
direct realization of the Lord, the word sadhya-bhava is used: sadhana ends with
the attainment of bhava. Sadhana is that by which bhava and prema are
achieved. Bhava is not included in sadhana. However, the sadhya-rupa or
perfected form is also bhakti, being a part of it. The word sadhya-bhava (one
meaning is “whose goal is bhava-bhakti” but another meaning is “achieving its
goal”) in any case excludes other goals of human endeavor (artha, dharma,
kama and moksa).
This was already mentioned in the definition of uttama-bhakti (anyabhilasita-
sunyam) which includes within it this present definition. A doubt may arise that
since this state is achieved (sadhya), implying that it is artificially produced, it is
not the ultimate goal.
The second line responds to this doubt by saying that it is eternal, and simply
appears within the heart. That is because its appearance (but not its creation)
will be accomplished in the future by the special actions of the most excellent
transformations (samvit and hladini) of Lord’s svarupa-sakti (which are
perfect and eternal).
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s tika:
When bhakti is accomplished by actions of the senses, it is called sadhana-bhakti.

The action of the senses is included in bhakti (though the senses are
material). This is similar to including the purva-karmas of the sacrifice as part of
the sacrifice. The intention of including sadhana (executed using the senses) in
bhakti is to show that bhakti is produced only by bhakti and not by anything else.
Such a purpose is fitting. The phrase sadhya-bhava is used in order to distinguish
sadhana from bhava-bhakti, which has actions such as hearing and chanting
(called anubhavas), which appear to be the same as the actions of sadhana
bhakti, but which are actually different.
Sadhya-bhava means “that by which bhava-bhakti is generated.”
Thus, by mentioning that the result is bhava, other results such artha, dharma,
kama and moksa are automatically rejected. The word sadhya means, “Produced
or achieved.”
Hence, the phrase “sadhya-bhava” can mean, “that by which bhava is
produced”. This may give rise to the fear that, though bhava-bhakti has been
mentioned as supreme (uttamabhakti), it may not actually be the supreme goal of
human endeavor, because it is produced artificially or achieved (i.e. it is not
eternal).
The answer is given in the second line.
This bhava is eternal, and merely appears within the heart of the devotee. Bhava
also includes hearing, chanting, and other actions (it is not just emotions). These
actions of bhava (angas of bhakti) also appear on the tongue or in the ear, but
are not created, just as Krsna appears in the house of Vasudeva (but is not
produced out of matter).
The emotions and actions of bhava are all eternal and spiritual and not
material because their appearance in the future will be accomplished by the
extraordinary actions of the most excellent transformations (samvit and
hladini) of the Lord’s svarupa-sakti.
____
“This bhava is eternal, and merely appears within the heart of the devotee.”
“That is because its appearance (but not its creation) will be accomplished in
the future by the special actions of the most excellent transformations (samvit
and hladini => BHAKTI) of the Lord’s svarupa-sakti (which are perfect and
eternal).”
Crystal clear. So there can´t be anything like a “pre-fixed” (inherent) rasa in the
jiva as many say there is.
We can learn from Srila Rupa Goswami in his Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu that at
the stage of bhava-bhakti, the permanent emotion (sthayi-bhava) for which the
sadhaka is yearning through sadhana-bhakti, appears fully in the heart.
BRS || 1.3.1 ||
śuddha-sattva-viśeṣātmā prema-sūryāṁśu-sāmya-bhāk |
rucibhiś citta-māsṛṇya-kṛd asau bhāva ucyate ||1||
That part of bhakti is called bhāva, whose essence is saṁvit and hlādinī śakti,
which is one ray of the sun of prema which will soon rise in the heart, and which
softens the heart with desires to meet, serve, and exchange love with the Lord.
Parts of Jīva Gosvāmī’s Commentary:
…
śuddha-sattva-viśeṣātmā –
Now, this verse describes bhāva, also called rati, which is the general form of the
sthāyi-bhāva, and the bud of the sthāyi-bhāva which continues to exist in the
higher stages such as praṇaya and mahā-bhāva. By using the phrase śuddha-
sattva-viśeṣātmā, the author indicates that, in the future, this bhāva will
transform into more elevated states, culminating in mahā-bhāva.
…
Following from this statement, it should be understood that this hlādinī is the
greatest energy of the Lord, and should be understood to be the very essence of
all the combined, concen-trated transformations of His svarūpa-śakti.
Furthermore, the power of the combination of hlādinī and saṁvit causes the most
intense state of desiring to please the Lord. This intense desire resides within the
Lord’s eternal associates.
…
That general bhakti (asau), which was defined as favorable ser-vice to the Lord,
is called bhāva when referring to one particular portion of it called bhāva-rūpa-
bhakti. What is the essen-tial nature of that bhāva? Bhāva has, as its svarūpa or
essence (ātmā), Kṛṣṇa’s svarūpa-śakti, in the form of hlādinī and saṁvit
(śuddha-sattva-viśeṣa). This svarūpa is an eternal object, an eternal
manifestation (nitya-siddha), situated within the eternal dear associates of the
Lord. Uniting itself with its place of appearance (namely, the mind of the
devotee), this bhāva becomes a variety of mental conditions (citta-vṛtti)
characterized by a favorable attitude to the Lord.
…
By comparing prema to the sun, there is the suggestion that, just as the sun will
appear soon after the light of dawn, prema will appear very soon after the
appearance of bhāva. As well, it is like a ray of the sun (prema-sūryāṁśu-sāmya-
bhāk); it is the first glow of the sun of prema. It will be explained later that
prema is the condensed form of bhāva: bhāvaḥ sa eva sāndrātmā budhaiḥ premā
nigadyate (BRS 1.4.1)
This bhāva, whose very form is the essence of the hlādinī function of the Lord,
should also be understood to be non-material, since it makes the happiness of
liberation insignificant, brings about the Lord’s appearance, and produces
bliss. If one is particularly inquisitive about proofs, one should see the Prīti
Sandarbha. Though this bhāva is seen in the eternal associates of the Lord, the
mental conditions of the devotees within this world become similar, by the
mercy of the Lord and His devotees. By this mercy alone it shall appear. There
is no need to elaborate further.
“It is the first glow of the sun of prema” – which kind of PREMA?
Vraja-prema.
Which mood?
sei gopī bhāvāmṛta yāra lobha hoy (C.C.) –
[Anyone who becomes greedy for that nectarean mood of the gopīs…]
Radha-dasyam – “unnatojjvala-rasa-sva-bhakti-sriyam”
Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of
Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered
before: the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the
mellow of conjugal love.”
(Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 1.4)
brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja –
Caitanya caritamrta, Madhya 19.151
“Wandering throughout the universe, some (kona) fortunate (bhagyavan) jivas
by the mercy of Guru and Krishna receive (pāya) the seed of the devotional
plant/creeper (bhakti lata bija).”
The mahājanas say that each and every soul is eligible for the service of Śrī
consciousness spontaneously manifests itself in the pure spirit soul. … These
people are the fortunate souls who have obtained the grace of like-minded
great rasika devotees.
We all can be amongst those fortunate people.
Jay Sri Radhe
Thank you:
Srila Gurudeva
Satyanarayana das Babaji
Advaita das
Radhacharan das
The theistic understanding of the jivas’
situation in this world
OCTOBER 3, 2016 / TARUN GOVINDA DAS
The theistic understanding of the jivas’ situation in this world, gleaned from analyzing
Srila Vyasadeva’s trance, is that Maya cannot tolerate the jivas’ perversion of root
attention away from the Supreme Lord, due to beginningless ignorance. She thus
covers the knowledge of the jivas’ true ontological identity and binds them to empiric
identification.
Maya’s principal functions are to punish and rectify the jivas who have turned away
from Bhagavan. Her motive is not to inflict suffering, but to encourage the ignorant
jivas to seek rectification by inquiring into transcendental knowledge.Sri Kṛṣṇa
therefore says in gita 4.37 that transcendental knowledge burns all the bonds of karma
in the same way that fire burns fuel, because once a person attains transcendental
knowledge, Maya need no longer restrain him.
According to Srila Jiva Gosvami, maya’s conditioning of the jiva has no beginning; it is
anadi. Although statements such as, “she covers the real nature of the jiva” seemingly
imply a beginning, in fact there is no beginning to the jiva’s bondage.
Sri Kṛṣṇa confirms this:
Primordial nature and the living beings should both be understood to be
beginningless. Their transformations and the guṇas of nature are phenomenal
arisings out of primordial nature. (gita 13.20)
Commenting on this verse, both Visvanatha Cakravarti Ṭhakura and Baladeva

Vidyabhuṣaṇa confirm that the conditioning of the jiva is beginningless. Srila
Visvanatha Cakravarti Ṭhakura states:
“[Sri Bhagavan says] ‘Because both maya and the jiva are My potencies, they both
are beginningless. Thus their conjunction is also without beginning.’ This is the sense
of Sri Kṛṣṇa’s words.”
Here Visvanatha is employing the nyaya principle that the qualities or potencies of
anadi substances are also anadi. Naturally, a beginningless substance or entity cannot
have a prior state of existence, for it could not be said to be beginningless.
In this case, the subjects—primordial nature and the jivas— are understood as anadi,
and thus their shared quality of apparent separation from Kṛṣṇa, is also anadi.In fact,
in the beginning of his comment on the Gita verse, Visvanatha says, “In this verse, Sri
Kṛṣṇa is answering two questions— why or how did the conjunction of the jiva and
maya occur? And when did it occur?”
He says that both of these are answered by the word anadi. In regard to the first
question, anadi implies na vidyate adi karaṇam yayoḥ, “the conjunction of maya and
the jiva is without prior cause” [and hence there is in fact no “why” as to how it
occurred]. The answer to the second question—when?— is also anadi: It has no
beginning, and hence, it did not occur at any moment in time.
Baladeva Vidyabhuṣaṇa, commenting on this same verse, writes, “In this way, the
conjunction between primordial nature and the living being, who have distinct
natures and are both beginningless, relates to a period of time that is without
beginning.”
He uses the adjectival compound anadi-kalikatva, “a period of time without
beginning,” to qualify the phrase prakṛti-jivayoḥ saṁsargaḥ, the conjunction of the jiva
with prakṛti.
From this we understand that the jivas and primordial nature are both eternal,
although sometimes manifest and sometimes wound up within Mahaviṣṇu. Being
eternal, they are beginningless, and the nature of their conjunction is also
beginningless. Just as there was no prior state of existence for material nature, there
was also no prior condition of existence for the bound jivas.
The common example given is that of a spider, which expands its energy in the form of
its web and sometimes withdraws the web back into its body. Similarly, primordial
nature and the bound jivas are manifested and unmanifested in a cycle that is anadi,
beginningless.
Beginningless karmic imprinting and patterning is the nature of the bondage of the
beginningless jiva.
Srila Jiva Gosvami will explain all this in greater detail in Paramatma Sandarbha
(Anuccheda 47). He will show that, according to the precise criteria pertaining to
definitions in the nyaya system of logic, the word anadi is to be taken literally.
We should note, however, that the subject at hand transcends conventional logical
faculties.
Srimad Bhagavatam confirms:
The living entity, who is transcendental and liberated, is yet subject to misery and
bondage. Such indeed is Bhagavan’s extrinsic potency(maya), which defies logic. (sb
3.7.9)
We are advised not to employ empirical logic to comprehend the
beginningless bondage of the jiva. Rather, through open receptivity to the
verdict of sastra, accompanied by profound contemplation on the truth
therein disclosed, there arises immediate intuitive insight of this enigma.
This is the way of the self-disclosure of sastric truth, and it is, therefore, the means to
resolve this riddle of beginningless bondage. To not avail of this transempirical mode
of knowing is to risk failure in completing life’s essential purpose.
Bhagavad Gita confirms:
One who rejects sastra attains neither completion, nor contentment,´nor the supreme
destination. (gita 16.23)
Although the jiva is beginninglessly deluded, it eternally retains the inherent capacity
to know Bhagavan. This capacity is an unactualized potential, comparable to the
illuminating power of an unused light bulb. Even when unused, a light bulb retains the
capacity to illuminate, but cannot do so until connected to a power source. Similarly,
the conditioned jiva’s capacity to know Bhagavan is unactualized, but is ever present as
an inherent potential of consciousness itself.
When consciousness is attuned to its Source, the inherent capacity to know Bhagavan
is made possible, like the illumination that is enabled when a light bulb is connected to
a power source.
This is why the jiva is described as an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, “nityaḥ kṛṣṇa-dasaḥ.
When conditioned, the jiva’s constitutional eternal servitorship (dasatva) remains in a
potential state. This potential is actualized when Kṛṣṇa’s intrinsic potency descends to
the jiva, dissolving the empirical conditioning through unconditional devotion.
In the conditioned state, however, the jiva misdirects root attention into phenomenal
identity and appearance. Thus, the self’s instruments of knowing— the mind and
senses— are misapplied in service of a separative ego point of reference. In this
condition, the self’s inherent potential of consciousness to be devotionally whole-
bodily attuned to its Source remains undiscovered, causing the jiva to suffer.
But when the jiva redirects the mind and senses to repose in their conscious Source,
effected through the transmutational power of sadhana-bhakti, then through the
descent or pervasion of divine power, the self’s true potential becomes actualized. If
one perseveres on the path of bhakti, he becomes aware of his original identity and is
established in the unending bliss of prema-bhakti.
In Paramatma Sandarbha (Anucchedas 19–47), Srila Jiva Gosvami discusses this and
other aspects of the jiva’s nature in greater detail.
One may ask why the all-powerful Bhagavan does not stop Maya from bewildering the
jiva. Srila Jiva Gosvami addresses this question in the next Anuccheda (33).
– Srila Satyanarayana das Babaji, tika to Anuccheda 32 (Tattva Sandarbha)
The siddha deha is not inherent in the jiva
soul – more shastric evidence
DECEMBER 24, 2016 / TARUN GOVINDA DAS
In Srila Jiva Goswami´s “Bhakti Sandarbha”, Anuccheda 112, we find more

shastric evidence for the siddha deha being NOT inherent in the svarupa of the
jiva.
Here is the Anuccheda in full (taken from the edition of Srila Satyanarayana das
Babaji):
Bhakti continues even at the stage of liberation

Scriptures describe that bhakti is performed even after the heart is made free
from the desire for kama by love of God, as the Lord said:
“Just as gold gives up its impurities and becomes pure when melted in fire, the
soul [atma] casts aside the seeds of karma through devotion to Me and thereafter
becomes established in service to Me.”
(Srimad Bhagavatam, 11.14.25)
The meaning of this statement is that the atma, which here refers to the jiva soul,
casts aside the seeds of karma by developing love for the Lord. Thereafter, he or
she becomes situated in his or her pure form and identity and renders service to
the Lord.
This is referred to in a statement of Sarvajna Muni cited by Sridhar Svami in his
commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam:
“Even liberated souls accept a body out of their free will [playfully] and thus
worship the Lord.”
(tika by Sridhar Svami to Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.87.21)
Here are several points worthy of our attention.
First of all, we receive the information that even AFTER liberation, the sadhaka
performs bhakti in a suitable body (siddha deha).
Here, liberation refers to the stage called “jivan mukti”, which the Gaudiya
Vaishnavas define as being free from any material desires while still having a
material body, but shortly before attaining a suitable spiritual body.
Srila Jiva Goswami explains this kind of liberation here as “having cast aside the
seeds of karma by developing love for Krishna.”
So, after liberation and after our sadhaka deha perishes, the sadhaka attains a
spiritual body suitable for the desired relationship with the Lord and the service
performed in that siddha deha.
Srila Jiva Goswami says the sadhaka BECOMES SITUATED in the pure form
and identity (siddha deha). It is a PROCESS of BECOMING, not a process
of UNCOVERING.
A TRANSFORMATION, not an AWAKENING.
The jiva soul, the atma, is situated in maya-sakti (material body, bound to
perish) since beginningless time and can become situated in svarupa-sakti
(spiritual body, which is an eternal body) via the process of bhakti.
Now perfection in bhakti, attaining svarupa siddhi, means becoming situated in

our spiritual identity.
When we are situated in our material body, we THINK that we ARE this material
body.
When we become situated in our spiritual body, we ARE this spiritual body.
We don´t experience a difference like now between body and soul.
We completely ARE that wonderful spiritual body. It is our eternal identity.
It is not that this wonderful siddha deha is already present in our jiva soul [atma].
tvaṁ bhakti-yoga-paribhāvita-hṛt-saroja
āsse śrutekṣita-patho nanu nātha puṁsām
yad-yad-dhiyā ta urugāya vibhāvayanti
tat-tad-vapuḥ praṇayase sad-anugrahāya
(Srimad Bhagavatam 3.9.11)
“O Lord! You, who are approached by being heard about, seen and directly
served, enter and remain in the lotus of your devotee’s hearts infused with
bhakti-yoga. Much praised Lord! By your mercy, you bestow to them spiritual
bodies appropriate to the mood they cultivate during sādhana.”
Srila Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains – te sādhaka-bhaktāḥ sva sva
bhāvānurūpaṁ yad yad dhiyā bhāvayanti tat tad eva vapus teṣāṁ siddha dehaṁ
praṇayase prakarṣeṇa tān prāpayasi aho te sva bhakta pāravaśyam iti bhāvaḥ –
“Or your devotees doing sādhana concentrate on their spiritual form per their
mood of love using their minds, and you have them attain (praṇayase) their
spiritual bodies. You become dependent on your devotee.”
The siddha deha is bestowed by the Lord. It is attained by the sadhaka per their
mood of love, not per their already existing seed of a certain siddha deha.
Sridhar Svami writes in this above-mentioned commentary on Srimad
Bhagavatam, 10.87.21:
“Even liberated souls accept a body out of their free will and thus worship the
Lord.”
A liberated soul ACCEPTS a spiritual body OUT OF FREE WILL…not
because it is already present as a seed form in his/her heart.
If the spiritual body would be eternally there in the heart as a seed, how can the
jiva soul [atma] then attain final and thus eternal mukti [sayujiya-mukti] and
choose NOT to attain a spiritual body?
It is certainly not the case that the liberated soul, desiring the eternal merging
with Bhraman, recognizes the seed of a siddha deha and then decides to send it
back to the Lord like a package to Amazon.
The Vedanta Sutra discusses the state of the mukta (liberated soul) in liberation,
once they have given up their material body.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu’s own commentaries in his Govinda Bhasya

confirm that the liberated sadhaka can either accept a spiritual body (or even
several) or he can have no body (sayujiya-mukti).
Vedanta Sutra 4.4.12

ataḥ satya-saṅkalpatvād eva hetor ubhaya-vidhaṁ muktaṁ bhagavān
bādarāyaṇo manyate ubhaya-vidha-vākya-darśanāt | tam avigrahaṁ sa-
vigrahaṁ ca svīkarotīty arthaḥ | dvādaśāhavat | tathā dvādaśāhasya
yajamānecchayāneka-yajamānakatve satratvam eka-yajamānakatve’hīnatvaṁ ca
na virudhyate | tathā svecchayāvigrahatvaṁ sa-vigrahatvaṁ ca muktasyety
arthaḥ |idam atra tattvam—muktāḥ khalu brahma-vidyayā saṁchinna-pidhānāḥ
satya-saṅkalpāś ca bhavanti | teṣu ye vigrahādi-lipsavas te saṅkalpād eva
tadvantaḥ syuḥ | sa ekadhety ādi śruteḥ | ye tu na tādṛśās te kila na tadvantaḥ |
aśarīraṁ vāvety ādi śruteḥ | ye brāhmaṇa-vapuṣā nityaṁ brahmānuvṛttim
icchanti, teṣāṁ tu tac-cic-chakti-mayaṁ tad āvirbhavatīti kil nityaṁ tadvantas
tad anuvartanta iti mantavyam –
“Now, since (the liberated self) is satya-sankalpa (one whose desires are
instantly fulfilled), Badarayana Rishi (Vyasadeva) thinks that the liberated self
can be “of both kinds”, since we find Sruti statements to both effects.
The meaning is that he accepts that it can have a body or be without one. Just
like the Dvadashaha sacrifice. According to the desire of the sponsor (yajamana)
of the Dvadashaha, the sacrifice can be a Satra when it has many sponsors or an
Ahina when there is only one sponsor. There is no contradiction here. The
meaning is that in the same way, the liberated soul by its own will be without a
body or accept a body. This is the truth — by Brahma-vidya, the liberated ones
have cut away all coverings and become satya-sankalpas.
Among them, those who desire a body become like that just by that desire, as the
“he becomes one, two, eleven, etc…”- Sruti statement says (Chandogya 7.26.2).
But those who are not like that will not become such (spiritually embodied), just
as the “it is certainly bodiless” – Sruti statement says (Chandogya 8.12.1).
So, if the siddha deha would already be in every jiva soul [atma], there would
never ever be the question of accepting such a suitable body or not accepting a
spiritual body [sayujiya-mukti].
If the siddha deha would already be present as a seed in all jiva souls [atmas], all
these comments would be rendered meaningless and the liberated jiva soul would
be FORCED to BE the siddha deha that is already as a seed in the heart.
te sādhaka-bhaktāḥ sva sva bhāvānurūpaṁ yad yad dhiyā bhāvayanti tat tad eva
vapus teṣāṁ siddha dehaṁ praṇayase prakarṣeṇa tān prāpayasi aho te sva
bhakta pāravaśyam iti bhāvaḥ –
“Or your devotees doing sādhana concentrate on their spiritual form per their
mood of love using their minds, and you have them attain (praṇayase) their
spiritual bodies. You become dependent on your devotee.”
(Srila Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura)
The siddha deha is BESTOWED by the Lord and ATTAINED by the loving
sadhakas.
It is a matter of MERCY, not a matter of anything being “pre-arranged” or “pre-
fixed”.
There is no eternally fixed blueprint in the heart of the jiva soul [atma]
determining which suitable siddha deha the jiva soul will attain.
Srila Jiva writes in his commentary to Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu, verse 2.5.13:
This verse shows how devotee association acts as the seed of rati. Through
(SB 10.51.53)
The ultimate cause is always MERCY, KRIPA.
Everything is BESTOWED…the bhakti-lata-bija, bhava, prema and a suitable
siddha deha:

transcendentally situated in the innermost chambers of your heart. Resplendent
with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age of Kali by His
causeless mercy to BESTOW what no incarnation has ever offered before: the
most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the mellow of conjugal
love.”
(Caitanya-Caritamrta Adi-lila 1.4)
The eternal svarupa (siddha deha) is not
inherent in the jiva
NOVEMBER 3, 2016 / TARUN GOVINDA DAS
First of all, the title is quite misleading and almost “wrong-ish”.
The jiva is an eternal energy of Krishna and within this energy, another energy
can´t be inherent.
“Tatastha does not change into svarupa-sakti. But even before getting the siddha-
deha, the tatastha becomes imbued by svarupa-sakti. That is called getting sthayi-
bhava. The siddha deha is not a physical body as we have experience of. It is a
bhava body.
I am sure you have come across a statement somewhere that says that Srimati
Radhika is Mahabhava-svarupa. So the tatastha who is imbued with svarupa-
sakti, like an iron rod made red hot by putting it in fire, is now linked to a body
consisting of svarupa-sakti. There is oneness because the sthayi-bhava does not
make the tatastha feel that he is having something exterior in him.”
(Srila Satyanarayana das Babaji)
Why is the eternal svarupa of the jiva not inherent in the jiva?
1)
The jiva is an eternal energy of the Lord, called “tatastha-sakti”.

It is the energy inbetween the Lord´s external energy (maya-sakti) and His
internal energy (svarupa-sakti).
Eternal means eternal.

“The jiva is the marginal potency of Krishna and a manifestation simultaneously
one with and different from the Lord.”
2)
The eternal svarupa of the jiva, the siddha deha, is of the svarupa-sakti, the
internal energy of the Lord.
vaikunthasya bhagavato jyotir-amsa-bhuta
vaikuntha-loka-sobha-rupa ya ananta murtayas
tatra vartante tasam ekaya saha muktasyaikasya murtir bhagavata kriyata iti
vaikuntasya murtir iva murtir yesham ity uktam
(Priti Sandarbha 10)
“In the spiritual world, the Supreme Lord has unlimited spiritual forms. They all
are expansions of Himself illuminating that world. With each one of those forms,
the Lord enjoys pastimes with a single individual liberated soul.”
vasanti yatra puruṣāḥ
sarve vaikuṇṭha-mūrtayaḥ
ye ’nimitta-nimittena
dharmeṇārādhayan harim
(SB 3.15.14)
“In that place all men reside with forms like the Lord and they worship the Lord
with unmotivated service. They have forms like the Lord. They have no personal
motives (animitta) impelling them (nimittena) to worship. Ārādhayan means that
they worshipped since ancient times.”
(SB 3.9.11)
“O Lord! You, Who are approached by being heard about, seen and directly
served,
enter and remain in the lotus of your devotee’s hearts infused with bhakti-yoga.
Much praised Lord! By your mercy, you bestow to them spiritual bodies
appropriate to the mood they cultivate during sādhana.”
3)
Bhakti is not “inherent” in the jiva-sakti.
Bhakti comes from bhakti.
Bhakti is given by someone who has bhakti.
brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva;
guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-lata-bīja
māli hoiyā kare sei bīja āropaṇa;
śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale koroye secana
“When a living entity while wandering throughout the universe in different
species, attains good fortune by the causeless mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa, then only
he can get the seed of the wish-fulfilling bhakti creeper. He becomes a gardener
who received the seed and waters it by hearing and chanting of Kṛṣṇa.”
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19.151-51)
4)
Bhava and finally prema manifest themselves in the heart of the jiva, which
was being “cleaned” by sadhana-bhakti. It is not “already” there, waiting to
be “awakened”.
BRS 1.2.2
“Devotion which is enacted through the senses and which leads
to the self-manifestation of bhāva-bhakti, is called sādhana-bhakti.
The self-manifestation within the heart [of the practitioner] of the eternally
existing transcendental affect of devotion (bhāva) is known as the completion
stage of devotion.”
Srila Jiva Gosvami’s Durgama sangamani commentary:
bhāvasya sādhyatve kṛtrimatvāt parama-puruṣārthatvābhāvaḥ syād ity

āśaṅkyā—nityeti |
bhagavac-chakti-viśeṣa-vṛtti-viśeṣatvenāgre sādhayiṣyamāṇatvād iti bhāvaḥ
“A doubt may arise that since this state is achieved [sadhya], implying that it is
artificially produced, it is not the ultimate goal. The second line responds to this
doubt by saying that is is eternal, and simply appears within the heart. That is
because its appearance [and not its creation] will be accomplished in the future
by the special actions of the most excellent transformations [samvit and hladini
aspects] of Bhagavan’s svarupa sakti [which are perfect and eternal].
5)
The metaphor of the “bhakti-lata-bija” is a wonderful metaphor by Sriman
Mahaprabhu to demonstrate how our bhakti grows from an initial “seed” to
a full-blown flower.
Nevertheless, it still is a metaphor, albeit a very genuine one. Sri Gurudeva does
not give the disciple a transcendental seed to “swallow”. This brilliant metaphor
stands for a transmission of spiritual energy from the heart of the one who has it
to the one who desires it.
“Watering that seed with śravaṇa and kīrtana makes the bhakti creeper sprout in
the field of the devotee’s senses. Favourable service to the Lord is the root of that
creeper. The very life-force of bhakti is to give pleasure to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.”
(Srila Ananta das Babaji Maharaj)
6)
The “bhakti-lata-bija” does not contain the siddha deha in its “seed-form”.
The siddha deha is eternal and is not “packed” as a seed in the bhakti-lata-
bija.
The jiva is not pregnant with the seed of the siddha deha.
7)
Prema is not already “there” in the jiva, sleeping, only waiting to be
awakened.
nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya
śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya
(Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 22.107)
“Krsna prema is eternally perfect (nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema) and it cannot be
generated by anything (sādhya’ kabhu naya). It arises within the heart that has
become purified by practices such as hearing, etc (śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye
udaya)”.
Prema descends into the suitable heart of the jiva. The jiva has the potentiality to
RECEIVE this most wonderful PREMA as the culmination of bhakti.
Mukunda dasa Gosvami says: nitya-siddha-bhakteṣu śuddha-sattva-viśeṣa-

rupatayā sadā vartamānasyātra svayaṁ sphuraṇān na kṛtrimatva-śaṅkā) – “The
pure sattva which is ever present in the nitya siddha devotees manifests itself [in
the heart of the practitioner devotee] and thus should not be seen as artificial.”
8)
The jiva is not “sat-cit-ananda” like Sri Krishna.

In case of the jiva:
sat => eternal
cit => cognitively aware (of his own field [body])
ananda => free from suffering
In Paramatma Sandarbha (28), Sri Jiva Gosvami explicitly says that the self is
devoid of knowledge, although conscious by nature, and it lacks bliss although
free of any material misery. In other words, it has the potential (svarupa yogyata)
to get knowledge and bliss but not yet the functionality (phalopadhayi yogyata).
(check Paramatma Sandarbha and Tattva Sandarbha for more references)
The jiva is like a drop of the ocean. Krishna is the ocean. The drop can have no
waves. You can´t surf on a drop. Krishna´s form of sat-cit-ananda is different.
9)
“Jivera svarupa haya” doesn´t mean that the svarupa is inherent in the jiva.
(Caitanya Caritamrita, Madhya-lila, 20.108)
“The jiva’s essential nature is to be an eternal servant of Sri Krishna. The jiva is
the marginal potency of Krishna and a manifestation simultaneously one with
and different from the Lord.”
“Svarupa” here means ‘essential nature’. It is our essential nature to be a servant
of the Lord. Nature is not the same as eternal spiritual form. Nature here is ONE,
our forms can be MANY.
From Anuccheda 19 until the end of Anuccheda 47 of his Paramatma Sandarbha,

Srila Jiva Gosvamipada describes the svarupa of the jiva, provides sastra
pramana for the qualities of the jiva’s svarupa and refutes Advaita (mayavada)
concepts of the jiva. There is not one instance in this whole discussion on the
svarupa of the jiva where he admits any type of svarupa-bheda (differences in the
svarupa of jivas).
10)
Krishna has not “put” a taste/attraction already in a “pre-fixed” way into
the heart of the jivas.
The seed of RATI is sown by sadhu-sanga. THIS IS WHAT Brihad
Bhagavatamritam 2.4.190 is all about:
vicitra-līlā-vibhavasya tasya samudra-koṭī-gahanāśayasya vicitra-tat-tad-ruci-

dāna-līlā- vibhutim uttarkayituṃ prabhuḥ kaḥ
anvaya and word for word meaning:
kaḥ =who?, prabhuḥ= is capable, uttarkayituṃ= to conjecture, tasya= His, tat-

tad-ruci-dāna-līlā- vibhutim= the opulence of pastime of giving various tastes,
vicitra-līlā-vibhavasya= one who has the majesty of performing varied lilas,
samudra-koṭī-gahanāśayasya= whose heart is deep like millions of oceans
Translation: “Who is capable of conjecturing His opulence of the pastime of

giving various tastes? He has the majesty of performing varied lilas and His
heart is deep like millions of oceans”.
Tika:

(Satyanarayana das Babaji)
Now, how does Sri Krishna distributes/gives/bestows (DANA) the various tastes
to the various people who take to different types of worship?
He does this via the gateway of the mercy of His devotees.
Srila Jiva Goswami:
“Devotee association acts as the seed of rati. Through association with various
types of devotees, various types of sadhana which are like watering the seed will
be performed.”
Nowhere does Srila Jiva OR Srila Rupa Goswami write that sadhu sanga brings
out the inherent rati of the jiva. Nowhere.
11)
Every individual soul is qualified to become Rādhikā’s maidservant; this is
the great, rare gift of Śrīman Mahāprabhu.
According to the “everything-is-inherent-and-prefixed” vada, only a few are then
able to receive this highest gift of unnatojjva rasam sva bhakti sriyam, namely
those who would have a “seed” of madhurya rasa already in their jiva-svarupa.
Now, where is the MERCY in that?????

Was Mahaprabhu an elitist?
No. He distributed this unnatojjvala rasa sva bhakti sriyam FREELY.
ataeva gopī-bhāva kari aṅgīkāra

rātri-dina cinte rādhā-kṛṣṇera vihāra
“Therefore one should accept the mood of the gopīs in their service. In such a
transcendental mood, one should always think of the pastimes of Śrī Rādhā and
Kṛṣṇa.”
So, by the mercy of Sriman Mahaprabhu, every jiva is eligible to receive this
most wonderful gift, not only a few chosen, “prefixed” ones…every jiva has now
the possibility by this mercy to become a maidservant of Srimati Radhika.
If we can accept this gift or not is a different matter.
12)
If the svarupa of the jiva would be inherent, that would also mean that
RAGA-BHAKTI would be inherent.
REFUTATION:
krsna-tad-bhakta-karunya-matra-labhaika-hetuka \
(BRS 1.2.309)
“The mercy of Krsna and His devotees is the only cause of attaining raganuga-
bhakti. Some call this type of devotion pusti-marga.”
13)
If the svarupa would be inherent, then GREED for raganuga-bhakti would
be inherent.
Refutation:
“There are two causes for the appearance of the aforementioned sacred greed:
The mercy of God or the mercy of another anurāgī devotee. There are again two
kinds of mercy bestowed by a devotee: prāktana and ādhunika. prāktana means
mercy bestowed by a rāgānugā bhakta in a previous life, and ādhunika is mercy
bestowed in the present birth. The prāktana-devotee takes shelter of the lotus feet
of a rāgānugā guru after the sacred greed has arisen in him, the ādhunika will get
that sacred greed only after having surrendered to the feet of such a guru. It is
said (in Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu): “The only causes of the appearance of sacred
greed is the mercy of Kṛṣṇa or His devotee. Therefore some call the path of
rāgānugā bhakti also puṣṭi mārga (the path of grace).”
(Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipada, RVC)
14)
Holy association is the seed of love and affection for Krishna.
BRS 2.5.13:
“When a devotee’s rati, like a clear crystal, becomes similar in form to that of
the devotee to whom he is attached, it is called svaccha-rati.”
Jiva Gosvami’s Commentary:
This verse shows how devotee association acts as the seed of rati.Through
(SB 10.51.53)
So, the seed of RATI is sown by sadhu-sanga.
vaiśiṣṭyaṁ pātra-vaiśiṣṭyād ratir eṣopagacchati |

yathārkaḥ pratibimbātmā sphaṭikādiṣu vastuṣu ||7||
BRS 2.5.7
“Specific rati appears per the specific impressions from previous experiences in
the individual [jiva], just as the sun reflects itself on things like crystal.”
Rasa-tattva-vijnana (by Radhakunda Mahanta
Sri Srimat Ananta das Babaji)
MARCH 12, 2014 / TARUN GOVINDA DAS
What is‘Rasa’?
‘Rasa’ is something unearthly and beyond the Laws of Nature. Like
Brahman, Rasa is inconceivable and inexpressible. We can only realize Rasa and
cannot arrive at it with logic. Rasa transcends all thought-processes and gives us
relish when our chitta has attained the state of pure goodness and shines
brilliantly. Those who do not have the desire to relish Rasa can never
realize Rasa. The author of Sahitya-Darpan says – “Rasa is beyond the material
world and it can be realized only by a Rasika.”
Alankar-Koustubh says –
“Rasa creates magic” and “A feeling of ‘WOW!!’ is the soul of Rasa; if, after
relishing something, we do not say ‘WOW!!’ then it is not Rasa.”Suppose we see
something so gorgeous that we have never seen before or we hear something so
beautiful that we have never heard before, then we feel a kind of joy and our
heart somersaults. Consequently, unknown to us, our eyes too bulge out. This is
‘wonderment’. We call this thrilling experience as ‘Rasa’.
Alankar-Koustubh also states –

“If some favorable objects (or incidents) come together to create such a joyful
thrill in the heart, that stupefies our external as well as internal senses – then we
can call such a delightful experience as ‘Rasa’.”
Srila Rupa Goswamipad too has written –
“A magical inexpressible relish that shoots across a heart blazing with goodness
and is beyond all human perceptions, it is ‘Rasa’.”
– (B.R.S.2.5.132)
Rasa is commonly of two types –
1. material Rasa – we can feel this Rasa with our heart

2. transcendental Rasa – realized by the soul
When talented writers compose literature about worldly characters then the
reader relishes some Rasa. We call this as ‘material Rasa’. The rhetoricians call
this as ‘close to relishing Brahman’. However the authors of transcendental Rasa-
literature flatly denounce this and state – “The Rasa in material literature target
the heart of material people, hence it is full of Maya (illusion) and contains the
three gunas (modes of nature). Naturally it is short-living. There is no way we
can gain complete bliss from this Rasa.”
Srimat Jiva Goswamipad has clearly written in Priti-Sandarbha (110) –

“Worldly passion can give only slight pleasure, since if we analyze deeply,
material emotions ultimately result in sorrow. Therefore we cannot respect
material literature that gives rise to worldly Rasa.”
Srila Kabi Karnapur’s opinion is – “Rasa is of three types –
1. prakrita (material) e.g. the Rasa found in the novel ‘Malati and Madhav1’
2. aprakrita (transcendental) e.g. the Rasa reposing in Sri Radha-Krishna
‘3. abhas (shadow of Rasa) e.g. Rasa existing in an inappropriate place or
situation” Srila Vishwanath Chakravartipad has explained this statement as
follows –
“We classify Rasa into three types and say that material Rasa is a type
of Rasa just to satisfy the fans of material literature. Actually there is no relish in
material novels. It is a misake to think that worldly events can arouse Rasa. It is
certain that mundane heroes and heroines will ultimately transform into ash,
worms or stool1 – then how can we get Rasa in them? Also when we analyze the
truth we see that that the worldly poets are so ignorant that they present their
heroes and heroines as ‘beautiful like flowers, youthful and fragrant’. Such
falsehoods only fuel our hatred all the more than arousing Rasa. This is the
reason why the author (Srila Kabi Karnapur) who is a Rasika has not cited a
single poem composed by material poets as examples; rather everywhere he has
only described transcendental Rasa and has given likewise examples. Those who
have had the good fortune to relish blissful transcendental divine Rasa, find
material Rasa as worthless and horrible. But of course, material literature offers
more happiness than the pleasures of the flesh. We do not doubt this fact.
Who relishes Rasa?

In this context the rhetoricians are divided into 4 groups. The first group opines
that the real heroes and heroines of an event are the ones who mainly relish
the Rasa. The actors who represent them (in a drama) get the taste of Rasa little
bit. If they do a lot of rehearsal and their hearts are clear, they may relish Rasa.
The second group says – the real life characters are limited. They face troubles
and tribulations in life – so how can they relish any Rasa? Rather the actors who
play their parts relish the Rasa.
The third group states – the real characters do not relish Rasa at all, and neither
do the actors representing them. The actors are but imitators. They only practice
and become experts at displaying emotions (which are not real). So they do not
enjoy Rasa. Then who gets the pleasure of Rasa? The Rasika audience. After all,
the public sees and hears with absorption.
The fourth group says that if the actors have a clear heart, they will feel the
emotions of the real characters and hence they too will relish Rasa, and of course,
the public too will certainly enjoy Rasa.
Most of the rhetoricians agree on the point that the audience relishes Rasa.
However one point is clear from the above discussion that in
transcendental Rasa – all can relish Rasa
– the real characters, the actors playing their role as well as the audience.
The real characters (e.g. the Divine Couple) do not suffer from the problems
faced by the original characters of material literature – that is – they are not
mortals, are not limited and do not endure troubles and tribulations. Therefore
Their associates too relish Rasa. Divine passion is naturally immortal and
unlimited. The main subject of transcendental Rasa (Sri Krishna) is the Supreme
Brahman Himself and all His activities too are divine. Sri Hari’s excellences are
innumerable, His beauty is immeasurable and He is the unlimited turbulent ocean
of Leela-Rasa! Also, Sri Bhagavan’s names, beauty, qualities and pastimes are
not mere agglomeration of words. They are non-different from each other.
“Sri Krishna’s names, Sri Krishna’s excellences, Sri Krishna’s divine pastimes
are all equal to His swarup and hence they are eternal and blissful.”
– (C.C.)
Therefore nothing can stop or diminish the Rasa-relish of Sri Krishna’s names,
excellences, pastimes etc. We can realize transcendental Rasa even when
confronted with anarthas such as fear (e.g.
Prahlad Maharaj) and intermission caused due to rebirth (Jada-Bharat). Not even
Brahman-realization can obstruct one from relishing divine Rasa! Shukadev is a
brilliant evidence for this. Hence we’d better accept that Rasa exists only in
divine passion.
Who is qualified to relish devotional Rasa?

“Those who have past and present desire for devotional Rasa, they alone can
relish bhakti-Rasa.”
– (B.R.S. 2.1.6.)
Srimat Jiva Goswamipad has explained the above verse –
“Past desire refers to the yearning for bhakti in the past life, while present desire
means the desire for bhakti in this life. When a devotee has a passion for Sri
Krishna in this life, it is clear that he has present desire; however to
realize Rasa, he also has to have had a desire for Rasa in the past life. Both are
necessary to relish Rasa.”
Srila Vishwanath Chakravartipad has clarified further –

“When we are offense less and if we practice bhajan under the shelter of Sri
Gurudev’s lotus feet, we can reach the state of passion; even then, we will
relish Rasa only in the next birth.”
Now we have to see what we mean by ‘the desire for Rasa’ ? How does it arise in
the heart? When? In whose heart does it arise? When we delve deep
into tattva, we learn that Sri Krishna is Rasaa- swarup (Rasa personified). He
and the living being are related to each other since infinity and the living being
longs for Rasaa-swarup Sri Krishna since then – and not for anybody else.
However the living being has turned away from Sri Krishna and so he does not
understand this. The longing drives him to enjoy Krishnetar objects (things other
than Sri Krishna). Of course, he does not really enjoy. The innate desire of his
original self is to relish Rasaa-swarup Sri Krishna. In stead of doing this, he
simply wallows in sense-gratification. However, the soul is transcendental. He is
against material pleasure. He is not happy to indulge in the pleasures of the flesh.
After all, the soul has only one goal – to relish seva-Rasa of the Rasaa-
swarup Sri Krishna. This means, the soul enjoys when he serves Rasaaraj. This is
why, in spite of rolling in material enjoyments since infinity, the living being
remains ever dissatisfied. He can gain satisfaction and become blessed only by
relishing divine Rasa. The Shrutis are very merciful. They clearly tell the living
being, who has floundered from his goal (Rasa-relish) that Sri Krishna
is Rasa personified. They proclaim –
“Rasao vai sah” – He alone is Rasa.
“Rasaam hyevayam labdhanandi bhavati” – Sri Bhagavan is Rasa personified

and only by obtaining Him the Rasa-thirsty living being can gain bliss.
The words ‘alone’ and ‘only’ indicate that we can never gain happiness from
anything (or anyone)
other than Sri Bhagavan. Thus when we search for our root desire, we discover
that it is the ‘desire to serve Sri Krishna’ or simply put, ‘bhakti-desire’. When we
have faith and reverence, we should take the shelter of the saints and Spiritual
Master. We should associate with them and gain their kripa. By their mercy, the
desire for bhakti arises in our heart. It is the same as the desire to perform bhajan.
After this we embark on the path of bhajan. When we
perform bhajan enthusiastically, gradually we are rid of anarthas. Then we
gain nishtha, interest, asakti and finally we are promoted to the stage of
rati. Rati (passion) is a devotee’s permanent bhav.
This ‘permanent bhav’ mingles with vibhav, anubhav2 etc. and gets converted
into bhakti-Rasa. Thus we see that only a passionate devotee is one worthy of
relishing bhakti-Rasa.
Which sadhana arouses Rasa, what causes Rasa to arise and what is
the way through which Rasa arises?
Srila Rupa Goswamipad has written – “Rasa arises when –
1. Bhakti has uprooted all our faults and at last we are happy. And
so we are ready to receive pure goodness. Our heart is
sparkling with the knowledge required to receive pure
goodness,
2. We are deeply attached to Srimad-Bhagavatam,
3. The only pleasure in our life is – the constant company of Rasika devotees,
4. We consider the joy arising out of serving the lotus feet of Lord Govinda as
the sole purpose of living,
5. We are incessantly engaged in hearing about the confidential pastimes,
glorifying them and meditating on them since these are the very necessity to
gain prem.
When the heart is radiant with the Rasa-desire handed down from the past life
and the desire for Rasa in the present life, Rasa arises in
it. Worldly people relish material Rasa when a good author composes an in
teresting piece of literature. Transcendental Rasa is not like that. It does not
depend on the merits of the author or the composition. The passion in a devotee’s
heart takes the form of joy and he realizes Rasa whenever he comes across
anything pertaining to Sri Krishna. The passion in the devotee’s own heart makes
Sri Krishna extremely relishing to him and he attains dizzy heights of tremendous
bliss!”
– (B.R.S.2.1.7-10)
These statements prove that Rasa is like Brahman – simultaneously gross and
subtle, beyond all reasoning, and something unearthly. We can only
realize Rasa; we cannot ascertain it by using logic; we cannot debate on it. If we
do not have a sanskar for Rasa, or a ‘Rasa-desire’, we can never ever
digest Rasa.
Who is unworthy of relishing Rasa?

Srila Rupa Goswamipad replies –
“When the heart is burnt up with dry renunciation and one is disinterested
in bhakti, he is not qualified to relish Rasa.
The ones practicing dry renunciation are uncouth and the remaining are plain
ignorant. You know how a householder hides his most valuable items out of fear
that the thieves may steal them? Similarly, Sri Krishna- bhakti-Rasa is a precious
treasure. The devotee Rasika too should hide this gem from the uncouth and
ignorant. We should not discuss bhakti-Rasa with the above-mentioned people.
Be especially careful of those dry mimansaks (logicians and analysts), since they
harbor a distaste for bhakti–Rasa and are ever-ready to jump on bhakti-Rasa to
annihilate it with worldly arguments.
Srimat Jiva Goswamipad has said –

“We see five types of people in this world –
a) Ignorant (agya) – They may be learned in the other scriptures, but have no
experience of Rasa-literature (transcendental Rasa, naturally). We still call them
‘ignorant’.
b) Uncouth (gramya) – They are addicted to material enjoyment. They are like
animals indulging in the pleasure of the flesh.
c) Wise (pragya) – They are learned in Rasa-literature; they even accept

that Rasa is the topmost, yet they are so unfortunate that they are not capable of
relishing Rasa. All three (ignorant, uncouth and wise) are unworthy of Rasa-
realization.
d) Bhavak – They are devotees who are learned in Rasa-literature and are able to
relish Rasa.
e) Bhavya – They are also devotees. They have attained success

(siddhi) in Rasa-sadhana.
They are accomplished relishers of Rasa. We call them Rasika devotees.” We
surely understand from this discussion that bhakti-Rasa is a permanent riddle for
the non- devotees.
“The devotees who possess nothing but the lotus feet of Sri Hari can only
relish Rasa.”
– (B.R.S. 2.5.131)
How does Rasa form?

Before we go into the study of Rasa-formation, we need to become familiar with
certain terms such as vibhav, anubhav, satvik bhav, vyabhichari, sthayi bhav etc.
Let us learn these terms and understand their definitions properly.
Vibhav – Alankar-Koustubh has defined it as – “It is the cause of Rasa. It

arouses Rasa in us”.
Vibhav is classified into two types –
1. alamban vibhav (=what supports Rasa) – Sri Krishna arouses Rasa in the
devotee’s heart.
Also, the devotee’s passion for Sri Krishna causes Rasa to arise in the sadhak’s
heart. Here we call Sri Krishna as the ‘subject’ and the devotee as the ‘shelter’
of Rasa. Thus alamban vibhav is divided into two – subject (Sri Krishna) and
shelter (the devotee).
2. uddipan vibhav (=what excites Rasa) – Sri

Krishna’s sweet qualities, activities,
decorations, laughter, fragrance, flute, anklets, conch-
shell, footprints, home, cattle- grazing pasture, Tulsi, devotees, feasts – all
excite Rasa in us. So they are ‘uddipan vibhav’.
Anubhav – Alankar-Koustubh states –

“’anu’ means ‘later’ or ‘what follows’. After Rasa arises in our heart, we express
some symptoms externally. These are ‘anubhav’. We also call them as ‘Rasa-
action’.”
Example – The subject (Sri Krishna) and the devotee (shelter) express some
external characters due to their passion for each other, such as – loving glances,
smiles etc.
Some expressions are loud and are easily visible – such as – dancing in joy,
singing, yelling, stretching, roaring, yawning, sighing heavily, not caring how
others react to our love, salivating, loud laughter, hiccupping, smiling etc. These
reveal our heartfelt passion. We call these anubhavs as ‘udbhaswar anubhav’
(openly visible).
“When the anubhavs (symptoms of Rasa-relish) are not so visible, we

call them as ‘satvik anubhav’ or simply ‘satvik-bhav’.” – ( B.R.S.)
Srila Rupa Goswamipad has listed eight satvik anubhavs in B.R.S. –
1. stupefaction
2. perspiration
3. goose bumps
4. faltering voice
5. shivering
6. paleness
7. tears
8. doom
Vyabhichari bhav – Alankar-Koustubh explains –
“This bhav is not constant; it lends color to the permanent bhav.”
B.R.S. says – “it is a ‘passing’ bhav – so we also call it ‘sanchari’ or

passing bhav.”
Let us understand it better. Just as waves rise and fall in the sea, thus making it
more beautiful, some small bhavs appear and disappear while we continue to
remain in our own permanent bhav. These waves of bhav lend color to the
permanent bhav. There are 33 passing bhavs in total –
1. complete indifference
2. grief
3. humility
4. glani (Exhaustion, fatigue of the body, lassitude, languor, depression of the
mind, debility, sickness)
5. fatigue
6. arrogance
7. pride
8. doubt
9. stress
10. aveg (Frenzy, passionate absorption)
11. lunacy
12. amnesia
13. sickness
14. illusion
15. death
16. lethargy
17. stupidity
18. vreeda (bashfulness)
19. avahittha (Pretending to be disinterested)
20. remembrance
21. debate
22. worry
23. intelligence
24. patience
25. joy
26. curiosity
27. ougra (Tremendous anger)
28. amarsha (Intolerance resulting out of criticism, insult etc)
29. jealousy
30. mischievousness (or playfulness)
31. sleep
32. drowsiness
33. understanding
Permanent bhav or Sthayi bhav –
Alankar-Koustubh says –
“When our heart is without a tinge of rajah (mode of passion) and tamah (mode
of ignorance) and it is full of only pure goodness, then an indescribable passion
can fill the heart; it is the source of Rasa-relish, and the wise call it the
‘permanent’ or sthayi-bhav.”
Srila Rupa Goswamipad says –
“Laughter is a positive feeling while anger is a negative feeling. A bhav that

subjugates all other bhavs whether positive or negative and looms high above
them – we call such a bhav as ‘permanent’. The Bhakti-literatures call the
passion for Sri Krishna as ‘sthayi-bhav’.” – (B.R.S.)
Our sthayi-bhav intermingles with the bhavs such as vibhav etc. and is
transformed into Rasa. On
its own, vibhav cannot make us realize Rasa. It just causes us to express
anubhavs. The Vyabhichari (passing) bhavs only help anubhav. None of
these bhavs can create Rasa in us if we do not have ‘sthayi-bhav’. When
our sthayi-bhav mingles with three other bhavs, then it is the sthayi-bhav that
turns into Rasa. We have to be very clear about this.
Sthayi-bhav is permanent, whereas the other bhavs such as vibhav etc. change.
Hence although the other bhavs do make us express Rasa, they are not the source
of Rasa. Sthayi-bhav is a form of the great power called Hladini Shakti. It is
inconceivable. Therefore Sthayi-bhav is permanent and so is Rasa. We repeat –
when sthayi-bhav matures, we realize Rasa. Sthayi-bhav has only one function –
to please Sri Bhagavan.
Here, we may question –

You said – “sthayi-bhav transforms into Rasa.” In the same breath you are saying
– sthayi-bhav and Rasa are both permanent. Are you not contradicting yourself?
When one thing changes into another, it does not remain. This means,
when sthayi-bhav will turn into Rasa, the sthayi-bhav will not exist any more,
since now it is Rasa! Then how can you call sthayi-bhav permanent? Also how
can you call Rasa as permanent? Since it has taken birth from sthayi-bhav –
which means, earlier it did not exist. Does this not mean that both sthayi-
bhav and Rasa are temporary?
The answer to this question is –

All the divine pastimes of Sri Krishna are eternal. His various ages such as
childhood, adolescence, youth – are also timeless. His behavior in these ages is
eternal as well. However the devotees have a tremendous desire to behold these
pastimes or to see Him in a particular form. Then He uses this as an opportunity
to save the world and He manifests these pastimes. When the work is over,
that leela unmanifests. The leela continues to exist, but shrouded from material
eye. Similarly Rasa expresses itself in a devotee’s heart and when the vibhav etc.
disappear, Rasa too conceals itself.
When material reactants transform into products, the reactant disappears. For
example, when sugarcane juice turns into molasses, the juice is no more. Later
when it forms sugar, we do not see the jaggery. However transcendental objects
are different from material things. They have an inconceivable potency. They get
transformed without losing their separate identity. Example – Sri Krishna is
eternally a kishor. Yet, His kishor-body becomes a child, adolescent and the
adolescent- body becomes all the more beautiful as a kishor. Every stage is
eternal. All the bodies – child, adolescent, youthful – are eternal. Similarly, our
permanent bhav (sthayi-bhav) is eternal, yet it transforms into Rasa. Both –
sthayi-bhav and Rasa continue to exist separately.
About the formation of Rasa, Srimat Jiva Goswamipad has written in his Priti-
Sandarbha – “The bhavs that are worthy of becoming Rasa, become Rasa.”
Let us understand this statement better. Material vibhavs – yes, even

the vibhavs pertaining to devatas are material – are temporary and are lacking in
ingredients of Rasa. So they do not form Rasa. Transcendental vibhavs have all
the ingredients to form Rasa. These ingredients have 3 qualifications –
1. The right swarup

2. The right associate
3. The right recipient
1. The right swarup – The eternal associates have the right swarup, hence
they possess sthayi-bhav and are always situated in bliss. They reveal
Sri Bhagavan to us and constantly please Him with their seva. They even
criticize the joy of liberation. Such is the sthayi-bhav of the dear associates of Sri
Krishna. Although we are worldly beings, by the blessing of Sri Krishna and His
devotees, this bhav can arise in our hearts also.
2. The right associate – The vibhavs of material Rasa are mundane.
Therefore they are naturally disqualified to arouse Rasa. On the other hand, the
eternal loving confidantes of Sri Bhagavan love Him so much that
their bhav spontaneously create Rasa. Their love is self- manifesting. It also
reveals Sri Krishna and everything pertaining to Him. This love appears in the
heart of earthly devotees and gives them similar bhav. So we should hear and
meditate constantly on those eternal associates, who are in a mood akin to ours.
We should be choosy about the association we keep. We should keep the
company of only Rasika and sajatiya devotees who can inculcate Rasa in us.
3. The right recipient – The devotee (sadhak) too should have a desire to
obtain bhakti for Sri Bhagavan. Then only he is qualified to relish bhakti-Rasa.
Alankar-Koustubh has explained these points in detail –
Sri Bhagavan’s eternal associates and the devotees who follow them relish
transcendental Rasa. Thus we see that two types of people relish Rasa –
1. the eternal associates of Sri Bhagavan Who participate in His divine Leelas
2. the devotees who perform sadhana according those leelas.
Rasa forms spontaneously in the eternal associates and they constantly

relish Rasa. On the other hand, the devotees who follow them undergo two types
of experiences –
1) They meditate on the eternal associates according to their liking (bhav) and on
their pastimes with Sri Bhagavan, and in this manner Rasa arises in their heart.
2) They only hear and glorify the sweet Leelas of Sri Bhagavan, thus they
relish Rasa.
When someone sings or enacts such leelas, or some great soul speaks Hari-
katha very sweetly, then the devotees who hear or see this can relish Rasa. On
top of this if all the people involved in these activities are in the same bhav and
harbor the same desire, then the devotee can equalize his feelings with the
associates depicted in the drama (or Hari-katha). This enables him to relish
greater Rasa.
So we can understand that although the eternal associates are present in

transcendental realm, and we reside in the material world, we too can relish
transcendental Rasa like they. The only difference is that eternal associates have
natural bhav. They do not need any instruction nor do they need to hear any
divine discourse. However we live in the material world, so we need the
right sanskar and it is necessary for us to perform sadhana. These will intensify
our desire to relish Rasa and our passion will blaze forth. We need all these,
because we cannot relish Rasa without a desire for Rasa and if we are devoid
of Rasa-sanskar.
Equalization of Bhav
What is bhav? How can we get the bhav of the eternal associates?
‘Bhav’ is an experience of Sri Krishna’s sweetness. Although we live in the

material world, all of us can get this bhav by the mercy of Sri Krishna and His
devotees. But how? The bhav of the dear eternal associates get equalized with the
feelings of the sadhak. What is equalization? It means when two things become
non- different from each other, yet maintain individuality. Let’s put it like this –
our bhav remains independent, yet becomes equal to the bhav of
a sajatiya devotee. We call this bhav-equalization. By the effect of bhav-
equalization, we – the mundane devotees, too can react in the same extraordinary
manner as that of the eternal devotees – and very easily, at that. Srila Rupa
Goswamipad states –
“Formation of Rasa is beyond this material world. Hence, it is true that, it is very
difficult to comprehend. We find that the vibhavs and ratis manifest themselves
easily and in an excellent manner in the senior and junior devotees. Bhav-
equalization means ‘unable to decide the difference between each
other’s bhav’. Bhav-equalization has such an impact that even the new devotees
can have the same feelings or perform the activities that the experienced devotees
can.”
– (B.R.S. 2.5.101-102)
Srila Vishwanath Chakravartipad has elucidated the above statement as follows –

“During a sat-sang, someone was reciting Ramayan. He came to the part when
Hanuman was about to take a leap to cross the Indian Ocean. From the audience
an emotional devotee jumped up without any embarRasasment or hesitation. He
was so much absorbed in the same bhav as that of Hanuman that he wanted to
cross the ocean there in the assembly itself!
Another example –
An emotional devotee was performing the role of King Dasharath in a drama.
When he heard that – ‘Ram has gone to the forest’ – he really and truly died on
the stage.
This happened since he was extremely absorbed in the bhav of Dasharath.”
Thus we see that when we develop passion, although we may be newbies in

devotion, we can equalize our bhav with that of the mature devotees
and Rasa will arise in us. Rhetoric says – bhav– equalization has an
inconceivable impact. It can make an immature devotee feel non-different from
Hanuman and he leapt up in an assembly to cross the ocean. Although he was an
ordinary man, bhav-equalization lent him an extraordinary enthusiasm to cross
the ocean, which is an astonishing feat. Sahitya-Darpan states –
“There are such bhavs with which we feel non-different; we can equalize with
those bhavs.” However for this we have to have passion (rati). Then even
newcomers (in devotional practice) can experience bhav-equalization
with siddha devotees. This forms Rasa.
The Sage Bharat has said –
“Bhav-equalization has an inexpressible power. It makes the audience/reader feel
non-different from a certain character or situation.”
During bhav-equalization sometimes we feel different and at other times non-

different from the siddha-devotees. When we relish Rasa, we feel completely
non-different. E.g. the devotee relished the same Rasa as did Sri Hanuman. When
we feel entirely non-different, this stage is called ‘tanmayi-bhavan’.
We should remember that the literature or drama has a very minor role in
creating bhav-equalization; the main thing is our own rati. If we do not
possess rati, the narrator/actor cannot arouse bhav-equalization in us. Rati makes
Sri Krishna appear sweet, and therefore it reveals all that is pertaining to Sri
Krishna. Rati makes Sri Krishna’s sweetness relishing to us, and this in turn,
enhances rati. Thus we find that the vibhavs and rati help each other to make us
relish Rasa. Srila Rupa Goswamipad has written –
“There are pandits who strongly vote that divine literatures and dramas are
completely responsible in arousing bhav-
equalization, and hence, they instruct us to read/hear divine literature and
dramas to the greatest degree. However we state that rati for
Sri Bhagavan is remarkably powerful and precious. We can never ever doubt its
sweetness. We ascertain rati as the topmost reason for bhav-equalization.”
– (B.R.S. 2.5.90-91)
It is also true that although a devotee may be emotional, and equalize his bhav,
he will not relish Rasa if he does not have the sanskar or Rasa-desire in past
life. Rasa-relish is directly proportional to our Rasa-desire. If our desire
for Rasa is less, when the cause of Rasa is removed, our relish too will
disappear1. On the other hand, a Rasika-devotee continues to relish Rasa even
when the cause of Rasa is no more. Rasa keeps on expressing itself right in front
of him; it enters his heart and caresses every pore of his body. Even though the
cause of Rasa has vanished, a Rasika-devotee continues to relish Rasa. He
forgets everything else – after all, Rasa is magic!!
Primary and secondary bhakti-Rasa

Sriman-Mahaprabhu has thus instructed Srila Rupa Goswamipad –
“We can classify rati into five types2 depending on the class of the devotees –
1. shanta rati – for shanta devotees

2. dasya rati – for devotees in servitude
3. sakhya rati – for the devotees in friendly mood
4. vatsalya rati – for the devotees in the parental mood
5. madhur rati – for the devotees in conjugal mood
Hence there are five types of Rasa – shanta, dasya, sakhya,
vatsalya and madhur. These five Rasa are the chief amongst all the Rasa present
in Sri Krishna-bhakti.”
– (C.C. Madhya.19.157-159)
There are some more Rasa other than these five Rasa. They are hasya – laughter
(humor), adbhut – extraordinary, veer – valour, karun – sad, roudra –
anger, veebhatsa – horror, bhaya – terror. These seven Rasa are secondary .The
devotee can be situated in any of the five primary Rasa – that is – he may be in
the mood of a servant, parent etc. Then, due to some reason, these
seven Rasa may enter his heart like a stranger and when the cause is removed,
these Rasa too
disappear. Shanta etc. are permanent Rasa. They remain always in the parti
cular devotee’s heart. For example, there is a sad situation. Then a devotee
feels karun Rasa. When the sorrowful situation disappears, the karun Rasa too
vanishes. Same is the case with hasya Rasa (laughter) etc. We should remember
that the five principal Rasa never leave a devotee situated in that Rasa.
“The five primary Rasa are permanent in a devotee. The seven other Rasa are
secondary. They come and go like strangers.” – (C.C.Madhya.19.161)
The seven secondary Rasa appear and disappear in the dear associates of
Sri Bhagavan. They are the ‘sanchari’ or passing moods. Hence we shall not
discuss them here. Rather, let us learn in detail about the primary Rasa. Those
devotees, who wish to study the seven secondary Rasa in detail, are requested to
read the ‘Uttar-part’ of Bhakti-Rasaamrita-Sindhu.
Shanta bhakti-Rasa
Definition of the shanta-devotee
“Sri Bhagavan has stated with His Holy lips that, the shanta-devotee only knows
His swarup and is firmly attached to Sri Krishna.” (C.C.Madhya.19.173)
“A shanta-devotee does not feel Sri Bhagavan belongs to him. He knows only
one fact – that He is Parabrahman and Paramatma. The shanta-devotee is only
aware of the original form of Sri Bhagavan.”
– (C.C.Madhya.19.177-178)
Srimat Jiva Goswamipad has written in his Priti-Sandarbha –
“The shanta-devotee is living on the borderline and his bhakti too is sitting on the
margin. This means that a shanta-devotee is not exactly a devotee. His devotion
does not fall inside the boundary of bhakti.” – (P.S.84.)
Sri Narad-Pancharatra describes –

“ananya mamata vishnou mamata premasangata, bhaktirityuchyate
bhishmaprahladoddhavanaradaih.”
Meaning – “Mahajans such as Bhishma, Prahlad, Uddhav and Narad have called
it ‘bhakti’ only when we do not feel anything or anyone else to be ‘mine’ – we
know that Sri Vishnu alone is our sole possession and we love Him dearly.”
Srimat Jiva Goswamipad has stated –
“The shanta-devotees do not consider Sri Bhagavan as someone Whom they can
call their ‘own’. A relation with Sri Bhagavan is not inspired in their heart.
Therefore it is logical that they do not feel a sense of belonging with respect to
Him.”
– (P.S.96)
The servants and friends have a relation with Sri Bhagavan; hence they feel He
belongs to them. The shanta-devotees feel that Sri Bhagavan is atmaram and
self-satisfied, hence He cannot feel hungry or thirsty. He is absolute in all
respects, so how can He need any seva? Srila Rupa Goswamipad has mentioned
in Bhakti-Rasaamrita-Sindhu that the shanta-devotees are close to the dasya-
devotees. In fact the dasya-devotees are the best friends of the shanta-devotees.
He has quoted a shanta-devotee as saying –
“The supreme Brahman is a mass of fire while the living entity is its spark. He is
intensely
‘conscious’ effulgence. When will I massage His feet?”
– (B.R.S. 4.8.20)
Srimat Jiva Goswamipad has explained this statement as follows –

“Here ‘intense’ implies the form of Sri Bhagavan, otherwise how can he mention
‘feet’? ‘Conscious’ refers to ‘sach-chidananda’ (eternal, conscious1 and
blissful). Thus we see that the shanta– devotee’s mind is firmly
established in the Supreme Brahman Who is sachchidananda.
Here we see that the shanta-devotee wants to massage Sri Bhagavan’s feet – it is
not because he wishes to please the Lord with his seva. Rather, he hopes to
gratify his own senses by His touch. He wants to become happy by touching the
beautiful form of Sri Bhagavan. On the other hand, the devotees who are in the
mood of servants wish to serve the Lord to give Him pleasure. Hence they
are ‘bhaktas’ in the true sense.”
“When a yogi heard the Panchajanya, he was so overjoyed that the end of his
robe fell to the ground. He shook his head and shed copious tears. He was full of
goose bumps. All the vows he had undertaken broke. His regulative principles
were lost. When the brilliant dark blue mascara-complexioned Lord appeared
before him, he was so extremely happy and behaved in such a manner that
displayed utter contempt for his own position (as that of a yogi).”
– (B.R.S. 3.1.42)
Let us examine this case and determine which ingredients have come together to
form Rasa. The
vibhavs (causes) are as follows –
vishayalamban – the subject of Rasa – the four-armed form of Parabrahman
ashrayalamban – the shelter of Rasa – the yogi who is in shanta-Rasa uddipan –

what excites Rasa – the resounding Panchajanya
What symptoms (anubhav) did he show? The end of his cloth rolled on to the
ground, he shook his head etc. He also displayed satvik-bhav (not-so-loud
symptoms) such as tears and goose bumps. His sanchari-bhav (passing moods)
was joy, great surge of emotion.
What are the symptoms that the shanta-devotee expresses?
These vibhav, anubhav, satvik and sanchari mingle with the permanent (sthayi-
bhav) of the yogi and create shanta-bhakti- Rasa. Then the yogi relishes
this Rasa.
“They glorify the excellences of Sri Bhagavan, chant names such as
Parabrahman, Paramatma, etc.
They know that Brahman-realization is a blissful state; hence they show interest
in Him. They concentrate on the tip of their nose; try to become avadhuts,
practice mudras such as gyan-mudra.
They bow and glorify Sri Hari. Their not-so-visible reactions are – tears,
gooseflesh.
What arouses Rasa in them? The fact that Parabrahman is almighty, calm,
impartial, and He can assume extraordinary forms.
Their passing moods (sanchari bhav) are –
indifference, patience, joy, understanding, remembrance, sorrow,
argumentative etc.”
– (P.S.203)
“krishna-nishtha trishna-tyag shanter dui gune”
Meaning – “The shanta-devotee has two qualities – he is steadfast in Sri Krishna
and has given up the desire for material pleasures.”
– (C.C.)
We should realize that these two qualities are the basis for the other Rasa as well.
This means, even though we may be situated in some other mood, it is necessary
for us to possess these two qualities.
Dasya-bhakti-Rasa
“The devotees in the dasya-mood have two characteristics – they have the
qualities of the shanta– devotee as well as ‘seva’.”
– (C.C.Madhya.19.180)
Srila Rupa Goswamipad has called the sthayi-bhav of the dasya-devotees as

‘love mingled with awe’. He has stated –
“When we know someone to be our master, the slight trembling we feel in the
heart is called ‘awe’. When love mixes with this feeling we call it as ‘sambhram-
priti’ (love mingled with awe). The wise term this sense of ‘love mingled with
awe’ as ‘the mood of servitude’ (dasya-bhav).”
– (B.R.S. 3.2.76)
Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita says –

“In the dasya-bhav the devotee has the complete knowledge that Sri Krishna is
God Almighty and considers Him as the Master.”
– (C.C.Madhya.19.178)
“When the devotee has aishwarya-gyan about Sri Krishna his love diminishes.”
– (C.C.Madhya.19.167)
However we find that the servants in Braja have a different mood from those of
Dwaraka and Vaikuntha. Priti-Sandarbha (208) says –
“Aishwarya-gyan is pre-dominant in the devotees such as Akrur, who are
in dasya-bhav, while although devotees such as Uddhav too have aishwarya-
gyan, it is mixed with madhurya-gyan and the madhurya-gyan is more prevalent
in them. But we see that in Brajadham the servants are completely in the sweet
mood. They simply respect Sri Krishna because they know Him as the Son of
Nanda Maharaj (and not as God Almighty). They are aware that He has excellent
qualities and that He is impressive.”
“The Brijwasis do not know that Sri Krishna is Ishwar.’
– (C.C.Madhya.19.128)
Even the servants of Braja do not consider Sri Krishna as God, and therefore they
do not hold Him in awe.”
– (C.C.Madhya.19.128)
Srimad-Bhagavatam does not mention the servants such as Raktak and Patrak in
Braja-leela. We do not know whether such names exist in the Vedic texts such as
the Puran, Samhita or Tantra). The 10th skandha of Srimad-Bhagavatam only
describes the moods of sakhya, vatsalya and madhur. Some subjects of
Nanda Maharaj may have dasya-bhav for Sri Krishna and one may be eager to
practice sadhana under their guidance. However since Srimad-Bhagavatam does
not mention the names such as Raktak and Patrak, also it does not describe in
detail the sort of seva they perform, it is very difficult to practice Raganuga
bhajan in dasya-bhav. This is why Sri Chaitanya-Charitamrita says –
“mor putra, mor sakha, mor pranapati,
eibhabe jei more kore shuddha-bhakti.”
Meaning – “The one thinks of me as ‘my son’, ‘my friend’ or ‘my beloved’ is
practicing pure devotion.”
Thus we find that sakhya, vatsalya and madhur Rasa are the main Raganuga
bhakti in Braja.
When a devotee gets the dust of Sri Krishna’s lotus feet,
accepts Mahaprasad, associates with the das-devotees, his
What are the symptoms expressed by a das-devotee?

He performs seva according to what he is capable of, is steadfast in Sri Krishna-
bhajan etc. His satvik anubhavs (invisible symptoms) are stupefaction, tears
etc. His passing or sanchari bhav are joy, pride, patience, indifference, humility,
curiosity, surge of emotion.
“When Daruk (Sri Krishna’s charioteer) saw Sri Krishna in front of the main gate
of Dwaraka, he was unable even to fold his palms, and attained a very strange
state.”
– (B.R.S. 3.2.135)
What forms Rasa in a das-devotee?

From this verse we ascertain the vibhav as follows –
Sthayi-bhav – love mingled with awe, since he is a servant in Dwaraka

The subject of love – Sri Krishna Who knows He is the protector
The shelter of love – Daruk, who knows he is under Sri Krishna’s protection
What excited Rasa in him – the vision of Sri Krishna at the main gate of
Dwaraka Symptoms of Rasa – He gazed with reverence and tried to fold his
palms
Satvik bhav – He was unable to fold his palms; this indicates he was stupefied
Passing bhavs – He was joyful, immobilized, shivering in thrill, eager to serve.
Thus we find that Daruk was relishing remarkable Rasa when his Master Sri
Krishna arrived suddenly after a very long period of absence. This mercy upon
him was entirely unexpected and he relished many strange bhavs.
Sakhya-bhakti-Rasa
“The devotees in friendly mood has three characteristics –
1. the qualities of the shanta devotee

2. the seva performed by the servants
3. The mood of non-difference between himself and Krishna is very strong in
a sakha and the friend is devoid of awe and reverence.
A sakha climbs on Sri Krishna’s shoulders and also lets Him climb on his; he
plays as well as fights with Him. He serves Sri Krishna and takes service from
Him2. He loves Sri Krishna more than the shanta-devotee and the devotee in the
mood of servitude. He considers Sri Krishna as non- different from Himself. In
this manner the friend subjugates Sri Krishna. For this reason you can
recognize sakhya-Rasa by the three above characteristics.”
– (C.C.Madhya.19.181-184)
Srila Rupa Goswamipad has termed sakhya-bhakti-Rasa as ‘preyo-bhakti-

Rasa’ (preyo = dear, loving).
“When two friends are nearly equal, they feel non-different from one another.
They are devoid of awe and reverence. We call this relation as ‘sakhya’. They are
in the mood of ‘vishrambha’.
‘Vishrambha’ means very deep faith that lacks hesitation of any sort.”
– (B.R.S.)
Srila Rupa Goswamipad has described Sri Krishna Who is the subject of love
in sakhya Rasa, as follows –
“Shyamsundar is well-dressed, has all good qualities, He is strong, speaks so

many extraordinary languages and is an expert at well-articulated speech. He is
extremely learned, exceptionally talented, highly capable and kind. He is the
bravest of all, witty, intelligent and forgiving. Sri Krishna loves all and is loved
by everyone. He is upbeat, joyful and great to be around with.”
All these qualities are arousing Rasa in the devotees belonging to the friendly
mood.
“The sakhas are the shelter (ashray) of this Rasa and they look handsome like Sri
Krishna. They even dress like Him. Unlike the servants, they do not have the
slightest inkling of hesitation. They only have very firm faith in Sri Krishna.” –
(B.R.S.)
Arjun, Bhimsen, the brahmin Sudama are Sri Krishna’s friends in Dwaraka.
Amongst them, Arjun is the closest. However, if we take all His friends into
account1, then the sakhas of Braja are the topmost. They are the closest. How are
these sakhas?
“They are overcome with extreme grief if they don’t see Shyamsundar for just
one moment. They want to play with Him always and Sri Krishna is their life and
soul. Such are His Brijwasi-sakhas. They are the greatest of all His friends.” –
(B.R.S.)
Sri Krishna’s Braja-sakhas are of four types –
1. suhrit (companions)– These boys are slightly older to Sri Krishna. They hold
weapons and are always trying to protect Him from bad men. E.g. – Subhadra,
Mandalibhadra, Bhadra- vardhan, Gobhat, Indrabhat, Bhadranga,
Veerbhadra, Mahagun, Vijay, Balabhadra etc.
2. sakha (friends)– These friends are younger to Him and like to serve Him.
Although they are definitely in the sakhya-mood, they have a whiff of dasya-
Rasa about them – They look up to Sri Krishna. Their names are as follows –
Vishal, Vrishabh, Ojaswi, DevapRasatha, Varuthapa, Maranda, Kusumapeeda,
Manibandha, Karandham etc.
3. priya-sakha (dear friends)– They are equal to Sri Krishna in age and are in
pure sakhya- Rasa. E.g. Shridam, Sudam, Dam, Vasudam, Kinkini, Stoka-
Krishna, Amshu, Bhadrasen, Vilasi, Pundarik, Vitanka, Kalavinka etc.
These sakhas please Sri Krishna by indulging in various friendly sports with
Him. They have fisticuff-fights and stick-fights with Him. They joke and play
pranks. Thus they give pleasure to Sri Krishna. Shridam is the topmost in this
category.
4. priya-narma-sakha (bosom friends)– They are greater than the suhrit,

sakha and priya-sakha. They have a special bhav. Their bhav is laced with sakhi-
bhav. They help Sri Krishna to unite with the sweethearts. They are engaged in
confidential services such as carrying messages between the lovers and helping
in secret meetings. Therefore we call them priya-narma-sakhas. E.g. Subal,
Arjun3, Gandharva, Vasanta, Ujjwal, Mandhumangal etc. Amongst them, Subal
and Ujjwal are the closest to Sri Krishna.
What arouses sakhya-Rasa ?

Sri Krishna’s age, beauty, flute, cow-horn (a type of musical instrument), jokes,
witty repartees, talents, the way He mimics kings and the incarnations of
God. Visible symptoms or activities of a devotee in sakhya-Rasa are as follows –
wrestling, playing throw-ball, dice-game and various other boyish sports. The
silent activities (satvik) are – stupefaction, perspiration. The passing bhavs are
laughter etc.
Srila Rupa Goswamipad has explained with a concrete example –
“Mukunda looked as handsome as a mass of cloud illuminated by the star

‘Swati’. When He loudly commenced the festival of sports by blowing sweetly,
yet forcefully into the enchanting flute, there was a shower of jubilation all
around. In this joy, Shridam’s body, that resembled an exquisite pearl-oyster,
expressed little droplets of perspiration that gleamed like pearls.”
– (B.R.S.3.3.98)
The vibhavs (cause of Rasa) are as follows –
Sthayi-bhav – the passionate mood called ‘vishrambha’ which exists only in

Braja
The subject of love – Sri Krishna
The shelter of love – Shridam
What excites Rasa – the song of the flute
Anubhav – activities expressed by the devotee – boyish-sports

Satvik – perspiration
Passing bhavs – joy, playfulness
The Mahajan has thus described the sakhya–Rasa –
“jamunar tire kanai shridamere loiya, mathamathi ron kore shrama-jukto hoiya.
prakhar robir tape shukailo mukh,
dekhi shob sakhagoner mone hoilo duhkh. ar na khelibo bhai cholo jai ghare,
sakale jaite ma kohiyachhe shobare.
molin hoilo kanai mukhani tomar, dekhiya bidore hiya ama shobakar.
beli abasan hoilo cholo ghare jai, ithe balaram dur bone gelo gai.”
Meaning – “Kanai locked horns with Shridam on the banks of the Yamuna and
both of them fought vigorously – so much so – that they were bathed with
perspiration from head to toe. The scorching heat of the sun burnt Sri Krishna’s
face. When the sakhas saw this they were overcome with grief. (They love Him
so much!!) Out of concern for Him, they stopped the game and said – “We shall
not play any more, brothers, come, let’s go home”. In stead of revealing the true
reason for wanting to return, they simply said – “Mother Yashomati has told all
of us to go home early today. Why, my dear Kanai, Your face has turned so
pale!! Our hearts are bleeding, seeing You thus!! Anyway, the sun is about to set,
come, let’s go home. Look, Balaram has gone far and the cows too have
wandered deep into the forest – if we wait any longer, it will get dark, and then,
how will we collect them?” (This implies that – Kamsa’s emissaries may attack
us any moment. Then what will we do? Since Balaram, Who can protect us, too
has gone far. Once again, this proves the lack of ‘aishwarya-gyan’ in the Braja-
sakhas.)
Vatsalya-bhakti-Rasa
“The devotee in vatsalya-Rasa has 4 Rasa-qualities –
1. the qualities of the shanta-devotee

2. the seva of the servant – as a parent the seva comprises of love, care and
protection.
3. the qualities of the sakha, namely, no self-consciousness and no awe and
reverence,
4. love is much more in this Rasa, hence the devotee scolds and beats Sri
Krishna. He considers himself as the protector and thinks he is responsible for
Him.
Since the devotee in vatsalya-Rasa has all the above qualities, this Rasa is as
delicious as nectar.”
– (C.C.Madhya.19.185-187)
Vatsalya-rati is the permanent (sthayi-bhav) of the devotee in vatsalya-Rasa. Sri

Krishna is the subject of this Rasa. How is He?
“He is soft, dark and serene like a garland of fresh blue lotuses. His eyes are
shaped like lotus- petals and their corners are playing restlessly. His thick black
eyelashes resemble black bees hovering around the lotus (His eyes). When
Vrajeshwari Mother Yashoda saw her beautiful son playing in the dust of Braja,
she wet her body with milk that flowed involuntarily from her breasts.” (B.R.S.
3.4.3)
Thus Sri Krishna, Who is dark, handsome, endowed with excellent qualities, soft,
sweet-spoken, simple, innocent, well-mannered, respectful and kind, is the
subject of this Rasa. The Queen of Braja (Yashoda-mata), Rohini-mata, the
Aunties, the Gopis whose sons Brahmaji had stolen, Devaki, her co-wives, Kunti,
Vasudev, Sandipani Muni (His teacher) and other elders are the shelter of
this Rasa. This list is arranged in descending order of love.
What excites vatsalya-Rasa?

The child-form, childish beauty and attire, babyish pranks, sweet speech, smile
and leelas.
What are the reactions of a devotee in this Rasa?
She kisses Sri Krishna’s forehead, caresses Him, blesses Him, and commands
Him. She bathes Him, cares for Him and instructs Him about His welfare. A
devotee in vatsalya Rasa also displays 9 types of silent reactions – 8 of them
being stupefaction etc. and an additional one – milk flowing from the breasts.
The passing moods are – joy, strong emotion, eagerness.
The sthayi-bhav of the devotee mingles with vatsalya-rati and becomes vatsalya–
Rasa. An example of this Rasa –
Yashoda and Rohini were so full of love for Gopal that milk would flow
spontaneously from their breasts. He would get covered with dirt from head to
toe – this was His anga-rag1 – yet they would pick up both beautiful babies
(Krishna and Balaram) onto their laps. Then they would breast-feed Them. When
the babies would suckle, the mothers would gaze lovingly at Their enchanting
smile that revealed few tiny teeth. This would immerse them in supreme bliss.”
– (B.R.S. 108.23)
In this verse the ingredients of Rasa are as follows –
Sthayi-bhav – the devotee should have a passion called ‘vatsalya’. The subject
of Rasa – Sri Krishna and Baladev who are crawling.
The shelter of Rasa – Mothers Yashoda and Rohini.
Uddipan – what excites Rasa – the childish age of Sri Krishna and Balaram,
sweet smile, childish pranks.
Reactions of Rasa – the devotee caresses, pets, kisses the forehead and wipes the
dust off His body
The silent reactions of the devotee – tears, goose bumps, breasts overflowing
with milk
The passing moods of the devotee – joy, aveg, eagerness.
The Mahajan has described Vrajeshwari Mother Yashoda’s vatsalya Rasa so

sweetly –
“Her heart burnt in anguish and torrential tears flowed from her eyes, while her
heart was shattered in grief – how would He go to the woods (to graze the
cattle)? Why, He didn’t even know the house and its surroundings well till now!
How could a mother bear such sorrow? O my dearest, O the darling of the
Yadavs1, is there no wealth at home that you should step in the woods? Let the
other cowherd boys take the cattle. I have no one else to call my own and no
support but You. You are my only darling, how can you bear to leave me and let
my life be engulfed in darkness? You are only a suckling babe, and you want to
go to the forest with the cows? How can I rest in peace at home? O my dear,
Your body is as soft as butter – why, the sun will melt You and You will be
finished!! The mere thought of this makes my heart tremble! The sun is soaring
overhead and the mercury is rising high; it is pouring fire – how will my little one
survive? The grasses are so huge – each one is like a spear! They will pierce your
soft skin like anything! Your feet are like velvet flowers, how will You run when
they enter Your feet?
When the Gem of Gokul (Gokul-mani) heard His mother weep so pathetically,
He tried to console her in so many ways – He said – Mother, please do not
grieve, I have nothing to fear for after all, I have this Shekhar Roy (poet) to
accompany me.”
Madhur-bhakti-Rasa
“A devotee in madhur Rasa five characteristics in all –
1. she is steadfast in her attachment to Sri Krishna (like a shanta-devotee)

2. extreme seva (of the das-devotee)
3. the unhesitating (frank) behavior of the sakha
4. caring and protecting attitude of the vatsalya devotee
5. over and above she serves Sri Krishna by offering her body.
Just as the five elements (sky, air, fire, water and earth) have the qualities of the
previous elements, and ultimately the earth has all the five characteristics,
similarly the madhur-devotee has a beautiful conglomeration of all the qualities
of the devotees in other Rasa. Therefore this Rasa has much more relish and it
tastes extraordinarily wonderful!” – (C.C.Madhya.19.189-192)
The ingredients of madhur Rasa –
Vibhavs – the object of Rasa – the unparalleled Sri Krishna Who is the Chief of
the vidagdhas. Example – “Dear sakhi, Sri Hari is gladdening the hearts of all
the Gopis by entertaining them with His body that is softer and darker than the
blue lotus; thus He is pleasuring them with a Feast of Love. Every part of His
body is freely embraced by the Braja- beauties – thus He is looking all the more
charming. In this manner He is sporting in this spring season like Eros
personified.” – (Geet-Govindam)
“The maidens of Braja appear exquisitely sweet and new each moment; every
tendency of their heart is a wave of love and they adore Him as their Beloved – I
pay obeisance to such remarkable Braja-kishoris.”
– (B.R.S. 3.5.6)
Although the queens of Dwaraka and women like Kubja (in Mathura) too
have kanta-bhav (the mood of a sweetheart), the Braja-beauties are in parakiya-
mood, and they are the greatest of all sweethearts.
“Amongst them, Srimati Radharani, Who is the crest-jewel of all Braja-balas, is
the topmost.”
– (B.R.S.)
“Sri Krishna is the embodiment of love and so a devotee entirely subjugates Him
with his love. Also the gopikas are very mature where pure prem-Rasa is
concerned. After all there is no Rasaabhas-dosh1, in the love of
the Gopikas. Hence they are able to satisfy Sri Krishna supremely.
One group of Gopis is ‘vama’ (crooked) while the other group is

‘dakshina’ (generous, straight etc.). They make Sri Krishna relish Rasa in many
ways. Amongst all these Gopis, Srimati Radha Thakurani is the topmost, for She
is the treasure-mine of crystal pure dazzling love. She is
‘madhyama’ in age and balanced in nature. Her love

is immensely intense and so She is constantly ‘vama’. Due to this, She is
always going into man, and this creates huge waves in Sri Krishna’s ocean-like
bliss.”
– (C.C.Madhya.17.156-157, 159-162)
How is Srimati Radharani’s beauty?
What excites madhur Rasa? (uddipan vibhav)
“Her eyes steal the beauty of an inebriated chakori, Her face stifles the glory of
the full moon, Her immensely exquisite beauty makes super- pure gold feel very
much ashamed of its brilliance – look, there is Sri Radha – the One Who contains
all sweetness of the Nectar.”
– (B.R.S.)
Sri Hari’s and His sweethearts’ qualities, names, characteristics,

decoration, associated elements and some marginal objects – all arouse this Rasa.
Qualities – They are divided into three –

1. physical quality – age, looks, lavanya, beauty, sweetness etc.
2. verbal quality – sweet speech that delights the auditory sense is the ‘verbal
quality’.
3. mental quality – gratefulness, forgiveness and kindness are the mental
qualities.
Names – Sweet sounds such as ‘Radha’ and ‘Krishna’ are the ‘names’ that
excite Rasa in a devotee of madhur Rasa.
Characteristics – We can categorize them into two – (1) anubhav (2) leela. We
shall discuss the
‘anubhav’ separately, since it is a long topic. Here let us see the leelas that
arouse madhur Rasa. Sri Krishna’s characteristics are – playing the flute, Ras-
sports, ball-game. Srimati Radharani’s characteristics are – graceful-ness, playing
the veena, music, cooking.
Decoration – It is of 4 types –
1. clothes
2. ornaments
3. flower-garlands
4. unguents
Associated elements – We can classify them into two –
1. lagna – Sri Krishna’s lagna are – the flute-song, sound of the horn, singing,
body- fragrance etc. Srimati Radharani’s lagna are – song of the veenas, music
and body- fragrance.
2. sannihita – Sri Krishna’s sannihita are – flower-garland, gunja-mala, saffron
anointments.
Srimati Radharani’s sannihita are – flower-garlands, veena, dear friends such as

Lalita and Sri Radhakund.
Some marginal objects – moonlight, clouds, lightning, spring season, sharad

season, full moon, breeze, peacocks, cuckoo, he-parrot and she-parrot.
What are the reactions of a devotee in madhur Rasa (Anubhav)?
In madhur Rasa we have three types of anubhavs – alankar, udbhaswar, vachik
1. Alankar – The commonly maidens are at the height of youthfulness, and they
are always absorbed in their life and soul – that is – Sri Krishna. Their heart is
attacked with all sorts of bhavs, called ‘alankar’.
We can list twenty alankars –
1. hav,
2. bhav,
3. hela,
4. beauty,
5. splendor,
6. glow,
7. sweetness,
8. pragalbhata (pragalbhya),
9. generosity,
10. patience,
11. leela,
12. love-dalliance,
13. vichchhitti,
14. vibhram,
15. kilakinchit,
16. mottayita,
17. kuttumita,
18. bibbok,
19. lalit
20. vikrita
Stupefaction and surprise are two additional alankars.
1 The literal meaning is ‘jewellery’. These are actually bhavs that are so beautiful
and loving that they entice Sri Krishna instantly, just like jewellery makes an
ordinary girl appear beautiful and attracts a mundane ‘lover’.
2. Udbhaswar – loud reactions of a devotee in madhur Rasa – the sweetheart’s

skirt-string loosens, her uttariya (dupatta)1 falls, she stretches the upper body,
yawns, flares the nostrils, sighs heavily, rolls on the earth, sings, does not care for
the public, spins around and hiccoughs; these are the udbhaswar reactions.
3. Vachik – verbal reactions of a devotee in this Rasa – there are 12 in all –
alap, vilap, samlap, pralap, anulap, apalap, sandesh, atidesh, apadesh, upadesh,
nirdesh and vyapadesh.
The devotee expresses all the eight satvik bhavs such as stupefaction,
perspiration, gooseflesh etc. A devotee can express any one of the 5 levels
in satvik bhav – they are as follows –
1. dhumayita – expressed when the devotee is in the stage of bhav or rati.

2. jwalita – when the devotee is in the stage of prem.
3. deepta – expressed in the stage of sneha, man, pranay, rag and anurag.
4. uddipta – in the stage of rudha-Mahabhav.
5. suddipta – in the last stage, that is Mohanakhya–Mahabhav.
Only Srimati Radharani manifests this bhav called ‘suddipta satvik bhav’.
Explanation –
“Srimati Radharani heard Sri Krishna’s magical flute and was absorbed
in suddipta-satvik-bhav. Sri Vishakha and Vrinda devi are describing Her state at
that moment to Govinda as follows –
‘Dear Madhav, A most amazing incident has occurred! When Sri Radha heard
the song of Your flute, She has entered such a state that the students have
mistaken Her to be an idol of Goddess SaRasawati and have started worshipping
Her. (This indicates that Ishwari has become excessively stupefied and pale,
since Goddess SaRasawati is white in color). Aho! Sri Radha perspired so much
that we felt as if it was the monsoon season14! She wept so profusely that the
cattle quenched their thirst, drinking Her tears! She is so covered with gooseflesh
from head to toe, that She looks as if flower-buds have sprouted all over Her
body.” – (U.N.)
What are the vyabhichari bhav or passing moods of a devotee in madhur Rasa? “
A devotee expresses The 33 types of vyabhichari bhav (such as nirved etc.),

other than ougra and lethargy.”
– (B.R.S.)
Srimati Radharani manifests all the bhavs to the maximum extent and
these bhavs make Her all the more attractive. For instance when Srimati
Radharani feels proud of Her good fortune, She reveals it in the following
manner –
“Srimati Radharani was feeling proud of Her good fortune. As a result She
pretended to be so much engrossed in making a kundal, that, as if She did not
notice Govinda at all. Lalita told Her – Dear sakhi, this person, Hari, has forsaken
all His sakhas, has disregarded even sweethearts such as Chandravali and He is
standing at Your doorstep gazing fixedly at Your face alone ! On the other hand,
You are smiling and continuing to be busy arranging a crocodile-shaped earring1
with jasmine flowers sewn inside a bunch of flowers! You are not glancing at
Him even with the corner of Your eyes!” – (U.N.)
Thus we see that how sweetly Ishwari expresses even pride, which is otherwise
considered a negative quality.
A devotee’s sthayi-bhav mingles with vibhavs such as these and transform

into Madhur-bhakti- Rasa. Again this madhur-Rasa (also called Ujjwal-Rasa or
brilliant Rasa) can be classified into two –
“sa vipralambhah sambhoga iti dwedhojjwalo matah.”
Meaning – “Madhur Rasa or erotic Rasa is categorized into two –

vipralambha (separation) and sambhog (union).” – (U.N.)
Vipralambha can be of 4 types –

1. purva-rag (before meeting)
2. man (love-quarrel)
3. prem-vaichittya
4. pravas
They enhance the Rasa of union and we can relish them separately as ‘Rasa’
also.
Let us relish an example of Purva-rag Rasa. The sakhis saw Srimati Radharani’s
extraordinary bhav
during purva-rag and said –
“O Radhe! You are coming and going constantly! And You are standing outside
the threshold a hundred times! You seem so agitated and Your sighs are heavy –
all You do is to glance at the Kadamba-woods. Oh Rai! Why are behaving
so? Do You not fear the evil elders? What shall we do if they find out? You are
so restless that You cannot even manage Your dupatta. While being seated, You
suddenly get a start and Your robe falls off. You are hardly in Your teens and
moreover are You not a princess? In addition, You are a girl of prestigious
ancestry! What desire do You wish to satisfy that You are stretching out Your
hand so greedily? We cannot understand what game You are up to. We feel You
are extending Your hand towards the moon. Poet Chandidas says – I guess
the ‘Black-snare’ has captured You!”
Now let us study the various ingredients of Rasa (such as vibhav etc.) in the
above situation. We remember that vibhav comprises of sthayi-bhav, the subject
of Rasa, the shelter of Rasa and what excites Rasa. They are as follows –
sthayi-bhav – Madhur rati called ‘vipralambha’ (separation)
the subject of Rasa – Sri Krishna Who is the dheer-lalit5 lover.
The shelter of love – Srimati Radharani Who is in the stage of Purva-rag.
Uddipan (What excites Rasa) – the sight of the Kadamba-trees.
Anubhav (the visible reaction of the devotee in this Rasa) – coming in and out of
the house repeatedly.
Satvik (not-so-visible reactions) – tears, turning pale.

Sanchari (passing moods) – aveg, depression, stress.
The Mahajan has drawn a very clear picture of madhur-Rasa during the
separation called ‘pravas’ –
“New flowers blossomed in the woods and the flower-groves, while the she-
cuckoo sang on the top of her voice, oh my! The sweet chandan-scented breeze
is blowing while the frost has receded to the mountain tops; yet my Beloved has
not returned home – oh dear! The moon is scorching my chandan-like body more
than sun ever does, while the honey bees sing in the garden. The spring has
arrived, yet my sweetheart remains far – what can I do if fate has turned against
me? I gaze transfixed at Kanu’s face, yet my eyes are not quenched. My poor
heart must indeed be like a rock – otherwise how can it continue to suffer like
this when the time is so happy? Day by day I am drying up like a fragile lotus-
bud in the snow – I don’t know where it all will end. Poet Vidyapati says –
shame! Oh shame on such a life! Madhav’s conduct is the height of cruelty!”
The vibhavs are as follows –
Sthayi-bhav – madhur-rati called separation due to ‘pravas’.
The subject (vishay) of Rasa – Sri Krishna Who has gone to Mathura. The shelter
of Rasa – Virahini Srimati Radharani.
Uddipan – the spring season, the song of the cuckoo, sweet-scented breeze,
humming of the bees, moonlit night.
Anubhav – crying loudly, not caring what others will think.
Satvik bhav – tears, shivering, paleness, fainting.
Sanchari bhav – indifference, depression, humility, eagerness, lunacy, illusion.
Let us relish sambhog-Rasa in brief:
“He caught her hand, eager to make love. They locked hands, gazing into each
other’s eyes with passion. He was adamant and wanted to touch Her body – he
was so full of desire. But Râi shook Her head in refusal. She said, “No, no.” Râi
was displaying a novel mood of passion1, whereas Shyâm was advancing in the
mood of an elephant-at-war. She was hesitating to return the kiss, and closed Her
eyes, yet when He drank the nectar of Her lips, She moaned. When His nails dug
into Her, my Precious Râi gave a start, and a current ran across Her body just
when He bit Her softly. She started prattling in a choked voice. She forgot
Herself completely and craziness swept over Her. Just then She controlled
Herself and stopped being generous. Says poet Gobinda dâs – this is the limit
of ras!”
What are the ingredients of rasa here?

The vibhâvas –
Sthâyi-bhâv – madhur-rati called sambhog (union)

The subject of rasa – Sri Krishna Who is dheer-lalita lover, vidagdha and at the
threshold of youth.
The shelter of love – sweet, vidagdha, the crest-jewel of all experts at love-
making – Srimati Râdhârâni, Who has come of age.
Uddipan – the love-grove, humming of the bees etc.

Anubhâv – pulling the veil on the face, arching the body.
Sâtvik bhâv – choking of the voice, goose bumps etc.
Sanchâri – bashfulness, surge of emotion, fear (that someone will come to know
about the relation).
Thus we see how the vibhâv, anubhâv, sâtvik and sanchâri bhâvs are like
fragrant blossoms that have mingled with madhur-rati and formed sambhog-ras,
like a sweet bouquet. When we, the sâdhak-devotees, relish such wonderful
poems that contain the ras of a Braja-bâlâ’s feelings, this sweetness is
transmitted through us. Then we also feel blessed to relish the
delectable sambhog– rasa of Sri Sri Râdhâ-Mâdhav.
– Translated by Madhumati Adhikari dd

About the “origin” of the jiva
SEPTEMBER 5, 2016 / TARUN GOVINDA DAS
Oftentimes we hear that the jiva, the living entity, has its origin in
the spiritual world (Vaikuntha) or in the effulgence of Krishna
(Brahman).
Some even go as far as to claim that the jiva fell down from either
Vaikuntha or Brahman.
None of these theories is supported by Srila Jiva Goswami.
In his Bhagavat Sandarbha, Anuccheda 63, Srila Jiva Goswamipad
writes:
“No one falls from that abode (Vaikuntha).”
And we can´t find any shastric evidence in his writings about how
the jiva fell down from Brahman either.
Some also claim that Brahman “generates” the jivas. That is also not
correct.
In his Tattva Sandarbha, Srila Jiva Goswamipada clearly establishes
the differences between Bhagavan, Paramatma and Brahman.
He establishes Brahman as being featureless and without any
attributes.
So, by definition, Brahman cannot generate anything.
Actually, the jiva has no “origin”. The jiva is eternal.
It is an eternal energy of the Lord.
na tv evāhaṁ jātu nāsaṁ
na tvaṁ neme janādhipāḥ
na caiva na bhaviṣyāmaḥ
sarve vayam ataḥ param
Never was there a time when I did not exist, nor you, nor all these
kings; nor in the future shall any of us cease to be.
(Bhagavad Gita, 2.12)
The Lord has three energies: svarupa sakti (inner potency), maya
sakti (external potency) and tatastha sakti (marginal potency).
So, in one sense, sakti “originates” from the master of sakti
(Saktiman, Krishna), but not in the sense of “being created”. All
those energies are eternal.
krishnera ‘nitya-dasa’ krishnera ‘tatastha sakti’ ‘bhedabheda-
prakasa’ (Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya-lila, 20.108)
The jiva’s constitutional nature is to be an eternal servant of Sri
Krishna. The jiva is the marginal potency of Krishna and a
manifestation simultaneously one with and different from the Lord.
The jiva is a part of the Supreme Whole.
Let us take a look what kind of PART and WHOSE PART the jiva
really eternally is.
First of all, we have to know what “kind of jiva” we are – nitya
baddha (eternally conditioned). Some already have a hard time
accepting that fact.
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī writes in his Paramatma Sandarbha (44):
tad evam ananta eva jīvākhya taṭasthaḥ śaktayaḥ.
tatra tāsāṁ varga dvayaṁ. eko vargaḥ anādita eva bhagavad
unmukhaḥ anyas tu anādita eva bhagavat parāṅmukhaḥ
svabhāvataḥ tadīya jñāna bhāvāt tadīya jñānābhāvāc ca:
“There are innumerable spirit souls and they are the marginal
potency of God. There are two classes of them: one class is
favorable to God from beginningless time, and the other class is
turned away from God from beginningless time.
The first class is naturally full of knowledge and the other is without
knowledge.”
To understand the nature of the jiva, let us dive into the nectar of
Srila Jiva Goswami:
In his Paramātmā Sandarbha (Anucheda 19), Jīva Gosvāmī writes:
The jīva, or the individual self, is counted among the attendants of
Paramātmā. Its extrinsic characteristic (taṭastha-lakṣaṇaṁ) was
stated earlier [in Anuccheda 1] in verse 5.11.12, namely, that it is
the conditional knower of the presentational field of its own body-
mind complex.
jñānāśrayo jñāna-guṇaś cetanaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ
na jāto nirvikāraś ca eka-rūpaḥ svarūpa-bhāk
aṇur nityo vyāpti-śīlaś cid-ānandātmakas tathā
aham-artho’vyayaḥ kṣetrī bhinna-rūpaḥ sanātanaḥ
adāhyo’cchedyo hy akledyas tv aśoṣyo’kṣara eva ca
evam-ādi-guṇair yuktaḥ śeṣa-bhūtaḥ parasya vai
ma-kāreṇocyate jīvaḥ kṣetra-jñaḥ paravān sadā
dāsa-bhūto harer eva nānyasyaiva kadācana
The intrinsic characteristics (svarūpa-lakṣaṇaṁ) [of the jīva] were
imparted by Śrī Jāmātṛ Muni, a very senior teacher of the Śrī
Vaiṣṇava Sampradāya in the line of Śrī Rāmānujācārya, who has
followed the Padma Purāṇa, where it is said in the course of
explaining praṇava (Oṁ):
The letter m [in Oṁ] signifies the jīva, “the witness of the
presentational field of the body” (kṣetrajña), who is always
dependent upon and subservient to the Supreme Self, Paramātmā.
He is [constitutionally] a servant of Bhagavān Hari only and never
of anyone else. He is the conscious substratum, endowed with the
attribute of knowledge. He is conscious and beyond matter.
He is never born, undergoes no modification, is of one [unchanging]
form, and situated in his own essential identity (svarūpa).
[jivera svarupa haya krishnera nitya-dasa – Here svarupa doesn´t
mean the “siddha deha” as some claim to know, but the essential
nature of the jiva, the sva-rupa, as an eternal servant of the Lord]
He is atomic [i.e., the smallest particle without any parts], eternal,
pervasive of the body, and intrinsically of the nature of
consciousness and bliss.
[jiva-ananda = bliss meaning here being free from misery]
He is the referent of the pronoun “I,” imperishable, the proprietor

of the body, distinct from all other jīvas, and never ending.
The jīva cannot be burnt, cut, wetted, or dried, and is not subject to
decay. He is endowed with these and other attributes.
He is indeed the irreducible remainder (śeṣa) [i.e., the integrated
part] of the Complete Whole.
(PP 6.226.34 37)
Śrī Jāmātṛ Muni similarly instructs [in four verses]:
ātmā na devo na naro na tiryak sthāvaro na ca
na deho nendriyaṁ naiva manaḥ prāṇo na nāpi dhīḥ
na jaḍo na vikārī ca jñāna-mātrātmako na ca
svasmai svayaṁ prakāśaḥ syād eka-rūpaḥ svarūpa-bhāk
cetano vyāpti-śīlaś ca cid-ānandātmakas tathā
aham-arthaḥ prati-kṣetraṁ bhinno’ṇur nitya-nirmalaḥ
tathā jñātṛtva-kartṛtva-bhoktṛtva-nija-dharmakaḥ
paramātmaika-śeṣatva-svabhāvaḥ sarvadā svataḥ iti.
(1) The ātmā is neither god, nor human, nor subhuman, nor is it
an immovable being [a tree, mountain, and so on]. It is not the body,
nor the senses, mind, vital force, or the intellect.
(2) It is not inert, not mutable, nor mere consciousness. It is
conscious of itself and self-luminous; it is of one form and is situated
in its own essential nature.
(3) It is conscious, pervades the body and is intrinsically of the
nature of consciousness and bliss.
[jiva-ananda = bliss meaning here being free from misery]
It is the direct referent of the pronoun “I,” is distinct [from other
individual selves] in each body, atomic [i.e., the smallest particle
without further parts], eternal, and unblemished.
(4) It is intrinsically endowed with the characteristics of
knowership[cognition], agency [conation], and experiential
capacity [affectivity]. Its nature by its own inner constitution is to be
always the unitary, irreducible remainder [i.e., the integrated part]
of the Complete Whole, Paramātmā.
This explanation is given in accordance with the commentary of Śrī
Rāmānuja on the Brahma-sūtra. Of these characteristics, the first,
that the jīva [i.e., the ātmā] is not a god, a human, or any other
species of life, was implied in Tattva Sandarbha (Anuccheda 54)
from the following verse:
aṇḍeṣu peśiṣu taruṣv aviniściteṣu
prāṇo hi jīvam upadhāvati tatra tatra
sanne yad indriya-gaṇe’hami ca prasupte
kūṭastha āśayam ṛte tad anusmṛtir naḥ
Just as the vital force (prāṇa) remains unchanging as it
accompanies the individual living being (jīva) in whichever different
species it may appear, whether born from eggs, wombs, seeds, or
perspiration,
the ātma is unchanging in the state of deep sleep when the senses
and ego are deactivated and there is freedom from the subtle body,
which is the cause of transformation.
Yet, upon awakening, the remembrance comes to us that we slept
peacefully without awareness of anything [and this indicates that in
deep sleep the self is present as pure witness devoid of the content of
sensual, mental, or egoic awareness].
(SB 11.3.39)
The second characteristic, that the jīva is distinct from the body, the
senses, and so on, is stated by Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa:
vilakṣaṇaḥ sthūla-sūkṣmād
dehād ātmekṣitā sva-dṛk
yathāgnir dāruṇo dāhyād
dāhako’nyaḥ prakāśakaḥ
The ātmā, which is the witness and self-aware, is distinct from the
subtle and gross bodies, in the same way that fire, which burns and
illumines, is different from the wood that is burnt. (SB 11.10.8)
The reason the ātmā is distinct [from the subtle and gross bodies] is
that he is their witness as well as being their illuminator, but the
ātmā itself is self-aware (sva-dṛk), meaning it is self-luminous.
In Anuccheda 37, Srila Jiva Goswamipada writes:
The Jīva Is an Integrated Part of Paramātmā
Next to be explained is the meaning of paramātmaika-śeṣatva
svabhāva, i.e., “the jīva is by nature the unitary, irreducible
remainder of Paramātmā” [quality no. 21].”
In the compound paramātmaika-śeṣatva-svabhāva, the word eka (“a
unit”) refers to an entity who is other than, or distinct from,
Paramātmā, and the word śeṣa (“remainder,” “residue”) means “a
part.”
That entity who is both a distinct unit (ekaḥ) and an irreducible part
(śeṣaḥ) is eka-śeṣaḥ, a part of Paramātmā that is yet different from
Him.
A unitary, or integrated, part of Paramātmā is known as
paramātmaika-śeṣaḥ, and its existential condition (bhāva) is called
paramātmaika-śeṣatva.
So, that which has this condition as its intrinsic nature (svabhāva) is
called paramātmaika-śeṣatva-svabhāvaḥ [referring to the jīva].
Moreover, this is its permanent state of being (sarvadā), implying
that such is the case even in the liberated state.
The jīva has this intrinsic nature by its very own inner constitution
(svarūpata eva), meaning that it is not the outcome of some covering
or limitation (pariccheda) [on Brahman by māyā].
By virtue of Paramātmā’s natural inconceivable potency, the jīva is

by nature like a particle of His rays, but in its conditioned state,
it becomes to a certain degree a part even of the material energy,
prakṛti (prakṛti-śeṣatvam api).
This is the [double] sense of the word svataḥ, “by its own inner
constitution” [in the verses of Jāmātṛ Muni in Anuccheda 19].
The jīva is understood to be of the nature of energy, because (1) it is
the intermediary potency (taṭastha-śakti) [of Paramātmā]; (2)
though it is like a ray of Paramātmā, it is still ever under His
shelter, meaning that it cannot exist without Him; (3) it is the means
[sādhanatvam] by which the universal creation takes place, as is
said:
“The jīva is the cause of this creation” (SB 12.7.18); and (4)
although it is a substance [(dravya), signifying that it is the inherent
cause of effects, or the substratum of qualities], it is similar to
pradhāna [which is energy].
The jīva is also said to be an energy (śakti) due to being a specific
fundamental power (prakṛti) [of Paramātmā], as it is said in Viṣṇu
Purāṇa:
viṣṇu-śaktiḥ parā proktā kṣetrajñākhyā tathā parā
avidyā karma-saṁjñākhyā tṛtīyā śaktir ucyate
Viṣṇu’s energies are designated as “the potency of inherent
transcendence” (parā), “the potency that is other than, or apart
from, inherent transcendence” (aparā), which is also called the
knower of the field (kṣetrajña), and a third potency called avidyā-
karma (ignorance as causal entanglement).
(VP 6.7.61)
tayā tirohitatvāc ca śaktiḥ kṣetra-jña-saṁjñitā
sarva-bhūteṣu bhūpāla tāratamyena vartate
Being covered by ignorance (avidyā), O King, the potency called
“the knower of the field” (kṣetrajña) exists in graded stages of
evolution throughout all species of life.
(VP 6.7.63)
Jīva Gosvāmī further quotes the Śrutis which confirm that the jīva is
Part of Paramātmā because they are His potency (39):
sva-kṛta-pureṣv amīṣv abahir-antara-saṁva raṇaṁ,tava puruṣaṁ
vadanty akhila-śakti-dhṛto ’ṁśa-kṛtam,
iti nṛ-gatiṁ vivicya kavayo nigamāvapanaṁ,bhavata upāsate
’ṅghrim abhavam bhuvi viśvasitāḥ
(SB (10.87.20)
The individual living entity, while inhabiting the material bodies he
has created for himself by his karma, actually remains uncovered by
either gross or subtle matter. This is so because, as the Vedas
describe,
he is part and parcel of You, the possessor of all potencies.
Having determined this to be the status of the living entity,
learned sages become imbued with faith and worship Your lotus
feet,
to which all Vedic sacrifices in this world are offered, and which are
the source of liberation.
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura´s tika to this verse:
Having established the Supreme Soul (Paramatma) as the proper
object of all worship, this verse establishes the position of the
subordinate jīva soul, a finite expansion of the Lord, as His
worshiper.
The enjoyer (purusam), the jiva, is in the singular form to express a
class that exists in all bodies of men and other living beings created
by their karma. The personified Vedas refer to the finite enjoyer of
the material body (the jīva soul) as an expansion (amsa) of the
transcendental reservoir of all potencies, the Supreme Lord.
Actually the jiva is well known as the Lord’s tatastha-sakti,
marginal potency situated between spirit and matter,
but he is not an independent Viṣṇu expansion.
This is stated in the Visnu Purana (6.7.61):
viṣṇu-saktiḥ parā proktā, kṣetra-jñākhyā tathā parā, “The internal
potency of Lord Viṣṇu is spiritual, as verified by the śāstras.
There is another spiritual potency, known as kṣetra-jña, or the living
entity.” And the Bhagavad-gita (7.5) states: prakṛtiṁ viddhi me
param jīva-bhūtām, “Beyond this inferior energy, there is another
superior energy known as the living entity, jīvabhūtām.”
The Śrī Nārada Pañcarātra says: yat taṭa-sthaṁ tu cid-rūpaṁ, sva-
saṁvedyād vinirgatam rañjitaṁ guṇa-rāgeṇa, sa jīva iti kathyate
“The marginal potency, who is spiritual by nature, who emanates
from the self-cognizant saṁvit energy, and who becomes tainted by
his attachment to the modes of material nature, is called the jīva.’’
Although the jīva is thus the Lord’s marginal potency (tatastha-
sakti), he is sometimes referred to as an aṁsa, as stated by Lord Sri
Kṛṣṇa in the Bhagavad-gita (15.7):
mamaivāṁso jīva-loke jīva-bhūtaḥ sanātanaḥ, “The living entities in
this conditioned world are My eternal fragmental parts.”
The Mahāvarāha Purāṇa explains how the soul is similar to an amsa: svāṁśaś
cātha vibhinnāṁśa, iti dvidhā śa iṣyate aṁśino yat tu sāmarthyaṁ, yat-svarūpaṁ
yathā sthitiḥ tad eva nāṇu-mātro ’pi, bhedaṁ svāṁśāṁśinoḥ kvacit
vibhinnāṁśo ’lpa-śaktiḥ syāt, kiñcit sāmarthya-mātrayuk –
“The Supreme Lord is known in two ways: in terms of His plenary
expansions and His separated expansions.
Between the plenary expansions and Their source of expansion there
is never any essential difference in terms of either Their capabilities,
forms or situations.
The separated expansions, on the other hand, possess only minute
potency, being endowed only to a small extent with the Lord’s
powers.”
What is the minute jiva soul like? The soul is never totally covered
by either the external potency of maya (bahiḥ:bahiraṇga-māyā-
saktyā) or the internal spiritual potency (antareṇa: antaraṇga-cic-
chaktyā).
Or else, the soul is he who is covered both internally and externally
by the subtle and gross coverings.
Thus (iti), considering (vivicya:vicārya) the status (nṛ-gatim) of the
jiva being bound up by maya or his marginal position,
the faithful (viśvasitāḥ) sages living on this earth worship the desire
trees of Your feet (aṅghrim:bhavac-caraṇa-kalpa-tarum) growing in
the field of the Vedas to destroy the bondage of material life
(abhavam).
Faithful (viśvasitāḥ) means those who have full belief in Kṛṣṇa’s
own words:
mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te, “He who
surrenders to Me crosses the ocean of maya.” (Bg 7.14)
The following statements from the śrutis support this verse:
dvau suparṇau bhavato brahmaṇo’ṁśa-bhūtas tathetaro, bhoktā
bhavati anyo hi sākṣī bhavatīti –
“On the tree of the body are two birds. One is an expansion of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is the witness and the other is
an enjoyer.”
(Gopala-tapani Upanisad 2.23)
mathurā-maṇḍale yas tu, jambūdvīpe sthito ’tha vā yo ’rcayet
pratimāṁ prati, sa me priyataro bhuvi
“One who worships Me in My Deity form while living in the district
of Mathurā or, indeed, anywhere in Jambūdvīpa, becomes most dear
to Me in this world.”
(Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad, Uttara 47)
Srila Jiva Goswami writes more in this Anuccheda (39):
In the adjectival phrase “without external or internal covering”
(abahir-antarasaṁvaraṇaṁ), the word “external” (bahir) refers to
the outwardly existing [or nonessential] effects, and the word
“internal” (antar), to the inwardly existing [or essential] causes.
That the puruṣa is free from both of these coverings means that it is
untouched either by cause or effect. “Made a part” (aṁśa-kṛtam)
[simply] means a part.
“The repository of unlimited potencies” (akhila-śakti-dhṛtaḥ),
meaning “He who possesses all potencies,” is a qualifier describing
“You” [Paramātmā].
By making it clear that the jīva is a part only of that [form of God]
which is qualified by the jīva potency [i.e., Paramātmā], and not of
the pure, or Absolute, [i.e., not of Bhagavān directly, who is without
the attribute of the jīva potency], the Śrutis are here explaining that
the jīva is an integrated part of Paramātmā specifically by virtue of
being His energy.
Now [the jīva’s] intermediary status (taṭasthatvaṁ) has been clearly
depicted, as in verse 10.87.38 (Anuccheda 23): “Yet the jīva, due to
the influence of māyā, embraces ignorance,” because [according to
this statement] it cannot be counted as part of either the intrinsic or
extrinsic potencies.
So the conclusion is:
“The jīva is an integrated part of Paramātmā specifically by virtue of
being His energy.”
Appendix:
Questions and answers by Satyanarayana das Babaji:
Question:
Can you explain where the jivas have their origin. I understand it is
in Paramatma, but Krsna also says that the living entities are his
eternal fragmental parts (Gita 15.7). So what exactly does it mean?
Answer:
The simple principle, which I am sure you know, is that Bhagavan
has three distinct saktis, namely antaranga, bahiranga and tatastha.
The Jiva is neither part of antaranga nor of bahiranga sakti. Jiva is
part only of tatastha sakti. Paramatma is in charge of bahiranga as
well as tatastha sakti. Therefore, truly speaking, jiva is part of
Paramatma’s tatastha sakti. This is stated by Shri Jiva Gosvami in
Paramatma Sandarbha.
There are three Paramatmas, namely Karanadakasayi Vishnu,
Garbhodaksayi Vishnu, and Ksirodaksayi Vishnu. Karanodaksayi
Vishnu is the Paramatma for the aggregate material nature (samasti
prakriti) and the aggregate, or samasti, jivas. Garbhodaksayi Vishnu
is the Paramatma for the individual universe, and Ksirodaksayi
Vishnu is the Paramatma for the vyast, or individual, jivas.
If there is total annihilation, or samasti pralaya, then all jivas enter
into Karanodaksayi Vishnu. But really speaking, it never happens.
There are always some universes manifest and some are dissolving.
Universes are at different stages of a cycle. Everything is cyclic. But
even if you consider a total annihilation, then Karanodaksayi Vishnu
enters into Sankarsana (part of caturvyuha in paravyoma , or
Vaikuntha) with the totality of prakriti and the jivas, i.e., samasti
bahiranga and tatastha saktis. When it is time to create, then
Karanodaksayi Vishnu manifests from Sankarsana along with the
complete material nature and the jivas.
So when Krsna says mamaivamsa jivaloke, He means that jiva is
part of Paramatma’s tatastha sakti. Paramatma is His part, so there is
nothing wrong in His statement.
http://www.jiva.org/origin-of-the-jiva-and-beginningless-karma/
Thank you, dear Advaita das
Thank you, dear Satyanarayana das (parts of his edition of the
Paramatma Sandarbha have been used with his permission)
Māyā’s conditioning of the jīva has
no beginning
According to Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, māyā’s conditioning of the jīva has no

beginning; it is anādi.
Although statements such as, “she covers the real nature of the jīva” seemingly
imply a beginning,
in fact there is no beginning to the jīva’s bondage. Śrī Kṛṣṇa confirms this:
prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva viddhy anādi ubhav api
vikārāṁś ca guṇāṁś caiva viddhi prakṛti-sambhavān
“Primordial nature and the living beings should both be understood to be
beginningless.
Their transformations and the guṇas of nature are phenomenal arisings out of
primordial nature.
(gītā 13.20)”
Commenting on this verse, both Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura and Baladeva
Vidyābhūṣaṇa confirm that the conditioning of the jīva is beginningless. Śrīla
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura states:
māya-jīvayor api mac-chaktitvena anāditvāt tayoḥ saṁśleṣo’py anādir iti
bhāvaḥ
“[Śrī Bhagavān says] ‘Because both māyā and the jīva are My potencies, they
both are beginningless. Thus their conjunction is also without beginning.’ This is
the sense of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s words.”
Here Viśvanātha is employing the nyāya principle that the qualities or potencies
of anādi substances are also anādi. Naturally, a beginningless substance or
entity cannot have a prior state of existence, for it could not be said to be
beginningless. In this case, the subjects — primordial nature and the jīvas — are
understood as anādi, and thus their shared quality of apparent separation from
Kṛṣṇa, is also anādi.
In fact, in the beginning of his comment on the Gītā verse, Viśvanātha says, “In
this verse, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is answering two questions — why or how did the
conjunction of the jīva and māyā occur?
And when did it occur?” He says that both of these are answered by the word
anādi.
In regard to the first question, anādi implies na vidyate ādi kāraṇam yayoḥ,
“the conjunction of māyā and the jīva is without prior cause” [and hence there is
in fact no “why” as tohow it occurred]. The answer to the second question —
when? — is also anādi: It has no beginning, and hence, it did not occur at
any moment in time.
Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa, commenting on this same verse, writes, “In this way,
the conjunction between primordial nature and the living being, who have
distinct natures and are both beginningless, relates to a period of time that is
without beginning.”
(evaṁ mitho vivikta-svabhāvayor anādyoḥ prakṛti-jīvayoḥ saṁsargasyānādi-kālikatvam)
He uses the adjectival compound anādi-kālikatva, “a period of time without
beginning,” to qualify the phrase prakṛti-jīvayoḥ saṁsargaḥ, the conjunction of
the jīva with prakṛti.
From this we understand that the jīvas and primordial nature are both eternal,
although sometimes manifest and sometimes wound up within Mahāviṣṇu.
Being eternal, they are beginningless, and the nature of their conjunction is also
beginningless. Just as there was no prior state of existence for material nature,
there was also no prior condition of existence for the bound jīvas.
The common example given is that of a spider, which expands its energy in the
form of its web and sometimes withdraws the web back into its body. Similarly,
primordial nature and the bound jīvas are manifested and unmanifested in a
cycle that is anādi, beginningless.
Beginningless karmic imprinting and patterning is the nature of the bondage of
the beginningless jīva.Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī will explain all this in greater detail in
Paramātma Sandarbha (Anuccheda 47).
He will show that, according to the precise criteria pertaining to definitions in
the nyāya system of logic, the word anādi is to be taken literally. We should
note, however, that the subject at hand transcends conventional
logical faculties.
Śrīmad Bhāgavatam confirms:
seyaṁ bhagavato māyā yan nayena virudhyate
īśvarasya vimuktasya kārpaṇyam uta bandhanam
“The living entity, who is transcendental and liberated, is yet subject to misery
and bondage.
Such indeed is Bhagavān’s extrinsic potency (māyā), which defies logic.” (sb
3.7.9)
We are advised not to employ empirical logic to comprehend the beginningless
bondage of the jīva. Rather, through open receptivity to the verdict of śāstra,
accompanied by profound contemplation onthe truth therein disclosed, there
arises immediate intuitive insight of this enigma.
This is the way of the self-disclosure of śāstric truth, and it is, therefore, the
means to resolve this riddle of beginningless bondage. To not avail of this
transempirical mode of knowing is to risk failure in completing life’s essential
purpose.
Bhagavad Gītā confirms:
na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim –
“One who rejects śāstra attains neither completion, nor contentment, nor the
supreme destination. (gītā 16.23)”
Although the jīva is beginninglessly deluded, it eternally retains the inherent
capacity to know Bhagavān. This capacity is an unactualized potential,
comparable to the illuminating power of an unusedlight bulb. Even when
unused, a light bulb retains the capacity to illuminate, but cannot do so until
connected to a power source.
Similarly, the conditioned jīva’s capacity to know Bhagavān is unactualized, but
is ever present as an inherent potential of consciousness itself. When
consciousness is attuned to its Source, the inherent capacity to know Bhagavān
is made possible, like the illumination that is enabled when a light bulb is
connected to a power source.
This is why the jīva is described as an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, “nityaḥ kṛṣṇa-
dāsaḥ.” When conditioned, the jīva’s constitutional eternal servitorship
(dāsatva) remains in a potential state. This potential is actualized when Kṛṣṇa’s
intrinsic potency descends to the jīva, dissolving the empirical conditioning
through unconditional devotion.
In the conditioned state, however, the jīva misdirects root attention into
phenomenal identity and appearance. Thus, the self ’s instruments of knowing
— the mind and senses — are misapplied in service of a separative ego point of
reference. In this condition, the self ’s inherent potential of consciousness to be
devotionally whole-bodily attuned to its Source remains undiscovered,
causing the jīva to suffer.
But when the jīva redirects the mind and senses to repose in their conscious
Source, effected through the transmutational power of sādhana-bhakti, then
through the descent or pervasion of divine power, the self ’s true potential
becomes actualized. If one perseveres on the path of bhakti, he becomes aware
of his original identity and is established in the unending bliss of prema-bhakti.
In Paramātma Sandarbha (Anucchedas 19–47), Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī discusses
this and other aspects of the jīva’s nature in greater detail.
One may ask why the all-powerful Bhagavān does not stop Māyā from
bewildering the jīva. Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī addresses this question in the next
anuccheda.
(Srila Satyanarayana das Babaji, tika to Tattva Sandarbha, Anuccheda 32
Tattva Sandarbha
Jiva-tattva v3.0
(1) The jiva is one of Krishna´s eternal energies

Sri Krishna has three eternal energies:
Cit-sakti: This is His inner energy. His Own spiritual world pure cit-sakti.
This cit-sakti again consists of three energies:
Sandhini-sakti = eternal existence (I am)

Samvit-sakti = eternal knowledge (I know)
Hladini-sakti = eternal happiness (I am happy)
Bahiranga-sakti: This is His “outer” energy. The material world is made of this
energy.
Tatastha-sakti: The energy “inbetween” the spiritual and the material world.
All these three energies are eternal and eternally separate from each other.
The spiritual soul is said to be like a tiny spiritual “drop of consciousness” (cit-
kana). The jiva belongs to the tatastha-sakti. The jiva (the spiritual soul) is an
infinitesimal particle of spiritual consciousness, like an atomic particle of light
emanating from the sun. Sri Krishna is the complete spiritual consciousness, the
transcendental sun. When the jivas focus their attention on Krishna, they go to
Him. Naturally, the parts serve the Whole. The car will never move when the
wheels do not obey. So naturally, the spiritual soul should serve the Supreme
Soul.

“The jiva’s constitutional nature is to be an eternal servant of Sri Krishna. The
jiva is the marginal potency of Krishna and a manifestation simultaneously one
with and different from the Lord.”
So, we are simultaneously one and different from the Lord. We are His sakti, He
is saktiman (controller of energies). This is called acintya-bheda-bheda-tattva.
We are of a similar nature, but also different. This tattva rests upon Him being
Saktiman and us jivas being His sakti. The energy-giver and the energy are
simultaneously one and different. He is the Whole, we are His parts. We can see
clearly that one thing is “inherent” in the svarupa of the jiva: eternal servitorship.
We will always be servants.
The jiva requires immersion in one of the two other energies by default.
When the jiva FULLY immersed in maya sakti, it feels no difference from the
material body and it is not aware of its real nature as a soul.
This is the power of maya-sakti.
When the jiva is FULLY immersed in svarupa sakti, it feels no difference from
its attained siddha deha. In fact, the jiva then IS that spiritual body of bhava.
Such is the glorious power of svarupa-sakti.
“Tatastha does not change into svarupa-sakti. But even before getting the
siddha-deha, the tatastha becomes imbued by svarupa-sakti. That is called
getting sthayi-bhava. The siddha deha is not a physical body as we have
experience of. It is a bhava body. I am sure you have come across a statement
somewhere that says that Srimati Radhika is Mahabhava-svarupa. So the
tatastha who is imbued with svarupa-sakti, like an iron rod made red hot by
putting it in fire, is now linked to a body consisting of svarupa-sakti. There is
oneness because the sthayi-bhava does not make the tatastha feel that he is
having something exterior in him.”
(Srila Satyanarayana das Babaji)
(2) Jiva Gosvamipada and the Sandarbhas

sandarbha yena nadhitas tasya bhagavate sramah
sandarbha yena cadhita nasti bhagavate bhramah
“One who has not undergone comprehensive study of Sat Sandarbhas must
struggle to assimilate the message of the Bhagavata. One who has studied Sat
Sandarbhas, however, will have no misgivings about the essential meaning of the
Bhagavata.”
Paramatma Sandarbha and the svarupa of the jiva
Paramatma sandarbha anuccheda 19
When describing the svarupa of the jiva, Srila Jiva Gosvami agrees with the
description of the Sri Sampradaya. We know this because instead of citing others,
he cites the version of Jamatr Muni, a follower of Sri Ramanujacarya. Srila Jiva
Gosvami says śrī-rāmānuja-bhāṣyānusāreṇa vyākhyā ceyam | “The explanation
of Jamatr is according to Sri Ramanuja’s commentary [to the Vedanta Sutra]”.
svarupa-lakṣaṇaṁ pādmottara-khaṇḍādikam anusṛtya, śrī-rāmānujācāryād
atiprācīnena śrī-vaiṣṇava-sampradāya-guruṇā śrī-jāmātṛ-muninopadiṣṭam |
tatra praṇava-vyākhyāne pādmottara-khaṇḍaṁ, yathā
Translation: “Using the descriptions found in Padma Purana, Sri Jamatr Muni,
an esteemed Guru of the ancient Sri-sampradaya following Sri Ramanujacarya’s
philosophy, has described the jiva’s svarupa.”
jñānāśrayo jñāna-guṇaś cetanaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ |
na jāto nirvikāraś ca eka-rupaḥ svarupa-bhāk ||
Translation: “The jiva is the conscious substratum and is endowed with the
attribute of knowledge. Is conscious and beyond prakrti. It has no birth and no
change. It is of one form and situated in its own essential identity”
aṇur nityo vyāpti-śīlaś cid-ānandātmakas tathā |
aham-artho’vyayaḥ kṣetrī bhinna-rupaḥ sanātanaḥ ||
Translation: “The jiva is small, eternal and pervades the body. It is of the nature
of consciousness and bliss, and the sense of “I”. It does not decrease, is the
knower of the body, and is different from other jivas eternally.” (Sri Jiva explains
that the jiva being different from other jivas means that there are a plurality of
jivas in contrast to what Sri Sankaracarya’s Advaitavada says, see Anuccheda
32).
adāhyo’cchedyo hy akledyas tv aśoṣyo’kṣara eva ca |
evam-ādi-guṇair yuktaḥ śeṣa-bhutaḥ parasya vai ||
Translation: “The jiva cannot be burned, cut, moistened or dried out. It cannot
be destroyed. Endowed with these qualities, the jiva is subordinate to
Bhagavan.”
ma-kāreṇocyate jīvaḥ kṣetra-jñaḥ paravān sadā |
dāsa-bhuto harer eva nānyasyaiva kadācana || [pa.pu. 6.226.34-37] iti |
Translation: “The letter m [in Om] signifies the jiva. The jiva is a secondary
knower of the field, but always subordinate to Sri Hari and no one else.”
Jamatr Muni himself importantly adds,
tathā jñātṛtva-kartṛtva-bhoktṛtva-nija-dharmakaḥ |
Translation: “It is intrinsically endowed with the characteristics of jñātṛtva
[knowership/awareness], kartṛtva [doership/agency] and bhoktṛtva [enjoyership,
capacity to experience].
From anuccheda 19 until the end of anuccheda 47, Srila Jiva Gosvamipada
describes the svarupa of the jiva, provides sastra pramana for the qualities of the
jiva’s svarupa and refutes Advaita (mayavada) concepts of the jiva. There is not
one instance in this whole discussion on the svarupa of the jiva where he admits
any type of svarupa-bheda (differences in the svarupa of jivas).
This would be the perfect opportunity to advise us that different types of jivas
have different inclinations, likes and dislikes as part of their svarupa (or due to
some sakti always acting on the jiva). And that some are santa rasa jivas, some
dasya, others vatsalya etc. The schools of Madhvacarya and Vallabhacarya have
explained this clearly in their works by using distinct terms such as sattvika jivas,
daivi jivas, rajasika jivas, pravaha jivas and so on.
However, we see none of this in the works of Srila Jiva Gosvami, Baladeva
Vidyabhusana and other classical Gaudiya Acaryas. Rather we find terms like
svarupa-sāmya (sameness of svarupa) and aviśeṣataḥ (no specialities among
them) in the works of Acarya Baladeva. And in Paramatma Sandarbha
Anuccheda 28, Jiva Gosvami says that the svarupa of the jiva unto itself is eka-
rupa-svarupa-bhak, possessed of a uniform nature. This means it is delimited and
that all jivas are the same in nature.
(3) Acarya Baladeva’s Govinda Bhasya

Conditioned jivas are uniform in nature
In order to give evidence that the baddha jivas are uniform in nature, we now turn
to the famous Govinda Bhasya commentary of the Vedanta sutra.
Differences within jivas are due to adrsta (the unseen forces of karma)
In this section Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu explains how the differences seen
within jivas are primarily due to adrsta (unseen principles). In Govinda Bhasya
1.1.1, Acarya Baladeva himself explains that karma and adrsta are practically the
same.
karma ca jaḍam adṛṣṭādi-śabda-vyapadeśyam” – Govinda Bhasya 1.1.1

“Karma is unconscious and expressed by words such as adrsta (unseen effect)
etc.”
Sutra 2.3.49
Baladeva Vidyabhusana now brings up the topic of adrsta. All translations of the
sutras are based on the subject matter that our Acarya has seen in them as is
evident by his commentary.
adṛṣṭāniyamāt || – “The jivas are not similar, because their karmas are
various”.
Sutra 2.3.49
Baladeva Vidyabhusana’s comment: naiva te sāmya-bhājaḥ | kutaḥ ? svarupa-
sāmye’pi tad-adṛṣṭānām aniyamāt nānā-vidhatvāt | adṛṣṭaṁ tv anādi ||49||
“The individual jivas are not all alike. Why is that? The sutra explains: “Even
though the individual spirit souls have the same nature, they have different
adrsta (karma).” Their adrstas (karmas) are beginningless.”
It is very important to note that Acarya Baladeva has used the term svarupa-
sāmya(uniform/same nature, identical condition, uniform characteristics) in his
own comment above when referring to the jivas. This is clear evidence that
Gaudiya Vedanta does not accept that baddha jivas have differences in their
svarupa (essential being). There is no inclination towards a particular rasa (taste)
or siddha deha intrinsic to the svarupa of the jiva, otherwise there is no meaning
to Acarya Baladeva using such a carefully chosen word. This will be confirmed
as we investigate further.
nanv icchā-dveṣādibhir vaiṣamyaṁ syān nety āha— “Here someone may object:
Are the different fates not created because the individual spirit souls have
different desires and different aversions?
The author of the sutras [Badarayana Rsi/Vyasadeva] says, “No it is not so,”
and gives the following explanation”.
Sutra 2.3.50
abhisandhyādiṣv api caivam || – “The jivas are different with regard to their
desires and other things”– Sutra 2.3.50
Baladeva Vidyabhusana’s comment: teṣv api vaicitrya-hetutayāṅgīkṛteṣv evaṁ
hetv-antarāpekṣāpattes te’py adṛṣṭād evety arthaḥ | ca-kāraḥ pratikṣaṇa-
vaicitrīṁ samuccinoti ||50||
“The different natures of the individual spirit souls are to be explained in a
different way. These differences exist because of different adrstas (reactions of
karma). The word “ca” (and) hints that these differences exist at every moment.”
Desires, likes and dislikes which are due to various experiences (samskaras) can
indeed be counted as secondary causes, but Baladeva Vidyabhusana says the
differences between jivas are to be primarily explained through adrsta (karma).
nanu svarga-bhumy-ādi-pradeśa-vaiśeṣyāt vaicitryaṁ syān nety āha— “Here

someone may object: Is it not so that these differences are created by differing
environments, such as the environment of Svargaloka, the earth, or other places?
To this the author of the sutras replies, “No. It is not so.” He gives the following
explanation.”
Sutra 2.3.51
pradeśād iti cen nāntarbhāvāt || – “If it is said that this is because of
environment, then the answer is: No, because there is another reason.”
Baladeva Vidyabhusana’s comment: tat-prāpter apy
adṛṣṭāpekṣatvenādṛṣṭāntarbhāvāt pradeśād ekadeśa-sthitānām api vaicitrī-
darśanāc ca ||51||
“The other reason mentioned here is the differing adrstas (results of karma) of
the individual spirit souls. The differences here cannot be attributed to different
environments, for souls in the same environment often manifest great
differences.”
People often say “you are a product of your environment”. It is true that
environment can also influence our conditioned nature, likes and dislikes as we
go on to experience different things within that environment, however Baladeva
Vidyabhusana Prabhu denies that all differences are due to the environment
because souls in the same environment often display different qualities and
behaviour. These differences between jivas are due to our adrsta karma.
Conclusion:
Acarya Baladeva has stated very clearly that the jivas are of the same nature
(svarupa-sāmya)in sutra 2.3.49. He then discusses that any differences seen in
jivas are due to the jivas’ own activities and subsequent results (adrsta/karma).
Again, 2.3.49 is saying that the jivas have different adristas or spiritual fortunes
having worshipped differently. So worshiping or bhakti creates differences.
Hence through these explanations he confirms that the baddha jivas’ svarupas are
uniform by nature.
Sri Madhavacarya who influenced Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu greatly as is
evident throughout many of Acarya Baladeva’s works (Govinda Bhasya, Gita
Bhusana tika of Bhagavad Gita, Prameya Ratnavali etc) does indeed accept
intrinsic differences within the svarupa of baddha jivas. Although Acarya
Baladeva follows Sri Madhavacarya on many points of siddhanta, it is clear that
he disagrees with various other explanations. One of these is that the baddha jivas
have a hierarchy or gradation based on intrinsic qualities in their svarupa. The
next Chapter will discuss this at length.
(4) Acarya Baladeva’s Prameya Ratnavali –

(The necklace of truth jewels)
(a) Hierarchy of jivas is based on accomplishment alone
Here, Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu will discuss the concept of jiva taratamya
(gradation/hierarchy between jivas). This is part of Prameya Ratnavali’s ṣaṣṭha-
prameyam (Sixth Truth).
(1.6) atha jīvānāṁ tāratamyam – “Now the hierarchy among jivas”.

aṇu-caitanya-rupatva-jñānitvādy-aviśeṣataḥ | sāmye saty
api jīvānāṁ tāratamyaṁ ca sādhanāt || 1.6.1 ||
“Even though they are equal because they are without difference in matters like
being of the nature of minute consciousness and possessing discrimination/the
ability to acquire knowledge, there is a hierarchy among living beings due to
their accomplishments.”
Acarya Baladeva says the jivas are equal and without any speciality/difference
(aviśeṣataḥ) in regards to their intrinsic qualities such as minute consciousness,
possessing discrimination etc. However hierarchy (tāratamya), in other words
difference, is only due to their achievements. Which was echoed in the previous
chapter discussing Govinda Bhasya also. Also, see part 6, page 16 of this article
to see how Jiva Gosvami explains the jnana “knowledge” of the jiva.
evaṁ sāmye’pi vaiṣamyam aihikaṁ karmabhiḥ sphuṭam | prāhuḥ pāratrikaṁ tat

tu bhakti-bhedaiḥ sukovidaḥ || 1.6.2 ||
“Thus even though there is equality [among jivas] (evaṁ sāmye’pi), this
worldly inequality (vaiṣamyam aihikaṁ) is clearly manifested by their actions
(karmabhiḥ sphuṭam).
But the wise proclaim there is that [inequality] in the next world too, through
different types of bhakti.”
smṛtiś ca— yādṛśī bhāvanā yasya siddhir bhavati tādṛśī || iti || (kha) ||
Translation: “As is one’s meditation, so is one’s achievement.”
śāntyādyā rati-paryantā ye bhāvāḥ pañca kīrtitāḥ |
tair devaṁ smaratāṁ puṁsāṁ tāratamyaṁ mitho matam || 3 ||
“Of those persons remembering the Lord by those five feelings, from santa to
madhurya, there is considered a hierarchy with respect to each other”.
Here, yet again Acarya Baladeva is making the point very clear that there is
sameness (sāmya साम्य; equality, identity, likeness, equilibrium, normal
condition, equability – Macdonnel Sanskrit dictionary) among all jivas, but that
the worldly inequality (vaiṣamyam aihikaṁ) is clearly due to their karma. Yet
again, even in the next world (meaning cit jagat, Vaikuntha, Goloka etc), there is
inequality due to different types of Bhakti in the form of santa, dasya, sakhya etc.
In his commentary to Brhad Bhagavatamrta, Srila Sanatana Gosvami admits the
same, that there are slight differences in the degrees of perfection in Vaikuntha
for example. In his own tika, he says:
“In the opinion of some Vaiṣṇavas, different qualities of devotional service

earn their performers different degrees of perfection. Otherwise in Vaikuṇṭha
there would be no meaningful distinction between the Lord’s eternal servants
and newly liberated devotees. In this verse Nārada agrees that although all
devotees enjoy the ecstasy of worshiping Lord Nārāyaṇa there are minor
differences in what various devotees achieve in Vaikuṇṭha. Some devotees seem
to have more intimate relationships with Lord Nārāyaṇa than do others. And
when the Lord descends to the earth and other material planets, select devotees
are privileged to accompany Him. The truth is that there are no real differences
in devotional achievement, only different individual services. If some Vaiṣṇavas
insist on the idea of different degrees of perfection, that idea may be granted,
but the differences are insignificant.” – End of Srila Sanatana Gosvami’s
comment to Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.195.
5) Krsna Prema is a gift and not inherent within the jiva’s

svarupa
Another belief that is prevalent among devotees is that Krsna prema is inherent
within the nature (svarupa) of the jiva. However, bhakti is the nature of svarupa
sakti and the jiva is tatastha sakti, therefore bhakti can’t be part of the jiva’s
svarupa, since they are completely different saktis (see section 6).
Acintya-bheda-abheda tattva (inconceivable oneness and difference) is an

explanation to show the relationship between Bhagavan and his saktis and not to
show the relationship between different saktis in reference to one another. For
example, the bahiranga sakti (maya) never makes factual contact with the tatastha
sakti jiva, nor is maya inherent within the svarupa of the jiva. They are all
distinct. However, both maya sakti and svarupa sakti have the power to
overwhelm the jiva due to its minuteness.
(a) The Nitya siddha krsna prema verse

Let us now turn to the most often cited verse, since this is where the root of the
confusion begins. The following is an ISKCON translation:
nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema ‘sādhya’ kabhu naya

śravaṇādi-śuddha-citte karaye udaya – Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 22.107
nitya-siddha – eternally established; kṛṣṇa-prema – love of Kṛṣṇa; sādhya – to be
gained; kabhu – at any time; naya – not; śravaṇa-ādi – by hearing, etc.; śuddha
– purified; citte – in the heart; karaye udaya – awakens.
Translation (given in ISKCON and Gaudiya Math in general):
“Pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It
is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by
hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.”
Discussion: The verse does not say that prema is “eternally established in the
hearts of the living entities.” Nor does it say “It is not something to be gained
from another source.” It merely says that Krishna Prema is eternally perfect
(nitya-siddha) and it arises (udaya) in the heart/consciousness (śuddha-citte)
which has been purified by śravaṇādi (hearing etc) or that prema comes from the
nitya-siddha devotees.
Sadhya kabhu naya, means that bhakti is self-manifest and independent. It is not
under the control of anything else, nor is it created or caused by anything else, be
it karma, good fortune or any other particular act as Bhakti would then become
subservient to that particular thing. There is no equation where one performs X to
achieve the result Y. Nor is it actually generated by sadhana. Visvanatha
Cakravarti explains this independent and causeless nature of Bhakti Devi at
length in the beginning of Madhurya Kadambini.
Translation and meaning given by Srila Narayana Maharaja (Bhakti-Rasamrita-

Sindhu-Bindhu) and all other traditional Gaudiya Vaisnavas:
“Krsna prema is eternally perfect (nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema) and it can not be

udaya)”
Again, the understanding is that prema bhakti (sadhya – that which is to be
attained) is not created by sadhana bhakti. Prema bhakti is not like that, it is
eternally perfect and is the nature of the svarupa sakti which comes into the heart
of the sadhaka. If it were dormant, we would find use of the word jagrita
(awaken) and not arise (udaya) in the sloka. Or the sastra could use the terms
supta/nidrita prema (sleeping prema) to indicate the stage before it awakes.
Rather there is no such explanation because prema arises in the heart, just like the
moon in the night sky.
This verse relates to a verse in Bhakti rasamrta sindhu

Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami in his Caitanya Caritamrta usually cites a Sanskrit
verse and then composes a Bengali verse translation of it. This “nitya siddha
krsna prema” verse is no different. In this chapter, just 2 verses prior, he has
quoted Rupa Goswami’s original Sanskrit verse from Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu.
We will now look at the commentaries of the verse to confirm our understanding.
tatra sādhana-bhaktiḥ – “Now sadhana bhakti will be defined”:

nitya-siddhasya bhāvasya prākaṭyaṁ hṛdi sādhyatā || – BRS 1.2.2
“Devotion which is enacted through the senses and which leads
to the self-manifestation of bhāva-bhakti, is called sādhana-bhakti.
The self-manifestation within the heart [of the practitioner] of the eternally
existing transcendental affect of devotion (bhāva) is known as the completion
stage of devotion.”

āśaṅkyāha—nityeti | bhagavac-chakti-viśeṣa-vṛtti-viśeṣatvenāgre
sādhayiṣyamāṇatvād iti bhāvaḥ
because its appearance [and not its creation] will be accomplished in the
future by the special actions of the most excellent transformations [samvit and
hladini aspects] of Bhagavan’s svarupa sakti [which are perfect and eternal].
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s Bhakti sara pradarsini commentary:
tena dharmārthādi-puruṣārthāntara-sādhaka-bhaktiś ca parākṛtā, uttamāyā eva

upakrāntatvāt | bhāvādīnāṁ sādhyatve kṛtrimatvāt parama-puruṣārthatvābhāvaḥ
syād ity āśaṅkyāha—nityeti | bhāvasyety upalakṣaṇaṁ śravana-kīrtanādayo’pi
grāhyāḥ | teṣām api karṇa-jihvādau prākaṭya-mātram, yathā śrī-kṛṣṇo vasudeva-
gṛhe’vatatāra | bhaktīnāṁ bhagavac-chakti-vṛtti-viśeṣatvenāgre
“This may give rise to the fear that, though bhava bhakti has been mentioned as
supreme, it may not actually be the supreme goal of human endeavour, because it
is created by sadhana or achieved [i.e. it is not eternal]. The answer is given in
the second line. This bhava is eternal, and merely appears within the heart of
the devotee. Bhava also includes hearing, chanting and other actions [not just
emotions]. These actions of bhava [limbs of bhakti] also appear on the tongue
or in the ear, but are not created, just as Krsna appears in the house of
Vasudeva. The emotions and actions of bhava are all eternal and spiritual and
not material because their appearance in the future will be accomplished by the
extraordinary actions of the most excellent transformations [samvit and hladini]
of Bhagavan’s svarupa sakti.”
Mukunda dasa Goswami’s Artha-ratnalpa-dipika commentary:
This 3rd popular commentator and disciple of Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami states
that the term “nitya-siddhasya bhavasya” in the BRS 1.2.2 sloka here means the
bhava of the nitya siddha associates of Bhagavan and not that it is within the jiva
or “pure love for Kṛṣṇa is eternally established in the hearts of the living
entities”.
Satyanarayana dasa Babaji (disciple of Sri Haridas Sastriji Maharaja) from
Gadadhara parivara confirms this and says in this regard: “Mukunda Das
Gosvāmī clearly writes that nitya-siddha bhāva here refers to the bhāva of nitya-
siddha bhaktas”.
Visvanatha Cakravarti further confirms, “That is because by the association of
devotees, the sprout of bhakti, which is very rare, appears.” – BRS 1.2.228.
CONCLUSION:
So we can see here that this nitya siddha prema is that which belongs to
Bhagavan’s associates and not that which lies dormant in the hearts of
conditioned jivas. This prema then enters (arises) in our hearts just as Krsna
appeared in the prison where Vasudeva and Devaki were being held as per
Visvanath Cakravarti’s tika. It was never there, nor was it created. It is simply the
eternally perfect bhava of Bhagavan’s associates that enters the heart of fortunate
jivas.
(b) Guru and Krsna give the seed of devotion

Another supporting verse (using the ISKCON translation):
brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva

guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-bīja –
Caitanya caritamrta, Madhya 19.151
brahmāṇḍa bhramite—wandering in this universe; kona—some; bhāgyavān—
most fortunate;jīva—living being; guru—of the spiritual master; kṛṣṇa—of
Kṛṣṇa; prasāde—by the mercy; pāya—gets; bhakti-latā—of the creeper of
devotional service; bīja—the seed.
Translation: “Wandering throughout the Universe, some (kona) fortunate
(bhagyavan) jivas by the mercy of Guru and Krishna receive (pāya) the seed of
the devotional plant/creeper (bhakti lata bija).”
Comment: If the seed were already present within the jiva, there would be no
need to receive it.
(c) Jīvera ‘svarupa’ haya-kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’ verse

jīvera ‘svarupa’ haya-kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’
kṛṣṇera ‘taṭasthā-śakti’ ‘bhedābheda-prakāśa’
– Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.108
Translation of A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami
“It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa
because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṇa and a manifestation simultaneously
one with and different from the Lord”.
This verse is also often cited to show that the jiva has an inherent rasa or inherent
siddha deha (spiritual body suitable for lila). Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami has
perfectly translated this verse and indeed shown the the jiva’s constitutional
position (nature/svarupa) is that of being an eternal servant (nitya dasa). Why is
this? The next line answers, kṛṣṇera ‘taṭasthā-śakti’ ‘bhedābheda-prakāśa’ ,
because the jiva is part of Krsna, being known as Krsna’s tatastha sakti
(intermediary potency).
Krsna is the possessor of various saktis (saktimana) and the jiva (tatastha sakti) is
possessed by Him. This is why the pure nature (svarupa) of the jiva is to be
known as a servant of Krsna. The parts are meant to serve the whole. That is the
real condition of the jiva.
Prameya Ratnavali
Baladeva Vidyabhusana in his Prameya Ratnavali also confirms this. In the fifth
prameya (pañcama-prameyam) he wishes to establish that all living beings are
servants of Hari.
Translation: “And in the definition of the jiva in the Padma Purana: “The
servant of Hari alone, not ever of any other.”
pañcama-prameyam
Translation: “Thus ends the Fifth Truth entitled: The Living Beings are
Servants of Hari”.
Other Vaisnava explanations
Sri Vyasatirtha of the Dvaita Sampradaya says: जीवगणा हरे रनच ु रााः (jīvagaṇāḥ
hareranucarāḥ) – the soul-classes are servants of Hari. – Vyasatirtha’s Prameya
sloka.
Sri Madhvacarya says that there are two primary tattvas or categories of reality:
(1) Svatantra (Independent reality), which is Bhagavan Visnu alone. (2)
Paratantra (dependent reality), which is the inert universe (jada) and jivas.
Therefore the jiva’s are of the nature of hari dasatva – servanthood of Hari.
Even in Brahma Sayujya, dasatva is never lost
Question: But one objection is that since the natural state of every jiva is to serve
Krishna (jivera svarupa haya krsnera nitya-dasa), how is it that the jiva can stay
contented in the state of sayujya-mukti since there is no conception of serving the
Lord in that state of existence?
Answer: You can understand that his svarupa has the potential to do seva, but he
is not doing seva. Just as if you have a servant and he is sleeping, so you do not
say that he is not a servant because he is not doing seva. Although he is sleeping,
his identity is still that of a servant. So svarupa is the potential, and that potential
may be active or inactive. In our conditioned state also, we do not serve, yet our
svarupa is dasa. – (http://www.jiva.org/suyujya-mukti-and-bliss-in-brahman/)
“In Anuccheda 19 of Paramatma Sandarbha the jiva is described as anu
(atomic). Anu in Indian Philosophy is the smallest particle which is both formless
and indivisible. Anu has no parts and thus it is indivisible. The word svarupa in
sanskrit can mean one’s own form (sva-rupa), or nature. The first meaning is not
applicable because atma is anu. That is why Krsna says in the Gita that atma is
avyakta and acintya. Therefore svarupa means nature” – Satyanarayana dasa
Babaji
Otherwise if we continue taking the meaning of svarupa in all cases as form
(physical or spiritual), then when Acarya Baladeva says that all the jivas
are svarupa-sāmya in Govinda Bhasya 2.3.49, are we to conclude that all the
jivas have the form of a Gopi for example? Or that all the jivas have the same
inherent inclination for madhurya rasa to give another example? This faulty rigid
definition of svarupa will make the explanations of our sastra absurd. This is
indeed why Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami himself even translates svarupa as
“constitutional position” as shown above, instead of form as do many others,
both Vaisnava and non-Vaisnava.
Note: Dictionary definitions of svarupa स्वरूप: appearance, looks, learned,
pleasing, having one’s own peculiar form or character, wise, having a like nature
or character, handsome, like, similar, form or shape, own condition, nature,
event, name of a place, quality, peculiarity, texture, character, one’s own form or
shape.
Spoken Sanskrit
dictionary: http://spokensanskrit.de/index.php?tinput=svarUpa&script=&directio
n=SE&link=yes
Monier Williams dictionary: http://sanskrit.inria.fr/MW/308.html#svaruupa
(6) The siddha deha is not present as a seed in the jiva
Siddha deha also referred to as Cita deha, Lila deha, Bhava deha or Sevapayogi
Deha in various sastra and sampradayas is the perfected transcendental (aprakrta)
body that is suitable to serve Bhagavan directly. Some may also refer to it as
svarupa, however since the term svarupa has other definitions such as nature,
condition or characteristics, we will consistently use the term Siddha deha
throughout our discussion. In agreement with the traditional Gaudiya Vaisnava
lineages, Radhakund Mahanta Srila Ananta dasa Babaji reveals that the Siddha
deha is something that is external to the atma and is ultimately bestowed by
Bhagavan.
Currently, there is another theory present where we can find the following
statements:
“The jiva has its own svarupa. Inherent is its name, shape and everything else
are eternal. Among the various individual jivas, each has its own svarupa.”
“The constitutional name, form, members area, the nature and everything is
included in a latent or unmanifest in the constitution of the jiva.”
“Their particular features are not directly manifest in the seed, but still the
seedling and the tree with its leaves, branches, fruits, flowers and flavour are
present in the seed in an unmanifest form. We never see a deviation from this.”
“In the very same way, everything – the jiva`s constitutional name, form, bodily
limbs and nature – are present in an unmanifest form within him.”
Unfortunately, this example of the unmanifest seed-form of the jiva´s siddha
deha is nowhere found in any shastra of the Six Goswamis of Vrindavana, nor in
any other writings of our acaryas (see paragraphs 1 – 4).
The siddha deha is an expansion of the Supreme Lord. It is a manifestation of His

inner potency or svarupa sakti.
In fact, the siddha dehas for manjaris are actually expansions of Srimati Radhika.
vaikunthasya bhagavato jyotir-amsa-bhuta

vaikuntha-loka-sobha-rupa ya ananta murtayas
tatra vartante tasam ekaya saha muktasyaikasya murtir bhagavata kriyata iti
vaikuntasya murtir iva murtir yesham ity uktam
(Priti Sandarbha 10)
“In the spiritual world, the Supreme Lord has unlimited spiritual forms. They all
are expansions of Himself illuminating that world. With each one of those forms,
the Lord enjoys pastimes with a single individual liberated soul.”
akara svabhava-bhede vraja-devi-gana
kaya-vyuha-rupa tanra rasera karana
( CC 1.1.79)
“The multitude of Vraja-gopis have various natures (svabhava). They are the
forms of Her bodily expansions (kaya-vyuha-rupa) and Her instruments for
creating rasa.”
Like shown in the first paragraph, the jiva is of tatastha sakti. There can be no
trace of svarupa sakti “within” the jiva.
The siddha deha is an eternal reality. It is not something that can “grow” from a
seedling to a full-grown “person”.
When we take birth in prakat-lila (manifest pastimes), our “growing-up” is a

divine arrangement orchestrated by Yogamaya.
The jiva is not “pregnant” with the seed of an eternal spiritual body.
Like mentioned also in paragraph (1), the eternal energies are not “within” each
other…
Svarupa sakti can imbue tatastha sakti, but it is not “already” in a seed form
“within” the tatastha sakti. If there would be a siddha deha in seed-form within
the jiva, that would mean that maya sakti can cover svarupa sakti. But svarupa
sakti cannot be covered by maya. Only tatastha sakti falls prey to maya. Svarupa
sakti coming under the sway of maya is tantamount to Sri Krsna Himself
becoming conditioned by maya.
In regards to the “pregnancy”.
What would happen if a jiva merges with Brahman and thereby loses its
individuality if everything were fixed, inherent and preordained as a seed? How
can one even leave eternal brahman mukti?
Impossible scenario. Brahman mukti means final (ETERNAL) liberation. So the
poor seed would never get a chance to sprout!
Nobody falls down from the spiritual world. Nobody falls down from Brahman-
merging.
In fact, like mentioned in the paragraph by Srila Jiva Goswami, the siddha deha
is BESTOWED by Krishna and ATTAINED by the jiva.
Jiva Goswami is one of the most authoritative acaryas in the Gaudiya

sampradaya. He gave the philosophical and theological basis to our sampradaya
in works such as the Sat Sandarbha. Priti sandarbha is the last of these 6 books.
(a) Priti Sandarbha, Anuccheda 10.
Jiva Goswami cites Bhagavata 3.15.14, “vasanti yatra puruṣāḥ sarve vaikuṇṭha-
murtayaḥ ye’nimitta-nimittena dharmeṇārādhayan harim” which means “In the
Vaikuṇṭha planets all the residents are similar in form to the Supreme
Personality of Godhead. They all engage in devotional service to the Lord
without desires for sense gratification.”
Jiva Goswami himself then comments:
vaikuṇṭhasya bhagavato jyotir-aṁśa-bhutā vaikuṇṭha-loka-śobha-rupā yā
anantā murtayas tatra vartante tāsām ekayā saha muktasyaikasya murtir
bhagavatā kriyata iti vaikuṇṭasya murtir iva murtir yeṣām ity uktam
TRANSLATION: “In the spiritual world, the Supreme Lord has unlimited
spiritual forms; they all are expansions of Himself illuminating that world. Of
these forms, Bhagavān gives one form to each liberated soul. Their form is like
the one of Lord Vaikuṇṭha (Visnu).”
In his commentary of Narottama dasa Thakura’s Sri Prema Bhakti Candrika,
Radha Kunda mahanta, Ananta dasa Babaji cites this verse in his Sudha Kanika
Vyakhya commentary to verse 56. He states the following: “There are two kinds
of associates of the Lord in the Supreme Abode, one that is engaged in the Lord’s
direct service, and the other that is eternally present in innumerable
transcendental, yet non-functioning forms, that are like sparks from the Lord’s
radiant form and are the treasures of Vaikuntha-loka’s beauty. Each of the
innumerable jivas is an eternal servant of the Lord, and each of them is staying
in the abode of the Lord in a body that is suitable for the Lord’s service. By the
grace of bhakti one becomes qualified for the service of the Lord and by the
Lord’s grace that body will be attained.”
Further Discussion:
Here we can see that Jiva Goswami says that there are actually unlimited forms
present there (ananta murtayas tatra vartante) and that Bhagavan gives one of
these to the liberated soul. These divine forms are present there in the form of
bhagavato jyotir-amsa – portions of light that are the splendour of Bhagavan.
Some devotees had previously expressed some doubt that the siddha dehas were
perhaps created by Bhagavan at that time and then awarded to the liberated jiva.
However, the fact that Jiva Goswami says there are unlimited forms present
there, means they are not. Transcendental objects are eternal. This is clear from
Ananta dasa Babaji’s commentary.
For more analysis, here is a short discussion between Advaita dasa (Advaita
Acarya parivara initiated Vaisnava) and Krsna dasa, an expert in Sanskrit
discussing this verse in detail:
Advaita dasa: I am getting my doubts about the word kriyata here. Some people
say that this word means that Krishna is creating a spiritual body for the soul
here.”
Krishna dasa: “The root kṛ in Sanskrit can actually have any meaning, it does
not mean just “create”. It is akin to the English “do”. One can express every
activity with it. Kriyate in the passage does not mean that the spiritual body is
created. The text itself says that murtayas tatra vartante, they are there eternally,
tāsām (out of them) ekayā saha (with one) muktasya (of the liberated) ekasya (of
theone) murtir (body) bhagavatā (by the Lord) kriyate (assign), i.e. the Lord
awards one of the bodies that eternally reside in Vaikuṇṭha (in an inactive state)
to the liberated one. vaikuṇṭasya murtir iva murtir yeṣām, the body that one is
given is similar (iva) to that of Lord Vaikuṇṭha. Jīva Goswamī wants to explain
that one achieves bhagavat-tulyatvam at the stage of utkrānta-mukti (gone forth
or out, gone over or beyond, passed, surpassed, trespassing, exceeding – Monier
Williams) by quoting the Bhāgavata verse (3.15.14 vasanti yatra puruṣāḥ) there
(utkrānta-mukti-daśāyāṁ tu teṣāṁ bhagavat-tulyatvam evāha). There is nothing
like that that the spiritual body is created at some time. It is eternal. It is
aprākṛta. The fact itself should make it clear that it can’t be created. “
Bhanu Swami’s translation of this section of Priti Sandarbha also agrees with this
understanding:
“Unlimited forms (murtayah), portions of light of the Lord (Vaikuntha), forms of

the splendour of Vaikuntha-loka (vaikuntha-murtayah), reside there. The Lord
using one among these forms (associates) makes the form of a liberated soul.”
and “I was supplied with a body by the Lord who had promised to give such a
body. That body was pure, devoid of material contamination (suddham) and an
amsa of the light, which is an amsa of the Lord (bhagavatim).”
(Bhanu Swami’s translation of Anuccheda 10)
This bestowal of the siddha deha is supported throughout the Srimad
Bhagavatam:
bhakti-yoga. Much praised Lord! By your mercy, you bestow to them spiritual
bodies appropriate to the mood they cultivate during sādhana.”
“Or your devotees doing sādhana concentrate on their spiritual form according
to their mood of love using their minds, and you have them attain (praṇayase)
their spiritual bodies. You become dependent on your devotee.”
There are many instances where the Bhagavata reveals to us that the siddha deha
is bestowed on the jiva as a great gift brought by Bhagavan.
THE CASE OF NARADA MUNI

prayujyamāne mayi tāṁ śuddhāṁ bhāgavatīṁ tanum |
ārabdha-karma-nirvāṇo nyapatat pāñca-bhautikaḥ ||
(SB 1.6.28)
“Having been awarded a transcendental body befitting an associate of the Lord,
the body made of five material elements, with karmas relating to the present
body, fell away.”
Visvanatha Cakravartipada’s commentary
tāṁ pūrvoktāṁ hitvāvadyam imaṁ lokaṁ gantā maj-janatām asi [bhā.pu. 1.6.24]
iti bhagavatā pratiśrutāṁ śuddhām śuddha-sattvayam yato bhāgavatīṁ na tu
māyikīṁ tanuṁ prati mayi prayujyamāne bhagavataiva nīyamāne sati mama
pāñcabhautiko deho nyapatat | goṣu duhyamānāsu gata iti dohana-gamanayor
iva mama bhautika-deha-tyāga-cinmaya-deha-prāptyos tulya-kālatvam evābhūd
ity arthaḥ | hitvāvadyam imaṁ lokam iti bhavad-uktau ktvā-pratyayas tulya-kāla
eva – transliteration of Cakravartipada’s tika of Bhagavata 1.6.28
“The Lord previously promised (hitvāvadyam imaṁ lokaṁ gantā maj-janatām
asi) giving up this low body you will become my associate. (SB 1.6.23 or 24
depending on edition) At the time of being made to accept a body which was
suddha-sattva (śuddhām) because it was not a material body (na tu māyikīṁ
tanuṁ) and because it belonged to the Lord (bhāgavatīṁ), my material body
(pāñcabhautiko deho) fell away. Giving up my material body and attaining a
spiritual body were simultaneous (mama bhautika-deha-tyāga-cinmaya-deha-
prāptyos tulya-kālatvam), like theexpression “I am walking while the cows are
being milked.” The use of of the verb form hitva (giving up the material body) in
this case indicates simultaneously giving up the material body while receiving
the spiritual body.”
Srila Jiva Goswami and the foremost and earliest extant commentator on the
Bhagavatam, Sridhara Swami whom Sri Caitanya had so much respect for have
both explained that the word prayujyamāne in this verse means bhāgavata
nīyamānā, brought by the Lord. The Sanskrit word nīyamānā ननयममनम is
defined as being brought. This can be clearly seen in Jiva Goswami’s
PritiSandarbha, Anucchedas 11 and 12. Therein Jiva Gosvami states that the
devotee is given a spiritual body by Bhagavan and that Sridhara Swami also
confirms this. Jiva Gosvami says, “iti ya tanuh sri-bhagavata datum pratijnata” –
Anuccheda 11, Priti Sandarbha
TRANSLATION: “The Lord promises (in SB 1.6.28) to give (dātu) the devotee a
spiritual body”
The key word here is dātuṁ in this comment of Jiva Goswami. दमत (dātuṁ)
means, to give, to gift or present someone with something.
Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami himself also translates the word dātum as the act
of giving in SB 8.19.28. ity uktaḥ sa hasann āha, vāñchātaḥ pratigṛhyatām,
vāmanāya mahīṁ dātuṁ, jagrāha jala-bhājanam –
“When the Supreme Personality of Godhead had thus spoken to Bali Mahārāja,
Bali smiled and told him, ‘All right. Take whatever you like.’ To confirm his
promise to give (dātuṁ) Vāmanadeva the desired land, he then took up his
waterpot.”
Srila Visvanatha Cakravartipada has also stated in his tika that the spiritual body
is acquired (cinmaya-deha-prāptyos).
Thereafter, in Anuccheda 12, Sri Jiva quotes Gajendra in SB 8.3.19: rāty api
deham avyayaṁ – “The Lord sometimes even gives (rāty) an immortal body.”
We will discuss this in more detail in the next section.
Thus we have confirmed that the words used by the sastra and acaryas such as
dātuṁ, prayujyamāne, prāptyos and nīyamānā can not refer to an inherent siddha
deha that manifests from within, but rather that the siddha deha is a blessing of
Guru and Krishna. It is a gift given from them and not already present within the
jivatma.
THE PRAYERS OF GAJENDRA

yaṁ dharma-kāmārtha-vimukti-kāmā bhajanta iṣṭāṁ gatim āpnuvanti kiṁ cāśiṣo
rāty api deham avyayaṁ karotu me ’dabhra-dayo vimokṣaṇam – Bhagavatam
8.3.19
Word for word:
yam — the Supreme Personality of Godhead who; dharma-kāma-artha-vimukti-
kāmāḥ — persons who desire the four principles of religion, economic
development, sense gratification and salvation; bhajantaḥ — by
worshiping;iṣṭām — the objective; gatim — destination; āpnuvanti — can
achieve; kim — what to speak of; ca — also; āśiṣaḥ— other benedictions; rāti —
He bestows; api — even; deham — a body; avyayam — spiritual; karotu — may
He bestow benediction; me — unto me; adabhra-dayaḥ — the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, who is unlimitedly merciful; vimokṣaṇam — liberation
from the present danger and from the material world.
TRANSLATION by A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami: “After worshiping the
Supreme Personality of Godhead, those who are interested in the four principles
of religion, economic development, sense gratification and liberation obtain from
Him what they desire. What then is to be said of other benedictions? Indeed,
sometimes the Lord gives a spiritual body to such ambitious worshipers. May
that Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is unlimitedly merciful, bestow upon
me the benediction of liberation from this present danger and from the
materialistic way of life.”
Visvanatha Cakravartipada’s commentary
kintv āśiṣaḥ kāmitān arthān api rāti dadāti | avyayam aprākṛtaṁ dehaṁ ca
dhruvādibhya iva dadāti, ataḥ sa adabhra-dayaḥ, analpa-kṛpā-rāśiḥ |
vimokṣaṇaṁ grāhāt saṁsārāc ca karotu | nitya-siddha-dehaṁ ca prema-bhaktiṁ
ca dadātv iti bhāvaḥ – transliteration of Cakravartipada’s tika of Bhagavata
8.3.19
TRANSLATION:
“He [Bhagavan] also gives the material objects they desire. He also gives a
spiritual body, as he gave to Dhruva and others (avyayam aprākṛtaṁ dehaṁ ca
dhruvādibhya iva dadāti). Thus he is unlimitedly merciful. May he liberate me
from the crocodile and samsara, and give me a spiritual body and prema bhakti
(nitya-siddha-dehaṁ ca prema-bhaktiṁ ca dadātv iti bhāvaḥ).”
Discussion:
Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami has again translated the word rāti as “He
bestows” in the word for word section and he has clearly stated that “sometimes
the Lord gives a spiritual body to such ambitious worshipers”. Furthermore, in
his purport to this verse, he goes on to say:
“It is recommended that whatever one’s position — whether one demands no

material profit, all material profit or ultimately liberation — one should offer his
obedient devotional service to the Lord, and one will get what he desires. Kṛṣṇa
is so kind. Ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham. The Lord
reciprocates. Whatever even an ordinary living entity wants, Kṛṣṇa gives. Kṛṣṇa
is situated in everyone’s heart, and He gives that which is desired by the living
entity.”
“The Lord gives everyone an opportunity to fulfil his ambitions. Even such a
devotee as DhruvaMahārāja wanted the material benediction of a kingdom
greater than that of his father, and although he received a spiritual body, he also
got the kingdom, for the Supreme Personality of Godhead does not disappoint
anyone who takes shelter of His lotus feet.” – End of Srila Swamiji’s purport
This passage from the Bhagavatam makes it clear that Bhagavan sometimes
gives (rāti) a spiritual body (deham avyayaṁ). Avyayaṁ means inexhaustible,
eternal, indestructible etc. The key word rāti in this verse is also defined thus in
Sanskrit dictionaries: rāti रमतत Definition: a favour, grace,gift. Visvanatha
Cakravartipada’s usage of the term dadāti (give, bestow, permit, offer, a gift) in
relation to the siddha deha is also crystal clear.
AJAMILA ACCEPTS A SIDDHA DEHA

SB 6.2.43
hitvā kalevaraṁ tīrthe
gaṅgāyāṁ darśanād anu
sadyaḥ svarūpaṁ jagṛhe
bhagavat-pārśva-vartinām
“After seeing those forms, he gave up his body at this holy place on the Gaṅgā
River and immediately attained a spiritual body as an associate of the Lord.”
Srinatha Cakravarti, a disciple of Advaita Acarya and Guru of Kavi Karnapura,
comments on this verse in his Caitanya Mata Manjusa-tika:
ata eva darśayati —sadyaḥ svarūpaṁ jagṛhe bhagavat-pārśva-vartinām iti |

sadyo’vyavadhānenaiva – sadya means seamlessly, (this happens) without a
break, immediately. Therefore, the attainment of the siddha deha and the
shedding of the material body takes place seamlessly/simultaneously. This verse
is another example to show that the siddha deha has been received. It is coming
from Bhagavan.
GOPA KUMAR REFUSES SARUPYA MUKTI IN BRHAD
BHAGAVATAMRTA
In Sanatana Goswami’s Brhad Bhagavatamrta, in the Vaikuntha Nama chapter,
there is a section wherein the residents of Vaikuntha offer to give Gopakumara a
spiritual body like their own. They desire to give him a four armed Vishnu-like
form that is suitable for residence in Vaikuntha. This is known as sarupya mukti
(a form similar to Bhagavan – Visnu in this case).
sambhramāt praṇamantaṃ mām āśliṣyāśvāsayan muhuḥ aicchan sva-sadṛśaṃ

rūpaṃ dātuṃ yukti-śatena te – Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.13
“As I reverently offered my obeisances, those associates of the Lord of
Vaikuntha embraced me and reassured me again and again. Putting forward
hundreds of arguments, they wished to give me a bodily form like theirs.”
Comment:
Sanatana Goswamipada further comments on this verse that they wanted to give
him a four-armed form. The Vaikuntha-vasis said to him, “A human form is not
appropriate in Vaikuntha. In such a form, you will not be happy here”. This is an
example of one of the reasons they gave to Gopakumara to persuade him to
accept their gift. The term dātuṁ (दमत) is also used here again. As established
previously, it means “to give”.
tad asvī-kṛtya tu svīyaṃ govardhana-bhuvaṃ vapuḥ teṣāṃ prabhāvatas tādṛg-

guṇa-rūpādy alambhayam – Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.14
TRANSLATION: “But I refused their offer, and instead, by their influence, my
own body born in Govardhana assumed qualities and beauty like theirs.”
Comment:
Sanatana Gosvamipada explains in his own commentary to this verse, “Gopa-

kumāra did not want to accept sārūpya-mukti, the form of liberation in which
one’s body is virtually indistinguishable from that of Lord Nārāyaṇa. He was
satisfied with the body of a resident of Govardhana. Nonetheless, his hosts
blessed his body with qualities like theirs, making it eternal, purely spiritual, and
effulgent. In addition, Gopa-kumāra gained the mystic powers to do whatever he
might want, powers that all residents of Vaikuṇṭha naturally possess”. – End of
Gosvamipada’s comment.
The residents of Vaikuntha made Gopa Kumara’s body completely spiritual and
they gave him all the powers that they also naturally possess. One of these
powers is that of being a satyasankalpa. This means that one’s desire is
immediately fulfilled. This ability is also described in the next chapter dealing
with the Vedanta Sutra.
We can also understand with the aid of these 2 verses that Gopa Kumara had no
inherent fixed spiritual lila form (siddha deha) otherwise what sense would it
make that the residents of Vaikuntha would offer to give him a four handed form
similar to theirs if later, as we know Gopa Kumara attains the form of a Sakha
(cowherd friend of Krsna)?
The translation and meaning of the above two verses has been confirmed by
referring to 4 different translations of Brhad Bhagavatamrta.
Readers may request or look these up for themselves.
(1) Sri Brihat Bhagavatamritam by Bhakti Prajnana Yati Maharaja (Gaudiya
Math, Madras) page 158.
(2) Prema Vilasa Dasa’s edition based on the hindi translation of Syamalala
Hakim. Page 118.
(3&4) ISKCON editions of Brhad Bhagavatamrta – Kusakratha dasa and
Gopiparanadhana dasa.
THE VEDANTA SUTRA – GOVINDA BHASYA COMMENTARY
This section of the Vedanta Sutra discusses the state of the mukta (liberated soul)
in liberation, once they have given up their material body. We now turn to
Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu’s own commentaries in his Govinda Bhasya.
Vedanta Sutra 4.4.12
ataḥ satya-saṅkalpatvād eva hetor ubhaya-vidhaṁ muktaṁ bhagavān

bādarāyaṇo manyate ubhaya-vidha-vākya-darśanāt | tam avigrahaṁ sa-
vigrahaṁ ca svīkarotīty arthaḥ | dvādaśāhavat | tathā dvādaśāhasya
yajamānecchayāneka-yajamānakatve satratvam eka-yajamānakatve’hīnatvaṁ ca
na virudhyate | tathā svecchayāvigrahatvaṁ sa-vigrahatvaṁ ca muktasyety
arthaḥ |idam atra tattvam—muktāḥ khalu brahma-vidyayā saṁchinna-pidhānāḥ
satya-saṅkalpāś ca bhavanti | teṣu ye vigrahādi-lipsavas te saṅkalpād eva
tadvantaḥ syuḥ | sa ekadhety ādi śruteḥ | ye tu na tādṛśās te kila na tadvantaḥ |
aśarīraṁ vāvety ādi śruteḥ | ye brāhmaṇa-vapuṣā nityaṁ brahmānuvṛttim
icchanti, teṣāṁ tu tac-cic-chakti-mayaṁ tad āvirbhavatīti kil nityaṁ tadvantas
tad anuvartanta iti mantavyam– transliteration of Baladeva Vidyabhusana’s
sanskrit commentary.
Translation of the commentary: “Now, since (the liberated self) is satya-sankalpa
(one whose desires are instantly fulfilled), Badarayana Rishi (Vyasadeva) thinks
that the liberated self can be “of both kinds”, since we find Sruti statements to
both effects.
The meaning is that he accepts that it can have a body or be without one. Just
like the Dvadashaha sacrifice. According to the desire of the sponsor (yajamana)
of the Dvadashaha, the sacrifice can be a Satra when it has many sponsors or an
Ahina when there is only one sponsor. There is no contradiction here. The
meaning is that in the same way, the liberated soul by its own will be without a
body or accept a body. This is the truth — by Brahma-vidya, the liberated ones
have cut away all coverings and become satya-sankalpas. Among them, those
who desire a body become like that just by that desire, as the “he becomes
one…” Sruti statement says (Chandogya 7.26.2). But those who are not like that
will not become such (embodied), just as the “it is certainly bodiless” Sruti
statement says (Chandogya 8.12.1).
ye brāhmaṇa-vapuṣā nityaṁ brahmānuvṛttim icchanti, teṣāṁ tu tac-cic-chakti-
mayaṁ tad āvirbhavatīti kil nityaṁ tadvantas tad anuvartanta iti mantavyam –
But for those who eternally wish to follow Brahman with a body of Brahman, it
(Brahman) manifests (a body) made up of its Cit-sakti. The idea is that with such
a body, they can eternally accompany it.” – End of Baladeva Vidyabhusana’s
comments.
Comment:
The last comments are especially illuminating in that it is said that Brahman
(The Supreme, Krishna) manifests a brāhmaṇa-vapuṣā nityaṁ, eternal spiritual
body through his own cit sakti. Therefore it is a gift from the Supreme Brahman
and not inherent within the atma.
There are several other Vedanta commentaries available in English such as those
by
Ramanujacarya, Nimbarkacarya and his follower Srinivasa wherein it states that

the siddha deha is something newly acquired by the jiva. Evidence from these
texts and their followers will be provided upon request.
(7) The siddha deha is not within the bhakti-lata-bija

First of all, there is no seed-form of the siddha deha (see paragraphs 1 – 4 and 6
above).
brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva;

guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-lata-bīja
māli hoiyā kare sei bīja āropaṇa;
śravaṇa-kīrtana-jale koroye secana
“When a living entity while wandering throughout the universe in different
species, attains good fortune by the causeless mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa, then only
he can get the seed of the wish-fulfilling bhakti creeper. He becomes a gardener
who received the seed and waters it by hearing and chanting of Kṛṣṇa.”
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya 19.151-51)
Although Śrīman Mahāprabhu mentions the seed of the vine of devotion here, He
did not specify it. In the Laghu-toṣaṇī commentary of the Bhāgavata-verse
bhavāpavargau bhramato yadā (10.51.35),
Śrīmad Jīva Gosvāmī describes:
sat saṅgamena ratyaṅkura rūpaiva matir jāyata iti – by the association of sādhus
the desire to do kṛṣṇa bhajana appears. This is called mati and is the seed of the
bhakti creeper.
Watering that seed with śravaṇa and kīrtana makes the bhakti creeper sprout in
the field of the devotee’s senses. Favourable service to the Lord is the root of that
creeper. The very life-force of bhakti is to give pleasure to Śrī Kṛṣṇa.
(Srila Ananta das Babaji Maharaj)
The example of the bhakti-lata-bija is a most wonderful metaphor directly from
the lotus mouth of Sriman Mahaprabhu. It is perfect in all respects. The seed is
GIVEN and RECEIVED. GIVEN by someone who already has BHAKTI in
his/her heart and RECEIVED by the jiva. The bhakti-lata-bija is not inherent in
the jiva.
In his book Siddhanta-Ratna, Sripada Baladeva Vidyabhusana has written:
esa tu bhaktis tan-nitya-parikara-ganad

arabhyedanintanesv api tad-bhaktesu mandakiniva pracarati
sa tathabhuta nitya-dhamni nitya-parsadesu nityam cakasti
sura-sarid iva tad-bhakta-pranalya prapance’vatarati.
“This bhakti originates from Sri Hari’s eternal associates and appears like the
Mandakini within the bhaktas. Bhakti always resides within the Lord’s eternal
companions in the spiritual world and descends like the Mandakini River
through the channel of Sri Krsna’s devotee into the material world.”
The Mandakini River flows from the lotus feet of Sri Bhagavan and purifies the
heavens, the earth and the underworld. In the same way, bhakti, the essence of
the Lord’s own cit-Sakti, descends from Sri Krsna through the channel of bhaktas
(gurus and vaisnavas) into the hearts of the sadhakas of this world.
So, what grows within the jiva is the seed of bhakti. It is actually a transmission
of spiritual energy. The bhakti-lata-bija is growing like a wonderful plant and
reaches full bloom when PREMA is attained.
Sri Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu || 1.2.2 ||
bhakti. This attained state of bhava-bhakti (sadhyata) is an eternal sthayi-bhava
which is not created, but simply manifests within the soul by the spiritual energy
of the Lord.”
(sadhya) by actions (krti) of the senses, it is called sadhana-bhakti. Actions of the
senses are included within the term bhakti in the same manner that preliminary
purifying actions for performing sacrifice are included within the term
“sacrifice,” though technically they are not part of the sacrifice. In order to
distinguish this sadhana-bhakti from forms of bhakti that involve direct
realization of the Lord, the word sadhya-bhava is used: sadhana ends with the
attainment of bhava. Sadhana is that by which bhava and prema are achieved.
Bhava is not included in sadhana. However, the sadhya-rupa or perfected form is
also bhakti, being a part of it. The word sadhya-bhava (one meaning is “whose
goal is bhava-bhakti” but another meaning is “achieving its goal”) in any case
excludes other goals of human endeavor (artha, dharma, kama and moksa). This
was already mentioned in the definition of uttama-bhakti (anyabhilasita-sunyam)
which includes within it this present definition. A doubt may arise that since this
state is achieved (sadhya), implying that it is artificially produced, it is not the
ultimate goal. The second line responds to this doubt by saying that it is eternal,
and simply appears within the heart. That is because its appearance (but not its
creation) will be accomplished in the future by the special actions of the most
excellent transformations (samvit and hladini) of Lord’s svarupa-sakti (which
are perfect and eternal).
In the previous paragraph, we showed that the siddha deha is an eternal reality,
an eternal existing form which is bestowed to the jiva when PREMA is attained.
We also showed that we can nowhere in any shastra find that there is a siddha
deha existing in a seed-like form. Therefore, the siddha deha can never be the
same as the seed of bhakti.
The siddha deha is attained (bestowed by Krishna) when the bhakti-lata-bija

attained the stage of fully bloomed PREMA.
Like already disproven, if the siddha deha was already there in a seed form or is
bestowed in a seed form with the bhakti-lata-bija, the jiva would never be able
able to merge with Brahman, which is an act of eternal consequences.
Neither bhakti, nor prema, nor the siddha is inherent in the form of the jiva. Only
the POTENTIAL to RECEIVE bhakti, attain prema and a siddha deha according
to the particular RASA a jiva wants to attain.
sevā sādhaka-rūpeṇa siddha-rūpeṇa cātra hi |

tad-bhāva-lipsunā kāryā vraja-lokānusārataḥ ||BRS 1.2.295||
Translation: Following after the inhabitants of Vraja, one should perform service
in one’s physical body and in one’s siddha body, with a desire for a particular
bhāva.
(8) The jiva’s ananda is simply freedom from misery
Another argument that is put forward in favour of the jiva inherently possessing
Prema Bhakti and therefore the ananda that goes with that (bhaktyananda/the
bliss of bhakti) is the notion that the jiva is sat-cit-ananda. This is then sometimes
used to argue many different conclusions to show that the jiva naturally possesses
omniscience, the ability to do anything (even create universes), the positive
ananda of Bhakti and so on. However, in the Gaudiya Vedanta school of thought,
this is not so. Srila Jiva Gosvami very carefully explains what all of these terms
mean in relation to the jiva.
“One may raise the purvapakṣa (objection) that in Anuccheda 19 [of Paramatma
Sandarbha], Jīva Gosvāmī has cited verses about the svarupa of a living being
from Padma Purāṇa and Jamātṛ Muni of the Śrī Sampradāya. In these verses, the
word cidānanda-ātmaka is used as one of the characteristics of the jīva. This
means that the jīva has knowledge (cit) and bliss (ānanda) in him.
This, however, is not true, because while explaining this term in Anuccheda 28,
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī writes that the meaning of the jīva being of the nature of cit,
or jñāna, is that he is not inert [unconscious], and the meaning that he is of the
nature of ānanda, or bliss, is that he is devoid [without] of suffering, tatra tasya
jaḍa-pratiyogitvena jñānatvaṁ duḥkha-pratiyogitvena tu jñānatvam
ānandatvam ca. In other words, the term cidānanda-ātmaka does not mean that
the jīva is full of knowledge and bliss, as it is misunderstood sometimes. It
means that he is devoid of inertness and suffering.” – Sri Satyanarayana dasa
Babaji
(a) The jiva’s ananda is insignificant (kṣudratvāt) and not the ananda of
bhakti
In Priti Sandarbha Anuccheda 65, Sri Jiva says, ato natarāṁ jīvasya
svarupānanda-rupā, atyanta-kṣudratvāt tasya – “Nor can one consider the bliss
existing in the form of the jiva [to be the cause of bliss for the Lord] because it
is extremely minute.”
Note: This ānanda (bliss) of the jiva is called kṣudratvāt (extremely small or
insignificant) here. We must remember that this means only duḥkha-
pratiyogitvena, that the jiva’s ananda is simply freedom from suffering and not
positive states of bliss such as brahmananda (bliss of sayujya mukti in Brahman)
or bhaktyananda (the bliss of Bhakti).
Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.2.189 says, ataḥ svarupa-jñānena sādhye mokṣe ’lpakaṃ

phalam –“In the liberation attained by knowledge of one’s own self [only
realising one’s own atma], the result is insignificant.” Sanatana Gosvamipada
further comments, “The sādhana of acquiring knowledge of the jīva, who is but a
small part of Brahman [meaning the jiva is Bhagavan’s tatastha sakti], gives but
a partial, insignificant result in liberation because the sādhana itself is only
partial.”
b) Jivas gain positive bliss upon contacting Bhagavan’s svarupa sakti
Bhagavata Sandarbha Anuccheda 98.5 mentions, tataḥ svarupa-śaktyaiva
pratyuta teṣāṁ sukhaika-pradā purṇā śaktir bhaviṣyatīti bhāvaḥ – “On the other
hand, it is only by Bhagavan’s svarupa sakti that the energy of living beings will
be completed, becoming excessively delightful.”
raso vai sah rasam hy evāyam labdhvānandī bhavati – “He Himself [Bhagavan]
is rasa, the taste or mellow of a particular relationship. And certainly one who
achieves this rasa becomes ānandī, filled with bliss.” – Taittirīya Upaniṣad
2.7.1
Therefore it is to be known that the jiva has the potential (svarupa yogyata) to
acquire knowledge and bliss but not yet the functionality (phalopadhayi yogyata).
To give an example, a child has the potential to be an athlete or a graduate, but
that potential is not realized unless he practices on the track or goes to college
and studies. In the same way, the jiva only attains positive bliss when it makes
contact with Bhagavan’s svarupa sakti.
(c) Satyanarayana dasa Babaji on duḥkha-pratiyogitva and different types

of ananda
Duḥkha-pratiyogitva
“If you want to see the meaning of pratiyogitva as absence, then please see the
Sanskrit Dictionary by Apte. In the second entry under pratiyogin, it is explained
how pratiyogi and absence are related as counterparts. This is common
knowledge in Nyāya [Indian system of logic, epistemology etc]. In Nyāya, abhāva
(absence or non-existence) is of two types: samsarga abhāva and anyonya
abhāva.
The first type of abhāva has three divisions in it, prāg abhāva, pradhvamsa
abhāva and atyanta abhāva. The counterpart of abhāva is called pratiyogi. The
relationship between abhāva and pratiyogi is called pratiyogita. So it is in this
sense, that Jīva Gosvāmī is using the word duḥkha-pratiyogitva to imply the
absence of suffering. This is a very common meaning in Nyāya language.
Anybody who has studied any book on Nyāya will understand this. If you want to
know more about this term, please consult the famous Nyāya Koṣa (Dictionary of
Nyāya-terminology) by Bhīmācārya Jhalkikar.”
Different types of ananda
Ananda (happiness), is of three types:

1. Material happiness [martyananda] is nothing but getting rid of suffering, i.e.,
when one is suffering from hunger, one feels happy by eating food, but once the
pangs of hunger are satisfied, food does not give any more pleasure. This is
indicated by Kṛṣṇa in verse 5.24 in Bhagavad Gītā. This type of happiness comes
from sense objects.
2. The second type of happiness [svarupananda] is being situated in one’s own

svarupa without any contact of sense objects. It is considered to be happiness
because there is no suffering at this state, but it is also not a positive type of
happiness. This is what Jīva Gosvāmī called kṣudra (insignificant) in Prīti
Sandarbha 65. This is the happiness Jīva Gosvāmī calls duḥkha pratiyogitva
because there is no suffering. It is has no viṣaya, or sense object. It is the
happiness one experiences in deep sleep or dreamless sleep. In, this regard Srī
Viśvanātha Cakravarti Thākura writes as follows while commenting on SB
6.16.55: “When the jīva sleeps, then in that state of deep sleep, the jīva
experiences happiness which is beyond the guṇas and without any subject, by the
grace of Paramātma (prasuktah puruṣo jīvo yadā svapaṁ veda tad eva susuktau
ātmanah svasya nirgunam nirviṣayam sukhaṁ ca yena eva hetunā veda tam
atmanam antaryāminam avehi).
3. The third type of ānanda is the happiness of bhakti [bhaktyananda]. It is this

happiness of bhakti which makes the jīva complete.
In comparison to the third type [bhaktyananda] of happiness, the second type

[svarupananda] is sometimes called “insignificant” and sometimes “absence of
suffering”. The first type [martyananda, material happiness] is not even
considered as “absence of suffering” but just suffering. Kṛṣṇa says that real
happiness is beyond both so called happiness and suffering and suffering is the
very desire for material happiness (SB11.19.41). The same is said in Yoga Sutra
2.15.
Hladini (the bliss giving potency) exists only in the Lord naturally
Jiva Gosvami makes the point in his 2nd Sandarbha, Bhagavat Sandarbha
Anuccheda 99,
hlādinī sandhinī saṁvit tvayy ekā sarva-saṁśraye
hlāda-tāpa-karī miśrā tvayi no guṇa-varjite
“The one energy, having the three divisions of hlādinī (bliss), sandhinī (eternal
existence) and saṁvit (knowing), exists only in You, the support of everything.
But the energy that yields material happiness, misery and their mixture, does not
abide in You, because You are free from the guṇas.” – Visnu Purana 1.12.69
vyākhyātaṁ ca svāmibhiḥ— hlādinī āhlāda-karī, sandhinī santatā, saṁvid vidyā-
śaktiḥ | ekā mukhyā avyabhicāriṇī svarupa-bhuteti yāvat | sā sarva-saṁsthitau
sarvasya samyak sthitir yasmāt tasmin sarvādhiṣṭhāna-bhute tvayy eva, na tu
jīveṣu
“Sridhara Swami comments: “Hladini bestows delight, sandhini is existence, and
samvit is the cognitive potency. Eka (one) means predominant, undeviating and
intrinsic to the Lord’s essential nature. This energy is present in You only, the
support of everything (sarva-saṁsthit), or in other words, the one from whom
all things come into being. This potency, however, is not present in the living
beings.”
(9) Knowledge of Bhagavan is not inherent within the jiva’s

svarupa
Another commonly held idea is that all knowledge (omniscience) is within us.
That it is part of our very nature as jivas due to the fact that we share some
qualities with Bhagavan. Yet again however, we must stress that we are not
similar to Bhagavan in all respects.
(a) Devoid of God Knowledge

While commenting on SB 1.7.5, Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī writes that a conditioned jīva
is devoid of jñāna of Bhagavān, jīvānām anādi-bhagavad-ajñānam. In these
statements, the words abhāva and ajñānam very clearly point out that a jīva has
no knowledge of Bhagavān or the Veda inherent in him. In fact, the very reason
that māyā can overpower the jīva is because he lacks knowledge of Bhagavān.
This knowledge has to be received from a qualified guru. This is the significance
of the Bhāgavatam verse 11.22.10 anādy-avidyā-yuktasya puruṣasyātma-
vedanam svato na sambhavād anyas tattva-jño jñāna-do bhavet.
Srila Jiva Gosvami states that knowledge of Bhagavan is not inherent within the
jiva-atma. It is non-existent (abhava). Jiva Gosvami mentions a specific term
used in Nyaya (logic) and Vaisesika philosophies (Some of the systems he
studied when he was in Benaras) known as samsarga abhava (the non existence
of association/union) between the two. In other words, knowledge of Bhagavan
does not inherently exist within the jiva-atma.
The type of samsarga abhava Sri Jiva Gosvami refers to is technically called
praga-abhava (pre-non existence). Praga abhava means the total non-existence of
a thing prior to its production or presence. The non existence is beginningless
(anadi) but has an end (santa). In the case of Bhagavad jnana (absolute awareness
of Bhagavan), it is non existent within the living entity since beginningless time,
but it’s non-existence has an end when Bhagavad jnana is attained.
References:
(1) Bhakti Sandarbha, Anuccheda 1: taṭastha-śakti-rupāṇāṁ cid-eka-rasānām
api anādi-para-tattva-jñāna-saṁsargābhāvamaya-tad-vaimukhya
“The living entities that are tatastha sakti are covered by Bhagavan’s external
potency maya because she finds in them the defect of obliviousness in the form
of beginningless ignorance of the absolute reality.
(2) Priti Sandarbha of Jiva Gosvami, Anuccheda 1: atha jīvaś ca tadīyo’pi taj-
jñāna-saṁsargābhāva-yuktatvena tan-māyā-parābhutaḥ sann ātma-svarupa-
jñāna-lopān māyā-kalpitopādhy-āveśāc cānādi-saṁsāra-duḥkhena sambadhyata
iti paramātma-sandarbhādāv eva nirupitam asti
“Though the jiva belongs to the Lord, he is controlled by the Lord’s maya, since
the jiva has no previous knowledge of the Lord. Because of absence of
knowledge of his own svarupa as atma and acceptance of upadhis [coverings]
made by maya, the jiva is completely covered with the suffering of beginningless
samsara. This was described in Paramatma Sandarbha.”
(b) Two steps in knowledge of God
“Knowledge of Bhagavan has two steps, (1) the theoretical in the form of sabda
[words and meaning of revealed scriptures] and (2) its actualization. When one
has theoretical knowledge and has not realized it, one can still be influenced by
Maya if one commits offence. However, once one has attained an experience of
it, which happens after the state of bhava bhakti, then such a person cannot be
influenced by Maya any more. ”
– Sri Satyanarayana dasa Babaji
(c) The Vedas are not within the jiva’s svarupa
Similar to the belief that knowledge of Bhagavan is inherent within the jiva is the
belief that the Vedas are inherent within the atma. This is yet again, another
fallacy that has no basis according to revealed sastra. And so again, we go
through the process similar to “Neti Neti” – “Not this, not this”, in order to better
understand the nature of atma according to Gaudiya Vedanta.
This belief stems from statements in the Bhagavata where it is said that Krsna
established the Vedas in the form of omkara into the heart of the jiva, māyā
upabṛṁhitam (SB 11.21.37). However, this nāda [sound] is not the Veda as it is
known to us. It is an unproduced and inarticulate sound, anāhata nāda. The very
fact that Kṛṣṇa establishes it there means that it is not there all the time.
Furthermore, the commentaries confirm that it is established in the Mulādhāra
Cakra (of the subtle body), which is not eternal, therefore it is not possible that
nāda is there eternally in the svarupa of the jiva.
There are many other subtle points too and interested readers would do well to
study the following 4 links wherein Satyanarayana dasa Babaji discusses these.
http://www.jiva.org/are-the-vedas-inherent-in-the-heart/
http://www.jiva.org/are-the-vedas-inherent-in-the-heart-2/
http://www.jiva.org/are-the-vedas-inherent-in-the-heart-3/
http://www.jiva.org/are-the-vedas-inherent-in-the-heart-4
(10) Inclination towards a particular rasa is caused by mercy

alone
There are some Gaudiya Vaisnava practitioners having rejected most or all of the
previously mentioned apasiddhanta, still hold onto the notion that conditioned
jivas possess an inherent inclination towards a particular rasa. Due to constant
correction of their ideas, they have to update their theories time and again in
order to survive. Scriptural references are taken out of context. Whole paragraphs
are added to the words of Acaryas. Secondary sources are pushed forward in
favour of Primary evidence. This shall become clear as we look at the truth with
the torchlight of our Sastra and Acaryas.
Objections and common questions

(a) Caitanya Mahaprabhu unable to change Murari Gupta’s rasa and others
Although everyone agrees that Murari Gupta is a nitya siddha associate of
Bhagavan, some say that since Mahaprabhu and his associates displayed a
sadhaka lila (lila of devotees in practise), the teaching of this lila is to show that
one’s rasa or inclination for a particular rasa is inherent within the jiva and can
not be changed. This is not a sensible conclusion based on the text and
Mahaprabhu’s direct words in Caitanya Caritamrta.
Mahaprabhu attempts to persuade Murari Gupta
To recap (beginning CC Madhya 15.1.37 Bhaktivedanta edition), Caitanya

Mahaprabhu gave Murari Gupta the instruction, sei kṛṣṇa bhaja tumi, hao
kṛṣṇāśraya kṛṣṇa vinā anya-upāsanā mane nāhi laya – “I then requested Murāri
Gupta, ‘Worship Kṛṣṇa and take shelter of Him. But for His service, nothing
appeals to the mind.”
Caitanya Mahaprabhu also gave sound reasoning for this instruction such as
parama madhura, gupta, vrajendra-kumāra – “My dear Gupta, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa,
Vrajendra-kumāra, is the supreme sweetness.” and svayaṁ bhagavān kṛṣṇa —
sarvāṁśī, sarvāśrayaviśuddha-nirmala-prema, sarva-rasamaya – “Kṛṣṇa is
Svayam Bhagavan, the origin of all incarnations and the source of everything. He
is pure transcendental love itself, and He is the reservoir of all pleasure.”
Murari Gupta agreed to do this but was completely unable to follow the
instruction of Mahaprabhu. Murari wept all night and didn’t know what to do. He
could never give up the service of Sri Ramacandra but neither could he disobey
the instruction of Mahaprabhu. In the morning, he explained his predicament to
Mahaprabhu. Mahaprabhu embraced him and glorified his one pointed devotion
for Sri Ramacandra.
What does this pastime actually show us?
(1) The devotee must have firm faith and remain fixed in their seva to their
isthadeva (chosen form of Bhagavan).
Mahaprabhu said to Murari Gupta, ei-mata sevakera prīti cāhi prabhu-pāya
prabhu chāḍāileha, pada chāḍāna nā yāya – “The servitor must have love and
affection for the lotus feet of the Lord exactly like this. Even if the Lord wants
separation, a devotee cannot abandon the shelter of His lotus feet.” and ei-mata
tomāra niṣṭhā jānibāra tare tomāre āgraha āmi kailuṅ bāre bāre – “Just to test
your firm faith in your Lord, I requested you again and again to change your
worship from Lord Rāmacandra to Kṛṣṇa.”
CC Madhya 15.154-155 Bhaktivedanta edition.
(2) Instructions/Injunctions and arguments do not persuade a bhakta who has
sacred greed (lobha) away from their object of greed.
Mahaprabhu gave both instructions and arguments to Murari Gupta in order to
persuade him to worship Krsna. However, our Gosvami sastra and their authentic
followers reveal to us:
śāstrāl lobhāt tac-cikīrṣu syātāṁ tad-adhikāriṇau – “Bhakti is of two different

natures. Born from fear of scriptural injunctions and from intense sacred greed
(lobha) respectively. Accordingly, there are two kinds of candidates (adhikari)
for bhakti-sadhana.” – Raga-vartma-candrika 1.4
Regarding those with lobha: lobhotpatti-kāle śāstra-yukty-apekṣā na syāt – “One
is not dependent on scriptural injunctions or logical arguments, this is said to be
the symptom of the appearance of sacred greed (lobha).” – Raga-vartma-
candrika 1.5
Therefore, a devotee who has sufficient lobha and is therefore practising
raganuga bhakti sadhana is very fixed in their mood and object of devotion.
Contrary instructions and arguments do not persuade them to change these
things. Their reason for practising devotion is not dependent on the instructions
of sastra or arguments. However, they do take instructions from sastra in order
to know how such devotion should be practised. (See Raga-vartma-candrika 1.7).
(3) Krsna follows bhakti and does not impose his will upon his bhakta’s mood of
devotion.
Mahaprabhu was actually repeating the glories of Murari Gupta in the presence
of Vasudeva Datta. Upon hearing such sweet pastimes, Vasudeva Datta
requested that Mahaprabhu deliver the entire universe. To this Mahaprabhu
replied, kṛṣṇa sei satya kare, yei māge bhṛtya bhṛtya-vāñchā-purti vinu nāhi
anya kṛtya – “Whatever a pure devotee wants from his master, Lord Kṛṣṇa
doubtlessly grants because He has no duty other than to fulfill the desire of His
devotee.”
CC Madhya 15.166
This is relevant because this teaching of Mahaprabhu appears directly after
describing the glories of Murari Gupta’s one pointed devotion to Sri
Ramacandra. As we know, Mahaprabhu was only testing Murari’s firm faith and
not really trying to impose a different mood of devotion onto him.
(4) That Murari Gupta really IS the incarnation of Hanuman

During this incident, Mahaprabhu praised Murari Gupta and said, “sākṣāt
hanumān tumi śrī-rāma-kiṅkara tumi kene chāḍibe tāṅra caraṇa-kamala – “In
this way, I congratulated Murāri Gupta, saying, ‘Indeed, you are the incarnation
of Hanumān. Consequently, you are the eternal servant of Lord Rāmacandra.
Why should you give up the worship of Lord Rāmacandra and His lotus feet?”
– CC Madhya 15.156 Bhaktivedanta edition.
(b) Jaiva Dharma of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
Although Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s Jaiva Dharma is not accepted as primary
evidence outside the realm of his followers, we will briefly touch on one
argument based on Jaiva Dharma for the sake of completeness.
In the narrative of Jaiva Dharma, two personalities by the name of Vrajanatha

and Vijaya Kumara receive the same mantra and same instructions from their
Gurudeva. As they continued their practises, Vrajanatha had an inclination to
worship in Sakhya rasa and Vijaya Kumara had an inclination to worship in
Madhura rasa. Some people use this as an example to show that despite their
Guru’s instructions and association, Vrajanatha and Vijaya Kumara simply
manifested their different inherent rasas.
However, since Vijaya Kumara and Vrajanatha both went on to experience rati
and bhakti rasa, it is certain that they had strong past life impressions in a past
life (or lives). Therefore, the speculative conclusion that Vijaya Kumara and
Vrajanatha had inherent inclinations for rasa within their atma is untenable since
we must accept they actually had strong past life impressions as per Bhakti
rasamrta sindhu.
prāktany ādhunikī cāsti yasya sad-bhakti-vāsanā |
eṣa bhakti-rasāsvādas tasyaiva hṛdi jāyate || BRS 2.1.6
Translation: “The taste for bhakti-rasa arises in the heart of a person who has
had experiences of pure bhakti in previous and present lives.”
yadyapi rater astitvenādhunikī vāsanāsty eva | tathāpi rasatāpattau prāktanī
cāvaśyaṁ mṛgyata ity āha—prāktanīti | prāg-janma-jātā prāktanī | ādhunikī
janmany asminn udbhutā ceti madhye tirodhānāpekṣayaiva bhedo vivakṣitaḥ |
idam api prāyikam | tātparyaṁ tu raty-atiśaya eva jñeyam ||6||
Translation: “Even though there are impressions in this life for giving rise to
rasa from the presence of rati in this life, it is necessary to seek out impressions
from a previous life as well to explain the occurrence of rasa. This distinction
between past life experiences of rati and present life experiences of rati applies
to those person’s subject to disappearance (and not the nitya-siddhas). This is
the rule for most cases discussed in the book. The import is that rati has to be
intense for bhakti-rasa to appear.”
yadyapi rater astitvenādhunikī vāsanāsty eva tathāpi spaṣṭatārtham uktam |

prāktanī vāsanā tu raty-āsvāde’vaśyam apekṣitā | ata eva ekasminn eva janmani
daivān niraparādhair guru-pādāśrayaṇādibhir bhajanais tasminn eva janmani
ratau jātāyām api tasyāḥ āsvādaḥ kintu janmāntara iti bodhyam ||6||
Translation: “Though there are recent impressions for giving rise to rati, past
life impressions also are needed to give a taste of rati. Though in this life itself
rati appears in persons who have surrendered to guru, performed bhakti, and
destroyed all offences, the taste for rati arises from experiences and actions in
previous lives.”
(c) Controversy over Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.190
Improper understanding and additions to the commentary
Opponent:
“Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.190 describes that the taste of the jiva which leads to
his accepting a particular role in the lila of Bhagavan is preordained by
Bhagavan himself. The cause of your svarupa is not your choice, but
His. That is why He is the cause of all causes. Sri Krsna knows past, present and
future. So He knows what svarupa you will attain in the stage of perfection.”
Let us first look at the verse in question,
vicitra-līlā-vibhavasya tasya
samudra-koṭī-gahanāśayasya
vicitra-tat-tad-ruci-dāna-līlā-
vibhutim uttarkayituṃ prabhuḥ kaḥ – Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.190
Translation from Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja’s edition:
“Sri Krsna’s pastimes expand with ever-new variety. His heart is as deep as
millions of oceans. By logic no one can understand the purpose for which he has
placed different tastes in the hearts of His devotees and expanded the opulence of
His pastimes accordingly.”
What was meant to be Sanatana Gosvamipada’s own auto-commentary, dig-
darsini-tika
To support his own understanding of the sloka, the opponent provided us with
what was supposed to be a translation of Sanatana Gosvamipada’s own
commentary to the sloka, here is what was posted:
Opponent:
Dig-darsini-tika 2.4.190: Sri Gopa-kumaara may raise the doubt, “The Supreme
Lord, the source of all knowledge and the originator of actions, is known as
Hrsikesa, the controller of the senses. So why does He not equally inspire all
devotees to have a taste for the topmost worship?” In answer, Sri Närada speaks
this verse beginning with vicitra. He says, “Sri Krsna wants to taste wonderful,
variegated nectary rasas. Therefore, He has placed a variety of extraordinary
desires in the hearts of the devotees, endowing them with special moods.
Significantly, because the heart of the Lord is unfathomably deep like millions of
oceans, no one can ascertain the opulence of His pastimes by means of reason
and logic.
“Bhagavan has bestowed a vast variety of tastes among His devotees. The reason
is that by constantly expanding His pastimes in ever-new ways, He gets the
opportunity to relish all these sweet flavors. Otherwise, it would not be possible
to taste such sweetness. In this way, as the Lord expands the opulence of His
manifold pastimes, His devotees experience His grace according to their
respective tastes. Considering their respective moods to be topmost, and tasting
the mellows related to those moods, they are fully satisfied.” – End of
commentary
Discussion:
However, there is a problem with this “translation” of Sanatana Gosvami’s dig-

darsini-tika. This is actually a bhavanuvada (a translation attempting to show the
intention of the original according to the translator) of Srila Bhaktivedanta
Narayana Maharaja and not a literal translation, therefore if someone wishes to
present this bhavanuvada translation, they must make this clear, this is a vital
point.
It is stated in Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja’s Preface to Sri-Brhad-
Bhagavatamrta, page xix, “We have attempted to present a bhavanuvada
(translation in essence) of that commentary, following the book’s particular
style.”
This is of course fine and a common practise. However, what we object to is the
fact that some are trying to present this bhavanuvada as a literal translation of
Sanatana Gosvami. This is either due to ignorance, carelessness or deception.
Those who present it should be forthcoming and advise of this when objectively
discussing a text with those who have a different understanding.
Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.190 – proper meaning and context
Anvaya system and its importance

To clarify the meaning of a verse, it is very useful to use anvaya. Anvaya refers
to the logical connection of words, as to how different words relate with each
other to convey a significant meaning or idea. For those who are unaware of this
system and may doubt its authenticity due to ignorance of it, should note that
Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja himself uses the anvaya system in his
translation and commentary of Srila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami’s Manah Siksa.
In this regard, the English edition of that book says: “In providing word-for-word
synonyms for the verses of Sri Manah-siksa, we have not followed the sequential
order of the words as they appear in the verses but, rather, the natural order of the
words as they appear in a sentence. This system is called anvaya in Sanskrit.
Anvaya literally means the natural order or connection of words in a
sentence. The order of words in a Sanskrit verse is not generally the natural
order of words in a sentence in Sanskrit prose. Therefore translators
commonly use the system of anvaya to transpose the words of verses into
Sanskrit, Bengali or Hindi prose. Although this system may seem awkward at
first in locating the words from the verse, it greatly facilitates being able to see
how the words fit together to form the translation of the verse. The meaning
of the verse becomes self-evident by the anvaya system. We hope that the
readers will appreciate the advantage of this system, as it helps one to delve
deeper into the meaning of the verses. To bring this to the readers’ attention in
the book, we have identified the word-for-word synonyms simply as “Anvaya”. –
from the Introduction.
Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.190 verse with anvaya structure
the sloka (verse) : vicitra-līlā-vibhavasya tasya samudra-koṭī-gahanāśayasya
vicitra-tat-tad-ruci-dāna-līlā- vibhutim uttarkayituṃ prabhuḥ kaḥ
anvaya and word for word meaning: kaḥ =who?, prabhuḥ= is capable,
uttarkayituṃ= to conjecture, tasya= His, tat-tad-ruci-dāna-līlā- vibhutim= the
opulence of pastime of giving various tastes, vicitra-līlā-vibhavasya= one who
has the majesty of performing varied lilas, samudra-koṭī-gahanāśayasya= whose
heart is deep like millions of oceans,
Translation: “Who is capable of conjecturing His opulence of the pastime of
giving various tastes? He has the majesty of performing varied lilas and His
heart is deep like millions of oceans”.
Discussion:
This verse explains that Bhagavan’s lilas are unlimitedly diverse. His intentions
are deep and difficult to understand. Devotees are attracted to Him through
His display of different pastimes and are thus blessed with different
rasas. Some translators even use the word “exchange” when translating the word
dāna, however dāna is always a one-way stream from donor (giver) to donee
(recipient, who receives). This is both the proper Sanskrit meaning of the word
and the meaning still used today in languages such as Hindi and Bengali.
In the previous verse (2.4.189) and its commentary it is clearly stated that
the result comes according to upasana (worship). There is no mention that
upasana is according to some inherent taste hidden in the svarupa of the jiva. If
that were the case, then Sanatana Gosvami would have explained it that way. In
verse 190 the talk is of giving different ruci, vicitra-tad-ruci-dana-lila that leads
to different types of worship and different siddhis (perfections). If this ruci were
already there in the jiva then there is no question of dana-lila (the lila of
giving/distribution).
Translation of Sanatana Gosvami’s dig-darsini commentary
We will now present two literal translations by different persons for the sake of
clarity:
1st literal translation: Syamananda dasaji, a student of Swami Tripurari, also

replied to the opponent and was able to provide a better translation of the
commentary to Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.190. There are some comments
Syamananda dasa has posted within this translation in order to justify it.
Syamananda dasa: “Here is a literal translation of the original sanskrit:
“But why doesn’t the Lord bestow the very best method of worship upon all His
devotees? After all, He is Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses, who inspires all the
energies of knowledge and activity.
In reply Śrī Nārada speaks this verse.
Vicitra-tat-tad-ruci-dāna: Dāna means distribution. By an alternate reading
‘tāna’ the meaning is “expanding”. Ruci means the specific bhāvas or the rasas.
Tat-tad means “of those”. Vicitra means variegated. (The full meaning:) The
distribution/expansion of the various particular bhāvas/rasas to them.
This itself is his lilā (it is the next word in the full compound). Who is capable of
thoroughly reasoning about its prowess? It means, “no one is capable”. That is
because the intention of the Lord is deeper than trillions of oceans.
The reason for distribution of variegated tastes (ruci) is ‘vicitra-lilā-vibhava’,
the opulences of his lilā are variegated/diverse. Otherwise the sweetness of “the
variegated opulences of the lilā” would not exist. This is the idea.”(End of
commentary).
2nd literal translation of Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.190 tika by another Vaisnava
scholar:

(d) Does Bhagavan choose our siddha-deha and mood (rasa) himself?
The opponent asserts the following:
(1) “Therefore, He [Bhagavan] has placed a variety of extraordinary
desires in the hearts of the devotees.” – from Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana
Maharaja’s bhavanuvada cited above. This as demonstrated is not in the literal
translation of the commentary to Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.190.
(2) “Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.190 describes that the taste of the jiva which
leads to his accepting a particular role in the lila of Bhagavan is preordained by
Bhagavan himself. The cause of your svarupa is not your choice, but
His. That is why He is the cause of all causes. Sri Krsna knows past, present and
future. So He knows what svarupa you will attain in the stage of perfection.”
Sastra evidence to the contrary
Gita 4.11 – ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāns tathaiva bhajāmyaham
“In whatever way people surrender unto me, I reciprocate with them
accordingly.”
Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami’s commentary to Gita 18.63: “Here the words

yathecchasi tathā kuru – “As you like, you may act” – indicate that God does not
interfere with the little independence of the living entity.”
Bhagavatam 3.9.11 – yad-yad-dhiyā ta urugāya vibhāvayanti tat-tad-vapuḥ

praṇayase sad-anugrahāya – “You are so merciful to Your devotees that You
manifest Yourself in the particular eternal form of transcendence in which they
always think of You.” – Brahma to Krsna.
smṛtiś ca— yādṛśī bhāvanā yasya siddhir bhavati tādṛśī || – “As is one’s
meditation, so is one’s achievement.” – cited by Baladeva Vidyabhusana in
Prameya Ratnavali 1.6.
sadhane bhavibe yaha, siddha dehe pabe taha | raga marge ei sei upaya || –
Prema-bhakti-candrika 57 – “Whatever you think of during your sadhana, you
will attain in your siddha-body. Such is the means on the path of raga.”
sadhane ye dhana cai, siddha dehe taha pai | pakkapakka matra se vicara || –
Prema-bhakti-candrika 58 – “The treasure I covet during my sadhana, I will
attain in my siddha-body. The only difference between the two is that of being
ripe and unripe.”
Discussion with Swami Tripurari regarding Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.190:
Swami Tripurari:
Before we look at the verse and commentary in question (Bb 2.4.190) it behooves
us to look at what we already know about this issue. We know from Govinda-
bhasya 2.3.49 that while all jivas are inherently the same they are nonetheless
dissimilar from one another owing to adrista. That is, due to the jivatma’s
karmic fate from beginning-less time they differ from one another. Karma is
responsible for their dissimilarity. God is not to blame for the dissimilarity we
see that finds one jivatma in heaven and another in hell.
And it is also adrista that differentiates the jivatmas from one another
spiritually. Baladeva Vidyabhusana states that which form of God the jiva
worships is determined by adrista. However, here adrista refers not to karma or
material destiny, but rather to the spiritual destiny of the jivatma created by
sadhu sanga or bhakti. Adrista is also translated as “luck” or fortune, words
often used elsewhere to describe how the spiritual prospect of the jiva comes
about. As we know from Madhurya Kadambini, Bhaktidevi is independent and
from the heart of a sadhu gives herself to the baddha jivas. Only bhakti gives
bhakti. And again, God is not directly involved in this and in this sense as well
he is not partial toward one jiva over another. Thus in both cases, material and
spiritual, the differences between jivatmas is not inherent in their essential nature
but rather due to outside influences, maya sakti and svarupa sakti respectively.
In Priti-sandarbha Anuccheda 91 Jiva Goswami explains that the root cause of
the spiritual identity in rasa that a jiva attains is the particular form of
Bhagavan that one worships. Furthermore, the form of Bhagavan that one
worships is determined only by sadhu sanga. If we associate with Rama bhaktas,
we will worship Rama and attain a spiritual identity suitable for lila seva. It is
the function of priti to bestow such an identity to facilitate such seva.
Now with above in mind let us look at the verse and commentary under
discussion. The verse appears in a chapter about the nature of Vaikuntha. The
subject of this and the section it appears in is mentioned earlier in verse 2.4.154
(BBT edition):
“Each devotee in Vaikuntha is satisfied with his own devotional service.

Whatever his rasa, when it develops to full maturity he fully tastes the ecstasy
natural to it. This point has already been discussed, and later it will be made
even more clear.”
Verses 188-192 are where this point is “later made even more clear.” There is
nowhere else in the chapter that returns to this topic. Verse 190 in particular
explains that Bhagavan’s lilas are unlimitedly diverse. His intentions are deep
and difficult to understand. Devotees are attracted to him through his display
of different pastimes and are thus blessed with different rasas.
The commentary asks why Bhagavan does not bless each devotee with the
best method of worship. He could inspire them to do so if he so desired. The
commentary answers that there is a reason why Bhagavan blesses his devotees
to attain different rasas: In order to be sweet, His lila requires different
tastes. Such is his unfathomable lila and intentions.Sanatana Goswami states
in his tika to the verse, “The reason for the distribution of variegated tastes (ruci)
is vicitra-lila-vibhava, ‘the opulences of his lila are variegated.’ Otherwise the
lila would no be sweet. This is the idea.”
Gopiparanadhana dasa in his translation to verse 2.4.190 makes the point clear
also that Bhagavan could force His will and impose a particular rasa upon the
jiva and therefore give them the highest worship if He wanted to, but he doesn’t
and instead he chooses to reciprocate with His devotees’ own individual tastes
and desires. The variety of moods and lila also makes the lila sweet.
“But why doesn’t the Lord bestow the very best method of worship upon all
His devotees?After all, He is Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses, who inspires all
the energies of knowledge and activity. If He wanted to bestow the very best
method, He could, but He chooses instead to respond to the individual taste
of each devotee for a particular loving service.” – End of Gopiparanadhana
dasa’s translation
Swami Tripurari continued:
In other words, Bhagavan has diverse lilas and this is what makes them
sweet. He desires to taste variety. And thus he blesses his devotees who worship
his different forms and are attracted to his different lilas to attain different
rasas.
This explanation of the verse and commentary fits perfectly with the siddhanta
above concerning how the jivatma attains a spiritual identity in lila seva.
Although we cannot know the mind of Bhagavan in all respects, his svarupa-sakti
does. Thus she gives bhakti to the jivatmas indiscriminately. Her agents are the
devotees in whose hearts she has manifested different bhavas.
To say that the verse and commentary teaches that Bhagavan determines the
rasa of every jiva and thus each jiva is predestined to attain a particular rasa is
how some are interpreting it. However, this explanation seems problematic in
light of the above explanation.
Brhad Bhagavatamrta – Bhaktidevi is responsible for the variety in the spirtual
world
It is also clear that it is the svarupa sakti/bhakti devi (in the form of Laksmi) who
creates the variety in the spiritual world [Vaikuntha] and not Bhagavan directly:
Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.175 Sanatana Gosvamipada’s commentary: “She is the

agent who manifests the many varieties of charm and sweetness in the
Lord’s devotional service………………..It is the Lord’s consort Lakṣmī who
displays all the varieties of the Supreme Person and His devotional
service. He is the ultimate truth, one without a second, yet He has innumerable
forms. He is both one and many. He has countless varieties of beauty and charm
and countless varieties of pastimes, each one full of diversity. All of this is
forever manifest as substantial reality with the help of the goddess Lakṣmī.”
tathaiva lakṣmyā bhaktānāṃ
bhakter lokasya karmaṇām
sā sā viśeṣa-vaicitrī
sadā sampadyate yataḥ – TEXT 2.4.176
“Thus the distinct varieties of the Lord’s devotees, of His devotional service, of
His world, and of His activities constantly arise from Lakṣmī.”
Sanatana Gosvamipada’s Commentary:
“The Lord has many devotees, like Śrī Śeṣa and Garuḍa. His devotional service
has many forms, like hearing and chanting. His abode, Śrī Vaikuṇṭha, has a
multitude of opulences. And He engages in many different activities. Lakṣmī is
the energy of the Lord through whom all this variety is manifest. Without her
participation, the other energies of the Lord could not be displayed in diversity,
because they are basically one with Him as pure spirit.”
Furthermore, in Brhad Bhagavatamrta 3.7.9-11 (BBT edition), Sarupa explains
that Radha inspired him to seek out and enlighten the Mathura brahmin. She
sent him. Then in 3.7.42 Krsna gives Janansarma a sakhya rasa siddha
deha. Bhaktidevi gives the blessing and seed of rati through sadhu sanga,
which itself is a form of bhakti, and Krsna follows that lead and ultimately
bestows upon the fortunate devotee a siddha deha that corresponds with the
devotee’s rati. Usually the rati attained is the same as that of the guru’s, as in
this case.
The relevant verses are as follows:
svayaṃ śrī-rādhikā devī

prātar adyādideśa mām
sarupāyāti mat-kuñje
mad-bhakto māthuro dvijaḥ – TEXT 2.7.9
“Early this morning Śrī Rādhikā-devī Herself came and ordered me: “Sarupa, a
brāhmaṇa from Mathurā who is My devotee is coming to My grove.”
tatraikākī tvam adyādau
gatvā sad-upadeśataḥ
prabodhyāśvāsya taṃ kṛṣṇa-
prasādaṃ prāpaya drutam – TEXT 2.7.10
“Go there alone, the first thing today. Enlighten him with good instructions,
console him, and help him quickly attain Kṛṣṇa’s grace.”
Sanatana Gosvamipada’s commentary:
“Had Sarupa not awakened the brāhmaṇa’s higher intelligence, the

brāhmaṇa would not have obtained Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.”
There it is said that bhakti is krsnakarsini (able to attract Krsna). When his
devotees spread bhakti, Krishna follows that bhakti and appears to the jivas
accordingly.
(e) Krsna’s knowing does not mean Krsna’s doing

Opponent:
“The cause of your svarupa is not your choice, but His. That is why He is the
cause of all causes. Sri Krsna knows past, present and future. So He knows what
svarupa you will attain in the stage of perfection.”
Discussion:
With this argument, the opponent wishes to claim that since Krsna is omniscient
(sarvajna) and knows what siddha deha (svarupa) we will attain, that
therefore the decision of what we will attain is also His. In this way, the jiva is
denied any kind of free will completely, whether the opponent realises
it/denies it or not. This is especially true because he does not include the jiva’s
own desire in his explanation and even cites “Therefore, He [Bhagavan] has
placed a variety of extraordinary desires in the hearts of the devotees” which
asserts that those desires are not the jiva’s own desires, but Bhagavan’s own
desires that he places into the jivas.
The following analogy is courtesy of Tripurari Swami.
Example of a Barometer
A Barometer is an instrument used to measure atmospheric pressure. With this
information, one is able to forecast the weather (know what the weather will be
and short term changes).
The person reading the Barometer can know what the weather will be, but
they do not decide what the weather will be.
Similarly, Bhagavan knows what the devotee’s rasa and siddhi will be, but that
does not mean he decides what it will be. This example of the Barometer is being
given simply to show that knowing the outcome of something before it happens
does not mean that you are the cause of the outcome.
The opponent’s idea of determinism is a very extreme one. It will be made clear
with references to sastra and reasoning what the exact nature of the jiva’s free
will is and how Bhagavan relates to that.
(f) The saktis responsible for a particular taste are not already present
The opponent further stated with the aid of Brhad Bhagavatamrta 2.4.190’s
bhavanuvada commentary of Srila Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja:
Opponent:
“The sweet revelation of this tika is that Sanatana Gosvami defines the cause of
the jivas’ individual tastes to be the action of the Lord’s jnana and kriya
sakti. Taste in a particular rasa is the action of jnana and kriya sakti of the Lord.
The jnana and kriya saktis are always working on the jiva-sakti in both the
conditioned and liberated states. So the saktis responsible for the taste are
already present in the jiva. They are never not present. The Lord knows past
present and future. He knows what taste will manifest at a particular point,
from the relative perspective of material time. So, from the absolute perspective,
the taste is fixed and the potencies responsible for it are already present. aga-
jagad-okasām akhila-śakty-avabodhaka te “O Lord, you awaken all the saktis
of the living entities.” (10.87.14) VCT comments that the lord awakens the
ability of the jiva to pursue the path of bhakti.”
Discussion:
It should be known that Verse 2.4.190 is replying to:
“But why doesn’t the Lord bestow the very best method of worship upon all His
devotees? After all, He is Hṛṣīkeśa, the master of the senses, who inspires all the
energies of knowledge and activity.”
And in consideration of the context in the chapter it goes on to say that the
reason that he does not bestow Krsna bhakti rather than Narayana bhakti, etc. is
that he defers to the taste of the devotees. In other words he is the master of all
energies and he inspires his jnana and kriya saktis to do what they do, but he
does not interfere with what they do in relation to the will of the jiva. And he
follows bhakti’s lead of samvit and hladhini and blesses his devotees accordingly
that they may attain the ideal they have derived from sadhu sanga.” – Tripurari
Swami
In other words all action and knowledge is dependent upon him. He can do
anything.
The opponent refers to Srimad Bhagavatam 10.87.14, which is one of the prayers
of the personified Vedas (veda-stuti).
The line of the verse the opponent cites, aga-jagad-okasām akhila-śakty-

avabodhaka te – “O You who awaken all the energies of the moving and
nonmoving embodied beings” does not mean what he wishes it to say.
Here is what Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s commentary says:
“Visnu: But even if ignorance slackens, I am not attained without devotional

service, as I Myself have stated: bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ, ‘I am obtained only
by unalloyed devotion.’
Srutis: My Lord, O You who awaken all energies, after creating the intelligence
and senses of the living entities You inspire them to work hard and enjoy the
fruits of their labour. In addition, by Your mercy You awaken their ability to
pursue the progressive paths of knowledge, mystic yoga and devotional service,
which enable them to advance toward You in Your aspects of Brahman,
Paramātmā and Bhagavān respectively.” – Visvanatha Cakravarti tika to
Bhagavata 10.87.14
We ask the opponent, “This is supposed to be support for the idea that Krsna
predestines each jiva with a particular rasa???”
According to Jiva Gosvami’s Krama Sandarbha commentary, this particular
prayer of the Vedas simply means that the jiva is not independent. It has nothing
to do with the jiva having a particular relationship (rasa) inclination, either
inherent (samvaya-sambandha) within the jiva’s svarupa nor due to contact
(samyoga-sambandha) with Bhagavan’s saktis.
The fruit of a discussion with Tripurari Swami on this verse
The explanation is that the jivas are dependent and can’t act without the
help of God. They are not independent doers. They act through the vehicle of
material nature that has been activated by God. It is about the fact that the jivas
need a body and mind to act in any respect. And those tools are very much
supplied and energized by Bhagavan.
SB 2.5.31 states, taijasāt tu vikurvāṇād indriyāṇi daśābhavan |
jñāna-śaktiḥ kriyā-śaktir buddhiḥ prāṇaś ca taijasau |
śrotraṁ tvag-ghrāṇa-dṛg-jihvā vāg-dor-meḍhrāṅghri-pāyavaḥ ||
Translation: “From ahamkara in rajas arose the intelligence/jnana-sakti,

prana/kriya-sakti and the ten senses.”
Here the sakti of the five knowledge senses is God’s jnana sakti and the sakti of
the five action senses is God’s kriya-sakti.
The jiva desires to do something and the work is carried out by material nature.
Thus God’s jnana and kriya saktis act through material nature to assist the jiva in
carrying out its desires to act in the realms of karma, jnana, yoga, or sadhana
bhakti. This is how Bhagavan’s jnana and kriya saktis work in relation to the jiva.
Jnana-sakti comes from sattva. Kriya-sakti comes from rajas. The sakti of the
five knowledge senses is jnana sakti. The sakti of the five action senses is kriya
sakti. They facilitate the jiva’s action and and acquisition of knowledge.
As noted above, the jnana-sakti and kriya-sakti are not “already present in the
jiva” nor are they responsible for it’s taste in bhakti rasa, other than in the remote
sense that these saktis in one respect enable the jiva to pursue its desire for
sadhana bhakti with its physical and psychic bodies. However, it is true that the
jnana and kriya saktis are also operative in the spiritual world.”
(g) How one’s taste for a particular rasa is actually determined

Verdict of Srila Rupa Gosvami’s Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,
yathottaram asau svāda-viśeṣollāsamayy api |

ratir vāsanayā svādvī bhāsate kāpi kasyacit || 2.5.38 ||
Translation: “These five types of rati progressively (from suddha to priyata rati)
become more blissful by increasing tastes. The particular taste arises in a
devotee according to previous experiences.”
nanv atra vivektā katamaḥ syāt—nirvāsanaḥ, eka-vāsanaḥ, bahu-vāsano vā ?

tatrādyayor anyatara-svādād abhāvād vivektṛtvaṁ na ghaṭata eva | antyasya ca
rasābhāsitā-paryavasānān nāstīti | satyam, tathāpy eka-vāsanasya etad ghaṭate |
rasāntarasyāpratyakṣatve’pi sadṛśa-rasasyopamānena pramāṇena visadṛśa-
rasasya tu sāmagrī-paripoṣāparipoṣa-darśanād anumānena ceti ||38||
Translation:
“But what determines who takes up which type of rati? Is it decided by having no
impressions of a particular rati from previous lives, by having an impression of
one type of rati from previous lives, or by having impressions of many types of
rati?
In the first option – absence of impressions – rati cannot occur at all, because no
taste could arise. In the case of persons having impressions of many types of rati,
a particular rati could not manifest prominently because conflicting tastes would
result in the improper manifestation of rasa (rasābhāsa). Therefore, impressions
of only one type carried from previous lives produce the specific taste.
Though not being in a position to perceive the depth of that rasa, one can
confirm its identity by comparing scriptural descriptions of rasas with one’s own
inclinations, and by inference through seeing how rasas, different from one’s
own rasa, either nourish or fail to nourish the total ingredients.”
tan-madhye kāpi ratiḥ kasyacid bhaktasya prācīna-vāsanayā svādvī bhāsate |

yathā madhurāmla-kaṭv-ādi-rasānāṁ madhye ekasminn eva rase kasyacana
prācīna-vāsanayā rucir nānya-rase, tathaiva dāsādy-ekatara-rase kasyacid
bhaktasya prācīna-vāsanayā | kiṁ vā, asminn eva janmani tādṛśa-mahat-kṛpayā
rucir nānyatreti | kasyacana dāsyādi-dvaye rati-traye ceti sarvatra vivecanīyam
||38||
Translation:
“Among the various tastes such as sweet, sour and bitter, a particular person has
a particular liking because of previous impressions. Because of impressions
from a past life of a particular rasa, such as dāsya, in this life also, the person
has that taste alone and not others, by the mercy of a great devotee with a
similar taste. This is the case for the two types of dāsya and the other three
higher rasas.”
Also read:
https://flowingnectarstream.wordpress.com/2014/10/28/from-foundational-
loving-emotions-sthayi-bhavas-to-experiences-of-abundant-amazement-rasa/
Only nitya-siddhas have eternal samskaras (impressions)
Since the opponent states, “the saktis responsible for the taste are already present
in the jiva. They are never not present.”
We turn to Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu to show that there is evidence only of nitya

siddhas (eternal associates) possessing eternal samskaras for a particular rasa.
In the chapter on Priti-bhakti-rasa (otherwise known as Dasya-bhakti-rasa), Srila

Rupa Gosvami gives descriptions and examples of various types of servants of
Bhagavan. He describes the four types:
(1) Adhikrtas – those appointed to a post by Bhagavan such as the devatas.

(2) Asritas – (a) Saranyas – those seeking protection.
(b) Jnani-caras – those appreciating Bhagavan’s greatness.
(c) Seva-nistha – those appreciating Bhagavan’s sweetness.
(3) Parisadas – members of the assembly or followers (at Dvaraka).
(4) Anugas – the attendants whose hearts are always attached to serving
Bhagavan (Dvarka and Vraja).
Srila Rupa Gosvami then gives examples of each. For categories

(1) Adhikrtas and (2) Asritas, he gives examples of sadhana siddhas.
For categories (3) Parisadas and (4) Anugas, he gives examples of nitya siddhas.
In BRS 3.2.77, he says regarding the examples of nitya siddhas given, tatra
pāriṣadādes tu hetuḥ saṁskāra eva hi | saṁskārodbodhakās tasya darśana-
śravaṇādayaḥ || – “However, the rati of parisadas and anugas described in this
chapter is caused only by samskaras, or impressions (since all the examples
given were nitya-siddhas). Seeing and hearing about Krsna stimulates the
impressions.”
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s comment: ity ādinā pārṣadānāṁ rati-janmani
tu anādi-siddha-saṁskāra eva hetuḥ – Bhaktirasamrta Sindhu 3.2.77
Translation: The cause of the appearance of rati for the parisadas and others
(the anugas, mentioned in this chapter) are eternally perfect impressions (anādi-
siddha-saṁskāra).
This is very clearly explained here by Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura. Therefore
we request those who profess that the baddha jivas possess any such samskara,
either perfected, anadi or otherwise, to provide clear evidence from universally
acceptable Gaudiya sastra.
Many thanks to:
Sripad Satyanarayana das Babaji

Sripad Advaita das
Sripad Radha Charan das
Swami Tripurari
most of all
Radhakunda Mahanta Sri Srimat Ananta das Babaji
Understanding jiva-tattva v2.0
OCTOBER 20, 2014 / TARUN GOVINDA DAS
Sadhaka:
Dear Gurudeva, recently I had a discussion with other devotees. They claimed
that our eternal relationship, our eternal rasa is already imprinted, like a
blueprint, in our soul. They say that we can imagine the jivas like being ‘seeds’.
Every seed has the potential to grow in a certain tree. An apple seed brings forth
an apple, a mango seed brings forth a mango. So in the same way, in each jiva,
there already exists the eternal relationship with Krishna, our eternal rasa. We
only have to re-awake it or uncover it.
Gurudeva:
My dear child, to properly answer this question, we have to understand the tattva
about the jivas. We have to analyze everything about the spiritual soul. First of
all, we have to know that Sri Krishna has three energies:
 Cit-sakti: This is His inner energy. His Own spiritual world pure cit-sakti.
This cit-sakti again consists of three energies:
1. Sandhini-sakti = eternal existence ( Iam )
2. Samvit-sakti = eternal knowledge ( I know)
3. Hladini-sakti = eternal happiness ( I am happy)
 Bahiranga-sakti: This is His “outer” energy. The material world is made of
this energy.
 Tatastha-sakti: The energy “inbetween” the spiritual and the material
world.
The spiritual soul is said to be like a tiny spiritual “drop of consciousness” (cit-
kana). The jiva belongs to the tatastha-sakti. The jiva (the spiritual soul) is an
infinitesimal particle of spiritual consciousness, like an atomic particle of light
emanating from the sun. Sri Krishna is the complete spiritual consciousness, the
transcendental sun. When the jivas focus their attention on Krishna, they go to
Him. Naturally, the parts serve the Whole. The car will never move when the
wheels do not obey. So naturally, the spiritual soul should serve the Supreme
Soul.
krishnera ‘nitya-dasa’ krishnera ‘tatastha sakti’ ‘bhedabheda-prakasa’ –
Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya-lila, 20.108
The jiva’s constitutional nature is to be an eternal servant of Sri Krishna.
The jiva is the marginal potency of Krishna and a manifestation
simultaneously one with and different from the Lord.
So, we are simultaneously one and different from the Lord. We are His sakti, He
is saktiman (controller of energies). This is called acintya-bheda-bheda-tattva.
We are of a similar nature, but also different. This tattva rests upon Him being
Saktiman and us jivas being His sakti. The energy-giver and the energy are
simultaneously one and different. He is the Whole, we are His parts. We can see
clearly that one thing is “inherent” in the svarupa of the jiva: eternal servitorship.
We will always be servants.
Sadhaka:
They say that the verse you qouted, “jivera ‘svarupa’ haya – krishnera ‘nitya-
dasa’ krishnera ‘tatastha sakti’ ‘bhedabheda-prakasa’”, means that everything is
already THERE in the svarupa of the jiva.
Gurudeva:
This verse does not at all say that “everything” is there in the svarupa of the jiva,
neither the rasa, nor the form, nor bhakti… It only means that the jiva is an
energy (sakti) of the Lord and that the jiva is in the function of servanthood to the
controller and owner of the energy (saktiman, Sri Krishna). This relationship of
servant and the One to be served is eternal. By the way, the analogy of the “seed-
like” form or “stage” is only used in sastra to describe the bhakti-lata-bija and it
nicely explains the progress of bhakti. It is never used in the context of the
svarupa of the jiva. To say that the jiva already has a blueprint in its form of his
eternal relationship to Krishna is not correct. It is necessary to understand that in
order to have a relationship with Krishna, we must engage in loving devotion,
bhakti. Without bhakti, there can be no relationship with Krishna. First we
engage in bhakti, THEN we establish our relationship (RASA) with Krishna.
Sadhaka:
Are you saying that bhakti is also not inherent in the jiva? They told me
yesterday this verse from the Caitanya Caritamrita as being the evidence that
bhakti, love, is eternally in the heart of the jivas:
nitya-siddha krsna-prema sadhya kabhu naya sravavadi-suddha-citte

karaye udaya
“Pure love for Krsna is eternally established in the hearts of living entities.
It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is
purified by hearing and chanting, the living entity naturally awakens.” –
(CC. M. 22.107)
Gurudeva:
I am very sorry, but the translation of this verse is not correct. Some words have
been added in the translation, which are not there.
The words “is eternally established in the heart” is not found in this verse. And
also “udaya” doesn´t mean “awake”, it means “arise”.
So PREMA is not THERE, it is not dormant and not to be “awoken”. It arises
WHEN THE HEART IS PURIFIED by the angas of bhakti.
The correct translation is:
“Krishna prema is eternal and perfect. It is never to be “attained” (by

endeavours). Prema arises in the citta (heart/consciousness) which has been
purified by devotional activities (hearing, chanting,..).”
So pure love is nothing which is “manufactured”. It “arises”.
That means it is not dormant in the heart of the jiva. Consequently, bhakti is not
inherent in the svarupa of the jiva.
Bhakti is a most merciful gift which is given “from the outside”…from someone
who already has received bhakti.
To properly understand the verse from above, we need to focus on this one:
brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva guru krsna prasade paya bhakti-lata-
bija
“By the causeless mercy of guru and Krsna, the devotee can receive the seed of
bhakti by the mercy of Gurudeva.”
Here we see that the jiva RECEIVES the seed of bhakti. Now, this “BHAKTI”-
energy is a very mysterious energy. It is a combination of two energies of
Krishna.
“Bhakti” is “made of” samvit-sakti (knowledge/realization) and hladini-sakti

(bliss).
Ultimately BHAKTI rests in the heart of the personification of Krishna´s
innermost energy, Srimati Radharani.
Both of this energies belong to Krishna´s INNER POTENCY. The jiva belongs
to the marginal energy (tatastha-sakti), so by definition, BHAKTI can not be
“already” in the heart of the spiritual soul.
BUT: The spiritual soul has the “potency” to love. We can love through our false
ego and we can love through our real ego, the drop of spiritual consciousness.
When this spiritual drop of consciousness (the spiritual soul) comes into contact
with the BHAKTI-energy, the soul will be on the path to realize where it really
belongs to.
Sadhaka:
How can we come into contact with this bhakti-energy?
Gurudeva:
BHAKTI can only be received from someone who has already received
BHAKTI. It is said that BHAKTI flows down from the spiritual world (Krishna´s
inner energy) to the material realm through the riverbed of an unbroken Guru-
parampara. We find the following verse in the Madhurya Kadambini about the
nature of BHAKTI as being fully independent of anything:
tasya bhagavata iva tad rupaya bhakter api svaprakasatasiddhyartham eva

hetutvanapekshata. tathahi ‘yato bhaktir adhokshaje ahaitukyapratihata’
ityadau hetum vinaivavirbhavatiti tatrarthah. tathaiva ‘yadricchaya mat
kathadau’ ‘mad bhaktim ca yadricchaya’ ‘yadricchayaivopacita’ ityadavapi
yadricchayetyasya svacchandenetyarthah. yadriccha svairitetyabhidhanat
TRANSLATION:
The self-manifesting eternal energy of the Lord, bhakti, being nondifferent from
the Lord‚ is not dependent on any other cause. Srimad-Bhagavata (1.2.6)
describes the independent appearance of bhakti, “Devotional service to Lord
Adhokshaja, Who is beyond the senses of all human beings, is the best of all
religions because such devotion is causeless and uninterrupted by obstacles.”
Similarly, the words of the Lord, “by chance if one attains faith in hearing My
glories,” “by chance if one attains bhakti,” “by chance if bhakti manifests” refer
to the Lord’s independent will. The word yadriccha means independent will. The
dictionary also mentions yadriccha as spontaneous or self-will.
So we can only nicely understand the verse ‘nitya-siddha krsna-prema sadhya

kabhu naya sravavadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya’ when we understand
‘brahmanda bhramite kona bhagyavan jiva guru krsna prasade paya bhakti-lata-
bija’.
“Wandering throughout the universe, some fortunate soul receives the seed of
devotion, by the grace of Guru or Kṛṣṇa.”
Every word is significant here – kon means “some”, not that everyone gets
it. pāy means ‘he/she gets’, not that it’s intrinsic – it’s coming from
outside. prasāda means that it isn’t deserved, but is causeless grace.
One cannot work in advance to attain it.
Sadhaka:
So it is actually an active “act”…we really receive something, a wonderful
gift…the bhakti-lata-bija…
Gurudeva:
Absolutely. It happens at the moment when we come into contact with Sri
Gurudeva. It is a gift from someone who is in possesion of this gift. It is all based
on mercy…
Sadhaka:
So it is not dependent on our endeavours?
Gurudeva:
No. We can only purify our citta to receive this gift properly.
The verse nitya siddhasya bhāvasya from the Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu (1.2.2,
quoted just before the nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema – verse in the Caitanya
Caritāmṛta) confirms this – this nitya siddha bhāva is the goal, it is not to be
achieved artificially.
Listen to the verse:

śrī-jīvaḥ:
kṛtīti | sāmānyato lakṣitā uttamā bhaktiḥ | kṛtyā indriya-preraṇayā sādhyā cet, sā

sādhanābhidhā bhavati | kṛtyās tad-antarbhāvaś ca pūrva-kriyāyā
yajṣāntarbhāvavāt | tatra bhāvādy-anubhāva-rūpāyā vyavacchedārtham āha—
sādhyeti | sādhyo bhāvo bhāva-premādi-rūpo yayā sā, na tu bhāva-siddhā | sā hi
tad-aṅgatvāt sādhya-rūpaiveti | sādhya-bhāvety anena sā sādhya-pumarthāntarā
ca parihṛtā, uttamāyā evopakrāntatvāt | bhāvasya sādhyatve kṛtrimatvāt parama-
puruṣārthatvābhāvaḥ syād ity āśaṅkyāha—nityeti | bhagavac-chakti-viśeṣa-vṛtti-
viśeṣatvenāgre sādhayiṣyamāṇatvād iti bhāvaḥ ||2||
viśvanāthaḥ:
kṛtīti | sā sāmānyato lakṣitoktā bhaktir indriya-vyāpāreṇa sādhyā cet
sādhanābhidhā bhavati | atrendriya-vyāpārasya bhakty-antar-bhāvaḥ | yāgasya
pūrva-kriyāyā yathā yāgasyāntarbhāvas tathaiva jṣeyaḥ | tena bhakti-bhinnasya
na bhakti-janakatvam iti siddhānto’pi saṅgacchate | atra bhāva-bhakter anubhāva-
rūpasya śravaṇa-kīrtanādeḥ sādhanatva-vyavahārābhāvāt tad-vāraṇāyāha—
sādhyeti | sādhyo bhāvo yayā sā bhāva-janikety arthaḥ | tena dharmārthādi-
puruṣārthāntara-sādhaka -bhaktiś ca parākṛtā, uttamāyā eva upakrāntatvāt |
bhāvādīnāṁ sādhyatve kṛtrimatvāt parama-puruṣārthatvābhāvaḥ syād ity
āśaṅkyāha—nityeti | bhāvasyety upalakṣaṇaṁ śravana-kīrtanādayo’pi grāhyāḥ |
teṣām api karṇa-jihvādau prākaṭya-mātram, yathā śrī-kṛṣṇo vasudeva-
gṛhe’vatatāra | bhaktīnāṁ bhagavac-chakti-vṛtti-viśeṣatvenāgre
sādhayiṣyamāṇatvād iti bhāvaḥ ||2||
“krti-sadhya bhavet sadhya-

bhava sa sadhanabhidha
nitya-siddhasya bhavasya
prakatyam hrdi sadhyata“
bhakti. This attained state of bhava-bhakti (sadhyata) is an eternal sthayi-bhava
which is not created, but simply manifests within the soul by the spiritual energy
of the Lord.”

(sadhya) by actions (krti) of the senses, it is called sadhana-bhakti.
Actions of the senses are included within the term bhakti in the same manner that
preliminary purifying actions for performing sacrifice are included within the
term “sacrifice,” though technically they are not part of the sacrifice.
In order to distinguish this sadhana-bhakti from forms of bhakti that involve

direct realization of the Lord, the word sadhya-bhava is used: sadhana ends with
the attainment of bhava. Sadhana is that by which bhava and prema are achieved.
Bhava is not included in sadhana. However, the sadhya-rupa or perfected form is
also bhakti, being a part of it. The word sadhya-bhava (one meaning is “whose
goal is bhava-bhakti” but another meaning is “achieving its goal”) in any case
excludes other goals of human endeavor (artha, dharma, kama and moksa).
This was already mentioned in the definition of uttama-bhakti (anyabhilasita-
sunyam) which includes within it this present definition. A doubt may arise that
since this state is achieved (sadhya), implying that it is artificially produced, it is
not the ultimate goal.
The second line responds to this doubt by saying that it is eternal, and simply
appears within the heart. That is because its appearance (but not its creation) will
be accomplished in the future by the special actions of the most excellent
transformations (samvit and hladini) of Lord’s svarupa-sakti (which are perfect
and eternal).
Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s tika:
When bhakti is accomplished by actions of the senses, it is called sadhana-bhakti.

The action of the senses is included in bhakti (though the senses are material).
This is similar to including the purva-karmas of the sacrifice as part of the
sacrifice. The intention of including sadhana (executed using the senses) in
bhakti is to show that bhakti is produced only by bhakti and not by anything else.
Such a purpose is fitting. The phrase sadhya-bhava is used in order to distinguish
sadhana from bhava-bhakti, which has actions such as hearing and chanting
(called anubhavas), which appear to be the same as the actions of sadhana bhakti,
but which are actually different.
Sadhya-bhava means “that by which bhava-bhakti is generated.”

Thus, by mentioning that the result is bhava, other results such artha, dharma,
kama and moksa are automatically rejected. The word sadhya means, “Produced
or achieved.”
Hence, the phrase “sadhya-bhava” can mean, “that by which bhava is produced”.
This may give rise to the fear that, though bhava-bhakti has been mentioned as
supreme (uttamabhakti), it may not actually be the supreme goal of human
endeavor, because it is produced artificially or achieved (i.e. it is not eternal).
The answer is given in the second line.
This bhava is eternal, and merely appears within the heart of the devotee. Bhava
also includes hearing, chanting, and other actions (it is not just emotions). These
actions of bhava (angas of bhakti) also appear on the tongue or in the ear, but are
not created, just as Krsna appears in the house of Vasudeva (but is not produced
out of matter).
The emotions and actions of bhava are all eternal and spiritual and not material
because their appearance in the future will be accomplished by the extraordinary
actions of the most excellent transformations (samvit and hladini) of the Lord’s
svarupa-sakti.
The word nitya siddha means nitya-siddha bhaktas according to Mukunda
Goswami in his comment on this verse:
nitya-siddha-bhakteṣu śuddha-sattva-viśeṣa-rūpatayā sadā vartamānasyātra
svayaṁ sphuraṇān na kṛtrimatva-śaṅkā |
ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ [bha.ra.si. 1.2.234]
iti vakṣyamāṇatvāt | sādhana-bhaktir eva na kṛtrimā, kim uta bhāvaḥ –
“The pure sattva which is ever present in the nitya siddha devotees manifests
itself and thus should not be seen as artificial. This can be seen in verse 1.2.234,
ataḥ śrī kṛṣṇa nāmādi. Surely sādhana bhakti is not artificial, what to speak of
bhāva.”
Jīva Gosvāmī comments on that Bhakti Rasāmṛta Sindhu verse (1.2.234):
sevonmukhe hīti | sevonmukhe bhagavat-svarūpa-tan-nāma-grahaṇāya pravṛtta
ity arthaḥ | hi prasiddhau | yathā mṛga-śarīraṁ tyajato bharatasya varṇitam |
nārāyaṇāya haraye nama ity udāraṁ hāsyan mṛgatvam api yaḥ samudājahāra
[bhāgavata purana. 5.14.45] iti | yathā ca gajendrasya jajāpa paramaṁ jāpyaṁ
prāg-janmany anuśikṣitam [bhāgavata purana 8.3.1] ity ādi
“Sevonmukhe means one becomes inclined to chant the holy name of the Lord.
The examples of Bharata in the deer-body, and Gajendra the elephant are very
famous in this regard. They had animal tongues, but since they had a desire to
chant the name of Kṛṣṇa, svayam eva sphuratyadaḥ – all this became
spontaneously manifest.”
Bhakti is svarūpa-śakti and the jīva is taṭastha śakti. Therefore, bhakti

cannot be intrinsic to the jīva.
So, yes, my dear, bhakti is not inherent in the svarupa of the jiva. It is an external
gift.
“Whoever accepts the bhava of the residents of Vraja and engages in bhajana
appropriate for that bhava, he receives a body suitable for it and attains Sri
Krishna in Vraja.” (CC 2.8.122)
I also happen to know that in Mayapur there is a beautiful temple called

“Caitanya Candrodaya”. So “Chandra and udaya”…the moon has arisen or the
rising moon. It doesn´t mean “the awakening of the moon”.
Sadhaka:
I understand fully what you are saying. But what about the jiva being of a ‘sat-
cit-ananda’ – nature?
The devotees quoted one of their acaryas: ‘“In the sruti-sastra it is said:
‘Eternity, knowledge and bliss are part of the soul’s nature.’ But they couldn´t
say which exact sastra he referred to…
Gurudeva:
To be very honest, it would be very good to have a sastric reference to that
statement at hand.
In his many writings this acarya presents that the jiva has inherently the
qualities of sat, cit and ananda (sandhini, samvit and hladini).
To prove his thesis, he argues in favor of his view in his commentary on Tattva-
sutra, presenting a reference he attributes to sruti-sastra, which states that the jiva
is sac-cid-ananda by nature.
It is regrettable that he does not provide a clear reference, as the generic
expression “sruti-sastra” does not carry conclusive authority in a debate.
The idea of inherent sac-cid-ananda goes together with the thesis that a particular
siddha-svarupa is inherent in the jiva.
But in my whole life, I never found the concept of the jiva having the same
qualities like Krishna in any sastra. We will come to this shortly.
Like I said in the beginninh, the energies of the Lord are divided in three
categories, namely antaranga-sakti (internal potency) which is further divided
into three prominent aspects (sandhini, samvit and hladini), tatastha-
sakti (the jivatmas) and bahiranga-sakti (the external energy of 24 categories)
(CC 1.2.101-103).
From this we can understand that the constitution of the living entity is not in
itself identical with the antaranga-sakti, as they are energies of two different
categories.
One may then argue that the living entities possess the qualities
of sat, cit and ananda on the virtue of their being parts of the Lord.It is true that
the living entities are separate parcels (vibhinnamsa) of the Lord whose very
being is filled with sat, cit and ananda (CC 1.4.61-62).
Being by nature servants of Krishna and manifestations of tatastha-sakti, the
living entities are said to be akin to photons in a ray of sun or sparks in the flame
of a fire (CC 2.20.108-109).
The analogy suggests that they share qualities akin to those of the Lord.However,
it is not proper to stretch the analogy beyond the context of the Lord’s being
simultaneously one with and different from all of His energies.
It is not that on the virtue of this analogy the living entity can be said to possess
all qualities of the Lord to a minute degree,
for it is well known (CC 2.9.144) that Sri Krishna has certain qualities that even
Narayana doesn’t possess.
A drop of the ocean does not have all the qualities of the ocean. The ocean has
waves, a drop does not.
The ocean is full of aquatics, but not the drop. One can sail on the ocean, not on a
drop.
Now, to properly examine whether the jiva inherently possesses the three
aforementioned qualities, we have to consider the dynamics of these qualities.
Sri Caitanya Caritamrita (1.4.64-65, 60) delineates them as follows:“The
essential aspect of sandhini is known as pure existence, which is the abode of the
Lord’s existence. Krishna’s mother, father, place, house, bed, seat and the rest
are transformations of pure existence. Awareness of Sri Krishna’s godhood is the
essence of samvit, and knowledge of Brahman and so forth are of the same
category. Hladini causes the relish of bliss in Sri Krishna, and through hladini
the devotees are nourished.”Amidst a description of how these three aspects of
the Lord’s energy function in the spiritual world,
the sentence that inevitably captures our attention is the definition of samvit, as
knowledge of Brahman “and so forth” is declared to be a part of it.
Sri Jiva Gosvamin further describes the function of samvit in Bhagavat
Sandarbha (117) as being the energy of both knowledge and ignorance.
This indicates that there is a need for a dual interpretation of the concept, one in
the context of sac-cid-ananda that functions under the direct
shelter of the inner potency of the Lord,
and another in the context of existence in the material world.This dual
interpretation is supported by Srila Jiva Goswamipad (BS 117):
“Thus in a sequence of superiority sandhini, samvid and hladini are understood.
As all pots are made by a pot maker, similarly whatever exists is the outcome of a
cause. In the scriptures (Chan. Up. 6.2.1) it is said that Bhagavan exists on
account of His own nature: ‘O gentle Sir, in the beginning only He existed.’ His
destroying and creating, bestowing and preserving existence at all places, all
times and all circumstances, is caused by sandhini. Through samvit, He knows
and causes others to know. Through hladini, the foremost of all, He rejoices and
causes joy, thus it is considered.”Thus it can be understood that certainly the
aspects of existence, awareness and joy exist in all living entities, in as much as
the living entities exist, are aware of anything or experience any feelings.
However, the question that demands our attention is whether the faculties
of sat, cit and ananda,
which were outlined by Sri Krishna Das Kaviraja earlier on (CC 1.4.64-65, 60) in
the context of that which is under the auspices antaranga-sakti,
exist inherently in the jiva who resides in the material world.
It is clear that the sandhini-aspect of the eternal associates of the Lord exists as
their spiritual form, the samvit– aspect exists as their cognizance of a particular
relationship with the Lord, and the hladini-aspect exists as their jubilant emotions
for the Lord.Do these qualities exist inherently in the baddha-jiva?
In his Bhakti-sandarbha (Anuccheda 142), Sri Jiva Gosvamin explains
how Bhagavan manifests His own hladini-sakti in His devotees:
“Someone may argue: ‘If Bhagavan has a form of unlimited, eternal happiness,
then how can happiness be caused for Him? This is in contradiction with His
being unlimited and eternal.’ To this it is said: “From the scriptures, it is
certainly known that Bhagavan has the qualities of unlimited happiness and
eternity. Nevertheless, the devotees are known to be the cause of His love. This is
how it happens: The supremely joy-causing, personal potency of His supremely
blissful being is known as hladini, and He manifests it in an object as His own
transcendental manifestation of energy. This is the shape of its divine dynamics.
In this way, in His own people it is always kept. Through this relationship His
pleasure is the highest.’”In other words, this potency is not inherent in the jiva;
when the jiva decides to renounce his unwillingness to serve Bhagavan and
desires to become His own, this svarupa-sakti begins to manifest in his being,
and through the function of the hladini given to him, the devotee then pleases the
Lord.
Krishna is eternal (sat), FULL of knowledge/awareness (cit), FULL of bliss
(ananda). The bliss (ānanda) that comes with bhakti is called bhaktyānanda.
This is the hlādinī-aspect of the cit-chakti.
The Lord’s ānanda is two-fold according to Jīva Gosvāmī’s Prīti Sandarbha (66):
svarūpānanda and svarūpa-śaktyānanda.
The Lord Himself is depending on svarūpa-śaktyānanda (svarūpa-śaktyānanda-
rūpa yadānanda-parādhīnaḥ śrī-bhagavān apīti).
This ānanda is bhakti. The Śruti quite clearly says that ānanda is not a property of
the jīva: raso vai saḥ, rasam hy evāyam labdhvānandī bhavati,“God is
verily rasa”.
If one attains rasa, one becomes blissful“. Apart from that, in

the ānandamayādhikaraṇa of the Vedānta-sūtras, the ācāryas explain that
the jīva is not ānandamaya.
In the commentary to the sūtra ‘vikāra-śabdān neti cen na prācuryāt’,

Baladeva Vidyābhūṣaṇa refutes the idea that the word ānanda-maya could be
applied to the jīva (tasmad ānandamayo na jīvaḥ),
and this is the case also in the liberated state which means non-existence of
suffering (na cānandamaya-śabdena muktau duḥkhāpty-asadbhāvāj jīva iti
vācyam).
‘In addition, commenting on the definition of the jīva as cid-ānandātmaka,

Jīva Gosvāmī explains in Paramātma Sandarbha (29) that the jīva is
not ānanda in the proper sense of the word:
duḥkha-pratiyogitvena tu jñānatvam ānandatvaṁ ca … ānandatvaṁ nirupādhi-
premāspadatvena sādhayati.
“Because the jīva is beyond misery, it is said to be of the nature of consciousness

and bliss … The jīva attains bliss when it attains love of God.“
However, Jīva Goswāmī mentions the ānanda of the jīva in Prīti Sandarbha
(Anu. 65):
ato natarāṁ jīvasya svarūpānanda-rūpā, atyanta-kṣudratvāt.
He says that it is extremely minute. But one has to understand the statement in
connection with the previous one,
i.e. that the ānanda means just the non-existence of misery.
Sadhaka:
Thank you so much for these many sastric references. But I am not very
intelligent…can you make it a little easier for me to understand?
Gurudeva:
I know that is sounds very philosophical, but it is easy to understand:
The jiva is eternal (sat) like Krishna too.

But as far as knowledge/awareness (cit) is concerned, the jiva´s awareness and
knowledge differs quite substantially from the awareness/knowledge of Krishna.
We as jivas are aware of our soul, of our bodies and of our surroundings.
It is not that we are actually FULL OF KNOWLEDGE and somehow we
“forgot” this knowledge.
Our ignorance is beginningless (anadi) and we have never been FULL OF
knowledge.
If we are full of knowledge and bliss, then why do we never feel it? Why are we
incessantly hankering for knowledge and bliss?
In fact, all our actions are ultimately aimed at attaining these two goals. Just as
darkness can never cover light, ignorance can never shroud knowledge.
Darkness is nothing but absence of light. It is not a positive entity. To cover
something, the covering agent must have positive existence.
When Krsna says that ignorance covers knowledge (Gita 5.15), He means
ignorance covers the discriminating faculty.
In other words, a person loses the ability to make proper decisions and is thus
bewildered.
Krsna Himself recommends approaching a teacher and acquiring knowledge

from him (Gita 4.34).
If knowledge were inside the Self, He would have recommended to approach a
teacher to get the covering of inherent knowledge removed.
Indeed He would not even have recommended going to a teacher but to a peeler,
who can peel away ignorance. Krishna specifically uses the words, “The teachers
will impart knowledge to you.”
In the same vein a few verses later (Gita 4.39), Krishna says that a man of faith
who attains knowledge (jnana) become peaceful.
If that knowledge were already there, there was no need to attain it in the first
place.
In verse 7.2. again, Krishna declares to Arjuna that He will now impart unto him
this knowledge. If I were full of bliss and knowledge,
then how could I lose sight of it even if I were covered by ignorance? Ignorance
can only cover, but not take away, that knowledge.
Even though there may be ignorance all around me, I would still be full of
knowledge and bliss. But such is not our experience.
Sadhaka:
I always wondered about that…I agree fully…
Gurudeva:
If I have forgotten about my necklace around my neck and someone points it out
to me, I immediately know it and give up my search.
But no matter how many times someone tells me that I am full of knowledge and
bliss, I realize no bliss and remain as ignorant or knowledgeable as I was before.
Why? Because I do not have knowledge and bliss inherent in me.
Such examples neither prove nor disprove anything.
Examples only assist us in comprehending a known conclusion.
If I am a pauper, I remain a pauper, even though someone may repeatedly tell me

that I am a prince.
free of any material misery.
In other words, it has the potential (svarupa yogyata) to get knowledge and bliss
but not yet the functionality (phalopadhayi yogyata).
To give an example, a child has the potential to be an athlete or a graduate, but
that potential is not realized unless he practices on the track or goes to college
and studies.
Then, happiness or bliss (ananda): Like Sripad Jiva Goswami said, our happiness
is VERY minute.
We can´t compare the happiness “within the tatastha-sakti” with the happiness
“within Krishna inner energy (svarupa-sakti), which is called hladini-sakti.
Our happiness as jivas who don´t practice bhakti is defined by the absence of
misery.
Many philosophers say that this is the goal of life: to avoid misery. But actually,
this is THE NATURAL STATE of the jiva. It is not influenced by maya.
We only think that we are influenced because we identify with the body, made of
material nature.
Ananda here means lack of misery and not the ananda which is the outcome or
the svarupa of bhakti, bhakti being the essence of the samvit and hladini potency.
Sadhaka:
So, there are different types of ananda (happiness)?
Gurudeva:
Ananda (happiness) is of various types such as – martyanada, brahmananda and
bhaktyananda.
Martyanada is the material happiness, brahmananda is freedom from material
misery and bliss of being in one’s svarupa identified with Brahman
and bhaktyananda is the bliss which is experienced by a devotee (asraya of
prema) in relation to the visaya of prema, meaning by giving pleasure to Krishna.
Again, in Paramatma Sandarbha, section 28, Sri Jiva Gosvami clearly says that
when it is said that the jiva is ‘jnana svarupa’,
it means that it is not inert (not that it is full knowledge) and when it is said
‘ananda svarupa’, it means it is devoid of misery.
Tatra tasya jada-pratiyogitvena jnanatvam duhkha-pratiyogitvena tu jnanatvam

anandatvam ca. Then he further says that anandatvam means that the soul is the
object of love without any condition. anandatvam ca nirupadhi.premaspadatvena
sadhayati tasmat priyatama… (SB 10.14.54)
As soon as the jiva turns towards BHAKTI, the svarupa-sakti of the Lord starts to
fill up the heart of the jiva and the more we progress in bhakti, the more of that
hladini-sakti will fill our soul.
This is the most wonderful mercy of Sri Krishna. He lets us have an eternal
relationship with Him in the 5 RASAS. But first we need to receive the bhakti-
lata-bija.
Then we can start with our bhakti.
Sadhaka:
Dear Gurudeva, I am overwhelmed with gratitude. What you are saying
enlightens my foolish heart.
How merciful is Krishna that we as jivas can receive this most wonderful gift of
BHAKTI which makes us able to enter an eternal relationship with the Divine
Couple.
So essentially, you are saying that bhakti is not dormant/inherent in the svarupa
of the jiva and also the sat-cit-ananda of the jiva is of a different nature than the
sat-cit-ananda of Krishna and His eternal associates.
What about our eternal spiritual form? Is this form inherent in the jiva or not?
According to what I now heard from you, it surely cannot be inherent in the
svarupa of the jiva.
Gurudeva:
Yes. The eternal spiritual form is not inherent in the svarupa of the jiva.
The spiritual form is of svarupa-sakti.
It is not of tatastha-sakti and therefore can never “reside” as a seed in the svarupa
of the jiva.
In other words, the seed-like jiva does not evolve from a glowing spiritual
spark into a siddha-deha.
This siddha-deha is not something which is manufactured and which evolves
or transforms over time. It is an eternal reality manifested by the antaranga-
sakti of Bhagavan, not a product of tatastha-sakti.
In the tenth section of the Priti-sandarbha, Jiva Gosvamin writes,

commenting on the verse from above:
vaikuṇṭhasya bhagavato jyotir-aṁśa-bhūtā vaikuṇṭha-loka-śobha-rūpā yā anantā
mūrtayas tatra vartante tāsām ekayā saha muktasyaikasya mūrtir bhagavatā
kriyata iti vaikuṇṭasya mūrtir iva mūrtir yeṣām ity uktam
– (Prīti Sandarbha (10)
“In the spiritual world, the Supreme Lord has unlimited spiritual forms, all are
expansions of himself illuminating
that world. With each one of those forms, the Lord enjoys pastimes with
a single individual liberated soul.”
These liberated souls therefore have spiritual bodies like that of the Lord.
In the Lord’s abode, there are an unlimited number of forms, all suitable
for rendering service to him.
Every one of those forms is non-different from him, being expanded from his
effulgence; each one is eternal, full of consciousness and bliss.
They are the crowning, central jewels of the spiritual world—its very life.
These unlimited spiritual bodies are the perfected forms of the liberated souls
which are awarded to an individual, according to his
taste, when he reaches the state of absolute liberation.
This state is called attainment of the spiritual body.
All these spiritual bodies are eternal for they exist even before the
liberated souls enter them and will continue to exist ever afterward. However,
prior to the entry of the liberated soul they are in an inactive state (FROM OUR
PERSPECTIVE).
As all of the unlimited souls are servants of the Lord, each one of them
has a spiritual
body in the Lord’s abode just suitable for rendering service to the Lord.
When an individual becomes qualified for direct service to the Lord by the grace
of the Goddess of Devotion,
then the Supreme Lord awards him that spiritual body.
Now, it is very important to check the verse in question very clearly.

Srila Jiva Goswami writes that Krishna will GIVE a liberated soul who reached
perfection a body “similar” to His.
Many think that He “creates that form”, but this is not the case.
The siddha-deha is an eternally existing form. It is never created and it is “of pure
svarupa-sakti”.
Srila Jiva Goswami uses his words very thoughtfully. He clearly says:
KRIYATE. “KRIYATE” can mean many things.
Sadhaka:
Is the destination of the jiva influenced by association?
Gurudeva:
When we read BRS 2.5.12-13, we will see :tat-tat-sādhanato nānā-vidha-bhakta-
prasaṅgataḥ |
sādhākānāṁ tu vaividhyaṁ yāntī svacchā ratir matā ||
yadā yādṛśī bhakte syād āsaktis tādṛśaṁ tadā |
rūpaṁ sphaṭikavad dhatte svacchāsau tena kīrtitā ||śrī-jīvaḥ : atha svacchām
āha—tat tad iti dvābhyām |
bhavāpavargo bhramato yadā bhavet [bhā.pu. 10.51.53] ity ādiṣu bhakta-
prasaṅgasyaiva rati-bīja-rūpatvāt |
nānā-vidha-bhaktānāṁ prasaṅgatas tatra ca jala-sekādi-rūpāt tat-tat-sādhanataḥ
sādhakānāṁ vaividhyaṁ yāntīti tu pūrvoktā śuddhākhyā ratiḥ svacchā matā |
vaividhye kāraṇam āha—yadeti | rūpaṁ sphaṭikavad dhatte iti nānā-bhāva-
dhāraṇāṁśa eva dṛṣṭāntaḥ, na tu pratibimbatve’pi yathāvad rater eva prakaraṇa-
prāptatvāt |
śuddhāntaḥ-pātaś cāsyās tad-bhāvānām āgamāpāyitvāt | ata eva agrato
vakṣyamāṇais tu svādaiḥ prīty-ādi-saṁśrayair [bha.ra.si. 2.5.21] iti vakṣyamāṇaṁ
cātra saṅgacchate |
teṣāṁ samyak samparko nāstīti | anācānta-dhiyām āsvāda-viśeṣābhāvena
aniṣṭhita-cittānāṁ yata āryāṇāṁ tat-tac-chāstra-mātra-dṛṣṭyā pravartamānānāṁ,
kā stry-aṅga te [bhā.pu. 10.29.40]
ity ādau hy ārya-carita-śabdasya śāstrīya-mārgatvam eva vivakṣitam ||12-13||
This is the most important part:
“When a devotee’s rati, like a clear crystal, becomes similar in form to that of the
devotee to whom he is attached, it is called svaccha-rati .”
The gist of Sri Jiva Gosvami’s Commentary is as follows:

This verse shows how devotee association acts as the seed of rati .
Through association with various types of devotees, various types of sadhana
which are like watering the seed will be performed.
He mentions a verse from Srimad Bhagavatam (10.51.53):

sat-sańgamo yarhi tadaiva sad-gatau
the association of Your devotees.
And when he associates with them, there awakens in him devotion unto You,
who are the goal of the devotees and the Lord of all causes and their effects”.
There is certainly no lack of content in recommendations regarding befitting
association for the sadhaka in the scriptures.
The basic principle is found in the Bhagavad Gita (2.62):
“From association desires are born.” The following verse of Hari-bhakti-
sudhodaya is often quoted to demonstrate how one adopts qualities in
accordance with his association, just like a gem, when placed before various
objects, will reflect various kinds of light:
“With whomever a person associates, he adopts his qualities, just like a gem.
Therefore thoughtful persons who desire abundance for their dynasty should seek
refuge among those who are akin to oneself.”Someone may object that this is not
applicable when considering the attainment of a certain spiritual mood of service.
However, both Sri Rupa Gosvamin and Sri Jiva Gosvamin quote the
aforementioned verse in the context of recommending association with saints
who desire to attain a goal which is in accordance with one’s own desires.The
influence of association on one’s experience of sthayi-bhava (foundational
emotion) cannot be denied.In his analysis of sthayi-bhava (Bhakti Rasamrita
Sindhu, 2.5), Sri Rupa Gosvamin divides rati into two categories, suddha
(unmixed) and one among the twelve particular forms of rati.
Sri Visvanatha presents an overview of the thesis in his Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu
Bindu (17):
“[Sthayibhava is divided into] samanya-rupa (generic), svaccha-rupa
(transparent) and the five varieties beginning with santa. The neutral bhajana of a
general person who has never attained the association of even a single devotee
firmly situated in a certain rasa can mature into samanya-rati. Such sthayi-bhava
is known to be of a generic form. If one has routinely associated with five kinds
of devotees situated in santa-rasa etc., when his bhajana matures, five kinds of
rati may be manifest in him in accordance with his ongoing association at
different times, sometimes santi, sometimes dasya, sometimes sakhya, sometimes
vatsalya and sometimes kanta-bhava. Not being fixed in any one of them is a rati
known as svaccha-rupa (of transparent nature).”In accordance with what is
thought of at the time of sadhana, a particular eternal and ever-existing siddha-
deha is attained. According to Sri Narottama Das Thakura (Prema-bhakti-
candrika 55): “Whatever I think of at the time of sadhana, that I will attain
in siddha-deha. This is the method on the path of raga.”
Sadhaka:
So, when I reach perfection in my bhakti, Krishna will “reward” me with such a
marvellous gift?
Gurudeva:
Yes. We can clearly see that this form is “already” there and Krishna “assigns”
(KRIYATE) such a form to the jiva who reached perfection.
Like already mentioned before, the eternal spiritual form can never be “in a seed-
like”state. It cannot “grow”. It is eternally there.
Like I said, no sastra has used the seed-analogy in reference to the svarupa of the
jiva and the eternal spiritual form.
Also, if the spiritual form would be eternally inherent in our svarupa as a jiva,
what happens to those jivas who attain brahma-sayujya mukta?
If the svarupa is ever present in the soul but concealed by ignorance, then what
happens to those who attain Brahma-sayujya mukti?
Their ignorance is removed, otherwise it cannot be called mukti. Then a Brahma-
sayujya mukta should also have a spiritual form.
But if they have spiritual form it cannot be called Brahma-sayujya.
It is written in the CC 1.4.64 that Krishna’s mother, father, place, house, bed,
seat and the rest are transformations of sandhini-sakti, and indeed everything in
the abodes of Vaikuntha and so forth consist of antaranga-sakti (CC 1.2.101), of
which sandhini is a portion. More is to be known of the svarupa of the Vraja-
devis.
Sri Krishna Das Kaviraja explains (CC 1.4.79) the diverse manifestations of Sri
Radha: “The multitude of Vraja-gopis have various natures (svabhava). They are
the forms of Her bodily expansions (kaya-vyuha-rupa) and Her instruments for
creating rasa.”
It would be incorrect to state that each and every jiva who attains madhurya-
rasa has been a bodily expansion of Sri Radha since time immemorial,
as tatastha-sakti is clearly a different category of manifestations from
the antaranga-sakti.
The natural conclusion is that at the time of perfection, the mukta-jiva unites with
a particular parsada-deha (associate-body),
a manifestation of the Lord’s antaranga-sakti in the spiritual world, especially
reserved for him.
This particular form of antaranga-sakti, existing eternally in the spiritual world,
is known as the specific nitya-siddha manifestation,
which descends into the heart of the sadhaka who has become purified through
the process of sadhana.
The original qualities of sat, cit and ananda which are present in this siddha-
body are also experienced in accordance with the siddha-avesa (absorption in the
perfected form one aspires to attain) of the sadhaka prior to siddhi.
The potential for experiencing sat, cit and ananda under the shelter of
the antaranga-sakti is certainly present in the baddha-jiva,
but one who wishes to argue that sat-cit-ananda and siddha-deha themselves are
eternally present in the jiva in a seed-like form should offer proper scriptural
support for his view.
Sadhaka:
So this means that every jiva has the possibility to attain any of the 5
relationships with Krishna through bhakti?
Gurudeva:
Theoretically, yes. But actually, bhakti is very rarely given. In the Srimad
Bhagavatam we find this verse:
muktānām api siddhānām nārāyaṇa parāyana sudurlabhaḥ praśāntātma koṭiṣvapi
mahāmune
‘Among millions of liberated souls, a devotee of Nārāyan is very rare.’
Sadhaka:
But we are raganuga-bhaktas and we don´t worship Laksmi-Narayana…
Gurudeva:
You see?
A Krishna-devotee is even rarer to be found…
What to speak of a devotee who wants to follow the eternal inhabitants of
Vrindavana to attain the same love they have for Sri Krishna?
But basically, in theory, yes, every jiva can attain one of these 5 RASAS.
All depends on the mercy of Krishna and of Bhakti-devi and on the association
we choose to practice bhakti…
We know that actually bhakti originates in Srimati Radhika. So in this Kali-Yuga
right now, we have the incredible fortune to attain the highest rasa possible for
the jiva.
By Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu´s mercy, we can all become maidservants of

Srimati Radhika.
This is what Mahaprabhu came to give to us fallen jivas.
anarpita-carim cirat
karunayavatirnah kalau
harih purata-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandipitah sada
hridaya-kandare sphuratu vah saci-nandanah
Resplendent with the radiance of molten gold, He has appeared in the Age
of Kali by His causeless mercy to bestow what no incarnation has ever offered
before:
the most sublime and radiant mellow of devotional service, the mellow of
conjugal love.
Sadhaka:
This seems to be a very high thing to be attained…conjugal love…am I qualified
for such a devotion?
Gurudeva:
Srila Rupa Goswami closes his chapter on raganuga-bhakti in his BRS with these
words:
krsna-tad-bhakta-karunya-matra-labhaika-hetuka \
|| BRS 1.2.309 ||
“The mercy of Krsna and His devotees is the only cause of attaining
raganuga-bhakti . Some call this type of devotion pusti-marga.”
There is only one price to pay for this kind of devotion: greed, eagerness…lobha
in sanskrit.
When we hear about the pastimes of Radha and Krishna in Vrindavana, this
greed will awaken in our hearts.
For this, we need always be in the shelter of Sri Gurudeva and the Vaishnavas.
We are very very fortunate.
Therefore it is also very important to always be in sajati-sanga (like-minded
association). Try to avoid being with people who are not like-minded.
Nowadays, Kali Yuga is very powerful and it is very hard to find like-minded
devotees who share the same goal.
Everyone wants to claim the ABSOLUTE TRUTH. Don´t engage in these
discussions. It will only lead to aparadhas, offences.
Try to avoid all activities which present an obstacle to your bhakti. I know that
you like to discuss and debate, but more often it is controlled by your false ego.
Go deep into your bhajan. All realization will come. I told you now what my
Gurudeva told me and what his Gurudeva told him.
Don´t try to impose anything to anyone. If someone asks you a question, if
someone wants to know something and is interested,
always be careful of your own motivation and of the attitude of the person
approaching you. It is better to be quiet than to disturb the faith of another
person.
Sadhaka:
Thank you, dear Gurudeva for these clear words. I will embed them fully in my
heart. Radhe Radhe!
Gurudeva: Always know that I am with you. We are NEVER separated. You are
never alone. My blessings to you.
____________________________________
This is a fictional discussion. I just wanted to say that I incorporated, sometimes

even verbatim,
the wonderful teachings about “jiva-tattva” which I read and heard from my dear
friend Advaita das, from the very learned scholar,
Sripad Satya Narayana das Babaji, my former godbrother Madhavananda das and
most of all from my beloved Gurudeva, Srila Ananta das Babaji.
Without their words, this would not have been possible to write. My heart goes
out to these wonderful souls.
Advaita dasa´s blog

Satya Narayan Das Babaji´s blog
Bhakti comes from bhakti or how bhakti
ENTERS into our hearts
DECEMBER 11, 2017 / TARUN GOVINDA DAS
The crystal clear conclusion from this video is that bhakti starts with the
receiving of the bhakti lata bija [and bhakti is not already “there” in the heart”].
The situation
tad evam ananta eva jīvākhya taṭasthaḥ śaktayaḥ. tatra tāsāṁ varga dvayaṁ. eko
vargaḥ anādita eva bhagavad unmukhaḥ anyas tu anādita eva bhagavat
parāṅmukhaḥ svabhāvataḥ tadīya jñāna bhāvāt tadīya jñānābhāvāc ca
“There are innumerable spirit souls and they are the marginal potency of God.
There are two classes of them: one class is favorable to God from beginningless
time, and the other class is turned away from God from beginningless time. The
first class is naturally full of knowledge and the other is without knowledge.”
[Śrī Jīva Gosvāmī, Paramatma Sandarbha (44)
free of any material misery. In other words, it has the potential (svarupa yogyata)
to get knowledge and bliss but not yet the functionality (phalopadhayi yogyata).
[check Paramatma Sandarbha and Tattva Sandarbha for more references]
Like a lightbulb has the capacity to spread light, but someone has to give the
lightbulb electricity to function properly. In the same way, bhakti is not
ALREADY “there” in the heart of the jiva. Bhakti is GIVEN and the heart then is
made a suitable place for bhakti to descend and develop into bhava-bhakti and
finally prema-bhakti.
Guru and Krsna give the seed of devotion
brahmāṇḍa bhramite kona bhāgyavān jīva guru-kṛṣṇa-prasāde pāya bhakti-latā-
bīja – Caitanya caritamrta, Madhya 19.151
brahmāṇḍa bhramite—wandering in this universe; kona—some; bhāgyavān—

most fortunate;jīva—living being; guru—of the spiritual master; kṛṣṇa—of
Kṛṣṇa; prasāde—by the mercy; pāya—gets; bhakti-latā—of the creeper of
devotional service; bīja—the seed.
Translation: “Wandering throughout the Universe, some (kona) fortunate
(bhagyavan) jivas by the mercy of Guru and Krishna receive (pāya) the seed of
the devotional plant/creeper (bhakti lata bija).”
Comment: If the seed were already present within the jiva, there would be no
need to receive it.
Jīvera ‘svarupa’ haya-kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’ verse

jīvera ‘svarupa’ haya-kṛṣṇera ‘nitya-dāsa’
kṛṣṇera ‘taṭasthā-śakti’ ‘bhedābheda-prakāśa’
– Caitanya Caritamrta Madhya 20.108
Translation of A.C Bhaktivedanta Swami

“It is the living entity’s constitutional position to be an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa
because he is the marginal energy of Kṛṣṇa and a manifestation simultaneously
one with and different from the Lord”.
This verse is also often cited to show that the jiva has an inherent rasa or inherent
siddha deha (spiritual body suitable for lila). Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami has
perfectly translated this verse and indeed shown the the jiva’s constitutional
position (nature/svarupa) is that of being an eternal servant (nitya dasa). Why is
this? The next line answers, kṛṣṇera ‘taṭasthā-śakti’ ‘bhedābheda-prakāśa’ ,
because the jiva is part of Krsna, being known as Krsna’s tatastha sakti
(intermediary potency).
Krsna is the possessor of various saktis (saktimana) and the jiva (tatastha sakti) is
possessed by Him. This is why the pure nature (svarupa) of the jiva is to be
known as a servant of Krsna. The parts are meant to serve the whole. That is the
real condition of the jiva.
Baladeva Vidyabhusana in his Prameya Ratnavali also confirms this. In the fifth
prameya (pañcama-prameyam) he wishes to establish that all living beings are
servants of Hari.
Translation: “And in the definition of the jiva in the Padma Purana: “The servant
of Hari alone, not ever of any other.”
pañcama-prameyam
Translation: “Thus ends the Fifth Truth entitled: The Living Beings are Servants
of Hari”.
Sri Vyasatirtha of the Dvaita Sampradaya says: जीवगणा हरे रनच ु रााः (jīvagaṇāḥ
hareranucarāḥ) – the soul-classes are servants of Hari. – Vyasatirtha’s Prameya
sloka.
Sri Madhvacarya says that there are two primary tattvas or categories of reality:
(1) Svatantra (Independent reality), which is Bhagavan Visnu alone. (2)
Paratantra (dependent reality), which is the inert universe (jada) and jivas.
Therefore the jiva’s are of the nature of hari dasatva – servanthood of Hari.
“In Anuccheda 19 of Paramatma Sandarbha the jiva is described as anu (atomic).

Anu in Indian Philosophy is the smallest particle which is both formless and
indivisible. Anu has no parts and thus it is indivisible. The word svarupa in
sanskrit can mean one’s own form (sva-rupa), or nature. The first meaning is not
applicable because atma is anu. That is why Krsna says in the Gita that atma is
avyakta and acintya. Therefore svarupa means nature” – Satyanarayana dasa
Babaji
Otherwise if we continue taking the meaning of svarupa in all cases as form

(physical or spiritual), then when Acarya Baladeva says that all the jivas are
svarupa-sāmya in Govinda Bhasya 2.3.49, are we to conclude that all the jivas
have the form of a Gopi for example? Or that all the jivas have the same inherent
inclination for madhurya rasa to give another example? This faulty rigid
definition of svarupa will make the explanations of our sastra absurd. This is
indeed why Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami himself even translates svarupa as
“constitutional position” as shown above, instead of form as do many others,
both Vaisnava and non-Vaisnava.
The nitya siddha krsna prema – verse

This famous verse does not say that prema [or bhakti] is “eternally established in
the hearts of the living entities.”
Nor does it say “It is not something to be gained from another source.”
It merely says that Krishna Prema is eternally perfect (nitya-siddha) and it arises
(udaya) in the heart/consciousness (śuddha-citte) which has been purified by
śravaṇādi (hearing etc) or that prema comes from the nitya-siddha devotees.
Sadhya kabhu naya, means that bhakti is self-manifest and independent.
It is not under the control of anything else, nor is it created or caused by anything
else, be it karma, good fortune or any other particular act as Bhakti would then
become subservient to that particular thing.
There is no equation where one performs X to achieve the result Y. Nor is it
actually generated by sadhana.
Visvanatha Cakravarti explains this independent and causeless nature of Bhakti

Devi at length in the beginning of Madhurya Kadambini.
Translation and meaning given by Srila Narayana Maharaja (Bhakti-Rasamrita-

Sindhu-Bindhu) and all other traditional Gaudiya Vaisnavas:
“Krsna prema is eternally perfect (nitya-siddha kṛṣṇa-prema) and it can not be

udaya)”
Again, the understanding is that prema bhakti (sadhya – that which is to be

attained) is not created by sadhana bhakti. Prema bhakti is not like that, it is
eternally perfect and is the nature of the svarupa sakti which comes into the heart
of the sadhaka. If it were dormant, we would find use of the word jagrita
(awaken) and not arise (udaya) in the sloka. Or the sastra could use the terms
supta/nidrita prema (sleeping prema) to indicate the stage before it awakes.
Rather there is no such explanation because prema arises in the heart, just like the
moon in the night sky.
This verse relates to a verse in Bhakti rasamrta sindhu Krsnadasa Kaviraja

Goswami in his Caitanya Caritamrta usually cites a Sanskrit verse and then
composes a Bengali verse translation of it. This “nitya siddha krsna prema” verse
is no different.
In this chapter, just 2 verses prior, he has quoted Rupa Goswami’s original
Sanskrit verse from Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu.
tatra sādhana-bhaktiḥ –
“Now sadhana bhakti will be defined”:

– BRS 1.2.2
“Devotion which is enacted through the senses and which leads to the self-
manifestation of bhāva-bhakti, is called sādhana-bhakti. The self-manifestation
within the heart [of the practitioner] of the eternally existing transcendental affect
of devotion (bhāva) is known as the completion stage of devotion.” (Bhakti
Rasamrita Sindhu 1.2.2)

āśaṅkyāha—nityeti | bhagavac-chakti-viśeṣa-vṛtti-viśeṣatvenāgre
because its appearance [and not its creation] will be accomplished in the
future by the special actions of the most excellent transformations [samvit
and hladini aspects] of Bhagavan’s svarupa sakti [which are perfect and
eternal].
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura’s tika:
Bhakti sara pradarsini commentary: tena dharmārthādi-puruṣārthāntara-sādhaka-

bhaktiś ca parākṛtā, uttamāyā eva upakrāntatvāt | bhāvādīnāṁ sādhyatve
kṛtrimatvāt parama-puruṣārthatvābhāvaḥ syād ity āśaṅkyāha—nityeti |
bhāvasyety upalakṣaṇaṁ śravana-kīrtanādayo’pi grāhyāḥ | teṣām api karṇa-
jihvādau prākaṭya-mātram, yathā śrī-kṛṣṇo vasudeva-gṛhe’vatatāra | bhaktīnāṁ
bhagavac-chakti-vṛtti-viśeṣatvenāgre sādhayiṣyamāṇatvād iti bhāvaḥ
“This may give rise to the fear that, though bhava bhakti has been mentioned as
supreme, it may not actually be the supreme goal of human endeavour, because it
is created by sadhana or achieved [i.e. it is not eternal]. The answer is given in
the second line. This bhava is eternal, and merely appears within the heart of the
devotee. Bhava also includes hearing, chanting and other actions [not just
emotions]. These actions of bhava [limbs of bhakti] also appear on the tongue or
in the ear, but are not created, just as Krsna appears in the house of
Vasudeva. The emotions and actions of bhava are all eternal and spiritual
and not material because their appearance in the future will be
accomplished by the extraordinary actions of the most excellent
transformations [samvit and hladini] of Bhagavan’s svarupa sakti.”
Mukunda dasa Goswami’s Artha-ratnalpa-dipika commentary:
This 3rd popular commentator and disciple of Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami

states that the term “nitya-siddhasya bhavasya” in the BRS 1.2.2 sloka here
means the bhava of the nitya siddha associates of Bhagavan.
Satyanarayana dasa Babaji (disciple of Sri Haridas Sastriji Maharaja) from

Gadadhara parivara confirms this and says in this regard:
“Mukunda Das Gosvāmī clearly writes that nitya-siddha bhāva here refers to the
bhāva of nitya-siddha bhaktas”.

Visvanatha Cakravarti further confirms, “That is because by the association of
devotees, the sprout of bhakti, which is very rare, appears.” – BRS 1.2.228.
CONCLUSION:
So we can see here that this nitya siddha prema is that which belongs to
Bhagavan’s associates and not that which lies dormant in the hearts of
conditioned jivas.
This prema then enters (arises) in our hearts just as Krsna appeared in the prison
where Vasudeva and Devaki were being held as per Visvanath Cakravarti’s tika.
It was never there, nor was it created. It is simply the eternally perfect bhava of
Bhagavan’s associates that enters the heart of fortunate jivas.
Why the heart?

The heart is the most appropriate place or receptacle for the manifestation of
bhakti. Śabdasāra says, yato-nirjyāti viṣayo yasminścaiva pralīyate hṛdayaṁ tad-
vijānīyāt-manasa sthitikāraṇam: “The heart is the place where all desires appear
and all desires merge. The heart is the cause of the mind’s disposition.” Another
name for the heart is citta. Though it is material in its nature, by the will of the
Lord, it becomes worthy for the manifestation of transcendental pure devotion. It
is thus compared to a fertile field for sprouting the grains of bhakti. As a desert or
barren land full of stones is not suitable for cultivation, so the intellect, very
rough due to mental speculations, is not at all suitable for the manifestation of
bhakti. Through intelligence one can attain material knowledge, but spiritual
knowledge needs to be approached through the heart. An unintelligent boy may
have deep faith in bhakti due to his previous birth’s saṁskāra (impression of
previous activities on the mind), while a very intelligent person may be an
atheist. So the heart is most receptive for the manifestation of bhakti, not the
mind or intellect. Gradually the mind and intellect of the devotee are
spiritualised, as a piece of iron is turned into gold by the touch of a touchstone.
Bhakti is the cause of bhakti
As the Lord is under the control of His devotees, His mercy follows that of a
devotee. By carefully considering this point, one can understand that bhakti
residing in the heart of a devotee, causing him to bestow mercy to others, is the
cause of the appearance of bhakti in them. The conclusion is, therefore, that
bhakti is the cause of bhakti. Bhakti does not depend on any other cause for its
appearance. In this way no doubt exists about the completely independent and
self-manifesting nature of bhakti.
[For further information, please check my Gurudeva´s “Madhurya Kadambini]
The ultimate bestowal

The siddha deha is an expansion of the Supreme Lord. It is a manifestation of His
inner potency or svarupa sakti and it is BESTOWED by Sri Krishna.
bhakti-yoga.
Much praised Lord! By your mercy, you bestow to them spiritual bodies
appropriate to the mood they cultivate during sādhana.”
“Or your devotees doing sādhana concentrate on their spiritual form according
to their mood of love using their minds, and you have them attain (praṇayase)
their spiritual bodies. You become dependent on your devotee.”
Jay Sri Radhe
– Tarun

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The unprecedented gift of Śrīman

1) Our constitutional position/ our essential nature

” There are different types of devotees—those in śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, sakhya-

Śrīman Mahāprabhu´s lila is called AUDARYA, magnanimous. He distributed

Srila Ananta das Babaji:

“Every individual soul is qualified to become Rādhikā’s maidservant; this is the

According to the “everything-is-inherent-and-prefixed” – vada (theory), only a

Now, where is the MERCY in that?????

Was Sriman Mahaprabhu an elitist?

No. Like mentioned above, He distributed this unnatojjva-rasam-sva-bhakti-

ataeva gopī-bhāva kari aṅgīkāra

There are different types of devotees—those in śānta-rasa, dāsya-rasa, sakhya-

sevā sādhaka-rūpeṇa siddha-rūpeṇa cātra hi |

Srila Rupa Goswami didn´t write:

He could have just written one verse:

1) Our constitutional position/ our essential nature

Svarupa does not necessarily mean FORM.

Srila Jiva Goswami writes in his Paramatma Sandarbha:

jñānāśrayo jñāna-guṇaś cetanaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ |

Baladeva Vidyabhusana in his Prameya Ratnavali also confirms the

In the fifth prameya (pañcama-prameyam) of his “Prameya Ratnavali”, he wishes

2) Our chosen path

vaidhi raganuga ceti sa dvidha sadhanabhidha ||

sakala jagate more kare vidhi-bhakti |

krishneti – matra padasya vidhi marge kutracit karmadi samarpanam api

tat tad bhavadi madhurye srute dhir yad apekshate |

4) How is our attraction for a certain kind of love determined?

In raganuga-bhakti, we can develop four kinds of loving relationships:

seva sadhaka rupena siddha rupena catra hi |

As Rupanuga Gaudiya Vaishnavas, externally, we follow Srila Rupa Goswami

guru-padasrayas tasmat krishna-dikshadi-sikshanam |

vaiśiṣṭyaṁ pātra-vaiśiṣṭyād ratir eṣopagacchati |

Here we find the connection to BRS 2.5.13:

These are the recent entries into the dictionary:

वैशिष्ट्य vaiziSTya n. peculiarity

Sometimes BRS 2 .5.7 is translated as follows:

1. the sadhaka´s greed for a specific love/rati is determined by previous

nanv atra vivekta katamah syat—nirvasanah, eka-vasanah, bahu-vasano va ?

Since Srila Vishvanatha Cakravartipad mentions previous lives or this life, it is

prāktany ādhunikī cāsti yasya sad-bhakti-vāsanā |

yadyapi rater astitvenādhunikī vāsanāsty eva | tathāpi rasatāpattau prāktanī

yadyapi rater astitvenādhunikī vāsanāsty eva tathāpi spaṣṭatārtham uktam |

So, the seed of RATI (attraction) is sown by sadhu-sanga.

Srila Sanatana Goswami in his Brihad Bhagavatamritam confirms this.

vicitra-līlā-vibhavasya tasya samudra-koṭī-gahanāśayasya vicitra-tat-tad-ruci-

“Who is capable of conjecturing His opulence of the pastime of giving various

Commentary by Srila Sanatana Goswami:

“A doubt is raised: Hṛṣikeśa is the prompter of the potencies of cognition and

He does this via the gateway of the mercy of His devotees.

Again, Srila Jiva Goswami:

It is all happening by mercy and mercy alone.

5) From primary attraction to eternal love

Uttama-bhakti has been described in a general way. When bhakti is cultivated

When bhakti is accomplished by actions of the senses, it is called sadhana-bhakti.

Jay Sri Radhe

Commenting on this verse, both Visvanatha Cakravarti Ṭhakura and Baladeva

In Srila Jiva Goswami´s “Bhakti Sandarbha”, Anuccheda 112, we find more

Bhakti continues even at the stage of liberation

Now perfection in bhakti, attaining svarupa siddhi, means becoming situated in

Baladeva Vidyabhusana Prabhu’s own commentaries in his Govinda Bhasya

Vedanta Sutra 4.4.12

anarpita-carim cirat karunayavatirnah kalau

First of all, the title is quite misleading and almost “wrong-ish”.