आदौ श्रद्धा ततः साधुसङ्गोऽथ भजनक्रिया ।
ततोऽनर्थनिवृत्तिः स्यात्ततो निष्ठा रुचिस्ततः ।
अथासक्तिस्ततो भावस्ततः प्रेमाभ्युदञ्चति ।
साधकानामयं प्रेम्नः प्रादुर्भावे भवेत्क्रमः ॥
ādau śraddhā tataḥ sādhu-saṅgo’tha bhajana-kriyā |
tato’nartha-nivṛttiḥ syāt tato niṣṭhā rucis tataḥ |
athāsaktis tato bhāvas tataḥ premābhyudañcati |
sādhakānām ayaṁ premnaḥ prādurbhāve bhavet kramaḥ ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.4.15–16)
“First śraddhā, then sādhu-saṅga, then bhajana-kriyā, then anartha-nivṛtti, then niṣṭhā, then ruci, then āsakti, then bhāva, and then prema appear. These are the stages in the appearance of prema in a sādhaka.”
Commentary
tatra bahuṣv api krameṣu satsu prāyikam ekaṁ kramam āha ādāv iti dvayena | ādau prathame sādhu-saṅga-śāstra-śravaṇa-dvārā śraddhā tad-artha-viśvāsaḥ | tataḥ prathamānantaraṁ dvitīyaḥ sādhu-saṅgo bhajana-rīti-śikṣā-nibandhanaḥ | niṣṭhā tatrāvikṣepeṇa sātatyam | rucir abhilāṣaḥ, kintu buddhi-pūrvikeyam | āsaktis tu svārasikī |
(Durgama-saṅgamanī-ṭīkā on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.4.15–16)
“Therein, although there are many sequences [of the stages in which prema-bhakti becomes manifest in the citta of a bhakta], he [i.e., the author, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī] describes one common sequence with the two [verses beginning] ādau …. ‘At first’ (ādau) there occurs śraddhā, that is, conviction in the meaning of śāstra [brought about] through hearing śāstra in the association of a sādhu. Then, following the first [stage, viz., śraddhā], a second [type of] association with a sādhu, that is, that the purpose of which is learning the practice of bhajana, occurs. Niṣṭhā is unwavering constancy therein [i.e., in bhajana]. Ruci is desire [for bhajana], but this [desire is] directed by the intellect. Āsakti, however, is natural [i.e., natural desire for bhajana that is not directed by the intellect].”
atra bahuṣv api krameṣu satsu prāyikam ekaṁ kramam āha ādāv iti dvayena | ādau prathame sādhu-saṅge śāstra-śravaṇa-dvārā śraddhā tad-artha-viśvāsaḥ | tataḥ śraddhānantaraṁ dvitīyaḥ sādhu-saṅgo bhajana-rīti-śikṣārtham | niṣṭhā bhajane’vikṣepeṇa sātatyam | rucir abhilāṣaḥ, kintu buddhi-pūrvikeyam, āsaktis tu svārasikī svābhāvikīty arthaḥ | etena niṣṭhāsaktyor bhedo jñeyaḥ |
(Bhakti-sāra-pradarśinī-ṭīkā on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.4.15–16)
“Herein, although there are many sequences [of the stages in which prema-bhakti becomes manifest in the citta of a bhakta], he [i.e., the author, Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī] describes one common sequence with the two [verses beginning] ādau …. ‘At first’ (ādau) there occurs śraddhā, that is, conviction in the meaning of śāstra [brought about] through hearing śāstra in the association of a sādhu. Then, following śraddhā, a second [type of] association with a sādhu for the sake of learning the practice of bhajana occurs. Niṣṭhā is unwavering constancy in bhajana. Ruci is desire [for bhajana], but this [desire is] directed by the intellect. Āsakti, however, is natural [i.e., constancy in bhajana based on natural desire that is not directed by the intellect]. By this, the distinction between niṣṭhā and āsakti is to be understood.”