Bhakti-rasa

ye kṛṣṇa-bhakta-muralī-nādādyā hetavo rateḥ

ye kṛṣṇa-bhakta-muralī-nādādyā hetavo rateḥ |
kārya-bhūtāḥ smitādyāś ca tathāṣṭau stabdhatādayaḥ ||
nirvedādyāḥ sahāyāś ca te jñeyā rasa-bhāvane |
vibhāvā anubhāvāś ca sāttvikā vyabhicāriṇaḥ ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.1.12–13)

“The causes of rati—Kṛṣṇa, the bhakta, the sound of the muralī, and so forth; the effects [of rati]—smiling and so forth, and the eight beginning with stupor; and the assistants [of rati]—self-disparagement and so on—these are to be known [respectively] in the production of rasa as the vibhāvas, anubhāvas, sāttvikas [i.e., sāttvika-bhāvas], and vyabhicāris [i.e., vyabhicāri-bhāvas].”

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vibhāvair anubhāvaiś ca sāttvikair vyabhicāribhiḥ

vibhāvair anubhāvaiś ca sāttvikair vyabhicāribhiḥ |
svādyatvaṁ hṛdi bhaktānām ānītā śravaṇādibhiḥ |
eṣā kṛṣṇa-ratiḥ sthāyī bhāvo bhakti-raso bhavet ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.1.5)

“This rati for Kṛṣṇa, the sthāyi-bhāva, brought into the state of taste-ability in the heart of bhaktas by vibhāvas, anubhāvas, sāttvikas [i.e., sāttvika-bhāvas], and vyabhicāris [i.e., vyabhicāri-bhāvas] through hearing and so forth, shall become bhakti-rasa.”

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mitho harer mṛgākṣyāś ca sambhogasyādi-kāraṇam

mitho harer mṛgākṣyāś ca sambhogasyādi-kāraṇam |
madhurāpara-paryāyā priyatākhyoditā ratiḥ |
asyāṁ kaṭākṣa-bhrū-kṣepa-priya-vāṇī-smitādayaḥ ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.5.36–37)

“The rati [of doe-eyed women, i.e., beautiful young women] that is the primary cause of mutual enjoyment [i.e., of the eight types of enjoyment beginning with mutual remembrance and sight] between Hari and doe-eyed women, wherein side-long glances, arching of the eyebrows, endearing speech, mild smiling, and so forth occur, is called priyatā [i.e., the rati of dearness, on account of it being the rati of priyās, that is, ladyloves—those who regard Hari with amorous dearness] and [is] synonymous with madhurā [i.e., sweetness; it is also known as madhurā-rati].”

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vaṁśī-nyastāsya-candraṁ smita-yutam atulaṁ pīta-vastraṁ vareṇyaṁ

vaṁśī-nyastāsya-candraṁ smita-yutam atulaṁ pīta-vastraṁ vareṇyaṁ
kañjākṣaṁ sarva-dakṣaṁ nava-ghana-sadṛśaṁ barha-cūḍaṁ śaraṇyam |
trai-bhaṅgair bhaṅgimāṅgaṁ vraja-yuvati-yutaṁ dhvasta-keśy-ādi-śūraṁ
vande śrī-nanda-sūnuṁ madhura-rasa-tanuṁ dhurya-mādhurya-pūram ||
(Unknown source)

“A vaṁśī poised before his moon face
[Which is] Replete with an incomparable smile,
His yellow cloth superb,
His eyes like lotuses,
Expert in all respects,
Resembling a fresh cloud,
His chaplet a peacock-plume,
The [supreme] protector,
His figure embowed with three bends
And surrounded by the young women of Vraja,
The hero by whom Keśī and so forth have been vanquished—
I worship the beautiful Son of Nanda,
The embodiment of madhura-rasa,
The reservoir of the foremost mādhurya.”

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na vayaṁ kavayo na tārkikā

na vayaṁ kavayo na tārkikā
na ca vedānta-nitānta-pāragāḥ |
na ca vādi-nivārakāḥ paraṁ
kapaṭābhīra-kiśora-kiṅkarāḥ ||
(Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya; cited in Padyāvalī: 72)

“We are neither poets, nor logicians, nor great adepts in Vedānta, nor refuters of disputants. Rather, we are servants of a crafty cowherd boy.”

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kṛṣṇa-bhakti rasa-svarūpa śrī-bhāgavata

kṛṣṇa-bhakti rasa-svarūpa śrī-bhāgavata |
tāte veda-śāstra haite parama-mahattva ||
ataeva bhāgavata karaha vicāra |
ihā haite pābe sūtra-śrutira artha sāra ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.25.150, 153)

“Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is a manifestation of Kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa and, therefore, is of greatness superior to [even] the Veda-śāstra. Therefore, engage in deliberation upon Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. From this you will find the essence of the meaning of the sūtra [i.e., Vedānta-sūtra] and the Śrutis [i.e., the Vedas].”

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mūrtimanta bhāgavata—bhakti-rasa mātra

mūrtimanta bhāgavata—bhakti-rasa mātra |
ihā bujhe—ye haya kṛṣṇera kṛpā-pātra ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata: 3.3.529)

“Śrīmad Bhāgavatam is simply manifest bhakti-rasa. One who is a recipient of Kṛṣṇa’s grace understands this.”

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mārabi rākhabi yo iccha tohārā

mārabi rākhabi yo iccha tohārā |
nitya-dāse prati tuyā adhikārā ||
(Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura’s Śaraṇāgati: 11.3)

“You may kill me or protect me as you wish. You have [full] authority over your eternal servant.”

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vairāgya-yug-bhakti-rasa-prayatnair

vairāgya-yug-bhakti-rasa-prayatnair
apāyayan mām anabhīpsum andham |
kṛpāmbudhir yaḥ para-duḥkha-duḥkhī
sanātanaṁ taṁ prabhum āśrayāmi ||
(Vilāpa-kusumañjali: 6)

“The ocean of grace,
Sorrowful [only] because of others’ sorrow,
Who induced me,
[Although I was] Blind and unwilling,
To drink the rasa of bhakti
Combined with non-attachment (vairāgya)—
I take shelter in him,
My master
Sanātana.”

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bhakti-nirdhūta-doṣāṇāṁ prasannojjvala-cetasām

bhakti-nirdhūta-doṣāṇāṁ prasannojjvala-cetasām |
śrī-bhāgavata-raktānāṁ rasikāsaṅga-raṅgiṇām ||
jīvanī-bhūta-govinda-pāda-bhakti-sukha-śriyām |
premāntaraṅga-bhūtāni kṛtyāny evānutiṣṭhatām ||
bhaktānāṁ hṛdi rājantī saṁskāra-yugalojjvalā |
ratir ānanda-rūpaiva nīyamānā tu rasyatām ||
kṛṣṇādibhir vibhāvādyair gatair anubhavādhvani |
prauḍhānanda-camatkāra-kāṣṭhām āpadyate parām ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.1.7–10)

“In the hearts of bhaktas who have been purified by bhakti of all faults [e.g., attachment, aversion, delusion, etc.], whose hearts are clear [i.e., fit for the manifestation of higher pure existence (śuddha-sattva-viśeṣa)] and bright [i.e., all knowing by virtue of this manifestation], who cherish [tasting] Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, who rejoice in the company relishers of rasa, whose life is the wealth of the bliss of bhakti to the feet of Govinda, and who engage in all of prema’s natural activities—rati, which is bliss itself, appears bright as a result of the two types of saṁskāras [i.e., impressions in the citta made by pure bhakti in one’s previous births and one’s present birth], reaches the state of being relishable [i.e., of being rasa] on the pathway of perception on account of present vibhāvas and so forth [i.e., anubhāvas, sāttvika-bhāvas, vyabhichārī-bhāvas], beginning with Kṛṣṇa, and reaches the highest pinnacle of intense bliss and wonder [i.e., transforms into sneha, māna, praṇaya, anurāga, bhāva, and mahābhāva].”

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