प्राग्यद्यपि प्रेमकृतां प्रियाणां
विच्छेददावानलवेगतोऽन्तः ।
सन्तापजातेन दुरन्तशोका-
वेशेन गाढं भवतीव दुःखम् ॥
तथापि सम्भोगसुखादपि स्तुतः
स कोऽप्यनिर्वाच्यतमो मनोरमः ।
प्रमोदराशिः परिणामतो ध्रुवं
तत्र स्फुरेत्तद्रसिकैकवेद्यः ॥
तच्छोकदुःखोपरमस्य पश्चा-
च्चित्तं यतः पूर्णतया प्रसन्नम् ।
सम्प्राप्तसम्भोगमहासुखेन
सम्पन्नवत्तिष्ठति सर्वदैव ॥
prāg yady api prema-kṛtāṁ priyāṇāṁ
viccheda-dāvānala-vegato’ntaḥ |
santāpa-jātena duranta-śokā-
veśena gāḍhaṁ bhavatīva duḥkham ||
tathāpi sambhoga-sukhād api stutaḥ
sa ko’py anirvācyatamo mano-ramaḥ |
pramoda-rāśiḥ pariṇāmato dhruvaṁ
tatra sphuret tad-rasikaika-vedyaḥ ||
tac-choka-duḥkhoparamasya paścāc
cittaṁ yataḥ pūrṇatayā prasannam |
samprāpta-sambhoga-mahāsukhena
sampannavat tiṣṭhati sarvadaiva ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.7.125–127)
“[Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Śrī Nārada:]
Although at first intense suffering—
Arising from absorption in endless grief
Produced by anguish within
As a result of an onslaught, created by prema,
Of the forest fire of separation
From those who are dear—
As though occurs,
Still in that ultimately
Some most ineffable and heart-satisfying
Abundance of delight,
Praised even more so than the happiness of enjoyment together (sambhoga),
And knowable only by a relisher of rasa,
Shall certainly manifest
Since after the cessation of the grief and suffering of that [i.e., of separation]
The heart becomes indeed ever satisfied
And dwells with completeness
As though endowed with the great happiness
Of fully attained enjoyment together (sambhoga).”
Commentary
nanu bhavad-bhakti-taralitena mayā lajjā na kartavyāstu nāma | mohotpādanena bhavato’tyanta-duḥkhaṁ kṛtaṁ | kuto hitam? tatrāha—prāg iti dvābhyām | priya-janānāṁ vicchedo viraha eva dāvānalaḥ antar-bahiḥ-parama-santāpakatvāt, tasya vegād yo’ntaḥ-santāpaḥ, tasmāj jātena durantasya niḥsīmasya śokasya āveśena praveśena tad-abhibhavena vā yadyapi prāk prathamaṁ gāḍhaṁ duḥkhaṁ bhavati | kiṁ-bhūtāt? premṇā kṛtāt | evaṁ yādṛśaṁ prema, tādṛśam eva viccheda-duḥkham api syāt iti jñeyam | iva iti pariṇāme sukhotpatty-apekṣayābhavan eva paryavasānāt | yad vā duḥkham ity anena sambandhanīyam | tataś ca tenāpi vastuto’ntaḥ-sukham eva | bahir-dīnavad vaikalyādi-darśanāc ca duḥkha-bhānāt duḥkham iva bhavatīty arthaḥ | athavā lokokta-rītyānadhikārtham eva | tathāpi tādṛśa-duḥkhe saty api tatra tasmin duḥkhe pariṇāmataḥ paścāt tat-paripākād vā pramoda-rāśir dhruvaṁ niścitaṁ sphuret | kathaṁ-bhūtam? sambhoge yoga-samaye yat sukhaṁ tasmād api stutaḥ ślāghyaḥ ity arthaḥ tato’py adhikatvāt | kīdṛśaḥ? ity apekṣāyām āha—sa ko’pīti | brahmānando’nirvācyaḥ, tasmād apy ādhikyena bhajanānando’nirvācyataraḥ, tatra ca premānando’nirvācyatamaḥ | tatrāpi virahārti-dvārā jātaḥ san paramāntya-kāṣṭhā-viśeṣa-prāptyā parama-mahānirvācyatama ity arthaḥ | na ca duḥkha-hetukatvād ahṛdya ity āha—mano ramayatīti manorama iti | nanu duḥkhe kathaṁ sukhānubhavaḥ sambhavet? tatrāha—tad-rasikena tādṛśa-prema-lampaṭenaiva ekena vedyaḥ jñātuṁ śakyaḥ | nanu gāḍha-duḥkha-paripākataḥ parama-duḥkha-viśeṣamayo moho mṛtyur vā sambhavet | kathaṁ tasmāt pramoda-rāśiḥ sphurati? iti, tatrāpi tad-anurūpa-kāraṇād eva sukhānantaraṁ duḥkhaṁ duḥkhānantaraṁ sukham iti nyāyenaivāstu, kathaṁ duḥkha-pariṇāmataḥ eva sphuratīti ca pratyetavyam? satyam, svānubhava-prāmāṇyāt tathā tadānīṁ sukha-sphurteḥ kāraṇāntarābhāvāc cety āha—tac-choketi | tayor virahaja-śoka-duḥkhayoḥ, yad vā śokena duḥkhaṁ śoka-duḥkhaṁ, tasya śoka-duḥkhasya uparamaḥ praśāntiḥ, tasya paścād anantaram, yataḥ kāraṇāc cittaṁ teṣām eva viraha-śoka-duḥkhavatāṁ manaḥ sarvadaiva prasannaṁ sat pūrṇatayā nyūnatā-vaiparītyena viśiṣṭaṁ tiṣṭhati | kīdṛśam? samyak prāptaṁ yat sambhoga-mahāsukhaṁ, tena sampannavat | vati-prayogaś ca vastuto viraha-duḥkhajatvena sambhogajatvābhāvāt | ataḥ kāraṇāt tatra pramoda-rāśi-sphūrtiḥ pratyetavyety arthaḥ | ayaṁ bhāvaḥ—priyatama-janena saha krīḍā-viśeṣe vṛtte sati yathā mahāsukhena sampannaṁ manaḥ syāt, tathaiva viraha-śokārty-uparame’pīti citta-prasannatādinā kāryeṇa kāraṇānumānāt pramoda-rāśi-sphūrtir avaśya-mantavyaiva, sukha-viśeṣodayaṁ vinā citta-prasannatādy-asambhavāt | tat-sphurteś ca tadānīṁ kāraṇāntarādarśanāt viraha-duḥkhād evāsāv asphurad iti ca mantavyam eveti |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“[Śrī Nārada inquires:] ‘Well, let shyness indeed not be to be expressed by me by way of trembling out of bhakti for you. [Still,] Severe suffering has been created for you [by me] by causing stupor (moha) [in you]. [So,] How has good occurred [i.e., so what good have I done for you at all in this situation]?’ To this, he speaks with two [verses]: prāg … [i.e., Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa answers Śrī Nārada’s query in BB 1.7.125–126]. Separation (viccheda) from dear persons (priyāṇām) is verily a forest fire (dāvānala) because of [its] being a cause of intense anguish [lit., heat] internally and externally. Although at first (prāk) intense (gāḍham) suffering (duḥkha) arising from absorption (āveśena), that is, from entering or being overpowered by, endless (duranta) grief (śoka) produced (jātena) by inner (antaḥ) anguish (santāpa) as a result of the onslaught (vegataḥ) of that [i.e., of the forest fire of separation from dear ones] occurs … [is the general sense of BB 1.7.125]. Of what nature [is that onslaught]? ‘Created by prema’ (prema-kṛtāt). Thus, it is to be understood that suffering because of separation shall also occur specifically as per the nature of [the] prema [that causes it, i.e., the greater the prema that causes one to feel separation from the object of prema, the greater the suffering one will feel in separation from the object of prema]. [The mention of] ‘As though’ (iva) is because of the conclusion that it [viz., suffering] did not really occur, on account of the production of happiness in the end [i.e., intense suffering is said in BB 1.7.125 to ‘as though’ occur because those who undergo this apparent suffering ultimately experience happiness because of it]. Alternately, it [i.e., the word iva] is to be connected with this [word] ‘suffering’ (duḥkham). Thus, furthermore, even with that [i.e., even in the presence of such apparent suffering] there is actually only inner happiness. Because of observation of [a person endowed with prema’s] being overwhelmed and so on like an externally distressed person, and because of the appearance of suffering [in such a person endowed with prema], suffering as though occurs [i.e., in reality it does not even though it appears to]. This is the meaning. Alternately, in accord with usage spoken in society, the sense simply is non-excessive [i.e., alternately, ‘intense suffering as though occurs’ is said simply to convey that suffering does not occur to an excessive degree].
“Still (tathāpi), meaning, although such suffering occurs, in that (tatra)—in that suffering—ultimately (pariṇāmataḥ), meaning, after [that] or as a result of that, an abundance (rāśiḥ) of delight shall (pramoda) certainly (dhruvam) manifest (sphuret). Of what nature [is that abundance of delight]? ‘Praised’ (stutaḥ) even more so than the happiness [that occurs] in enjoyment together (sambhoga), that is, at the time of union [with the object of prema], because of [that abundance of delight’s] being greater than even that [i.e., greater than the happiness experienced in enjoyment together (sambhoga) with the object of prema]. In expectation of [the question], ‘Of what quality [is that abundance of delight]?’ he says sa ko’pi … [i.e., he describes that abundance of delight as ‘that, some …,’ which is explained as follows]. The bliss of Brahman is ineffable, the bliss of worship [of Śrī Bhagavān] is more ineffable because of exceeding even that [i.e., the bliss of Brahman], and therein the bliss of prema is most ineffable. Even therein [however], being produced by means of the distress of separation, [that abundance of delight] is superlatively the most supremely ineffable because of [its] reaching a special topmost apogee. This is the meaning [i.e., the bliss experienced in separation from Śrī Bhagavān is the most ineffable of all and the most intense of all types of bliss]. And it is not unfit for the heart because of being a cause of suffering [i.e., one may consider that even if the abundance of delight that arises from separation produces the most intense, ineffable bliss, if it also produces extremely severe suffering, then it may ultimately be too hard on the heart and thus not truly desirable or relishable]. Thus [i.e., to allay such a concern], he says it is ‘heart-satisfying’ (manoramaḥ), that is, it satisfies the heart.
“[Another question is raised:] ‘Well, how in the midst of suffering is the experience of happiness possible?’ To this, he says [that this abundance of delight that shall manifest in the midst of suffering is] ‘knowable’ (vedyaḥ), that is, able to be known, only by a relisher of the rasa thereof (tad-rasika), that is, [only by] one who is deeply desirous of such prema [i.e., only those who deeply desire the prema found in the people of Vraja that is so intense that it gives rise to an acute sense of suffering in separation from the object of prema can understand the abundance of delight that is also felt in the midst of and because of that suffering caused by separation].
“[Another query is raised:] ‘Well, as a result of the intense suffering [felt in separation], stupor filled with a special form of acute suffering or death shall occur. How from that [i.e., from such intense suffering] does an abundance of delight manifest? Also, in that case, let it be just as per the maxim, ‘Suffering occurs after happiness, and happiness occurs after suffering’ because of a suitable reason for that [i.e., it is reasonable to say that happiness occurs after intense suffering, since this is well known from the aforecited maxim, but it does not seem reasonable to say that happiness occurs because of intense suffering]. [So,] How is it to be understood that [an abundance of delight] manifests specifically as a result of suffering?’
“[In response to this query, Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa says] ‘It occurs as per the evidence of one’s own experience [i.e., because one can feel it directly], and because of the absence of another cause of that manifestation (sphūrti) of happiness at that time [i.e., at the time of separation]. Thus, he says tac-choka … [i.e., thus Śrī Kṛṣṇa speaks BB 1.7.127]. Since (yataḥ) after (paścāt) the cessation (uparamaḥ) of that grief and suffering produced by separation, or, [after the cessation] of suffering because of grief [produced by separation], the heart (cittam), that is, the mind specifically of those who are possessed of the grief and suffering of separation, becomes indeed ever satisfied (prasannam) and dwells with completeness (pūrṇatayā), that is, replete with the opposite of deficiency. Of what nature [is that state of the mind]? As though endowed with the great happiness of fully attained enjoyment together (sambhoga). The usage of [the affix] vat [i.e., the mention of ‘as though’], furthermore, is because of the non-occurrence of [that great happiness] being produced by enjoyment together (sambhoga) on account of [its] in actuality being produced by the suffering of separation. For this reason, a manifestation of an abundance of delight therein [i.e., in the midst of separation] is to be understood. This is the meaning. The purport is this: as the mind shall become endowed with great happiness when a special form of play with a dearmost person has occurred, so exactly also at the cessation of the grief and distress of separation [from a dearmost person, the mind shall also become endowed with great happiness]. Thus, in accord with an inference of a cause from the effect of being of satisfied mind and so on, the manifestation of an abundance of delight [arising from the suffering of separation] is indeed necessary to be acknowledged, because of the impossibility of being of satisfied mind and so on [while in separation] without the arising of a special form of happiness [at that time]. Further, on account of the non-observation of another cause of that manifestation [of an abundance of delight] at that time [i.e., during separation], it is indeed also to be acknowledged that this [i.e., the aforesaid abundance of delight] manifested specifically from the suffering of separation.”