शुद्धसत्त्वविशेषात्मा प्रेमसूर्यांशुसाम्यभाक् ।
रुचिभिश्चित्तमासृण्यकृदसौ भाव उच्यते ॥
śuddha-sattva-viśeṣātmā prema-sūryāṁśu-sāmya-bhāk |
rucibhiś citta-māsṛṇya-kṛd asau bhāva ucyate ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.3.1)
“That [i.e., that aspect of uttamā-bhakti] which is constituted of a special aspect of śuddha-sattva, is a bearer of resemblance to a ray of the sun of prema, and is a melter of the heart with hankerings, is called bhāva [-bhakti].”
Commentary
Śrī Jīva Gosvāmīpāda comments on this verse as follows in his Durgama-saṅgamanī-ṭīkā:
atha tad etad vivicyate | pūrvaṁ tāvad bhakti-sāmānya-lakṣaṇe ceṣṭā-rūpā bhāva-rūpā ceti dvividhā bhaktir darśitā | tatra ceṣṭā-rūpā dvividhā—bhāva-bhakteḥ sādhanā-rūpā kārya-rūpā ca | kārya-rūpā tu rasāvasthāyām anubhāva-rūpā ca | tayoḥ sādhana-rūpā pūrvā darśitā | uttarā rasa-prasaṅge darśayiṣyate |
Now, thus, this is examined. Previously and first of all [i.e., in the commentary on BRS 1.1.11], in regard to the general characteristics of bhakti, bhakti was shown to be of two types: ceṣṭā-rūpā [i.e., of the nature of activity] and bhāva-rūpā [i.e., of the nature of a state of mind]. In this regard, ceṣṭā-rūpā [-bhakti] is of two types: the sādhanā-rūpā of bhāva-bhakti [i.e., action causative of bhāva-bhakti—action performed so as to facilitate the manifestation of bhāva-bhakti] and the kārya-rūpā [of bhāva-bhakti, i.e., action in the form of an effect (alt., an expression) of bhāva-bhakti]. Kārya-rūpā, however, in the state of rasa is also anubhāva-rūpā [i.e., it assumes the form of an indication (anubhāva) [of bhāva], that is, kārya-rūpā-ceṣṭā-rūpā-bhakti in the state of rasa, or prema-bhakti, also refers to the effects of tasting rasa, viz. anubhāvas]. Of these two [i.e, sādhanā-rūpā- and kārya-rūpā-ceṣṭā-rūpā-bhakti], sādhanā-rūpā was shown previously [i.e., in BRS 1.2], and the latter [i.e, kārya-rūpā] will be shown in the section on rasa [i.e., in BRS 2.2].
atha bhāva-rūpā ca dvividhā—rasāvasthāyāṁ sthāyi-nāmnī, sañcāri-rūpā ca | tatra ca pūrvā dvividhā—kroḍīkṛta-praṇayādi-prema-nāmnī, raty-apara-paryāya-premāṅkura-rūpā bhāva-nāmnī ca | tad evaṁ saty uttarā sañcāri-rūpāpi rasa-prasaṅge darśayiṣyate |
Now, bhāva-rūpā [-bhakti, i.e., the later of the two fundamental forms of uttama-bhakti, mentioned in the commentary on BRS 1.1.11] is also of two types: that which is known as sthāyi [i.e., sthāyi-rūpā, or sthāyi-bhāva, the permanent bhāva] in the state of rasa, and the sañcāri-rūpā [i.e., bhāva assuming the form of transient emotions in the state of rasa]. In this regard as well, the former [i.e, sthāyi-rūpā-bhāva-rūpā-bhakti] is of two types: that which is known as prema and includes praṇāya and so forth, and that which is known as bhāva, is a synonym for rati, and is the sprout form of prema. These [i.e., these two types of the former, that is, sthāyi-rūpā-bhakti] being such, the latter, sañcāri-rūpā, too will be shown in the section on rasa [i.e., in BRS 2.4].
samprati tu, sthāyi-bhāva-sāmānya-rūpaṁ prema-nāmnā praṇayādikam api kroḍīkurvantaṁ raty-apara-paryāya-sthāyi-bhāvāṅkura-rūpaṁ bhāvaṁ lakṣayati—śuddha-sattveti | sā ca mahābhāva-paryanta-tad-ūrdhvāvasthā-vyaktaye bhaviṣyatīty abhipretya cāha—śuddha-sattveti |
At present, however, the author defines bhāva, the sprig form of the sthāyi-bhāva a synonym of which is rati, and includes [in the scope of the definition] the general form of the sthāyī-bhāva [known] by the name of prema along with praṇaya and so forth [i.e., an the other advanced stages of prema]: śuddha-sattva … [i.e., he writes this verse]. Also, intending that it [i.e., bhāva as it is defined in this verse] will be distinguished in [terms of] its higher states up to mahābhāva, the author says śuddha-sattva … [i.e., the author delimits its svarūpa-lakṣaṇa as “a speciality of śuddha-sattva” (śuddha-sattva-viśeṣātmā)].
atra śuddha-sattvaṁ nāma bhagavataḥ sva-prakāśikā svarūpa-śakteḥ saṁvid-ākhyā vṛttiḥ, na tu māyā-vṛtti-viśeṣaḥ | vivṛtaṁ tv etat śrī-bhāgavata-sandarbhasya dvitīya-sandarbhe śrī-vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇyāṁ dvitīyādhyāye ca |
Now, that which is [here] called śuddha-sattva [lit., “pure existence”] is the vṛtti [i.e., the specified function] known as saṁvit [lit., “consciousness”] of the self-illuminating svarūpa-śakti of Bhagavān, and is not, rather, any particular vṛtti of māyā. This has been explained in the second sandarbha of Śrī Bhāgavata Sandarbha [i.e., Bhagavat Sandarbha] and in the second chapter of Śrī Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī.
śuddha-sattva-viśeṣatvaṁ nāma cātra yā svarūpa-śakti-vṛtty-antara-lakṣaṇā—hlādinī sandhinī saṁvit tvayy ekā sarva-saṁśraye, hlāda-tāpa-karī miśrā tvayi no guṇa-varjite, iti viṣṇu-purāṇānusāreṇa hlādinī nāmnī mahā-śaktis tadīya-sāra-vṛtti-samaveta-tat-sārāṁśatvam evety avagantavyam |
Furthermore in this regard, in accord with [this following statement in] Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.2.69), “The one [śakti, i.e., the svarūpa-śakti] consisting of hlādinī, sandhinī, and saṁvit exists only in you [i.e., in Bhagavān], the support of everything; that [śakti] which causes delight, suffering, and a mixture of the two [i.e., the māyā-śakti consisting of the three guṇas] does not exist in you, who are free from the guṇas,” that which is called “a speciality of śuddha-sattva” (śuddha-sattva-viśeṣatva) should be understood to refer exclusively to the essential portion of that [i.e., the saṁvit-vṛtti] combined with the vṛtti that is the essence of the great śakti known as hlādinī, which is a vṛtti of distinct characteristics [i.e. with characteristics distint from the saṁvit-vṛtti] of the svarūpa-śakti [i.e., śuddha-sattva-viśeṣa refers to the combination of the essences of the saṁvit- and hlādinī-vṛttis of the svarūpa-śakti].
tayoḥ samavetayoḥ sāratvaṁ ca tan-nitya-priya-janādhiṣṭhānaka-tadīyānukulyecchāmaya-parama-vṛddhitvam | hlādinī-sāra-samavāyitvaṁ cāsyaiva bhāvasya parama-pariṇāma-rūpa-modanākhye mahābhāve śrīmad-ujjvala-nīlamaṇim adhikṛtya vyaktībhaviṣyati |
The essentiality of the combination of these two [i.e., of the saṁvit- and hlādinī-vṛttis of the svarūpa-śakti], furthermore, refers to the extreme profusion of desire for favorability (ānukūlya) related to him [i.e., Bhagavān] situated in his eternally dear companions. That the inherency of this essence of the hlādinī [-vṛtti present in bhāva as it is being defined in the definition under discussion] furthermore refers [ultimately] to the [state of] mahābhāva known as modana, that is, the ultimate transformation of this very bhāva [i.e., of bhāva-bhakti, syn., rati], will be made clear with reference to Śrīmad Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi (14.176):
rādhikā-yūtha evāsau modano na tu sarvataḥ |
yaḥ śrīmān hlādinī-śakteḥ suvilāsaḥ priyo varaḥ || iti |
“This modana [i.e., the form of mahābhāva known as modana], which is the beautiful, beloved, and most desired, supreme manifestation of the hlādinī-śakti, exists in Rādhikā’s group, and not, rather, everywhere [i.e., and not in others].”
asau-padena cānukūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlana-rūpā sāmānyena lakṣitā bhaktir evākṛṣyata ity arthaḥ | sā tu yadyapi dhātvartha-sāmānya-rūpā vyākhyātā, tathāpy atra ceṣṭā-rūpā na gṛhyate, kintu bhāva-rūpaiva, vidheyasya bhāvasya sākṣān nirdiṣṭatvāt | vakṣyate ca svayam eva bhāva-mātrasya lakṣaṇam—
By the word asau [“that” in BRS 1.3.1], bhakti defined in general in the form of ānukūlenya Kṛṣṇānuśīlana [i.e., as continuous action with favorability related to, or, for the sake of, Kṛṣṇa in BRS 1.1.11] is to be supplied [i.e., is to be understood to be the referent of asau]. This is the meaning. Although, however, that was explained to be of the nature of action (dhātvartha) in general, still here [i.e., in BRS 1.3.1] ceṣṭā-rūpā [-bhakti] is not accepted [i.e., is not the intended meaning], and rather only bhāva-rūpā [-bhakti] is, because of the predicate bhāva being clearly specified [in the verse under discussion, that is, BRS 1.3.1]. The author himself will also state [later in BRS 2.4.251] a definition of bhāva itself:
śarīrendriya-vargasya vikārāṇāṁ vidhāyakāḥ |
bhāvāvirbhāva-janitāś citta-vṛttaya īritāḥ || iti |
“The citta-vṛttis produced by the appearance of bhāvas [i.e., the forty-one bhāvas consisting of the one principal sthāyi-bhāva [in a given individual], the seven secondary sthāyi-bhāvas, and the thirty-three sañcāri-bhāvas] are said to be creators of transformations in the body and senses.”
citta-vṛttayaś cātra prakārāntareṇa cittasya sthitayaḥ | vikāro mānaso bhāvaḥ ity amaraḥ | tathāpi vakṣyamāṇānāṁ vyabhicāriṇām atrāprāptis teṣāṁ yojayiṣyamāṇānāṁ citta-māsṛṇyamāṇānāṁ citta-māsṛṇya-kṛttvābhāvāt premāṅkuratvena viśeṣyatvāc ca |
Furthermore, here [i.e., in BRS 1.3.1], citta-vṛttis refer in a different way to states of the mind. A bhāva is a transformation (vikāra) of the mind [i.e., an emotion] according to Amara [i.e., the Amara-kośa]. Still, the forthcoming vyabhicāris [i.e., the vyabhicāri- or sañcāri-bhāvas] are not alluded to here [i.e., in BRS 1.3.1] because of their not being melters of the heart (citta) of those of melted heart who are to be supplied [i.e., the bhaktas in the stage of bhāva-bhakti to whom BRS 1.3.1 specifically refers are not the bhaktas in the higher stage of prema-bhakti whose hearts melt as they taste the ingredients of rasa, such as vyabhicāri-bhāvas, but rather the bhaktas of melted heart referred to here in BRS 1.3.1 are those whose hearts are melted by desires related to reaching that higher stage of prema-bhakti, as will be further discussed ahead in this commentary], and because of the substantive [in BRS 1.3.1] being the sprout of prema [i.e., because the statement does not refer to one in whom a sthāyi-bhāva is already fully established, but rather to one who is still in the process of reaching the stage where the sthāyi-bhāva fully manifests, that is, the stage known as prema-bhakti].
tataś cāyam arthaḥ—asau sāmānyato lakṣitā yā bhaktiḥ saiva nijāṁśa-viśeṣe bhāva ucyate | sa ca kiṁ-svarūpaḥ? tatrāha—kṛṣṇasya svarūpa-śakti-rūpaḥ śuddha-sattva-viśeṣo yaḥ sa evātmā tan-nitya-priya-janādhiṣṭhānakatayā nitya-siddhaṁ svarūpaṁ yasya saḥ | tathādhiṣṭhānam ātmasātkṛtya tat-tādātmyāpannatvenānukūlya-lakṣaṇa-citta-vṛtti-rūpā ca |
Therefore, the meaning is this: that very bhakti which was defined in general [in BRS 1.1.11] is in regard to a particular aspect of itself called bhāva. And that is of what nature? In this regard, the author says: [śuddha-sattva-viśeṣātmā, meaning,] that the sole constitution (ātmā), meaning, nature (svarūpa), of which is a speciality (viśeṣa) of śuddha-sattva, meaning, a [particular] form of Kṛṣṇa’s svarūpa-śakti, which is eternally existent (nitya-siddha) on account of its being [eternally] situated in his [i.e., Kṛṣṇa’s] eternally beloved companions. So, by taking possession of its substratum and acquiring a sameness of nature with it, it is also [i.e., it also assumes] a form of citta-vṛttis [in that substatrum, i.e., in the mind of a bhakta] characterized by favorability (ānukūlya) [towards Kṛṣṇa].
kiṁ ca, rucibhiḥ prāpty-abhilāṣa-sva-kartṛkānukūlyābhilāṣa-sauhārdābhilāṣaiś cittārdratā-kṛd iti | eṣa ca vakṣyamāṇa-premṇo’ṅkura-rūpa evety āha—premeti |
Furthermore, it is a melter of the heart with hankerings, that is, (1) desire for attainment [of Kṛṣṇa], (2) desire for self-performed favorability (ānukūlya) [i.e., for personally rendering service pleasing to Kṛṣṇa], and (3) desire for affection [i.e., for exchanges of affection with Kṛṣṇa]. This [i.e., bhāva as it is being defined here], furthermore, is a sprout of the forthcoming prema [i.e., the prema which will be defined in BRS 1.4.1]. Thus, the author says prema … [i.e., he describes this stage known as bhāva as prema-sūryāṁśu-sāmya-bhāk: a bearer of likeness to a ray of the sun of prema].
sūryas tv atrācirād udayiṣyamāṇāvastho gṛhyate | tataś ca tad-aṁśu-sāmya-bhāg iti premṇaḥ prathama-cchavi-rūpa ity arthaḥ, “bhāvaḥ sa eva sāndrātmā budhaiḥ premā nigadyate” iti hi vakṣyate |
The sun, here, however, is accepted to be in a state of rising soon. Therefore, furthermore, “a bearer of likeness to a ray thereof” refers to a form of the first light of [that rising sun of] prema [i.e., a light ray after daybreak and prior to sunrise]. This is the meaning, as it will be said [in BRS 1.4.1], “That intense bhāva is called prema by the wise.”
asyāprākṛtatvaṁ tādṛśa-śuddha-sattva-viśeṣa-hlādinī-sāra-rūpatvaṁ ca mokṣa-sukhasyāpi tiraskārakatvāt, śrī-bhagavato’pi prakāśakatvāt, ānanda-karatvāc ca | atra pramāṇasya viśeṣa-jijñāsā cet prīti-sandarbho dṛśyaḥ | tad evaṁ nitya-tat-priya-janānāṁ bhāve lakṣite prapañca-gata-bhaktānām api citta-vṛttiḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-tad-bhakta-kṛpayā tādṛśī bhavatīti tenaiva lakṣitaḥ syād ity alam ativistareṇa |
Its [i.e., this bhāva’s—this sprout of prema’s] being distinct from prakṛti and [its] being a speciality of śuddha-sattva the form of which is the essence of the hlādinī [-śakti], is because of its being a belittler of even the satisfaction of mokṣa, its being an illuminator of even Śrī Bhagavān, and its being a producer of bliss. If one is especially desirious of knowing the pramāṇa [i.e., the śāstric evidence and application of inference (anumāna)] in this regard, Prīti Sandarbha is to be seen. Thus, because the bhāva of dear eternal companions of his [i.e., of Śrī Bhagavān] is seen in this way [i.e, is seen to be constituted of the essence of Bhagavān’s svarūpa-śakti, which is absent in the constitution of the jīva], that the citta-vṛtti of even bhaktas situated in the phenomenal world becomes similar [to those of Bhagavān’s eternal associaties (nitya-parikaras)] by the grace of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and his bhaktas can be seen only because of that [i.e., only because of their grace, meaning, it is only by that bhāva of Bhagavān’s eternal companions itself becoming manifest in the citta of a jīva within the material world that such citta-vṛttis can ever occur in the citta of a jīva in the material world, and thus the grace of Bhagavān and his bhaktas is the one and only means to attain bhāva-bhakti, as was just stated in BRS 1.2.309]. Enough excessive elaboration.
Śrī Viśvanātha Caravartīpāda comments on this verse as follows in his Bhakti-sāra-pradarśinī-ṭīkā:
asau-padenākūlyena kṛṣṇānuśīlana-rūpā sāmānyena lakṣitā bhaktir evākṛṣyate | sā tu yadyapi anuśīlana-padena dhātvartha-sāmānya-rūpā pūrvaṁ vyākhyātā, tathāpy atra ceṣṭā-rūpā na gṛhyate, kintu bhāva-rūpaiva | asau bhāva ucyate ity atra vidheyasya bhāvasya sākṣān-nirdiṣṭatvāt | sa ca bhāvaḥ kiṁ-svarūpaḥ? tatrāha—kṛṣṇasya svarūpa-śakti-rūpa-śuddha-sattva-viśeṣo yaḥ sa evātmā tan-nitya-priya-janādhiṣṭhānakatayā nitya-siddhaṁ svarūpaṁ yasya saḥ | kiṁ ca, rucibhiś cittasya māsṛṇya-kṛd ārdratā-kṛd ity arthaḥ | eṣa ca vakṣyamāṇa-premṇo’ṅkura-rūpa evety āha—premeti | sūryas tv atrācirād udayiṣamāṇāvastho gṛhyate, tataś ca tad-aṁśu-sāmya-bhāg iti premṇaḥ prathama-cchavi-rūpa ity arthaḥ | dṛṣṭānto’yaṁ na sarvāṁśena, tathā cottara-kāle kiraṇasya na sūrya-rūpatvaṁ, bhāvasya tu uttara-kāle prema-rūpatve’pi na kṣatiḥ | ata eva bhāvaḥ sa eva sāndrātmā budhaiḥ premā nigadyate iti vakṣyate |
By the word asau [“that” in BRS 1.3.1], bhakti defined in general in the form of ānukūlenya Kṛṣṇānuśīlana [i.e., continuous action with favorability related to, or, for the sake of, Kṛṣṇa in BRS 1.1.11] is to be supplied [i.e., is to be understood to be the referent of asau]. Although, however, that was explained to be of the nature of action (dhātvartha) in general by the word anuśīlana [in BRS 1.1.11], still here [i.e., in BRS 1.3.1] ceṣṭā-rūpā [-bhakti] is not accepted [i.e., is not the intended meaning], and rather only bhāva-rūpā [-bhakti] is. [Thus the core construction of the sentence in the verse is] “That (asau) is called bhāva” here because of the predicate bhāva being directly designated. And that is of what nature? In this regard, the author says: [śuddha-sattva-viśeṣātmā, meaning,] that the sole constitution (ātmā), meaning, nature (svarūpa), of which is a speciality (viśeṣa) of śuddha-sattva, meaning, a [particular] form of Kṛṣṇa’s svarūpa-śakti, which is eternally existent (nitya-siddha) on account of its being [eternally] situated in his [i.e., Kṛṣṇa’s] eternally beloved companions. Furthermore, it is a melter of the heart with hankerings, meaning, it is a cause of meltedness [of the heart]. This too is a sprout of the forthcoming prema [i.e., the prema which will be defined in BRS 1.4.1]. Thus, the author says prema … [i.e., he describes this stage known as bhāva as prema-sūryāṁśu-sāmya-bhāk: a bearer of likeness to a ray of the sun of prema]. The sun, here, however, is accepted to be in a state of rising soon. Therefore, furthermore, “a bearer of likeness to a ray thereof” refers to a form of the first light of [that rising sun of] prema. This is the meaning. Although this illustration is not with respect to all aspects [of the relationship between bhāva and prema], since in the future a ray does not become the sun, but bhāva in the future does become prema, there is no harm. Therefore, it will be said [in BRS 1.4.1], “That intense bhāva is called prema by the wise.”