वियोगे त्वद्भुतानन्दविवर्तत्वं दधत्यपि ।
तनोत्येषा प्रगाढार्तिभराभासत्वमूर्जिता ॥
viyoge tv adbhutānanda-vivartatvaṁ dadhaty api |
tanoty eṣā pragāḍhārti-bharābhāsatvam ūrjitā ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.5.109)
“In separation [i.e., when a dear one of Kṛṣṇa is separated from him], however, although retaining the nature of being a transformation of astonishing bliss, this powerful [rati] produces the state of a semblance of an abundance of intense distress.”
Commentary
nanu duḥkhamaye viyoge teṣāṁ kathaṁ rasaḥ syāt | rasasya paramānandmayatvāt | tatrāha—viyoge tv iti | adbhutānanda-vivartatvaṁ svataḥ paramānanda-svarūpatvāt tu tatra nimittatvāt, sarvānanda-mūla-śrī-bhagavad-ālambanatvāc ca | pragāḍhārti-bharābhāsatvaṁ viyoga-jñāna-pariṇāma-duḥkhasya tasyām adhyāsāt tasyās tu tatra nimittatvāt, tad-duḥkhasyāpi dṛḍha-prāpty-āśayā tiraskṛtatvād iti | vivarto’tra paripākaḥ | tasyā svarūpānayathā-bhāve hetuḥ—ūrjiteti | anyathā-bhāve sā tyajyetaiva, na tu tyaktuṁ śakyeteti | tad uktaṁ śrī-vraja-devībhiḥ svayam eva—‘āśā hi paramaṁ duḥkham’ ity ādy anantaraṁ ‘taj-jānatīnāṁ naḥ kṛṣṇe tathāpy āśā duratyayā’ iti |
(Durgama-saṅgamanī-ṭīkā)
“[A question is raised:] ‘Well, in separation, which is full of suffering, how can they have [an experience of] rasa, on account of rasa’s being full of the highest bliss? [i.e., Since the experience of rasa is always a blissful experience, and since the experience of separation is full of suffering, how can one experience rasa in separation?]’ To this, he says viyoge tu … [i.e., he speaks this verse]. [Even in separation, rati for Kṛṣṇa retains] ‘The nature of being a transformation of astonishing bliss’ (adbhutānanda-vivartatvaṁ) because of [its] being itself of the essential nature of the highest bliss, though [that is to say], because of [its] being a cause in that regard [i.e., its being a cause of such bliss], and because of [its] having Śrī Bhagavān, the source of all bliss, as its support (ālambana). [Rati is also said to produce] ‘The state of a semblance of an abundance of intense distress’ (pragāḍhārti-bharābhāsatvam) because of superimposition onto it of the suffering resulting from an awareness of separation, though [that is to say], because of its being a cause in that regard [i.e., of that superimposition], and because of that suffering’s also being surpassed by firm hope of attainment [i.e., of attaining union with Bhagavān again]. ‘Transformation’ (vivarta) here means maturation. The reason for its [i.e., rati’s] not being otherwise in essential nature [i.e., its not lacking the quality of being full of bliss even when one experiences separation from Bhagavān] is that it is ‘powerful’ (urjitā). In the case of [its] being otherwise [i.e., if it were not], it would certainly be fit to be abandoned, and not rather impossible to abandon. This is stated by the Śrī Vraja-devīs themselves following [the statement of Piṅgalā cited in SB 11.8.44], ‘Hope is the greatest unhappiness, and hopelessness is the greatest happiness, as after completely cutting away any hope for a lover, Piṅgalā slept happily,’ [in SB 10.47.47 where the Vraja-devīs say,] ‘Although the prostitute Piṅgalā said that hopelessness is the greatest happiness, still, even though we know this, our hope for Kṛṣṇa is impossible to give up.”
viyoge tv iti | adbhutānanda-vivartatvaṁ svataḥ paramānanda-svarūpatvāt sarvānanda-mūla-śrī-bhagavad-ālambanatvāc ca | pragāḍhārti-bharābhāsatvam iti teṣāṁ śrī-kṛṣṇasyāprāpti-bhāvanayā duḥkhatvena bhāna-mātraṁ na vastuto duḥkha-rūpatvam iti rati-prakaraṇe ukta-siddhānto’py atrāpi rasa-prakaraṇe jñeyaḥ | vivarto’tra paripākaḥ | tasyā rateḥ svarūpānanyathā-bhāve hetuḥ—ūrjiteti | anyathābhāve sā tyajetaiva, na tu tyaktuṁ śakyeteti | tad uktaṁ śrī-vraja-devībhiḥ—‘āśā hi paramaṁ duḥkhaṁ’ ity ādy anantaraṁ ‘taj-jānatīnāṁ naḥ kṛṣṇe tathāpy āśā duratyayā’ iti |
(Bhakti-sāra-pradarśinī-ṭīkā)
“In regard to the verse viyoge tu … [i.e., BRS 2.5.109], [even in separation, rati for Kṛṣṇa retains] ‘The nature of being a transformation of astonishing bliss’ (adbhutānanda-vivartatvaṁ) because of [its] being itself of the essential nature of the highest bliss, and because of [its] having Śrī Bhagavān, the source of all bliss, as its support (ālambana). ‘The state of a semblance of an abundance of intense distress’ (pragāḍhārti-bharābhāsatvam) [that is said to be produced by rati] is only that which has the appearance of being suffering because of their [i.e., Kṛṣṇa’s dear ones who have rati’s] perception of [their] not meeting with Śrī Kṛṣṇa [at some particular time even though they are never truly separated from him], and [is] not actually a state of suffering. This conclusion (siddhānta) aforesaid in the section on rati is to be understood here as well in the section on rasa. ‘Transformation’ (vivarta) here means maturation. The reason for rati’s not being otherwise in essential nature [i.e., its not lacking the quality of being full of bliss even when one experiences separation from Bhagavān] is that it is ‘powerful’ (urjitā). In the case of [its] being otherwise [i.e., if it were not], it would certainly be fit to be abandoned, and not rather impossible to abandon. This is stated by the Śrī Vraja-devīs themselves following [the statement of Piṅgalā cited in SB 11.8.44], ‘Hope is the greatest unhappiness, and hopelessness is the greatest happiness, as after completely cutting away any hope for a lover, Piṅgalā slept happily,’ [in SB 10.47.47 where the Vraja-devīs say,] ‘Although the prostitute Piṅgalā said that hopelessness is the greatest happiness, still, even though we know this, our hope for Kṛṣṇa is impossible to give up.”