20260218 Śrī Caitanya-śīksāmṛta 7.7. Conjugal Bhakti-rasa

Seventh Shower — Rasa vicāra (Analysis of the mellows)

Seventh Stream — Conjugal Bhakti-rasa

Material and Pārakīya (extramarital) rasa

In the līlā of Vraja, there is no place for the minute, māyika, socially constructed institution of marriage. When that Goloka-vihārī manifests His supreme transcendental pārakīya-rasa within the realm of worldly appearance—through Gokula—then the mundane criticisms of extramarital love do not apply to the maidens of Gokula. In the hearts of the maidens of Gokula, only the identity of Kṛṣṇa as the son of Nanda is manifest. From that steadfastness, various emotional expressions (bhāva-mudrā) arise—so profound that let the non-devotional logicians remain far away; even for Vaidha-bhakta (devotees following vaidhī bhakti), they are difficult to grasp. By seeing the gopīs, Kṛṣṇa’s four-armed form disappears.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, in the land of Vraja this aspect where Kṛṣṇa is enjoying activities with the gopīs. On one hand, the gopīs, they give up all other attachments which are difficult to give up. They place their full love and devotion on Kṛṣṇa. On the second part, it makes the pastimes very intense, variegated. Like you know Kṛṣṇa is e owner of everything, He is the husband of everybody. But in this situation, there is always the element of the mother-in-law of Rādhārāṇī, Kuṭilā, the different kinds of situations which present themselves. So Kṛṣṇa has to know the persons who arrange Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes in all these situations. So that makes it an emergency! So Kṛṣṇa has to think how to respond to them! So this adds a little spice to Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes! So these two ways of the pastimes in Vraja, they are more relishable to Kṛṣṇa!

Classification of Nāyikā (Heroine)

Nāyikās are of three types: svakīyā, parakīyā, and sāmānya. In the context of cit-rasa (spiritual mellow), I have told about the svakīyā and parakīyā types. Scholars of jaḍālaṅkārika (materialistic poetics) refer to courtesans/prostitutes (veśyā) as sāmānya nāyikā, for they are merely driven by greed for wealth. They neither despise the unqualified hero nor feel affection for the virtuous one. Their śṛṅgāra (erotic sentiment) is but a semblance of true śṛṅgāra. Kubjā from Mathurā who is a Sairindhrī (a maidservant by profession)—though technically a sāmānya nāyikā, due to her emotional eligibility (bhāvayogyatā), is considered a parakīyā-sāmānya. Her desire to apply sandalwood paste on Kṛṣṇa’s body upon seeing Kṛṣṇa’s form reflects her transcendental affection (aprakṛta prīyatva-bhāva). Her rati is of a lower category compared to the rati of Kṛṣṇa’s queens (mahiṣī-gaṇa).

States of the Nāyikā

Both svakīya and parakīya nāyikās are individually divided into mugdhā, madhyā, and pragalbhā. Including other classifications, Kṛṣṇa’s nāyikās are altogether fifteen types. According to their states, nāyikās are eightfold: abhisārikā (the one who goes to meet her lover), vāsaka-sajjā (the one who adorns herself for union), utkaṇṭhitā (the one who is anxious in separation), khaṇḍitā (the one who is angry due to betrayal), vipralabdhā (the one who is deceived or disappointed), kalahāntaritā (the one separated after quarrel), proṣita-bhartṛkā (the one whose husband is away), and svāminī-bhartṛkā (the one whose husband has returned). These eight states belong to the previously mentioned fifteen types of Kṛṣṇa’s nāyikās.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, they are giving some insight to the variegated pastimes of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes in mādhurya-rasa. So, in the material world these things are kind of despicable! But these are different aspects where Kṛṣṇa is enjoying and in the material world we have separation, divorce, but in the spiritual world everyone loves Kṛṣṇa! But out of love they go through these different emotions. So Kṛṣṇa in some ways enjoys that! So this is a great science and the paṇḍitas, the different philosophical experts, have studied the great aspects of Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes. So these eight emotions are going through the 15 types of Kṛṣṇa’s heroines!

The number of nāyikās is 360.

Where Kṛṣṇa, being subjugated by the love of the heroine, is unable to part even for a moment, the svāminī-bhartṛkā in that state is called Mādhavī. Among the eight nāyikā states, in the conditions of svāminī-bhartṛkā, vāsaka-sajjā, and abhisārikā, the nāyikā, being joyful at heart, adorns herself with ornaments. In the states of khaṇḍitā, vipralabdhā, utkaṇṭhitā, proṣita-bhartṛkā, and kalahāntaritā, the nāyikā, devoid of ornamentation, placing her hand upon her left cheek, is scorched by sorrow and contemplation. In kṛṣṇa-prema, such anguish is a variety of transcendental bliss (cinmaya paramānanda). According to gradations of love (prema-tāratamya), nāyikās are of three kinds: uttamā (superior), madhyamā (intermediate), and kaniṣṭhā (inferior). The degree of emotion a nāyikā has for Kṛṣṇa is reciprocated by Kṛṣṇa toward her in equal measure. The uttamā nāyikā abandons all activities to provide even a moment of happiness to Kṛṣṇa. Her heart is torn upon hearing of Kṛṣṇa’s distress. The madhyamā is merely saddened upon hearing of the hero’s suffering. She who fears obstacles to union with the hero is kaniṣṭhā. Altogether, the number of nāyikās becomes three hundred sixty. The fifteen types mentioned earlier, when multiplied by eight states, become one hundred twenty. That number, multiplied by the three gradations (uttama, madhyama, kaniṣṭha), yields three hundred sixty. All these are devotional moods (bhajana-bhāva) of Kṛṣṇa’s nāyikās.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, of the eight bhavas, four are in uniting with the hero and four are different types of separation from the hero. And so, in the spiritual life shall we say, these emotions are different kinds of Paramānanda, transcendental bliss. Even like, in the separation of Kṛṣṇa, there is also transcendental bliss! Lord Caitanya taught is that we can serve Kṛṣṇa in separation. And that is something the devotees may understand, but the non-devotees cannot understand. Like Mādhavendra Purī, he was expressing his separation fro Kṛṣṇa, that is actually transcendental bliss. But Rāmacandra Purī, he tried to instruct his spiritual master - why you are suffering? You should be absorbed in the impersonal Brahman, be blissful. He had no understanding that his spiritual master was enjoying this very deep spiritual emotion. So what appears in material life like suffering, detestable, in the spiritual life is something very favorable. So, the devotees in their separation from Kṛṣṇa, the intensity of their love increase. Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Please take my blessings. Kṛṣṇe matir astu!