CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE Neutral Love of God Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī offers his respectful prayers to the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always so beautiful and for whom the pure devotees are always … Read More
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE Additional Symptoms All the previously mentioned thirty-three symptoms of ecstatic love are called vyabhicārī, or disturbing. All these symptoms refer to apparently disturbed conditions, but even in such disturbed conditions there … Read More
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE Expressions of Love for Kṛṣṇa There are some bodily symptoms that express overwhelming ecstatic love (vyabhicāri-bhāva). They are counted at thirty-three as follows: disappointment, lamentation, humility, guilt, fatigue, intoxication, pride, doubt, apprehension, intense … Read More
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE Devotees of Kṛṣṇa A person who is always absorbed in Kṛṣṇa consciousness is called a devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says that all the transcendental qualities discussed previously are also … Read More
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO Qualities of Kṛṣṇa Further Explained 31. HEROIC A person who is very enthusiastic in military activities and expert in releasing different kinds of weapons is called heroic. Regarding Kṛṣṇa’s heroism in … Read More
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN Ecstatic Love By the process of executing regulated devotional service, one is actually elevated to the transcendental stage, beyond the material modes of nature. At that time one’s heart becomes illuminated like the … Read More
CHAPTER FOURTEEN Devotional Qualifications Some scholars recommend that knowledge and renunciation are important factors for elevating oneself to devotional service. But actually that is not a fact. Actually, the cultivation of knowledge or renunciation, … Read More
CHAPTER ELEVEN Aspects of Transcendental Service SERVITORSHIP In the opinion of the karmīs (fruitive workers), offering the results of karma is called servitorship. But according to Vaiṣṇava ācāryas like Rūpa Gosvāmī, servitorship … Read More
CHAPTER EIGHT Offenses to Be Avoided In the supplementary Vedic literature, there is the following list of thirty-two offenses in the matter of serving the Lord: (1) One should not enter the temple of the … Read More
CHAPTER FOUR Devotional Service Surpasses All Liberation How much a devotee is seriously attached to the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead can be understood from the statement of Mahārāja Pṛthu (Ādi-rāja), which … Read More
CHAPTER TWO The First Stages of Devotion The three categories of devotional service which Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī describes in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu are listed as devotional service in practice, devotional service in ecstasy and devotional service in … Read More
Introduction Invoking auspiciousness: Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the cause of all causes, the reservoir of all rasas, or relationships, which are called neutrality (passive adoration), servitorship, friendship, parenthood, conjugal … Read More
Concluding Words Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī concludes by saying that the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu is very difficult for ordinary men to understand, yet he hopes that Lord Kṛṣṇa, the eternal Supreme Personality of Godhead, will be pleased … Read More
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE Mixing of Rasas As already described, there are twelve different kinds of rasas, or ecstatic relationships that are shared with Kṛṣṇa. Five of these rasas are direct, and they are listed … Read More
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX Astonishment and Chivalry ASTONISHMENT The ecstasy of astonishment in devotional service is perceived in two ways: directly, by the experience of one’s own eyes, and indirectly, by hearing from others. When … Read More
CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR Devotional Service In Conjugal Love A pure devotee’s attraction to Kṛṣṇa in conjugal love is called devotional service in conjugal love. Although such conjugal feelings are not at all material, there is … Read More
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT Indifference and Separation The great devotee Uddhava once wrote a letter to Kṛṣṇa, “My dear Kṛṣṇa, I have just finished the study of all kinds of philosophical books and Vedic verses about … Read More
Transcendental Affection (Servitude) The transcendental mellow of affection has been accepted by authorities like Śrīdhara Svāmī as a perfectional stage of devotion. It is just above the humor of neutrality and is a requisite for … Read More
