Essence of the Ambrosial Ocean of Devotion - Part I

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Essence of the Ambrosial Ocean of Devotion

(Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu Sar)

by Victor D. DiCara (Vraja Kishor das)

 

Part 1 of 12 – Overview

 

Shree Chaitanya, the 15th century Indian saint held by Gaudiya Vaishnavas as

the combined incarnation of Krishna and Radharani, instructed his foremost

student and follower Rupa Goswami in the topic of bhakti-yoga – the system

of self-realization based on loving exchanges with Godhead. Rupa Goswami’s

main attempt to codify and communicate these teachings is the 2,127 Sanskrit

verses of his book, Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu.

 

As its title indicates, the book is about bhakti-rasa. The term rasa

literally denotes “juice.” Sanskritic thought considers juice or liquid to

be the element responsible for flavor and, therefore, enjoyment. Thus, the

term rasa connotes the pleasure relished in relating with various persons

and objects.

 

Bhakti-rasa is the pleasure relished from bhakti – loving exchange with

Godhead. Rupa Goswami’s title describes this pleasure as “ambrosial” and

“imperishable” (amrita), and limitlessly abundant like the ocean (Sindhu).

 

Rupa Goswami treats the book itself like an ocean, dividing it into Eastern,

Southern and Western parts, each containing a number of “Waves.”

 

The first division, the Eastern Ocean entitled “Classes of Bhakti”

(Bhagavad-Bhakti-Bheda), has four waves. In the First Wave, Rupa Goswami

defines exactly what he means by bhakti of the highest order – which he

calls uttama-bhakti, and describes the six hallmarks of such bhakti. In the

Second Wave, he states that there are three classes of uttama-bhakti: (1)

uttama-bhakti practiced in the senses (“sadhana-bhakti”), (2) uttama-bhakti

realized internally (“bhava-bhakti”), and (3) perfected uttama-bhakti

(“prema-bhakti”). He devotes the Second Wave to studying sadhana-bhakti, the

Third Wave to bhava-bhakti, and the Fourth Wave to prema-bhakti.

 

In the second division, the Southern Ocean, entitled “Relish of Bhakti”

(Bhagavad-Bhakti-Rasa), Rupa Goswami describes what happens within the state

of prema-bhakti: the individual soul and the Supreme Soul relish the

exchange of such love. Rupa Goswami terms this “rasa.” There are five

components of rasa, and the Southern Ocean devotes one wave to each: (1) the

stimuli of love (vibhava), (2) the expressions of love (anubhava), (3) the

involuntary expressions of love (sattvika-bhava), (4) the “bad” or contrary

expressions of love (vyabhicari-bhava), and (5) the basic loving mood

(sthayi-bhava).

 

Rupa Goswami identifies 12 categories of loving mood, five of which are

“direct” (mukhya) and seven of which are “associated” (gauna). Each mood has

specific stimuli, expressions, involuntary expressions, and contrary

expressions suitable to intensify and transform it into a relish-able loving

experience (rasa).

 

The third division, the Western Ocean entitled “Primary Loving Relish”

(Bhagavad-Bhakti-Rasa), has five waves. Each wave takes one of the five

“direct” loving moods and defines and illustrates the specific stimuli,

expressions, involuntary expressions, and contrary expressions appropriate

to transform that basic mood into rasa: (1) relish of purity – shudda-rasa,

(2) relish of servitude – dasya-rasa, (3) relish of friendship –

sakhya-rasa, (4) relish of parenthood – vatsalya-rasa, and (5) relish of

romance – madhurya-rasa.

 

The fourth and final division, the Northern Ocean entitled “Associated

Loving Relish” (Gauna-Bhakti-Rasa), similarly defines and illustrates the

specific stimuli, expressions, involuntary expressions, and contrary

expressions appropriate to transform an “associated” loving mood into rasa.

Thus, its first seven waves concern (1) relish of humor – hasya-rasa, (2)

relish of amazement – adbhuta-rasa, (2) relish of heroism – vira-rasa, (4)

relish of compassion – karuna-rasa, (5) relish of anger – raudra-rasa, (6)

relish of fear or worry – bhayanaka-rasa, and (7) relish of disgust –

vibhatsa-rasa.

 

Rupa Goswami calls these seven moods “associated” loving moods

(gauna-bhakti-rasa) because they are always enjoyed in association with one

of the five “direct” loving moods. For example, humor is relished primarily

in association with friendship. The Eighth Wave describes which “associated”

and “direct” moods are compatible and which are incompatible. For example,

disgust is very seldom compatible with romantic love. Incompatible

association of moods produces a distasteful, less relish-able state Rupa

Goswami calls virasa.

 

The ninth and final wave describes a similar situation: If the stimuli,

expressions, involuntary expressions, or contrary expressions appropriate

for one loving mood appear in connection with a different loving mood, that

mood may not fully develop into a relish-able loving experience. Rupa

Goswami gives the term rasa-abhasa for this semi-developed experience.

 

We will have a closer look at the topics mentioned above in the remainder of

this twelve part series on the Essence of Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu:

 

Part One – Introduction

Part Two – Krishna, the Source of all Rasa

Part Three – Definition of Uttama Bhakti

Part Four – Six Hallmarks of Uttama Bhakti

Part Five – Sadhana Bhakti

Part Six – Vaidhi Sadhana Bhakti

Part Seven – Raganuga Sadhana Bhakti

Part Eight – Bhava Bhakti

Part Nine – Prema Bhakti

Part Ten – An Overview of Rasa

Part Eleven – The Primary Rasas

Part Twelve – The Associated Rasas

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 3/4/00 12:21:05 PM, vraja (AT) dicara (DOT) com writes:

 

<<

 

Rupa Goswami treats the book itself like an ocean, dividing it into Eastern,

 

Southern and Western parts, each containing a number of "Waves."

 

>>

 

Nice intro to Brs. But above you seem to imply that there is no northern

division. Later, you identify one. What gives? --S

[Guest guest]

> Nice intro to Brs. But above you seem to imply that there is no northern

> division. Later, you identify one. What gives? --S

 

That's what we rockers call an "oops". =)