What are the symptoms of one who has developed his rasa with Krsna ???

[krsna]

Sastric references please ?

[shambu]

...exactly what you mean by "the symptoms of one who has developed his rasa with Krsna." Because there are so many symptoms according to different rasas a devotee can have with Krsna, that describing them would take several lifetimes probably...

 

In NOD (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu) Ch. 18 however, Rupa Gosvami describes the characteristics of a person who has ACTUALLY DEVELOPED HIS ECSTATIC LOVE FOR KRSNA in a very basic and practical manner as follows:

 

1)He is always anxious to utilize his time in the devotional service of the Lord. He does not like to be idle. He wants service always, twenty-four hours a day, without deviation.

2)He is always reserved and perseverant.

3)He is always detached from material attraction.

4)He does not long for any material respect in return for his activities.

5)He is always certain that Krsna will bestow His mercy upon him.

6)He is always very eager to serve the Lord faithfully.

7)He is very much attached to the chanting of the holy names of the Lord.

8)He is always eager to describe the transcendental qualities of the Lord.

9)He is very pleased to live in a place where the Lord's pastimes are performed, e.g., Mathura, Vrndavana or Dvaraka.

 

As far as actual symptoms of rasa is concerned: an advanced devotee will try to not display them in public, because they will be mistaken for cheap imitations or symptoms of mental disease...

[krsna]

good reference

[gHari]

 

As discussed here by the Fellowship of the Wrings

[krsna]

Srila Prabhupada too was fond of quoting from his own writings as he did in a Madhya 20.119-121 lecture in 1966:

PrabhupAda: Now, Lord Caitanya says,

 

 

sAdhu-zAstra-kRpAya yadi kRSNonmukha haya,

sei jIva nistare, mAyA tAhAre chADaya

 

 

Now how to become KRSNa conscious? A person who is fully KRSNa conscious, he has no problem. Now how to become KRSNa conscious? Lord Caitanya says, sAdhu-zAstra-kRpA: "One can become KRSNa conscious by the mercy of saintly devotees and by the mercy of the scriptures." These two things are recommended. Not that fools, as they are thinking, "I can..., I can think myself. I don't agree with the zAstra. I don't agree with the spiritual master. I don't agree with scriptures. I have got my independent opinion." He is fool number one, rascal number one. One who says like that, you'll at once take him that he's fool, rascal, anything. You have to take shelter of sAdhu, guru and zAstra. SAdhu means saintly persons, those who have got all those qualities. (aside:) Where is that paper? Are you using that paper which has been supplied to you? Good qualification of devotees? What are those? Can you say, any of you? Where is that paper?

 

Disciple: It's on the inside of the drawer there.

 

PrabhupAda: Oh, not with you? It is in the book. "Oh, my knowledge is in the book." No. You should learn. Everyone is missing. So how you can become saintly person? So those qualities, twenty-six qualities, they are called saintly person. Devotee means to become fully qualified with all the noble qualities. Devotee does not mean a rascal, at the same time, a devotee. No. As soon as you become devotee, the test is that all those twenty-six qualities will develop. You have to test yourself, "Out of the twenty-six qualities, how much I have developed?" If I am lacking, then you must know that you are not developing. This is the test. What are the qualities? Paul, you have got the copy?

 

Paul: Yes.

 

PrabhupAda: What are the qualities?

 

Paul: "Kind to everyone."

 

PrabhupAda: Kind to everyone. Yes. Then, go on.

 

Paul: "Does not quarrel with anyone. Fixed up in the Absolute Truth."

 

PrabhupAda: Yes.

 

Paul: "Equal to everyone."

 

PrabhupAda: Yes.

 

Paul: "Spotless, faultless, charitable, mild, clean, simple, benevolent, peaceful, completely attached to KRSNa, no material hankerings, meek, steady, self-controlled, does not eat more than required..."

 

PrabhupAda: Does not eat more than required. Yes.

 

Paul: "...sane, respectful, humble, grave, compassionate, friendly, poetic, expert..."

 

PrabhupAda: Poetic, expert and silent. One who is too much talkative, that means he's lacking in devotion. He should simply talk about KRSNa, nothing more. And when he, when one is actually absorbed in KRSNa thought, he cannot talk nonsense. He has no time. He does not waste time. So these are the qualities. Here, he's called sAdhu. SAdhu means these are the qualifications. Of course, not that we may develop all these qualities immediately, but sAdhu means this. SAdhu means, what is called, pious man. These are the qualities of pious man, sAdhu. And zAstra. SAstra means the scripture. By study of scripture, you can develop these qualities. That is called scripture. That is authorized scripture. Just like you study some book, and you develop some quality after reading that book, similarly, when you actually have scripture, then you develop all these qualities. And guru, spiritual master, means who teaches you all these things. So you have to make your progress--sAdhu-zAstra-guru vAkya. You have to corroborate whether guru, what guru is speaking, whether it is there in the scripture; what scripture is speaking, whether that is in the character of guru, or in the sAdhu, saintly persons, or spiritual master. So you have to always make comparison with three things: sAdhu, zAstra, guru. Nobody can become a spiritual master who has no reference to the scriptures and these qualities. Nobody can be accepted as a qualified man, he has not..., if one has not developed his character through the scripture under the instruction of guru.

 

 

These 26 qualities of a vaisnava should fill the threads of the Audarya Fellowship. Visitors would arrive and say, yes, this is truly a spiritual place, let me learn more of this esoteric bonafide teaching. Instead we are simply bickering fools, like any other message board on this God forsaken internet.

 

That godly qualities should overflow the threads is confirmed in the Sri Caitanya-Caritamrita Adi-Lila 8.58

yasyAsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiJcanA

sarvair guNais tatra samAsate surAH

harAv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guNA

mano-rathenAsati dhAvato bahiH

 

 

yasya--one who; asti--has; bhaktiH--devotional service; bhagavati--unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; akiJcanA--without motive; sarvaiH--all; guNaiH--qualities; tatra--there; samAsate--become manifested; surAH--with all the demigods; harau--unto the Supreme Personality; abhaktasya--one who is not a devotee; kutaH--where; mahat-guNAH--high qualities; manaH-rathena--concoction; asati--the material existence; dhAvataH--run on; bahiH--externally.

 

"In one who has unflinching devotional faith in KRSNa, all the good qualities of KRSNa and the demigods are consistently manifested. However, one who has no devotion to the Supreme Personality of Godhead has no good qualifications because he is engaged by mental concoction in material existence, which is the external feature of the Lord."

 

 

To avoid bickering and constant argument we can learn from the Sri Caitanya-Caritamrita Adi-Lila 8.62

vaiSNavera guNa-grAhI, nA dekhaye doSa

kAya-mano-vAkye kare vaiSNava-santoSa

 

 

vaiSNavera--of devotees; guNa-grAhI--accepting good qualities; nA--never; dekhaye--sees; doSa--any fault; kAya-manaH-vAkye--with heart and soul; kare--does; vaiSNava--devotee; santoSa--pacification.

 

He always accepted the good qualities of VaiSNavas and never found fault in them. He engaged his heart and soul only to satisfy the VaiSNavas.

 

PURPORT

It is a qualification of a VaiSNava that he is adoSa-darzI: he never sees others' faults. Of course, every human being has both good qualities and faults. Therefore it is said, saj-janA guNam icchanti doSam icchanti pAmarAH: everyone has a combination of faults and glories. But a VaiSNava, a sober man, accepts only a man's glories and not his faults, for flies seek sores whereas honeybees seek honey. HaridAsa PaNDita never found fault with a VaiSNava but considered only his good qualities.

 

 

Further detail on the twenty-six qualities of a vaisnava was provided by Srila Prabhupada in a lecture about SB 2.3.13 in LA in 1972:

PrabhupAda: [...] This is KRSNa consciousness movement. So when we are in the process of going back to home, back to Godhead, out of so many qualities, twenty-six qualities becomes very... At least, they become manifest. And out of the twenty-six qualities, one quality is to become a poet. Poet is. Nobody can become poet unless he is poet. So kavi. And RSi. RSi, muni, RSi, those who are philosophers, learned scholars, they are called muni, RSi. So? Read the purport.

 

Pradyumna: "A pure devotee of the Lord automatically develops all godly qualities, and some of the prominent features of those qualities are as follows: He is kind, peaceful, truthful, equable, faultless, magnanimous, mild, clean, nonpossessive, a well-wisher to all, satisfied, surrendered to KRSNa, without hankering, simple, fixed, self-controlled, a balanced eater, sane, mannerly, prideless, grave, sympathetic, friendly, poetic, expert, and silent. Out of these twenty-six prominent features..."

 

PrabhupAda: So with the advancement of our spiritual consciousness, KRSNa consciousness, we should verify "Whether these qualifications are becoming manifest in my person." Just like when you eat, you understand that you are getting strength, or your appetite is being satisfied. Nobody can... Nobody requires to ask certificate. You can understand, yourself. BhaktiH parezAnubhavo viraktir anyatra syAt [sB 11.2.42]. If we are advancing in KRSNa consciousness, then our detachment for material things will, attachment for material things will decrease. This is one side. Viraktir anyatra syAt. Just like our students, they have become averse to so many things. You are all young boys and girls. So many young boys and girls are going to restaurant, to cinema, and so many other things, but you have become detached; you have no more attraction. So one side... Progress of bhakti means one side we shall be detached and another side we shall increase our attachment. So these are the qualifications.

 

The first qualification is kind. Just like these sannyAsIs. Our RUpAnuga GosvAmI. He has got a nice child, wife, nice wife. But, being kind to the humanity, he has accepted sannyAsa. This is kindness. No homely comfort. This is kindness. LokAnAM hita-kAriNau. TyaktvA tUrNam azeSa-maNDala-pati-zreNIM sadA tuccha-vat bhUtvA dIna-gaNezakau karuNayA kaupIna-kanthAzritau. RUpa GosvAmI, SanAtana GosvAmI, they were ministers. Ministers. Not ordinary men. And therefore their association was most aristocratic. MaNDala-pati-zreNIm. MaNDala-pati means big, big man, who have got many followers, leaders of the society. So, he gave up that association, tuccha-vat, "Eh, what is this nonsense?" Gave up, RUpa GosvAmI. TyaktvA tUrNam azeSa-maNDala-pati-zreNIM sadA tuccha-vat. Tuccha means very insignificant, "What is this?" Then what did they do? What he became? BhUtvA dIna-gaNezakau karuNayA kaupIna-kanthAzritau. You have seen RUpa GosvAmI's picture. Only a little cloth. KanthA. KanthA means handmade quilt. All rejected cloth, they are put together and sewn; it is called kanthA. They utilize even rejected cloth. That is called kanthA.

 

So this RUpa GosvAmI, SanAtana GosvAmI, accepted this mendicant life although they were ministers, very rich men. Not only RUpa GosvAmI, all the GosvAmIs. RaghunAtha dAsa GosvAmI was the only son of his father and uncle, and in those days the income was twelve lakhs, twelve hundred thousands of rupees. Almost king. So for being compassionate with these poor fellows, who have forgotten KRSNa and working simply unnecessarily so hard to get some bread... That's all. MUDha. So by becoming kind upon them, they took this mendicant order. Therefore kindness. And peaceful. VaiSNava is never turbulent. But the demons, they create disturbance. VaiSNava is peaceful. Peaceful, truthful. Truthful. A VaiSNava knows the ultimate truth, KRSNa. Therefore he's truthful. And equable. He has no distinction "Oh, here is a man, here is an animal. The animal has no soul, the man has soul."

 

They have no such conclusion. Every living entity has soul. As KRSNa says, sarva-yoniSu kaunteya [bg. 14.4]. So he's kind not only to the human society. These philanthropists, altruists, nationalists, "this-ists, that-ists." This... They are partial. First of all, they may be kind... They are not kind. They are all selfish. But even though they are kind, they are kind to their own men. Not even outsiders. Not to the outsiders. In your country, they'll throw away grains. But there are so many hungry people; why they should not give? Produce more, if you have got land. You have got men. And they are not producing, they are (not?) engaging. The men are becoming hippies and they're lying idle, without any production. God has given so much land. Produce. Distribute prasAdam. This is kindness.

 

But because they are not KRSNa conscious, they cannot be kind. Faultless. You cannot find any fault of the devotee. Faultless. Magnanimous. Thinking of all living entities. There is no distinction, "Oh, I am American, I shall think for the Americans.I am Indian, I shall think for..." No. Magnanimous. And the most magnanimous is Lord Caitanya. Namo mahA-vadAnyAya kRSNa-prema-pradAya te [Madhya 19.53]. Magnanimous. Giving kRSNa-prema, which is very rare. KRSNa says, manuSyANAM sahasreSu kazcid yatati siddhaye [bg. 7.3]. It is very difficult to understand what is KRSNa, and Lord Caitanya is distributing KRSNa like anything. Therefore mahA-vadAnyAya, magnanimous. Mild. Mild and meek. Clean. Always cleanliness. Because you have surpassed the stage of brahminical life. Therefore, must be very clean. By taking bath, by washing cloth, keeping the kitchen very clean, everything clean. Temple... Tan-mandira-mArjanAdau. SrI-vigrahArAdhana-nitya-nAnA-zRGgAra-tan-mandira- mArjanAdau **. The temple should be bright always, clean. Then nonpossessive. Materialistic persons, they are trying to possess more, more, more. A VaiSNava, simply what is absolutely necessary, must have.

 

Just like we don't keep any furniture in our hou... What is the use of furniture? We can lie down on the floor. So many things, materialistic persons they possess. But we try to simplify matters, plain living. Well-wisher to all. Well-wisher. Just like we are advising our all students that "Save your country. They are becoming hippies. It is not... Future is very gloom. Try to save them." So VaiSNava will always think like that, how people will be happy. Sarve sukhino bhavantu. VaiSNava desire is not exploitation. VaiSNava desire is that "How others will be happy, how they will understand KRSNa, how they will get happiness in this life and next life." This is VaiSNava. Satisfied, in any condition. Not that "I must have all these things; then I'll be satisfied. Otherwise, I'm going from the temple." (laughter.) No, this is not VaiSNava qualification. You must live with the devotees, even if you are not satisfied. Any condition, you should be satisfied. Because as soon as you leave the company, you become again rogues, again demons.

 

At least you'll be saved if you keep with the company of the devotees. SatAM prasaGgAn mama vIrya-saMvidaH. If you give up the company, then you again become rogues and demons. Therefore you must be satisfied, in whatever condition. "Whatever KRSNa has given, that's all right." Satisfied. Surrendered to KRSNa. And that satisfaction can be achieved only when one is fully surrendered to KRSNa. If I have surrendered to KRSNa, KRSNa has taken my charge, KRSNa says, ahaM tvAM sarva-pApebhyo mokSayiSyAmi, then why shall I bother myself? If I am thinking, "I am suffering," it is also KRSNa's grace. We should take like that. Even in my consideration, I am in a position which is apparently suffering, we must accept as KRSNa's grace: "All right, I have surrendered to KRSNa. If KRSNa is giving me suffering, that's all right." That is surrender. "Oh, I have surrendered to KRSNa, and now KRSNa is giving me suffering? Oh, leave KRSNa consciousness." That is not surrender.

 

Surrender means in any condition you'll remain surrendered. That is surrender. Not that I put my own condition, and if you satisfy me, then I shall... That is business. That is not surrender. Surrender means in any condition, fully surrendered to KRSNa. Without hankering. What is hankering? Why shall I be hankering? I know, KRSNa will give me all protection. So then why shall I hanker? Without hankering. Simple. No duplicity. Simple. The worldly men, they are duplicatous (?), speaking something, cheater. That is the, one of the qualification of the materialistic man. He must be cheater. There are four defects: commit mistakes, to be illusioned, to become cheater, and imperfect senses. This is called material life, conditioned life. He must commit mistakes. However a great philosopher... We are talking about the philosophers. So many contradictory things they say. Because he's an ordinary man. How he can say the right thing? It is not possible. The right thing can be said only by liberated person.

 

Therefore we take advice from the liberated person. Just like we are understanding all this from VyAsadeva, from Sukadeva GosvAmI. They are liberated. We are not reading some Mr. John R. Mead's (?) book. No. Liberated soul. So that should be our source of knowledge. Mannerly, prideless, grave. Grave means don't talk nonsense. Don't talk nonsense. Don't waste time. If you have got time, chant Hare KRSNa, but don't talk nonsense. Grave, that is called gravity. Grave, sympathetic. We should be very much sympathetic. If some of our fellow men fall sick, we must take care of him, give help him. Because, after all, we have got this body. Sometimes we may fall sick. So one, we should be sympathetic. And friendly. Everyone friend. As KRSNa is friend of everyone, suhRdaM sarva-bhUtAnAm, so if we are KRSNa's representative, how I can be enemy of anyone else? I must be friendly. Friendly. Poet. And expert. And silent. Silent worker, not advertising. Silent. These are the qualifications of VaiSNava. So we must try to follow; not imitate, but follow. Follow, that is nice. Then?

 

Pradyumna: "Out of these twenty-six prominent features of a devotee, as described by KRSNadAsa KavirAja in his Caitanya-caritAmRta, the qualification of being poetic is especially mentioned herein in relation to Sukadeva GosvAmI. The presentation of SrImad-BhAgavatam by his recitation is the highest poetic contribution. He was a self-realized learned sage. In other words, he was a poet amongst the sages. "

 

[Guest guest]

Haribol. Your question is a bit unclear in that we have NEVER been outside our relationship of the Supreme Lord. Rasa means relationship, and as such, it is reciprocal. Rasa is experianced by both the lover and the beloved (or parent/child, friend/friend, servant/master, appreciator/appreciated). And Krsna does not forget this ever, as he explains to Arjuna. Now we may forget, but this does not really disturb the relationship, it is just a diseased condition.

 

But we know what you really mean, maybe you meant "When is forgetfulness of swarupa cracked and memory returns, like fire is shown when the smoke clears?". This is what you mean, isnt it?

 

So the answer is quite simple, and is directly related to the mission of the Acaryas connected to the Six Goswamis. Our forgetfulness is cracked the instant that the Holy Names of the Lord are heard by the self. Or Krsna Prasadam touches the taste buds, or the eyes see a rathayatra cart rumblin down the road.

 

Or when one sees a person with kunti mala and tilak. Or when one accidentally looks a second time at the picture on Bhagavad Gita As It Is while looking for mystical books.

 

You see this program of Srila AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada is a loud alarm clock that all his disciples must make sure works. Srila Prabhupada demands that the bell go off properly. All his followers and disciples have marching ORDERS to crack the forgetfulness of the entire world, using the proven method of HUMBLE PERSUASION, cooperating with all who also do this great missionary work, etc. To wake up the sleepers is the greatest work, play duty and reward all rolled into one.

 

So hit the streets with dance and song, and make a rukus to awaken the dead. This is how we emulate Lord Jesus Christ, we bring back Lazarus.

 

Hare Krsna, ys, mahaksadasa

 

Sunday sermonizin, but I did som exhilleratin preachin this week, got a whole buncha folks wonderin about how Lord Siva can grant friendship with Srimati Sitadevi to a wild feral human being.