Verse 13: Prema-bhakti
bhāva-bhakti-paripāka eva premā. tasya cihnam – vighnādi-sambhave ’pi kiñcin-mātrasyāpi na hrāsaḥ. mamatvātiśayāt premṇa eva uparitano ’vasthā viśeṣaḥ snehaḥ. tasya cihṇa, citta-dravībhāvaḥ. tato rāgaḥ. tasya lakṣaṇaṁ nibiḍa-snehaḥ. tataḥ praṇayaḥ. tasya lakṣaṇaṁ gāḍha-viśvāsaḥ.
Śrī Bindu-vikāśinī-vṛtti
The mature stage of bhāva-bhakti is called prema. The symptom of prema is that even when obstacles or impediments are present, there is not even the slightest diminution of affection (bhāva). A superior condition of prema is marked by an increase of mamatā and is known as sneha. The word mamatā refers to a deep sense of attachment or possessiveness in relation to Śrī Kṛṣṇa by which one thinks, “Kṛṣṇa is mine”. Sneha is symptomised by the melting of the heart. Superior to this is the condition known as rāga, which is symptomised by sneha that has become intensified or condensed. Superior to this is the condition known as praṇaya. The symptom of praṇaya is deep faith.
Comment
In Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.4.1) the general definition of prema has been given as follows:
samyaṅ masṛṇita-svānto
mamatvātiśayāṅkitaḥ
bhāvaḥ sa eva sāndrātmā
budhaiḥ premā nigadyate
Bhāva-bhakti which melts the heart much more so than in its initial stage, which greatly augments the feeling of transcendental bliss and which bestows a deep sense of mamatā (possessiveness) in relation to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, is called prema by the learned.
Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura’s commentary to this verse is translated as follows:
“The subject of prema is being discussed with reference to the previously described bhāva-bhakti. When bhāva thickens beyond its previous condition it begins to make the inner recesses of the heart much more tender, moist and soft than before, it produces an experience of concentrated transcendental bliss and bestows extreme mamatā towards Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This mature stage of bhāva is called prema. The following doubt may be raised here. According to sāṅkhya philosophy the material or immediate cause (upādāna kāraṇa) abandons its previous condition and is transformed into its effect. At that time it no longer remains as a cause, or in other words, there is no more existence of its prior condition.
“For instance, when guḍa (jaggery – a type of solid unrefined molasses) is transformed, it abandons its former state and becomes unrefined sugar (khāṇḍa). When it becomes unrefined sugar, guḍa can no longer be conceived as having its own separate state because the guḍa has been transformed into raw sugar. Similarly, unrefined sugar (khāṇḍa) becomes refined sugar (cīnī) and refined sugar becomes rock candy (miśrī). In the condition of rock candy there is no separate existence of unrefined sugar or refined sugar. In the same way, when bhāva matures into prema, why should there be any separate existence of bhāva? When prema matures it gradually increases and takes the forms of sneha, māna, praṇaya, rāga, anurāga, bhāva and mahābhāva. At that time only mahābhāva should remain. Why should there be any existence of rati, prema, sneha, māna and the other prior conditions?
“This cannot be said because rati is a distinct and superior function of Kṛṣṇa’s hlādinī-śakti. By the power of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s inconceivable potency (acintya-śakti), rati, sneha, māna, praṇaya and so on attain successively higher states without giving up their previous conditions. The separate existence of each and every condition is certainly to be admitted.
“For example, it can be said that when Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s childhood form (bālya-deha) is imbued with a particular sweetness, then without giving up the condition of childhood, it attains to the boyhood form (paugaṇḍa-deha). Again when the paugaṇḍa-deha attains even greater sweetness and excellence, it assumes the form of fresh youth (kaiśora-deha). Unlike the material body of the jīva, Kṛṣṇa’s body is never subject to any transformation arising from age. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s bālya, paugaṇḍa and kaiśora forms, as well as the līlās connected with them, are all eternal. But when the paugaṇḍa form manifests, the bālya-deha disappears from this universe and manifests in some other universe. Simultaneously the bālya-līlā is also revealed in that universe. Therefore, as regards the revelation of the unmanifest pastimes (aprakaṭa-līlā) within Vṛndāvana of the earthly sphere (Bhauma-Vṛndāvana), where the bālya-līlā begins, the bālya-deha also becomes manifest. In the vaivasvata-manvantara of the next kalpa (day of Brahmā), when the prakaṭa-līlā of Vṛndāvana is manifest in this universe, then at that time the bālya-deha will again be manifest in this very same universe.
“Therefore, as regards eternal phenomena, it is only a matter of accepting their appearance and disappearance. In the hearts of devotees in whom rati, prema and the other stages of the sthāyibhāva have been aroused, a particular aspect of the sthāyibhāva (rati, prema, sneha and so on) sometimes arises due to contact with the stimulating elements known as vibhāva. At that time that particular feature of the sthāyibhāva becomes manifest externally, while the other bhāvas remain in the unmanifest condition. In ordinary worldly-minded persons who are possessed of lust, anger and so on, when one emotion is manifest the others remain dormant within in the form of latent desires and impressions (saṁskāras). When the appropriate opportunity comes about, the other emotions assert themselves. Similarly rati, prema and so on sometimes become manifest by contact with specific stimuli and at other times they remain concealed within.”