Part Three - Prayojana-tattva-nirupana - Description of the Final Goal
Chapter Three - Rasa-prakarana - The Rasas
Sutra 94
samagri-paripushta ratir eva rasah
samagri-by the ingredients; paripushta-nourished; ratih-rati; eva-indeed; rasah-rasa.
When it is nourished by various samagris (ingredients), rati becomes rasa (nectar mellows).
Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
In the Taittiriya Upanishad (2.7.1) it is said:
raso vai sah. rasam hy evayam labdhvanandi bhavati.
"When one understands the Personality of God, the reservoir of pleasure, Krishna, he
actually becomes transcendentally blissful."*
In the Agni Purana it is said:
na bhava-hino 'sti raso
na bhavo rasa-varjitah
bhavayanti rasan ebhir
bhavyante ca rasa iti
"There is no nectar (rasa) that is empty of love, and there is no love that is empty of
nectar. Love creates nectar. Nectar creates love."
Srila Bharata Muni explains:
saktir asti vibhavadeh
kapi sadharani kritau
pramata tad-abhedena
svayam yaya pratipadyate
"Ecstatic love creates nectar (rasa). That is the proof that love and nectar are not
different."
In Sri Caitanya-caritamrita (Madhya 19.180-182) it is said:
ei saba krishna bhakti rasa sthayi bhava
sthayi bhave mile yadi vibhavanubhava
"All these stages combined are called 'sthayi-bhava', or continuous love of Godhead in
devotional service. In addition to these stages there are 'vibhava' and'anubhava'.*
sattvika vyabhicari bhavera milane
krishna-bhakti-rasa haya amrita asvadane
"When the higher standard of ecstatic love is mixed with the symptoms of'sattvika'
and'vyabhicari', the devotee relishes the bliss of loving Krishna in a variety of nectarean
tastes.*
yaiche dadhi sita ghrita marica karpura
milane rasala haya amrita madhura
"These tastes are like a combination of yogurt, sugar candy, ghee (clarified butter),
black pepper, and camphor and are as palatable as sweet nectar."*
Sutra 95
sa ca panca-vidho mukhyah sapta-vidho gaunah
sah-that; ca-and; panca-five; vidhah-kinds; mukhyah-primary; sapta-seven; vidhahkinds;
gaunah-secondary.
The primary rasas are five, and the secondary rasas are seven.
Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
In the Brihad-aranyaka Upanishad (4.4.17) it is said:
yasmin panca-pancajana
akasas ca pratishthitah
tam eva manye atmanam
vidvan brahmamrito 'mritam
"A wise man understands the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is worshiped by
the devotees in the five rasas. Understanding Him, the wise man becomes immortal.
He attains the nectar of transcendental bliss."
In the Varaha Purana it is said:
putra-bhratri-sakhitvena
svamitvena yato harih
bahudha giyate vedair
jiyamsas tasya te na tu
"In many ways the Vedas glorify Lord Hari, who is loved as the devotee's son, brother,
friend, master, and husband."
In Sri Caitanya-caritamrita it is said:
rati-bhede krishna-bhakti-rase panca bheda
"The transcendental mellows derived from devotional service are also of five
varieties."*
