Part Three - Prayojana-tattva-nirupana - Description of the Final Goal
Chapter Two - Sthayi-bhava-prakarana - Fervent or Continuous Ecstasy
Sutra 87
dridha-mamatatisayatmika pritih prema
dridha-firm; mamata-possessiveness; atisaya-great; atmika-of the self; pritihpriti; (preti?) prema-love.
When it is very intense, and when the lover becomes very possessive of the beloved,
priti becomes prema.
Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
In the Katha Upanishad (1.2.23) it is said:
nayam atma pravacanena labhyo
na medhaya na bahuna srutena
yam evaisha vrinute tena labhyas
tasyaisha atma vivrinute tanum svam
"The Supreme Lord is not attained by expert explanations, by vast intelligence, nor
even by much hearing. He is attained only by one who He Himself chooses. To such a
person He manifests His own form."*
In the Gopala-tapani Upanishad it is said:
etad vishnoh paramam padam ye
nitya-yuktah samyujante na kamattesham asau gopa-rupah
prakasayet atma-padam tadaiva
"Free from material desires, the sages always strive to attain Lord Vishnu's supreme
abode. Lord Vishnu, in His original form as a cowherd boy, appears before them and
shows them His own abode."
In Sri Narada-pancaratra it is said:
ananya-mamata vishnau
mamata prema-sangata
bhaktir ity ucyate bhishmaprahladoddhava-
naradaih
"When one develops an unflinching sense of ownership or possessiveness in relation to Lord Vishnu, or, in other words, when one thinks Vishnu and no one else to be the only object of love, such an awakening is called bhakti (devotion) by exalted persons like Bhishma, Prhalada, Uddhava, and Narada."*
Srila Rupa Gosvami (Sri Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 1.4.1) explains:
samyan masrinita-svanto
mamatvatisayankitah
bhavah sa eva sandratma
budhaih prema nigadyate
"When the heart is completely softened and devoid of all material desires and when
one's emotional feelings become very strong, one becomes very much attached to
Krishna. Such purified emotion is known as pure love."*
Sutra 88
visrambhatma-prema pranayah
visrambha-intimate and confident; atma-of the self; prema-prema; pranayah-pranaya.
When the love becomes intimate and lover confident of his position, prema
becomes pranaya.
Commentary by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
In the Taittiriya Upanishad (2.7.2) it is said:
yada hy evaisha etasminn adrisye 'natmye 'nirukte 'nilayane 'bhayam pratishtham vindate.
atha so 'bhayam gato bhavati.
"Taking shelter of the Supreme, who is invisible to material eyes, not a material person, indescribable by material words, and without a material home, the living entity becomes fearless. He becomes fearless."
In Srimad-Bhagavatam (10.18.24) it is said:
uvaha krishno bhagavan
sridamanam parajitah
"Defeated, Lord Krishna carried Sridama."
Srila Rupa Gosvami (Sri Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu 3.3.108) explains:
praptayam sambhramadinam
yogyatayam api sphutam
tad-gandhenapy asamsprishta
ratih pranaya ucyate
"When there is full knowledge of Krishna's superiority and yet in dealings with Him on friendly terms respectfulness is completely absent, that stage is called affection."*
