What prīti is and what it is not

In a previous article, I examined the definition of prīti. Given the importance of this subject, Śrī Jīva Goswami devotes considerable attention to the essential nature of prīti. in Anuccheda 65 of the Prīti Sandarbha, he arrives at conclusions about the essence of prīti while ruling out alternative viewpoints. One of the view points he refutes is the popular notion that prīti or bhakti is in the svarūpa of the jīva. Many cite the payār from Caitanya Caritamrta — jivera svarūpa haya kṛṣṇera nitya dāsa — to support this notion. prīti is supposed to be ‘dormant’ in the jīvas. Thankfully, Śrī Jīva Goswami states with characteristic precision what prīti is and what it is not.

What prīti is not

Śrī Jīva Goswami writes —

tasmād evaṁ vivicyate—yā caivaṁ bhagavantaṁ svānandena madayati, sā kiṁ-lakṣaṇā syāt? iti |

Consequently, the following is to be deliberated: What are the characteristics of that [bhakti] which maddens Bhagavān in such manner (evam) by the magnitude of its own bliss?

He states what it is not in three sentences, along with a justification for each denial. I present Babaji’s translations of this section. Note that given the context, the word ‘bhakti’ is used interchangeably with prīti.

First, he denies the notion of the sāṅkhya-vādis that bhakti is no different than the ordinary emotions of love we feel in our day to day dealings (note that this is also the opinion of Advaitins like Sri Madhusudana Saraswati) —

1. na tāvat sāṅkhyānām iva prākṛta-sattva-maya-māyikānanda-rūpā, bhagavato māyānabhibhāvyatva-śruteḥ svatas-tṛptatvāc ca |
Bhakti cannot be of the nature of phenomenal bliss (māyika-ānanda), which is a product of material (prākṛta) sattva-guṇa, as claimed by the followers of the Sāṅkhya School, because according to the Śruti, Bhagavān is never overpowered by māyā, and because He is utterly fulfilled in Himself.

If bhakti was material in its essence, it could never bring Bhagavān under its control. Furthermore, Bhagavān is self-satisfied and therefore cannot be attracted by material things.

Next, he denies bhakti’s being the ānanda of Bhagavān’s svarūpa even —

2. na ca nirviśeṣa-vādinām iva bhagavat-svarūpānanda-rūpā, atiśayānupapatteḥ |
Nor can bhakti be of the nature of the bliss of Bhagavān’s essential being (bhagavat-svarūpānanda), as admitted by those who deny all attributes and potencies in the Absolute (nirviśeṣavādīs), because if such were the case [i.e., if the bliss of bhakti amounted to svarūpānanda alone, which is equated to brahmānanda in the nirviśeṣavāda view, then, being complete in itself and bereft of any operation of the Absolute’s potencies], the bliss of bhakti could never attain the highest peak of exaltation (atiśayānupapatteḥ).

The reason bhakti is not the bliss of Bhagavān’s being is that such bliss would be static and unchanging. Babaji explains bhagavat-svarūpānanda as follows:

“The difference between His svarūpānanda and svarūpa-śaktyānanda is that in the former case He enjoys His śakti just by their presence, while in the latter, He enjoys His energies by utilizing them, especially the energy of hlādini. The first case is like a rich person feeling happy because he knows that he has wealth, while in the second case, he enjoys his wealth by utilizing it. Another example is that of a wrestler being happy just to possess his strength, as opposed to using the strength in play.”

Given this, it is all the more impossible that bhakti is the ānanda of the jīva’s svarūpa —

3. ato natarāṁ jīvasya svarūpānanda-rūpā, atyanta-kṣudratvāt tasya | tataḥ—
In view of this, it is all the more certain that bhakti cannot be of the nature of the bliss implicit in the jīva’s essential being (svarūpa), because such bliss is exceedingly limited.

The bliss of the jīva’s svarūpa is atyanta-kṣudra, exceedingly small. In fact, it is just the absence of misery, and not positive bliss. As such, it cannot be equated with bhakti.

What prīti is

Then what is it? Śrī Jīva Goswami writes —

hlādinī sandhinī saṁvit tvayy ekā sarva-saṁśraye |

hlāda-tāpa-karī miśrā tvayi no guṇa-varjite || [vi.pu. 1.12.69]

iti viṣṇu-purāṇānusāreṇa hlādiny-ākhya-tadīya-svarūpa-śakty-ānanda-rūpaivety avaśiṣyate, yayā khalu bhagavān svarūpānandam anubhavati, yad-ānandenānanda-viśeṣī-bhavati, yayaivaṁ taṁ tam ānandam anyān apy anubhāvayatīti |

Consequently, the only remaining possibility is that bhakti is of the nature of the bliss belonging to Bhagavān’s intrinsic potency (svarūpa-śakty-ānanda), which is termed as hlādinī, “the delight-giving potency.” This is in accord with the following statement from Viṣṇu Purāṇa:

One intrinsic potency [ekā svarūpa-bhūtā], comprehending the potency of bliss (hlādinī), the potency of existence (sandhinī), and the potency of cognition (saṁvit), exists in You alone [tvayy eva], the ground and support of all existence. Whereas the potency that gives rise to material happiness [sāttvikī], misery [tāmasī], and a mixture of both [rājasī] is nonexistent in You, who are untouched by the material guṇas. (vp 1.12.69)

It is precisely by means of this hlādinī potency that Bhagavān is able to experience the bliss of His own essential being (svarūpānanda), and by the bliss of hlādinī, He also experiences a unique quality of bliss [i.e., svarūpa-śakty-ānanda]. Additionally, it is exclusively by the hlādinī potency that Bhagavān enables others to experience both these kinds of bliss [that of His svarūpa and that of His intrinsic potency (svarūpa-śakti)].

The logic is that bhakti cannot be Bhagavān’s svarūpa-ānanda, nor the jīva’s svarūpa-ānanda, nor is it māyika ānanda. As such, the only option remaining is Bhagavān’s svarūpa-śakty-ānanda. He concludes —

tasyā hlādinyā eva kāpi sarvānandātiśāyinī vṛttir nityaṁ bhakta-vṛndeṣv eva nikṣipyamāṇā bhagavat-prīty-ākhyayā vartate | atas tad-anubhavena śrī-bhagavān api śrīmad-bhakteṣu prīty-atiśayaṁ bhajata iti |

This hlādinī-śakti contains a particular functional capacity of all-exceeding bliss (sarvānandātiśāyinī vṛttiḥ), which, being continuously transmitted into the devotees alone, exists therein by the name of prīti for Bhagavān. Thereupon, by virtue of the immediate experience of that prīti, Śrī Bhagavān also feels an exaltation of love (prīty-atiśaya) for the devotees who are thus blessed (śrīmat).

The name prīti is given to Bhagavān’s hlādinī-śakti when it is transmitted into devotees. This prīti in turn elicits a reciprocal (and higher) prīti in Bhagavān- a sort of positive feedback loop, which continues on and on.

Summary

prīti is none of these items —

1. māyika-ānanda — the bliss of sattva guṇa

2. Bhagavat-svarūpānanda — bliss of Bhagavān’s essential being

3. jīva-svarūpānanda — the bliss of the jīva’s svarūpa

prīti is the name given to Bhagavān’s hlādinī-śakti when it is transmitted into the devotees.