Adhikāra or eligibility for bhakti, karma and jñāna
One of the questions that occupies Śrī Rūpa Goswami in the Bhakti rasāmṛta sindhu is whether someone on the bhakti path must also perform the […]
Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu
The unique qualities of uttamā bhakti
The definition of uttamā bhakti in Śrī Rūpa Goswami’s Bhakti rasāmṛta sindhu is the foundation on which the edifice of the Caitanya tradition rests. I […]
Śrī Jīva Goswami’s commentary on the definition of uttamā bhakti, part III
I continue translating Śrī Jīva Goswami’s commentary on the definition of uttamā bhakti given in the Bhakti rasāmṛta sindhu by Śrī Rūpa Goswami. He concludes […]
Śrī Jīva Goswami’s commentary on the definition of uttamā bhakti, part II
I continue translating Śrī Jīva Goswami’s commentary on the definition of uttamā bhakti given in the Bhakti rasāmṛta sindhu by Śrī Rūpa Goswami. In the […]
Śrī Jīva Goswami’s commentary on the definition of uttamā bhakti, part I
I finally decided to sit down and translate Śrī Jīva Goswami’s commentary on the definition of uttamā bhakti given in the Bhakti rasāmṛta sindhu by […]
svarūpa-lakṣaṇa and taṭastha lakṣaṇa of uttamā bhakti
A reader recently suggested that the definition of uttamā bhakti I have written about is incorrect, and that Śrī Jīva is actually teaching something different. […]
The kaniṣṭha bhāgavata lacks knowledge of śāstra and hence śāstrīya-śraddhā
In previous articles, I discussed the characteristics of the uttama and madhyama bhāgavatas as explained in the Bhakti Sandarbha. Here, I examine Śrī Jīva’s explanation […]
The characteristics of a devotee: the madhyama bhāgavata
In a previous article, I discussed the characteristics of the uttama bhāgavata. Here, I will examine Śrī Jīva’s explanation of the characteristics of the madhyama […]
The characteristics of a devotee: the uttama bhāgavata
Śrī Jīva wrote the Bhakti Sandarbha, an unparalleled work, to teach the practice of bhakti. His essential message is that bhakti comes exclusively from sat-saṅga […]
The elements of bhakti rasa
Here we revisit the definition of bhakti rasa and explanations of the terms vibhāva, anubhāva, vyabhicārī and sāttvika bhāvas, but this time as given by […]
The essence of bhakti rasa is wondrous happiness (camatkāri sukham)
Bhakti rasa is a state of camatkāri sukham.
Steps in experience of bhakti rasa
We continue our discussion of rasa by examining the steps through which it manifests and is experienced.