Steps in experience of bhakti rasa
We continue our discussion of rasa, inspired by a series of lectures on Alankara Kaustubha …
bhāva
The definition of rasa, part II
Continuing our discussion of rasa, we now examine vyabhicāri bhāva, which is also called sañcari …
Summary of definitions of uttamā bhakti and its divisions
Here we summarize uttamā bhakti, its divisions and the definitions which were discussed in previous …
The principles of vraja-bhakti
There is a beautiful kārikā by Śrī Śrīnāth Cakravarti which captures the principles of vraja-bhakti …
Spiritual form follows function
There is a well known principle in biology: function follows form. For example, the double …
Sādhanā bhakti is outside-in, while bhāva bhakti is inside-out.
We have previously examined the concept of sādhanā bhakti and bhāva bhakti, and the difference …
The rāsa līlā is to be understood in its vyañjanā meaning. Part 2
An example where the primary meaning of scripture can be misleading is Kṛṣṇa’s rāsa līlā described …
The rāsa līlā is to be understood in its vyañjanā meaning. Part 1
In Sanskrit kāvya, words have three kinds of meaning. Kavi-karṇapūra’s Alaṅkāra-kaustubha describes these meanings in …
Uttama bhaktas are very rare among both muktas and siddhas
Rupa Goswami quotes the following verse from the sixth canto of the भागवतम् in भक्तिरसामृत …
sālokya mukti is not a valid goal in uttamā bhakti
There are two types of enjoyment (भुक्ति): material enjoyment and spiritual enjoyment. There are also …
Is the sādhya, bhāva or prema?
Rupa Goswami in his भक्तिरसामृत सिंधु has presented three divisions of उत्तमा भक्ति (uttamā bhakti): …
sādhanā purifies the citta for the manifestation of bhāva
We have seen that साधना (sādhanā) is the activities of the senses (इंद्रिय-व्यापार) that result …