Manifestation of Bliss – Ecstatic Love of Devotees of God
The life of a pure devotee is a constant exhibition of transcendental bliss, driven by an unalloyed desire to satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that this ecstatic love is not merely a sentiment but a potent spiritual force that transforms the devotee's vision and behavior. Unlike the poetry of mundane writers, the words of a devotee are saturated with realization and bring great happiness to the hearer. This article examines the internal nature of confidential service, the specific symptoms of ecstasy, and the unparalleled standard of love found in the residents of Vṛndāvana.
Nature of Confidential Service
The primary characteristic of a devotee in ecstatic love is complete selflessness. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that such a devotee desires only the happiness of Kṛṣṇa and acts in various ways to fulfill that desire. This confidential service is often difficult for the conditioned soul to comprehend, as it transcends the logic of the material world. However, the vibration of such a devotee is distinct; hearing their words causes spiritual happiness, whereas hearing from those without transcendental knowledge brings only unhappiness.
- He (a pure devotee) desires only the happiness of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna, and because of his ecstatic love for Krsna, he acts in various ways.
- The conditioned soul within the material world can neither understand nor appreciate how a pure devotee in the material world can render confidential service to Him out of feelings of ecstatic love and always engage in pleasing the Supreme Lord’s senses.
- Hearing the poetry of a person who has no transcendental knowledge and who writes about the relationships between man and woman simply causes unhappiness, whereas hearing the words of a devotee fully absorbed in ecstatic love causes great happiness.
Seeing Kṛṣṇa Everywhere
For a devotee situated on the highest platform of ecstasy, the entire world is a reminder of the Supreme Lord. Śrīla Prabhupāda quotes Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu addressing great souls like Rāmānanda Rāya and Brahmānanda Bhāratī to illustrate this point. Whether seeing a tree, a river, or a person, the advanced devotee does not see the material form but sees the energy of the Lord, which immediately reawakens their Kṛṣṇa consciousness. This vision is the hallmark of one who is fully absorbed in ecstatic love.
- Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu continued, "My dear Raya, you are an advanced devotee and are always filled with ecstatic love for Radha and Krsna. Therefore whatever you see - anywhere and everywhere - simply awakens your Krsna consciousness."
- Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said - You are Brahmananda Bharati, an advanced devotee who ecstatically loves the Supreme Lord. Therefore you see Krsna everywhere, and there is no doubt about it.
- Various natural symptoms of ecstatic love of Godhead causes a devotee to dance and float in an ocean of transcendental bliss while chanting the Hare Krsna mantra.
Bodily Symptoms of Ecstasy
When the heart is flooded with love for God, the body manifests specific symptoms known as sattvika-vikara. Śrīla Prabhupāda lists these symptoms, which include dizziness, perspiration, and being stunned. In this state, even expressions of apparent unhappiness are actually symptoms of deep spiritual emotion (anubhava). Whether the devotee is dancing in bliss or becoming inert due to the intensity of their feelings, these actions are all manifestations from the transcendental platform.
- Bodily symptoms which express overwhelming ecstatic love: bashfulness, concealment, remembering, argumentativeness, anxiety, thoughtfulness, endurance, happiness, eagerness, haughtiness, envy, impudence, dizziness and alertness.
- The devotee said, "When a devotee dances in ecstatic love, there are manifestations of symptoms which are called sattvika. Sattvika means that they are from the transcendental platform."
- In this stage, all expressions of unhappiness by the devotee are called anubhava, or ecstatic loving symptoms.
- This is an example of how a devotee can become inert due to ecstatic love.
The Supreme Fortune of Vraja
The zenith of ecstatic love is found in the inhabitants of Vṛndāvana. Śrīla Prabhupāda highlights the inquiries of Parīkṣit Mahārāja regarding the pious activities of Mother Yaśodā, whose love was so intense that her breast milk flowed simply by thinking of Kṛṣṇa. This parental affection, along with the conjugal love of the gopis, is praised even by great devotees like Uddhava. These pastimes demonstrate that the perfection of life is to achieve such a deep emotional bond with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Having heard of the great fortune of mother Yasoda, Pariksit Maharaja inquired from Sukadeva Gosvami What past auspicious activities did she and Nanda Maharaja perform to achieve such perfection in ecstatic love? - SB 10.8.46
- Krsna and Balarama, being attached to Their play, were playing with the other boys although it was very late. Therefore mother Yasoda called Them back for lunch. Because of her ecstatic love & affection for Them, milk flowed from her breasts - SB 10.11.14
- Uddhava remained in Vrndavana to observe the activities of the gopis there. When he saw the ecstatic love for Krsna in separation manifested by the gopis, he appreciated their supreme love and therefore expressed his feelings in this verse - SB 10.47.60
Conclusion
The ecstatic love of a devotee is the highest testimony to the reality of the spiritual world. Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions reveal that this love is not a theoretical concept but a tangible experience that completely transforms one's existence. From the internal vision of seeing the Lord everywhere to the physical symptoms of dancing and tears, the devotee serves as a living beacon of divine bliss. By hearing about the fortune of Mother Yaśodā and the gopis, we are invited to cultivate this same selfless desire for Kṛṣṇa's happiness, which is the ultimate goal of all spiritual practice.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Ecstatic Love of a Devotee of God. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.