The Reservoir of Pleasure – Relishing Ecstatic Love for Kṛṣṇa
Human life finds its ultimate fulfillment when the soul reposes its loving propensity in the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa. Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that this ecstatic love is not a product of the material world but is the natural, intensified state of the soul's attachment to the Lord. While material love often leads to frustration, ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa provides a constant, increasing taste of transcendental bliss that satisfies the mind and heart completely. This article examines the various impetuses that awaken this love, the diverse relationships found in Vṛndāvana, and the symptoms of perfection that manifest when a devotee is fully absorbed in the Lord.
Science of Spiritual Mellows
Ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa is a scientific reality that can be analyzed through its various components. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that things like Kṛṣṇa's flute, His footprints, and the plant Tulasi act as impetuses (uddīpana) that awaken this love. When these impetuses are combined with the devotee's internal mood, the resulting state is a permanent ecstasy called sthāyi-bhāva. This spiritual science allows the devotee to experience a variety of nectarean tastes, which expert critics compare to a palatable mixture of curd, sugar candy, and black pepper.
- According to the opinion of all expert devotees, anything that will arouse ecstatic love for Krsna is to be taken as an impetus for transcendental mellow.
- By means of vibhava, anubhava, sattvika and vyabhicari, hearing and chanting are activated, and the devotee is able to taste love for Krsna. Then attachment for Krsna, or permanent ecstasy (sthayi-bhava), becomes the mellow of devotional service.
- Some things which give stimulation to ecstatic love of Krsna are His footprints, His place of pastimes (such as Vrndavana), His favorite plant (tulasi), His devotee and the periodical occasions for remembering Him.
- Such ecstatic love is palatable, and expert critics have compared such ecstatic love with a mixture of curd, sugar candy and a little black pepper. The combined taste is very palatable.
The Descent and Distribution of Love
The treasure of ecstatic love was sowed in this material world by Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī and subsequently grew into a great tree through Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that the Lord appeared as Caitanya specifically to taste the nectar of this love and then instruct His devotees on how to relish it. Through His causeless mercy, He inundated areas like Prayāga with waves of ecstasy, proving that this love is the highest goal of life. By hearing the pastimes of the Lord and His associates like Rāmānanda Rāya, a sincere soul can easily receive the "nectarean treasure" of love for the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.
- Madhavendra Puri sowed the seed of ecstatic love for Krsna within this material world and then departed. That seed later became a great tree in the form of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
- Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who personally tasted the nectar of ecstatic love for Krsna and then instructed His devotees how to taste it.
- Through the mercy of Ramananda Raya, I have understood that ecstatic love of Krsna is the highest goal of life and that spontaneous love of Krsna is the highest perfection.
Diverse Relationships in the Spiritual Realm
In the spiritual kingdom of Vṛndāvana, ecstatic love manifests in a variety of transcendental relationships or rasas. Śrīla Prabhupāda notes that these include the parental love of Mother Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja, as well as the friendly affection of cowherd boys like Subala. The most exalted of these humors is the conjugal love of the gopis, which can increase to the point of mahābhāva. While their love may outwardly resemble "lusty desire," it is actually a pure spiritual mirror that reflects Kṛṣṇa’s beauty. This love is so powerful that Kṛṣṇa Himself cannot fully understand its depth and therefore accepts the role of a devotee to taste these emotions.
- After the mellow of servitorship, there are the mellows of friendship and parental love, which increase to subordinate spontaneous love. The greatness of the love found in friends like Subala extends to the standard of ecstatic love of Godhead.
- Krsna Himself cannot fully understand the conditions, the mode of progress, the happiness and unhappiness, and the moods of ecstatic love of His devotees. He therefore accepts the role of a devotee to taste these emotions fully.
- The parental love of Mother Yasoda for Krsna steadily increases, and her love and ecstasy are sometimes described as intense affection and sometimes as overwhelming attachment.
Symptoms of Transcendental Absorption
When a devotee is actually advanced in ecstatic love, eight transcendental symptoms become manifest in the body, such as perspiring, trembling, and the shedding of tears. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how great souls like Uddhava or Śrīla Mādhavendra Purī would become "almost mad" with ecstasy, oblivious to the time of day or their social surroundings. This "madness" of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the result of a heart that has become liquified like nectar. In such a state, even material distress is forgotten, and the devotee remains satisfied simply by remembering the Lord’s name in full affection.
- Actually, due to his excessive ecstatic love for Krsna, Uddhava became known in Dvaraka as crazy.
- Nectar, however, is by its nature always liquid. And the hearts of those who are in pure ecstatic love with Krsna are by nature always liquified, just like nectar.
- When Akrura came to Vrndavana in search of Krsna, he saw the footprints of the Lord on the dust of Nanda-grama and at once fell on them in ecstasy of transcendental love. This is possible for a devotee who is fully absorbed in incessant thoughts of Krsna.
Conclusion
Relishing ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa is the highest possible state of being, where the soul is eternally situated in transcendental bliss. Śrīla Prabhupāda’s instructions illuminate the path to this reservoir of pleasure, showing us that through offenseless chanting and hearing, our original, liquid heart can be restored. Whether we follow the parental love of Nanda Mahārāja or the spontaneous devotion of the gopis, the goal is the same—to become "bound" by love to the Supreme Lord. By taking shelter of the munificent path given by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, every living entity can transcend the ocean of nescience and enter the eternal, ecstatic pastimes of the spiritual world.
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 for Krsna. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.