dÄsya, sakhya, vÄtsalya, śṛṅgÄra — cÄri rasa
cÄri bhÄvera bhakta yata kṛṣṇa tÄra vaÅ›a

 dÄsya - servitude; sakhya - friendship; vÄtsalya - parental affection; Å›á¹›á¹…gÄra - conjugal love; cÄri - four; rasa - mellows; cÄri - four; bhÄvera - of the sentiments; bhakta - devotees; yata - as many as there are; kṛṣṇa - Lord Kṛṣṇa; tÄra - by them; vaÅ›a - subdued.


Text

Servitude [dÄsya], friendship [sakhya], parental affection [vÄtsalya] and conjugal love [śṛṅgÄra] are the four transcendental mellows [rasas]. By the devotees who cherish these four mellows, Lord Kṛṣṇa is subdued.

Purport

DÄsya, sakhya, vÄtsalya and śṛṅgÄra are the transcendental modes of loving service to the Lord. ÅšÄnta-rasa, or the neutral stage, is not mentioned in this verse because although in Å›Änta-rasa one considers the Absolute Truth the sublime great, one does not go beyond that conception. ÅšÄnta-rasa is a very grand idea for materialistic philosophers, but such idealistic appreciation is only the beginning; it is the lowest among the relationships in the spiritual world. ÅšÄnta-rasa is not given much importance because as soon as there is a slight understanding between the knower and the known, active loving transcendental reciprocations and exchanges begin. DÄsya-rasa is the basic relationship between Kṛṣṇa and His devotees; therefore this verse considers dÄsya the first stage of transcendental devotional service.