Å›Änta, dÄsya, sakhya, vÄtsalya, madhura-rasa nÄma
kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa-madhye e pañca pradhÄna
Å›Änta - neutrality; dÄsya - servitude; sakhya - friendship; vÄtsalya - parental affection; madhura-rasa - conjugal love; nÄma - different names; kṛṣṇa-bhakti - of devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead; rasa - the mellows; madhye - among; e - these; pañca - five; pradhÄna - chief.
ÅšÄnta-bhakti-rasa is described in the Bhakti-rasÄmá¹›ta-sindhu (3.1.4-6) as follows:
vaká¹£yamÄṇair vibhÄvÄdyaiḥ Å›aminÄá¹ svÄdyatÄá¹ gataḥ
sthÄyÄ« Å›Änti-ratir dhÄ«raiḥ Å›Änta-bhakti-rasaḥ smá¹›taḥ
prÄyaḥ sva-sukha-jÄtÄ«yaá¹ sukhaá¹ syÄd atra yoginÄm
kintv Ätma-saukhyam aghanaá¹ ghanaá¹ tv Ä«Å›a-mayaá¹ sukham
tatrÄpÄ«Å›a-svarÅ«pÄnu- bhavasyaivoru-hetutÄ
dÄsÄdi-van-mano-jñÄtva- lÄ«lÄder na tathÄ matÄ
When Å›Änta-rati (neutral attraction) exists continuously and is mixed with ecstatic emotion, and when the devotee relishes that neutral position, it is called Å›Änta-bhakti-rasa. ÅšÄnta-bhakti-rasa devotees generally relish the impersonal feature of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Since their taste of transcendental bliss is incomplete, it is called aghana, or not concentrated. A comparison is made between ordinary milk and concentrated milk. When the same devotee goes beyond the impersonal and tastes the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His original form as sac-cid-Änanda-vigraha (His transcendental, blissful body, complete in knowledge and eternity), the taste is called concentrated (ghana) transcendental bliss. Sometimes the devotees in Å›Änta-rasa relish transcendental bliss after meeting the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but this is not comparable to the transcendental bliss relished by the devotees situated in dÄsya-rasa, the transcendental mellow in which one renders service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
DÄsya-rasa, or dÄsya-bhakti-rasa, is described in the Bhakti-rasÄmá¹›ta-sindhu (3.2.3-4) as follows:
Ätmocitair vibhÄvÄdyaiḥ prÄ«tir ÄsvÄdanÄ«yatÄm
nÄ«tÄ cetasi bhaktÄnÄá¹ prÄ«ti-bhakti-raso mataḥ
anugrÄhy asya dÄsatvÄl lÄlyatvÄd apy ayaá¹ dvidhÄ
bhidyate sambhrama-prīto gaurava-prīta ity api
When according to his desires the living entity develops love for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this beginning stage of love is called dÄsya-bhakti-rasa. DÄsya-bhakti-rasa is divided into two categories, called sambhrama-dÄsya and gaurava-dÄsya. In sambhrama-dÄsya, the devotee renders respectful service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but in the more advanced gaurava-dÄsya, the devotee feels he is receiving protection from the Lord.
Sakhya-bhakti-rasa is described as follows in the Bhakti-rasÄmá¹›ta sindhu (3.3.1):
sthÄyi-bhÄvo vibhÄvÄdyaiḥ sakhyam Ätmocitair iha
nÄ«taÅ› citte satÄá¹ puá¹£á¹iá¹ rasaḥ preyÄn udÄ«ryate
“According to one’s original consciousness, ecstatic emotions may be exhibited as continuously existing in fraternity. When this stage of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is mature, it is called preyo-rasa or sakhya-bhakti-rasa.â€
VÄtsalya-bhakti-rasa is described in the Bhakti-rasÄmá¹›ta-sindhu (3.4.1) as follows:
vibhÄvÄdyais tu vÄtsalyaá¹ sthÄyÄ« puá¹£á¹im upÄgataḥ
eá¹£a vatsala-nÄmÄtra prokto bhakti-raso budhaiḥ
“When eternally existing love of Godhead transforms into parental love and is mixed with corresponding emotions, that stage of spiritual existence is described by learned devotees as vÄtsalya-bhakti-rasa.â€
Madhura-bhakti-rasa is described in the Bhakti-rasÄmá¹›ta-sindhu (3.5.1) as follows:
Ätmocitair vibhÄvÄdyaiḥ puá¹£á¹iá¹ nÄ«tÄ satÄá¹ há¹›di
madhurÄkhyo bhaved bhakti- raso ’sau madhurÄ ratiḥ
“If in accordance with one’s own natural development in Kṛṣṇa consciousness one’s attraction leans toward conjugal love within the heart, that is called attachment in conjugal love, or madhura-rasa.â€