CHAPTER FORTY-NINE<\/p>\n
Mixing of Rasas<\/p>\n
As already described, there are twelve different kinds of rasas, or ecstatic relationships that are shared with K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. Five of these rasas are direct, and they are listed as neutrality, servitude, fraternal love, parental love and conjugal love. Seven of the rasas are indirect, and they are listed as humor, astonishment, chivalry, compassion, anger, dread and ghastliness. The five direct rasas are eternally manifested in the Vaiku\u1e47\u1e6dha world, the spiritual kingdom, whereas the seven indirect rasas are eternally manifesting and unmanifesting in Gokula V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana, where K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a displays His transcendental pastimes in the material world.<\/p>\n
Very often, in addition to one\u2019s regular rasa, there is found the presence of some other rasa, and the mixture of these loving humors is sometimes compatible, or palatable, and sometimes incompatible, or unpalatable. The following is a scientific analysis of the compatibility and incompatibility of the mixtures of these various rasas, or loving moods.<\/p>\n
When in the rasa of neutral love (\u015b\u0101nta-rasa) there are found traces of ghastliness or astonishment, the result is compatible. When with this neutral love there are manifestations of conjugal love, chivalry, anger or dread, the result is incompatible.<\/p>\n
When in the ecstasy of a serving humor there are manifestations of dread, neutral love or chivalry (such as dharma-v\u012bra and d\u0101na-v\u012bra), the result is compatible. The ecstasy of devotional service in chivalry (yuddha-v\u012bra) and anger are directly produced by K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a Himself.<\/p>\n
With the ecstasy of fraternal love a mixture of conjugal love, laughter or chivalry is highly compatible. With the same fraternal love, a mixture of dread or parental love is most incompatible.<\/p>\n
Although there are gulfs of differences between them, with the ecstasy of parental affection a mixture of laughter, compassion or dread is compatible.<\/p>\n
With the ecstasy of parental love a mixture of conjugal love, chivalry or anger is incompatible.<\/p>\n
With the ecstasy of devotion in conjugal love a mixture of laughter or fraternity is compatible.<\/p>\n
According to certain expert opinions, in the ecstasy of conjugal love the feelings of chivalry known as yuddha-v\u012bra and dharma-v\u012bra are the only compatible additions. According to this view, except for these two humors, all other manifestations are taken as incompatible with conjugal love.<\/p>\n
With the ecstasy of devotional laughter a mixture of dread, conjugal love or parental love is compatible, whereas a mixture of compassion or ghastliness is incompatible.<\/p>\n
With the ecstasy of devotion in astonishment a mixture of chivalry or neutral love is compatible, whereas a mixture of anger or dread is always incompatible.<\/p>\n
With the ecstasy of devotional chivalry a mixture of astonishment, laughter or servitude is compatible, whereas a mixture of dread or conjugal love is incompatible. According to some expert opinions, the ecstasy of neutral love is always compatible with devotional service in chivalry.<\/p>\n
With the ecstasy of compassion in devotional service a mixture of anger or parental love is compatible, whereas a mixture of laughter, conjugal love or astonishment is always incompatible.<\/p>\n
With the ecstasy of anger in devotional service a mixture of compassion or chivalry is compatible, whereas a mixture of laughter, conjugal union or dread is completely incompatible.<\/p>\n
With the ecstasy of dread in devotional service a mixture of ghastliness or compassion is compatible.<\/p>\n
With the ecstasy of chivalry in devotional service a mixture of conjugal union, laughter or anger is always incompatible.<\/p>\n
In the ecstasy of ghastliness in devotional service, feelings of neutral love, laughter or servitude are compatible, whereas feelings of conjugal union and fraternity are incompatible.<\/p>\n
The above analysis is a sample of the study of ras\u0101bh\u0101sa, or incompatible mixing of rasas. This transcendental science of ras\u0101bh\u0101sa can thoroughly explain the humors in ecstatic love that are compatible and incompatible with one another. When Lord Caitanya Mah\u0101prabhu was residing in Jagann\u0101tha Pur\u012b, many poets and devotees used to come to Him and offer their different kinds of poetry, but the regulation was that Lord Caitanya\u2019s secretary, Svar\u016bpa D\u0101modara, first examined all of these writings scrutinizingly, and if he would find that there were no incompatibilities in the rasas, or transcendental mellows, he would then allow the poet to approach Lord Caitanya and recite his poetry.<\/p>\n
The topic of incompatibility is a very important one, and those who are pure devotees always expect to find perfect compatibility in descriptions of the different relationships with the Personality of Godhead. The study of compatibility and incompatibility sometimes becomes very involved, and a hint of why this is so is given as follows. When a friend meets another friend, the mellow produced out of that meeting is generally taken as very palatable. But actually with such meetings between two friends, there are so many feelings involved that it is difficult to ascertain when these feelings are actually becoming compatible and when they are becoming incompatible.<\/p>\n
Expert literary scholars have analyzed the rasas that are compatible with one another by contrasting the various rasas in a particular mixture under the names whole and part. According to this method, the prominent feeling is called the whole, and the subordinate feeling is called the part.<\/p>\n
The following statement elucidates the subject of part and whole: \u201cAll living entities are just like sparks from the supreme fire, and as such, I do not know if I, a tiny spark, shall be able to engage myself in the transcendental loving service of this supreme fire, Lord K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a.\u201d In this statement, the feelings of neutral love are taken as the whole, whereas the desire to serve the Lord is taken as the part. Actually, in the Brahman effulgence there is no chance for reciprocation of loving ecstasy between the Lord and the devotee.<\/p>\n
There is another quotation, from a devotee who laments as follows: \u201cAlas, I am still trying to relish different pleasurable states from this body, which is simply some skin covering mucus, semen and blood. In this state of consciousness I am so condemned that I cannot relish the transcendental ecstasy of remembering the Supreme Personality of Godhead.\u201d In this statement there are two ecstatic loving humors, namely, neutrality and ghastliness. Neutrality is taken here as the whole, whereas the ecstasy of ghastliness is the part.<\/p>\n
There is a similar statement by a devotee as follows: \u201cI shall now begin my service of fanning the Supreme Personality of Godhead, \u015ar\u012b K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, who is seated on a golden throne. He is the supreme Param-brahma in His eternal transcendental form of a cloudy blackish complexion. Now I shall give up my affection for my material body, which is nothing but a bunch of flesh and blood.\u201d Herein also there is a combination of servitude and ghastliness, where the ecstasy of servitude is taken as the whole and the ecstasy of ghastliness is taken as the part.<\/p>\n
There is another statement as follows: \u201cWhen shall I be freed from the mode of ignorance? And being thus purified, when shall I attain the stage of serving K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a eternally? Only then shall I be able to worship Him, always observing His lotus eyes and beautiful face.\u201d In this statement the whole is the ecstasy of neutrality and the part is servitorship.<\/p>\n
There is another statement as follows: \u201cPlease look at this devotee of the Lord who is dancing just from remembering the lotus feet of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. Simply by observing his dance you will lose all interest in even the most beautiful women!\u201d In this statement the whole is in neutrality and the part is in ghastliness.<\/p>\n
One devotee boldly said, \u201cMy dear Lord, now I am turning my face from any thought of association with young girls. As far as Brahman realization is concerned, I have lost all interest because I am completely absorbed in thinking about You. And being absorbed so blissfully, I have lost all other desires, even the desire for mystic powers. Now my mind is attracted only to worshiping Your lotus feet.\u201d In this statement, the whole is the ecstasy of neutrality and the part is chivalry.<\/p>\n
In another statement, Subala is addressed thus: \u201cMy dear Subala, the damsels of V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana who had the opportunity of enjoying K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a\u2019s kissing must be the foremost of all the fortunate women in the world.\u201d In this example, the ecstasy of fraternal devotional service is the whole and the ecstasy of conjugal love is the part.<\/p>\n
The following statement was made by K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a to the gop\u012bs: \u201cMy dear enchanted, don\u2019t gaze at Me with longing eyes like this. Be satisfied and return to your homes in V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana. There is no necessity of your presence here.\u201d While K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a was joking in this way with the damsels of Vraja, who with great hope had come to enjoy the r\u0101sa dance with Him, Subala was also on the scene, and he began to look at K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a with wide and laughing eyes. Subala\u2019s feeling contained a mixture of fraternity and laughter in devotional service. Fraternity is considered here to be the whole and the laughter is considered the part.<\/p>\n
The following example contains a mixture of ecstatic fraternity and laughter, taken respectively as the whole and part. When K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a saw that Subala, in the dress of R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b, was silently hiding under the shade of a beautiful a\u015boka tree on the bank of the Yamun\u0101, He immediately arose from His seat in surprise. Upon seeing K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, Subala tried to hide his laughter by covering his cheeks.<\/p>\n
There is also an example of a mixture of parental love and compassion in devotional service. When mother Ya\u015bod\u0101 was thinking that her son was walking in the forest without any umbrella or shoes, she became greatly perturbed to think of how much difficulty K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a must have been feeling. In this example the whole is the parental love and the part is compassion.<\/p>\n
There is the following example of a mixture of parental love and laughter. A friend of mother Ya\u015bod\u0101 told her, \u201cMy dear Ya\u015bod\u0101, your son has very cunningly stolen a lump of butter from my home. And to make me blame my own son for His mischief He has smeared some of the butter on my son\u2019s face while he was sleeping!\u201d Upon hearing this, mother Ya\u015bod\u0101 shook her curved eyebrows. She could only look at her friend with a smiling face. May mother Ya\u015bod\u0101 bless everyone with this smiling attitude. In this example the whole is the parental love and the part is the laughter.<\/p>\n
There is an example of a mixture of several humors with devotional service as follows. When K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a was holding up Govardhana Hill with His left hand, His hair became scattered all over His shoulders and He appeared to be perspiring. When mother Ya\u015bod\u0101 saw this scene, she began to tremble. Then, as she stared at the scene with broadened eyes, she saw K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a begin to exhibit varieties of facial caricatures. Mother Ya\u015bod\u0101 then became very happy and began to smile. Then again, when she thought that K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a was holding up the hill for such an extremely long time, her clothes became soaked with perspiration. May mother Ya\u015bod\u0101 Vraje\u015bvar\u012b protect the whole universe by her infinite mercy! In this example, the whole is parental love and the parts are dread, wonder, laughter, compassion, etc.<\/p>\n
There is an example of a mixture of conjugal love and fraternal affection when \u015ar\u012bmat\u012b R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b said, \u201cMy dear friends, just see how K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a is resting His hand on the shoulder of Subala, who is dressed up just like a young girl! I think He must be sending some message to Me through Subala.\u201d The purport is that the superiors of R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b do not like K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a or His cowherd friends to associate with Her; therefore these friends sometimes clothe themselves in female dress so they can give R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b a message from K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. In this example the whole is conjugal love and the part is fraternity.<\/p>\n
The following is an example of a mixture of conjugal love and laughter in devotional service. K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, in the dress of a young girl, told R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b, \u201cOh, You hardhearted girl! Don\u2019t You know that I am Your sister? Why are You unable to recognize Me? Be merciful upon Me and please capture My shoulders and embrace Me with love!\u201d While K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a was dressed up exactly like R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b He was speaking these nice words, and \u015ar\u012bmat\u012b R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b could understand His purpose. But because She was in front of many of Her superiors, She simply smiled and did not say anything. In this instance, the ecstasy of conjugal love is taken as the whole and the ecstasy of laughter is taken as the part.<\/p>\n
The following illustrates a mixture of several feelings. When one of the consort friends of Candr\u0101val\u012b saw that K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a was preparing to fight with the V\u1e5b\u1e63\u0101sura demon, she began to think, \u201cHow wonderful K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a is! His mind is captivated by the eyebrows of Candr\u0101val\u012b in a smiling spirit, His snakelike arms are on the shoulder of His friend, and at the same time He is roaring like a lion to encourage V\u1e5b\u1e63\u0101sura to fight with Him!\u201d This is an example of conjugal love, fraternity and chivalry. The conjugal love is taken here as the whole and the fraternity and chivalry are taken as the parts.<\/p>\n
When Kubj\u0101 caught hold of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a\u2019s yellow garment because she was feeling almost lusty with sex urge, K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a simply bowed down His head with His cheeks glowing in front of the many people who were standing there and laughing. This is an example of a mixture of ecstatic conjugal love and laughter. The laughter is taken as the whole, and the conjugal love is taken as the part.<\/p>\n
Vi\u015b\u0101la, a cowherd boy who was attempting to fight with Bhadrasena, was addressed by another cowherd boy as follows: \u201cWhy are you attempting to show your chivalrous spirit before me? Before this, you even attempted to fight with \u015ar\u012bd\u0101m\u0101, but you must know that \u015ar\u012bd\u0101m\u0101 does not even care to fight with hundreds of Balar\u0101mas. So why are you acting so enthusiastically when you actually have no importance at all?\u201d This is an example of a mixture of devotional fraternity and chivalry. The chivalry is taken as the whole, and the fraternity is taken as the part.<\/p>\n
\u015ai\u015bup\u0101la was habituated to calling K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a ill names, and by his insults he irritated the sons of P\u0101\u1e47\u1e0du more than he irritated K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. The P\u0101\u1e47\u1e0davas therefore equipped themselves with all kinds of weapons to kill \u015ai\u015bup\u0101la. Their feelings were a mixture of ecstatic anger and fraternity, the anger being taken as the whole and fraternity as the part.<\/p>\n
Once K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a was watching \u015ar\u012bd\u0101m\u0101 very expertly using his stick to fight with Balar\u0101ma, who was an expert club fighter and who had even killed the Pralamb\u0101sura demon with His club. When K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a saw Balar\u0101ma finally defeated by \u015ar\u012bd\u0101m\u0101, who was using only a small stick, K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a became filled with pleasure and began to look upon \u015ar\u012bd\u0101m\u0101 with great wonder. In this instance there is a mixture of astonishment, fraternity and chivalry in devotional service. The fraternity and chivalry are considered the parts and the astonishment is considered the whole.<\/p>\n
Expert analysts of these various kinds of mellows instruct us that when different mellows overlap one another, the mellow that is the whole, or the prominent humor, is called the permanent ecstasy. It is confirmed in the Vi\u1e63\u1e47u-dharmottara that when there are many mellows of devotional ecstasy mixed together, the prominent one, or the whole, is called the steady ecstasy of devotional service. Although the subordinate mellow may be manifested for a certain time, at length it will become merged into the prominent whole. Thus it is called an unconstitutional ecstasy of devotional service.<\/p>\n
There is a good analogy in this connection, showing the relationship between the part and whole. Lord V\u0101mana-deva is actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead, but He appeared to have been \u201cborn\u201d as one of the brothers of Indra. Although V\u0101mana-deva is sometimes taken as a less important demigod, He is actually the maintainer of Indra, the king of the demigods. Thus, although sometimes V\u0101mana-deva is considered to be a subordinate demigod, His actual position is that of the supreme whole, the source of the entire demigod system. In the same way, a rasa which is actually prominent may sometimes appear to be manifested in a subordinate way, although its actual position is as the main or prominent loving feeling of a devotee.<\/p>\n
When an unconstitutional ecstasy of devotional service is manifested prominently at a certain time, it is still accepted as the part. If it is not very prominently manifested, it appears only slightly and merges quickly back into the whole. At such times of slight appearance, no consideration is given to it; when one is eating some palatable dishes, if one also eats a small blade of grass he will not taste it, nor will he care to distinguish what its taste is like.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE Mixing of Rasas As already described, there are twelve different kinds of rasas, or ecstatic relationships that are shared with K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. Five of these rasas are direct, and they are listed as neutrality, servitude, … Read More<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":81,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-38427","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-english"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-05-03 10:23:34","action":"change-status","newStatus":"draft","terms":[],"taxonomy":"category","extraData":[]},"publishpress_future_workflow_manual_trigger":{"enabledWorkflows":[]},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38427","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/81"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=38427"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/38427\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=38427"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=38427"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=38427"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}