{"id":57842,"date":"2021-09-24T13:30:21","date_gmt":"2021-09-24T17:30:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/?p=57842"},"modified":"2023-09-24T13:32:06","modified_gmt":"2023-09-24T17:32:06","slug":"nectar-of-devotion-chapter-thirty-one-additional-symptoms","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/nectar-of-devotion-chapter-thirty-one-additional-symptoms\/","title":{"rendered":"Nectar of Devotion – CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: – Additional Symptoms"},"content":{"rendered":"
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CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n
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Additional Symptoms<\/span><\/h1>\n

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All the previously mentioned thirty-three symptoms of ecstatic love are called vyabhic\u0101r\u012b,<\/em> or disturbing. All these symptoms refer to apparently disturbed conditions, but even in such disturbed conditions there is acute ecstatic love for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. These symptoms, however, can be divided into three groups: first class, second class and third class. There are many disturbing symptoms in ecstatic love, such as envy, anxiety, pride, jealousy, conclusion, cowardliness, forgiveness, impatience, hankering, regret, doubtfulness and impudence. These are included in the thirty-three conditions of ecstatic love. \u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b has very nicely analyzed the different kinds of disturbing symptoms, and although it is very difficult to find the exact English equivalents for many Sanskrit words used here, his analysis will now be presented.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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When one becomes malicious upon seeing another\u2019s advancement of life, his state of mind is generally called envy. When one becomes frightened at seeing a lightning bolt in the sky, that fearfulness brings on anxiety. Therefore, fearfulness and anxiety may be taken as one. One\u2019s desire to hide his real mentality is called avahitth\u0101,<\/em> or concealment, and a desire to exhibit superiority is called pride. Both of these may be classified under pretension. In a pretentious attitude both avahitth\u0101<\/em> and pride are to be found. One\u2019s inability to tolerate an offense committed by another is called amar\u1e63a,<\/em> and one\u2019s inability to tolerate the opulence of another is called jealousy. Jealousy and amar\u1e63a<\/em> are both caused by intolerance. One\u2019s ability to establish the correct import of a word may be called conclusiveness. And before such a conclusive determination of import, there must be thoughtful consideration. Therefore, the act of consideration is present during the establishment of a conclusion. When one presents himself as ignorant, his attitude is called humility, and when there is an absence of enthusiasm it is called cowardice. Therefore, in humility, there is sometimes cowardice also. When the mind is steadfast it is called enduring, and one\u2019s ability to tolerate others\u2019 offenses is also called endurance. Therefore, forgiveness and endurance can be synonymous. Anxiousness for time to pass is called impatience, and when one sees something wonderful one is said to be struck with wonder. Impatience may be caused by being struck with wonder, and so impatience and being struck with wonder can be synonymous. When anxiety is in its dormant stage it is called hankering. Therefore, anxiety and hankering can also be synonymous. When one becomes regretful for some offense, his feeling is called bashfulness. In this way, bashfulness and regret can be synonymous. Doubtfulness is one of the aspects of argument. After exhibiting impudence one becomes restless. Therefore restlessness and impudence can be synonymous.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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When all such symptoms are included in ecstatic love, they are called sa\u00f1c\u0101r\u012b,<\/em> or continuously existing ecstatic symptoms. All of these symptoms are transcendental, and they are exhibited in different ways, acting and interacting under different conditions. They are like the reciprocation of love between the lover and beloved.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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When a person is envious or defamed, there may be a change in the color of the body. This may be classified as vibh\u0101va,<\/em>or subecstasy. Sometimes illusion, collapse and strong anxiety are also considered to be vibh\u0101va.<\/em> When there are many such symptoms, they can simply be grouped together under ecstatic love.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b says that fright, sleep, fatigue, laziness and the madness of intoxication are sometimes grouped under continuous symptoms of ecstatic love, and they are due to a strong attraction.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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False argument, determination, steadiness, remembrance, joyfulness, ignorance, humility and unconsciousness are also different symptoms of ecstatic love. Dependence is also grouped under ecstatic love, and this can be divided into superior dependence and inferior dependence. The direct differentiations between superior and inferior dependence are ascertained by R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b and will be presented in due course.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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One devotee exclaimed, \u201cOh, I cannot see the district of Mathur\u0101! Even though by simply hearing the name of Mathur\u0101 the hairs of my body are standing up, I cannot see the place. So of what use are my eyes?\u201d This statement reveals a strong anxiety to see the district of Mathur\u0101 resulting from a strong attachment to K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. There is another instance of this strong attachment for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a expressed by Bh\u012bma when he began to murmur, \u201cMy arms are just like thunderbolts, but despite these arms I could not smash \u015ai\u015bup\u0101la while he was blaspheming K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. Therefore, of what use are these strong arms?\u201d In this instance Bh\u012bma became angry, and being influenced by such anger, his hopelessness became a cause for strong attachment to K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. This instance can be described as strong attachment for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a in anger.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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When Arjuna witnessed the universal form of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, whose dazzling teeth were practically devouring the very existence of the universe, Arjuna\u2019s mouth became dried up. At that time Arjuna forgot himself and could not understand that he was Arjuna, K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a\u2019s friend, although he was always dependent upon K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a\u2019s mercy. This incident is an example of inferior dependence.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sometimes ghastly activities also support strong ecstatic love for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. This state of mind is called ecstatic fearfulness under illusion. In the Tenth Canto, twenty-third chapter, verse 40 of \u015ar\u012bmad-Bh\u0101gavatam<\/a>,<\/em> there is the following statement by the br\u0101hma\u1e47as<\/em> who were performing sacrifices: \u201cWe have all been born into three advantageous conditions: we are in high br\u0101hma\u1e47a<\/em> families, we have ceremoniously received the sacred thread, and we are also properly initiated by a spiritual master. But alas, in spite of all these advantages, we are condemned. Even our observance of brahmacarya<\/em> is condemned.\u201d The br\u0101hma\u1e47as<\/em> thus began to condemn their own activities. They realized that in spite of being so elevated by birth, education and culture, they still were under the spell of the illusory energy. They also admitted that even great yog\u012bs<\/em> who are not devotees of the Lord are covered by the influence of material energy. This kind of hopelessness felt by the br\u0101hma\u1e47as<\/em> who were performing ritualistic ceremonies shows practically no attachment for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. There is another hopelessness, however, which shows attachment for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. When the bull demon attacked the damsels of Vraja, they began to cry out, \u201cDear K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a\u00a0\u2013 please save us! We are now gone!\u201d This is hopelessness with attachment for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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When the Ke\u015b\u012b demon was assassinated by K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, Ka\u1e41sa became hopeless. He said, \u201cKe\u015b\u012b-daitya was as dear to me as my own life, but he has been killed by some cowherd boy who is crude, uneducated and ignorant in fighting. Even though I have defeated the king of heaven without difficulty, still I do not know the value of life.\u201d Because this hopelessness has a slight touch of attraction for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, it is considered to be a reflection of ecstatic love in hopelessness.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Ka\u1e41sa once rebuked Akr\u016bra by saying, \u201cYou are such a fool that you are accepting a cowherd boy to be the Supreme Personality of Godhead simply because He has defeated some harmless water snake! The boy may have lifted one pebble called Govardhana Hill, but what is more surprising than that is your statement that this boy is the Personality of Godhead!\u201d This is an instance of a maliciously opposing element, caused by hopelessness in ecstatic love for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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One devotee tried to console a kadamba<\/em> tree when the tree was lamenting because K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a had not touched even its shadow. The devotee said, \u201cMy dear kadamba<\/em> tree, do not be worried. Just after defeating the K\u0101liya snake in the Yamun\u0101 River, K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a will come and satisfy your desire.\u201d This is an instance of inappropriate hopelessness in ecstatic love for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Garu\u1e0da the eagle, the carrier of Vi\u1e63\u1e47u, once said, \u201cWho can be more pure than I? Where is there a second bird like me, so able and competent? K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a may not like me, He may not wish to join my party, but still He has to take advantage of my wings!\u201d This is an instance of hopelessness in the neutral mood of ecstatic love.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The symptoms of ecstatic love are sometimes grouped under four headings\u00a0\u2013 namely, generation, conjunction, aggregation and satisfaction.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a once told R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b, \u201cMy dear friend, when You tried to meet Me alone in the morning, Your friend Mekhal\u0101 remained hungry with envy. Just look at her!\u201d When K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a was joking with R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b in this way, R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b moved Her beautiful eyebrows crossly. R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b prays that everyone may become blessed by this movement of \u015ar\u012bmat\u012b R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b\u2019s eyebrows. This is an instance of the generation of malice in ecstatic love of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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One night, after the P\u016btan\u0101 demon had been killed, baby K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a could be seen playing upon her breast. Upon seeing this, Ya\u015bod\u0101 became stunned for some time. This is an example of a conjunction of various symptoms of ecstatic love. The conjunction can be auspicious or inauspicious. That the P\u016btan\u0101 demon had been killed was auspicious, but that K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a was playing on her breast in the dead of night, with no one to help Him in case of trouble, was inauspicious. Ya\u015bod\u0101 was caught between auspiciousness and inauspiciousness.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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After K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a had just learned to walk, He was going in and out of the house very frequently. Ya\u015bod\u0101 became surprised and said, \u201cThis child is too restless and cannot be controlled! He is incessantly going about the neighborhood of Gokula [V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana], and then He is coming back inside the house. I see that the child is very fearless, but in spite of His fearlessness, I am becoming more and more afraid of His falling into some danger.\u201d This again is an instance of the conjunction of two opposing elements: the child was very fearless, but at the same time Ya\u015bod\u0101 was becoming fearful of some danger. Here danger is the cause, and Ya\u015bod\u0101\u2019s feelings are in a conjunction of two opposing symptoms. In other words, Ya\u015bod\u0101 was feeling both happiness and doubt, or growing fear.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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When Devak\u012b, the mother of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, saw her son very jubilant in the presence of the wrestlers in Ka\u1e41sa\u2019s arena, two kinds of tears were simultaneously gliding down her cheeks: sometimes her tears were warm, and sometimes they were cold. This is an instance of a conjunction of jubilation and lamentation due to different causes of ecstatic love.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Once when \u015ar\u012bmat\u012b R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b was standing on the bank of the Yamun\u0101 River in the forest of V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana, She was attacked by K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a, who was stronger than She. Although She externally expressed a disturbed mood from this incident, within Herself She was smiling and feeling great satisfaction. Externally She moved Her eyebrows and made a show of rejecting K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. In this mood R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b looked very beautiful, and \u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b glorifies Her beauty. This is an instance of exhibiting varying feelings in ecstatic love, although the cause is one only\u00a0\u2013 K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Sometimes there were great festivals in the house of Nanda Mah\u0101r\u0101ja, and all of the inhabitants of V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana would assemble for these festivals. During one such festival, \u015ar\u012bmat\u012b R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b was seen wearing a golden necklace given to Her by K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. This was immediately detected by mother Ya\u015bod\u0101 as well as by R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b\u2019s mother, because the necklace was too long for R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b\u2019s neck. At the same time R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b could see K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a nearby, as well as Her own husband, Abhimanyu. So all of these things combined to make R\u0101dh\u0101r\u0101\u1e47\u012b feel very much ashamed, and with Her face shriveled She began to look very beautiful. In this case there was a combination of bashfulness, anger, jubilation and lamentation. This is an instance of an aggregate of symptoms of ecstatic love.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Ka\u1e41sa once said, \u201cWhat harm can this boy do to me? He has no power.\u201d The next moment Ka\u1e41sa was informed that all of his friends had been killed by the boy. Then Ka\u1e41sa began to think in perplexity, \u201cShall I go immediately and surrender unto Him? But how can a great warrior do this?\u201d The next moment he thought, \u201cWhy should I<\/em> be afraid of Him<\/em>? There are still so many wrestlers standing to support me.\u201d But the next moment he began to consider, \u201cThe boy is certainly not common because He has lifted Govardhana Hill with His left hand. So what can I do in this connection? Let me go to V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana and inflict pains on all the residents there. But still I cannot even go out because my heart is trembling from fear of this boy!\u201d This condition of Ka\u1e41sa\u2019s mind reveals an instance of pride, lamentation, humility, determination, remembrance, doubtfulness, anger and fear. Actually eight different symptoms comprised the mental condition of Ka\u1e41sa. This is another instance of an aggregate of symptoms in hopeless ecstatic love.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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One householder devotee once said, \u201cMy Lord, I am so wretched that these two eyes are never desiring to see the glorious city of Mathur\u0101. Therefore, my eyes are actually condemned. I am nicely educated, but my education has simply been used in government service. I have not considered formidable time, stronger than anything else, which creates and annihilates everything. To whom shall I leave all of my wealth and fortune? I am becoming older and older. What shall I do? Shall I execute devotional service from here at home? This I cannot do, because my mind is being attracted by the transcendental land of V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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This is an instance of hopelessness, pride, doubt, patience, lamentation, determination and eagerness\u00a0\u2013 an aggregation of seven different symptoms in ecstatic love for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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There is a proverb in Sanskrit that says, \u201cDisappointment gives rise to the greatest satisfaction.\u201d In other words, when one\u2019s sentiment or ambition becomes too great and is not fulfilled until after seemingly hopeless tribulation, that is taken as the greatest satisfaction. Once the cowherd boys in V\u1e5bnd\u0101vana were vainly searching after K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a for a long time, and for that reason their faces became blackened, and their complexions appeared faded. Just then they could hear on the hill a faint vibration from K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a\u2019s flute. Immediately all of them became very much gladdened. This is an instance of satisfaction in the midst of disappointment.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u015ar\u012bla R\u016bpa Gosv\u0101m\u012b says that although he has no expert knowledge about the sounds and meanings and mellows of the symptoms of ecstatic love, he has tried to give some examples of different varieties of love of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a. He further states that the thirty-three disturbing symptoms of ecstatic love, plus eight other symptoms, all taken together equal forty-one primary symptoms of ecstatic love. These symptoms create transformations of bodily activities as well as movements of the senses. All of them can be accepted as different feelings of the heart. Sometimes some of the feelings are quite natural. Sometimes some of the feelings are just temporary appearances. Those symptoms that are very natural always remain, both within and without the devotee.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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As one can detect the color of dye a cloth was soaked in by looking at the cloth, so, simply by understanding the different signs of these symptomatic features, one can understand the actual position. In other words, attachment for K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a is one, but because there exist different kinds of devotees, such attachment is manifested in many varieties. As clothing tinged red appears red, so the temporary appearance of a certain type of feeling can be detected or observed by the specific ecstatic symptom. In fact, all the different humors and mellows of the devotees produce various specific feelings within the mind. And according to these differences, the symptoms of ecstatic love appear in different forms and degrees. If one\u2019s heart is highly elevated, grave and magnanimous, or if one\u2019s heart is rough and crude, different symptoms of ecstatic love will appear, influenced by the condition of the heart. Actually, people cannot generally understand such different qualities of mentality, but when one\u2019s heart is very soft or gentle, these symptoms become very easily visible, and one can understand them very clearly. The heart of one who is highly elevated and grave is compared to gold. If one\u2019s heart is very soft and gentle, his heart is compared to a cotton swab. When there is an ecstatic sensation within the mind, the golden heart or grave heart is not agitated, but the soft heart immediately becomes agitated.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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To offer another example, a grave, magnanimous heart is compared to a great city, and a soft heart to an insignificant cottage. There may be many lights or even great elephants in the big city, but no one will take particular notice of them. But when such lights or elephants are seen near a small cottage, everyone can distinctly point them out.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A hard heart is compared to a lightning bolt, to gold and to shellac. The lightning bolt is very strong and never becomes soft. Similarly, the hearts of those who are engaged in severe austerities and penances do not become very easily softened. The golden heart becomes melted at high temperature, as in ecstatic love. And the shellac heart is very easily melted in slight temperature.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A soft heart is compared to honey, to butter and to nectar. And the condition of the mind is compared to sunshine. As honey and butter become melted even in slight sunshine, softhearted persons become easily melted. Nectar, however, is by its nature always liquid. And the hearts of those who are in pure ecstatic love with K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a are by nature always liquified, just like nectar.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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A pure devotee of K\u1e5b\u1e63\u1e47a is always specifically qualified with nectarean qualifications and sometimes with the qualifications of butter and honey. On the whole, the heart in any of the different conditions mentioned above can be melted under certain circumstances, just as a hard diamond is sometimes melted by a combination of certain chemicals. In the D\u0101na-keli-kaumud\u012b<\/em> it is stated, \u201cWhen love develops in the heart of a devotee, he cannot check the transformation of his sentiments. His heart is just like the ocean at the rising of the moon, when the ebb tide cannot be checked: immediately there must be movement of high waves.\u201d Although in its natural state the ocean is always grave and unfathomable, when the moon rises, nothing can check the ocean\u2019s agitation. Similarly, those who are pure devotees cannot on any account check the movement of their feelings within.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE Additional Symptoms     All the previously mentioned thirty-three symptoms of ecstatic love are called vyabhic\u0101r\u012b, or disturbing. All these symptoms refer to apparently disturbed conditions, but even in such disturbed conditions there … 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-57842","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-english"],"publishpress_future_action":{"enabled":false,"date":"2026-04-27 06:04:19","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\/57842","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=57842"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/57842\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=57842"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=57842"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.isvara.org\/archive\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=57842"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}