Text 1

The internal symptom of devotion at the stage of perfection (sādhyabhakti) is worship of Śrī Kṛṣṇa in a mood of separation. Śrī Śikṣāṣṭaka (7) states:

युगायितं निमेषेण चक्षुषा प्रावृषायितम्
शून्यायितं जगत् सर्वं गोविन्द-विरहेण मे

yugāyitaṃ nimeṣeṇa cakṣuṣā prāvṛṣāyitam
śūnyāyitaṃ jagat sarvaṃ govinda-viraheṇa me

O sakhī, in separation from Govinda, even a moment seems like a millennium. Tears pour from My eyes like torrents of rain in the monsoon season, and this entire world seems empty.

उद्वेगे दिवस ना याय क्षन हैल युग-सम
वर्षार मेघ प्राय अश्रु-वर्षे नयन

udvege divasa nā yāya kṣana haila yuga-sama
varṣāra megha prāya aśru-varṣe nayana

गोविन्द-विरहे शून्य हैल त्रिभुवन
तुषानले पोडे—येन ना याय जीवन

govinda-virahe śūnya haila tribhuvana
tuṣānale poḍe—yena nā yāya jīvana

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

Śrīman Mahāprabhu is absorbed in Śrī Rādhā’s feelings of intense separation from Śrī Kṛṣṇa. He says, “Sakhī, in My distress without Śrī Nanda-nandana, My days stand still. Each and every moment seems like an entire millennium. Tears f low incessantly from My eyes, like torrents of rain from the clouds. I cannot tolerate separation from Govinda anymore. The entire universe appears void, and My body constantly burns in the fire of separ ation from Him. It is as if My limbs have been placed in a fire of burning husks.^[1] But still, My life air does not leave Me. What shall I do now?”

Both pūrva-rāga (attachment prior to meeting one’s beloved) and pravāsa (separation by distance) are favourable to bhajana in the mood of separation. Rati (attachment) that is filled with eagerness and which exists prior to meeting is called pūrva-rāga. When the gopīs, who are deeply attached to Śrī Kṛṣṇa, hear the glories of His form, qualities and so forth, many types of sentiments are stimulated in their hearts and an astonishing impatience (vyagratā) arises that is impossible to describe. Those learned in the rasa-śāstras call this impatience pūrva-rāga. In this state of pūrva-rāga, various sañcāri-bhāvas arise, such as longing (lālasā ), anxiety (udvega) and sleeplessness (jāgaraṇa). Texts 2–6, taken from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, describe the pūrva-rāga of the gopīs.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

Burning husks are difficult to extinguish, burn very slowly and emit much heat.