“On the sakhya- rasa platform, the devotee sometimes offers the Lord service and sometimes makes Kṛṣṇa serve him in exchange. In their mock fighting, the cowherd boys would sometimes climb on Kṛṣṇa’s shoulders, and sometimes they would make Kṛṣṇa climb on their shoulders. (223) “Awe and veneration are absent on the platform of fraternity, since this rasa is predominated by service imbued with confidentiality. Therefore sakhya- rasa is characterized by the qualities of three rasas. (224) “On the platform of sakhya- rasa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead Kṛṣṇa is controlled by the devotees who are intimate with Him and think themselves equal to Him. (225)
“On the platform of parental love, the qualities of śānta- rasa, dāsya- rasa and sakhya- rasa are transformed into a form of service called maintenance. (226) “The essence of fraternal love is intimacy devoid of the formality and veneration found in dāsya- rasa. Due to a greater sense of intimacy, the devotee functioning in parental love chastises and rebukes the Lord in an ordinary way. (227) “On the platform of parental love, the devotee considers himself the Lord’s maintainer. Thus the Lord is the object of maintenance, like a son, and therefore this mellow is full of the qualities of four rasas—śānta- rasa, dāsya- rasa, fraternity and parental love. This is more transcendental nectar. (228) “The exchange of spiritual happiness between Kṛṣṇa and His devotee in which Kṛṣṇa is controlled by His devotee is compared to an ocean of nectar into which the devotee and Kṛṣṇa plunge. This is the verdict of learned scholars who appreciate Kṛṣṇa’s opulence. (229)
“‘Again let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. O my Lord, I offer my obeisances hundreds and thousands of times with all affection because by Your personal pastimes You plunge the gopīs into an ocean of nectar. Appreciating Your opulence, devotees generally declare that You are always subjugated by their feelings.’ (230) “On the platform of conjugal love, attachment for Kṛṣṇa, rendering service unto Him, the relaxed feelings of fraternity and the feelings of maintenance all increase in intimacy. (231) “On the platform of conjugal love, the devotee offers his body in the service of the Lord. Thus on this platform the transcendental qualities of all five rasas are present. (232) “All the material qualities evolve one after another in the material elements, beginning from ether. By gradual evolution, first one quality develops, then two qualities develop, then three and four, until all five qualities are found in earth. (233)
“Similarly, on the platform of conjugal love, all the feelings of the devotees are amalgamated. The intensified taste is certainly wonderful.” (234) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then concluded, “I have simply given a general survey describing the mellows of devotional service. You can consider how to adjust and expand this. (235) “When one thinks of Kṛṣṇa constantly, love for Him manifests within the heart. Even though one may be ignorant, one can reach the far shore of the ocean of transcendental love by Lord Kṛṣṇa’s mercy.” (236) After saying this, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu embraced Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī. The Lord then decided to go to the city of Benares. (237) The next morning, when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arose and prepared to leave for Vārāṇasī [Benares], Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī submitted the following statement at the Lord’s lotus feet. (238)
“If You give me permission, I shall go with Your Lordship. It is not possible for me to tolerate the waves of separation.” (239) Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, “Your duty is to carry out My order. You have come near Vṛndāvana. Now you should go there. (240) “Later, you can go from Vṛndāvana to Jagannātha Purī through Bengal [Gauḍa- deśa]. There you will meet Me again.” (241) After embracing Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu got into a boat. Rūpa Gosvāmī fainted and fell down on the spot. (242) The brāhmaṇa from Deccan took Rūpa Gosvāmī to his home, and thereafter the two brothers departed for Vṛndāvana. (243) After walking and walking, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu finally arrived at Vārāṇasī, where He met Candraśekhara, who was coming out of the city. (244)
In a dream Candraśekhara had seen that Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had come to his home; therefore in the morning Candraśekhara went outside the city to receive the Lord. (245) While Candraśekhara was waiting outside the city, he suddenly saw Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu arrive, and he fell down at the Lord’s feet. Being very happy, he took the Lord to his home. (246) Tapana Miśra also heard news of the Lord’s arrival in Vārāṇasī, and he went to Candraśekhara’s house to meet Him. After talking, he invited the Lord to take lunch at his place. (247) Tapana Miśra took Caitanya Mahāprabhu to his house and gave Him lunch. Candraśekhara invited Balabhadra Bhaṭṭācārya to take lunch at his home. (248) After offering lunch to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Tapana Miśra begged a favor from the Lord and requested Him to award him mercy. (249)
Tapana Miśra said, “As long as Your Lordship stays in Vārāṇasī, please do not accept an invitation from anyone but me.” (250) It was known to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu that He would remain there only five or seven days. He would not accept any invitation that involved Māyāvādī sannyāsīs. (251) With this understanding, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu agreed to accept lunch at the place of Tapana Miśra. The Lord made His residence at the home of Candraśekhara. (252) The Maharashtrian brāhmaṇa came, and the Lord met him. Out of affection, the Lord bestowed His mercy upon him. (253) Hearing that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu had come, all the respectable members of the brāhmaṇa and kṣatriya communities came to see Him. (254) Much mercy was thus bestowed upon Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī, and I have briefly described all those topics. (255) Whoever hears this narration with faith and love certainly develops love of God at the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. (256) Praying at the lotus feet of Śrī Rūpa and Śrī Raghunātha, always desiring their mercy, I, Kṛṣṇadāsa, narrate Śrī Caitanya- caritāmṛta, following in their footsteps. (257)
Deepen your Bhakti-yoga practice, harmonize relationships, and receive guided coaching — all at Vedavarsity.com
