Eastern Ocean

Fourth Wave
Prema-Bhakti
Chapter 19
Chapter Nineteen
Devotional Service in Pure Love of God
 BRS 1.4.1 - 21

Chapter Nineteen covers prema-bhakti — the Fourth Wave of the

Eastern Ocean.

The philosophical discussion of prema is quite brief because

prema is simply the mature state of bhäva, and Çréla Rüpa
Gosvämé has already extensively described bhäva.
Bhäva softens the heart. Prema softens the heart completely.
When bhäva deepens to the maximum it is called prema.
Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé described bhäva as a ray of prema.
Both the sun and the sun-ray possess light, but there is a
difference of intensity. Similarly, both bhäva and prema possess
ecstatic love of God, but it is not as intense in bhäva as it
becomes at the stage of prema.

Definition of Prema
samyaì masåëita-svänto
mamatvätiçayäìkitaù
bhävaù sa eva sändrätmä
budhaiù premä nigadyate

samyak — completely; masåëita-sväntaù — which makes the

heart soft; mamatvä — a sense of ownership; atiçaya-
aìkitaù — marked with an abundance; bhäva — emotion;
saù — that; eva — certainly; sändrätmä — whose nature is very
condensed; budhaiù — by learned persons; premä — love of
Godhead; nigadyate — is described.

When that bhäva softens the heart completely, becomes

endowed with a great feeling of possessiveness in relation
to the Lord and becomes very much condensed and
intensified, it is called prema [love of Godhead] by learned
scholars. (Cc Madhya 23.7)

This is Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé's definition of prema-bhakti, which he

confirms with the following quote: “In the Närada-païcarätra it is
clearly stated that when lust is transferred to he Supreme
Godhead and the concept of kinship is completely reposed in Him,
such is accepted as pure love of God by great authorities like
Bhéñma, Prahläda, Uddhava and Närada (pg 143).”
He explains further, “Great authorities like Bhéñma have
explained that love of Godhead means completely giving up all so-
called love for any other person. According to Bhéñma, love
means reposing one's affection completely upon one person,
withdrawing all affinities for any other person (pg 143).”

Primary and Secondary Characteristics

The primary characteristic of prema is: bhävaù sa eva sändrätmä
— it is the intensified (sändra) state of bhäva.
The secondary characteristics of prema are: (1) samyaì
masåëita-svänto — it completely softens the heart, and (2)
mamatva-atiçayäìkitaù — it is marked by highly possessive
ownership of Çré Kåñëa.

Mamatva — Highly Possessive Ownership of Kåñëa

Ordinary devotional service has the mood of tadéya — "I am
Kåñëa's." Prema-bhakti, however, has the mood of mamatva
—"Kåñëa is mine!"
In bhäva-bhakti one gets vision of the Lord and understands
his eternal relationship with Kåñëa. However, in prema-bhakti one
actually enters the Lord's pastimes in one's eternal spiritual
identity, overwhelmed with the mood that "Kåñëa is my son," or
"Kåñëa is my friend," or "Kåñëa is my lover."

Achieving Prema
There are two ways to achieve prema: (1) by the maturation of
bhäva, and (2) by the Lord's extraordinary mercy.

Prema Arising from Maturation of Bhäva

 Prema

Bhäva Mercy

Vaidhi Rägänugä

There are two subdivisions of prema arising from bhäva:

(1) vaidha-bhävottho — prema arising from bhäva achieved
through vaidhi-sädhana, and (2) rägänugéya-bhävattho — prema
arising from bhäva achieved through rägänugä-sädhana.

Prema Arising From Bhäva Achieved Through Vaidhi-Sädhana

“A devotee, in the course of executing the regulative principles of
devotional service, develops his natural Kåñëa consciousness, and
being thus softened at heart he chants and dances like a
madman. While performing chanting of the holy name of the Lord,
he sometimes cries, sometimes talks wildly, sometimes sings, and
sometimes — without caring for any outsider — dances like a
madman (pg 144).”
This verse (SB 11.2.40) shows that constantly practicing the
regulative principles of devotional service (vaidhi) can arouse
bhäva.

Prema Arising From Bhäva Achieved Through Rägänugä-Sädhana

Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé cites the story of Candrakänti, from Padma
Puräëa. Candrakänti practiced rägänugä-sädhana, striving to
develop the mood of the rägätmikäs of Våndävana, specifically the
gopés. By this practice she achieved bhäva, at which point she
decided to accept no one else besides Kåñëa as her husband. This
complete indifference to anyone other than Kåñëa is one of the
nine symptoms of bhäva, namely virakti.
By maturation of her bhäva-bhakti, she began to constantly
engage in meditation on Kåñëa's form with the concept "Kåñëa is
my lover." This indicates mamatva — a symptom of prema. Thus
she achieved prema by maturation of the bhäva she achieved
through rägänugä-sädhana. 1

1 See Jéva Gosvämé & Mukunda däsa BRS 1.4.7 - 8.

 Prema Achieved by the Extraordinary Mercy of Kåñëa
Çrémad-Bhägavatam 11.12.7 exemplifies this, “Lord Kåñëa tells
Uddhava, ‘the gopés of Våndävana did not study the Vedas to
achieve Me. Nor had they ever been in holy places of pilgrimage.
Nor did they ever devoutly execute any regulative principle. Nor
did they undergo any kind of austerity. It is simply by My
association that they have attained the highest perfection of
devotional service’ (pg 144).”

Two Types of Prema

There are two types of prema-bhakti: (1) mähätmya-jïäna —
prema mixed with knowledge of the Lord's majesty, and (2)
kevala — unmixed, pure prema. Çréla Prabhupäda says that
prema “...can be placed under two headings: one is profound
veneration for the greatness of the Lord, and the other is one's
being automatically attracted to Kåñëa without any extraneous
consideration (pg 145).”

Mähätmya-Jïäna-Prema
Närada-païcaträtra illustrates prema imbued with knowledge of
the Lord's greatness: “...if on account of profound veneration for
the greatness of the Supreme Lord one attains a great affection
and steady love for Him, one is certainly assured of achieving the
four kinds of Vaiñëava liberation... (pg 145)”
Devotees who achieved bhäva from vaidhi-sädhana can
attain mähätmya-jïäna-prema.

Kevala-Prema
Kevala-prema, pure and one-pointed prema, is not even slightly
mixed with any other aspiration or interest — such as aspiration
for Vaikuëöha liberation, or interest in the Lord's profound power
and opulence.
 A devotee with one-pointed love (kevala-prema) always
lovingly fixes his mind upon Çré Kåñëa without the slightest

mähätmya-jïäna kevala
prema

vaidha-bhävottho rägänugéya-bhävottho
bhäva

vaidhi rägänugä
sädhana
mercy
deviation to any other topic. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé explains this
with a quote from Närada-païcarätra, “If a devotee is continuously
in love with Lord Kåñëa and his mind is always fixed upon Him,
that devotional attitude will prove to be the only means of
attracting the attention of the Lord. In other words, a Vaiñëava
who is always thinking of the form of Lord Kåñëa is to be known as
a pure Vaiñëava (pg 145).”
Devotees who achieved bhäva from rägänugä-sädhana can
attain kevala-prema.

Evolution to Prema
Generally, one attains prema only by persistent, ardent practice —
not by a sudden stroke of mercy. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé describes
the gradual evolution from çraddha to prema:
ädau çraddha tataù sädhu-
saìgo 'tha bhajana-kriyä
tato 'nartha-nivåtti syät
tato niñöhä rucis tataù

athäsaktis tato bhävas

tataù premäbhy udaïcati
sädhakänämayaà premëaù
prädurbhäve bhavet kramaù
In the beginning there must be faith. Then one becomes
interested in associating with pure devotees. Thereafter
one is initiated by the spiritual master and executes the
regulative principles under his orders. Thus one is freed
from all unwanted habits and becomes firmly fixed in
devotional service. Thereafter, one develops taste and
attachment. This is the way of sädhana-bhakti, the
execution of devotional service according to the regulative
principles. Gradually emotions intensify, and finally there
is an awakening of love. This is the Gradual development
of love of Godhead for the devotee interested in Kåñëa
consciousness. (Cc. Madhya 23.14-15)
Çréla Prabhupäda summarizes these verses in Nectar of
Devotion, page 146, first paragraph.

Difficulty of Understanding Prema

Usually, we judge a person's level of success by how happy he has
become. This standard becomes useless when applied to a
prema-bhakta. A devotee in prema is so inundated in waves of
transcendental emotion that he cannot even perceive external
happiness or distress. Consequently, attempting to measure
success by conventional standards is fruitless, and misses the
point.
“'My dear supreme goddess, you may know from me that
anyone who has developed the ecstasy of love for the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, and who is always merged in
transcendental bliss on account of this love, cannot even perceive
the material distress or happiness coming from the body or mind
(pg 146).”

Further Information on Prema

Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé refers the reader to Båhad-bhägavatämåta
by Çré Sanätana Gosvämé for a more detailed description of the
affections and dealings of prema-bhakti. He ends the Eastern
Division by offering obeisances to his guru — Sanätana Gosvämé,
and other prominent Gosvämés.