Northern Ocean

Second & Third Waves

Adbhuta-bhakti-rasa
Véra-bhakti-rasa
Chapter 46
Chapter 46
Astonishment and Chivalry
BRS 4.2.1 - 4.3.61

ASTONISHMENT
 BRS 4.2.1 - 13

In The Nectar of Devotion, Çréla Prabhupäda describes only the

essential elements of adbhuta-bhakti-rasa (astonishment). 1

Two Types of Astonishment

There are two ways to experience ecstatic astonishment: (1)
säkñät — by direct perception, or (2) anumäna — by inference.
Säkñät adbhuta (direct astonishment) occurs when one
directly perceives Kåñëa's wondrous activities, qualities, etc.
Anumäna adbhuta (inferred astonishment) occurs when one infers
that Kåñëa has performed some astonishing act, although one
does not directly perceive it.

Säkñät Adbhuta — Direct Astonishment

There are three subdivisions of säkñäd adbhuta: 1) astonishment
by seeing, 2) astonishment by hearing, and 3) astonishment by
speaking. 2

By Seeing

Adbhuta-Bhakti-Rasa
Ecstatic Astonishment

Säkñät Anumäna
Directly Percieved Inferred

By Seeing By Hearing By Speaking

The Nectar of Devotion gives two examples: In the first, Närada

becomes astonished by seeing Kåñëa simultaneously present in
16,108 palaces, engaged in completely different activities. In the
next example, a friend of mother Yaçodä became astonished when
she saw Kåñëa lift Govardhana Hill as though it was a toy (See
page 365).

1 Elements of Adbhuta-rasa not described in NOD: a definition of adbhuta-rasa, and a

description of its vibhäva, anubhäva, sättvika-bhäva, vyabhicäré-bhäva, and sthäyé-
bhäva. For these details, see BRS 4.2.1-4
2 BRS 4.2.5
 By Hearing
Mahäräja Parékñit became astonished when he heard about how
Kåñëa killed Narakäsura.
Although he did not witness the astonishing event, his
adbhuta-rasa is still "direct." The cause of his astonishment was
Çukadeva Gosvämé's narration of the event, which he directly
perceived with his own ears. Consequently, this is an example of
ecstatic astonishment arising from direct aural perception. 3

By Speaking
When Lord Brahmä returned to Satyaloka he informed the
residents about his stealing the cowherd boys and calves. By
speaking this news to them, Brahmä became overwhelmed with
astonishment. This exemplifies astonishment arising from speech.
Although Lord Brahmä is not directly witnessing the
astonishing event, he is directly witnessing his own narration of
the pastime. Consequently, he is an example of ecstatic
astonishment arising from direct verbal perception. 4

Anumäna-Adbhuta — Inferred Astonishment

After Kåñëa swallowed the forest fire, the cowherd boys opened
their eyes and saw that the forest was saved (page 366). They
inferred that Kåñëa must have performed some wonderful activity.
They did not witness Kåñëa's amazing act; they inferred it.
Consequently, they exemplify ecstatic astonishment arising from
inference.

Astonishment (Adbhuta-Rasa) is dependant on Love

(Préti)
Without love (préti) there can be no rasa. Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé
thus concludes: “The activities of a person, even if they are not
very extraordinary, create an impression of wonder in the heart
3 According to BRS 4.2.9, the last paragraph on page 365 should read: First sentence —
"An instance of astonishment by direct perception." Last sentence — "This instance is an
example of astonishment in devotional service by direct perception through aural
reception."
4 According to BRS 4.2.10, the first sentence on page 366 should read: "There is another
example of direct astonishment."
and mind of the person's friends. But even very wonderful
activities performed by a person who is not one's friend will not
create any impression. It is because of love that one's wonderful
activities create an impression in the mind (page 366).”

CHIVALRY
 BRS 4.3.1 - 61

When the mood of valorous enthusiasm (utsäùa-rati) is nourished

within the heart of a devotee by appropriate vibhäva, etc, it
transforms into ecstatic chivalry (véra-rasa).
Çréla Prabhupäda explains, “When on account of love and
devotional service for the Lord there is special valorous
enthusiasm, the resultant activities are called chivalrous (page
366).”

Types of Chivalry
There are four types of chivalrous heroes: (1) yuddha-véra — a
hero in fighting, (2) däna-véra — a hero in giving charity, (3) dayä-
véra — a hero in performing acts of compassion, and (4) dharma-
véra — a hero in abiding by religious principles. Çréla Prabhupäda
explains, “These chivalrous activities can be manifested in the
acts of mock-fighting, giving charity, showing mercy and
executing religious principles. By performing chivalrous activities
in fighting, one is called yuddha-véra. By charitable activities one
is called däna-véra. By showing extraordinary mercy one is called
dayä-véra. And when one is munificent in executing religious rites,
he is called dharma-véra (pages 366 - 367).”
Devotees who posses these four moods are the four types of
äçraya-älambana for véra-bhakti-rasa.
Kåñëa is the viñaya-älambana of all types of chivalry. Çréla
Prabhupäda therefore says, “In all such different chivalrous
activities, Kåñëa is the object (page 367).”
Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé separately discusses each type of
chivalry.
 YUDDHA-VÉRA — CHIVALROUS FIGHTING

Vibhäva

Viñaya-Älambana
Kåñëa is the object of chivalrous fighting. He enjoys this rasa in
two ways: (1) by directly fighting, or (2) by being a spectator.
Çréla Prabhupäda explains, "When a friend wants to satisfy
Kåñëa by performing some chivalrous activities, the friend
becomes the opponent; or else Kåñëa may give audience to the
fighting, and by His desire another friend becomes the opponent
(page 367).”

Kåñëa as the Opponent

“A friend once challenged Kåñëa thus: ‘My dear Mädhava, You are
very restless because You think that no one can defeat You. But if
You do not flee from here, then I shall show You how I can defeat
You. And my friends will be very satisfied to see this!’ (page 367)”
Another example: “Kåñëa and Çrédäma were very intimate
friends, yet Çrédäma, out of anger with Kåñëa, challenged Him.
When both of them began to fight, all the friends on the bank of
the Yamunä enjoyed the wonderful fighting of the two friends
(page 367).”

Kåñëa as the Spectator

Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé describes that Kåñëa's hair stood on end as
He witnessed the heroic fighting skills of Çrédäma, who
dexterously whirled a pole to deflect the arrows being shot at him.5

This is an example of Kåñëa enjoying yuddha-véra-rasa as a

spectator. Çréla Prabhupäda says, “Such mock-fighting generally
takes place among chivalrous persons and creates wonderful
excitement for all viewers (page 367).”

Additional Point on Chivalry: Chivalrous devotees are jubilant

and enthusiastic to fight, sometimes even with members of their
5 BRS 4.3.8
own group. “There is a statement in the Hari-vaàça that
sometimes Arjuna and Kåñëa fought in the presence of Kunté, and
Arjuna would be defeated by Kåñëa (page 367).”

Uddépana
Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé lists things that impel the ecstatic fighting
spirit: “...bragging, complacence, pride, power, taking to weapons,
challenging and standing as an opponent. All of these symptoms
become impetuses to chivalrous devotional service (page 367).”

Example of Bragging as an Uddépana

“My dear Dämodara, You are an expert only in eating... You have
advertised Yourself as a serpent, and I am the peacock who will
now defeat You (page 367).”

Anubhäva
The anubhävas of yuddha-véra-rasa are very similar to the
uddépanas. We can clarify this by means of a hypothetical
situation:
"Person A" is not in a fighting mood, but "Person B"
challenges him by bragging, taking up weapons, etc. These
activities impel the fighting spirit to rise up in "Person A."
Consequently, they act as uddépana.
From another angle: "Person B" was in the fighting mood,
which caused him to challenge "Person A" by bragging, taking up
weapons, etc. Consequently, these activities were anubhävas for
"Person B" because they resulted from his fighting mood.
When something impels the fighting spirit it is an uddépana.
When something results from one's own pre-existing fighting
spirit, it is an anubhäva.
Çréla Prabhupäda mentions this, “In such fighting between
friends, when the self-advertisement becomes personal, learned
scholars say that it is subecstasy (page 367).” 6

6 In the above quotation, Çréla Prabhupäda uses the following terminology: Self-
advertisement —bragging; personal — it arises from one's own fighting spirit, not from
someone else's fighting spirit; and subecstasy — subsequent ecstasy (anubhäva).
 Bragging is an anubhäva when it results from one's fighting
spirit and is used to challenge others. On the other hand, bragging
is an uddépana when it impels one's fighting spirit, coming as a
challenge from someone else.
This is true for each uddépana of yuddha-véra-rasa. For
example, taking up weapons to challenge an opponent is an
anubhäva, but it is an uddépana when someone else takes up
weapons and challenges one to battle.
In addition to these uddépana/anubhävas, there are some
things which are exclusively anubhäva: enthusiasm in fighting,
roaring like a lion, being enthusiastic to fight in spite of being
alone, to never withdraw from battle, to instil fearlessness in
persons who are afraid, etc.

Example of Bragging as an Anubhäva

“One friend addressed Kåñëa in this manner: ‘My dear
Madhusüdana, You know my strength, yet You are encouraging
Bhadrasena, and not me, to challenge mighty Baladeva. By this
action You are simply insulting me, because my arms are as strong
as the bolts of the gate!’ (page 368)” This bragging is as an
anubhäva, because it is a result of one's own yuddha-utsäùa-rati.
It is one's own self-provoked challenge.

Example of Roaring Like a Lion

“A devotee once said, ‘My dear Lord Kåñëa, may Your challenger
Çrédämä become glorious for his chivalrous activities, such as
vibrating like a thundercloud and roaring like a lion. May all glories
go to Çrédämä's chivalrous activities!’ (page 368)”

Sättvika-Bhäva & Vyabhicäré-Bhäva

Sättvika-bhäva: “Chivalrous activities in the matter of fighting,
charity, mercy and execution of religious rituals are called
constitutional... (page 368)” Here, Çréla Prabhupäda briefly
mentions that the four types of chivalry (yuddha-véra, dänavéra,

Thus: “In such fighting between friends, when bragging arises from one's own fighting
spirit, learned scholars say that it is anubhäva.”
daya-véra, and dharma-véra) manifest the standard eight
constitutional ecstacies (sättvika-bhäva).

Vyabhicäré-bhäva: “Expressions of pride, emotion, endurance,

kindness, determination, jubilation, enthusiasm, jealousy and
remembrance are called unconstitutional (page 368).”
"Constitutional ecstasy" is Çréla Prabhupäda's translation of
sättvika-bhäva. "Unconstitutional ecstasy" refers to vyabhicäré-
bhäva.

Sthäyé-Bhäva
The sthäyé-bhäva of yuddha-véra-rasa is called yuddha-utsäha-
rati — "enthusiasm to fight.” This enthusiasm manifests in four
ways. 7

1. One fights by himself, after being challenged by an

opponent.
2. One fights by himself, and he starts the fight.
3. One fights in a team, after being challenged by an
opponent, or encouraged by an ally.
4. One fights in a team, and he starts the fight.

Example of First Yuddha-Utsäha-Rati

(He fights by himself, after being challenged)
After being chastised by His father, Stoka-kåñëa stopped fighting
with Kåñëa... “But Kåñëa continued to challenge him, and thus, in
order to meet the challenge, Stoka-kåñëa took his pole and began
to display his dexterity by whirling it (page 368).”
Stoka-kåñëa fought by himself, after being challenged by
Kåñëa.

Example of Second Yuddha-Utsäha-Rati

(He fights by himself, and he starts the fight)
“Once Çrédäma challenged Bhadrasena and said to him, ‘My dear
friend, you needn't be afraid of me yet. I shall first of all defeat our

7 BRS 4.3.18
brother Balaräma, then I shall beat Kåñëa, and then I shall come
to you...’ (page 368)”
Çrédäma is starting the fight, and he wants to fight each
person "one-on-one".

Examples of Third Yuddha-Utsäha-Rati

(He fights in a team, after being challenged or encouraged)
See example beginning “Bhadrasena therefore left the party of
Balaräma and joined Kåñëa (page 368).” After being challenged
by Çrédäma, Bhadrasena teamed up with Kåñëa to defeat
Çrédämä and his friends.
Another example, “Once Kåñëa challenged all His friends and
said... (page 368)” In this example, Varüthapa teamed up with his
friends, after being challenged by Kåñëa.

Example of Fourth Yuddha-Utsäha-Rati

(He fights in a team, and he starts the fight)
“One of the friends once remarked, ‘Sudämä is trying his best to
see Dämodara defeated, and I think that if our powerful Subala
joins him, they will be a very beautiful combination, like a valuable
jewel bedecked with gold’ (page 368).”
Sudämä started the fight against Dämodara, and he will
team up with his ally, Subala.

Ecstatic Fighting is not Possible Without Love (Préti)

“In these chivalrous activities, only Kåñëa's friends can be the
opponents. Kåñëa's enemies can never actually be His opponents.
Therefore, this challenging by Kåñëa's friends is called devotional
service in chivalrous activities (page 368).”

DÄNA-VÉRA — CHIVALROUS CHARITY

“Däna-véra, or chivalry in giving charity, may be divided into two
parts: munificence and renunciation (page 369).” Munificence
means giving charity to others. Renunciation means receiving
charity from Kåñëa, but renouncing it (a devotee shows heroism or
chivalry by never accepting anything from Kåñëa except pure
devotional service). 8

Munificence
“A person who can sacrifice everything for the satisfaction of
Kåñëa is called munificent (page 369).”

Uddépana
Seeing a fit recipient of charity is an uddépana of däna-véra. 9

Another uddépana for charity is Kåñëa. Seeing Kåñëa impels

one's good and charitable sentiments, and thus one desires to
please the Lord by helping others. “When a person desires to
make a sacrifice because of seeing Kåñëa, Kåñëa is called the
impetus of the munificent activity (page 369).” 10

Two Types of Munificence

Munificence (giving charity for the Lord's pleasure) is of two types:
(1) Äbhyudayika — giving charity to a brähmaëa, to create
auspiciousness for Kåñëa, and (2) tat sampradänaka — giving
charity directly to the Lord. 11

Äbhyudayika
Äbhyudayika is the desire to invoke auspiciousness for Kåñëa by
giving charity to others, as Nanda Mahäräja did by giving charity
to the brähmaëas at Kåñëa's birth. (See page 369)

8 See BRS 4.2.25 & 43.

9 BRS 4.3.27
10 Other points from Bhakti-Rasämåta-Sindhu helpful in understanding däna-véra-rasa:
1) Anubhäva: Giving more than is deserved, conversing with laughter, firmness or
steadiness, cleverness and skill, patience. (BRS 4.3.27)
2) Vyabhicäré-bhäva: Vitarka ("counter-arguments"), utsukatä (enthusiasm), harña
(jubilation)... (BRS 4.3.28)
3) Sthäyé-bhäva: "Däna-utsha-rati"— enthusiasm to give charity (BRS 4.3.29)
4) Vibhäva: The person who gives charity is the äçraya alambana. Çré Kåñëa, as either the
recipient of charity or the recipient of the auspicious benefit accrued by giving charity, is
the viñaya alambana.
11 BRS 4.3.30
 Tat-Sampradänaka
Tat-sampradänaka involves giving charity directly to Kåñëa.
“When a person knows the glories of the Lord completely and is
prepared to sacrifice everything for the Lord, he is called
sampradänaka, or one who gives everything in charity for the
sake of Kåñëa (page 369).”

Däna-Véra
Renunciation Munificence
of charity given by Lord Giving to the Lord

Tat-sampradänaka Abhyudäyika
Giving directly to Lord Giving to others
for Lord's pleasure
Prétidäna Püjädäna
Giving to Kåñëa Giving to Lord
out of affection in worship

Tat-sampradänaka is also of two kinds: 12

1) Prétidäna — Charity given to Kåñëa in a loving, friendly mood.

2) Püjädäna —Charity given to Kåñëa in a worshipful mood.

Prétidäna-Tat-Sampradänaka
See example beginning “When Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira went with
Kåñëa in the arena of the Räjasüya sacrifice... (page 369)”
Out of deep friendship for Lord Kåñëa, Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira
gave Him all his possessions, and became disturbed when he
finally had nothing else to give. This is prétidäna because his
intimate friendship inspired him to give to the Lord.

Püjädäna Tat-Sampradänaka
See example beginning with “Similarly, Mahäräja Bali once told his
priest, Çukräcärya... (page 369)” This is püjädäna; Mahäräja Bali
feels that Lord Vämana is the Supreme Lord, the most worshipable
object and worthy recipient of charity.

12 BRS 4.3.34
 Renunciation
In "munificence," the devotee is the giver and the Lord is the
recipient. In "renunciation," the Lord is the giver and the devotee
is the recipient. The devotee, however, displays heroic purity by
renouncing anything offered by the Lord, even liberation.
Çréla Prabhupäda explains, “A person who wants to give
everything in charity to Kåñëa but does not want anything in
return is considered the real renouncer. Thus, a devotee will refuse
to accept any kind of liberation, even if it is offered by the Lord
(pages 369 - 370).”

Sthäyé-Bhäva
The sthäyé-bhäva of renunciation is tyäga-utsäha-rati —
enthusiasm for renunciation of everything besides the Lord's
service (a very powerful aversion to accept even the five types of
liberation). 13

Dhruva Mahäräja's statement from the Hari-bhakti-

sudhodaya is an example of tyäga-utsäha-rati — the chivalry of
renunciation. Even though various types of opulence were present
before him, he was prepared to renounce them all.
Çrémad Bhägavatam 3.15.48 is also an example of tyäga-
utsäha-rati.

DAYÄ-VÉRA — CHIVALROUS MERCY

Definition
Dayä-véra is a mood of compassion (dayä) for Kåñëa, which
inspires the devotee to perform heroic and chivalrous (véra) acts
of charity. The devotee's powerful mood of compassion makes him
willing to do anything that may benefit the Lord, even if it requires
him to cleave his own body in two. 14

Thus dayä-véra is a mood of heroism that arises from

compassion for the Lord. 15

13 BRS 4.3.43
14 BRS 4.3.47
15 Other points from BRS helpful in understanding dayä-véra-rasa:
 Example of Dayä-Véra Rasa
“One devotee has described his feelings about the charity
exhibited by King Mayüradhvaja... (page 370)” Kåñëa once
disguised himself as a brähmaëa beggar and asked Mahäräja
Mayüradhvaja for half his body, to be sawed off by his wife and
children. Because the king felt such strong compassion for Kåñëa
(in the disguise of this brähmaëa), he did not hesitate to fulfil his
every request, even though it required him to cleave his body in
half.16

Compassion for the Supreme Godhead?

Dayä-véra is heroism motivated by compassion and pity.
Compassion and pity are emotions felt for those in need. Since the
Supreme Godhead can never be in need or in difficulty, how could
a devotee feel compassion or pity for Him?
To facilitate the exchange of loving emotions such as pity and
compassion, the Lord's supremacy must be covered. Therefore
dayä-véra-rasa can only manifest when the Lord conceals His
divinity and appears in a disguised form. 17

1.Vibhäva: Kåñëa in a disguised form is the viñaya (disguising Himself as a bhrähmaëa,

etc.). The compassionate devotee is the äçraya (BRS 4.3.47).
2. Uddépana: Things that display the distress of the person whom compassion is being
shown. (BRS 4.3.48).
3. Anubhäva: Giving one's life; protecting the distressed person; speaking comforting,
soothing words; exhibiting steadiness, etc. (BRS 4.3.49).
4. Vyabhicäré-bhäva: Utsukatä (enthusiasm), mati (thoughtfulness), and harña
(jubilation)... (BRS 4.3.50)
5. Sthäyé-bhäva: Dayä-utsäha-rati — enthusiasm characterised by an abundance of
compassion (BRS 4.3.50).
16 The first full sentence on page 371 should thus read, "He is known as the perfect dayä-
véra renouncer" (pg. 371)
17 Jéva Gosvämé explains the difference between däna véra and dayä véra in his
commentary to BRS 4.3.52 - 53: Däna-véra refers to one who knows that the object of
charity is the Supreme Lord. An example of däna-véra is Bali Mahäräja, who knew that
Viñëu was disguised as the dwarf brahmacäré an therefore desired to give Him
everything. Dayä-véra, however, refers to one who is unaware that the object of his
charity is the Supreme Lord. Although the devotee is unaware of the Lord's position, his
love for the Lord is so strong that he feels spontaneously drawn to Him in a mood of
compassion.
Both däna véra and dayä véra are strongly rooted in däsya bhäva. Dayä-véra is
charity motivated by pity and compassion, but a servant cannot feel compassion and pity
toward his infinite Master. Therefore the Lord hides His identity from the devotee.
In the next wave, Karuëa rasa, we will find that the Lord's supremacy may also be
covered by parama mädhurya, His supreme sweetness. In this case also the devotees
 Däna-Véra or Dayä-Véra?
Both däna-véra and dayä-véra involve heroic acts of charity for
the Lord. Däna-véra occurs when one is aware of the Lord's
supremacy. Dayä-véra, on the other hand, occurs when one is
unaware of the Lord's identity. Charity given in Däna-véra is
motivated by a sense of worship, or a sense of friendship. Charity
given in dayä-véra is motivated by a sense of pity and compassion
for the Lord. 18

DHARMA-VÉRA — HEROIC RELIGIOSITY

Dharma-véra is the chivalrous mood of being always engaged in
dharma for Kåñëa's pleasure. “Any person who is always ready to
satisfy Kåñëa and who is always dexterous in executing devotional
service is called dharma-véra, or chivalrous in executing religious
rituals (page 371).”

Uddépana and Anubhäva

Uddépana: Hearing the scriptures is the impetus to becoming
dharma-véra, a hero of religiosity. Anubhäva: Moral conduct,
tolerance, and sense control are the results of becoming dharma-
véra. 19

Çréla Prabhupäda summarizes, “Dharma-véras are produced

after going through the authoritative scriptures, following moral
principles, being faithful and tolerant and controlling the senses
(page 371).”

Example of Dharma-Véra
See example beginning “The best example of dharma-véra is
Mahäräja Yudhiñöhira (page 371).” This example describes how
Mahäräja Yuddhiñöhira performed many yajïas to the demigods for
Kåñëa's pleasure. Therefore, the section ends by explaining how it
are unaware that Kåñëa is God because their knowledge is covered by the incredible
sweetness of the Lord. Thus moved by intense love, they feel great anxiety when there is
a threat to Kåñëa's safety which gives rise to karuëa rasa. Dayä-véra-rasa is specifically
for devotees in the reverent däsya mood. Karuëa-rasa is specifically for devotee's in
higher rasas.
18 BRS 4.3.52 - 53
19 BRS 4.3.56
is possible to worship the Lord by performing sacrifice to the
demigods.