The Blossoming of the Bhakti-latā

from Mādhurya-kādambinī by Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura

kṛṣṇākarṣiṇī
prema-bhak� is capable

prema of a�rac�ng Śrī Kṛṣṇa

sāndrānanda-viśeṣātmā pure love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa

prema-bhak� is imbued with
a condensed, superla�ve pleasure
madhura mokṣa-laghutā-kṛt
śānta the mood bhāva-bhak� makes even
the mood of amour
libera�on seem trifling
of passivity
sudurlabhā and reverence
bhāva-bhak� is
most rarely obtained
vātsalya Madhura-bhāva includes vātsalya,
dāsya the mood
the mood which includes sakhya, etc.
of a servant sakhya of a parent
the mood
Āsak�, bhāva and prema of friendship
are the vine’s buds,
flowers and fruits.
bhāva
transcendental emo�on
saṅga
sādhu-

āsakti
a�achment to Śrī Kṛṣṇa,
the object of bhajana
ga
sādhu-saṅ

(1) vastu-vaiśiṣṭya-apekṣiṇī
taste dependent on external excellence
ruci (2) vastu-vaiśiṣṭya-anapekṣiṇī
taste not dependent on external excellence
taste for bhajana
-saṅga
sādhu

} {
ānukūlya – kindness
kṛpā – mercy
kṣamā – forgiveness
(1) tad-anukūla-vastu-var�nī
res�ng in that which is favourable to bhak�
niṣṭhā (2) sākṣād-bhak�-var�nī
res�ng directly in bhak� herself
kāyikī – performed by the body
vācikī – performed by speech
satya – truthfulness
unshakeable resolve mānasī – performed within the mind
and so forth…
sādhu-saṅga

(1) laya (2) vikṣepa (3) apra�pa� the last five obstacles before niṣṭhā (4) kaṣāya (5) rasāsvāda
drowsiness distrac�on incompetence contaminated consciousness taste for mundane pleasure
These five obstacles arise at
sādhu-saṅga

the �me of hearing, chan�ng

and remembering.

(1) duṣkṛto�ha (2) sukṛto�ha (3) bhakty-u�ha (4) aparādho�ha

obstacles born of
past sinful acts
obstacles born of
past pious acts anartha-nivṛtti obstacles born of imperfectly
performed bhak�
obstacles born of
past offences
avidyā – ignorance desire for libera�on clearing obstacles to bhak� lābha – worldly gain the ten offences
asmitā – false ego desire for heaven pūjā – worship to the holy name
rāga – a�achment desire for material pra�ṣṭhā – adora�on
ṅga

dveṣa – hatred enjoyment

abhiniveśa – absorp�on
sādhu-sa

in wordly objects

(1) utsāha-mayī (2) ghana-taralā (3) vyūḍha-vikalpā (4) viṣaya-saṅgarā (5) niyamākṣamā (6) taraṅga-raṅgiṇī
ini�al enthusiasm thick and thin prac�ce oscilla�ng resolve bhajana-kriyā struggling with inability to uphold enjoying the mundane
the prac�ce of devo�onal service sense enjoyment vows benefits of bhak�
sādhu-saṅga

kleśa-ghnī śubha-dā
bhak� destroys all misery bhak� bestows all auspiciousness
sādhu-saṅga

five types of misery four types of sin

k�
t
en

ānukūlya – kindness dhairya – pa�ence

m
rā ath

ha
th

ch
e
gā of

avidyā – ignorance prārabdha-pāpa – fruc�fied sin

�a
p

kṛpā – mercy gāmbhīrya – gravity

a-b
nu arde

ta

n
en
ug

asmitā – false ego aprārabdha-pāpa – unfruc�fied sin

�o
ga nt a

kṣamā – forgiveness mānadatva – honouring others

th

rd

dd �
e

vo
vaath of

at ān
fa

t e ak
-b �ac
p

rāga – a�achment kūṭa-pāpa – seeds of sin

ho
id reg

ha hm

satya – truthfulness amānitva – not expec�ng respect

rāg

bh
hī ula

k� nt

ep

ula
hī-
-b t e d

dveṣa – hatred bīja-pāpa – the desire-seed of sin sāralya – simplicity sarva-saubhāgya – all good fortune
th

eg
ha de

id
fr
va
k� vo�

abhiniveśa – absorp�on
ho

sāmya – equality and all other types of auspiciousness...

at
ep

in worldly objects
on

th

distaste for objects that are unrelated to Bhagavān

sādhu-saṅga and a thirst for that which is related to Bhagavān

associa�ng with saints

As the vine of bhak� grows, the

devo�onal quali�es that manifest
con�nue to mature. Sādhu-saṅga śraddhā the six characteris�cs of
the awakening of faith sādhana-bhak�, bhāva-bhak�
nourishes the vine at every stage. and prema-bhak�

the field of
the heart