Love of God is an exchange that is experienced

between Bhagavan (lshwar) and bhakta. But under

advaita realisation there is no Bhagavan as lshwar
is considered ultimately unreal at paramarthika
(absolute) state. There is also no bhakta because
such identity ceases. What is left is pure attribute-
less consciousness. There is no one to love anyone.
Adi Shankacharya in his commentary to Brhad-
aranyka Upanishad 4.3.31-32 describes
brahmananda (advaita realisation) not as a spiritual
platform for divine love but as a state of blissful
dreamless deep sleep. Just as one on some nights
experiences bliss but no conscious feeling of love
in deep dreamless sleep that is how Adi
Shankacharya describes the bliss of advaita
realisation.
Prabhu·H It's true that One's Own Self is Ver Dear
to a Person but when Pure and Uncontaminated
LOVE is present between TWO SELVES it
surpasses the Pleasure of One's Own Self.

SB 1.7. 9: SrT Saunaka asked SOta GosvamT.· SrT

Sukadeva GosvamT was already on the path of
self-realization [Brahman Ralization], and thus he
was pleased with his own self. So why did he take
the trouble to undergo the study of such a vast
literature?

SB 1.7 .1 O: SOta GosvamT said: All different

varieties of atmaramas [those who take pleasure
in the atma, or spirit self}, especially those
established on the path of self-realization, though
freed from all kinds of material bondage, desire
to render unalloyed devotional service unto the
Personality of Godhead. This means that the Lord
possesses transcendental qualities and therefore
can attract everyone, including liberated souls.

"Indeed, the nature of Lord Hari is such that even

atmaramas [those who take pleasure in the atma,
or spirit self] feel attracted to Him."
The advaitin may take the view that one's own self
is the most dearest thing in their existence and the
highest bliss culminates in satisfying the self. But
real love is self-less. not self-orientated. For the
bhakta, greater than satisfying one's own self is

Lord. The bhakta situated in prema bhava has no

desire for attaining advaita realisation (kaivalya
moksha), material opulences nor eternal residence
with the Lord for their own self-satisfaction - for
the latter the bhakta doesn't even consider themself
eligible for any kind of liberation due to their
humility. Their only existential concern is "how can I
please and serve the Lord in this life and the next".
This is the epitome of self-less love. The bhakta is
prepared to take birth, life after life and continue
serving Him in any life form, not for their own self-
satisfaction but simply to please the Lord and serve
His purpose. The bhakta sees everything and
everyone as part of the Lord and is therefore able to
universally love everyone and everything. He sees
oneness in diversity.
- Then Suka Deva, who was then residing as the
Paramatman, the Internal controller of all the beings and with
all the beings, knowing Vyasa Deva as very much fatigued,
distressed, and crying, spoke out as an echo from the
mountains and trees thus :-- "O Father! There is no difference
between you and me, considered in the light of Atman; then
why are you weeping for me?"

(1.19) edited 4:34 PM ..//

 21. Thereafter, he suddenly broke through* and soared
away from the two peaks of the mountain and that excellent
mountain could not obstruct his passage.
1 22. Coursing from above, the pious-souled Suka beheld
the river * * Mandakini (the 5th stage in the spiritual progress.
in the (Vayu-Vid.,'4-NK) and a forest full of blossoming trees.
23. In the waters of the Mandakini, a bevy of celestial
damsels were indulging in sports while bathing. Those naked
ladies of good form saw the formless sage.
24. Knowing that Suka was traversing ( towards Brahma)
the father, overwhelmed with affection followed him closely·
from behind taking to that excellent course.
25. But Suka directed his course far above the aerial
region of the wind (i.e. above the sQtrdtman-NK) and having
thus shown his Yogic prowess, became all-pervading ( identical
with the Brahman) •
26. Vyasa, the performer of a great, austere penance,
adopted the path of Yoga and within the twinkling of the eye·
reached the spot where Suka alighted (with a dash).
27. He saw there the mountain peak split in two and the
passage through which Suka passed. The Siddhas and sages·
praised the ( yogic) passage and achievement of his son.
28. Thereafter, crying out loudly upon the name of Suka
it was lamented so loudly by the father ( Vyasa) that the three
worlds resounded with the cry.
29. The pious-souled Suka who had access everywhere·
( as he became one with the Brahman), was the soul of all and·
hence with faces all round reseonded by uttering vibrantly the
word Bhol) ( as if in an echo).
30. Thereupon, echoing the mono-syllabic sound Bho(i·
( 0 Sire ! ) , the whole world consisting of the mobiles and
immobiles responded loudly to the reply of Suka.
31. Since then,cven to thisday, when sounds arc uttered·
in mountain caves or plateaus they still echo them as if in
answer to Suka.
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When one attains prema bhava (love of God) upon
liberation they experience not a state of dreamless
deep sleep but one of five different rasas (mellows)
in loving association with the Lord. They are namely,

• Santha (devotion in neutrality);

• Dasya (devotion in servitude);

• Sakhya (devotion in friendship);

• Vatsalya (devotion in parental affection) or

• Madhurya (devotion in conjugal love)

As advaita rejects the very personality of Godhead

to be unreal at paramarthika state the above
mellows of love of God are not attained in advaita
realisation and hence the advaitin is deprived of this
most supreme bliss.
Vedic literature is full of wonderful examples of
bhaktas who have relished various rasas of divine
prema bhava. In the Valmiki Ramayana, King
Dasaratha relishes prema bhava in vatsalya rasa
(devotion in parental affection) and declares to
Kaikeya that dearer than his own life/self is Rama
himself. Separately, the Ayodhyavasis were all
prepared to abandon Ayodhya and accompany
Rama to the forest because they couldn't bear
separation from Him. Hanumana has agreed to
remain living on Earth until the end of the Kali yuga
in service of Sri Rama. In Vrindavana lila the
residents relished love in separation for Krishna in
madhurya bhava. Bhaktas never see themselves as
being separate from the Lord but nor do they
identify themselves to be the all pervading
paramatma.
So how is premananda attained? Well, certainly not
through the advaita process of gyana, self-inquiry,
practising silence and neti neti. Uddhava, a great
disciple of the Brhaspati (guru of the devas) was
already a great brahm gyani and knower of all the
vedas. However, when he tried to "educate" the
gopis of Vrindavana with brahm gyana and
meditation he came to the realisation that the love
that the gopis had for the supreme Lord eclipsed
his brahman realisation. He realised that despite
knowing shastra his realisation had not yet
culminated in Krishna prema and therefore he felt
he had failed. It dawned on him that the gopis
surpass him as the topmost yogis having attained
love of God. Premananda therefore cannot be
attained through the advaita process of self-inquiry,
silencing the mind or gyana. It can only be attained
by the divine grace of the supreme Lord himself or
through the association of other bhaktas as
described throughout vedic literature. Krishna
reveals to Uddhava in Srimad Bhagavatam:
SB 11. 14.21: My dear Uddhava, the unalloyed
devotional service rendered to Me by My devotees
brings Me under their control. I cannot be thus
controlled by those engaged in mystic yoga,
Sarikhya philosophy, pious work, Vedic study,
austerity or renunciation.

SB 11.14.21: Only by practicing unalloyed devotional

service with full faith in Me can one obtain Me, the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. I am naturally dear
to My devotees, who take Me as the only goal of
their loving service. By engaging in such pure
devotional service, even the dog-eaters can purify
themselves from the contamination of their low
birth.

SB 11. 14.22: Neither religious activities endowed

with honesty and mercy nor knowledge obtained
with great penance can completely purify one's
consciousness if they are bereft of loving service to
Me.
Therefore, pure love of God lies beyond the
comprehension and reach of monistic aspirants
and for many advaitins, it is not even a spiritual
goal. Whilst the Absolute Truth is one different
realisations give different results. One can
therefore decide whether they wish to attain advaita
realisation/brahmananda and enjoy a state of bliss
in deep sleep or get closer to the Absolute reality
and relish the supreme bliss of premananda in
eternal association with the Lord.
Love is universally declared with the
words "I love you" and the highest
object of love is Shyamsundar to
whom one can declare that love.

"I love myself" is narcism and has no

spiritual value.