Southern Ocean

Southern Ocean

Sättvika-Bhäva

Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Existential Ecstatic Love

BRS 2.3.1 - 96

"Existential ecstatic love" is Çréla Prabhupäda's translation of sättvika-bhäva. In this context, the word sattva does not refer to the mode of goodness but to çuddha-sattva, the Lord's internal potency. As described in Chapter Seventeen, the Lord's çuddha-sattva descends into the heart at the stage of bhäva and energizes one's dormant love of Godhead. Sättvika-bhävas are ecstatic symptoms that arise directly from the çuddha-sattva enriched soul.

Sättvika-bhäva can also be considered anubhäva because both are expressions which result from heightened affection for Kåñëa. However, the two are distinct in an important way: Anubhäva involves a conscious decision how to suitably express one's ecstasy. Sättvika-bhäva, however, is an unpremeditated, in 23523x2311x voluntary expression arising directly from the spiritually surcharged consciousness.

In anubhäva one experiences devotional ecstasy and thinks "let me dance," or "let me sing" - the expression is wilful and voluntary. In sättvika-bhäva, however, the expression is involuntary. It occurs when one's heightened affection overrides the intelligence and directly causes involuntary physical symptoms such as paralysis, standing of the hairs, perspiration, tears, etc.

Sättvika-bhäva is an involuntary physical symptom, occurring when emotions in the primary or secondary mellows intensely overpower the heart (citta). Çréla Prabhupäda explains, "When a devotee is always intensely affected by love for Kåñëa in a direct relationship with Him - or even a little apart from Him - his status is called existential ecstatic love (page 223)."

This quote establishes two things: (1) sättvika-bhäva is a uniquely "intense" anubhäva, and (2) sättvika-bhäva may arise from emotions in one of the five direct relationships ("in a direct relationship with Him"), or it may arise from emotions in one of the seven indirect relationships ("or even a little apart from Him").

"The symptoms originating from such existential ecstatic love are divided into three headings - namely moist, burnt, and dried-up (page 223)."

Snigdha - "moist." Ecstatic symptoms in persons who love Kåñëa, instigated by emotions arising from either the direct or indirect mellows.

Digdha - "burnt." Ecstatic symptoms in persons who love Kåñëa, not instigated by the direct or indirect mellows.

Rukña - "dried-up." Ecstatic symptoms that seem to appear in those with no love for Kåñëa.

Snigdha-Sättvika-Bhäva - Moist Existential Ecstasy

There are two subdivisions of snigdha sättvika-bhäva ("moist existential ecstasy"): (1) mukhya-snigdha - direct-moist, and (2) gauëa-snigdha - indirect-moist. Mukhya-snigdha, occurs when a direct mellow (neutrality, servitude, etc.) causes the emotions that overpower the mind. Gauëa-snigdha occurs when an indirect mellow (laughter, astonishment, etc.) causes the emotions that overpower the mind.

Mukhya-Snigdha - Direct Moist

"Rädhäräëé was weaving a garland of kunda flowers, and upon hearing the vibration of Kåñëa's flute, She immediately stopped Her work (page 223)."

"Stopped Her work" indicates the sättvika-bhäva called stambha (becoming stunned). This ecstatic symptom was caused by the flute, which is an uddépana of the direct mellow called mädhurya-rati. Rädhäräëé's ecstasy exemplifies the mukhya-snigdha type of sättvika-bhäva because it manifested due to emotions arising from one of the direct mellows.

Gauëa-Snigdha - Indirect Moist

Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé describes how Mother Yaçodä vehemently rebuked Nanda Mahäräja when he took Kåñëa to Mathurä. Out of extreme anger, she chastised her husband so severely that her voice began to falter.

Faltering voice is a sättvika-bhäva known as svarabheda. This ecstatic symptom manifested from emotions in one of the seven indirect mellows (krodha - anger). Therefore Mother Yaçodä's ecstasy exemplifies the gauëa-snigdha type of sättvika-bhäva.

Burnt Existential Ecstasy - Digdha-Sättvika-Bhäva

Burnt existential ecstasy (digdha) are ecstatic symptoms in persons who love Kåñëa, that are instigated by neither the direct nor indirect mellows.

For example: once, at the end of the night, Çré Yaçodä dreamt that Pütanä was lying on the ground in a most dreadfully fearful form. Upon seeing her, Yaçodä awoke, trembling. Her mind being very agitated, she began to search out her son, Çré Kåñëa. (See page 223)

Fear in relation to Kåñëa is an indirect mellow. Yaçodä's fear, however, was in relation to Pütanä, not Kåñëa. Consequently it is not an indirect mellow. Yet because her maternal affection for Kåñëa is so deep, she naturally dovetails her every emotion to her relationship with Kåñëa. The fear initially instigated by Pütanä was immediately dovetailed to her affection for Kåñëa, and caused her to tremble out of ecstatic motherly concern for His safety.

Her trembling (kampa) is therefore an example of digdha-sättvika-bhäva.

"Dried-Up Existential Ecstasy" - Rukña-Sättvika-Bhäva

The first two types of sättvika-bhäva (snigdha and digdha) are exhibited by devotees with genuine affection for Kåñëa. Rukña-sättvika-bhäva, however, occurs when ecstatic symptoms appear in persons devoid of genuine affection for Kåñëa. These symptoms are very similar to raty-äbhäsa.

For example, an impersonalist may hear that those who practice devotional service easily achieve liberation, and may therefore join a kértana party. Jubilantly dancing with hairs standing on end, he thinks, "Now I will achieve liberation! Now I will achieve liberation!!" Affection for Kåñëa is not the cause of these symptoms. Therefore they are rukña-sättvika-bhäva ("dried-up")

Another example is the trembling and standing-hairs of the sannyäsés who witnessed Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu delivering Prakaçänanda Sarasvaté. Because they had no rati, their bodily symptoms were rukña-sättvika-bhäva.

Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé described three different causes of ecstatic symptoms (snigdha, digdha, and rukña). He will now describe the symptoms themselves. There are eight:

1) Stambha - stunned

2) Sveda - perspiration

3) Romanca - standing hairs

4) Svarabheda - faltering   voice

5) Kampa - trembling

6) Vaivarëya - changing color

7) Açru - tears

8) Praläya - devastation

Çréla Prabhupäda lists them, "There are eight symptoms of existential ecstatic love: becoming stunned, perspiring, standing of the hairs on the body, faltering of the voice, trembling of the body, changing of bodily colors, shedding of tears, and devastation (page 223)."

How Spiritual Emotions Produce Physical Effects

Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé explains how sättvika-bhäva is produced. First, a particularly strong Kåñëa conscious emotion agitates the heart (citta) very markedly. Then, the strongly agitated mind disturbs the life air. Next, the dislodged life air contacts and disturbs various physical elements in the body (earth, water, etc.). These disturbed elements cause a physical symptom of spiritual ecstasy.

Depending on which element the life air contacts, a specific symptom will be produced. For example, one sheds tears when the life-air contacts the body's water element. One perspires when the life-air contacts the body's fire element. Çréla Prabhupäda describes this in detail. (See pages 223 - 224)

Always Existing, Sometimes Manifesting

Ecstasy always exists in a pure devotee, but he only sometimes manifests them as external symptoms. Çréla Prabhupäda explains, "These symptoms are manifested internally and sometimes externally. The pure devotee always feels such symptomatic expressions within himself, but being afraid of outsiders he does not generally manifest them externally (page 224)."

Each ecstatic symptom has specific emotions that cause it. For example, "The symptom of being stunned is caused by ecstatic tribulation, fearfulness, astonishment, lamentation, and anger (page 224)."

Each ecstatic symptom has specific characteristic effects. For example, "This symptom [stunned] is exhibited by a stoppage of talking, a stoppage of movement, a feeling of voidness, and an extreme feeling of separation (page 224)."

Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé separately describes each ecstatic symptom, listing its causal emotions and characteristic effects, with references from çästra.

Stambha - Becoming Stunned

Causes: tribulation, fearfulness, astonishment, lamentation, and anger. Effects: stoppage of talking, stoppage of movement, feeling of voidness, and an extreme feeling of separation.

Stambha Caused by Astonishment

"There is an example of the astonishment of Lord Brahmä. It is explained in the Tenth Canto, Thirteenth Chapter, verse 56 of Çrémad-Bhägavatam that when Brahmä understood that this cowherd boy was the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, he became stunned. All of his sensory activities stopped when he saw all the cowherd boys again, along with Kåñëa. Lord Brahmä was so stunned that he appeared to be a golden statue with four heads (page 224)."

"Also, when the residents of Vraja found that Kåñëa had lifted Govardhana Hill with His left hand, they became stunned (page 224)." Although not explicitly stated in this translation, it is obvious that astonishment is what caused the Vrajaväsés to become stunned.

Stambha Caused by Lamentation

"Astonishment caused by lamentation was exemplified when Kåñëa was entering into the belly of the Bakäsura demon and all the demigods from the higher planets became stunned with lamentation (page 225)."

The Remaining Sättvika-Bhävas

Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé similarly illustrates each cause of stambha. Çréla Prabhupäda has included many of these verses in his summary study (See pages 225 - 229).

We have discussed only one symptom (stambha). By applying this paradigm to each of the seven remaining ecstatic symptoms, the reader can appreciate them all.

Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé again stresses the distinction between anubhäva and sättvika-bhäva: Anubhäva is an ecstatic symptom that results from heightened affection for Kåñëa. Sättvika-bhäva is an involuntarily ecstatic symptom expressed without any involvement of will or intellect, which occurs when çuddha-sattva agitates the heart to a particularly significant degree.

Çréla Prabhupäda explains this very simply, "Out of the many ecstatic symptoms, the symptom of being stunned is especially significant (page 229)." Stambha ("being stunned"), and the other sättvika-bhävas are uniquely "significant" or intense ecstatic symptoms, and this is what distinguishes them from anubhäva.

If the emotion for Kåñëa is slight, the mind will be overpowered by a small degree of sattva (transcendental ecstasy). The mildly overpowered mind will only gently agitate the life airs, which will lightly disturb various bodily elements and thus produce a slight manifestation of sättvika-bhäva.

If the emotion for Kåñëa is intense, the significantly overpowered mind will strongly agitate the life airs, which will markedly disturb various bodily elements and produce an intense manifestation of sättvika-bhäva. Thus each sättvika-bhäva can manifest different degrees of intensity.

Çréla Prabhupäda explains, "According to the degree of being stunned, the vital force within the body becomes agitated, and due to such a state, the other ecstatic symptoms become altered (page 229)."

Four Categories of Intensity

"These transcendental ecstatic symptoms gradually develop, and in the course of such development they are sometimes called smoky, sometimes called blazing, and sometimes called shining. . . .when various symptoms become manifest very prominently, the devotee's condition may be called the brightest (pages 229 - 230)." Thus there are four degrees of intensity:

1) Dhümäyita - smouldering ("smoky")

2) Jvalita - flaming ("blazing")

3) Dépta - burning ("shining")

4) Uddépta - brightly burning ("brightest")

Criteria for Placement Within These Categories

There are three criteria that place an ecstatic symptom in one of the above four categories: (1) duration - for example, one may tremble briefly or for a very long time, (2) pervasiveness - for example, only the hands may tremble, or the entire body may tremble, and (3) intensity - for example, the hands or body may tremble slightly, or profoundly.

Çréla Prabhupäda summarizes, "The three degrees are experienced for many, many years and they extend to different parts of the body (page 229)." The phrase "many, many years" indicates the first criterion (duration). "Extend to different parts of the body" indicates the second criterion (pervasiveness). Çréla Prabhupäda implies the third criterion (multiplicity) in upcoming paragraphs.

Exceptions

The ecstatic symptoms of faltering voice and crying are localized by nature. Only the voice can falter. Only the eyes can cry. Thus one cannot measure their intensity by how extensively they pervade the body. One must apply a substitute criterion.

With crying, the substitute criterion for pervasiveness is the extent to which the eyes become swollen and blurry. Çréla Prabhupäda explains, "The shedding of tears, however, sometimes makes the eyes become swollen and whitish, and sometimes the eyes become differently focused (page 229)."

With faltering of the voice, the substitute criterion for pervasiveness is the extent to which the throat becomes altered. Çréla Prabhupäda explains, "Faltering of the voice may cause choking in the throat and extreme anxiety (page 229)."

All Symptoms are Based on Affection

All the ecstatic symptoms, and all the stages of their intensity, are based on rati or strong affection for Krishna. "None of the above symptoms can be manifested without the basic principle of strong attachment for Kåñëa (page 229)."

Definitions of the Four Categories

Dhümäyita - Smouldering: The ecstatic symptom is only slightly manifest, and thus can be concealed. Çréla Prabhupäda explains, "In the smoky condition of such ecstatic expression, the symptoms could otherwise be hidden (page 229)."

Gargamuni exemplifies this (page 229-230).

Jvalit - Flaming: Two or three ecstatic symptoms manifest simultaneously, and are very difficult to conceal. "When several such ecstatic symptoms are visible, the condition is called blazing (page 230)."

The following example illustrates jvalit's increased multiplicity of symptoms: "One of Kåñëa's friends told Him, 'My dear friend, as soon as I heard the sound of Your flute within the forest, my hands became almost motionless, and my eyes became full of tears - so much so, in fact, that I could not recognize your peacock feather. My thighs became almost completely stunned so that I could not move even an inch. Therefore, my dear friend, I must acknowledge the wonderful vibration of your transcendental flute' (page 230)."

This example shows the difficulty of concealing jvalit ecstatic symptoms: A gopé addresses her friend, "My dear friend, when I heard the sound of Kåñëa's flute, I tried to hide myself from the reaction of the vibration. But still I could not check the trembling of my body, and therefore all of my friends in the house could detect my attachment for Kåñëa without any doubt (page 230)."

Dépta - Burning: Four or five ecstatic symptoms manifest simultaneously, and are impossible to conceal. "When the ecstatic symptoms cannot be checked and they appear simultaneously in four or five categories, this stage of ecstatic love is called shining (page 230)."

Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé gives two examples, one of Närada and one of Çrématé Rädhäräëé. The second: "Dear Friend, You are blaming the aroma of the flowers for the tears in Your eyes. You are rebuking the air for the standing of the hairs on Your body. And You are cursing Your walking in the forest for your thighs' being stunned. But Your faltering voice reveals the cause to be different: it is just Your attachment for Kåñëa! (page 230)" This illustrates the multiplicity of symptoms and impossibility of concealment that occurs at dépta

Uddépta - Brightly Burning: Five or more ecstatic symptoms manifest simultaneously and very powerfully. The residents of Våndävana exemplified this ("My dear Pétämbara..." page 230-31).

Suddépta - The Most Bright: This level is unattainable by ordinary souls. Suddépta occurs when all the eight sättvika-bhävas manifest simultaneously, with the highest possible degree of intensity. This can happen only in the mahäbhäva of Çrématé Rädhäräëé and Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu.

Çréla Prabhupäda mentions, "when the symptoms of ecstatic love become the most bright, that stage is accepted as mahäbhäva (page 231)."

Intensity of Ecstatic Symptoms in Non-Devotees

The ecstatic symptoms of a non-devotee can achieve no more than the minimal intensity (dhümäyita - smoky). Çréla Prabhupäda expresses this, "All these symptoms are listed under the dried-up existential condition known as smoky, and they are exhibited in different ways (page 229)."

There is one exception: in a devotional festival amidst dancing devotees, a non-devotee may sometimes exhibit sättvika-bhävas which radiate up to the intensity of jvalita ("blazing"). Çréla Prabhupäda says, "Sometimes while participating in ceremonies celebrating Kåñëa's pastimes, or in a society of devotees, there is dancing ecstasy. Such sentiments are called blazing (page 229)."

When ecstatic symptoms seem to appear in a person who has no genuine affection for Kåñëa, they are called sättvika-äbhäsa - a semblance (äbhäsä) of real ecstasy.

There are four types of sättvika-äbhäsa. "Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé further analyzes the ecstatic loving expression into four divisions which are called sättvikäbhäsa (page 231)."

Raty-äbhäsa - "Ecstatic symptoms" caused by proximity to a genuine ecstatic devotee.

Sättvika-äbhäsa - "Ecstatic symptoms" caused by a soft-hearted emotional disposition.

Pratipa - "Ecstatic symptoms" in a hard-hearted person, caused by the powerful influence of kåñëa-kathä.

Nisattva - "Ecstatic symptoms" that are simply a forced, theatrical display.

Raty-Äbhäsa

Raty-äbhäsa occurs when the genuine rati (affection) of a pure devotee reflects in the heart of a neophyte or non-devotee.

A genuine devotee's heart radiates ecstatic affection for Kåñëa as brilliantly as the sun. This may reflect into the dark hearts of non-devotees like impersonalists and cause them to experience a glimmer of ecstatic symptoms. The section on bhäva-bhakti has already extensively described this.

Çréla Prabhupäda says, ". . .even if the reactions to chanting are manifest in an impersonalist's body, they should not be considered to be symptoms of actual attachment, but reflections only, just like the sun reflected in a dark room through some polished glass (page 231)."

Sättvika-Äbhäsa

Raty-äbhäsa is a reflection of genuine ecstatic love. Sättvika-äbhäsa, however, has no connection with transcendental ecstatic love reflected or otherwise. It is simply a softhearted emotional disposition that causes the semblance of ecstasy. Kåñëa's name or pastimes may by chance strike a chord in the heart of those who are naturally sensitive and emotional, and thus cause them to cry, etc.

Pratipa

If a non-devotee appears to be exhibiting ecstatic symptoms, it may be due to the influence of a genuine devotee (raty-äbhäsa). If there is no such influence, it may be due to the persons naturally emotional nature (sättvika-äbhäsa). However, if the person is quite cold and hard hearted, like the staunch logicians and analytical philosophers, how can the "ecstatic symptoms" be explained?

Pratipa is the term for appearance of "ecstatic symptoms" in a cold, stoic-hearted person. That even such barren people may sometimes be able to exhibit a semblance of ecstasy simply testifies to the overwhelming potency of kåñëa-kathä. Çréla Prabhupäda explains, "Such non-devotees are not actually melted, they are hard-hearted. But the influence of the glories of the Lord is so great that even the non-devotees sometimes shed tears (page 231)."

Nisattva

Sometimes a person with no rati (affection for Kåñëa), and also without any of the above äbhäsäs may display symptoms of ecstasy. They are simply actors and who can display emotions by practice.

Physical displays like crying and shivering are not necessarily transcendental symptoms of ecstasy, they can even manifest in people who are outright opposed to Kåñëa. "Sometimes it is found that a non-devotee who has practically no taste for Kåñëa and who follows no rules or regulations, can, by practice, make a show of devotional symptoms, even crying in an assembly of devotees (page 232)."

Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé describes these varieties of pseudo-ecstasy so one can distinguish between the real thing and the imitation. Çréla Prabhupäda explains, "Although there is no need to describe these reflections of ecstatic love, Çréla Rüpa Gosvämé gives some instances where there is no actual devotional service and such expressions are manifested (page 232)."