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Gaudiya Discussions Archive » PHILOSOPHY AND THEOLOGY
Discussions on the doctrines of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Please place practical questions under the Miscellaneous forum and set this aside for the more theoretical side of it.

Overview of the Constituents of Rasa - An essay in progress



Madhava - Thu, 14 Jul 2005 06:35:22 +0530
A fellow Vaishnava wrote me and asked for the definitions of the constituents of rasa and something on vyabichari-bhavas. As it turns out, it proved to be a pleasant diversion and I found myself writing an overview of the entire second division of Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu.

This is a draft of what I put together yesterday. I'll complete it sometime in the near future. Any thoughts on what's there thus far? Comments on the translations of the terminology?

[attachmentid=1709]
(I'll update this post whenever a new draft becomes available.)
Attachment: Overview_of_the_Constituents_of_Rasa.doc
kovidara - Mon, 08 Aug 2005 02:50:44 +0530
I tried reading this carefully last night, and wanted to say that I appreciated it very much. If you don't mind, I have some simple questions.

I'm not entirely clear on the difference between anubhäva, defined as "the external manifestations that indicate the emotions within the heart," and sättvika-bhäva, defined as "the heart that is imbued with bhäva arising from a direct or an indirect relationship with Kåñëa."

Just to recap:

The varieties of anubhäva are: Géta (singing), jåmbhaëa (mouth gaping), çväsa-bhümä (sighing), lokänapekñitä (disregarding others) and lälä-srava (salivating) are the çéta or calm anubhävas, and nåtya (dancing), viluöhita (rolling on the ground), kroçana (shireking), tanu-moöana (twisting the body), huìkära (roaring), aööahäsa (laughing loudly), ghürëä (whirling) and hikkä (hiccuping) are the kñepana or aggravated anubhävas.

The eight varieties of sättvika-bhäva are: stambha (stupefaction), sveda (perspiration), romäïca (goose bumps), svara-bheda (alterations of voice), vepathu (trembling), vaivarëya (change of complexion), açru (shedding of tears) and pralaya (loss of consciousness).

Both of these lists are of external symptoms of emotion in relationship to Krishna. I'm not sure why there is a distinction being made between them... Can you explain this?

Also, are these descriptions of external symptoms that may be visable in the body of material bodies or spiritual bodies only? And also in sadhakas, or only siddhas?
kovidara - Mon, 08 Aug 2005 02:54:32 +0530
Also, in the version I have, there is nothing discussed about vyabichari-bhavas, which I think may be the most challenging constituent of rasa to understand. Did I miss something?