“Anurâg has 3 aspects –

• bhâv
• karan (instrument)
• karma (action)

Bhâv – When a lover reaches the height of anurâg, she loses herself completely in relishing Sri Krishna’s sweetness – so much so – that she fails to distinguish between Sri Krishna and herself. All she experiences is – ‘relish’. This is the bhâv of the lover in anurâg.

Karan – ‘Karan‘ means ‘instrument’ – an object by which we can do some work. A lover can relish Sri Krishna’s sweetness with the help of anurâg. Hence anurâg is an instrument. When the lover reaches the zenith of anurâg, he relishes Sri Krishna’s sweetness of the highest degree. Thus we see that maximum anurâg causes maximum relish.

Karma – It means ‘action’. Anurâg performs an action – it makes us relish Sri Krishna’s sweetness. When we reach the height of anurâg, we relish the greatest sweetness and when we relish maximum sweetness, we experience anurâg in its most brilliant form. Therefore in this case, ‘relishing’ is the action and anurâg performs this action.

When the lover reaches the highest point of anurâg, she expresses it to the utmost level. Anurâg reveals maximum bhâv, becomes the best instrument to relish Sri Krishna’s sweetness and makes her relish the sweetness to the highest degree. When she experiences these aspects of anurâg, she feels the most complete bliss. We call this state of anurâg as ‘swa-samvedya-dashâ’.

Srimat Jiva Goswâmipâd has stated in Lochan-Rochani purport-

“When a lover experiences anurâg, she expresses ecstasy. There are eight symptoms of ecstasy. When the lover reaches the height of anurâg, she may express five, six or all the symptoms simultaneously and that also in to the greatest extent. Then we call such anurâg as ‘prakâshito‘ or ‘expressive’.

Srimat Jiva Goswâmipâd has also stated in the same purport –

“When anurâg increases the lover expresses her love to the greatest degree. After all love is – when she considers immense pain as pleasure if it makes Sri Krishna happy. So we deduce that her love has reached the zenith when she considers the greatest pain as the highest pleasure. When the lover attains this stage of anurâg, we call such anurâg as ‘yâvad-âshraya-vritti’.

The brides of honorable families find nothing more painful than forsaking the noble path of life. They are ever ready to bear the fire or consume poison to guard their honor. They can very easily and happily give up their lives for this purpose. The Vrajabeauties have forsaken their near and dear ones and the noble path effortlessly to serve Sri Krishna. Giving up righteous conduct is the pinnacle of sorrow, yet they have experienced supreme bliss in doing so. Therefore this proves that their anurâg is showing ‘yâvad-âshraya-vritti’.”

Now let us decipher the definition of mahâbhâv from the above mentioned facts.

Srila Rupa Goswâmipâd has defined mahâbhâv as –

“When anurâg attains –

1. swa-samvedya-dashâ
2. prakâshito (is expressive)
3. shows yâvad-âshraya-vritti

We call it ‘mahâbhâv’.” – (U.N.)

“Even the queens of Lord Mukunda (such as Rukmini and Satyabhâmâ) cannot attain this mahâbhâv; we can find it only in the Vrajadevis.” – (U.N.)