Ujjwal-Neelmani (14.52) says –

“‘samarthâ rati’ or ‘self-independent passion’ is inexplicably extraordinary and highly distinct from ‘sâdhârani^[1]’ and ‘samanjasâ rati^[2]’. It extremely subjugates Sri Krishna and it contains the desire for love-making. The slightest fragrance of this passion makes the devotee forget her creed, virtue, self-control, shame and everything else. It is very intense and even a minute trace of any other bhâv cannot adulterate it.”

Now let us learn about the different types of madhurâ-rati or sweet passion (here, sweet passion refers to conjugal passion). They are of three types –

1. sâdhârani or ordinary – eg. women like Kubjâ in Mathura.
2. samanjasâ – intermediary – eg. the queens of Dwârakâ
3. samarthâ – self-independent – like the Braja-maidens.

The ‘desire for love-making’ is of two types –

1. we want our lover to please our senses
2. we wish to make the lover happy by making love to His sense organs.

We call the first one as ‘lust’ and the second one as ‘rati’. So now we shall continue to use the word ‘rati’ in stead of passion. Here, we should be certain about one thing—in the relation between Sri Bhagavân and His devotees there exists rati and not lust, since He never has relation with a devotee who has lust. However, it’s also true that although we desire to make love to our beloved to make him happy, we are bound to gain pleasure due to His touch as well. It is impossible to avoid this delight. The devotees who are in sâdhârani and samanjasâ rati do wish to please Sri Krishna, but at the same time they have an immensely strong desire for self-pleasure too. However, the Brajabâlâs’ samarthâ-rati is so powerful that they are absorbed only in Sri Krishna’s happiness – they lose all sense of self-pleasure. This is why Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita (âdi, 4^th ch) is saying –

“The gopi does not consider her own joy and sorrow; she only strives to delight Sri Krishna. She abandons all but Him and possesses pure anurâg for Sri Krishna.

But then do we not see the gopi express affection for her own body? Well, know for sure that she does it only to please Sri Krishna. She thinks – ‘I have surrendered this body to Shyâm, it is now for His enjoyment; when He sees it and touches it, he feels happy’ – therefore the gopi cleans and decorates herself.

We may ask – if the Gopis do not seek happiness, then they will not do it, yet happiness is the goal of life. Then how can we say that Gopi-prem is the topmost goal? Who wants to have a goal that does not lead to joy? Sri Chaitanya-Charitâmrita answers –

“When the Gopis merely set their eyes on Sri Krishna, they are immersed in joy, although they do not seek it. What joy Sri Krishna feels on seeing the Gopis, they feel an ecstasy that is a million times more than His happiness. They do not want joy, yet their happiness keeps on increasing. This seems contradictory. There is only one solution to this problem – and that is – the Gopis feel happy only to make Sri Krishna happy.”

(to be contd………………..)