Verse 1.9.192

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 1.9.192:

অতএব জীবনের রক্ষা সে-বিরহে বাহ্য থাকিলে কি সে-বিরহে প্রাণ রহে? ॥ ১৯২ ॥

अतएव जीवनेर रक्षा से-विरहे बाह्य थाकिले कि से-विरहे प्राण रहे? ॥ १९२ ॥

ataeva jīvanera rakṣā se-virahe bāhya thākile ki se-virahe prāṇa rahe? || 192 ||

ataeva jivanera raksa se-virahe bahya thakile ki se-virahe prana rahe? (192)

English translation:

(192) Therefore a devotee’s feelings of separation for the Lord maintain his life. Otherwise how could such intense feelings be tolerated if one were in external consciousness?

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

If one experiences intense feelings of distress in separation from the Lord while overwhelmed in love for Kṛṣṇa, then he cannot protect his life in separation from the Lord. That is why one who is devoid of external consciousness remains constantly in the transcendental internal mood of uninterrupted ecstatic love in spite of intolerable separation from the Lord and, due to an increase and nourishment of ecstatic devotional service, sustaining his life becomes possible. This is confirmed in the Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta (Madhya 2.43-47) in the following words: “‘Pure love for Kṛṣṇa, just like gold from the Jāmbū River, does not exist in human society. If it existed, there could not be separation. If separation were there, one could not live.’ Thus speaking, the son of Śrīmatī

Śacīmātā recited another wonderful verse, and Rāmānanda Rāya and Svarūpa Dāmodara heard this verse with rapt attention. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ‘I feel shameful to disclose the activities of My heart. Nonetheless, I shall be done with all formalities and speak from the heart. Please hear.’ Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, ‘My dear friends, I have not the slightest tinge of love of Godhead within My heart. When you see Me crying in separation, I am just falsely exhibiting a demonstration of My great fortune. Indeed, not seeing the beautiful face of Kṛṣṇa playing His flute, I continue to live My life like an insect, without purpose. Actually, My love for Kṛṣṇa is far, far away. Whatever I do is actually false. When you see Me cry, I am simply exhibiting My great fortune. Please try to understand this beyond a doubt. Even though I do not see the moonlike face of Kṛṣṇa playing on His flute and although there is no possibility of My meeting Him, still I take care of My own body. That is the way of lust. In this way, I maintain My flylike life.’”