Chaitanya Bhagavata

by Bhumipati Dāsa | 2008 | 1,349,850 words

The Chaitanya Bhagavata 1.10.58, English translation, including a commentary (Gaudiya-bhasya). This text is similair to the Caitanya-caritamrita and narrates the pastimes of Lord Caitanya, proclaimed to be the direct incarnation of Krishna (as Bhagavan) This is verse 58 of Adi-khanda chapter 10—“Marriage with Shri Lakshmipriya”.

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 1.10.58:

আইর কথায বিপ্র ‘রস’ না পাইযা চলিলেন বিপ্র কিছু দুঃখিত হৈযা ॥ ৫৮ ॥

आइर कथाय विप्र ‘रस’ ना पाइया चलिलेन विप्र किछु दुःखित हैया ॥ ५८ ॥

āira kathāya vipra ‘rasa’ nā pāiyā calilena vipra kichu duḥkhita haiyā || 58 ||

aira kathaya vipra ‘rasa’ na paiya calilena vipra kichu duhkhita haiya (58)

English translation:

(58) The brāhmaṇa was not satisfied with Śacī’s answer and therefore left disappointed.

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

It is stated by Hemacandra: “The word rasa refers to water, semen, the five superior rasas such as śṛṅgāra, the seven inferior rasas such as vīra, as well as the poison of creatures like snakes, the sentiments by which one’s heart melts, rāgas (tunes), the art of painting, the constituents of the body, the six tastes such as bitter, and mercury.” According to mundane alaṅkāra-śāstra: When the happiness of the mind, sthāyi-bhāva, or permanent ecstasy (or rati), is nourished by ingredients such as vibhāvas, or special ecstasies, it produces an indescribable ecstatic

transformation called rasa. Rasas are of nine varieties—sṛṅgāra or ādi (conjugal), vīra (chivalry), karuṇa (compassion), adbhuta (wonder), hāsya (laughter), bhayānaka (fear), bībhatsa (disaster), raudra (anger), and śānta (neutrality). According to another opinion there are ten varieties—the above, plus vātsalya, or parenthood. One should also consider the meanings of the heart’s desire, the confidential meaning or purport, happiness, ecstasy or loving sentiments, as well as the word rasa in the words svarasa or svārasya, which refers to the intention or desire. According to the transcendental alaṅkāra-śāstra, Bhakti-rasāmṛta- sindhu:

vyatītya bhāvanā-vartma yaś camatkāra-bhāra-bhūḥ hṛdi sattvojjvale bāḍhaṃ svadate sa raso mataḥ

“That which is beyond imagination, heavy with wonder, and relished in the heart illumined with goodness—such is known as rasa.”

sthāyī bhāvo ‘tra sa proktaḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-viṣayā ratiḥ

“Continuous ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa is called permanent ecstasy.”

Mother Śacī neglected or ignored the proposal for Nimāi’s marriage suggested by the best of the matchmakers, Vanamālī Ācārya, and changed the topic of conversation. Therefore Vanamālī did not get any rasa from Śacī’s words, rather he perceived an absence of rasa or dry śānta-rasa, that is, he perceived an indifferent unchangeable mood. That is why in ordinary alaṅkāra literature dry śānta-rasa is not actually accepted as rasa, because it is devoid of the reciprocation of feelings, as stated: śamasya nirvikāratvān nāṭya-jñair naiṣa manyate—“Due to the unchanging nature of śama-bhāva (śānta-rasa), learned persons do not accept it as a rasa.”

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