Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Sri Caitanya Caritamrita Madhya 19.177

sadhana-bhakti haite haya 'rati'ra udaya

rati gadha haile tara 'prema' nama kaya

SYNONYMS

sadhana-bhakti -- the process of regularly rendering devotional service; haite -- from; haya -- there is; ratira -- of attachment; udaya -- the awakening; rati -- such attachment; gadha haile -- becoming thick; tara -- of this; prema -- love of Godhead; nama -- the name; kaya -- is said.

TRANSLATION

"By regularly rendering devotional service, one gradually becomes attached to the Supreme Personality of Godhead. When that attachment is intensified, it becomes love of Godhead.

PURPORT

The Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.2.2) gives the following information about sadhana-bhakti:

kriti-sadhya bhavet sadhya-bhava sa sadhanabhidha

nitya-siddhasya bhavasya prakatyam hridi sadhyata

The process of devotional service -- beginning with chanting and hearing -- is called sadhana-bhakti. This includes the regulative principles that are intended to awaken one to devotional service. Devotional service is always dormant in everyone's heart, and by the offenseless chanting of the holy names of the Lord, one's original dormant Krishna consciousness is awakened. This awakening to Krishna consciousness is the beginning of sadhana-bhakti. This can be divided into many different parts, including faith, association with devotees, initiation by the spiritual master, engagement in devotional service under the instructions of a spiritual master, steadiness in devotional service and the awakening of a taste for devotional service. In this way, one can become attached to Krishna and His service, and when this attachment is intensified, it results in ecstatic love for Krishna. The word rati is explained in the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.3.41) as follows:

vyaktam masrinatevantar-lakshyate rati-lakshanam

mumukshu-prabhritinam ced bhaved esha ratir na hi

"When a tenderness of the heart is manifested, there is rati, or attachment. But those who are interested in being liberated from material bondage will not manifest this tenderness." This attachment is not like material attachment. When one is free of material contamination, attachment for Krishna's service awakens and is called rati. In the material world there is attachment for material enjoyment, but this is not rati. Transcendental rati can be awakened only on the spiritual platform. Ecstatic love for Krishna (prema) is described in the Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.41) as follows:

samyan masrinita-svanto mamatvatisayankitah

bhavah sa eva sandratma budhaih prema nigadyate

"When the heart is completely softened and devoid of all material desires and when one's emotional feelings become very strong, one becomes very much attached to Krishna. Such purified emotion is known as pure love."

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness