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HOME > Braja Mandala > Spiritual Braja > Rasas (Relationships) | |||||||||||||
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Rasas (Relationships) There are five kinds of relationships with Krishna: Santa, Dasya, Sakhya, Vatsalya and Madhurya. Each rasa includes all the qualities of the preceding one, plus a distinguishing quality of its own. “When the relationship with Krishna increases in affection, the mood of fear and the consciousness of the superiority of the Supreme Lord diminish. Here the fraternal relationship (sakhya) manifests in a sense of equality between Krishna and His friends. When the affection of the fraternal relationship increases, it develops into the paternal relationship (vatsalya) that is found between father and son. In other words, intimate relationships with Krishna develop from an ordinary conception of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (santa rasa); to the conception of master and servant (dasya rasa); and when this becomes confidential, it develops into a friendly relationship (sakhya), and when the relationship further develops, it becomes paternal (vatsalya), and when this develops to the highest point of love and affection it is known as conjugal love (madhurya) with the Supreme Lord.” (TLC, chap. 29) Santa
Rasa Dasya
Rasa Devotees engaged in servitude are attached to Krishna in the affection of reverence. Those who are constantly engaged in the personal service of the Lord are called anugas, or followers. Sakhya
Rasa “Krishna is their lovable friend, and they cannot forget Him for a moment. All day and all night they think of Krishna. At night when they are sleeping they think, ‘Oh, in the morning I shall go and play with Krishna.’ and in the morning they go to Krishna’s house and stand by while Krishna is decorated by Mother Yasoda before going out with His friends to play in the fields.” (SSR) Twelve important cowherd boyfriends of Krishna are: Sridama, Sudama, Arjuna, Subabu, Kusumasava, Mahabala, Subala, Vasudeva, Mahabahu, Lavanga, Stoka Krishna and Dama. Within Vrindavana, Krishna’s friends are generally divided into four groups: (1) well-wishers, (2) friends, (3) confidential friends and (4) intimate friends. Krishna’s well-wishers are a little older than Krishna, and they have some parental affection for Him. Because of their being older than Krishna, they always try to protect Him from any harm. Counted among the well-wisher friends are Subhadra, Mandalibhadra, Gobhata, Yaksa, Indrabhata, Bhadranga, Virabhadra, Mahaguna, Vijaya and Balabadra. Among the well-wisher friends, Mandalibhadra and Balabadra are the chiefs. Friends who are younger than Krishna, who are always attached to Him and who give Him all kinds of service are called ordinary friends. Ordinary friends are called sakhas. Some ordinary friends are Visala, Vrisabha, Ojasvi, Devaprastha, Varuthapa, Maranda, Manibandha and Karandhama. The more confidential friends are called priya-sakhas and are almost Krishna’s age. The behavior of other friends is on the ground of paternal love or servitude, but the basic principle of the confidential friends is simply friendship on an equal level. Some confidential friends are as follows: Sridama, Sudama, Dama, Vasudama, Kinkini, Stoka-krishna, Amsu, Bhadrasena, Vilasi, Pundarika, Vitanka and Kalavinka. Out of all these confidential friends, Sridama is considered to be the chief. There are also confidential friends. Some of them are Subala, Arjuna, Gandharva, Vasanta and Ujjvala. They are called priya-narmas. Subala and Ujjvala are the most prominent of the confidential friends. Vatsalya
Rasa Personalities in Parental Affection Toward Krishna 1. Mother Yasoda Madhurya
Rasa (Conjugal Love) “Conjugal love is divided into two classifications—namely,
conjugal love as husband and wife and conjugal love as lover and beloved.
One who develops conjugal love for Krishna as a wife is promoted to
Dwarka, where the devotee becomes the queen of the Lord. One who develops
conjugal love for Krishna as a lover is promoted to Goloka Vrindavana,
to associate with the gopis and enjoy loving affairs with Krishna
there.” (Nectar of Devotion, Chap. 16) If you know of information that is not listed here, or if you would like to help update our listings, please e-mail us at: |
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