FolioCorpusBhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu

Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu .8.70

vasāntareṇa vyavadhau, yathā –
[vasaantarena vyavadhau, yathaa –]
tvaṁ kāsi śāntā kim ihāntarīkṣe
[tvam kaasi shaantaa kim ihaantareekshe]
draṣṭuṁ paraṁ brahma kutas tatākṣī |
[drashtum param brahma kutas tataakshee |]
asyātirūpāt kim ivākulātmā
[asyaatiroopaat kim ivaakulaatmaa]
rambhe samāviśya bhidā smareṇa ||
[rambhe samaavishya bhidaa smarena ||]
atrādbhutena vyavadhiḥ | ||70||
[atraadbhutena vyavadhih | ||70||]
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
vasāntareṇa vyavadhau, yathā –
tvaṁ kāsi śāntā kim ihāntarīkṣe
draṣṭuṁ paraṁ brahma kutas tatākṣī |
asyātirūpāt kim ivākulātmā
rambhe samāviśya bhidā smareṇa ||
atrādbhutena vyavadhiḥ | ||70||
Intervention of one rasa between two conflicting rasas: “Who are you?” “I am a person endowed with śānta-rati.” “Why are you floating in the sky?” “In order to see the param brahma.” “Why have your eyes become so large?” “O Rambhā! My heart has somehow become agitated by His astonishing beauty. I have now fallen in love.”

The following is a conversation consisting of questions put before Rambhā, a celebrated beautiful woman, and her corresponding answers. Rambhā was asked, “My dear Rambhā, who are you?” She answered, “I am peace personified.” Question: “Then why are you in the sky?” Answer: “I am in the sky to experience the Supreme Absolute Truth.” Question: “Then why are you staring?” Answer: “Just to look into the supreme beauty of the Absolute Truth.” Question: “Then why do you appear to be disturbed in mind?” Answer: “Because Cupid is acting.” In the above example also there is no perverted representation of mellows, because on the whole the ecstasy of conjugal love has exceeded the neutral position of devotional service.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Jīva Gosvāmī Gauḍīya
Durgama-saṅgamanī
Commentary

The śānta-rati of the woman is covered by astonishment at Kṛṣṇa’s beauty. This allows madhura-rati to appear. The word vyavadhi (intervention) has this usage. The direct contact of śānta-rati with madhura-rati would create distaste, but by the intervention of adbhuta-rasa, the combination is not forbidden. Direct contact of śānta and madhura-rasa is forbidden. The same rule should be applied in other cases.

📝 My note

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