Madhya 8.294

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura gives the following summary of the conversations between Ramananda Raya and Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Ramananda Raya replied to five questions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, stated in verses 57-67. The first answer is compared to copper, and the fifth answer is most valuable because it deals with unalloyed devotion, the ultimate goal of devotional life, and illuminates the preceding four subordinate answers.

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura points out that in Vrajabhumi there is the Yamuna River with its sandy banks. There are kadamba trees, cows, Krsna's sticks with which He herds cows, and Krsna's flute. All of these belong to the santa-rasa, the mellow of neutrality in devotional service. There are also the direct servants of Krsna named Citraka, Patraka and Raktaka, and these are the embodiments of service in the mellow of servitude. There are also friends like Sridama, Sudama and others who embody service in fraternity. Nanda Maharaja and mother Yasoda are the embodiments of paternal love. Above all of these is Srimati Radharani and Her assistants, the gopis Lalita, Visakha and others. In this way all five mellows-santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya-exist eternally. They are also compared to metals like copper, bell metal, silver, gold and touchstone. Srila Kaviraja Gosvami therefore refers to a metal mine eternally existing in Vrndavana, Vrajabhumi.