Symptoms of Continuous Ecstasy

The continuous ecstasy of love can remain like a powerful king, subduing all temporary manifestations of love as well as any opposing elements of anger. It can be exhibited directly or indirectly, and thus ecstatic love can be described as direct or indirect. These symptoms of ecstatic love are possible only when one is fully situated in a transcendental position. Direct ecstatic love can be divided into two groups-namely, selfish and selfless.

When noncontradictory symptoms of ecstatic love are distinctly manifest, any contradictory symptoms create a sense of abomination. Contradictory ecstatic love is called selfish. That ecstatic love which can adjust all contradictory or noncontradictory symptoms is called direct selfless love. These selfless symptoms can again be divided into five groups: neutrality, servitude, fraternity, parenthood and conjugal love. Such ecstatic love assumes a particular mode in contact with different objects of love.

Neutrality can be further subdivided into general, transparent and peaceful. An attraction for Krsna by the people in general or by children cannot take any specific or satisfactory position. It can be manifest sometimes in trembling of the body and changing of the color of the eyes (to red, white, etc.), although there is no symptom of any particular affection.

One old man was told by a young man: "Just see how this child-only three years old-is so jubilant! Simply by seeing Krsna he is running so swiftly, making a tumultuous sound. Just see!" This is an instance of neutral ecstatic love in the heart of a child, without any specific subdivision. Due to the different types of attraction for Krsna, there are different varieties of devotees. Their symptoms are manifested transparently, just like jewels.

It is said that a great devotee brahmana would sometimes address the Supreme Personality of Godhead as master, and sometimes he would joke with the Lord, using different kinds of familiar words; sometimes he would protect the Lord with a filial affection, and sometimes he would cry out to the Lord, addressing Him as his beloved; and sometimes he would meditate on the Lord as the supersoul. This means that the brahmana expressed his ecstatic loving symptoms in different ways at different times. But in each instance, because of ecstatic love, the brahmana merged himself in the ocean of happiness and became situated in pure love. Thus he was a transparent medium, like a jewel that shows reality in varying colors according to its own nature.

When the great sage Narada was glorifying the pastimes of the Lord with his vina, the four Kumaras, headed by Sanaka, although merged in the impersonal conception of Brahman, were trembling all over. Another devotee once exclaimed, "Although I can achieve liberation simply by serving the devotees, my mind is still very much anxious to see the Supreme Personality of Godhead, whose bodily complexion is just like a dark cloud." When a devotee is so anxious to contact the Supreme Personality of Godhead, that can also be accepted as a symptom of neutral love.

Generally, a devotee of Lord Krsna can be placed into one of three groups. One group consists of those who are completely dependent on the merciful affection of the Supreme Personality of Godhead; another group consists of devotees who are dealing with Krsna on friendly terms; and the third group consists of those who are dealing with Krsna as His superior, with parental affection. These three classes of devotees gradually develop different relationships of transcendental mellow with the Personality of Godhead. When the attraction for Krsna is based only on one particular humor, that is called kevala, or pure state. One in this pure state of devotional service gradually develops the desire to follow in the footsteps of an eternal associate of Krsna, e.g., to follow in the footsteps of Rasala, the personal attendant of Krsna in Goloka Vrndavana, or to follow Krsna's friends, like Sridama and Sudama, or to follow Nanda and Yasoda, devotees in parenthood. Ecstatic love for Krsna is never manifested directly with Krsna Himself. The devotee has to follow in the footsteps of the eternal associates of Krsna in Goloka Vrndavana.

When transcendental humors in relationship with Krsna become mixed (e.g., when the relationships with Krsna in friendship, servitorship and parental love become mixed together), the result is called mixed humor or flavor. Such mixed transcendental flavors are manifested by such devotees as Uddhava, Bhima and Mukhara, the personal attendant of Mother Yasoda. Although devotional humors are sometimes found in mixtures, a particular humor is always found to be a prominent and constant factor. That prominent humor is to be accepted as the devotee's main relationship with Krsna. For example, Uddhava is in relationship with Krsna as a friend, but in Uddhava's character a trace of servitude to Krsna is also visible. Such friendship is called friendship in reverence. The friendship typified by Sridama and Sudama, however, is the standard of friendship without any tinge of reverence.