Transcendental mellows (Lectures)

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"transcendental mellow" |"transcendental mellows"

Bhagavad-gita As It Is Lectures

Kṛṣṇa is served by the devotees in so many rasas, transcendental mellow, or humor.

Lecture on BG 2.25 -- Hyderabad, November 29, 1972:

Kṛṣṇa is served by the devotees in so many rasas, transcendental mellow, or humor. Somebody is serving as servant. Somebody is serving as friend. Somebody is serving as father and mother. Somebody is serving as conjugal lover. These are five primary mellows in which a devotee is connected with Kṛṣṇa. And there are other, seven rasas also. They are not primary; secondary. Somebody is serving Kṛṣṇa as enemy. Just like the asuras. They also serve Kṛṣṇa—as enemy. Somebody is serving, giving pleasure to Kṛṣṇa, by fighting with Him. So there are so many, twelve rasas.

Mad-āśrayaḥ, I explained yesterday, taking shelter unto Him under different rasas or mellows, transcendental mellows.

Lecture on BG 7.1-2 -- Bombay, March 28, 1971:

Āsakti means attachment. We have got to increase our attachment for Kṛṣṇa. There is process, recommended process. If we adopt that process, then naturally we'll become Kṛṣṇa conscious and gradually we shall understand what is Kṛṣṇa. Mayy āsakta-manāḥ pārtha yogaṁ yuñjan mad-āśrayaḥ. Mad-āśrayaḥ, I explained yesterday, taking shelter unto Him under different rasas or mellows, transcendental mellows. Accept Him as your master. Accept Him as the Supreme. Accept Him as your friend. Accept Him as your son. Accept Him as your lover. In whatever way. Of course, this eternal relationship is already there. With every living entity there is an eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa. But we have forgotten that. That is our position. But if we practice this yoga, as Kṛṣṇa recommends, Mayy āsakta-manāḥ... If we become attached, then our original relationship will be revealed. That is called svarūpa-siddhi. How we are, now I am related with Kṛṣṇa, that will be revealed.

Rūpa Gosvāmī has written a śloka that "If I could possess millions of ears and millions of tongues, then I could enjoy what is the transcendental mellow in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra."

Lecture on BG 7.8 -- Bombay, February 23, 1974:

Those who are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra without any offense, they are tasting spiritual nectarine. Just like Rūpa Gosvāmī has written a śloka that "If I could possess millions of ears and millions of tongues, then I could enjoy what is the transcendental mellow in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. But that is not possible for ordinary human being in the beginning. Therefore śāstra says, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ (CC Madhya 17.136). These impurified senses cannot appreciate the value of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Nāma-ādi, His name, His quality, His pastimes, His form, His activities... There are so many things, beginning with nāma, Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. As we go on chanting, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma ,Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and as we become purified... The more we chant, we become purified. Ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam (CC Antya 20.12).

A devotee becomes related with Kṛṣṇa in five different transcendental mellows.

Lecture on BG 10.1 -- New York, December 27, 1966:

If Kṛṣṇa becomes one's friend and He becomes well-wisher, then what do you want more? You know that we have already described Kṛṣṇa, the all riches, all strength, all knowledge, all beauty, and all fame and all renunciation is there. So, if He becomes your friend, if He becomes your well-wisher, then what do you want more? If you have got a friend who is very rich and very powerful, then do you think anything required more? A friend can sacrifice everything for a friend, and here is a friend where there is no limitation. There is no limitation of wealth. Famous. There is no limitation of favors.

So here Lord Kṛṣṇa says, "I am speaking to you for your benefit." If you become Kṛṣṇa conscious in either of these five relationships. A devotee becomes related with Kṛṣṇa in five different transcendental mellows. One can be related as silent devotee. Silent devotee means he knows Kṛṣṇa is very great. Kṛṣṇa is very great. God is great. To accept this principle, that is also devotion. He does not do anything for God, but he admits God is great. That is called silent devotion.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

You gradually relish the transcendental mellow of devotional service.

Lecture on SB 1.8.42 -- Mayapura, October 22, 1974:

Therefore here Kuntīdevī... Tvayi me ananya-viṣayā. Viṣaya means sense gratification. This is viṣaya: āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca. These are called viṣaya. Viṣaya means material subject matter for sense gratification. So one cannot be attached to Kṛṣṇa as long as he is attached to viṣaya. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura or Locana dāsa Ṭhākura, he says, viṣaya chāṛiyā, se rase majiyā, mukhe bolo hari hari. Viṣaya chāṛiyā. So long you are attached to sense gratification, there is no question of chanting "Hari Hari." That is not possible. Viṣaya chāṛiyā. So it is not possible to do it immediately, but if we practice the system given by the ācāryas, as we have introduced, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, then one day we'll be able. Viṣaya chāṛiyā. Then paraṁ dṛṣṭvā nivartate (BG 9.59). When you gradually relish the transcendental mellow of devotional service... That Yāmunācārya said,

yad-avadhi mama cetaḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravinde

nava-nava-rasa-dhāmany udyataṁ rantum āsīt

tad-avadhi bata nārī-saṅgame smaryamāne

bhavati mukha-vikāraḥ suṣṭhu niṣṭhīvanaṁ ca

So this is the process. The more you become attached to Kṛṣṇa... That is very psychological. If you become attached to something, you become detached to something else. Attachment, detachment cannot be. So more you become attached to Kṛṣṇa, then more you become detached to this material world. Just like... You, you, you cannot by artificial means, all of a sudden, brahma satyaṁ jagan mithyā: "I take sannyāsa." No, that will not be. First of all, you have to increase your attachment for Kṛṣṇa. Then the sannyāsa order will be durable. Otherwise you'll fall down. Again you'll be attached. Punar mūṣiko bhava. There are so many instances.

Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, there is rasa, a transcendental mellow, enjoyment, relishable.

Lecture on SB 6.1.27-34 -- Surat, December 17, 1970:

So Ajāmila, at the point of his death, just remembered his youngest son, who was named Nārāyaṇa. So the Nārāyaṇa, very name, has got the full potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Nārāyaṇa. That is the secret of this nāma-saṅkīrtana movement. By chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, you immediately contact with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ (CC Madhya 17.133). Nāma, the Lord's name, is not material; it is spiritual. The sound is Brahman, śabda-brahma. Vedic sounds, they are śabda-brahma. They are not material sound. So nāma cintāmaṇiḥ, spiritual. Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa's name, there is no difference. Nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ (CC Madhya 17.133). Rasa, the transcendental mellows. Every one of us is searching after some mellow, some pleasure from everything. Kṛṣṇa is the reservoir of all pleasures, rasa-vigraha, fully personified. Wherever there is Kṛṣṇa, there is rasa, a transcendental mellow, enjoyment, relishable. Very Kṛṣṇa presence.

Nectar of Devotion Lectures

"Nectar of Devotion" is summary study of bhakti-rasa, the mellow, the transcendental mellow which one can taste.

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 17, 1972:

So bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu is to taste the mellow of serving Kṛṣṇa. That is the science of serving Kṛṣṇa. Therefore we have named this book, "Nectar of Devotion." It is summary study of bhakti-rasa, the mellow, the transcendental mellow which one can taste. Everyone is tasting. Otherwise he cannot work. So yat karoṣi yaj juhoṣi. Kṛṣṇa says, "Whatever engagement you may have, kuruṣva tad mad-arpaṇam, do it for Kṛṣṇa." Don't take the result yourself. Give it to Kṛṣṇa. Then you'll taste the rel..., relish the mellow, transcendental mellow, bhakti-rasa. And then you'll be happy.

Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Lectures

The Absolute Truth is divided into five subject matter of relishing transcendental mellow.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.5 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1974:

Pradyumna: Translation: "Spiritually there are no differences between these five tattvas, for on the transcendental platform everything is absolute. Yet there are also varieties in the spiritual world, and in order to taste these spiritual varieties one should distinguish between them." (CC Adi 7.5)

Prabhupāda: Pañca-tattva. The Absolute Truth is divided into five subject matter of relishing transcendental mellow. Advaya-jñāna, without any difference. Vadanti tat tattva-vidas tattvaṁ yaj jñānam advayam: (SB 1.2.11) Asolute Truth is one, but still, there are varieties, transcendental varieties. Just like Brahman, impersonal Brahman; and Paramātmā, localized aspect of the Supreme Lord, Paramātmā; and Bhagavān, the Supreme Personality of Godhead—they are one. There is no difference. Brahman is not different from Bhagavān, and Bhagavān is not different from Brahman. Bhagavān is addressed by Arjuna as Parabrahman. Brahman realization, gradually... First realization: impersonal Brahman; then localized Brahman; then personal Brahman. The personal Brahman is called Parabrahman, the Supreme Brahman. Impersonal Brahman is the beginning of realization of the Absolute Truth. That is not final. Therefore those who are satisfied with impersonal Brahman, their knowledge is not perfect. Ye 'nye 'ravindākṣa vimukta-māninas tvayy asta-bhāvād aviśuddha-buddhayaḥ (SB 10.2.32). The realization of the Absolute Truth is the platform of viśuddha-sattva. So unless one comes to the platform of personal realization of the Lord, one is supposed to be aviśuddha-buddhi: intelligence is not yet perfectly pure.

The master is also pleased by the service of the servant, and the servant is pleased by rendering service to the master. This is taste. This taste is required, transcendental mellow.

Lecture on CC Adi-lila 7.5 -- Mayapur, March 7, 1974:

Kṛṣṇa is the ocean of all pleasure, reservoir of all pleasure. There are different types of pleasure. Just like pleasure like master and the servant. The master is also pleased by the service of the servant, and the servant is pleased by rendering service to the master. This is taste. Husband and wife: Husband is pleased having a wife, wife is pleased having... These are the different tastes: between master and servant, between friend and friend, between father and son, mother and son, between the lover and the beloved. These are different tastes. So this taste is required, transcendental mellow. The Māyāvādī philosophers, they cannot understand this taste. They think everything is one. And in the material world also, we accept, "Variety is the mother of enjoyment." Without varieties, although everything is spiritual... In Vṛndāvana everything is spiritual. Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi, yebā jāne cintāmaṇi. Just like this place, Gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's place of pastimes, and the Vṛndāvana-dhāma, the place of pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa, they are one and the same. Therefore Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura says that gauḍa-maṇḍala-bhūmi, yebā jāne cintāmaṇi, tā 'ra haya vraja-bhūmi vāsa. These are the theses given by great ācāryas.

General Lectures

In Vṛndāvana there are different transcendental mellows of loving affairs.

Lecture -- Los Angeles, November 13, 1968:

Dāsya-rasa. Dāsya-rasa, servitude. There are different rasas, mellows of relationship with Kṛṣṇa. Śānta, dāsya... Just like Vṛndāvana-bhūmi or the trees, the plants, they are serving Kṛṣṇa silently. And the cows and servants, they are offering superior service. The friends, they are offering service as friend. The gopīs, they are... Gopīs or the motherly gopīs, just like Yaśodā and ladies, offer their, loving Kṛṣṇa as son, and the younger girls, they're loving Kṛṣṇa as husband, as lover. So in this way in Vṛndāvana there are different transcendental mellows of loving affairs. So the cows are on the śānta, dāsya-rasa, giving service, just like master and servant. They are situated in this transcendental humor. But they're all one with Kṛṣṇa. Nobody is inferior than Kṛṣṇa, but the relationship is exchange of loving service. That's all.

Rūpa Gosvāmī says that "In this age of Kali, where everything is disagreement and quarrel, you have descended to offer the highest, topmost love of God. And not only topmost, but very brilliant rasa, transcendental mellow, humor."

Address to Indian Association -- Columbus, May 11, 1969:

He is blessing the people in general that "This incarnation of God, Kṛṣṇa..." Anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau. Kalau means this age, this age of Kali, which is very much contaminated, or the age of quarrel and disagreement. This is called Kali, age of Kali. So Rūpa Gosvāmī says that "In this age of Kali, where everything is disagreement and quarrel, you have descended to offer the highest, topmost love of God." Samarpayitum unnatojvala-rasām. "And not only topmost, but very brilliant rasa, transcendental mellow, humor." Anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau samarpayitum unnatojvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam, hariḥ puraṭa-sundara-dyuti: "Your complexion is just like golden, luster of gold. So You are so kind. So I bless everyone..." Gosvāmīs, they can bless because they are master of the senses. "...that this form of the Lord, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, may always remain dancing in your heart."

Unless you associate with practical devotees, you cannot understand or you cannot relish the transcendental nature of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Relishing some mellows, transcendental mellows. How? Simply in the association.

Pandal Lecture -- Bombay, April 10, 1971:

So we do not know what is Hari, what is God, what is Kṛṣṇa, and what is our activity to please Him. That we have to learn. That we have to learn satāṁ prasaṅgāt, by association with devotees. Satāṁ prasaṅgāt. Just like if you are a businessman, suppose a sharebroker, if you are a member of the stock exchange, your business is flourishing. You get more opportunities. The scientists, they make some association. Every particular... The lawyers, they make an association, Bar Association. That is needed. The engineer, they make an association. The doctors, they make a medical club. Similarly, if you have to learn Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then you have to admit yourself with the society for Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is necessary. Satāṁ prasaṅgāt mama vīrya-saṁvido bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ. Unless you associate with practical devotees, you cannot understand or you cannot relish the transcendental nature of Lord Kṛṣṇa. Bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ. Pleasing, rasāyanāḥ. Relishing some mellows, transcendental mellows. How? Satāṁ prasaṅgāt. Simply in the association. Sādhu-saṅge sato vṛtte.

In these days, still so many hundreds and thousands of people coming to Vṛndāvana to relish the transcendental mellow of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Speech -- Vrndavana, April 20, 1975:

Throughout the whole world, as many villages and towns are there, this saṅkīrtana movement should be introduced. And especially in India, because if in India the people are generally Kṛṣṇa conscious. By artificial means they are trying to forget. This is the position. This should be stopped. They have got natural tendency for becoming Kṛṣṇa conscious. Therefore in these days, still so many hundreds and thousands of people coming to Vṛndāvana to relish the transcendental mellow of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And now the foreigners are also attracted to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. And I am trying to place them in our temple. This temple is one of them. We have got four, five temples in India. We are constructing one big temple in Hyderabad, and we are getting good response. So it is our request to the leaders of the society and to the people of India that they may take this Kṛṣṇa conscious movement, Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, very seriously. It will be good for everyone and the whole world will become peaceful. We do not expect that throughout the whole world everyone will take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. But even five percent, two percent, three percent people takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there will be great example. Yad yad ācarati śreṣṭhaḥ lokas tad anuvartate (BG 3.21).