In2-MeC

Amsterdam, the Netherlands
8 December 2004

From Teaching of Lord Caitanya Chapter 13

In Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1. 3. 1) the state of being in love with the Godhead is compared to the sunshine emanating from the sun; this shining makes the devotee's heart more and more lovely. The heart of such a devotee is situated in a transcendental position beyond even the mode of goodness. The process for making the heart even more sterilized by the sunshine of love is called bhava. A description of bhava is given by Rupa Gosvami. Bhava is called the permanent characteristic of the living entity, and the crucial point of progress for bhava is called the marginal state of love of Godhead. When the bhava state becomes deeper and deeper, learned devotees call it love of Godhead. As stated in the Narada-pancaratra:

ananya-mamata visnau
mamata prema-sangata
bhaktir ity ucyate bhisma-
prahladoddhava-naradaih

"When one is firmly convinced that Visnu is the only object of love and worship and that there is no one else--not even a demigod worthy of receiving devotional service, one feels intimacy in his love relationship with God, and this is approved by such personalities as Bhisma, Prahlada, Uddhava and Narada. "

Srila Rupa Goswami blessings Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

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