Verse Text
iṣṭe svārasikī rāgaḥ paramāviṣṭatā bhavet |
tan-mayī yā bhaved bhaktiḥ sātra rāgātmikoditā ||272||
Translation
Rāga is defined as spontaneous, deep thirst for the object of love. Bhakti that is impelled exclusively by such a thirst is called rāgātmika-bhakti.
Purport (Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura)
Spontaneous (svārasikī) absorption (paramāviṣṭatā) in one’s object of love (iṣṭe) is called rāga. The word āviṣṭatā (absorption) is the same as its cause. Thus, it infers the love-filled thirst that gives rise to the absorption. That thirst is called rāga. Tan-mayī means “composed only of that,” from the definition tat-prakṛta-vacane mayaṭ: the word mayī means “composed of.” (Pāṇini 5.4.21) Thus the complete meaning of the sentence is “That love-filled thirst, or actions inspired by it, such as stringing garlands for Kṛṣṇa, which generates complete absorption in the object of love, is called rāgātmika-bhakti.” There is no fault in this rāga even though it may not conform to expected rules.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Iṣṭe refers to the person towards whom one has loving sentiments. Svārasikī means natural or spontaneous. Paramāviṣṭatā (extreme engrossment) actually means “thirst intrinsic to prema,” which is the cause of being engrossed. Thus, rāga is defined as “spontaneous, intense thirst for one’s object of love.” The cause — the love thirst—is considered non-different from the effect — deep absorption—because of its extremely strong connection as the cause. It is similar to saying “Life is ghee.” Ghee is the cause of long life, but is spoken of as its equivalent, to show the importance of ghee as a cause. Thus, by mentioning the effect, absorption, one should infer the cause — thirst for the object of love. This fact should be considered in other verses also. Tan-mayī (composed only of that thirst) means “what is impelled only by that thirst.” This follows from the rule tat-prakṛta-vacane mayaṭ: the feminine affix mayī is added after a word in the first case with the meaning of “made of.” (Pāṇini 5.4.21)
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī has defined rāgātmikā-bhakti as spontaneous attraction for something while completely absorbed in thoughts in it, with an intense desire of love. Devotional service executed with such feelings of spontaneous love is called rāgātmikā-bhakti.