Verse Text
atha chāyā—
kṣudra-kautūhala-mayī caṣcalā duḥkha-hāriṇī |
rateś chāyā bhavet kiṁcit tat-sādṛśyāvalambinī ||49||
Translation
The splendorous type of semblance of bhāva is now described: That which has some similarity to real rati, which possesses a small amount of interest in the Lord, which is unstable, and which destroys suffering, is called chāyā-raty-ābhāsa.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Here the word chāyā means beauty or splendor. The Amara-kośa, Nānārtha-varga, gives synonyms: chāyā sūrya-priyā kāntiḥ pratibimbam anātapaḥ: chāyā means the wife of the sun, splendor, reflection, and shade. Here it also means a reflection of or resemblance to beauty. This verse describes this chāyā-raty-ābhāsa, taking into account the meaning of chāyā as “resemblance to beauty” in combination with the word ābhāsa. Little interest (kṣudra-kautūhala) means that though the Lord and bhakti are spiritual, the person has interest in them only as material objects. Because there is curiosity relating to the Lord, even though material, there is an appearance of a little splendor (kānti). That is the meaning of chāyā here. Because of the slight attraction to the Lord, there will be slight symptoms similar to those of real rati. However, because of its nature as chāyā, it is also unsteady (caṣcalā), unlike the pratibimba-raty-ābhāsa. In pratibimba-raty-ābhāsa, the attraction to material enjoyment and liberation is very strong, but in chāyā-raty-ābhāsa, the material curiosity about the Lord is transient. Still, because of the influence of the Lord in chāyā-raty-ābhāsa, there is gradually a destruction of the suffering of material existence.
One should not say “This type does not fit within the general category of raty-ābhāsa because it lacks desire for enjoyment and liberation.” It is classed as raty-ābhāsa because material curiosity is a form of enjoyment as well (a contamination). As well, it does not overlap with pratibimba-raty-ābhāsa, though both types have desire for enjoyment, because chāyā is connected with only a curiosity about the Lord (whereas pratibimba has a strong commitment to material enjoyment or liberation).
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
… he may show some likeness of attachment caused by inquisitiveness, but this is very flickering. And if by the manifestation of such shadow attachment one feels the disappearance of all material pangs, then it is called parā attachment.