Verse Text
tatra stambhaḥ –
stambho harṣa-bhayāścarya-viṣādāmarṣa-sambhavaḥ |
tatra vāg-ādi-rāhityaṁ naiścalyaṁ śūnyatādayaḥ ||21||
Translation
Paralysis: Paralysis arises from joy, fear, astonishment, disappointment and indignation. [Note: In the list of causes, only fear is a secondary rati. The others are vyabhicāri-bhāvas. This would produce an absence of mukhya-rati-snigdha-sāttvika-bhāvas. However, when vyabhicāri-bhāvas are mentioned as causes, this implies as well the mukhya-ratis as causes. Otherwise most of the sāttvika-bhāvas described would be digdha, arising from vyabhicāri-bhāvas rather than a primary or secondary rati. For instance, harṣa is cited as a cause of stambha in verse 22. This is similar to the example of mukhya-snigdha-sāttvika-bhāva given in verse 5, where Rādhā develops stambha on hearing Kṛṣṇa’s flute. Thus, the sequence in verse 5 or verse 22 would be mukhya-rati, a particular uddīpana, harṣa, sattva, and then stambha.] There is immobility of the action senses and knowledge gathering senses.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
Stambha is a particular condition of the mind. However, absence of voice and other elements (vāg-ādi-rāhityam) mentioned in the last lime of this verse are transformations of only the external body. Stambha or paralysis belongs to the sāttvika-bhāvas because of being situated both internally and externally. The first stage of stambha is subtle (internal) and later stage becomes gross (external). From the external transformations, one should understand that internal transformations have occurred. The two states manifest in that order. Thus the particular condition is called stambha which arises from joy, fear, astonishment, disappointment and anger, (which produce internal disturbance, sattva, where the prāṇa takes shelter of the various elements), followed by (tatra) absence of speaking (vāgādi-rāhityam). The explanations of the other sāttvika-bhāvas follow the same pattern. Emotions causing internal transformation produce external effects.
There is inactivity of the action senses (naiścalyam) and there is also inaction (śūnyatā) of the functioning of knowledge gathering senses as well. There is however, operation of the mind. This state differs from pralaya or fainting in which there is no operation even of the mind because of disappearance of all functions.
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
Becoming Stunned
The symptom of being stunned is caused by ecstatic tribulation, fearfulness, astonishment, lamentation and anger. This symptom is exhibited by a stoppage of talking, a stoppage of movement, a feeling of voidness and an extreme feeling of separation.