Sharanagati
Collected words from talks of Swami TirthaQuestion of Dragi: Could you please tell us something about different rasas and specifically about this conjugal love in separation?
Swami Tirtha: Rasa is rasa, irrespective of the different categories, because whatever is your personal connection with the Supreme, it is fully satisfying for you. And rasa is not always a harmonious feeling. Just like here, you see Jagadananda Pandita was of little fiery nature. He wanted to push his service over Mahaprabhu.”Please, accept the oil! Accept the oil!” And Mahaprabhu is very reserved, so He refused. Then Jagadananda felt so much hurt that he even rejected: “No, no, no. I didn’t bring any oil. It’s not me.” And finally broke the jar. So, this is like a fight, but based on service mood, based on affection.
In the same way in our human relationships sometimes we fight. But if you fight due to your material shortcomings, it won’t bring any rasa to your partner. But if our fight, our quarrel is part of our devotional service, if this is our loving offering at the lotus feet of our Lord and to make the devotees around us happy, then you should check the faces of others. If they are in bliss then they could understand your point, if they are not in bliss, then stop that practice.
The topic of rasa is like condensing the juice of sugarcane. If you press the sugarcane, the sweet liquid will come. Which has very good taste by itself. When you put it in the fire and start to cook, it becomes more condensed. And if later on from this condensed essence you make some sugar candy for example, then it is even more tasty. These are the different steps of rasa – even the first is very sweet, but if you condense it more and more, it becomes more satisfying. And the great ones say that conjugal love is very, very highly condensed essence of this rasa of the divine love. And if you add for example fruits, or fruit essence to this condensed sugar, then it becomes like sugar candy with some special taste. Not only sweet, but let’s say sometimes bitter, a few drops of bitter here and there, or something sour a little bit – just to bring the sweet taste to a more elaborate platform, to make it more tasty.
In the same way relationships to the Supreme Lord are based on this intensity of feelings. And to have approach to the Lord as a lover is considered to be the most intensive. And if we add the taste of separation, then it is even more satisfiying.
But rasa is a very deep and very broad topic, so here we can only say very few words.