Essay name: Bhakti-rasayana by Madhusudana Sarasvati
Author:
Lance Edward Nelson
Affiliation: McMaster University / Religious Studies
This is a study and English translation of the Bhakti-rasayana by Madhusudana Sarasvati (16th century)—one of the greatest and most vigorous exponents of Advaita after Shankara-Acharya who was also a great devotee of Krishna. The Bhaktirasayana attempts to merge non-dualist metaphysics with the ecstatic devotion of the Bhagavata Purana, by asserting that Bhakti is the highest goal of life and by arguinng that Bhakti embodies God within the devotee's mind.
Page 275 of: Bhakti-rasayana by Madhusudana Sarasvati
275 (of 553)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
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263
generated by perishable cognitions.138 This the meaning [ of
the stanza].
7.
IN CONJUNCTION WITH A NON-HEATING AGENT THE MIND
ONLY BECOMES SOFT. NOTHING AT ALL CAN ENTER INTO SUCH A
MIND AS A PERMANENT IMPRESSION. 139
The prefix "non-" is used here in the sense of "slightly."
When there is conjunction with objects which are non-heating
agents--that is, like the sunlight in the lac analogy, only
slightly heating--there is merely a moderate loosening of
the parts of the mind. In such a mind, therefore, as in lac
that is only slightly melted, no object can enter as a
permanent impression. An object may enter as a semblance of
a permanent impression, but that is something quite
different.
In the melted mind, there is a permanent impression;
but when there is mere softening there is only a semblance
of a permanent impression. The author states the decisive
factor in this:
8.
WHATEVER HAS ENTERED THE MIND WHILE IT IS IN THE
MELTED CONDITION IS NOT RELEASED BY THE MIND EVEN WHEN
IT MELTS AGAIN AFTER REGAINING ITS HARDNESS.
Although the same vermilion color which is introduced into
melted lac reappears when the lac comes into contact with
fire and its hardness is removed again, the color which is
put into lac when it is merely soft does not reappear when
there is remelting. In the same way, the form of the object
that enters into the mind while it is melted, remaining
