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 295 of: Bhakti-rasayana by Madhusudana Sarasvati
295 (of 553)
External source: Shodhganga (Repository of Indian theses)
Download the PDF file of the original publication
283 27
.
A MAN
IN MANY WAYS AS WIFE, DAUGHTER-IN-LAW,
SISTER-IN-LAW, BROTHER-IN-LAW'S WIFE, AND MOTHER.
ALSO IS [DISTINGUISHED AS] SON-IN-LAW, FATHER-IN-LAW,
218 SON, FATHER, AND SO ON.
The words "distinguished as" should be supplied in the
second half of the stanza.
Having explained the distinction that the physical
form is single while the mental is manifold, the author 219
goes on to state the further difference that the former is
perishable while the latter is not:
28. EVEN WHEN THE EXTERNAL BODY IS DESTROYED, THE
MENTAL BODY REMAINS. THEREFORE THE WISE CALL IT "THE
PERMANENT.
"220
The idea is that the mental body is not destroyed.
29. THUS THE GENERAL NATURE OF THE PERMANENT EMOTION HAS
BEEN EXPOUNDED. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF EACH OF ITS
VARIETIES WILL BE EXPLAINED IN DETAIL SEPARATELY.
Because it is not subject to destruction, the mental form of
an object is called a permanent emotion. Its varieties--
such as love, 221 humor, 222 and so on--and their
characteristics will be discussed in the next chapter. 223
This is the meaning of the stanza.
XXII. The Form of the Lord in the Melted Mind
Since the form of the object that has entered into
the melted mind is permanent, the author says:
30.
WHEN THE MELTED MIND GRASPS THE THE LORD--WHO IS
OMNIPRESENT, ETERNAL, FULL, AND OF THE NATURE OF
CONSCIOUSNESS AND BLISS--WHAT ELSE REMAINS?
