Devoiiond& Service in Conjugal Love 363
could not wither.” This love of Krsna for Radharani is often com-
pared to a blooming lotus: the only difference is that Krgna’s love re-
mains ever-increasingly beautiful.

Conjugal love is divided into two portions: vipralambha, or con-
jugal love in separation, and sambhoga, or conjugal love in direct con-
tact. Vipralambha, separation, has three sub-divisions known as 1)
purva-raga, or preliminary attraction, 2) mana, or seeming anger, and
3) pravasa, or separation by distance.

When the lover and the beloved have a distinct feeling of not
meeting each other, that stage is called pirva-raga, or preliminary at-
traction. In Padyavali Radharani told Her companion, “My dear
friend, I was just going to the bank of the Yamuna, and all of a sud-
den a very nice boy whose complexion is like a dark blue cloud be-
came visible in front of My eyes. He glanced over Me in a way that I
cannot describe. But since this has occured, I am sorry that I can
no longer engage My mind in the duties of My household affairs.”
This is an instance of preliminary attraction for Krsna. In Srimad-
Bhagavatam, Tenth Canto, 53rd Chapter, verse 2, Krsna told the mes-
senger brahmana who came from Rukmini: “My dear brahmana, just
like Rukmini I cannot sleep at night, and My mind is always fixed on
her. I know that her brother Rukmi is against Me, and due to his
persuasion, My marriage with her has been cancelled.” This is another
instance of preliminary attraction.

As far as mana, or anger, is concerned, there is the following inci-
dent described in Gita-govinda: “When Srimati Radharani saw Krsna
enjoying Himself in the company of several other gopis, She became
a little jealous because Her special prestige was being dimmed. There-
fore, She immediately left the scene and took shelter in a nice flower
bush where the black drones were humming. Then, hiding Herself be-
hind the creepers, She began to express Her sorrow to one of Her
consorts.” This is an instance of a seeming disagreement.

An example of pravasa, or being out of contact because of living in
a distant place, is given in the Padydavali as follows: “Since the aus-
picious day when Krsna left for Mathura, Srimati Radharani has been
pressing Her head on one of Her hands and constantly shedding tears.
Her face is always wet now, and therefore there is no chance of Her
