Text 17] Conversation Between Narada and Vyasa 293

PURPORT

The word bhava is significant here. This bhava stage is attained after one
has transcendental affection for the Lord. The first initial stage is called
§raddha, or a liking for the Supreme Lord, and in order to increase that
liking one has to associate with pure devotees of the Lord. The third stage
is to practice the prescribed rules and regulations of devotional service.
This will dissipate all sorts of misgivings and remove all personal defi-
ciencies that hamper progress in devotional service.

When all misgiving and personal deficiencies are removed, there is a
standard faith in transcendental matter, and the taste for it increases in
greater proportion. This stage leads to attraction, and after this there is
bhava, or the prior stage of unalloyed love for God. All the above different
states are but different stages of development of transcendental love. Being
so surcharged with transcendental love, there comes a strong feeling of
separation which leads to eight different kinds of ecstasies. Tears from the
eyes of a devotee is an automatic reaction, and because Sri Narada Muni
in his previous birth attained that stage very quickly after his departure
from home, it was quite possible for him to perceive the actual presence
of the Lord, which he tangibly experienced by his developed spiritual

senses without material tinge.

TEXT 17

WMMaetahraysamistarsa: |
WAC Stat ATI FA U2

prematibhara-nirbhinna
pulakango’tinirvrtah

dnanda-samplave lino
ndpasyam ubhayam mune

prema—love; atibhara—excessive; nirbhinna—especially distinguished;
pulaka—feelings of happiness; aigah—different bodily parts; atinirurtah—
being fully overwhelmed; adnanda—ecstasy; samplave—in the ocean of;
linah—absorbed in; na—not; apagyam—could see; ubhayam—both; mune—
O Vyasadeva.

TRANSLATION

O Vyasadeva, at that time, being exceedingly overpowered by feelings
of happiness, every part of my body became enlivened. Being absorbed in
an ocean of ecstasy, I could not see both myself and the Lord.
