Teachings to Rupa Goswami 31

pure devotional service of the Lord, does not think of anything beyond that
engagement.

By these symptoms alone one can be understood to be elevated to the
topmost position of devotional service. And it is with such transcendental
loving service alone that one can surpass the influence of Maya, and can relish
pure love of Godhead. So long as one has the desire for material benefit, or for
liberation, which are called the two witches of allurement, one cannot relish
the taste of transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord.

There are three stages of devotional service: the first stage is called the
beginner’s cultivation stage, and the second is called the realization of the
service, and the third, the supreme stage, is called attainment of love of God-
head. There are nine different methods for cultivating devotional service,
such as hearing, chanting, remembering, etc. All these processes are employed
in the neophyte stage of cultivation. If one is engaged in the matter of chanting
and hearing with devotion and faith, then gradually his material misgivings
become vanquished. Gradually his faith in devotional service increases more
and more, and such stages assure him a higher perfectional position. Thus,
one becomes firmly fixed, increases the taste for it, becomes attached to it,
and feels an ecstasy which is called the preliminary stage of love of Godhead.
Attainment of ecstasy is produced by execution of the cultivation of devotional
service. Such attainment, when still more developed by that same process
of hearing and chanting, gradually becomes thickened, and it assumes the
name of love of Godhead.

In the stage of transcendental love of God, there are further developments,
which are known as transcendental affection, emotion, ecstasy, and extreme,
intense attachment. These are technically known as raga, anuraga, bhava,
mahabhava. These are technical terms. The process is exemplified by the
gradual thickness of sugarcandy juice. Sugarcandy juice in the first stage is
liquid; and when by evaporation it becomes thicker and thicker, it becomes
molasses, then granules, then sugar, then rock candy, and so on. These are
different stages of the liquid sugar juice, and similarly there are different
stages of the development of transcendental love for the Supreme Personality
of Godhead.

When one is situated on the transcendental platform, that stage is called
steady. Unless one is situated on the transcendental platform, the practice or
love of Godhead may not be steady. One may fall down. But when one is
situated on the transcendental platform he becomes steady, and there is no
fear of falling down. This stage of understanding is technically called sthaibhava.

There are still further developments stepping forward from the position of
