Teachings to Rupa Goswami 33
subordinate to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and he is everlastingly
dependant on the causeless mercy of the Supreme Person. At that time there
is an awakening of natural affection, as a grownup son becomes attracted
with the father’s benediction. At that stage a living entity wants to serve the
Supreme Personality of Godhead instead of being engaged in the service of
Maya, Illusion. This stage is called dasya rati.

The next developed stage of transcendental love is called sakhya rati.
Here one associates with the Supreme on an equal level with love and respect.
That stage is further developed in the matter of joking and in exchange of
different relaxations, by laughing, and so forth. This is called fraternity with the
Personality of Godhead without any bondage. Practically, at that stage one
forgets his inferior position as a living entity, although he has the greatest
respect for the Supreme Person.

When the transcendental flavor or taste of fraternity is further developed,
it is called vatsalya rati, filial affection. At that time the living entity tries to be
the parent of God. Instead of the Lord being worshipped, the living entity as
a parent of the Supreme Person becomes the object of worship for the Supreme
Person. Then the Lord depends on the mercy of such pure devotees. This is
called vatsalya rati. The Lord puts Himself under the control of the devotee
for being brought up nicely. Such a devotee attains to the position of embracing
the Supreme Personality of Godhead or kissing His Head. These are develop-
ments of parental filial affection for the Supreme Lord.

The next developed stage is called madhurya rati, or the transcendental
exchange of tastes between the lover and the beloved in conjugal love. At
this stage of loving affairs the damsels of Braja and Krishna glanced over one
another in conjugal love. In that stage of transcendental loving service there is
an exchange of glancing and a movement of the eyebrows and an exchange of
nice pleasing words and attractive smiling between one another. Besides the
five primary reciprocations of flavor there are seven secondary reciprocations,
consisting of laughing, wonderful vision, chivalry, pitiableness, anger, ghast-
liness, and devastation. Bhisma, for example exchanged with Krishna in the
transcendental flavor of chivalry. Hiranya Kasipu experienced an exchange
of the ghastly and devastating Feature of the Supreme Lord.

The five primary rasas, or flavors, constantly remain within the heart of
the pure devotee, and the other seven, which are secondary, sometimes appear
and disappear, and enrich the existing flavors and tastes. After enriching the
primary flavors, they disappear. The example of Santa Bhaktas or santa devotees
are the nine yogis named Kavi, Havi, Antariksha, Prabuddha, Pippalayana,
