Mädhurya Kädambiné Raincloud of Mercy

The great, sweet cloud of unlimited mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu nourishes the seeds of bhakti planted in the heart. Even by the approach of the clouds of mercy, the heat of lust is dissipated and the universe, like a river, becomes joyful in expectation of rain.

May that rain cloud also give pleasure to the author, a dried up tree in the desert May that rain cloud also give pleasure to the author, a dried up tree in the desert.

Lord is Rasa: raso vai sah rasam hy evayam labdhvanandi bhavati The Lord is rasa itself. Attaining that rasa, the jiva becomes blissful. Taittiriya Upanisad

mallänäm açanir nèëäà naravaraù stréëäà smaro mürtimän gopänäà svajanosatäà kñitirbhujäà çästä sva-pitroù çiçuù | måtyur bhoja-pater viräò aviduñäà tattvaà paraà yoginäà våñëénäà paradevateti vidito raìgaù gataù sägrajaù ||

The wrestlers saw Kåñëa as a lightning bolt (vérya rasa), the men of Mathurä as the best of males (adbhuta rasa,), the women as Cupid in person (madhura rasa), the cowherd boys as their relative (sakhya and hasya rasa), the impious rulers as a chastiser (raudra rasa), His parents as their child (karuna and vatsalya rasa), Kamsa as death (bhayanaka rasa), the unintelligent as a material body (bibhatsa rasa), the yogés as the Absolute Truth (santa rasa) and the Våñëis as their supreme worshipable Deity (dasya rasa). SB

Bhakti is Independent Bhakti appears by Krsnas will, just as avataras appear by the Lords will, by his absolute mercy. But it falls upon his devotee, for the Lord is partial to the devotee. Similarly the devotee (madhyama bhakta) gives out the Lords mercy of bhakti by his will, but is partial to the favorable people. The Lord also gives the devotee power to distribute the mercy, independent of the Lord.

Bhakti is independent of other processes The accomplishment of results of jnana, karma and yoga etc. are completely dependent on bhakti, The accomplishment of result in the practice of bhakti is never dependent on karma, jnana or yoga.

Bhakti is independent of other factors Bhakti is independent of physical or mental purity: na desa niyamas tatra na kala niyamas tatah nocchistadau nisedho'sti harer namani lubdhaka In chanting the name of the Lord, there are no restrictions concerning place, time, and purity. Bhakti not even dependent upon faith: sakrda api parigitam sraddaya helaya va brguvara nara matram tarayet krsna nama The name of Krsna, when chanted even once either with faith or without faith, can deliver any man.

The preeminent, all-pervading, totally independent, self-manifesting and life- giving nature of the great energy, bhakti, has the same nature as the Supreme Lord Himself, from whom bhakti emanates.