Passage 20

In English

Pundits classify rasa into nine categories. They are called navarasas. According to my view, there are no navarasas or nine rasas. There are only two rasas. The emotions of daya, prema, and anugraha merge in karuna rasa. The emotions of kama, krodha, and lobha merge in rringara rasa. Sringara rasa misleads us whereas karuna rasa leads us. Therefore, to recognise our duty, we must take recourse to karuna rasa. Only through karuna rasa can we enjoy the proximity of the Lord. That is the real ecstasy or bliss. karuna rasa offers to us pure, selfless love. Selfish love leads to an aspect of sringara rasa and that is moha. Moha rasa may be compared to the water that is stagnating in the pond. Karuna rasa may be compared to the water that flows through a river. Moving water ever remains pure. Still water gets contaminated and becomes stagnant. Stagnant water sometimes becomes poisonous because worms breed in it. Flowing water always remains pure, and surely and finally reaches the ocean of anugraha or God’s grace.