8 / A ÑÖAMA - YÄMA - SÄDHANA and mokña – are insignificant in its presence. The nature of prema is that it gives rise to a restless heart, and the devotee who is controlled by this nature sometimes laughs, sometimes cries and sometimes, being maddened, starts dancing. In his commentary on this verse, Viçvanätha Cakravartépäda writes that by chanting the holy name, the sädhaka experiences a variety of pastimes as they naturally appear in his heart. He laughs when he hears Çré Kåñëa’s joking words with the vrajadevés during the räsa-lélä or in the pastime of stealing butter, and he weeps when his vision of a pastime (lélä-sphürti) ceases. He thinks, “I have relished the nectar of Your sweetness only once – when will I attain it again?” Lamenting like this, he rolls on the ground and, heaving long sighs, falls unconscious. Later, when he again sees Bhagavän everywhere, he is overwhelmed by happiness and becomes maddened. The devotee who performs such transcendental activities is devoid of bodily needs.
Text 9 Firm faith in vraja-lélä is found in this verse recited by Çréman Mahäprabhu (Padyävalé (386)): yaù kaumära-haraù sa eva hi varas tä eva caitra-kñapäs te conmélita-mälaté-surabhayaù prauòhäù kadambäniläù sä caiväsmi tathäpi tatra surata-vyäpära-lélä-vidhau revä-rodhasi vetasé-taru-tale cetaù samutkaëöhate O friend, that beautiful one who stole my heart in my youth is now here. These are also the same pleasant nights of the month of Caitra, with the same fragrance of blossoming mälaté flowers and the same cool, gentle, fragrant breeze from the kadamba trees. I am also the same; my beloved, too. Nonetheless, my mind is eager for amorous play at the foot of the vetasé tree on the bank of the river Revä.
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