Devotional Service Is Delightful

[Paramhamsa Vani]

Sree Sree Guru Gaurangau Jayatah!

Rasa (pure bliss) originates from the eternal, delightful, love relationship of two independent spiritual entities. That extraordinary bliss elates both the Served and the servitor. The devotees and the devoted both are unable to bear the pangs of separation from each other. Sometimes it is perceived that separation is necessary to increase the intensity of love originating from the sweet, delightful relationship. This certainly exists in Spiritual Transcendental Pastimes. Diversity of service is perfectly observed amongst pure servitors. There is a gradual progress of the degrees of splendor of different delightful relationships—dasya (master-servant relationship), sakhya (bosom-friendship relationship), vatsalya (parental relationship) and kanta (consorthood relationship). There is no want of intent or inclination of service in any of these modes of worship. Devotional service is perceptible and delightful and not insensible. As such, realized acharyas give the definition of bhakti as cognition embraced with the essence of exhilarating potency.

--- Jagad-guru His Divine Grace Srila Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj