Why is vatsalya and madhurya not included in the 9 forms of devotional service?

Transcript

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Question. In the nine processes of devotional service, we have Sakhyam and Dasya that is included.
Sakhyam, Dasya, Matmanivedan. But then Vatsalya and Madhuri are not included over there. Why is that? Answer.
Although the terms Sakhyam and Dasya are similar in both cases, almost same, but their meanings are different. When we are talking about the nine processes of devotional service, they are nine ways, nine activities by which we can render devotion, nine kinds of activities. Whereas when we are talking about Sakhyas, Dasyas, Madhuryas, these are five steady forms of relationship with Krishna in the spiritual world.
So their words are same but they are referring to two different categories. One is a type of activity and the second is a type of relationship. So, when we are practicing Bhakti, a devotee may serve in various ways.
A devotee may do Vandanam, Dasyam, Sakhyam, Atmanivedan. A devotee may do all of these. Sadhaka.
How can we do Sakhyam? It is not inappropriate for a devotee to feel that Krishna is my friend. Whatever intimacy we feel in various relationships, that intimacy is actually just a glimpse of the immense intimacy that we can have in our relationship with Krishna. So, you are my father, you are my mother, you are my brother, you are my friend, you are my wealth, you are my knowledge, you are my everything.
It’s a famous prayer. So, the friend is also included in this. Why? Because whatever emotional support, whatever solace and strength we get from anyone, that is just a fraction of what solace and strength and support we can get from Krishna.
So, Krishna is our greatest friend. And Krishna also uses the word Surudham for referring to himself. That is Surudham Sarva Bhoota.
Bhoota means 5.29. So, therefore, for a devotee to consider Krishna as a friend in whom we can confide when we offer prayers to Krishna, whatever difficulties we may have, whatever may be burdening our mind, we can unburden our mind to Krishna through our prayers also. So, as a devotee, we can treat Krishna as our friend and seek support and guidance and affection from him as we would from a normal friend. So, in that sense, as devotees also, we can be sadhak, we can befriend Krishna.
But, just because somebody is treating Krishna as a friend doesn’t mean that in the spiritual world the eternal relationship will be in Sakhi. So, now, even if somebody has a relationship in Madhurya, those devotees may also do Shravanam, Kirtanam, Smaranam. The Gopis, when Krishna is separate from them, they are singing the Gopi Geeta.
So, one Gopi is singing, other Gopis are hearing. This is Shravanam, Kirtanam and all of them are remembering. So, it is not that there is a one-to-one correspondence between the five kinds of relationship and the nine types of devotional service.
Even the Gopis, they can also be friends to Krishna. Bhaja sakhe bhavan Gopis tell Krishna that, you are our Sakha. Nakalu Gopika Nandano bhavan Akhila dehina Mantaraatmadruk Vikhannasarthito Vishwa guptaye Sakha uddehi van Sathvatam kule So, Gopis are telling, you are not the son of Vasudeva, of Nandeshwada.
You are actually the Supreme Supersoul who has manifested in this world. But then there is a Sakha uddehi van Sakha, you are our Sakha. You are our friend.
So, now that doesn’t mean the Gopis are the Sakhe Rasa. So, these are the five Rasa’s are technical categories of relationships. And the nine limbs of devotional service are nine ways in which devotional service can be performed.
So, it is not necessary that there is a one-to-one correlation between the two. And that’s why as far as the limbs of devotional service are concerned, we can befriend Krishna. We can serve Krishna.
But for us as a sadhaka level to think that while rendering service I am the father of Krishna or I am the consort of Krishna is inappropriate. It is premature. It could be sahajiyaic.
That’s why those higher forms of relating with Krishna are not included in the nine limbs of devotional service. But we can’t have two different categories mapped on to each other in a linear way, even if the terms are the same. The two refer to entirely different significantly different concepts.
One, the nine limbs of devotional service refer to activities that we can do by which we can develop our relationship with Krishna. That is Shravanam, Kirtanam, Vishnu, Smaranam. And the five rasas are the five standard ways in which we can relate with Krishna in the spiritual world.
And those are steady relationships. They are not types of devotional, they are not ways in which we can serve Krishna. They are the steady emotions and the emotional flavors in which a particular devotee relates