THE BHAKTIRASAMRTASINDHU OF RUPA

Bhakti or devotional love is the weay of directly encountering the rasa in human experience. A glimpse of the rasa accomplished is available in the encounter of Uddhava and the Gopis. To logically establish the path of rasa was the endeavour of the thinkers of vrndavan at the 16th century intellectual and cultural centre of the Vraja region. Sri Rupa Goswami, a direct disciple of Lord Sri chaitanya Mahaprabhu, was a shining member of the six Goswamis. The human consciousness could reach the ocean of rasa through Sri Rupa Goswami's unique "Sri Bhaktirasamrtasindhu" If there is an experience to be express and meaningful, it has to be guided by a grammar or a Sastra. The famous trilogy of Bhaktirasamritasindhu, UIjvalanilamani and Natakachandrika of Srila Rupa Goswami provided for the first time a total sastra of Bhaktirasa. It is felt that this book be made available to the english world as well. The present edition includes the original Sanskrit and the translation explaining the intricate points of the text.

Select Contents: Translation of the Bhaktirasamrtasindhu-Eastern Quadrant: The Categories of Devotion to the Lord-Southern Quadrant: Explanation of the General Characteristics of Devotional Rasa-Western Quadrant: Explanation of the Primary Devotional Rasas-Northern Quadrant: Explanation of the Secondary Devotional Rasas.

....Haberman's translation is fluid and free from error.......sanskrit text is on the left hand page and the translation is on the right. This is of great help to sanskritists great interest to graduate students & scholars without expertise in sanskrit as well as to scholars with general interests in Indian aesthetics, aesthetic theory and devotional practice. --- Religious studies Review Vol. 30, No. 2,3, April/July 2004