I liked very much the following excerpt from "Sathakopa's Conception of Bhakti" by Dr K.C. Aravinda RajaGopal.
Dr K.C. Aravinda RajaGopal writes about Alwars and Their Bhakti Rasas.
Shreemati Andal-Devi revealed to us not only Shringara-Bhakti, but
Veera-Rasa as well.
Now the cite:
"Sathakopa's Conception of Bhakti"
by
Dr K.C. Aravinda RajaGopal.
"Shree Ramanuja following the tradition of Bhakti, as practised by the Alwars showed that Bhakti has three stages such as Para Bhakti, ParaJnana and Parama Bhakti and by their reunion integral bhakti is formed.
The Bhakti myth thus was shown to lead to the fourth which was known as Bhakti sara the essence of Bhakti.
Kulasekhara Example.
Kulasekhara revealed how bhakti could be dramatised and exhibited as containing the rasas - Shringara, viraha, adbhuta, bhayanaka, vatsalya and madhurya and so on.
He secured for himself the spiritual approach of aesthetic enjoyment and sadhana or rather rasa became a sadhana at his hands.
He followed the method adopted by Narada and Sandilya, who related themselves with God in all the manifold ways that humanity has devised in its social life.
Vatsalya-Rasa and Ultimate Surrender.
The metaphysical approach of ViSistadvaita is not so clear. Kulasekhara devotes some of his Tirumolis to the experiencing of the Vatsalya bhava of Kausalya and Dasaratha as the peak of divine enjoyment and attachment to God through Viraha Vatsalya.
He also mentions the need for the total dedication of all the functions of the sense-organs to God's service, even as motor organs and minds have to be dedicated to God's service alone.
The four and odd verses composed by Vishnu Citta reveal the classic of Vatsalya bhava in divine enjoyment. Vatsalya Rasa is very important. It makes for tenderness and love that none has the possessiveness of Shringara.
As a matter of fact the separation (viraha) in each of these Sthayibhavas is important poetic musing in literature.
Shringara-Bhava and Veera-Bhava of Shreemati Andal-Devi.
Shreemati Andal-Devi develops the Shringara-Bhava along with the Veera-Bhava.
Her Tiruppavai reveals the mystic approach to the Divine conception.
It is not for the sake of the beloved as merely beauitful (Sundara Purusha) but as the great Hero - the Avatar who has descended to protect the good and punish the wicked and as the Establisher of righteousness, that Shreemati Andal-Devi conceives of Her Beloved.
This is unique for it reveals how the woman adores the Veera Purusha as Nayaka Dhirodatta.
Dasya-Rasa.
The main approach of Tirumangai Alwar is to render service to God.
It is he who showed that by direct approach to God one can have a vision of God and his own Sharanagati was direct and unmediated.
Tondaradippodi and Tiruppan Alwars developed the dasya bhava and anubhava.
Tondaradippodi knew the saving power of God from the jaws of death. Service of man of God is shown to be greater than any other kind of service.
Ananta-Rasa.
Tiruppan Alwar's approach of God is unique. The sole aim of Tiruppan Alwar is to merge himself in God and become one with Him.
This is revealed in his great sentence 'O God! these eyes that have beheld thee may they have none else to see.'
The rasanubhava in the case of Tiruppan Alwar was not for the sake of rasa as such of enjoying the Wonderful Beauty of God but also to get liberation in God.
Obviously he had in his mind to realize how the Divine opens up His body to his devotee.
The Vishistadvaita has to recognize this aspect of mergence with the Body of God - Who has opened up his Body to the individual soul whom He has elected to enjoy or permit its enjoyment of God as He is in Himself rather than his creation.
This may be called Ananta Rasa or the enjoyment or bhoga of the Infinity and Transcendence of God through His iconic representation.
The rasanubhava as revealed by Shri Sathakopa proceeds on the basis of a 4-fold understanding through His own 4 works through concentric meditation on the Glories of the Lord, through the vision of the Cosmic Form of the Lord, through His Supreme Nearness and infinite possibilities of the human-Divine relationships.
No doubt he comes to supreme ecstatic stage when the lover-and-the beloved relationship is said to induce the supreme felicity leading up to the understanding of God for the sake of one's liberation and union.
Sathakopa has formulated certain fundamental principles in his practice of Bhakti.
Absolute renunciation of worldly ends secure for one the attainment of Moksha and it is followed up by surrender to Bhagavan Shree Narayana.
Vedanta Desika in his Dramidopanishadsara and Ratnavali revealed how Sathakopa has brought all the 1008 names to express the Supreme Infinite Auspicious Qualities of God.
In Bhakti it is necessary to realize the personal relationships into which God had entered in his various descents, both partial and full.
Cited from
"Sathakopa's Conception of Bhakti"
by Dr K.C. Aravinda RajaGopal
