Vaishnavite philosophy
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Spiritual ecstasy: dasha, bhava, mahabhava
When people withdraw all their mental propensities from worldly objects and direct them towards Brahmn, Consciousness, they are bound to feel immense bliss.Constant contemplation of God lands them in the world of spiritual ecstasies.In Vaishnavite philosophy , the various states of spiritual ecstasy are described as dasha, bhava and mahabhava.
To keep the voice at the same level while singing is well-nigh impossible, and even so, it is not pleasing to the ears.There ought to be high and low frequencies. Only the high will not suffice, there should be lows also. Again, if high frequencies dominate a song, pushing low frequencies out, then that kind of song, if sung for days together or for a long time daily , may result in illness.
Hence, after singing songs that are predominantly high-pitched, the singer should sip a mixture of powdered black pepper and warm ghee. The high frequency part of a song is called khandaparshu. While singing, one should hold before one's eyes the bhava, ideation, of the raga or ragini in which the song is being sung and also sing meticulously and systematically within the notes prescribed for that particular raga or ragini. For this, different ragas or raginis have specific ideations of their own. To reflect on these ideations, different hours of the day have been prescribed for different ragas and raginis. Deviation from this hastens death of a song. The songs of the singer who flouts these rules sound lifeless as those songs ride roughshod over the prescribed norms. The mind has to be led to the mahabhava or cosmic ideation embodied in the different ragas and raginis through anubhava or unit ideation. Of these, bhava, anubhava and especially the mahabhava are called khand aparshu.
In ancient times, the impetus given to the unit bhava or mahabhava for the sake of poignancy , stilling the mind and clarity was called khambaj. When the sadhaka clearly feels the thrill of divine existence around him, the state of bliss he experien ces is described as dasha. When he feels the existence of the divine world around him, as also the source from which divine existence comes, the state of bliss he experiences in sadhana is bhava.
Again, when the sadhaka feels the closest proximity of Parama Purusha, even within his embrace, that bhava is called mahabhava. At the time of dasha, the sadhaka feels bliss within and falls down, and during bhava, the sadhaka feels proximity to God, feels great bliss and falls down. At the time of mahabhava, he feels the tactual presence of Parama Purusha and falls down. At that time, every nerve-cell, every nerve-fibre and every pore of the human body feels the divine touch.
The entire [extent] of the conscious, subconscious and unconscious mind becomes filled with devotion. But devotional expression is much more in the heart, the sentiment being strongly aroused. During floods, the rivers, tanks and pools, all become filled and begin overflowing. Similarly , the mind and heart of the sadhaka are filled to the brim with devotion, flooded by bhava.
The sadhaka attains states of dasha and bhava according to samskaras.Again, according to one's dasha and bhava, one attains mahabhava. That is why one who has attained mahabhava becomes sometimes restless, sometimes calm, now laughs and now weeps. The sadhaka feels waves of devotion in body , mind and heart, and feels so close to God that he completely forgets his physical existence. At that time, the dhama, or stratum, where he moves mentally is Nitya Vrindabana or Vaikunta.
