Gītā-mālā

(1)
madhurera sthāyī-bhāva labhe ye abirbhāva
bali tāhā śuno eka-mane
abhiyoga o viṣaya sambandha-abhimāna-dvaya
tadīya viśeṣa upamāne

Madhura-rati, or conjugal affection, is the sthāyī-bhāva of madhura-rasa. Now please hear with one-pointed attention as I describe its arising. The seven causes are: (1) abhiyoga (expressions of heartfelt emotion in the form of loving complaints), (2) viṣaya (the five objects of sense perception in relation to Kṛṣṇa—sound, touch, form, taste, and smell), (3) sambandha (Kṛṣṇa’s relatives and associates), (4) abhimāna (the sense that Kṛṣṇa belongs to one), (5) tadīya-viśeṣa (Kṛṣṇa’s special attributes such as His footprints, pasturing grounds, etc.), (6) upamā (poetic comparison of Kṛṣṇa with other objects), and (7) svabhāva (natural affection arising without external cause).

(2)
svabhāva āśraya kari’ citte rati avatari
śṛṅgāra-rasera kare puṣṭi
abhiyoga ādi haya anya rati-hetu haya
vraja-devīra tāhe nāhi dṛṣṭi

Taking shelter of svabhāva, rati descends into the heart and nourishes śṛṅgāra-rasa. The other six factors beginning with abhiyoga act as causes of rati in other cases. However, the Vraja-devīs have no dependence on such external causes.

(3)
svataḥ-siddha rati tāṅre sambandhādi-sahakāre
samartha kariyā rākhe sadā
kṛṣṇa-sevā vinā tāṅra udyama nāhika āra
svīya sukha ceṣṭā nāhi kadā

Their self-manifested, perfected rati is supported only by sambandha and other such factors, yet it remains fully self-sufficient. Apart from service to Kṛṣṇa, they have no other endeavour whatsoever. At no time do they attempt any personal happiness.

(4)
ei rati prauḍha haya mahā-bhāva-śreṇī pāya
yāra tulya prāpti āra nāi
sarva-ādbhuta camatkāra sambhogecchā ei prakāra
varṇibāre vākya nāhi pāi

When this rati becomes fully matured, it attains the stage of mahā-bhāva. There is nothing equal to such attainment anywhere. Its astonishing nature and even its desire for union are beyond all description – I find no words capable of properly expressing it.