8.71

prabhu kahe, “eho haya, age kaha ara”

raya kahe, “dasya-prema--sarva-sadhya-sara”

SYNONYMS

prabhu kahe—the Lord said; eho haya—this is all right; age kaha ara—please speak more; raya kahe—Ramananda Raya replied; dasya-prema—spontaneous love in the humor of servitude; sarva-sadhya-sara—the essence of perfection.

Hearing up to the point of spontaneous love, the Lord said, “This is all right, but if you know more, please tell Me.” In reply, Ramananda Raya said, "Spontaneous loving service in servitude-as exchanged by master and servant-is the highest perfection.

PURPORT

Spontaneous loving service to the Lord is called devotional service with an intimate attachment between the servitor and the served.

This intimacy is called mamata.

Between the servitor and the served there is a feeling of oneness.

This mamata begins with dasya-prema, service rendered to the master by the servant.

Unless there is such a relationship, the loving affairs between the Lord and His devotee are not actually fixed.

When the devotee feels “The Lord is my master” and renders service unto Him, Krsna consciousness is awakened.

This fixed consciousness is on a higher platform than simple cognizance of love of Godhead.