8.79

prabhu kahe, “eho uttama, age kaha ara”

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

SYNONYMS

prabhu kahe—the Lord replied; eho uttama—this is very good; age—ahead; kaha—speak; ara—more; raya kahe—Ramananda Raya replied; kanta-prema—loving service between husband and wife; sarva-sadhya-sara—the highest perfectional stage.

The Lord said, “Your statements are certainly getting better and better one after the other, but surpassing all of them is another transcendental mellow, and you can speak of that as the most sublime.” Ramananda Raya then replied, "Conjugal attachment for Krsna is the topmost position in love of Godhead.

PURPORT

In general, love of Godhead is devoid of the intimacy of ownership.

In the case of love in servitude, there is a want of confidence.

There is a want of increased affection in the fraternal relationship, but when this affection increases in the paternal relationship, there is nonetheless a want of complete freedom.

However, when one becomes a conjugal lover of Krsna, everything lacking in the other relationships is completely manifest.

Love of Godhead lacks nothing in the conjugal stage.

The summary of this verse is that paternal love of Godhead is certainly higher than fraternal love and that conjugal love is higher yet.

It was when Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu requested Ramananda Raya to go further that he came to the point of the conjugal relationship, which is the highest perfectional stage of transcendental love.