Especially in Raganuga Bhakti there are two aspects. They are Shastra and Sadhana. Shastra in this context are Rasa Shastras. These Shastras represent elevated writings of the Mahajanas in the Parampara that describe the Spiritual world and the characters in that world. It also describes transcendental exchange of mellows amongst the various characters from mood of Separation to spiritual humour.
Sadhana represents the act performed by the Sadhaka to be able to scale up to the transcendental mood so that he or she becomes capable of heightened consciousness. Only when the sadhaka is elevated to the stage of Bhava after the stage of Ruci and Asakti , is he truly capable of experiencing divine Rasa. If one tries to absorb Rasa Shastra even before one has truly touched the Bhava stage , even if one appreciates these Rasa Shastras , it is simply Rasa Abhasa or getting fooled by false mellows. The inside of the sadhaka being still impure , if the sadhaka attempts to glorify any Rasa Shastra , it is simply duplicity and nothing else.
The Rasa Shastra has been written by Mahajanas in an altered state of consciousness where the chitta of these Mahajanas are connected to the spiritual realm and pure nectar from that Spiritual Realm descends to the Shastra. Thus this becomes a Rasa Shastra. Shastra generally means siddhanta or principle. Anyone who is adept in siddhanta and who understands the mood and philosophy of the siddhanta through practical experience is an Acarya. If one only parrots Shastra and does not have practical experience of Shastra in one’s life is unfit for the propagation of both Shastra and siddhanta. On the other hand if a person has full person
experience of Shastra but may not be capable of quoting Shastra , is still considered to be a Guru although not an Acarya. Experience of Shastric realizations is compulsory for the propagation of Shastra. Rasa Shastras are too elevated in mood and content. One should not propagate these Shastras to general population because then it will be demeaning the Shastra. One need not study the Shastra to develop the mood of relishing the Shastra. Mood of relishing the Shastra can only be developed through intense Raganuga Sadhana, singing Gaudiya Parampara Geeti etc and serving Srila Gurudeva. This Sadhana has to be done with intensity and one has to grow internally in a prayerful mood. It is only by such Sadhana one can come close to developing Ruci , Asakti and Bhava. The process of Anartha Nivritti is a prolonged one and unless one sees within oneself aspects of being unfit for attaining the Lord, it is highly improbable that one will progress to the stage of Asakti and Bhava. As one becomes established in Bhava then even a slight vision of the vigraha of the Lord will spurt into varied transcendental emotions in the heart. Rasa Shastra is only an external exposition of the heart of the Mahajana. Reading the Shastra will bless the aspirant but results can only be achieved if one seriously takes up Sadhana. There is no other method that can elevate one to the stage of Bhava as one gets on to the platform of Rasa Sadhana. Rasa Shastra should be revered and should never be used as the basis for siddhanta because Rasa Shastra is beyond the boundary of any regulative siddhanta.
Charan Pahari 