Ṣaṣṭhy Amṛta Vṛṣṭiḥ
Āsakti – Attachment
Verse 1
After this, when ruci (taste) which has bhajana (hearing chanting and other devotional activities) as its object of relish, reaches extreme depth, and makes Kṛṣṇa the object of relish, that is called āsakti or attachment.
At the stage of āsakti, the creeper of bhakti bears clusters of buds.
These buds will in no time become flowers, at the stage of bhāva and then fruits at the stage of prema.
The statement that ruci has bhajana as the object and āsakti has the Lord as the object is a designation signifying proportionate quantity.
Actually both ruci and āsakti have both components as objects, but by less intensity in taking bhajana as object and greater intensity in taking the Lord as object, āsakti become distinguishable from ruci.
Āsakti polishes the mirror of the heart to such a condition that a reflection of the Lord may suddenly be visible there.
Before the stage of āsakti, the devotee, realizing that his mind has been overpowered by material objects and desires, after putting forth deliberate effort, withdraws his mind and fixes it on the Lord's form, qualities and activities.
In the stage of āsakti however, absorption of the mind in the Lord is automatic, without effort.
A devotee even at the stage of niṣṭhā cannot discover how his mind sometimes withdraws from the Lord and fixes itself on material affairs.
The quality of attachment such that the mind sometimes withdraws from material topics and absorbs itself in topics of the Lord is not seen in one who has not attained the stage of āsakti.
This is however characteristic of the devotee who has attained the stage of āsakti.
Verse 2
Early in the morning, seeing another devotee, he will begin talking:
Where are you coming from? You have a śālagrāma-śilā in a nice case hanging from your neck. Your tongue is quivering every moment from tasting the nectar of Kṛṣṇa's name as you chant softly. Seeing you like this I feel overwhelming joy. Tell me what holy places you have visited, and describe all the great saintly souls you have met. What realizations have you had, and what realization have you bestowed to others?
In this way he will spend some time drinking nectar in intimate conversation.
Elsewhere, seeing a devotee with an attractive book under his arm he will say:
By your extraordinary presence I can guess that you are very learned. Please recite it for me. Bring to life by your shower of nectarean explanation just one verse of the tenth canto, which is like a cātaka bird waiting for raindrops.
Hearing the explanation his body hairs will stand on end.
Going elsewhere he will say:
Oh, just today my life will be successful, for this gathering of devotees will immediately destroy all my sins.
Thinking in this way he will pay repeated obeisances on the earth.
Being honored with affection by the most learned and advanced devotee, the crown jewel of the assembly, he will sit before him in humble, crouched posture, and beg from him with tears in his eyes, while holding his pulse:
Oh master, you are the remedy for the material disease afflicting the three worlds. I am the most fallen and depraved person. Please diagnose my malady and advise me what medicine and food to take. By that miracle drug, restore me to proper health.
Overjoyed with the devotee's glance of mercy, and his trickling nectar of sweet words, he will stay for some time to serve his lotus feet.
Sometimes wandering by a lake or in the forest, observing the movements of the animals and birds, he will intuitively interpret them as signs of mercy or punishment of Kṛṣṇa upon himself:
If Kṛṣṇa is showing his mercy to me, then let the antelope in the distance come towards me three or four steps. If he is not showing mercy, the antelope will turn away.
Seeing a small boy playing on the outskirts of a village, he will be reminded of the child saint Sanaka and will enquire from the boy, "Will I see Vrajendra Kumara?"
"No."
Hearing that simple syllable, he will deliberate on whether to take the answer at face value or seek a deeper meaning.
Remaining in his house, like a miserly merchant greedy for treasure, with a worn face, he will be absorbed in thought all day, while dreaming, standing, and sitting:
Where am I going? What am I doing? By what means will I get my hands on my desired object?
When asked what is the matter he will sometimes act like a mute, at other times he will feign normality. His friends will apologize, "He was alright before, but now his intelligence has become covered."
His unacquainted neighbours will conclude that he is an idiot by birth.
The followers of Vedic ritual will consider him stupid.
The adherents of the impersonal Brahman will consider him disillusioned.
The followers of pious activities will say he is fallen.
The non-devotees will say he has amassed some great treasure.
And the offenders will say he is pretending.
In this way others will judge him.
But the devotee, far from considerations of respect and disrespect, having fallen into the current of the great celestial river of attachment (āsakti) to the Lord, will simply continue his attempts to come closer to the Lord.