According to Srila Rupa Gosvami, there are two ways to achieve bhava: (1) by ardent spiritual practice, and (2) by the special mercy of Krsna or His devotee. “Elevation to this stage of ecstasy can be possible in two ways. One way is by constant association with pure devotees. The other way is by the special mercy of Krsna or by the mercy of a pure devotee of Krsna (pg 132).”
Srila Prabhupada uses the term "association with pure devotees" synonymously with "executing the practices of devotional service." A pure devotee has no business other than hearing and chanting about Krsna. Therefore, associating with a pure devotee automatically implies practicing devotional service.
Srila Prabhupada states, “It is essential, therefore, that one constantly associate with pure devotees who are engaged morning and evening in chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. In this way one will get the chance to purify his heart and develop this ecstatic pure love for Krsna (pg 133).”
Bhava Achieved By Practice (Sadhana)
Bhäva
by Mercy by Vaidhi by Rägänugä
by Practice
Bhava achieved by practice has two further subdivisions: (1) bhava attained through vaidhi-sadhana, and (2) bhava attained through raganuga-sadhana.
By Vaidhi-Sadhana
Narada Muni's life story is an example of someone who achieves bhava by way of vaidhi-sadhana. Narada's service to the Bhaktivedantas may be considered vaidhi because it was motivated not by his specific attraction to Krsna, but by obligation to the injunction of sastra. Serving these great souls, he got the opportunity to regularly hear krsna-katha from their lips, and by this regulated hearing he achieved the level of bhava.
Again it is apparent that vaidhi-bhakti is not something to be made light of. We find that vaidhi-bhakti also leads to a type of bhava, and even the most exalted Narada Muni practices it.
The example of Narada Muni confirms that bhava is a precursor to prema. Srila Prabhupada explains, “This ecstatic love is prior to pure love of Krsna, because in the next verse Narada confirms that by the gradual process of hearing from the great sages he developed love of Godhead (pg 132).”
To further support that one can achieve bhava by repeatedly listening to the discourses of pure devotees, Srila Rupa Gosvami quotes Lord Kapiladeva. Srila Prabhupada sums up the essence of this quote, “...when a realized soul who is engaged in the service of the Lord is speaking, he has the potency to inject spiritual life within the audience. One should, therefore, seek the association of such pure, unalloyed devotees, and by such association and service a neophyte devotee will certainly develop attachment, love and devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead (pg 133).”4
By Raganuga-Sadhana
The quote from Padma Purana is an example of bhava attained through raganuga-sadhana. In this story, a lady named Candrakanti saw the Deity of Krsna, which
4 (SB 3.25.25) The last line of t his verse ("çraddhä ratir bhaktir anukramiñyati") proves that a
vaidhi-aroused her desire to dance with Krsna throughout the night. Her dancing is an example of raganuga-sadhana-bhakti because she desired to develop the sentiments of the ragatmikas, namely the gopis of Vraja.
By this raganuga-sadhana she achieved bhava, evidenced by the fact that she remained dancing all night, without wasting a moment on rest. This reluctance to waste time is a symptom of bhava known as avyartha-kalatvam.
By Mercy
Achieving bhava solely by mercy is not common. Srila Prabhupada says that one who expects to achieve bhava by mercy alone is like one who expects to complete college not by studying hard, but by getting an honorary degree.
There are three ways of receiving Krsna's mercy: (1) vacika — by a verbal blessing, (2) darsana-dana — blessing by appearing in person to the devotee, and (3) harda — by a heartfelt, unspoken blessing.
Srila Prabhupada translates these as: “simply by speaking, simply by glancing and simply by good wishes (pg 133).”
Bhäva
by Mercy by Practice
Words Glances Good wishes
Vacika — Verbal Blessing
Naradiya Purana illustrates a devotee achieving mercy through a verbal blessing.
Krsna blesses Narada to achieve bhava-bhakti (devotional service full of transcendental bliss): “O best of the brahmanas [Narada], I wish that you may develop unalloyed devotional service to Me, which is full of transcendental bliss and all auspiciousness (pg 133).”
Darsana-Dana — Blessing by Personal Appearance
Skanda Purana illustrates a devotee achieving mercy through the Lord's personal appearance: “When the inhabitants of the Jangala Province saw the Personality of Godhead, Krsna, they were so stricken with feeling that they could not withdraw their glance from Him (pg 134).”
The Inhabitants of Jangala were not qualified to see the Lord, but out of His causeless mercy He gave them His darsan. When they glanced upon Him they became stricken with feeling (bhava) and could not look away from the Lord for a moment.
Chapter 17 finishes with two examples of achieving bhava by the heartfelt good wishes of a devotee. The first example is Prahlada Maharaja, who received the good wishes of Narada while within the womb of his mother. The second example is Mrgrari the Hunter, who became an exalted devotee simply by the good wishes of Narada Muni.
The Southern Division of Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (Chapters 20-34 of Nectar of Devotion) gives a more detailed analysis of the transcendental symptoms of bhava.
Srila Prabhupada therefore states, “This ecstatic love for Krsna can be divided into five divisions, which will be described by Srila Rupa Gosvami later on (pg 134).”