Page:Bengal Vaishnavism - Bipin Chandra Pal.djvu/107

 9a BENGAL VAlSHNAVrSM kinds of transformations, namely, profuse perspiration, tremor etc. are a common chrac- teristic of extreme sensuous excitement, parti- cularly of the sex passion. The mere mani- festation of these transformations are not spiritual, and therefore they do not ijrove the highest exultation of bhakti or love of the Lord. When these transformations appear in a person without the presence of any sense- object, they are called satvikee vikara or spiri- tual transformations. The absence of sense- objects raises these workings even on the physieal jilane to the spiritual level. It is therefore and with a view to distinguish these from the familiar concomitants of sex excite- ment or sense-excitement that these trans- formations are styled as satvikee or spiritual. The nervousness and emotional exultation is common to both the sensuous and the spiri- tual manifestations. It is only in the beati- tudes of the lover of God or bhakta that these very physical and psycho-physical transforma- tions are characterised _;as satvikee. The test of the spiritual character of these transforma- tions is in the purity of the senses and the mind of the devotee. ■But even here imagination plays a very great and vital part, introducing these