In ujjvala-rasa, madhura-rati (amorous love) is the permanent ecstatic

emotion, or sthāyi-bhāva. Madhura-rati is of three types: sādhāranī (general),

samañjasā (divided) and samarthā (competent).

Sādhāraṇī-rati is ordinary rati. This is seen in the hunchbacked girl Kubja. It is as

difficult to attain as an ordinary jewel. Queens like Śri Rukmiṇī and Śri
Satyabhāmā possess samañjasa-madhura-rati, which is likened to a
transcendental touchstone. Only the gopīs of Vraja possess samarthā-
madhura-rati, which is just like the Kaustubha jewel.

When rati for Kṛṣṇa is characterized by desiring one’s personal happiness and
is endowed with general, or ordinary, sentiments, it is known as sādhāranī-rati.
When rati for Ṣrī Kṛṣṇa has the feeling that ‘He is my husband and I am His
wife’ and aims to achieve happiness for both Śri Kṛṣṇa and oneself, it is known
as samañjasā-rati. The rati of the cowherd girls, whish aims at pleasing Śri
Kṛṣṇa alone and which has the feeling that ‘He is my paramour’, is known as
samarthā-rati.

From the above three types of madhura-rati, Kubja’s sādhāranī-rati is also

termed as ujjvala-rasa. Eventhough it is equal to an ordinary jewel when
compared to touchstone and kaustubha jewel of samañjasa and samarthā.
Though sādhāranī-rati is not preferred for a practising vaishnava, but falls
within the ujjvala-rasa categories. Those who are aspiring for a priya-sakhi
always be criticized by immature devotees, comparing them to Kubja. They
don’t have the basic idea that priya-sakhis are fall in the category of samarthā-
madhura-rati. Priya-sakhis have no personal desire to enjoy. They only want to
give pleasure to Kṛṣṇa. Their thinking is to present themselves as pleasant as
possible to Krsna for His enjoyment. Their love for Krsna is extraordinary even
the queens in Dwaraka and the Lakshmis in Vaikuntha wonder sakhis’ love for
Kṛṣṇa and like to attain the same. As well Krsna reciprocates the sakhis’ love
suitably. So Krsna and the sakhis exchange loving pastimes between them
eternally with ever increasing sweetness. Someone wants to attain that state
sincerely and they should be encouraged rather to criticize them.

The gopis love for Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s love for gopis is very strong. They attract
each other by their love. They both think that they can’t be separated. This is
the common factor can be found even in material love. Material love fade
away as time pass by, but spiritual love ever increasing with varieties of
unending pastimes. Material love is self cantered but spiritual love is Krsna
centered. Gopis never think or act for their personal comfort or pleasure.
Sakhis are pleasure givers and not pleasure takers. Krsna accept their love and
reciprocates them in multitude. So there is an unending competition between
them. In this process they become inseparable and they think each other 24
hours. In the same way the practising vaishnava in madhurya rasa as a sakhi
(girl friend) always think of Kṛṣṇa satisfying Him in different ways to please Him
exactly as any normal material loving exchanges taken by mundane so called
lovers. The difference is one is pleasing Krsna’s senses and the other is pleasing
their own senses. The loving exchanges is not just based on bodily attraction as
commonly seen in material mundane love. That is two hearts come together to
meet and forget everything else. This is difficult to understand if one is not in
the same calibre as a sakhi (girl friend).