nayanam galad asru dharaya
vadanam gadgada ruddhaya gira
pulakair nicitam vapuh kada
tava namagrahane bhavishyati

O Krishna! When will tears of love stream from My eyes? When will My voice choke up and when will My body be studded with goosepimples of ecstasy when I chant Your holy name?

The force of the Lord’s humility gradually increased and caused great eagerness to arise in Him. This eagerness is the very life-force of devotion which helps the devotee to attain perfection. The eagerness that Sriman Mahaprabhu showed during His pastimes at Jagannatha Puri were meant to teach the practising devotees and is like a beacon for them. It is the best example and it is like the very life for the practising devotees.
Eagerness is always the best means to attain what we desire. If there is no eagerness we cannot have anything. Without eagerness there is no taste in our endeavours, nor in our possible achievements. When a person gets a glass of cold water in the middle of the summer it will be greatly satisfying to him, but a person who feels no thirst does not even see the need for drinking water, let alone that he will relish it! The practising devotees, the perfected devotees and the eternally perfect devotees all thrive on eagerness. An aspirant cannot attain the treasure of raga-bhakti unless he has this eagerness. Without eagerness no one can subdue Krishna with love.
For example, mother Yasoda, who is an eternally perfect devotee, tried to bind Krishna’s belly with ropes again and again, but she couldn’t. Each time the rope was two fingers too short. Srila Jiva Gosvami writes in his commentary on that particular Bhagavata-verse (10.9.15):

sthite’pi premni vaiyagrya visesha taj jata tat kripa viseshabhyam dvabhyam unatvena tad vasikaranam na syat. ataeva drishtva parisramam krishnah kripayasit svabandhane iti vakshyate.

When there is not sufficient eagerness to fully subdue God with one’s love and if the Lord’s mercy does not become fully manifest because there is a lack of such eagerness, then even the devotee who has pure love of God cannot fully subdue Him. The more eagerness the devotee shows to subdue the Lord with his love, the more the Lord shows His mercy by allowing Himself to be subdued accordingly by the devotee. If a devotee does not show his eagerness then the Lord will not bestow His mercy, therefore although it seems as if they are subduing the Lord on account of their pure love, they cannot completely subdue Him. Without the Lord’s mercy and the devotees’ eagerness nothing can fill up that deficiency. Therefore it is said here: “When Krishna saw her (Yasoda’s) endeavours, He became merciful to her and allowed Himself to be bound by her.”

The Lord will allow the devotee to bind Him up with love in accordance with the amount of eagerness he shows. As soon as Yasomati showed the right amount of eagerness, the Lord also showed His mercy and had Himself bound up by her. In the Bhavishya Purana, Uttara Khanda, it is said that Sri Radharani also bound Krishna up with ropes. Therefore we speak of Sri Radha-Damodara:

sanketavasare cyute pranayatah samrabdhaya radhaya
prarabhya bhrukutim hiranya rasana damna nibaddhodaram
kartikyam janani kritotsava vare prastavana purvakam
catuni prathayantam atta pulakam dhyayema damodaram

“Once, in the auspicious month of Kartika, Krishna could not meet His beloved Radharani in the kunja on time, so Srimati frowned Her eyebrows out of loving anger and bound Krishna around the belly with a golden rope. Sri Krishna then explained to Her that He was too late for His appointment because He had been held up in Ma Yasomati’s festival, so Srimati released Him again. We meditate on this Damodara, who is studded with goosepimples of loving ecstasy!”

Srimati Radharani’s love is always so full of great eagerness that there is never any lack of mercy from Krishna’s side. Sriman Mahaprabhu is always floating in a great ocean of eagerness because He has accepted the mood of this Sri Radha. Therefore, although He always fully relished Sri Krishna’s sweetness, He came down to the level of the practising devotee because of His natural eagerness and desired to be blessed with loving nama-sankirtana. Thus He taught the aspirants that those who have attained a life full of loving nama-bhajana have become blessed with the best means of attaining God.
The Lord said: “O Lord! When will I be so fortunate that tears will stream from My eyes, My voice will choke and My body will be studded with goosepimples of loving ecstasy when I take part in the nama-sankirtana?” Thus the Lord expresses His desire for loving nama-sankirtana, blessing the people of the present age of Kali by preaching the yuga-dharma, the spiritual practice for this age. In all yugas (cosmic ages) the chanting of the holy name has the same power and the same incomparable glory, but in the other yugas (other than the Kali-yuga, like the Satya yuga and so on) the people, although they were living for thousands of years, could simply not gain unshakable faith in the fact that by simply by making one’s tongue vibrate the two syllables “Krishna” one could easily attain a result millions of times greater than what they could attain by all their penances and meditation. The people of the age of Kali are unfortunate in all respects, and they don’t have the strength to perform all these disciplines, but they can easily place their faith in the glories of the holy name, and that’s why the holy name revealed its glories in the age of Kali and became its yuga-dharma, the prescribed method of achieving transcendental perfection. The devotees in the age of Kali gain perfection in the topmost surrender to God by preaching this nama-sankirtana. This is confirmed by Sri Jiva Gosvami: tad evam kalau nama kirtana pracara prabhavenaiva parama bhagavat parayanatva siddhir darsita (Bhakti Sandarbha, 244). We have said that one cannot taste the limitless sweetness of Krishna’s name when the tongue is contaminated by aparadha, offenses. Srimad Bhagavata says that those whose hearts do not melt, whose eyes are not filled with tears and whose bodies do not erupt with goosepimples of ecstasy when they chant the holy name, alas! They have hearts that are harder than steel!

tad asma saram hridayam batedam
yad grihyamanair hari nama dheyaih
na vikriyetatha yada vikaro
netre jalam gatra-ruheshu harshah
(Srimad Bhagavata, 2.3.24)

In this verse (nayanam galad asru) Mahaprabhu prays to the Lord for three sattvika ecstasies, namely asru (tears), pulaka (goosepimples) and svara-bheda (changing of the voice). Srila Rupa Gosvami writes in his Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (2.3.1-2) :

krishna sambandibhih sakshat kincid va vyadhanatah
bhavais cittam ihakrantam sattvam ity ucyate budhaih
sattvad asmat samutpanna ye ye bhavas tu sattvikah

“When the heart is touched by moods directly (in the form of the five basic relationships with Krishna, like neutrality, servanthood, friendship etc.) or indirectly (in the form of the seven secondary moods like laughter, chivalry etc.) connected with Krishna, the wise call this sattva, and the moods coming from that sattvika-bhavas.” There are eight such sattvika moods:

te stambha sveda romancah svarabhedo’tha vepathuh
vaivarnyam asru pralaya ishteshto sattvikah smritah
(Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, 2.3.16)

“These eight transformations are 1) being stunned, 2) sweating, 3) horripilating, 4) changing of the voice, 5) shivering, 6) becoming pale, 7) fainting and 8) shedding tears.” Of these, Mahaprabhu prays for three, namely romanca, svarabheda and asru, while He performs nama-sankirtana. Actually, without rati none of these ecstasies can be called sattvika, even though they may appear on the body, because rati is the cause of the greatest ecstasy and astonishment. Without rati these sattvikas do not cause astonishment, therefore rati is the greatest emotion. This is also confirmed by Srila Rupa Gosvami:

sarvananda camatkara hetur bhavo varo ratih
ete hi tad vina bhavan na camatkaritasrayah
(Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, 2.3.70)

These symptoms can be seen in all kinds of feeble creatures, like those who desire liberation or sense enjoyment, while they sing or hear the nama-sankirtana, but then it cannot really be called sattvika-bhava, but a sattvikabhasa, a semblance of sattvika-bhava. This kind of semblance is not so ecstatic or astonishing. The Gosvamis say that these are the eight external symptoms of a devotee who has attained rati. Next to that there are also nine internal symptoms. When these symptoms are seen in the heart or in the mind of the devotee, then he has attained rati or bhava:

kshantir avyartha kalatvam viraktir mana sunyata
asabandhah samutkantha nama gane sada rucih
asakti tad gunakhyane pritis tad vasati sthale
ityadayo’nubhavah syur jata bhavankure jane

“Those in whom bhava or rati has merely sprouted, are showing the following nine symptoms: 1) They are tolerant, 2) They don’t waste their time, 3) They are renounced, 4) They are devoid of pride, 5) They are bound by firm hopes, 6) They are very eager, 7) They always have taste for chanting the holy name, 8) They are very attached to speaking about God, and 9) They love to live in His abode (Vrindavana or Navadvipa).

1) kshanti – kshobha hetavapi prapte kshantir akshubhitatma (Bhakti -rasamrita-sindhu, 1.3.27) –
“Kshanti means that one is undisturbed although there may be ample reason to be disturbed.” It is natural that a devotee laments when he loses a son or when he gets physically injured, but a devotee who has rati knows that the body and everything related to it is anyway perishable and he patiently tolerates everything, remembering Lord Hari and knowing it all to be His wish. Srila Rupa Gosvami cites Emperor Parikshit as an example (Srimad Bhagavata, 1.19.15):
tam mopayatam pratiyantu vipra
ganga ca devi dhrita cittam ise
dvijopasrishtah kuhakas takshako va
dasatv alam gayata vishnu gathah
When Maharaja Parikshit was cursed by a brahmana-boy, he said: “O brahmanas! You and the goddess Ganga should know that I have given my heart to God, and that I surrendered myself to Him. May the magical trick or the snakebird of the brahmana-boy bite me as he likes, I do not mind! Just sing the glories of Lord Vishnu!” Caitanya Caritamrita says: ei nava prity ankura yara citte hoy, prakrita kshobhe tara kshobha nahi hoy – “Those who have the fresh sprout of priti (love of God) in their hearts are not agitated by material miseries.”
2) avyartha kalatva – The devotee does not waste his time. The devotee who has rati is always doing bhajana. He does not spend any time doing anything else but hearing, chanting and remembering the glories of God. Krishna sambandha vina vyartha kala nahi yaya (Caitanya Caritamrita). Srila Rupa Gosvami quotes the Hari Bhakti Sudhodaya:
vagbhih stuvanto manasa smarantas
tanva namanto’py anisam na triptah
bhaktah sravan netrajalah samagram
ayur harer eva samarpayanti
“The devotees always praise Lord Hari with their words, remember Him with their minds and offer Him obeisances with their bodies without ever being satiated. With tears in their eyes they offer their whole lifetime to Him.”
3) virakti – This means that the devotees’ eyes are naturally disinterested in the dead forms of the material world, that their tongues are naturally disinterested in its flavours, etc. Viraktir indriyarthanam syad arocakata svayam (Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu). The devotee who is attached to the transcendental forms, flavours and smells of God considers the dead enjoyable object of the material world to be as disgusting as stool. Bhukti mukti indriyartha tare nahi bhaya (Caitanya Caritamrita). The Bhagavata (5.14.43) says:
yo dustyajan dara sutan suhrid rajyam hridi sprisah
jahau yuvaiva malavad uttamasloka lalasah
“The saintly king Bharata was so eager to obtain the lotus feet of Sri Hari that he gave up his wife, his son, his friends and his kingdom as if they were stool, although these things are generally hard to give up and although he was still young.”
4) mana sunyata – Utkrishtatve’py amanitvam kathita mana sunyata (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, 1.3.32). This means that the devotee considers himself to be very low, although he is the greatest person. The Padma Purana states:
harau ratim vahann esha narendranam sikhamanih
bhiksham atann aripure svapakam api vandate
“Although King Bhagiratha was the crownjewel of kings, he was so attached to Lord Hari that he even begged in the cities of his enemies and offered obeisances even to the outcastes.”
5) asabandha – Asabandho bhagavatah prapti sambhavana dridha – “This means that one has firm hopes for attaining Sri Krishna.” Krishna kripa koriben dridha kori jane (Caitanya Caritamrita). Srila Sanatana Gosvami prays as follows:

na prema sravanadi bhaktir api va yogo’thava vaishnavo
jnanam va subha karma va kiyad aho sajjatir apy asti va
hinarthadhika sadhaka tvayi tathapy acchedya mula sati
he gopijana vallabha vyathayate ha ha mad asaiva mam

“O Lover of the gopis (Krishna)! I don’t have any love for You, nor do I hear and chant or meditate onYou. I do not serve the Vaishnavas, nor am I fixed in divine knowledge, nor do I engage in auspicious activities, nor do I belong to the caste which is qualified to worship the deity! Still I know that You are more merciful to the fallen souls, and therefore the root of my hope for attaining You cannot be cut! I cannot give up my hope for attaining You! Alas, alas! What shall I do now?”

apana ayogya dekhi mone hoy kshobha
tathapi tomara gune upajaya lobha
(Caitanya Caritamrita)

“I become disturbed when I see how unqualified I am, but still I am eager to experience Your attributes.”
6) samutkantha – Samutkantha hoy sada lalasa pradhana (Caitanya Caritamrita). This means that one has a firm over-all desire for attaining one’s beloved deity. Samutkantha nijabhishta labhaya guru lubdhata. (Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu, 1.3.36) Sri Lilasuka prays in his Krishna Karnamrita (32):

tacchaisavam tribhuvanadbhutam ity avehi
maccapalam ca tava va mama vadhigamyam
tat kim karomi viralam murali vilasi
mugdham mukhambujam udikshitam ikshanabhyam

“O Krishna! The sweetness of Your adolescence and Your naughtiness are astonishing all the three worlds! Only You and I know this. Tell me how can I see Your enchanting lotuslike face that is playing the flute in a lonely place?”
7) nama gane sada rucih – Nama gane sada ruci loy krishna nama (Caitanya Caritamrita). This means that one always has great taste for chanting the name of Krishna. Srila Rupa Gosvami gives the following example:

rodana bindu maranda syandi drig indivaradya govinda
tava madhura svara kanthi gayati namavalim balam

“O Govinda! This young girl (Sri Radhika) sheds tears from Her blue lotuslike eyes and sings Your name with a sweet voice!”
8) asakti tad gunakhyane – The devotee is always very attached to describing the Lord’s attributes. Sri Bilvamangala Thakura sings:

madhuram madhuram vapur asya vibhor
madhuram madhuram vadanam madhuram
madhu gandhi mridu smitam etad aho
madhuram madhuram madhuram madhuram
(Sri Krishna Karnamritam, 92)

“Krishna’s body is sweeter than sweet, His face is ever-so-sweet and His honeylike fragrance and His soft smile are sweet, sweet, sweeter than sweet!”
Because Bilvamangala Thakura could not find the proper words to describe the qualities of Krishna’s sweet form, he simply repeated the word sweet again and again, and that is his sign of attachment to describing Sri Krishna’s qualities.
9) pritis tad vasati sthale – The devotee who has rati shows love for the abode of Sri Krishna. Krishna lilasthane kore sarvada vasati (Caitanya Caritamrita): “He always lives in Krishna’s playground”. Srila Rupa Gosvami writes in Bhakti-rasamrita-sindhu (1.2.156):

kadaham yamuna tire namani tava kirtayan
udvashpah pundarikaksha racayishyami tandavam

“O lotus-eyed One! When can I dance on the bank of the Yamuna, chanting Your glories with a voice choked by tears of divine love?”

When these signs are even slightly manifest in the heart and in the mind, and if external signs like tears, goosepimples and so begin to appear, then they can be justly called sattvika-bhavas, and then the sweetness of the holy name will be felt as astonishing. When the devotee anxiously chants the holy name he will be blessed with these bhavas by the name’s mercy. Srimat Sanatana Gosvami has written in his Brihad Bhagavatamrita (2.3.167):

namnam tu sankirtanam arti bharan
megham vina pravrishi catakanam
ratrau viyogat svapate rathangi
vargasya cakrosanavat pratihi

“Just as the Cataka-birds are anxiously waiting for the clouds in the rainy season and the Cakravakas (red swans) and ospreys are pitifully lamenting at night out of separation from their husbands, in the same anxious way the devotees are chanting the nama-sankirtana.”
Surely those who chant in such an anxious way, while their hearts are agitated by feelings of separation, will attain rati or prema. Therefore the practising devotees must keep on practising the nama-kirtana, because that which is the nature of the perfected devotee is the practice of the practitioner. Siddhasya lakshanam yat syat sadhanam sadhakasya tat. The practising devotee should try to chant without committing offenses. Surely the offenseless chanter will swiftly get love for the holy name and will experience the aforementioned sattvika ecstasies. Srila Kaviraja Gosvami has written in Caitanya Caritamrita (Adi-lila, chapter 8):

eka krishna name kore sarva papa nasa
premera karana bhakti korena prakasa
premera udoye hoy premera vikara
sveda kampa pulakadi gadgadasru dhara
anayase bhava kshaya krishnera sevana
eka krishna namera phale pai eto dhana
heno krishna nama yadi loy bahubara
tabu yadi prema nahe nahe asrudhara
tabe jani aparadha tahate pracura
krishna nama bija tahe na hoy ankura
caitanya nityanande nahi e sab vicara
nama loite prema den bohe asrudhara
svatantra isvara prabhu atyanta udara
tanre na bhajile kabhu na hoy nistara

“One name of Krishna destroys all sins and is the cause for prema and devotion to appear. When prema arises, then its transformations like sweating, shivering, tears in the eyes, goosepimples and a faltering voice become visible. By serving Krishna one easily gets liberated from material existence, but this whole treasure is avaible by saying krishna’s name just once. When you chant that name of Krishna many times, but still you don’t get tears of love in the eyes, then I know that you commit many offenses, so that the seed of Krishna’s name cannot sprout. Such considerations do not exist in Lord Caitanya and Nityananda; when you chant Their holy names tears will stream from your eyes, they give you prema. The Lord is completely independent and extremely magnanimous. Without worshiping Him you will never be redeemed.”

…

The sweet nectarean rasa from the wonderful cloud of sankirtana prema always sprinkles the hearts of the practising devotees of this world and will always continue to do so. Therefore the Mahajanas say:

sri caitanya mukhodgirnah hare krishneti varnakah
majjayanto jagat premni vijayante tad ahvaya

“The sacred syllables hare krishna that emanated from Sri Caitanya’s mouth immersed the whole universe in love of God.” The Lord personally relished the sweetness of this sixth verse in the following way:

prema dhana vinu vyartha daridra jivana
dasa kori vetana more deho prema dhana

“Without the treasure of prema, my life is poverty-stricken. Please make Me Your servant and give Me that wealth of prema as My salary!”

Without prema it is not possible to perform the nama-sankirtana with these ornaments of sattvika transformations on the body. Although He is the ocean of prema Himself the Lord still prayed to Sri Krishna for the treasure of prema, because prema is by nature insatiable. Prema is the natural wealth of the living beings and without prema life is useless. Therefore every living being should endeavour to develop prema. That is the essence of the Lord’s teaching here.