"The preceding five passions are arranged in the order of their upward development. With the increase of quality there is an increase of deliciousness at each step. The _shánta_ passion attains its maturity in the _dásya_, the _dásya_ in the _sákhya_, the _sákhya_ in the _bátsalya_, and all of these four are concentrated in the _mádhura_, just as the properties of the four elements, _viz._, sky, air, &c. increase in an advancing order and are all united in the fifth element, the Earth. The full attainment of Krishna results from this last passion of conjugal love (_premá_). The _Bhágabat_ asserts that Krishna is a slave to devotion in the form of _premá_. "Krishna's purpose remains constant in all ages: He makes a return to our adoration in exactly the same form in which we offer it. But He cannot reciprocate this _prem_ adoration to the full, and so remains our debtor, as the _Bhágabat_ affirms. (X. xxxii. 21, Krishna's words to the milk-maids). "True, Krishna is the highest type of beauty and grace, but even His charm increases when He is in the company of the Lady of Braja. Witness the _Bhágabat_, X. xxxiii. 6: _'As the beauty of the emerald is set off when it is placed amidst golden-coloured gems, so shines Krishna when girt round by the beaming girls of Brindában.'"_ The Master remarked, "This is indeed the extreme point among the means of devotion. Kindly tell me if there is anything beyond it!" The Ray said, "I did not know before that the earth contained any man who would inquire beyond this point! Of all kinds of conjugal passion Radha's love is celebrated in all our Scriptures as the highest". The Master said, "Speak on! I delight to hear. A wondrous stream of nectar is flowing out of your lips. Show how Krishna abducted Rádhá for fear of interruption by the other cow-herd girls; because a love that extends to others than the beloved is not deep enough. If you can show that for Radha's sake Krishna openly forsook the other Gopis, then I shall know that he passionately loved her." The Ray replied, "Hear, then, of this glorious power of love. The three worlds cannot match Radha's love. Krishna broke away from the circle of the _rása_ dance of the Gopis and wandered through the woods mourning for Radha. Witness the _Git-Govinda_, canto III. verses 2 and i, and the _Ujjwala-Nilmani_, verse 43. Radha left the dance in anger and wounded pride. Krishna grew restless as he lost her. His whole heart was set on the _rása_ dance, and Radha was the chain that bound his heart to it. In her absence, the _rása_ dance palled on his taste. So he left the circle of dancers to seek her out. As he roamed hither and thither, without finding her, he grieved, stricken with Cupid's dart. A thousand million Gopis could not satiate his passion. From this you may infer Radha's merit!"