Hare Kṛṣṇa,
Brs. 1.2.297-298: The elements of kāmānuga will be described: That rāgānuga-sādhana-bhakti which is filled with longing and which follows after the kāma-rūpa-rāgātmika-bhakti of the siddha-bhaktas, is called kāmānuga-bhakti. There are two types: sambhogecchā-mayī and tad-tad-bhāvecchātmā.
Brs. 299: Sambhogecchā-mayī-bhakti is characterized by enjoying conjugally with Kṛṣṇa. Tad-bhāvecchātmika-bhakti is characterized by desiring the sweet mood of love of the kāma-rūpa-siddha devotees.
Brs. 300: Those who develop longing for the bhāva of the gopīs after seeing the sweetness in the deity of Kṛṣṇa and the gopīs, or after hearing about His pastimes with the gopīs, are qualified for sādhana of either of these types of kāmānuga-bhakti. In the Padma Purāṇa, it is said that even men can attain this bhakti.
Brs. 301-302: Examples of males becoming gopīs are as follows: Previously, all the sages living in Daṇḍakāraṇya forest, who after seeing Lord Rāma, desired enjoyment with His form, attained forms of women and appeared in Gokula. Attaining the Lord by that kāma, they became liberated from the ocean of the material world.
Brs. 303: A person who serves on the path of vaidhi-bhakti with a desire for a conjugal relationship with the Lord and a high position, but without desire for the gopis’ type of love, after some time becomes a queen in Dvārakā.
Below is a table showing the comparison between Sambhogecchā-mayī and Tad-tad-bhāvecchātmā.
| Aspect | Sambhogecchā-mayī | Tad-tad-bhāvecchātmā |
| Literal meaning | “Filled with the desire for conjugal enjoyment” | “Whose soul is the desire for the various moods (bhāvas) of the gopīs” |
| Core motivation | Direct personal enjoyment with Kṛṣṇa | Desire to taste the bhāva (inner mood/sentiment) of a particular beloved gopī |
| Inclination | Inclined toward giving pleasure to Kṛṣṇa directly | Inclined toward relishing the sweet relationship between Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa |
| Nature of desire | Desire for direct conjugal union (keli) with Kṛṣṇa, independently, like a leader of a group of gopis | Desire to taste the sweetness of a specific gopī’s love in relation to Kṛṣṇa, not direct union |
| Mode of engagement | Both mental and physical activities aimed at direct conjugal experience | Centered on tasting the flavor of the gopī’s unique loving relationship with Kṛṣṇa |
| Example of archetype | Candrāvalī (cited as an example of a group leader) | Rādhārāṇī (implied as the supreme object of this aspirational love) |
| Relationship orientation | Self as the enjoyer alongside Kṛṣṇa | Self as an admirer/follower of a particular gopī’s exclusive loving mood |
| Type of rasa | Kāmānuga madhura rasa — the stronger and more prominent of the two types of rāgānugā | Kāmānuga madhura rasa — specifically oriented toward the sweetness of Vraja’s gopī love |
| Geographic correspondence | Vraja — where only kāmānuga madhura rasa exists | Vraja — the realm of pure mādhurya, beyond the aiśvarya of Dvārakā |
| Contrast with Dvārakā | Both divisions of kāmānuga are distinctly Vraja-based, unlike Dvārakā’s sambandha-based madhura rasa of the queens | Same — neither type seeks the regulated, sambandha-style conjugal love of the Dvārakā queens |
| Relative standing | A valid form of kāmānuga-bhakti | Considered superior and the chief type of kāmānuga-bhakti |
| Destination attained | Association with Kṛṣṇa in Goloka/Vṛndāvana | The deeper, sweeter Vṛndāvana of pure mādhurya (sweetness) |
In essence, sambhogecchā-mayī is oriented toward direct participation in conjugal pastimes, while tad-tad-bhāvecchātmā is oriented toward immersion in the inner emotional world of a specific gopī — a subtler, more selfless, and therefore higher aspiration. Sambhogecchā-mayī devotees want to be with Kṛṣṇa and give Him pleasure directly, while tad-tad-bhāvecchātmā devotees want to witness and taste the sweetness of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa’s relationship — a more removed but arguably deeper form of love.
All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!
Krsna Katha 