The experience of bhakti-rasa, often equated with prema, consists of five ingredients.

(1) Sthayi-bhava (permanent emotion) -- Sthayi-bhava is the basis of experiencing bhakti-rasa, and it has five prominent varieties: (a) neutrality, (b) servitude, ( c) friendship, (d) parental love, and (e) amorous love.

(2) Vibhava (provoking emotion) -- Vibhava is known to be that which inspires the experience of sthayi-bhava, and is of two varieties, (a) the persons who provoke the exchange of emotions, namely the object of love, Krishna, and the reservoir of love, the devotee, and B) items connected with Krishna.

(3) Anubhava (consequent emotion) -- Anubhavas are expressions of emotion such as crying, laughing and singing, which naturally follow in the wake of the primary emotion.

(4) Sattvika-bhava (ecstatic emotion) -- Sattvika-bhavas are powerful ecstatic emotions which arise in the devotee without any conscious intention when he is overwhelmed with blissful love. Becoming stunned, fainting and faltering of voice are examples of sattvika-bhava.

(5) Vyabhicari-bhava (surging emotion) -- Vyabhicari-bhavas are surging emotions, which appear on the foundation of sthayi-bhava just as waves rise and fall in the ocean. Excitement, shyness and jubilation are examples of vyabhicari-bhava.

Among the five, sthayi-bhava serves as the foundation on which the experience of rasa is built. There are twelve kinds of rati (another term for sthayi-bhava) which serve as the basis for twelve rasas. These twelve rasas are divided into primary (mukhya-rasa) and secondary (gauna-rasa). The five primary ratis at the root of the main rasas are known as follows:

(1) Santa-rati (neutrality): When love for the Supreme is experienced upon beholding His glory, without experiencing a particular impetus for engaging in His service, the emotion forming the basis of the relationship is known as santa-rati.

(2) Prita-rati (servitude): When love for the Supreme Person is experienced either as the reverence and submission felt by a servant towards his master, or as the respect and esteem that a son feels for his father, the emotion forming the basis of the relationship is called dasya-rati.

(3) Preyo-rati (friendship): When love for the Supreme Person is experienced with feelings of intimacy and equality, devoid of the sense of obligation felt by a servant, the emotion forming the basis of the relationship is called sakhya-rati.

(4) Vatsalya-rati (parental affection): When love for the Supreme Person is experienced as His dependence upon the devotee's nourishing, blessing and looking after Him, the emotion forming the basis of the relationship is called vatsalya-rati.

(5) Madhurya-rati (amorous affection): When love for the Supreme Person is experienced as feelings of amorous affection, as experienced between the lover and the beloved, or between the husband and the wife, the emotion forming the basis of the relationship is called madhurya-rati.

They are also popularly known as santa, dasya, sakhya, vatsalya and madhurya.

The seven secondary ratis are (1) hasya (laughter), (2) adbhuta (astonishment), (3) vira (heroism), (4) karuna (pity), (5) raudra (anger), (6) bhayanaka (fear), and (7) vibhatsa (disgust). They can mix with the five primary ratis either to nourish them or to temporarily become prominent before them.

On the abovementioned basis, Sri Rupa Gosvami has elaborately analyzed the lilas of Radha-Krishna and the realm they inhabit. The purpose of the presentation is, naturally, to facilitate the sadhaka's entrance into the realm of lila through comprehensive education in the details of the lila.