“Although conditioned by material nature, the living entity is not cut off from his spiritual identity. Due to his association with the contaminated material atmosphere, the conditioned living entity's spiritual identity is transformed as the mind. Still, one is not separated from his constitutional nature. Now the soul has faith, hope, and happiness in the material condition. In this state, however, the rasa of one's constitutional nature is perverted into sense gratification in the form of happiness and distress.
What is vikara, or perversion?
When pure characteristics are deformed that is vikara.
Even in the state of vikara, pure characteristics remain perceivable. The rasa experienced in activities of sense enjoyment is deformed spiritual rasa. That inherent spiritual rasa can be minutely perceived by self-confidence. Although perverted rasa can be easily differentiated from that rasa by simple intelligence, still, while chanting the holy name the inherent spiritual rasa is referred to as bhakti-rasa in order to differentiate it. The nature of bhakti and the nature of material love are not independent from one another. The latter is only the reflected state of the former.
The rationalists experience the spiritual rasa to some extent, and by mistake they think the nature of bhakti and the nature of material love are different subjects. Those who are a little familiar with bhakti-rasa and have discussed the nature of both don't have such beliefs.”
( from the book Prema Pradipa - By Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura )
