Vipralambha, love in separation, expresses itself in four varieties: purva-raga, mana, prema-vaicittya, and pravasa. Purva-raga is the separation lovers feel before they actually meet and formally acknowledge their love for one another. Mana is the separation that occurs when lovers quarrel with one another. Prema-vaicittya is the feeling of separation that occurs when lovers are in the presence of one another yet fear impending separation. Pravasa is the separation that occurs when lovers are separated by distance and time. Commenting on the seventh verse of Siksastakam in his Bhajana-rahasya, Thakura Bhaktivinoda writes that the sign of one’s having attained the sadhya of nama-sankirtana is that one worships in the mood of separation. Similarly, Sri Brhad-bhagavatamrta states that the real sign of prema is that one performs sankirtana in the agony of separation.1 Thakura Bhaktivinoda emphasizes meditating on lilas involving purva-raga or pravasa in the cultivation of prema, as Mahaprabhu does in this verse of Siksastakam. However, he also points out that devotees who have attained prema but have not yet left this world and taken birth in Krishna’s prakata-lila are only capable of fully experiencing purva-raga. The reason for this is that while purva-raga can be experienced by hearing about Krishna, seeing his picture, or visualizing him in meditation, the other three types of separation fully manifest only after having met Krishna personally and having experienced the intensification of one’s sthayi-bhava that takes place in Krishna’s prakata-lila. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur further comments: It is essential for the sadhaka jivas to cultivate only the mood of vipralambha, and because they have never experienced meeting with Krishna, their vipralambha will come only in the category of purva raga. But without having ever met with Krishna, how can they experience separation in purva raga from Him? By hearing the lila-katha of Shri Krishna from others, purva raga is awakened. This was the case with the dvija-patnis as well as the ladies of Mathura previous to Krishna’s arrival there. Rukmini also had never seen Krishna, but by hearing about Him from Shri Narada, purva raga arose within her heart. Thus she became exceedingly anxious to meet with Krishna. Similarly, by hearing from the guru and Vaishnavas or by reading the shastras, the jivas may have purva raga vipralambha awakened within their hearts. (CC Madhya 23.63, “Vipralambha has four divisions—pūrva-rāga, māna, pravāsa and prema-vaicittya.)