Both Valmiki and Kamban have delineated with excellent poetic graces the many facets of the mental anguish and pain felt and experienced by Rama and Sita when circumstances bring about a physical separation in them. There is much to learn from the example of the divine couple’s experience of ‘viraha tapa,’ pointed out Kidambi Sri Narayanan in a discourse. From this enactment it is clear that separation from beloved ones is sure to cause extreme misery; but the jivatma should understand that the pain felt is the result of developing attachment to people, places and objects. So one should try to remain unattached and non possessive of all these. This is the way to bear the impact stoically and learn to treat both joy and sorrow equally.
At a subtler level it refers to the separation between the jivatma caught in samsara and the Paramatma. Deep inside the core of every being is the immortal soul that always yearns for this union. But this yearning is suppressed due to the jivatma’s continuous involvement with worldly pulls through every birth, which only nurtures a strong sense of ahamkara. Even the awareness of the true nature of the immortal soul as the essence of consciousness and bliss is lost.
The eighteen slokas comprising the ‘Gopika Geetam’ in the Bhagavata Purana captures the ‘viraha tapa’ felt by the Gopis and is the outpouring of their bhakti that tries to divest itself of the ahamkara and reach out to the Lord. In response to their love for Him, Krishna had allowed the Gopis to experience the bliss of union with Him.
Even when one worships God as practice of bhakti, there should be no sense of ahamkara.
Unalloyed bhakti is hence placed on a par with the highest spiritual attainment.