‘Higher’ rasas contain ‘lower’ ones.

It is explained that in the Madhurya or conjugal rasa, the elements of vatsalya (parental or protective) rasa, sakhya (friendship or equality) rasa, dasya (service) rasa and santa (neutrality and peace) rasa are all contained. Also vatsalya contains sakhya, dasya, and santa; sakhya contains dasya and santa; dasa contains santa. Krsna dasa Kaviraja compares this to the five elements saying that in earth element we have smell, taste, form, touch, and sound; water contains taste, form, touch and sound; fire contains form, touch and sound; air contains sound and touch; ether contain sound. In Srila Prabhupada words (CC Madh 8.88 purport) we find: “To explain the topmost quality of conjugal love, Srila Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami gives the example of the material elements—sky, air, fire, water and earth. In the sky (space) there is the quality of sound. Similarly, in air there are the qualities of sound and touch. In fire, there are three qualities—sound, touch and form. In water there are four qualities—sound, touch, form and taste. Finally, in earth there are all five qualities—sound, touch, form, taste and also smell. Now, one can see that the quality of the sky is in all—namely in air, fire, water and earth. In earth we can find all the qualities of material nature. The same can be applied to the rasa known as madhurya-rasa, or conjugal love. In conjugal love there are the qualities of neutrality, servitorship, fraternity and parental affection, as well as those of conjugal love itself. The conclusion is that through conjugal love the Lord is completely satisfied.”