Rasābhāsa occurs when one's relationship with Kṛṣṇa is adulterated. There are different types of rasābhāsa-first-, second-and third-class. The word rāsa means "mellow," and ābhāsa means "a shadow." If one tastes one kind of mellow and something extra is imposed, that is uparasa. If something is derived from the original mellow, it is called anurasa. If something is appreciated that is far removed from the original mellow, it is called aparasa. Uparasa, anurasa and aparasa are, respectively, first-, second-and third-class rasābhāsas. As stated in the Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (4.9):

pūrvam evānuśiṣṭena vikalā rasa-lakṣaṇā
rasā eva rasābhāsā rasa-jñair anukīrtitāḥ
syus tridhoparasāś cānurasāś cāparasāś ca te
uttamā madhyamāḥ proktāḥ kaniṣṭhāś cety amī kramāt