Ancient Greek philosophers had described eight different kinds of love. Ludus, playful love such as between children; philia, fraternal love, between brothers and friends; eros, romantic love, between lovers; storge, familial love, avuncular affection; pragma, enduring love, between a couple married for long; agape, unconditional love, God’s love for us, and our love for Him. There are two other kinds of love: philautia, self- love, and mania or obsessive love, but these two have mostly negative connotations. Positive philautia is self-respect.
Ramakrishna speaks of devotion of a wife rather than a husband because a wife has a unique love for her husband despite her other obligations as a daughter-in-law, sister-in-law or aunt.
Love for one’s possessions has shades of philautia. Nevertheless, it is an essential attribute for a householder who has to provide for his family. Ramakrishna’s prescription is that as one progresses through different nature and rigour of love, from ludus and philia through eros, storge and pragma, one must strive for agape.