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- Read on →: śrī-gurūpasatti-kāraṇam
śrī-gurūpasatti-kāraṇam—
kṛpayā kṛṣṇa-devasya tad-bhakta-jana-saṅgataḥ |
bhakter māhātmyam ākarṇya tām ichchan sad-guruṁ bhajet ||
atrānubhūyate nityaṁ duḥkha-śreṇī paratra ca |
duḥsahā śrūyate śāstrāt titīrṣed api tāṁ sudhīḥ ||
(Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 1.28–29)“The cause of approaching a blessed guru [is described as follows]: Upon hearing by Kṛṣṇadeva’s grace in the company of his bhaktas of the greatness of bhakti and [then consequently] desiring that, one shall worship an excellent guru. A difficult to bear succession of sufferings is experienced continuously here [i.e., in this world] and from the śāstra is heard of [as also continuing] in the hereafter. One of sharp intellect shall desire [at least] just to cross beyond that.”
- Read on →: kevalaṁ tat-padāmbhoja-sākṣād-īkṣāvaśiṣyate
kevalaṁ tat-padāmbhoja-sākṣād-īkṣāvaśiṣyate |
taj jape’rhati nāsaktiṁ kintu tan-nāma-kīrtane ||
śrīman-madana-gopāla-pādābjopāsanāt param |
nāma-saṅkīrtana-prāyād vāñchātīta-phala-pradāt ||
tal-līlā-sthala-pālīnāṁ śraddhā-sandarśanādaraiḥ |
sampādyamānān nitarāṁ kiñcin nāsty eva sādhanam ||
sañjāta-premakāc cāsmāc catur-varga-viḍambakāt |
tat-pādābja-vaśīkārād anyat sādhyaṁ na kiñcana ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.1.103–106)“[Gopa Kumāra thinks:] Only direct vision of his [viz., Śrī Madana Gopāladeva’s] lotus feet remains [for this brāhmaṇa to attain]. Thus, he needs attachment not to japa but to kīrtana of his [viz., Śrī Madana Gopāla’s] names. There is certainly no means of accomplishment (sādhana) other than worship of Madana Gopāla’s beautiful lotus feet (1) in which saṅkīrtana of his names is abundant, (2) which is being practiced plentifully with conviction (śraddhā), direct observation (sandarśana), and adoration (ādara) of the places of their [i.e., those lotus feet’s] līlās, and (3) which is [thus] a complete bestower of results beyond [even one’s] desires. There is [also] no object to be accomplished (sādhya) other than this [viz., such worship of Madana Gopāla’s lotus feet], (1) by which prema becomes manifest in full, [since such worship is that] (2) which is a belittler of the catur-varga [viz., dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa], and [that] (3) which is a captivator of his lotus feet.”
- Read on →: na tasya kaścit patir asti loke
na tasya kaścit patir asti loke
na ceśitā naiva ca tasya liṅgam |
sa kāraṇaṁ karaṇādhipādhipo
na cāsya kaścij janitā na cādhipaḥ ||
(Padma Purāṇa: 6.227.22-23; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 178)“Neither is anyone his ruler in this world, nor [is anyone his] controller, nor indeed does he have an indicator [i.e., a indicative sign by which his existence can be proven by inference]. He is the Cause [of everything] and the Ruler of the ruler of the means of action [i.e., the Ruler of the jīva, who is the ruler of the senses in their bodies]. Neither is anyone his progenitor, nor [his] Ruler.”
- Read on →: eka kṛṣṇa sarva-sevya jagat-īśvara
eka kṛṣṇa sarva-sevya jagat-īśvara |
āra yata saba tā̐ra sevakānucara || …
keho māne, keho nā māne, saba tā̐ra dāsa |
ye nā māne tāra haya sei pāpe nāśa ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.6.83, 85)“One Kṛṣṇa, the Īśvara of the world, is to be served by everyone. Everyone else is his servant and follower. … Someone accepts [this]. Someone does not accept [this]. [Nevertheless,] Everyone is his servant. One who does not accept [this] is ruined by that sin [of non-acceptance].”
- Read on →: nāhaṁ manye suvedeti no na vedeti veda ca
nāhaṁ manye suvedeti no na vedeti veda ca |
yo nas tad veda tad veda no na vedeti veda ca ||
(Kena Upaniṣad: 2.2)“I do not think that I know well, nor do I not know [at all]. I also know [somewhat]. Who among us [thinks that he] knows that [viz., Brahman] does not know that, and one who [thinks that he] does not know [Brahman] knows.”
- Read on →: a-kāraś cāpy u-kāraś ca ma-kāraś ca tataḥ param
a-kāraś cāpy u-kāraś ca ma-kāraś ca tataḥ param |
veda-trayātmakaṁ proktaṁ praṇavaṁ brahmaṇaḥ padam ||
a-kāreṇocyate viṣṇuḥ śrīr u-kāreṇa cocyate |
ma-kāras tu tayor dāsaḥ pañcaviṁśaḥ prakīrtitaḥ ||
(Padma Purāṇa: 6.227.22-23; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 178)“The letter a along with the letter u and the letter m after that—praṇava [i.e., the word Aum]—is declared to be the basis of the three Vedas and the word for [alt., dwelling place] of Brahman. Viṣṇu is referred to by the letter a, and Śrī is referred to by the letter u. The servant of the two [i.e., of Viṣṇu and Śrī], the twenty-fifth [element in the universe, viz., the jīva], is declared to indeed be the letter m.”