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  • prāpyāpi durlabhataraṁ mānuṣyaṁ vibudhepsitam |
    yair āśrito na govindas tair ātmā vañcitaś ciram ||
    aśīti-caturaś caiva lakṣāṁs tān jīva-jātiṣu |
    bhramadbhiḥ puruṣaiḥ prāpya mānuṣyaṁ janma-paryayāt ||
    tad apy aphalatāṁ jātaṁ teṣām ātmābhimāninām |
    varākānām anāśritya govinda-caraṇa-dvayam ||
    (Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa: cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.650–652; Bhakti Sandarbha: 108)

    “The ātmā (self) is prolongedly cheated by those who do not take shelter in Govinda even after receiving a most rare to attain human life [which is] desired [even] by the devas. A human life is attainable by living beings wandering amid the eight million, four hundred thousand species of life on account of the revolution of births [i.e., it is finally attained as a result of gradually transmigrating through the vast myriad of life-forms found throughout the universe in accord with the unfolding of living beings’ individual and collective karma]. Even that [attainment of a human life, however, sadly,] becomes fruitless for those of self-conceit [i.e., those who identify with the body and lack awareness of their actual self], the wretched [i.e., the low-minded absorbed in the pursuit of external pleasures], by not taking shelter in the two feet of Govinda.”

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  • ye’bhyarthitām api ca no nṛ-gatiṁ prapannā
    jñānaṁ ca tattva-viṣayaṁ saha-dharma yatra |
    nārādhanaṁ bhagavato vitaranty amuṣya
    sammohitā vitatayā bata māyayā te ||
    (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.15.24; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 108)

    [Brahmā to Maitreya:] “Bata! (Alas!) Even those who have attained a human state [i.e., life] wherein jñāna (awareness) relating to Tattva along with dharma are present, which is sought by us [i.e., by Brahmā and the other devas], but do not offer worship to Bhagavān [i.e., he who is source of all dharma and all jñāna] are thoroughly bewildered by his all-pervading māyā.”

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  • dharma-śāstreṣu mukhyeṣu vidyamāṇeṣu durbudhāḥ |
    buddhim ānvīkṣikīṁ prāpya nirarthaṁ pravadanti te ||
    (Rāmāyaṇa: Ayodhya-kāṇḍa, 100.36)

    “[Even] In the presence of the principal dharma-śāstras, the ignorant take to logic [i.e., purely logic inquiry] and profess meaningless assertions.”

    Read on →: dharma-śāstreṣu mukhyeṣu vidyamāṇeṣu durbudhāḥ

  • yo’vamanyeta te mūle hetu-śāstrāśrayād dvijaḥ |
    sa sādhubhir bahiṣkāryo nāstiko veda-nindakaḥ ||
    (Manu Smṛti: 2.11)

    “A twice-born who disregards those two sources [of instruction, i.e., the Śruti and Smṛti] on account of adherence to hetu-śāstra [i.e., nyāya-śāstra] is an unbeliever (nāstika), a defamer of the Veda, and to be shunned by sādhus.”

    Read on →: yo’vamanyeta te mūle hetu-śāstrāśrayād dvijaḥ

  • navadvīpārāma-prakara-kusumāmoda-valitāṁ
    sphurad-ratna-śreṇī-cita-taṭa-sutīrthāvali-yutām |
    harer gaurāṅgasyātula-caraṇa-reṇūkṣita-tanuṁ
    samudyat-premormi-tumula-hari-saṅkīrtana-rasaiḥ ||
    prabhu-krīḍā-pātrīm amṛta-rasa-gātrīm ṛṣi-ghaṭā-
    śiva-brahmendrādīḍita-māhātmya-mukharām |
    lasat-kiñjalkāmbhojani-madhupa-garbhoru-karuṇām
    ahaṁ vande gaṅgām agha-nikara-bhaṅgā-jala-kaṇām ||
    (Sādhanāmṛta-candrikā: 1.14)

    “Pervaded by the fragrance
    Of the myriads of gardens throughout Navadvīpa,
    Furnished along its banks with the fine ghats inlaid with shining jewels,
    Sprinkled with the dust from the incomparable feet of Gaurāṅga Hari,
    Swelling with waves of prema and the rasas of tumultuous Hari-saṅkīrtana,
    A repository of Prabhu’s play,
    A body of nectar (amṛta-rasa),
    Praised and glorified by the ṛṣis, Śiva, Brahmā, Indra, and others,
    Resplendent with whorls of lotus flowers full of bees,
    And abundantly gracious—
    I offer obeisance to the Gaṅgā,
    One drop of whose water
    Dispels heaps of sin.”

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  • navīna-śrī-bhaktiṁ nava-kanaka-gaurākṛti-patiṁ
    navāraṇya-śreṇīṁ nava-sura-sarid-vāta-valitam |
    navīna-śrī-rādhā-hari-rasamaya-kīrtana-vidhiṁ
    navadvīpaṁ vande nava-karuṇam ādyaṁ nava-rucim ||
    (Sādhanāmṛta-candrikā: 1.13)

    “Fresh, beautiful bhakti,
    The Lord in a fresh, fair, golden figure,
    Swathes of fresh forests,
    Pervaded by fresh breezes from the sura’s river [i.e., the Gaṅgā],
    Fresh performance of kīrtana
    Filled with the rasas of Śrī Rādhā and Hari,
    Fresh compassion,
      Fresh taste—
    I offer obeisance to unparalleled Navadvīpa [Dhāma].”

    Read on →: navīna-śrī-bhaktiṁ nava-kanaka-gaurākṛti-patiṁ

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