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- Read on →: tāni tāni purāṇādi-vacanāny akhilāny api
tāni tāni purāṇādi-vacanāny akhilāny api |
tat-tad-viṣayakāny eva manyasva na tu sarvataḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.4.218)“You should also consider all those particular statements from the Purāṇas and elsewhere to be related to them in particular [i.e., to those who engage in worship of an image in the aforementioned inapt manner], and not rather, to everyone [i.e., all worshipers of an image of Bhagavān].”
- Read on →: yadyapy aśeṣa-sat-karma-phalato’dhikam uttamam
yadyapy aśeṣa-sat-karma-phalato’dhikam uttamam |
teṣām api phalaty eva tat-pūjā-phalam ātmanā ||
tathāpi bhagavad-bhakti-yogyaṁ na jāyate phalam |
iti sādhu-varais tat tat tatra tatra vinindyate ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.4.216–217)“A result even of that worship on their part, which is superior to the result of all [varieties] of right action [on the path of karma] and excellent, certainly ensues of its own accord. Still, the result in keeping with bhakti to Bhagavān does not manifest [i.e., they do not attain prema for Śrī Bhagavān’s lotus feet, thereby attain his domain (loka), and thereby attain the ultimate result in keeping with performance of bhakti to Śrī Bhagavān, viz., forever meeting, sporting, and so forth with Śrī Bhagavān in his domain in the spirit of prema]. Thus, those two [i.e., (1) the worship of the manner described in BB 2.4.213–15, that is, in SB 11.2.47, 3.29.21–24, and 7.9.11, and (2) its result] here and there [i.e., in the Purānas and elsewhere] is condemned by the best of sādhus [i.e., those who are one-pointed upon Bhagavān, that is, those who aspire for the ultimate result of bhakti to him].”
- Read on →: ye tu tat-pratimāṁ nūtnām adhiṣṭhānāṁ harer iti
ye tu tat-pratimāṁ nūtnām adhiṣṭhānāṁ harer iti |
bheda-dṛṣṭyātha śailādi-buddhyā sampūjayanti hi ||
na mānayanti tad-bhaktān sarva-bhūtāvamāninaḥ |
pūjā-garveṇa vedājñāṁ atikramanti ca prabhoḥ ||
ta eva sarva-bhaktebhyo nyūnās te manda-buddhayaḥ |
pūjā-phalaṁ na vindanti ta eva hi yathoditam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.4.213–215)“Those specifically, however, (1) who worship a new image of him with thought of [the image] being stonen and so on and thus with a vision of distinction, ‘This is a dwelling place of Hari [i.e., this is not Hari himself but rather a separate object, a mere image made of stone or another material, in which we are imagining him to be is present],’ (2) [who] do not honor his bhaktas, (3) [who] are disrespectful towards all living beings, and (4) [who] transgress Prabhu’s order in the form of the Vedas out of pride in [their aforesaid] worship, are the least of all bhaktas. They are of meager intelligence since they certainly do not attain the result of worship as [it is] described [in the śāstra].”
- Read on →: kadāpi kṛṣṇa-pratimārcanāvatāṁ
kadāpi kṛṣṇa-pratimārcanāvatāṁ
na sambhavet kṛṣṇa-pareṣv anādaraḥ |
ghaṭeta cet karhy api tad-viṣaktito
gṛṇanti nāgas tad amī stuvanty atha ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.4.212)“Disregard for those devoted to Kṛṣṇa should never be possible for those engaged in worship of a deity of Kṛṣṇa. If ever it occurs because of [a worshiper’s] being intently engaged therein, they [i.e., those devoted to Kṛṣṇa, viz., the Vaiṣṇavas] do not take offense and rather praise [such a worshiper].”
- Read on →: yat-pāda-paṁśur bahu-janma-kṛcchrato
yat-pāda-paṁśur bahu-janma-kṛcchrato
dhṛtātmabhir yogibhir apy alabhyaḥ |
sa eva yad-dṛg-viṣayaḥ svayaṁ sthitaḥ
kiṁ varṇyate diṣṭam aho vrajaukasām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.12.12; cited in Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.122; Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha: 100)“Aho! How can the fortune be described of these residents of Vraja, the sole object of whose vision present directly [before them] is he the dust of whose feet is unattainable even by yogīs who have painstakingly controlled their minds for many births?”
- Read on →: siddhiḥ syād bhagavad-dṛṣṭyā tṛṇa-saṁmānanād api
siddhiḥ syād bhagavad-dṛṣṭyā tṛṇa-saṁmānanād api |
sakṛd-uccaranān nāmābhāsasya śravaṇāt tathā ||
kutas tat-smārake tasyādhiṣṭhāne mantra-saṁskṛte |
sarva-bhakti-pade pūjyamāne doṣādi-tarkaṇam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.4.210–211)“Attainment (siddhi) [i.e., mokṣa or the acquisition of any and all desired objects] can occur even as a result of honoring [with an obeisance, a sprinkling or water, and so on] a blade of grass with vision of Bhagavān [being present within it as the Inner Regulator (Antaryāmī)] and as a result of only pronouncing or hearing a semblance (ābhāsa) of the name [of Śrī Bhagavān]. [Therefore,] How could there be [even] any conjecture of a fault or otherwise when [a deity of him, that is,] a dwelling place (adhiṣṭhāna) of his that (1) is consecrated by mantras, (2) is a reminder of him, and (3) is an object of [offerings of] all [limbs of] bhakti, is being worshiped?”