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  • satyaṁ śaucaṁ dayā maunaṁ buddhiḥ śrīr hrīr yaśaḥ kṣamā |
    śamo damo bhagaś ceti yat-saṅgād yāti saṅkṣayam ||
    teṣv aśānteṣu mūḍheṣu khaṇḍitātmasv asādhuṣu |
    saṅgaṁ na kuryāc chocyeṣu yoṣit-krīḍā-mṛgeṣu ca ||
    (Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.31.33–4; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.88–89)

    “One should never associate with those by whose association truthfulness, cleanliness, grace, quietude, the intellect, wealth, modesty, honor, forgiveness, mental control, sense control, and good fortune are destroyed, and who are restless, foolish, self-destructive, impious, deplorable, and the pet animals of women.”

    Read on →: satyaṁ śaucaṁ dayā maunaṁ

  • asat-saṅga-tyāga ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra |
    ‘strī-saṅgī’ eka asādhu, ‘kṛṣṇābhakta’ āra ||
    (Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta: 2.22.84)

    [Śrīman Mahāprabhu to Sanātana Gosvāmī:] “Avoidance of bad association—this is the conduct of a Vaiṣṇava. Someone who is attached to women is one [type of] non-sādhu, and a non-bhakta of Kṛṣṇa is another.”

    Read on →: asat-saṅga-tyāga ei vaiṣṇava-ācāra

  • nāmnāṁ tu saṅkīrtanam ārti-bhārān
    meghaṁ vinā prāvṛṣi cātakānām |
    rātrau viyogāt sva-pate rathāṅgi-
    vargasya cākroṣaṇavat pratīhi ||
    (Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.3.167)

    “Know saṅkīrtana of the names [of Bhagavān] to arise from a profusion of heartache like the loud cries of cātakas during a monsoon devoid of clouds or [the loud cries] of cakravākīs at night separated from their husbands.”

    Read on →: nāmnāṁ tu saṅkīrtanam arti-bhārān

  • laukikānāṁ hi sādhūnām arthaṁ vāg anuvartate |
    ṛṣīṇāṁ punar ādyānāṁ vācam artho’nudhāvati ||
    (Uttara-rāma-carita of Bhavabhūti; Subhāṣita-ratna-bhāṇḍāgāra)

    “The speech of ordinary adepts [i.e., kavis] follows the object [they describe], whereas the object runs after the speech of the original ṛṣis.”

    Read on →: laukikānāṁ hi sādhūnām

  • vāg-arthāv iva sampṛktau vāg-artha-pratipattaye |
    jagataḥ pitarau vande pārvatī-parameśvarau ||
    (Raghu-vaṁśa)

    “I offer obeisance to Pārvatī and Parameśvara [Śiva], the parents of the world, who are united like speech and [its] meaning, for [gaining] understanding of speech and [its] meaning [or, to understand the meaning of the Veda].”

    Read on →: vāg-arthāv iva sampṛktau

  • sukhasya mūlaṁ dharmaḥ |
    dharmasya mūlam arthaḥ |
    arthasya mūlaṁ rājyam |
    rājyasya mūlam indriya-jayaḥ |
    indriya-jayasya mūlaṁ vinayaḥ |
    vinayasya mūlaṁ vṛddhopasevaḥ |
    vṛddhopasevayā vijñānam |
    vijñānena ātmānaṁ saṁpādayet |
    saṁpāditātmā jitātmā bhavati |
    jitātmā sarvārthaiḥ saṁyujyeta |
    (Cāṇakya-sūtras: 1–10)

    “The basis of happiness is dharma [i.e., right conduct, ethics]. The basis of dharma is artha [i.e., resources, wealth, economy]. The basis of artha is kingship [i.e., state, government]. The basis of kingship is control over the senses. The basis of control over the senses is discipline. The basis of discipline is subservience to elders. Through subservience to elders comes proficiency [i.e., discernment]. Equip yourself with proficiency. Those who have equipped themselves become self-controlled. Those who are self-controlled will become endowed with all attainments.”

    Read on →: sukhasya mūlaṁ dharmaḥ

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