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- Read on →: atha krameṇa vistaratas tathaiva tātparyaṁ nirṇetuṁ
atha krameṇa vistaratas tathaiva tātparyaṁ nirṇetuṁ sambandhābhidheya-prayojaneṣu ṣaḍbhiḥ sandarbhair nirṇeṣyamāṇeṣu prathamaṁ yasya vācya-vācakatā-sambandhīdaṁ śāstraṁ, tad eva dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavaḥ ity-ādi-padye sāmānyākāratas tāvad āha—vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastv iti |
(Tattva Sandarbha: 50)“Now, in regard to the subjects to be ascertained by the six sandarbhas, [namely,] the sambandha [i.e., the relation], abhidheya [i.e., the directive], and prayojana [i.e., the aim], to ascertain elaborately in sequence the intention (tātparya) [of the author] therein [i.e., in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam], he [i.e., Vedavyāsa] describes in general in the verse dharmaḥ projhhita-kaitavaḥ [i.e., SB 1.1.2] the first [i.e., the sambandhi-tattva], that the bearer of a referrer-referent relation (vācya-vācakatā-sambandhin) with which is this śāstra [i.e., he speaks of the principal subject of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the referent with whom Śrīmad Bhāgavatam bears the relationship of referrer (vācakatā)]: ‘Here [i.e., in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam] is the Reality (Vastu), the real object to be known.’”
- Read on →: iha sambandhi-tattvaṁ brahmānandād api prakṛṣṭo rucira-līlā
iha sambandhi-tattvaṁ brahmānandād api prakṛṣṭo rucira-līlā-vaśiṣṭaḥ śrīmān ajita eva | sa ca pūrṇatvena mukhyatayā śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṁjña eveti śrī-bādarāyaṇa-samādhau vyaktībhaviṣyati | tathā prayojanākhyaḥ puruṣārthaś ca tādṛśa-tad-āsakti-janakaṁ tal-līlā-śravaṇādi-lakṣaṇaṁ tad-bhajanam evety āyātam |
(Tattva Sandarbha: 29)“Here [i.e., in this text], the sambandhi-tattva [i.e., the subject, lit., ‘the entity bearing a relation (sambandha) [with the text],’ meaning, the entity related to through the text] is Śrīman Ajita [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān], who is possessed of relishable līlā and superior even to the bliss of Brahman. That he, furthermore, is known primarily as Śrī Kṛṣṇa by virtue of completeness [i.e., by virtue of the completeness he manifests only in his aspect known as Śrī Kṛṣṇa] will be clarified in [the forthcoming discussion of] Śrī Bādarāyaṇa’s samādhi. So also, the puruṣārtha [i.e., ‘object of a human being’], known as the prayojana [i.e., aim], and worship of him [i.e., the abhidheya], the characteristic of which is hearing and so forth of his līlā that produces such attachment (āsakti) to him [i.e., that leads to attainment of the prayojana, namely, prema for him] are understood.”
- Read on →: athaivaṁ sūcitānāṁ śrī-kṛṣṇa-tad-vācya-vācakatā-lakṣaṇa-sambandha
athaivaṁ sūcitānāṁ śrī-kṛṣṇa-tad-vācya-vācakatā-lakṣaṇa-sambandha-tad-bhajana-lakṣaṇa-vidheya-saparyāyābhidheya-tat-prema-lakṣaṇa-prayojanākhyānām arthānāṁ nirṇayāya tāvat pramāṇaṁ nirṇīyate |
(Tattva Sandarbha: 9)“Now, to ascertain the [four] topics thus indicated [in the preceding verse, i.e., yasya Brahmeti …], namely, (1) Śrī Kṛṣṇa [i.e., the subject], (2) the sambandha [i.e., the ‘relation’ of the text] with him the characteristic of which is [that of] referrer (vācakatā) and referent (vācya), (3) the abhidheya [i.e., ‘directive,’ lit., ‘that which is to be stated’], synonymous the with vidheya [i.e., ‘practice,’ lit., ‘that which is to be done’], the characteristic of which is worship (bhajana) of him [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa], and (4) the prayojana [i.e., aim, lit., ‘that motivated by which one acts’] the characteristic of which is prema for him, first pramāṇa [i.e., the means of knowing] is ascertained.”
- Read on →: tvaṁ bhakti-yoga-paribhāvita-hṛt-saroja
tvaṁ bhakti-yoga-paribhāvita-hṛt-saroja
āsse śrutekṣita-patho nanu nātha puṁsām |
yad yad dhiyā ta urugāya vibhāvayanti
tat tad vapuḥ praṇayase sad-anugrahāya ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.9.11; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 7.383; Bhagavat Sandarbha: 6, 40; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.3.111)“[Brahmā to Śrī Bhagavān:] O Nātha! You, he the path to whom is seen by hearing, dwell in the lotus-hearts of living beings that have been purified by bhakti-yoga [alt., that have been made fit (for you) by virtue of prema]. O you of highest praise! [Alt., O you who are sung of in many ways!] Out of favor upon the sat, you bring forth that very form of yours which they distinctively meditate on [alt., visualize] with the mind.”
- Read on →: cic-chakti-prādhānyena kṛṣṇa-rāmādy-avatāra-līlā iva
cic-chakti-prādhānyena kṛṣṇa-rāmādy-avatāra-līlā iva māyā-śakti-prādhānyena puruṣāvatāra-līlā brahmāṇḍa-nirmāṇādyā vaiṣṇavaiḥ śravyā eva, nātra kaṭākṣaḥ kārya iti śrotṛ-vaktroḥ parīkṣit-śukayor abhiprāyo veditavyaḥ |
(Excerpt from the Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.4.10)“Like the līlās of avatāras with primacy of the cit-śakti, such as Kṛṣṇa and Rāma, the līlās of the Puruṣāvatāras with primacy of the māyā-śakti, such as the creation of the universe, are certainly fit to be heard by Vaiṣṇavas. A side-long glance is not to be cast towards them [i.e., one should not be disapproving of Vaiṣṇavas listening to the līlās of the Puruṣāvatāras and assert that only the līlās of Kṛṣna, Rāma, and other avatāras wherein there is primacy of the cit-śakti should be heard]. In this way the intention of the listener and speaker, viz., Parīkṣit and Śuka, is to be understood.”
- Read on →: liṅga-bhūyastvāt tad dhi balīyas tad api
atha sva-prayatno balavān śrī-guru-prasādo veti sandehe’kṛte prayatne tat-prasādasyākiñcitkaratvāt sva-prayatno balavān iti prāpte—
liṅga-bhūyastvāt tad dhi balīyas tad api |
ṛṣabhādibhyo brahma-śrutavatā satya-kāmena ‘bhagavāṁs tv eva me kāmaṁ brūyāt’ iti śrī-guruḥ prārthyate | tathāgnibhyaḥ śruta-vidyenopakośalena cety ādi-chāndogyādi-dṛṣṭa-guru-prasādana-liṅga-bāhulyāt tat-prasādanam eva baliṣṭham | tarhi tāvatālam ity api na mantavyam | kiṁ tarhi tad api śravaṇādi ca kartavyam ‘yasya deve parā bhaktiḥ,’ ‘śrotavyo mantavyaḥ’ ity ādi śruteḥ, ‘guru-prasādo balavān na tasmād balavattaram, tathāpi śravaṇādiś ca kartavyo mokṣa-siddhaye ||’ iti smṛteś ca |
(Vedānta-sūtra: 3.3.45)“Now, in the case of the doubt, ‘Is one’s own effort more powerful, or [is] the grace of the guru [more powerful]?’ [A prima facie view is posited:] ‘Because of his [i.e., the guru’s] grace’s being ineffective when [one’s own] effort is not made, one’s own effort is more powerful.’ When this [prima facie view] is encountered, [then the following sūtra is stated], ‘Because of a profusion of indications [throughout the śāstra], that [i.e., the grace of the guru] is certainly more powerful [than one’s own effort], [though] that [i.e., one’s own effort] too [is necessary]’ (liṅga-bhūyastvāt tad dhi balīyas tad api). [In Chāndogya Upaniṣad 4.9.2 it is described that] A blessed guru was prayed to by Satyakāma, who had [already] heard about Brahman from the bull and so forth [i.e., from devas who had assumed the forms of a bull and so forth], ‘O venerable one, still certainly please speak of my desired object [i.e., Brahman].’ [Although Satyakāma has already been blessed with knowledge of Brahman directly by the devatās, he still inquired from his guru about Brahman, and this shows that realization of Brahman always requires the grace of the guru]. It was similar with Upakośala, who heard knowledge [of Brahman] from the fires [he tended in accord with the direction of his guru, Satyakāma, but later still inquired from Satyakāma about Brahman]. Thus, because of the profusion of indications of the grace of the guru [being necessary to realize Brahman] seen in Chāndogya Upaniṣad and elsewhere [i.e., and in other śāstras], his [i.e., the guru’s] grace is certainly more powerful [than one’s own effort].
“[A further question is raised:] ‘Then just that is sufficient? [i.e., then one need not make the effort of engaging in the practices of sādhana taught by the guru, such as hearing, contemplating, and meditating, if somehow or other one can simply get his grace?]’ This [notion] too is not to be thought. [A follow-up question is raised:] ‘Then what [should be thought and done]?’ That too, meaning, hearing and so forth, is also to be done, in accord with the [statements in the] Śruti [that describe this], [e.g., Śvetāśvatara Upaniṣad 6.23,] ‘These discussed subjects are certainly revealed to the great soul who has pure bhakti to Deva, and as to Deva, so also to the guru,’ [Bṛhad-āraṇyaka Upaniṣad 2.4.5,] ‘The Ātmā is to be heard about, to be contemplated, and to be deeply meditated upon,’ and so on, and in accord with the [statements in the] Smṛti [that describe this], [e.g., Varāha Purāṇa], ‘The grace of the guru is powerful. There is nothing more powerful than it. Still, to attain liberation, hearing and so forth [i.e., contemplation and meditation] are to be done.’”