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  • so’yam upadeśo buddhy-arthaḥ | sarvatra tadīyatva-jñānārthaḥ pādavat | pādo’sya viśvā bhūtāni ity atra yathā viśvasya bhagavat-pādatvopadeśas tadvat | evaṁ hi dveṣa-nihīnaṁ manas tat-pravaṇaṁ bhavati | na caivaṁ rāga-prāptir nihīnatva-buddher bādhakatvāt |
    (Govinda-bhāṣya on Vedānta-sūtra: 3.2.34)

    “This teaching [i.e., the teaching Chāndogya Upaniṣad 3.14.1, ‘All of this is verily Brahman’ (sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ Brahma)] is for the sake of understanding, that is, for the sake of awareness of belongingness to him (tadīyatva) in everything, like [his] foot, that is, as there is a teaching of the universe’s being the foot of Bhagavān here [in Ṛg-veda 10.90.3], ‘The existent universes are his foot.’ In this way completely free from enmity, the mind becomes intent upon him [i.e., on Bhagavān]. Also in this way [i.e., also by means of the aforementioned teaching that everything belongs to him] an occurrence of attachment (rāga) [to the universe in which one is situated, or anything within it] does not occur because of the annulling of that by understanding of the utter inferiority [of sāṁsārika existence and everything within it in comparison to Śrī Bhagavān himself].”

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  • ātma-nindā kari laila prabhura śaraṇa |
    kṛpā karibāre tabe prabhura haila mana ||
    (Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.6.201)

    “He [i.e., Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭāchārya] rebuked himself and took shelter of Prabhu. Prabhu then decided to bestow grace [upon him].”

    Read on →: ātma-nindā kari laila prabhura śaraṇa

  • vittir viraktiś ca kṛtāñjaliḥ puro
    yasyāḥ parānanda-tanor vitiṣṭhate |
    siddhiś ca sevā-samayaṁ pratīkṣate
    bhaktiḥ pareśasya punātu sā jagat ||
    (Govinda-bhāṣya on Vedānta-sūtra: 3.2.1)

    “May bhakti to the Supreme Īśa—
    She possessed of a form of supreme bliss
    Before whom Knowledge and Non-attachment
    Stand with cupped-palms
    And Siddhi awaits an occasion for service—
    Purify the universe.”

    Read on →: vittir viraktiś ca kṛtāñjaliḥ puro

  • janayitvā vairāgyaṁ guṇair nibadhnāti modayan bhaktān |
    yas tair baddho’pi guṇair anurajyati so’stu me hariḥ preyān ||
    (Govinda-bhāṣya on Vedānta-sūtra: 3.4.52)

    “May Hari—
    He who produces non-attachment (vairāgya) in,
    Delights in,
    And binds [his] bhaktas with [his] qualities,
    And [who] also becomes bound
    And delighted by their qualities—
    Be my beloved.”

    Read on →: janayitvā vairāgyaṁ guṇair nibadhnāti modayan bhaktān

  • athāsmin tṛtīye’dhyāye tat-prāpakāṇi sādhanāni nirūpyante | teṣu mukhyaṁ tāvat prāpyetara-vaitṛṣṇyaṁ prāpya-tṛṣṇā ceti tat-siddhaye pūrva-pāda-dvayam ārabhyate | tatra prathame pāde pañcāgni-vidyām āśritya nānāvasthasya jīvasya loka-gatyā gati-rūpā doṣāḥ prakāśyante loka-virāgāya | dvitīye tu prāpyānurāga-hetavaḥ tan-mahimādayo guṇā vakṣyante | … tad itthaṁ janma-maraṇādi-duḥkhālayatva-rūpa-prapañca-doṣoktyā nikhila-nirdoṣa-kīrtanena ca nikhila-niyāmakatva-viśuddha-cid-vigrahatvādi-paramātma-guṇa-gaṇa-nirūpaṇena ca brahma-tṛṣṇaiva tad-itara-vitṛṣṇā-pūrvikā tat-prāpti-hetur iti pādābhyāṁ darśitaṁ bhavati |
    (Excerpt from Govinda-bhāṣya: 3.1.1, 3.2.42)

    “Now, in this third chapter, the means (sādhanas) of attaining him [i.e., he who is the sole Cause of the world, the faultless Ocean of qualities constituted of eternal being, consciousness, and bliss, Śrī Puruṣottama (Viśvaika-hetuṁ Nirdoṣa-guṇa-ratnākaraṁ Sac-cid-ānandātmakaṁ Puruṣottamaṁ)] are determined. Among them, the primary are, specifically, non-desirousness of all that is other than the object be attained (prāpya) and desire for the objected to be attained (prāpya). The first two sections [of this third chapter] are undertaken for the purpose of establishing them [i.e., these two primary sādhanas]. In this regard, in the first section, the faults in the forms of the movements as a result of the movement through [various] planes (lokas) of a jīva subject to various conditions after taking shelter in knowledge of the five fires are shown for the purpose of detachment from those planes, whereas in the the second [section], the qualities [of the object to be attained], beginning with his greatness, which are the causes of deep attachment (anurāga) to the object of attainment, will be discussed.” …
    “Thus, in this way, it is shown by [these] two sections that desire for Brahman [i.e., Paramātmā, viz., Śrī Puruṣottama] preceded by the absence of desire for anything other than him as a result of (1) discussion of the faults of phenomenal existence in the form of [its] being an abode of the sufferings of birth, death, and so forth, (2) praise of [his being] completely faultless, and (3) ascertainment of the qualities of Paramātmā [i.e., Brahman, viz., Śrī Puruṣotama] beginning with [his] being the regulator of all and being possessed of a completely pure, conscious figure, is the cause of attainment of him.”

    Read on →: athāsmin tṛtīye’dhyāye tat-prāpakāṇi sādhanāni nirūpyante

  • na vinā sādhanair devo jñāna-vairāgya-bhaktibhiḥ |
    dadāti sva-padaṁ śrīmān atas tāni budhaḥ śrayet ||
    (Govinda-bhāṣya on Vedānta-sūtra: 3.1.1)

    “Without the means (sādhanas) of knowledge (jñāna), non-attachment (vairāgya), and devotion (bhakti), blessed Deva does not grant his own abode [alt., his feet, to anyone]. Therefore, the wise shall take shelter in those [i.e., in the sādhanas of jñāna, vairāgya, and bhakti].”

    Read on →: na vinā sādhanair devo jñāna-vairāgya-bhaktibhiḥ

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