āpannārti-praśamana-phalāḥ sampado hy uttamānām
āpannārti-praśamana-phalāḥ sampado hy uttamānām |
(Megha-dūta: 1.53)
“The effect of the wealth of the noble is alleviation of the afflicted’s distress.”
anyāyopārjitaṁ dravyam artha-dūṣaṇam ucyate
anyāyopārjitaṁ dravyam artha-dūṣaṇam ucyate |
apātra-dānaṁ pātrārtha-haraṇaṁ tasya lakṣaṇam ||
(Mahābsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 1806)
“An object acquired unjustly is called polluted wealth. Its characteristics are giving [wealth] to an underserving person and taking away the wealth of a deserving person.”
tvayaiva dattaṁ padam aindram ūrjitaṁ
tvayaiva dattaṁ padam aindram ūrjitaṁ
hṛtaṁ tad evādya tathaiva śobhanam |
manye mahān asya kṛto hy anugraho
vibhraṁśito yac chriya ātma-mohanāt ||
yayā hi vidvān api muhyate yatas
tat ko vicaṣṭe gatim ātmano yathā |
tasmai namas te jagad-īśvarāya vai
nārāyaṇāyākhila-loka-sākṣiṇe ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 8.22.16–17)
“[Prahlāda Mahārāja to Vāmanadeva:] That this splendorous abode of Indra was [previously] given entirely [to Bali] and today taken entirely [back from Bali] by you is indeed proper, as I consider great favor has been shown to him [by you] in [his] being deprived of wealth, which is bewildering regarding the ātmā (self). Who perceives [i.e., can perceive] the actual nature of the ātmā in the presence of [wealth,] that by which even a learned and regulated person is bewildered? Obeisance unto him, the Lord of the universe, Nārāyāṇa, the observer of all beings [i.e., unto he who has greatly favored Bali by graciously depriving him of the wealth in his possession].”
svargāpavargayor dvāraṁ prāpya lokam imaṁ pumān
svargāpavargayor dvāraṁ prāpya lokam imaṁ pumān |
draviṇe ko’nuṣajjeta martyo’narthasya dhāmani ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.23.23)
“What mortal man, having attained this [human] body, which is the door to Svarga and liberation, would become attached to property, which is the dwelling place of detriment (anartha)?”
steyaṁ hiṁsānṛtaṁ dambhaḥ kāmaḥ krodhaḥ smayo madaḥ
steyaṁ hiṁsānṛtaṁ dambhaḥ kāmaḥ krodhaḥ smayo madaḥ |
bhedo vairam aviśvāsaḥ saṁspardhā vyasanāni ca ||
ete pañcadaśānarthā hy artha-mūlā matā nṛṇām |
tasmād anartham arthākhyaṁ śreyo’rthī dūratas tyajet ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.23.18–19)
“Theft, violence, falsity, deceit, lust, anger, perplexity, pride, quarrel [alt. treachery, disunion], enmity, mistrust, jealousy [alt., rivalry] and vices—these are considered the fifteen detriments (anarthas) of human beings rooted in wealth (artha) [i.e., wealth is a cause not only of forms of suffering but of sin as well]. Therefore, a seeker of well-being should give up the detriment (anartha) known as wealth (artha) from afar.”
arthasya sādhane siddhe utkarṣe rakṣaṇe vyaye
arthasya sādhane siddhe utkarṣe rakṣaṇe vyaye |
nāśopabhoga āyāsas trāsaś cintā bhramo nṛṇām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.23.17)
“In the earning, attainment, increasing, protecting, expending, loss, and enjoyment of wealth (artha), human beings undergo strain, fear, anxiety, and delusion [i.e., causes of suffering].”
yasyāsti vittaṁ sa naraḥ kulīnaḥ
yasyāsti vittaṁ sa naraḥ kulīnaḥ
sa paṇḍitaḥ sa śrutavān guṇajñaḥ |
sa eva vaktā sa ca darśanīyaḥ
sarve guṇāḥ kāñcanam āśrayanti ||
(Nīti-śatakam: 1.41)
“One who has wealth is noble person.
He is wise.
He is learned and expert.
He is eloquent, and he is handsome.
All qualities take shelter in gold [i.e., wealth].”
ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṁ paśyati yo’rjuna
ātmaupamyena sarvatra samaṁ paśyati yo’rjuna |
sukhaṁ vā yadi vā duḥkhaṁ sa yogī paramo mataḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 6.32)
“One who sees everything equally in likeness to oneself, be it happiness or suffering, is considered a great yogī [i.e., a great yogī is one who sees the happiness and suffering of oneself and others as the same thing, desires happiness for all and suffering for no one, and is thus compassionate to all].”
siṁhāsanasya madhye śrī-gaura-kṛṣṇaṁ smaret tataḥ
siṁhāsanasya madhye śrī-gaura-kṛṣṇaṁ smaret tataḥ |
dakṣiṇe baladevaṁ śrī-nityānanda-suvigraham ||
vāme gadādharaṁ devam ānanda-śakti-vigraham |
devasyāgre karṇikāyām advaitaṁ viśva-pāvanam ||
tad-dakṣiṇe bhakta-varyaṁ śrīvāsaṁ chatra-hastakam |
caturdikṣu mahānandamayaṁ bhakta-gaṇaṁ tathā ||
(Caitanyārcana-candrikā; cited in Sādhanāmṛta-candrikā: 2.8)
“Remember Śrī Gaurakṛṣṇa upon the siṁhāsana, and then on the right [of him] the fine figure of Śrī Nityānanda, who is Baladeva [himself], on the left [of Gaurakṛṣṇa] Gadādharadeva, the figure of the ānanda-śakti, in front of Deva [i.e., Gaurakṛṣṇa] in the whorl Advaita, the purifier of the universe, to his [i.e., Advaita’s] right the foremost of the bhaktas, Śrīvāsa, holding a parasol in hand, and in the four directions bhaktas full of great bliss.”
yatroparamate cittaṁ niruddhaṁ yoga-sevayā
yatroparamate cittaṁ niruddhaṁ yoga-sevayā |
yatra caivātmanātmānaṁ paśyann ātmani tuṣyati ||
sukham ātyantikaṁ yat tad buddhi-grāhyam atīndriyam |
vetti yatra na caivāyaṁ sthitaś calati tattvataḥ ||
yaṁ labdhvā cāparaṁ lābhaṁ manyate nādhikaṁ tataḥ |
yasmin sthito na duḥkhena guruṇāpi vicālyate ||
taṁ vidyād duḥkha-saṁyoga-viyogaṁ yoga-saṁjñitam |
sa niścayena yoktavyo yogo’nirviṇṇa-cetasā ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 6.20–23)
“Wherein the citta (mind) restrained by yoga practice desists [i.e., does not engage with any sense object]; wherein the ātmā [i.e., the mind] sees the ātmā [i.e., the Paramātmā] within the ātmā [i.e., the antaḥkaraṇa] and feels satisfaction; wherein he [i.e., the yogī] experiences absolute happiness which is beyond the senses [i.e., free from any contact with the senses and sense objects] and graspable [only] by the buddhi, and being so situated [wherein] he does not stray from the reality [i.e., from the ātmā’s nature]; upon gaining which he thinks there is no greater gain; and being situated in which he is never shaken even by the heaviest suffering—know that to be called yoga [i.e., the attainment of samādhi] and devoid of any connection with suffering. This yoga is to be practiced with determination and a non-despondent mind.”