yo vā etad akṣaraṁ gārgy aviditvāsmāl lokāt praiti sa kṛpaṇaḥ |
(Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad: 3.8.10; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 62)
“[Yājñavalkya:] O Gārgī, one who departs this world without knowing the Absolute is indeed wretched [alt., pitiable, lowly].”
śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ purāṇam amalaṁ yad vaiṣṇavānāṁ priyaṁ
yasmin pāramahaṁsyam ekam amalaṁ jñānaṁ paraṁ gīyate |
tatra jñāna-virāga-bhakti-sahitaṁ naiṣkarmyam āviskṛtaṁ
tac chṛṇvan su-paṭhan vicāraṇa-paro bhaktyā vimucyen naraḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 12.13.18; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.407)
“Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the flawless Purāṇa, is dear to the Vaiṣṇavas as within it is sung the unique, flawless, and supreme knowledge that is beneficial even to paramahaṁsas. Therein, the cessation of karma (naiṣkarmya) is brought forth along with knowledge, detachment, and bhakti. A human being who hears, properly recites, and engages in deliberation upon it with bhakti attains the highest liberation.”
atraiva paramotkarṣaḥ śṛṅgārasya pratiṣṭhitaḥ ||
(Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi: 1.19)
“The ultimate excellence of śṛṅgāra [-rasa] is established only here [i.e., only in a relation with a paramour and the unique līlā that can take place only with a paramour].”
brahma-hatyā surāpānaṁ steyaṁ gurv-aṅganāgamaḥ |
mahānti pātakāny āhuḥ saṁsargaś cāpi taiḥ saha ||
(Manu Smṛti: 11.54)
“Killing a brāhmaṇa, drinking wine, stealing, and intercourse with the guru’s wife are called extreme sins (mahāpātakas), as is association with them [i.e., with persons who commit them].”
paṭhakāḥ pāṭhakāś caiva ye cānye śāstra-cintakāḥ |
sarve vyasanino mūrkhā yaḥ kriyāvān sa paṇḍitaḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 3.313.110)
“All the students, teachers, and others who consider śāstra but are addicted to vices are fools. One who engages in practice [of all that is taught in śāstra] is wise.”
paropadeśa-velāyāṁ śiṣṭāḥ sarve bhavanti vai |
vismarantīha śiṣṭatvaṁ svakārye samupasthite ||
(Mahābhārata)
“At the time of giving advice to others, everyone is certainly wise [alt., cultured, proper, etc., or so they think]. When their own duty [alt., tasks, responsibility, difficulty, etc.] arises [however] they then forget all their wisdom [alt., culturedness, propriety, etc.].”
śreyāṁsi bahu-vighnāni bhavanti mahatām api |
aśreyasi pravṛttānāṁ dūraṁ yānti vināyakāḥ ||
(Unknown source)
“There are many obstacles to good works, even for the great. Impediments go away, however, from those engaged in harmful work.”
śreyāṁsi bahu-vighnāni sambhavanti pade pade |
(Garuḍa Purāṇa)
“Many obstacles to beneficial endeavors can arise at every step.”
riktaḥ sarvo bhavati hi laghuḥ pūrṇatā gauravāya |
(Megha-dūta: 1.20)
“All that is empty [i.e., devoid of substance] becomes light [i.e., trifling, neglected, etc.]. Fullness [i.e., quality and abundance] leads to weightiness [i.e., importance, respect, desirability, etc.].”
yasya naisargikī śobhā tan na saṁskāram arhati |
kaḥ kalām śaśino mārṣṭi kaustubhaḥ kena rajyate ||
(Unknown source)
“That which possesses inherent beauty does not require embellishment [to make it appealing]. Who sweeps the digits of the moon? By whom is the Kaustubha reddened?”
