āstikyam asti vedaika-gamyaṁ vastv iti niścayaḥ
āstikyam asti vedaika-gamyaṁ vastv iti niścayaḥ |
(Ahirbudhnya-saṁhitā: 31.28)
“Āstikya is conviction that there is a reality knowable only through the Vedas.”
pītvā mukunda-mukha-sāragham akṣi-bhṛṅgais
pītvā mukunda-mukha-sāragham akṣi-bhṛṅgais
tāpaṁ jahur viraha-jaṁ vraja-yoṣito’hni |
tat satkṛtiṁ samadhigamya viveśa goṣṭhaṁ
savrīḍa-hāsa-vinayaṁ yad apāṅga-mokṣam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.15.43; cited in Prīti Sandarbha: 315)
“Drinking the honey from the face of Mukunda with the bees of their eyes, the women of Vraja gave up the sorrow produced by separation during the day. Accepting their excellent reception in the form of casting sidelong glances with bashful smiles and modesty, he entered his abode.”
taṁ gorajaś-churita-kuntala-baddha-barha
taṁ gorajaś-churita-kuntala-baddha-barha-
vanya-prasūna-rucirekṣaṇa-cāru-hāsam |
veṇum kvaṇantam anugair upagīta-kīrtiṁ
gopyo didṛkṣita-dṛśo’bhyagaman sametāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.15.42)
“The assembled gopīs came forward, their eyes desiring to see him playing the flute with charming glances and a lovely smile as his glories are sung by his companions and his hair bound with a peacock feather and forest flowers is covered with dust raised by the cows.”
śrī-rūpa-darśita-diśā likhitāṣṭa-kālyā
śrī-rūpa-darśita-diśā likhitāṣṭa-kālyā
śrī-rādhikeśa-kṛta-keli-tatir mayeyam |
sevāsya yogya-vapuṣāniśam atra cāsyā
rāgādhva-sādhaka-janair manasā vidheyā ||
(Govinda-līlāmṛta: 23.94)
“This profusion of play performed by Śrī Rādhikā’s Īśa throughout the eight times [of the day] has been written by me following the direction shown [to me] by Śrī Rūpa. Sevā to him [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa] and to her [i.e., Śrī Rādhikā] herein [i.e., within this līlā throughout the eight times of the day, or, here in Śrī Vṛndāvana] is to be performed continuously by sādhakas on the path of rāga with a befitting form within the mind.”
anavasthita-cittasya
anavasthita-cittasya na jane na vane sukham ।
jane dahati saṁsargo vane saṅga-vivarjanam ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha)
“A person of unsteady mind is happy neither among people nor in the forest [i.e., alone]. Among people, companionship torments [them], and in the forest, [their] abandonment of companionship torments [them].”
santaptāyasi saṁsthitasya payaso nāmāpi na jñāyate
santaptāyasi saṁsthitasya payaso nāmāpi na jñāyate
muktākāratayā tad eva nalinī-patra-sthitaṁ rājate |
svātyāṁ sāgara-śuktim adhyapatitaṁ san-mauktikaṁ jāyate
prāyeṇottama-madhyamādhama-daśā saṁsargato jāyate ||
(Nīti-śatakam of Bhartṛhari: 67)
“Water placed on a red-hot iron cannot even be recognized [i.e., it evaporates immediately without a trace and becomes invisible]. When situated on a lotus leaf, [however,] it shines with the appearance of a pearl. And when it falls onto an oyster shell during Svāti [i.e., the lunar mansion during which oysters open their shells], it becomes an actual pearl. Generally [speaking], excellent, moderate, and low conditions [of people] arise from association.”
na pārameṣṭhyaṁ na mahendra-dhiṣṇyaṁ
na pārameṣṭhyaṁ na mahendra-dhiṣṇyaṁ
na sārvabhaumaṁ na rasādhipatyam |
na yoga-siddhīr apunar-bhavaṁ vā
mayy arpitātmecchati mad vinānyat ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.14.14; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.580; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.42; Bhakti Sandarbha: 132, 168; Prīti Sandarbha: 23)
[Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Uddhava:] “One who has offered oneself to me desires neither the post of Brahmā, nor the abode of Indra, nor dominion over the entire earth, nor reign over Pātāla, nor the siddhis of yoga, nor non-repetition of birth [i.e., mokṣa], nor anything else apart from me.”
na nāka-pṛṣṭhaṁ na ca pārameṣṭhyaṁ
na nāka-pṛṣṭhaṁ na ca pārameṣṭhyaṁ
na sārvabhaumaṁ na rasādhipatyam |
na yoga-siddhīr apunar-bhavaṁ vā
samañjasa tvā virahayya kāṅkṣe ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.11.25; cited in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.32; Prīti Sandarbha: 24, 72)
[Vṛtrāsura to Bhagavān:] “Neither the vault of Heaven, nor the position of the highest standing, nor rule over the entirety of the earth, nor sovereignty over Rasā, nor the yoga-siddhis, nor non-repetition of birth, do I desire, O Proper One, leaving you.”
na nāka-pṛṣṭhaṁ na ca sārvabhaumaṁ
na nāka-pṛṣṭhaṁ na ca sārvabhaumaṁ
na pārameṣṭhyaṁ na rasādhipatyam |
na yoga-siddhīr apunar-bhavaṁ vā
vāñchanti yat-pāda-rajaḥ-prapannāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.16.37; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.669; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.39; Prīti Sandarbha: 24)
[The nāga-patnīs to Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] “Those who have taken shelter in the dust of your feet desire neither the domain of Dhruva, nor dominion over the entire earth, nor the post of Brahmā, nor reign over Pātāla, nor the siddhis of yoga, nor even non-repetition of birth [i.e., mokṣa].”
āpadāṁ kathitaḥ panthā
āpadāṁ kathitaḥ panthā indriyāṇām asaṁyamaḥ |
taj-jayaḥ sampadāṁ mārgo yeneṣṭaṁ tena gamyatām ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha)
“Lack of control over the senses is said to be the path to misfortune. Conquering the senses is [said to be] the path to good fortune. Go by that [path] which is so desired.”