भगवान् ब्रह्म कार्त्स्न्येन त्रिरन्वीक्ष्य मनीषया ।
तदध्यवस्यत् कूटस्थो रतिरात्मन् यतो भवेत् ॥
bhagavān brahma kārtsnyena trir anvīkṣya manīṣayā |
tad adhyavasyat kūṭa-stho ratir ātman yato bhavet ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.2.34; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.567; Bhakti Sandarbha: 7, 29, 94)
“After thrice one-pointedly deliberating over the entirety of the Veda (Brahma), Bhagavān [i.e., Brahmā] determined with his discernment that because of which rati for the Ātmā [i.e., Śrī Hari] can come about.”
Alternate translation
[Based on Bhakti Sandarbha (29) and the Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭikā:] “After thrice one-pointedly deliberating over the entirety of the Veda (Brahma), Bhagavān [i.e., the Parameśvara himself] determined with his discernment that because of which rati [i.e., prema] for himself can come about.”
Commentary
evaṁ rati-hetutvena bhakti-yogasyaiva san-mārgatvaṁ darśitam |
(Excerpt from the Dig-darśinī-tīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.567)
“In this way bhakti-yoga’s being the path of the sat [alt., the best path] because of [its] being the cause of rati [for Śrī Hari] is shown.”