भवापवर्गो भ्रमतो यदा भवे-
ज्जनस्य तर्ह्यच्युत सत्समागमः ।
सत्सङ्गमो यर्हि तदैव सद्गतौ
परावरेशे त्वयि जायते मतिः ॥
bhavāpavargo bhramato yadā bhavej
janasya tarhy acyuta sat-samāgamaḥ |
sat-saṅgamo yarhi tadaiva sad-gatau
parāvareśe tvayi jāyate matiḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.51.53; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.256; Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.14; Bhakti Sandarbha: 179; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.46, 84)
“When the cessation of worldly existence shall come about for a a wandering person, then, O Acyuta, association with the sat shall come about, and when association with the sat shall come about, only then does inclination manifest towards you, [who are] the Shelter of the sat [alt., whose shelter is the sat] and the Master of the higher and the lower.’”
Commentary
tad evaṁ parama-durlabha-svarūpaṁ parama-durlabha-phalaṁ cākiñcanākhya-sākṣād-bhakti-rūpaṁ sāmmukhyaṁ kathaṁ syād iti vaktuṁ sāmmukhya-mātrasya nidānam upalakṣayati—bhavāpavargo bhramato … |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 179)
“How can intentness (sāmmukhya) [upon Bhagavān] in the form of direct bhakti [to Bhagavān], known as akiñcanā [i.e., pure bhakti, lit., ‘without anything’], which is supremely rare in nature and a supremely rare [to attain] goal, come about? To explain this, King Mucukunda indicates the primary cause of intentness (sāmmukhya) in general: bhavāpavargo bhramato … [i.e., he speaks SB 10.51.53].”
tarhi kadā bhadraṁ syāt tatrāha—bhaveti | yadā bhavet sarvajñaiḥ sambhāvito bhavati tarhi sat-saṅgamo’pi vivekibhiḥ sambhāvyata ity arthaḥ | yad vā, atiśayokti-nāmno’laṅkārasya caturtho bhedaḥ, yathoktaṁ tad-vivṛtau—‘caturthī sā kāraṇasya gadituṁ śīghra-kāritām, yā hi kāryasya pūrvoktiḥ’ iti | tasmād yarhi sat-saṅgamo bhavet tarhi bhavāpavargaḥ śīghram eva bhaved ity arthaḥ | yataḥ sat-saṅgama ity-ādi yatas tvayi matau ca jātāyāṁ bhavāpavargasyāvyabhicāraḥ syād ity āha—tadaiveti | eva-kārān nānyadā kadāpīty arthaḥ | acyuteti sambodhya tatra tvam apy acyuto bhavasīti bhāvaḥ | nanu mat-kṛpāṁ vinā sat-saṅgamo’pi na syād iti saivāstv ādi-kāraṇam | tatrāha—santa eva gatir āśrayo yasya tasmin, ‘svecchāmayasya’ iti, ‘ahaṁ bhakta-parādhīnaḥ’ iti sad-icchayaiva tatra sarvaṁ pravartate, na tu svataḥ, ataḥ sāpi tad-anugataiveti bhāvaḥ | satāṁ gatau ity asminn arthe’py asatāṁ gatir na bhavasīti bhāvaḥ | pūrva-pūrveṇa sattāparasya sattve niṣpādita eva sā pravartate, na tu pūrvaṁ ‘svayaṁ samuttīrya’ ity ādeḥ | tataḥ prathamataḥ sat-saṅgamenaiva tvan-matiḥ syād iti bhāvaḥ | tatra hetuḥ parāvareśe pareṣām avareṣāṁ ca jñānādy-anadhīne, ato mamāpi śrī-garga-saṅgamād eva tvan-matir jātā | ‘prārthitaḥ pracuraṁ pūrvaṁ tvayāham’ iti bhavad-ukta-rītyā yayāsau bhavāparvarga-dātā tvaṁ labdha iti bhāvaḥ | matir iti ratir iti ca pāṭhaḥ | samartha eva sat-saṅgamena raty-aṅkura-rūpaiva matir jāyata iti |
(Laghu Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā)
“[A question arises:] ‘Then when will auspiciousness come about?’ To that, he [i.e., Mucukunda] says bhava … [i.e., he speaks this verse]. When [the cessation of worldly existence] shall come about [for a wandering person], that is, when [the cessation of worldly existence] is thought well of by the all-knowing, then association with the sat also becomes possible for the discerning (vivekibhiḥ). This is the meaning. Alternately, the fourth type of the ornament (alaṅkāra) [of speech] known as hyperbole (atiśayokti) is described as follows in a gloss thereof, ‘That which is a prior statement of an effect [i.e., a statement of an effect preceding mention of its cause] to express the swift effectiveness of the cause [in producing that effect] is the fourth [type of hyperbole (atiśayokti)].’ Accordingly, the meaning is that when association with the sat shall come about, then the cessation of worldly existence shall verily come about swiftly. Since ‘association with the sat …’ [i.e., the reason association with the sat swiftly leads to the cessation of worldly existence is stated in the second half of the verse]: since when ‘inclination’ (matiḥ) towards you also becomes manifest, the cessation of worldly existence shall [also] come about [i.e., it is inclination towards Śrī Bhagavān that is the primary cause of the cessation of worldly existence, and since this swiftly arises as a result of sādhu-saṅga, and only as a result of sādhu-saṅga, it is said that sādhu-saṅga is a swiftly effective cause of the cessation of worldly existence]. Thus [also], he says, ‘Only, then’ (tadā eva) [i.e., sādhu-saṅga is the only cause of inclination towards Śrī Bhagavān becoming manifest]. On account of the word ‘only’ (eva), the meaning is ‘never at any other time’ [i.e., inclination towards Bhagavān does not become manifest at any time by any other means than the association of the sat]. The purport of calling [out to Bhagavān], ‘O Acyuta,’ is, ‘You too are unfailing (acyuta) in that regard [i.e., you never act in a manner that leads to circumstances that contradict the aforementioned conclusions].
“[Śrī Bhagavān raises an objection:] ‘Well, without my grace, even association with the sat shall not come about. So, let that [i.e., my grace] alone be [considered] the original cause [of the cessation of worldly existence for a wandering jīva, rather than sādhu-saṅga].’ To this, he says, ‘[You are Sat-gati, meaning,] He whose ‘shelter’ (gati) is the sat alone’ [i.e., he states that the sat are the shelter of even Bhagavān himself, and thus not Bhagavān or his grace but rather the sat should be considered the original cause of the cessation of a worldly existence for a jīva wandering therein since Bhagavān graces a jīva with the association of the sat because he himself is in the shelter of the sat, meaning, he himself feels ever obliged to fulfill their wishes, among which are their wishes to give association to and inspire inclination towards Śrī Bhagavān in jīvas wandering in saṁsāra]. As per [the statement of Brahmā to Śrī Kṛṣṇa in SB 10.14.2], ‘[Your body] Made up of [i.e., captivated by] the wishes of those who are your own …,’ and [the statement of Śrī Bhagavān himself in SB 9.4.63], ‘I am completely controlled by my bhaktas,’ everything in regard to him proceeds only by the wish of the sat, and not of its own accord. Therefore, even that [i.e., your grace] is only following the grace of the sat [i.e., therefore when you do bestow your grace upon someone, that is only done so following the grace the sat have already bestowed upon that recipient]. This is the purport.
“[Another objection could be raised that the compound Sat-gati [presented in seventh case in the verse as Sat-gatau] means rather the opposite, that is, that Bhagavān is ‘he who is the Shelter (gati) of the sat’; in response to this anticipated objection, he says:] ‘The Shelter of the sat’—even in the case of this meaning [of the compound Sat-gatau], you are not the shelter of the asat [i.e., even if Sat-gati is understood to mean that Bhagavān is the Shelter of the sat, the implication of that understanding is that Bhagavān is not the shelter and blesser of the asat, and thus not the original cause of the cessation of worldly existence for such persons]. This is the purport. Thus, it [i.e., your grace] proceeds only when caused in the presence of another existent [i.e., sādhu] by the preceding and [earlier] preceding [sādhus], not, rather, prior [to that], as per [the statement in SB 10.2.31], ‘After having fully crossed over … [the fearsome and difficult to traverse ocean of material existence and reached [the shore] themselves, they of abundant affection [alt., friendliness, i.e., the sat] have left the boat of your lotus feet here [for others of the future to take shelter in and so also reach the shore], since you are he whose grace is the sat [alt., he whose grace comes to those in the ocean of material existence only through the sat].’ Thus, firstly, inclination towards you shall come about only as a result of association with the sat. This is the purport. The cause in this regard [is indicated by the compound]: ‘the Master of the higher and the lower’ (Parāvareśe), that is, [you are] he who is independent of the knowledge (jñāna) and so forth of the higher and the lower [i.e., he who is not influenced by the mental state of any conditioned being, be it one in a higher or lower set of conditions within saṁsāra]. Therefore, only as a result of the association of [the sādhu] Śrī Garga did even my inclination towards you manifest by which, as per the manner stated by you [in SB 10.51.42], ‘I was previously prayed for profusely by you,’ I attained you, he who is the granter of the cessation of worldly existence. This is the purport. ‘Attachment’ (ratiḥ) is also a variant of ‘inclination’ (matiḥ). [Thus, it can be understood that] ‘Inclination’ (matiḥ) the nature of which is the sprout of ‘attachment’ (ratiḥ) specifically manifests as a result of association with the sat only when [they are] capable [i.e., only when the sat whose association one attains are capable of manifesting it].”
tarhi sarva-duḥkhopaśamanī parama-sukha-mayī bhaktir eva kadā bhaved ity ata āha bhaveti | he acyuta brahmato jīvasya yadā bhavāpavargo bhava-bandhasya nāśaḥ syāt, tadā sat-saṅgamaḥ anugrāhaka-sādhu-saṅgo bhavet | yarhi sat-saṅgamas tadaivety eva-kārān nānyadā kadāpīty arthaḥ | atra yarhi tarhi iti sthūla-kālam avalambyaivoktiḥ, sūkṣma-kālam avalambya tu sat-samāgama-bhavāpavargayoḥ kāraṇa-kāryayoḥ paurvāparyam avaśyam eva vaktum ucitam, tad api tad-viparyayeṇoktiḥ, kāryasyātiśaighryābodhiny atiśayoktiś caturthī jñeyā | atra sad-gatāv ity asya vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇyāṁ vyākhyā, yathā—nanu mat-kṛpāṁ vinā sat-saṅgamo’pi na syāt ity ato mat-kṛpaivādi-kāraṇam astu tatrāha—santa eva gatir āśrayo yasya tasmin, ‘svecchāmayasya’ iti, ‘ahaṁ bhakta-parādhīnaḥ’ ity ādeḥ sad-icchayaiva tava sarvaṁ pravartate, na svata iti budhyate | atas tvat-kṛpāpi sad-anugataiveti bhāvaḥ | satāṁ gatāv ity asminn arthe’py asatāṁ gatir na bhavasīti pūrva-pūrveṇa satāṁ parasparasya sattve niṣpādita eva tvat-kṛpā pravartate, na tu pūrvaṁ ‘svayaṁ samuttīrya’ ity āder ity eṣā |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“[A question is raised:] Then when shall bhakti, which ceases all suffering and is constituted of the highest bliss, come about?’ Thus, he [i.e.. Mucukunda] says bhava … [i.e., he speaks this verse]. O Acyuta, when the cessation of worldly existence (bhavāpavargaḥ), that is, the dissolution of the bondage of worldly existence, shall come about for a wandering jīva, then ‘association with the sat’ (sat-saṅgamaḥ), that is, association with a gracious sādhu, shall come about. Regarding [the statement], ‘When association with the sat (sat-saṅgamaḥ) shall come about, only then …,’ the meaning on account of the word ‘only’ (eva) is never at any other time [i.e., it is only at the time of receiving the association of a gracious sādhu that inclination towards Bhagavān becomes manifest]. Here [in this verse], the ‘when’ (yarhi) and ‘then’ (tarhi) [referring to the cessation of worldly existence and the occurrence of sādhu-saṅga] are an expression with reference to a vague period of time, but the priority and posteriority of the cause and effect of association with the sat and the cessation of worldly existence [i.e., the priority of the cause, viz., association with the sat, and the posteriority of the effect, viz., the cessation of worldly existence] are most certainly fit to be described with reference to a precise period of time [i.e., it is most certainly correct to describe the antecedent cause of association with the sat and the consequent effect of cessation of worldly existence as occurring over the course of a short period of time in that order since association with the sat swiftly leads to the cessation of worldly existence]. Despite that, there is an expression of the opposite of this [i.e., there is an expression wherein the cause is described as the effect and the effect is described as the cause]. This is to be understood as the fourth type of hyperbole (atiśayokti) conveying the swiftness of the [manifestation of the] effect.
“Regarding [the compound] Sad-gatau here [i.e., in this verse], there is an explanation of it [i.e., of this compound] in the Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī as follows: ‘[Śrī Bhagavān raises an objection:] “Well, without my grace, even association with the sat shall not come about. So, let my grace alone be the original cause [of the cessation of worldly existence for a wandering jīva, rather than sādhu-saṅga].” To this, he says, “[You are Sat-gati, meaning,] He whose ‘shelter’ (gati) is the sat alone” [i.e., he states that the sat are the shelter of even Bhagavān himself, and thus not Bhagavān or his grace but rather the sat should be considered the original cause of the cessation of a worldly existence for a jīva wandering therein since Bhagavān graces a jīva with the association of the sat because he himself is in the shelter of the sat, meaning, he himself feels ever obliged to fulfill their wishes, among which are their wishes to give association to and inspire inclination towards Śrī Bhagavān in jīvas wandering in saṁsāra]. It is understood as per [the statement of Brahmā to Śrī Kṛṣṇa in SB 10.14.2], “[Your body] Made up of [i.e., captivated by] the wishes of those who are your own,” and [the statement of Śrī Bhagavān in SB 9.4.63], “I am completely controlled by my bhaktas,” that everything of yours proceeds only by the wish of the sat, and not of its own accord. Therefore, even your grace is only following the grace of the sat [i.e., therefore when you do bestow your grace upon someone, that is only done so following the grace the sat have already bestowed upon that recipient]. This is the purport.
“‘[Another objection could be raised that the compound Sat-gati [presented in seventh case in the verse as Sat-gatau] means rather the opposite, that is, that Bhagavān is ‘he who is the Shelter (gati) of the sat’; in response to this anticipated objection, he says:] “The Shelter of the sat”—even in the case of this meaning [of the compound Sat-gatau], you are not the shelter of the asat [i.e., even if Sat-gati is understood to mean that Bhagavān is the shelter of the sat, the implication of that understanding is that Bhagavān is not the shelter and blesser of the asat, and thus not the original cause of the cessation of worldly existence for such persons]. Thus, your grace proceeds only when caused in the presence of the paramparā of the sat by the preceding and [earlier] preceding [sādhus], and not, rather, prior [to being caused by the sat], as per [the statement in SB 10.2.31], “After having fully crossed over … [the fearsome and difficult to traverse ocean of material existence and reached [the shore] themselves, they of abundant affection [alt., friendliness, i.e., the sat] have left the boat of your lotus feet here [for others of the future to take shelter in and so also reach the shore], since you are he whose grace is the sat [alt., he whose grace comes to those in the ocean of material existence only through the sat].”’”