parama-sāra-bhūtāyā api svarūpa-śakteḥ sāra-bhūtā hlādinī nāma yā vṛttiḥ, tasyā eva sāra-bhūto vṛtti-viśeṣo bhaktiḥ, sā ca raty-apara-paryāyā bhaktir bhagavati bhakte ca nikṣipta-nijobhaya-koṭiḥ sarvadā tiṣṭhati | ata evoktaṁ bhagavān bhakta-bhaktimān iti | tasmād bhaktasthayā tayā bhagavatas tṛptau, na svatas tṛptitā-hāniḥ | pratyuta śaktitvena svarūpato bhinnābhinnāyā api tasyāḥ, ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham iti nyāyena bhakta-citta-sphuritāyā bheda-vṛtter iva sphuraṇāt, bhagavato māṁ hlādayaty asya bhaktir iti, ānanda-camatkārātiśayaś ca bhavati |
(Excerpt from Paramātma Sandarbha: 93)
“The particular vṛtti existent as the essence of the vṛtti which is named hlādinī and existent as the essence of [Bhagavān’s] svarūpa-śakti, which itself is existent as the supreme essence [of all of existence] is [called] bhakti [i.e., the most essential vṛtti of the hlādinī-vṛtti of the svarūpa-śakti is called bhakti], and that bhakti, a synonym of which is rati, dwells forever in Bhagavān and the bhakta, itself cast into both domains [i.e., into these two entities of distinct nature, namely, Bhagavān and his bhakta]. Therefore, it is said [in SB 10.86.59], ‘Bhagavān is he who possesses bhakti for his bhaktas.’ Thus, when Bhagavān’s satisfaction occurs because of that [i.e., bhakti] situated in his bhakta [i.e., because of something located outside of himself], there is no loss of his being self-satisfied. On the contrary, because of its [i.e., bhakti’s] manifesting [only] like a distinct vṛtti as a result of its manifesting in the heart of bhakta as per the reasoning [based on Śrī Bhagavān’s statement in BG 4.11], ‘As they approach me, so exactly I reciprocate with them,’ on account of its being both different and non-different from his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] svarūpa (nature) by virtue of [its] being his śakti, it also becomes a tremendous bliss and wonder for Bhagavān, such that [he feels], ‘His [i.e., my bhakta’s] bhakti delights me.’”
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