sa vai nivṛtti-dharmeṇa vāsudevānukampayā |
bhagavad-bhakti-yogena tirodhatte śanair iha ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.7.12)
“By the favor of Vāsudeva—[that is, by] the practice of bhakti to Bhagavān accompanied by observance of desistance (nivṛtti-dharma)—that [i.e., the nature of the non-self, meaning, identification with the adjuncts of māyā, delusion, etc.] indeed gradually disappears here [i.e., in this world].”
āge haya mukta, tabe sarva-bandha-nāśa |
tabe sei haite pāre śrī-kṛṣṇera dāsa ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata: 2.17.106)
“First, one becomes liberated. Then the destruction of all bondage occurs. Then one can become a servant of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.”
yadyapi śaraṇāpattyaiva sarvaṁ sidhyati, ‘śaraṇaṁ taṁ prapannā ye dhyāna-yoga-vivarjitāḥ | te vai mṛtyum atikramya yānti tad vaiṣṇavaṁ padam ||’ iti gāruḍāt, tathāpi vaiśiṣṭya-lipsuḥ śaktaś cet tato bhagavac-chāstropadeṣṭṝṇāṁ bhagavan-mantropadeṣṭṝṇāṁ vā śrī-guru-caraṇānāṁ nityam eva viśeṣataḥ sevāṁ kuryāt | tat-prasādo hi sva-sva-nānā-pratīkāra-dustyajānartha-hānau parama-bhagavat-prasāda-siddhau ca mūlam |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 237)
“Although everything is accomplished just by śaraṇāgati, as per [this statement in] Garuḍa Purāṇa, ‘Those who have forsaken meditation and yoga and taken shelter in him [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān] certainly overcome death and reach that abode of Viṣṇu,’ still if one is desirous of specificity [i.e., a specific form of prema and relationship with a specific form of Śrī Bhagavān] and able [to pursue such], then one should perform service fixedly and specifically of the feet of a blessed guru who is a teacher of śāstras related to Bhagavān or a teacher of a mantra related to Bhagavān, since his grace is the root cause of the removal of defilements (anarthas) that are difficult to give up by various counter-measures of one’s own and of the attainment of the supreme grace of Bhagavān.”
gokarṇa uvāca
atraiva bahavaḥ santi śrotāro mama nirmalāḥ |
ānītāni vimanāni na teṣāṁ yugapat kutaḥ ||
śravaṇaṁ sama-bhāgena sarveṣāṁ iha dṛśyate |
phala-bhedaḥ kuto jātaḥ prabruvantu hari-priyāḥ ||
hari-dāsā ūcuḥ
śravaṇasya vibhedena phala-bhedo’pi saṁsthitaḥ |
śravaṇaṁ tu kṛtaṁ sarvair na tathā mananaṁ kṛtam ||
phala-bhedas tato jāto bhajanād api mānada |
sapta-rātram upoṣyaiva pretena śravaṇaṁ kṛtam ||
mananādi tathā tena sthira-citte kṛtaṁ bhṛśam |
adṛḍhaṁ ca hataṁ jñānaṁ pramādena hataṁ śrutam ||
sandigdho hi hato mantro vyagra-citto hato japaḥ |
avaiṣṇavo hato deśo hataṁ śrāddham apātrakam ||
hatam aśrotriye dānam anācāraṁ hataṁ kulam |
viśvāso guru-vākyeṣu svasmin dīnatva-bhāvanā ||
mano-doṣa-jayaś caiva kathāyāṁ niścalā matiḥ |
evam ādi kṛtaṁ cet syāt tadā vai śravaṇe phalam ||
punaḥ-śravānte sarveṣāṁ vaikuṇṭhe vasatir dhruvam |
(Padma Purāṇa: Bhāgavata-māhātmya, 5.69–77)
“[After completing his week-long recitation of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam,] Gokarṇa says [to the servants of Hari who have arrived to lead him in a chariot to Vaikuṇṭha]: ‘Here [i.e., at this weeklong recitation of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam] everyone’s hearing [of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam] in equal measure is observable [i.e., everyone who was present this week heard the same content for the same amount of time]. [So,] May those who are dear to Hari explain why a difference in result arises [among such listeners, such that one has been taken to Vaikuṇṭha but the rest have not].’
“The servants of Hari say: ‘Even the present difference in result is because of a disparity in [manner of] listening. Hearing has certainly been done by all but contemplation (manana) has not been done likewise. O respectful one [i.e., O Gokarṇa], the difference in result arises because of that [i.e., because of the difference in the degree of contemplation, or lack thereof], and because of [a difference in the quality and intensity of] worship [than ensues from the relative depth of one’s hearing and contemplation, or lack thereof] as well. Listening was done by the preta [i.e., by Dhundhukārī, who was in the body of a preta] while entirely fasting for seven nights. Contemplation and so forth [i.e., and deep meditation (nididhyāsa), as described in BAU 2.4.5], likewise, was done by him in depth with a steady mind [whereas such was not done by the other listeners]. Infirm knowledge becomes useless [i.e., knowledge that is not clearly and firmly understood proves useless], and that which is heard becomes useless because of negligence (pramāda) [i.e., inattention, because one does not remember it]. A doubtful mantra [i.e., a dīkṣā-mantra or an advice received from a doubtful guru or sampradāya, or one not received from any guru or sampradāya] becomes useless, japa [performed] with a distracted mind becomes useless, a region devoid of Vaiṣṇavas becomes useless, and a śrāddha devoid of a worthy recipient [of honor] becomes useless. Charity to someone not versed in the śāstra becomes useless, and a noble family devoid of proper conduct becomes useless. Conviction in the words of the guru, an attitude of humility [i.e., an absence of crookedness, arrogance, and so forth] within oneself, victory over faults of the mind [i.e., lust, anger, and so forth], an unwavering mind [fixed] on the discourse [i.e., on the content being heard], and so forth—if done in this way, then certainly the result of listening comes about. After listening again [in this way], everyone‘s [attaining] residence in Vaikuṇṭha is certain.’”
hantāsmin janmani bhavān mā māṁ draṣṭum ihārhati |
avipakva-kaṣāyāṇāṁ durdarśo’haṁ kuyoginām ||
sakṛd yad darśitaṁ rūpam etat kāmāya te’nagha |
mat-kāmaḥ śanakaiḥ sādhu sarvān muñcati hṛc-chayān ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.6.22–23)
“[Bhagavān as a disembodied voice to Śrī Nārada in his previous life after once giving him darśana:] Hanta! You will not be able to see me [again] in this life. I am imperceptible to immature yogīs, whose impurities are not burnt away. O sinless one! This form which was once shown [to you by me] was for the sake of your desire [i.e., to intensify your desire for me]. A sādhu with desire for me gradually gives up all that lie in the heart.”
tathāpi saṅgaḥ parivarjanīyo
guṇeṣu māyā-raciteṣu tāvat |
mad-bhakti-yogena dṛḍhena yāvad
rajo nirasyeta manaḥ-kaṣāyaḥ ||
yathāmayo’sādhu cikitsito nṛṇāṁ
punaḥ punaḥ santudati prarohan |
evaṁ mano’pakva-kaṣāya-karma
kuyoginaṁ vidhyati sarva-saṅgam ||
kuyogino ye vihitāntarāyair
manuṣya-bhūtais tridaśopasṛṣṭaiḥ |
te prāktanābhyāsa-balena bhūyo
yuñjanti yogaṁ na tu karma-tantram ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.28.27–28)
“[Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] Nevertheless [i.e., even though brahman is not influenced by the guṇas or the ahaṅkāra], association with the guṇas [i.e., objects of the senses] fabricated by māyā is to be avoided so long as the impurity in the mind—passion (rajas)—is not removed by means of steadfast bhakti-yoga to me. As an improperly treated disease of people again and again crops up and causes trouble, so a mind with unburnt [i.e., undestroyed] impurities and actions that retains attachment to everything thwarts an immature yogī. One who remains an immature yogī [thwarted] because of ordained obstacles existent in the form of human beings sent by the devas, again [i.e., in another birth] by the strength of previous practice engages in yoga, and not rather, in a multitude of karma.”
satāṁ kṛpā mahat-sevā śraddhā guru-padāśrayaḥ |
bhajaneṣu spṛhā bhaktir anarthāpagamas tataḥ ||
niṣṭhā rucir athāsaktī ratiḥ premātha darśanam |
harer mādhuryānubhava ity arthāḥ syuś caturdaśe ||
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.2.21)
“There are fourteen steps [mentioned in SB 1.2.16–21 to describe how a jīva in saṁsāra reaches the highest attainment]: (1) the grace of sādhus, (2) service to a great person, (3) śraddhā, (4) taking shelter at the feet of a guru, (5) desire for [engagement in] practices of bhakti (bhajana), (6) bhakti [i.e., engagement in sādhana-bhakti], (7) disappearance of anarthas, (8) niṣṭhā [i.e., fixity in the practice of bhakti], (9) ruci (taste), (10) āsakti (affinity), (11) rati [i.e., bhāva-bhakti], (12) prema (divine love), (13) darśana [i.e., direct perception of Bhagavān], and then (14) experience of his mādhurya (mellifluousness).”
tāvad bhayaṁ draviṇa-deha-suhṛn-nimittaṁ
śokaḥ spṛhā paribhavo vipulaś ca lobhaḥ |
tāvan mamety asad-avagraha ārti-mūlaṁ
yāvan na te’ṅghrim abhayaṁ pravṛṇīta lokaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.9.6)
“So fear, grief, longing, humiliation, and immense greed on account of wealth, the body, and companions, and so the false [alt., wicked] temperament of ‘mine’—the root of distress—remain as long as a person does not embrace your fearless feet.”
anarthopaśamaṁ sākṣād bhakti-yogam adhokṣaje |
lokasyājānato vidvāṁś cakre sātvata-saṁhitām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.7.6)
“Bhakti-yoga [i.e., sādhana-bhakti] to Adhokṣaja [i.e., Bhagavān, the Transcendent] is itself the cessation of misfortune (anartha). The learned one [i.e., Vyāsadeva] then composed this Sātvata-saṁhitā [i.e., Śrīmad Bhāgavatam] for the unknowing people.”
matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā
mitho’bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām |
adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ
punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām ||
na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ
durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ |
andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās
te’pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ ||
naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ
spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ |
mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekaṁ
niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.5.30–32)
“[Śrī Prahlāda to Hiraṇyakaśipu:] Inclination towards Kṛṣṇa cannot arise on account of another, on its own, or on account of both [i.e., on its own and on account of another] for those intent upon household life, who have entered darkness because of uncontrolled senses and whose chewing is [only] of the chewed [therein] again and again. They, of debased mind, who honor only those whose aim is in the external, certainly do not understand Viṣṇu, he who is the object to be reached [only] for those whose aim is related to the Self. They also become bound by the strong strands of Īśa’s cord like the blind being led by the blind. Their inclination, the need of which is the cessation of the insubstantial, does not touch the feet of he of great stride [i.e., Bhagavān] so long as one shall not accept a bath in the foot-dust of the divested—the great ones.”
