Anubhava

atra kāmādīnām asambhave hetuḥ—sākṣād iti padam

atra kāmādīnām asambhave hetuḥ—sākṣād iti padam, tad-uttara-kālatvāt sāksātkārasya |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 198)

“[Commenting in regard to SB 11.2.55,] The cause of the impossibility of kāma and so forth [ever again arising in the heart] is [stated by] the word ‘directly’ (sākṣāt) [i.e., when Bhagavān is personally manifest in the heart, then no material desire, anger, or other such vice can arise there], on account of direct realization (sākṣātkāra) [i.e., direct perception of Bhagavān in the heart] being thereafter [i.e., direct perception of Bhagavān in the heart occurs only after all kāma and so forth have been purged from the heart, and once he is directly perceived there, no scope of them ever re-entering the heart remains].”

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sākṣātkāra-mātrasyāpi yadyapi puruṣa-prayojanatvaṁ

sākṣātkāra-mātrasyāpi yadyapi puruṣa-prayojanatvaṁ, tathāpi tasminn api sākṣātkāre yāvān yāvān śrī-bhagavataḥ priyatva-dharmānubhavaḥ, tāvāṁs tāvān utkarṣaḥ | nirupādhi-prīty-āspadatā-svabhāvasya priyatva-dharmānubhavaṁ vinā tu sākṣātkāro’py asākṣātkāra eva, mādhuryaṁ vinā duṣṭa-jihvayā khaṇḍasyeva | … tataḥ prema-tāratamyenaiva bhakta-mahattva-tāratamyaṁ mukhyam | … yatra tu premādhikyaṁ sākṣātkāraḥ, kaṣāyādi-rāhityādikam apy asti, sa paramo mukhyaḥ | tatraikaikāṅga-vaikalye nyūna-nyūna iti jñeyam |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 187)

“Despite only direct perception (sākṣātkāra) [of Bhagavān] being the aim (prayojana) of an embodied being, even in that respect there is [a gradation of] excellence in that direct perception in so far as there is experience of Śrī Bhagavān’s quality of being dear (priyatva). Without experience of the quality of being dear in [Bhagavān,] he who is by nature the [true, worthy] object of unconditional love (prīti) [for all living beings], however, even direct perception (sākṣātkāra) [of him] is verily non-perception (asākṣātkāra), and just like a sugar candy [tasted to be] without sweetness by a diseased tongue [i.e., as someone with jaundice does not experience the sweet taste of sugar candy even after eating the candy, so direct perception of Bhagavān without experience of his quality of being dear, that is, experience of him without prema or at least rati for him, is akin to having had no perception of him at all]. … Therefore, gradation in the greatness of bhaktas based specifically on a gradation in [their] prema is principal [i.e., is the primary means by which the relative stature of bhaktas is to be determined]. … One in whom, however, there is superiority in prema, direct perception [of Bhagavān], and the absence of impurities and so forth, is foremost. When there is deficiency in [these] aspects, one by one, there is [relative] inferiority and [further] inferiority [in the stature of a mahānta]. This is to be understood.”

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paramātma-vaibhava-gaṇane ca taṭastha-śakti-rūpāṇāṁ cid-eka-rasānām

paramātma-vaibhava-gaṇane ca taṭastha-śakti-rūpāṇāṁ cid-eka-rasānām api anādi-para-tattva-jñāna-saṁsargābhāvamaya-tad-vaimukhya-labdha-cchidrayā tan-māyayāvṛta-svarūpa-jñānānāṁ tayaiva sattva-rajas-tamo-maye jaḍe pradhāne racitātma-bhāvānāṁ jīvānāṁ saṁsāra-duḥkhaṁ ca jñāpitam | … tatas tad-arthaṁ parama-kāruṇikaṁ śāstram upadiśati | tatra ca ye kecit jīvā janmāntarāvṛtta-tad-arthānubhava-saṁskāravanto, ye ca tadaiva vā labdha-mahat-kṛpātiśaya-dṛṣṭi-prabhṛtayas, teṣāṁ tādṛśa-para-tattva-lakṣaṇa-vastūpadeśa-śravaṇārambha-mātreṇaiva tat-kālam eva yugapad eva tat-sāmmukhyaṁ tad-anubhavo’pi jāyate | … athānyeṣāṁ tac-chravaṇa-mātreṇa tādṛśatvaṁ bījāyamānam api kāmādi-vaiguṇyena bījam api doṣeṇa pratihataṁ tiṣṭhati | … tato mukhyena tātparyeṇa para-tattve paryavasite’pi teṣāṁ para-tattvādy-upadeśasya kim abhidheyaṁ prayojanaṁ cety apekṣāyāṁ tad-avāntara-tātparyeṇa tad-dvayam upadeṣṭavyam | tatrābhidheyaṁ tad-vaimukhya-virodhitvāt tat-sāmmukhyam eva | tac ca tad-upāsanā-lakṣaṇaṁ, yata eva taj-jñānam āvirbhavati | prayojanaṁ ca tad-anubhavaḥ | sa cāntar-bahiḥ-sākṣātkāra-lakṣaṇaḥ, yata eva svayaṁ kṛtsna-duḥkha-nivṛttir bhavati | … tad etad ubhayaṁ yadyapi pūrvatra siddhopadeśa evābhipretam asti, yathā “tava gṛhe nidhir asti” iti śrutvā kaścid daridras tad-arthaṁ prayatate labhate ca tam iti, tadvat, tathāpi tac-chaithilya-nirāsāya punas tad-upadeśaḥ | tad evaṁ tān praty anādi-siddha-taj-jñāna-saṁsargābhāvamaya-tad-vaimukhyādikaṁ duḥkha-hetuṁ vadan vyādhi-nidāna-vaiparītyamaya-cikitsā-nibhaṁ tat-sāmmukhyādikam upadiśati |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 1)

“Also further made known during the consideration of the potencies [i.e., the three śaktis] of Paramātmā [in the discussion thereof in Paramātma Sandarbha] was the suffering in saṁsāra of the jīvas, forms of [his] taṭastha-śakti, who, although solely consciousness (cit) in constitution, have their awareness of their true nature (svarūpa-jñāna) covered by the Para-tattva’s [i.e., the Supreme Entity’s] māyā on account of the acquired fault of obliviousness (vaimukhya) of that [Para-tattva] based on a beginningless absence of the existence of awareness of that [Para-tattva, i.e., a beginningless prior absence (prāg-abhāva) of awareness of the Para-tattva, which can be removed, that is, dispelled by becoming aware of the Para-tattva], and thereby are possessed of a fabricated sense of self (ātma-bhāva) within inert primordial matter (pradhāna) constituted of [the guṇas of] sattva, rajas, and tamas. … Therefore, the supremely compassionate śāstra teaches that object [i.e., the Para-tattva]. Furthermore in that regard, for some of those jīvas, that is, those possessed of a latent saṁskāra of experience of that object [i.e., the Para-tattva] from another birth, and those who alternately then [i.e., in that birth, alt., in this present birth] have received a glance and so forth of profuse grace from a great soul, just by their beginning to hear such teachings about the entity designated as the Para-tattva, intentness (sāmmukhyaṁ) upon that [i.e., the Para-tattva], and experience (anubhava) of that [i.e., the Para-tattva] as well, simultaneously arise at that very time [of hearing about the Para-tattva]. … Now, for others [i.e., those who have no saṁskāra of experience of the Para-tattva from a prior birth, and those who have not received the grace of a great soul capable of leading one to such experience], such [intentness upon and experience of the Para-tattva], even though capable of germinating like a seed [i.e., coming into being] just by hearing of that [i.e., by hearing the teaching of the śāstra about the Para-tattva], remains obstructed [from sprouting, i.e., manifesting] by the faults [in the minds of embodied jīvas] of the defects beginning with kāma. … Therefore, although by the primary intention (tātparya) [of śāstra] the Para-tattva is determined [i.e., although in the course of the first four sandarbhas the nature of the Para-tattva has been determined in this way], in expectation of [the questions], ‘What is the abhidheya [i.e., the principal directive, the means to attainment] and the prayojana [i.e., the objective, the goal to be attained] of that teaching [of the śāstra] about the Para-tattva and so forth for them [i.e., for the jīvas]?’ these two [i.e., the abhidheya and the prayojana] are necessary to be taught [also] by the secondary intention (tātparya) thereof [i.e., of the śāstra]. In that regard, the abhidheya is intentness (sāmmukhyam) upon that [i.e., the Para-tattva], because of [its] being negating of obliviousness (vaimukhya) of that [i.e., of the Para-tattva]. That [i.e., the abhidheya], further, is indicative of upāsanā [lit., ‘sitting near,’ i.e., engaging oneself in] that [i.e., the Para-tattva], on account of which awareness of that [i.e., the Para-tattva] appears. The prayojana is experience of that [i.e., the Para-tattva], and that [i.e., the prayojana], further is indicative of internal and external direct perception (sākṣātkāra) [of the Para-tattva], on account of which alone the complete cessation of suffering occurs of its own accord. … Therefore, although these two [i.e., the abhidheya and prayojana] are implied in the siddhopadeśa [i.e., implied instruction] in the former [i.e., in the earlier discussion in these sandarbhas of the nature of the Para-tattva], just as after hearing, ‘There is a treasure in your home,’ a poor person seeks that object and attains it [without having to be instructed to do so], still again teaching regarding them [i.e., the abhidheya and prayojana] is [given] to dispel laxity regarding [one’s endeavor to attain] them. Thus in this way śāstra tells them [i.e., the jīvas] about the cause of [their] suffering, that is, obliviousness and so forth of that [i.e., the Para-tattva] based on a beginninglessly existent absence of the existence of awareness of that [i.e., the Para-tattva], and teaches [them] intentness (sāmmukhya) upon that [i.e., the Para-tattva], which resembles a treatment consisting of negation of the cause of a disease.”

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parama-tattva-sākṣātkāra-lakṣaṇaṁ taj-jñānam eva paramānanda-prāptiḥ

tata idaṁ labhyate—parama-tattva-sākṣātkāra-lakṣaṇaṁ taj-jñānam eva paramānanda-prāptiḥ | saiva parama-puruṣārtha iti | svātmājñāna-nivṛttiḥ duḥkhātyanta-nivṛttiś ca nidāne tad-ajñāne gate sati svata eva sampadyate | pūrvasyāḥ parama-tattva-svaprakāśatābhivyakti-lakṣaṇa-mātrātmakatvāt, uttarasyāś ca dhvaṁsābhāva-rūpatvād anaśvaratvam | uktaṁ ca pūrvasyāḥ parama-puruṣārthatvaṁ ‘dharmasya hy apavargasya’ ity-ādinā, ‘tac-chraddadhānā munayo’ … ity antena, svataḥ sarva-duḥkha-nivṛttiś ca tatraivoktā—‘bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ’ ity ādinā |
(Prīti Sandarbha: 1)

“Therefore, this is gathered: awareness of him [i.e., Bhagavān] in the form of direct perception (sākṣātkāra) of the Supreme Entity [i.e., direct perception of the Supreme Entity as Brahman, or as Bhagavān, as is discussed ahead] is alone the attainment of paramount bliss. This alone is the supreme puruṣārtha. When the cause, the absence of awareness of him, ceases, then the cessation of the absence of awareness of one’s own self (ātmā) and the absolute cessation of suffering occur automatically. The former’s [i.e., the cessation of the absence of awareness of him] being permanent is because of its being constituted in form solely of a manifestation of the Supreme Entity’s self-luminosity (sva-prakāśatā) [i.e., because the cessation of the absence of awareness of him only occurs as a result of a self-manifestation of the Supreme Entity and thus is effectively synonymous with it], and the latter’s [i.e., the cessation of the absence of awareness of one’s own self (ātmā) and one’s suffering in saṁsāra being permanent] is because of its having a form of non-existence after [its] destruction [i.e., because it ceases to exist entirely after being destroyed]. The former’s being the supreme puruṣārtha is stated in dharmasya hy apavargasya … [i.e., SB 1.2.9–11], and tac-chraddadhānā munayo … [i.e., SB 1.2.12], and the automatic cessation of all suffering is stated there in bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ [i.e., SB 1.2.13].”

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kṛṣṇa-pāda-padma-gandha yei-jana pāya

kṛṣṇa-pāda-padma-gandha yei-jana pāya |
brahmaloka-ādi sukha tāre nāhi bhāya ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 3.6.136)

”The happiness of Brahmaloka and so forth do not appeal to one who experiences the fragrance of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet.”

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yathā nabhasi meghaugho reṇur vā pārthivo’nile

yathā nabhasi meghaugho reṇur vā pārthivo’nile |
evaṁ draṣṭari dṛśyatvam āropitam abuddhibhiḥ ||
ataḥ paraṁ yad avyaktam avyūḍha-guṇa-vyūhitam |
adṛṣṭāśruta-vastutvāt sa jīvo yat punar-bhavaḥ ||
yatreme sad-asad-rūpe pratiṣiddhe sva-saṁvidā |
avidyayātmani kṛte iti tad brahma-darśanam ||
yady eṣoparatā devī māyā vaiśāradī matiḥ |
sampanna eveti vidur mahimni sve mahīyate ||
evaṁ janmāni karmāṇi hy akartur ajanasya ca |
varṇayanti sma kavayo veda-guhyāni hṛt-pateḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.3.31–35)

“As a mass of clouds is attributed [i.e., taken to be] to the sky or a particle of earth [is taken to be] to the air, so the visible [i.e., the body] is [taken to be] to the seer [i.e., the ātmā] by the unintelligent. Beyond this [i.e., the gross body] is the jīva [i.e., the subtle body], which is unmanifest [i.e., externally imperceptible] because of its being an unseen and unheard of entity not arranged by the guṇas to be developed [i.e., to have physical, visible limbs] and [because of its] undergoing rebirth. When these gross and subtle forms are negated [i.e., understood to not be the self] through full knowledge of the self, whereby they are recognized as being imposed upon the ātmā by ignorance (avidyā), then darśana [i.e., sākṣātkāra, direct experience] of Brahman occurs. When this supernatural māyā belonging to the Expert [i.e., Īśvara] in the form of thought [i.e., misunderstanding] becomes withdrawn, then one certainly becomes fortunate [i.e., endowed with experience of the bliss of Brahman] and exalted in one’s own greatness—this is known [to the wise]. In this [same] way, the wise describe the births and activities, hidden to the Vedas, of he who is a non-actor and unborn [i.e., Bhagavān, who is transcendental to saṁsāra], the Lord [situated] in the heart.”

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idaṁ bhagavatā pūrvaṁ brahmaṇe nābhi-paṅkaje

idaṁ bhagavatā pūrvaṁ brahmaṇe nābhi-paṅkaje |
sthitāya bhava-bhītāya kāruṇyāt samprakāśitam ||
ādi-madhyāvasāneṣu vairāgyākhyāna-saṁyutam |
hari-līlā-kathā-vrātāmṛtānandita-sat-suram ||
sarva-vedānta-sāraṁ yad brahmātmaikatva-lakṣaṇam |
vastv advitīyaṁ tan-niṣṭhaṁ kaivalyaika-prayojanam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 12.13.10–12)

“At the beginning, middle, and end replete with narrations productive of non-attachment (vairāgya); filled with the amṛta of discussion of Hari’s līlā by which the sādhu suras [i.e., Hari’s bhaktas, or, the self-satisfied (ātmārāmas)] become blissful; focused on that non-dual Reality (advitīya Vastu) which is the essence of the entire Vedānta [i.e., of the Upaniṣads] and has the characteristic of oneness of [i.e., the characteristic of non-excessive non-difference between] the ātmā with Brahman; and possessed of the singular aim of kaivalya [i.e., purity, meaning, pure bhakti, Bhagavat-prema, or, direct perception of Supreme Entity]—this [i.e., Śrīmad Bhāgavatam] was previously manifested in full [i.e., taught] out of compassion by Bhagavān [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa] to Brahmā, who was situated on the navel-lotus [of Garbhodakaśāyī Viṣṇu] and frightened of material existence.”

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vyatītya bhāvanā-vartma yaś camatkāra-bhāra-bhūḥ

vyatītya bhāvanā-vartma yaś camatkāra-bhāra-bhūḥ |
hṛdi sattvojjvale bāḍhaṁ svadate sa raso mataḥ ||
bhāvanāyāḥ pade yas tu budhenānanya-buddhinā |
bhāvyate gāḍha-saṁskāraiś citte bhāvaḥ sa kathyate ||

(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.5.132–133)

“That which completely surpasses the scope of bhāvanā (meditation), is a cause of an abundance of wonder, and is relished in a heart bright with [śuddha-] sattva [i.e., a sthāyi-bhāva] is known as rasa. That which is meditated on (bhāvyate) by a wise person (budha) of one-pointed (ananya) mind (buddhi) in a heart (citta) which is a seat of meditation (bhāvanā) [on the vibhāvas, vyabhicāri-bhāvas, and so forth] by virtue of deep saṁskāras is called bhāva.”

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namo’stu te mahāyogin prapannam anuśādhi mām

namo’stu te mahāyogin prapannam anuśādhi mām |
yathā tvac-caraṇāmbhoje ratiḥ syād anapāyinī ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.29.40)

“[Uddhava to Kṛṣṇa:] May my obeisance be [offered] unto you, O greatest of yogīs. Please instruct me, who have taken shelter [in you], so that I may have everlasting rati for your lotus feet.”

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