Jīva Gosvāmī

tayor apy ubhayor madhye rādhikā sarvathādhikā

tayor apy ubhayor madhye rādhikā sarvathādhikā |
mahābhāva-svarūpeyaṁ guṇair ativarīyasī ||
(Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi: 4.3; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.4.70, 2.8.160)

“‘Furthermore, between the two of them [i.e., Rādhikā and Candrāvalī], Rādhikā is superior in all respects. She is the embodiment of mahābhāva and exceedingly excellent by virtue of [her] qualities.”

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satyāśiṣo hi bhagavaṁs tava pāda-padmam

satyāśiṣo hi bhagavaṁs tava pāda-padmam
āśīs tathānubhajataḥ puruṣārtha-mūrteḥ |
apy evam arya bhagavān paripāti dīnān
vāśreva vatsakam anugraha-kātaro’smān ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.9.17; cited in Prīti Sandarbha: 6)

“[Dhruva Mahārāja:] O Bhagavān! For those who in this [aforementioned] manner continuously worship [you], the lotus feet of you who are the embodiment of the ultimate goal (puruṣārtha-mūrti) are certainly the true blessing in comparison to [all other] blessings. Although this is so, O Master, O Bhagavān, you protect us, who are lowly, like a cow anxious to nurture a new-born calf.”

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yato na kaścit kva ca kutracid vā

yato na kaścit kva ca kutracid vā
dīnaḥ svam ātmānam alaṁ samarthaḥ |
vimocituṁ kāma-dṛśāṁ vihāra-
krīḍā-mṛgo yan-nigaḍo visargaḥ ||
tato vidūrāt parihṛtya daityā
daityeṣu saṅgaṁ viṣayātmakeṣu |
upeta nārāyaṇam ādi-devaṁ
sa mukta-saṅgair iṣito’pavargaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.6.17–18; cited in Prīti Sandarbha: 5)

[Translated according to the Bhāvārtha-dīpikā:] “Exceedingly lowly and a toy-animal for the play of women (kāmadṛśāṁ), because of whom the fetter of progeny comes about, no one anywhere at any time is able to fully liberate one’s own self [from family life]. Therefore, O Daityas, from afar completely forsake association (saṅga) with [alt., attachment to] the Daityas, whose minds are [fixed] on objects of the senses, and approach Nārāyaṇa, the Original Deva. He is the final beatitude (apavarga) [alt., liberation] desired by those who are freed from attachment.”

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vaireṇa yaṁ nṛpatayaḥ śiśupāla-pauṇḍra

vaireṇa yaṁ nṛpatayaḥ śiśupāla-pauṇḍra-
śālvādayo gati-vilāsa-vilokanādyaiḥ |
dhyāyanta ākṛta-dhiyaḥ śayanāsanādau
tat-sāmyam āpur anurakta-dhiyāṁ punaḥ kim ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.5.48)

“Kings such as Śiśupāla, Pauṇḍraka, and Śālva attained equality with he [i.e., Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa] whom they meditated upon out of enmity while lying down, sitting, and so forth, their minds imprinted with his movements, play, glances, and so forth. [So,] How much more [is this attainment of equality with him certain to happen in the the case] of those whose minds are attached [to him]?”

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munayaḥ sādhu pṛṣṭo’haṁ bhavadbhir loka-maṅgalam

munayaḥ sādhu pṛṣṭo’haṁ bhavadbhir loka-maṅgalam |
yat kṛtaḥ kṛṣṇa-sampraśno yenātmā suprasīdati ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.2.5)

“O sages, I have been excellently questioned [by you all], since this inquiry in regard to Kṛṣṇa made by you all, by which the self [i.e., the mind] becomes fully satisfied, is beneficial for the world.”

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samāsa-vākyaṁ vigrahaḥ

samāsa-vākyaṁ vigrahaḥ |
(Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa: 1684)

“An explanation of a compound is [called] a vigraha [i.e., isolation and analysis of the words (padas) in a compound that produces specific understanding of the meaning of the compound].”

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kṛṣṇasya vigrahe bhāti samāsenākhilaṁ padam

kṛṣṇasya vigrahe bhāti samāsenākhilaṁ padam |
itīva smārakaṁ vakṣye samāsa-pada-vigraham ||
sa-bahuvrīhi-dvigutā-mātre lubdho’smi sa-dvandvaḥ |
tat puruṣa karma dhāraya bhakter yenāvyayī-bhāvaḥ ||
(Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa: Samāsa-prakaraṇa, 1–2)

“I will now describe the compounding (samāsa) and isolation (vigraha) of words (padas) [i.e., the rules of grammar regarding the formation of compounds and the isolation of the words in compounds], which are like reminders that all things (padas) exist in aggregation (samāsa) in the figure (vigraha) of Kṛṣṇa. I am greedy and quarrelsome (sa-dvandva) just to have a lot of rice (sa-bahu-vrīhi) and two cows (dvi-gu). Therefore (tat), O Puruṣa [i.e., O Kṛṣṇa], please cause [me] to perform (dhāraya) action (karma) by which a non-declining state (avyayī-bhāva) of bhakti [to you] shall come to be.”

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tam aṅkam ārūḍham apāyayat stanaṁ

tam aṅkam ārūḍham apāyayat stanaṁ
sneha-snutaṁ sa-smitam īkṣatī mukham |
atṛptam utsṛjya javena sā yayāv
utsicyamāne payasi tv adhiśrite ||
sa jāta-kopaḥ sphuritāruṇādharaṁ
sandaśya dadbhir dadhi-mantha-bhājanam |
bhittvā mṛṣāśrur dṛṣad-aśmanā raho
jaghāsa haiyaṅgavam antaraṁ gataḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.9.5–6)

“Raised in her lap, she [i.e., Yaśodā] had him [i.e., Kṛṣṇa] drink from her breast, flowing [with milk] out of affection, as she beheld his smiling face, but when the milk on the fireplace was beginning to boil over, she put him down [although he was] unsatiated, and quickly went over [to attend to the milk on the fireplace]. Angered [by this] and biting his quivering reddish lips with his teeth, he [then] broke with a grindstone the pot [that Yaśodā had been using] for churning yoghurt, went inside [the house] with false tears [alt., non-false tears, in his eyes], and in a concealed place devoured the fresh butter [that Yaśodā had just churned].”

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yadi vo’sti mayi prītiḥ ślāghyo’haṁ bhavatāṁ yadi

yadi vo’sti mayi prītiḥ ślāghyo’haṁ bhavatāṁ yadi |
tadātma-bandhu-sadṛśī buddhir vaḥ kriyatāṁ mayi ||
nāhaṁ devo na gandharvo na yakṣo na ca dānavaḥ |
ahaṁ vo bāndhavo jāto nātaś cintyam ato’nyathā ||
(Viṣṇu Purāṇa: 5.13.11–12; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 325)

“If you all have love (prīti) for me, and if you all [also] consider I am praiseworthy [i.e., a worthy object of reverence], then you all should [give up your awe and reverence of me and] foster the attitude in regard me that I am like the kinsmen (bandhu) of your very self (ātmā) [i.e., that I am one of your fellow cowherds, alt., that I am like the dear friend (bandhu) of your heart (ātmā)]. I am neither a deva, nor a gandharva, nor a yakṣa, nor a dānava. I have been born as your kinsmen (bāndhava—bandhu), and thus from now on I am not to be thought of otherwise [i.e., as anyone other than one of your fellow cowherds and kinsmen; I should not be thought of as any sort of devatā].”

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bhagavat-kṛpā-parimala-pātra-bhūtasya śrīmato mahataḥ saṅga eva kāraṇam

bhagavat-kṛpā-parimala-pātra-bhūtasya śrīmato mahataḥ saṅga eva kāraṇam | … nirguṇāvasthāto’py adhikatvāt parama-nirguṇa eva | … saguṇe devādau tasya kṛpā vāstavī na bhavati, kintu śrīmat-prahlādādiṣv eveti pratipādanān mahatāṁ nirguṇatvābhivyaktyā tat-saṅgasyāpi nirguṇatvaṁ vyaktam |
(Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.14.1; 11.25.24; Bhakti Sandarbha: 134)

“The association of a beautiful great personage (mahat) who is a vessel of the fragrance of Bhagavān’s grace is the only cause [of realization of Bhagavān]. … Because of it being superior even to the nirguṇa state [i.e., the state of being free from the material guṇas], it [i.e., such association] is parama-nirguṇa [i.e., the supreme state beyond the material guṇas]. … His [i.e., Bhagavān’s] true grace does not exist in the devas and so forth, who are saguṇa, but the nirguṇatva [i.e., state of being nirguṇa] of even the association of great personages is manifested by the manifestation of their [own] nirguṇatva as a result of bestowal [of Bhagavān’s true grace] upon [such great personages as] Śrīmat Prahlāda and others.”

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