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mano yadi na nirjitaṁ kim amunā tapasyādinā

mano yadi na nirjitaṁ kim amunā tapasyādinā
kathaṁ sa manaso jayo yadi na cintyate mādhavaḥ |
kim asya ca vicintanaṁ yadi na hanta ceto-dravaḥ
sa vā katham aho bhaved yadi na vāsanā-kṣālanam ||
(Caitanyacandrodaya-nāṭaka: 7.7)

“If the mind is not conquered, then what will come of all these austerities and so forth? How is the mind conquered if Mādhava is not thought of? Oh, and what is contemplation of him if the heart does not melt? But alas, how will that happen if the vāsanās [i.e., the vāsanās unrelated to him remaining in the heart] are not washed away?”

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jaya gaura-bhakta-gaṇa gaura yā̐ra prāṇa

jaya gaura-bhakta-gaṇa gaura yā̐ra prāṇa |
saba bhakta mili more bhakti deha dāna ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 3.11.8)

“Glory to Gaura’s bhaktas, whose very life is Gaura! May you all together bestow upon me the gift of bhakti.”

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śrutasya puṁsāṁ sucira-śramasya

śrutasya puṁsāṁ sucira-śramasya
nanv añjasā sūribhir īḍito’rthaḥ |
tat-tad-guṇānuśravaṇaṁ mukunda-
pādāravindaṁ hṛdayeṣu yeṣām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.13.4)

“Certainly the result truly extolled by the wise of a person engaging in the labor of hearing [śāstra from a guru] for a long time is repeated hearing of the qualities of those in whose hearts are present the lotus feet of Mukunda.”

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akṣṇoḥ phalaṁ tvādṛśa-darśanaṁ hi

akṣṇoḥ phalaṁ tvādṛśa-darśanaṁ hi
tanoḥ phalaṁ tvādṛśa-gātra-saṅgaḥ |
jihvā-phalaṁ tvādṛśa-kīrtanaṁ hi
sudurlabhā bhāgavatā hi loke ||
(Hari-bhakti-sudhodaya: 13.2; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.20.61)

“The sight of someone like you is indeed the fulfillment of the eyes, the touch of someone like you is the fulfillment of the body, and praising someone like you is indeed the fulfillment of the tongue, as in this world Bhāgavatas are very rare to find.”

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viṣṇu-bhaktam athāyātaṁ yo dṛṣṭvā sumukhaḥ priyaḥ

viṣṇu-bhaktam athāyātaṁ yo dṛṣṭvā sumukhaḥ priyaḥ |
praṇāmādi karoty eva vāsudeve yathā tathā |
sa vai bhakta iti jñeyaḥ sa punāti jagat trayam ||
(Liṅga Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.34)

“One who upon seeing a Viṣṇu-bhakta coming pleasingly with a bright face offers obeisance and so forth, as is done for Vāsudeva, certainly should be considered a bhakta. He purifies the three worlds.”

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bhojanācchādanaṁ sarvaṁ yathā-śaktyā karoti yaḥ

bhojanācchādanaṁ sarvaṁ yathā-śaktyā karoti yaḥ |
viṣṇu-bhaktasya satataṁ sa vai bhāgavataḥ smṛtaḥ ||
(Liṅga Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.36)

“One who according to one’s ability continuously provides all of a Viṣṇu-bhakta’s food and clothing is known to be a Bhāgavata.”

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ye me bhakta-janāḥ pārtha na me bhaktāś ca te janāḥ

ye me bhakta-janāḥ pārtha na me bhaktāś ca te janāḥ |
mad-bhaktānāñ ca ye bhaktās te me bhakta-tamā matāḥ
(Ādi Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.133; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.218; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.11.28)

“O Arjuna, those persons who are bhaktas of me [i.e., who are focused only on me and neglect my bhaktas]—those persons are not my bhaktas [i.e., they are not my bhaktas in the full and proper sense]. Those who are bhaktas of my bhaktas are considered my best bhaktas [i.e., I consider those who have bhakti both for me and for my bhaktas to truly be my bhaktas].“

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rukṣākṣarā giraḥ śṛṇvan tathā bhāgavateritāḥ

rukṣākṣarā giraḥ śṛṇvan tathā bhāgavateritāḥ |
praṇāma-pūrvakaṁ kṣāntvā yo vaded vaiṣṇavo hi saḥ ||
(Liṅga Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.35)

“One who after hearing harsh words uttered by a Bhāgavata can tolerate that, offer obeisance, and speak [respectfully with that Bhāgavata] is certainly a Vaiṣṇava.”

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duravagamātma-tattva-nigamāya tavātta-tanoś

duravagamātma-tattva-nigamāya tavātta-tanoś
carita-mahāmṛtābdhi-parivarta-pariśramaṇāḥ |
na parilaṣanti kecid apavargam apīśvara te
caraṇa-saroja-haṁsa-kula-saṅga-visṛṣṭa-gṛhāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.87.21)

“O Īśvara, some [i.e., a rare few]—who have become free from suffering [alt., fatigue] by swimming in the vast ocean of the nectar of the activities of the form you have revealed to teach the difficult to understand nature of yourself, and who have given up household life by virtue of the association of the flock of swans at your lotus feet—do not desire whatsoever even liberation [i.e., let alone Svarga or the pleasures of earthly life].”

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na vayaṁ kavayo na tārkikā

na vayaṁ kavayo na tārkikā
na ca vedānta-nitānta-pāragāḥ |
na ca vādi-nivārakāḥ paraṁ
kapaṭābhīra-kiśora-kiṅkarāḥ ||
(Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya; cited in Padyāvalī: 72)

“We are neither poets, nor logicians, nor great adepts in Vedānta, nor refuters of disputants. Rather, we are servants of a crafty cowherd boy.”

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