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matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā

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.”

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aprekṣya klamam ātmano vidadhati prītyā pareṣāṁ priyaṁ

aprekṣya klamam ātmano vidadhati prītyā pareṣāṁ priyaṁ
lajjante dūritodyamād iva nija-stotrānubandhād api |
vidyā-vitta-kulādibhiś ca yad amī yānti kramān namratāṁ
ramyā kāpi satām iyaṁ vijayate naisargikī prakriyā ||
(Vidagdha-mādhava-nāṭaka: 1.11)

“Not considering their own fatigue, they lovingly please others. They feel ashamed as a result of [hearing] their own praise just as others do so as a result of commiting a sin. As far as they become endowed with knowledge, wealth, nobility, and so forth, so also they become humble. This extraordinary, delightful, and natural conduct of the sat [i.e., of sādhus] triumphs.”

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sādhavaḥ śāstrānuvartinaḥ

sādhavaḥ śāstrānuvartinaḥ |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.25.21; Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.17 in reference to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 5.5.2)

“Sādhus are [defined as] followers of śāstra.”

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tac ca śrī-ballavī-prāṇanātha-pāda-sarojayoḥ

tac ca śrī-ballavī-prāṇanātha-pāda-sarojayoḥ |
premaiva tad-vraja-prema-sājātīyaṁ na cetarat ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.214)

“That [i.e., your sādhana to attain your Iṣṭadeva], moreover, is simply prema for the lotus feet of the beautiful ballavī’s Beloved [lit., the Lord of the gopīs’ prāṇas, that is, hearts, lives, or vital airs] which resembles the [highly celebrated] prema for him [found] in Vraja, and is not otherwise.”

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smartavyaṁ satataṁ viṣṇor vismartavyo na jātucit

smartavyaṁ satataṁ viṣṇor vismartavyo na jātucit |
sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ ||
(Padma Purāṇa; cited in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.8; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.113)

“Viṣṇu is to be remembered always and is never to be forgotten. All injunctions and prohibitions should be servants of these two [principles].”

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ācāra eva dharmasya mūlaṁ rājan kulasya ca

ācāra eva dharmasya mūlaṁ rājan kulasya ca |
ācārād vicyuto jantur na kulīno na dhārmikaḥ ||
(Bhaviṣyottara Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 3.17)

“O King, ācāra (conduct) is the source of dharma and of nobility. A person devoid of ācāra is neither noble nor dharmic.”

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tasmāt sadaiva viduṣāvahitena rājan

tasmāt sadaiva viduṣāvahitena rājan
śāstrodito hy anudinaṁ paripālanīyaḥ ||
(Bhaviṣyottara Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 3.19)

“Therefore, O King, ācāra (conduct) as described in śāstra should always be fully observed daily with attention by the wise.”

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ācāra-prabhavo dharmaḥ santaś cācāra-lakṣaṇāḥ

ācāra-prabhavo dharmaḥ santaś cācāra-lakṣaṇāḥ |
sādhūnāṁ ca yathā vṛttaṁ sa sad-ācāra iṣyate ||
tasmāt kuryāt sad-ācāraṁ ya icched gatim ātmanaḥ |
sarva-lakṣaṇa-hīno’pi samudācāravān nṛpa |
śraddadhāno’nasūyaś ca sarvān kāmān avāpnuyāt ||
(Bhaviṣyottara Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 3.15–16)

“The source of dharma is ācāra (conduct), and sādhus are characterized by ācāra. The behavior of sādhus is called sadācāra. Therefore, one who desires one’s own good fortune should engage in sadācāra. O King, even if devoid of all [other] characteristics, one who has excellent ācāra (sadācāra), is endowed with śraddhā, and is free from envy can fulfill all one’s desires.”

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