prajahāti yadā kāmān sarvān pārtha mano-gatān |
ātmany evātmanā tuṣṭaḥ sthita-prajñas tadocyate ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 2.55)
“O Pārtha,
When one completely casts away
All desires situated in the mind,
Being satisfied in the self specifically
By means of the self,
Then one is said to be
One of steady wisdom (sthita-prajña).”
labdha-kṛṣṇa-rater eva suṣṭhu pūtaṁ manaḥ sadā |
kṣubhyaty ahṛdya-leśe’pi tato’syāṁ raty-anugrahaḥ ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 4.7.12)
“Specifically because of having attained rati for Kṛṣṇa, a deeply and continuously purified mind is disturbed in the presence of even a trace of something disagreeable. Thus, there is support from rati in this [i.e., thus a bhakta’s primary rati—sthāyī-bhāva—supports the secondary rati of jugupsā (disgust).”
anarpita-carīṁ cirāt karuṇayāvatīrṇaḥ kalau
samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasāṁ sva-bhakti-śriyam |
hariḥ puraṭa-sundara-dyuti-kadamba-sandīpitaḥ
sadā hṛdaya-kandare sphuratu vaḥ śacī-nandanaḥ ||
(Vidagdha-mādhava-nāṭakam: 1.1.2; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.1.4)
“Having descended in the Age of Kali
To graciously impart in full
The wealth of bhakti to himself,
In which brilliant (ujjvala) rasa is elevated
And which for a long time previously
Had not been imparted,
May Hari,
The [lion-like] Son of Śacī,
Fully illuminated with a profusion radiance
More beautiful than gold,
Appear always in the cave of the hearts of you all.”
sarvathaiva durūho’yam abhaktair bhagavad-rasaḥ |
tat-pādāmbuja-sarvasvair bhaktair evānurasyate ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.5.131; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.23.100)
“This Bhagavad-rasa is in all cases difficult to comprehend for non-bhaktas. It is relished only by bhaktas whose all is his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] lotus feet.”
puruṣottamasya parito
gokula-caritāmṛtena kṛta-sekaḥ |
prema-maranda-syandaṁ
tanotu mama citta-mākandaḥ ||
(Stava-mālā: Nandotsavādi-caritam, 40)
“Sprinkled all around
With the ambrosia of Puruṣottama’s
Activities in Gokula,
May the mango tree of my heart
Exude a stream
Of the nectar of prema.”
karma vikṣepakaṁ tasyā vairāgyaṁ rasa-śoṣakam |
jñānaṁ hāni-karaṁ tat-tac-chodhitaṁ tv anuyāti tām ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.2.205)
“Karma [i.e., observance of the practices enjoined for those following the path of karma] is a cause of distraction from it [i.e., from bhakti]. Vairāgya is a cause of desiccation of rasa [for it]. Jñāna is cause of detriment [to it]. [When] Rectified, however, these attend to it.”
phalgu-vairāgya-nirdagdhāḥ śuṣka-jñānāś ca haitukāḥ |
mīmāṁsakā viśeṣeṇa bhakty-āsvāda-bahirmukhāḥ ||
ity eṣa bhakti-rasikaiś caurād iva mahānidhiḥ |
jaran-mīmāṁsakād rakṣyaḥ kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasaḥ sadā ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.5.129–130)
“Those burnt by useless non-attachment, those of dry knowledge, logicians, and in particular examiners (mīmāṁsakas) are averse to relishing bhakti. Thus, like a great treasure from a thief, this Kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa is always to be protected from old mīmāṁsakas [and to be protected as appropriate from the others] by bhakti-rasikas.”
tan niśamyātha munayo vismitā mukta-saṁśayāḥ |
bhūyāṁsaṁ śraddadhur viṣṇuṁ yataḥ śāntir yato’bhayam ||
dharmaḥ sākṣād yato jñānaṁ vairāgyaṁ ca tad-anvitam |
aiśvaryaṁ cāṣṭadhā yasmād yaśaś cātma-malāpaham ||
munīnāṁ nyasta-daṇḍānāṁ śāntānāṁ sama-cetasām |
akiñcanānāṁ sādhūnāṁ yam āhuḥ paramāṁ gatim ||
sattvaṁ yasya priyā mūrtir brāhmaṇās tv iṣṭa-devatāḥ |
bhajanty anāśiṣaḥ śāntā yaṁ vā nipuṇa-buddhayaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.89.14–17)
“Then, hearing that [i.e., Bhṛgu’s account of his meetings with Brahmā, Śiva, and Viṣṇu], the sages became amazed, freed from doubt, and possessed of immense śraddhā in Viṣṇu, from whom comes peace; from whom comes fearlessness; from whom comes direct dharma, [direct] knowledge (jñāna), and non-attachment (vairāgya) following that; from whom comes eightfold metaphysical power, glory, and removal of the impurities in the psyche; whom they [i.e., the wise] call the ultimate refuge of the sages, of those who have laid down the staff, of the tranquil, and of the equanimous—the divested, the sādhus; whose dear form is Existence [i.e., Brahman]; [whose] iṣṭa-devatās are the brāhmaṇas; and whom those who are desireless, tranquil, and of sharp intellect worship.”
tasmān mad-bhakti-yuktasya yogino vai mad-ātmanaḥ |
na jñānaṁ na ca vairāgyaṁ prāyaḥ śreyo bhaved iha ||
yat karmabhir yat tapasā jñāna-vairāgyataś ca yat |
yogena dāna-dharmeṇa śreyobhir itarair api ||
sarvaṁ mad-bhakti-yogena mad-bhakto labhate’ñjasā |
svargāpavargaṁ mad-dhāma kathañcid yadi vāñchati ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.20.31–33)
“Therefore, for a yogī engaged in bhakti to me with mind on me, neither jñāna nor vairāgya shall in general be a means of benefit here. What can come to be by means of righteous acts, what can come to be by means of austerity, and what can come to be by means of jñāna and vairāgya, as well as by yoga, charity, and other means of benefit—all of that, as well as Svarga, apavarga [i.e., mukti], and my abode, my bhakta attains quickly by means of the practice (yoga) of bhakti to me if one somehow desires [to attain any of those ends].”
