naiṣā tarkeṇa matir āpaneyā
proktānyenaiva sujñānāya preṣṭha |
(Kaṭha Upaniṣad: 1.2.9)
“This understanding is not attainable
By means of argumentation.
Only [when] taught by another
Does it lead to apt knowledge,
O dearest one.”
gopīnāṁ mahimā kaścit tāsām eko’pi śakyate |
na mayā svamukhe kartuṁ merur makṣikayā yathā ||
(Bṛhad-Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.7.156)
“[Śrī Parīkṣit Mahārāja to his mother Uttarā:]
Even a little of the greatness of those gopīs
Is not able to be uttered by me with my own mouth,
Just as [even a little of the greatness] of [Mount] Meru
[Is not able to be swallowed] by a fly [with its own mouth].”
te’pi tan-mukhataḥ sarvaṁ śrutvā tat-tan-mahādbhutam |
sāra-saṅgrāhiṇo’śeṣam anyat sarvaṁ jahur dṛḍham ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.7.152)
“Being full graspers of the essence
After hearing from his mouth
All of those various profound wonders,
They too resolutely and completely
Gave up everything else.”
kevalaṁ paramaṁ dainyam avalambyāsya śikṣayā |
śrīman-madana-gopāla-caraṇābjam upāsata ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.7.153)
“Taking to profound humility exclusively
In accord with his teaching,
They worshiped the lotus feet
Of Śrīman Madana Gopāla.”
mātar gopa-kiśoraṁ taṁ tvañ ca rāsa-rasāmbudhim |
tat-prema-mohitābhiḥ śrī-gopībhir abhito vṛtam ||
amūṣāṁ dāsyam icchantī tādṛśa-prema-bhaṅgibhiḥ |
nityaṁ bhajasva tan-nāma-saṅkīrtana-parāyaṇā ||
(Bṛhad-Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.7.154–5)
“The Adolescent Cowherd,
The Ocean of the rasa of rāsa,
Surrounded on all sides by beautiful gopīs
Enchanted by prema for him—
O Mother,
You too should always worship him
With means of prema akin to theirs,
Being desirous servitude to them
And being absorbed in saṅkīrtana of his names.”
pāyaṁ pāyaṁ vraja-jana-gaṇa-prema-vāpī-marāla
śrīman-nāmāmṛtam avirataṁ gokulābdhy-utthitaṁ te |
tat-tad-veśācarita-nikarojjṛmbhitaṁ miṣṭa-miṣṭaṁ
sarvāṁl lokān jagati ramayan matta-ceṣṭo bhramāṇi ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.7.143)
“[Śrī Nārada prays for a boon at Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s request:]
O you who are a swan in the waters
Of the prema of the people of Vraja!
Continuously drinking and drinking
The nectar of your blessed names,
Which have arisen from the ocean of Gokula,
Are manifested from the multitudes
Of those particular adornments and activities,
And are the sweet of the sweet,
May I become of maddened behavior and roam about
Delighting all people throughout the world.”
icchet punas tādṛśam eva bhāvaṁ
kliṣṭaṁ kathañcit tad-abhāvataḥ syāt |
yeṣāṁ na bhātīti mate’pi teṣāṁ
gāḍhopakārī smṛti-daḥ priyāṇām ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.7.128)
“[Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Śrī Nārada:]
It shall wish for a bhāva of that very type again,
And because of the absence of that [bhāva] somehow,
It shall become afflicted.
Even in the view of those for whom this [aforesaid explanation] does not shine [i.e., to whom it does not appeal],
A giver of remembrance of dear ones is highly supportive.”
prāg yady api prema-kṛtāṁ priyāṇāṁ
viccheda-dāvānala-vegato’ntaḥ |
santāpa-jātena duranta-śokā-
veśena gāḍhaṁ bhavatīva duḥkham ||
tathāpi sambhoga-sukhād api stutaḥ
sa ko’py anirvācyatamo mano-ramaḥ |
pramoda-rāśiḥ pariṇāmato dhruvaṁ
tatra sphuret tad-rasikaika-vedyaḥ ||
tac-choka-duḥkhoparamasya paścāc
cittaṁ yataḥ pūrṇatayā prasannam |
samprāpta-sambhoga-mahāsukhena
sampannavat tiṣṭhati sarvadaiva ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.7.125–127)
“[Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Śrī Nārada:]
Although at first intense suffering—
Arising from absorption in endless grief
Produced by anguish within
As a result of an onslaught, created by prema,
Of the forest fire of separation
From those who are dear—
As though occurs,
Still in that ultimately
Some most ineffable and heart-satisfying
Abundance of delight,
Praised even more so than the happiness of enjoyment together (sambhoga),
And knowable only by a relisher of rasa,
Shall certainly manifest
Since after the cessation of the grief and suffering of that [i.e., of separation]
The heart becomes indeed ever satisfied
And dwells with completeness
As though endowed with the great happiness
Of fully attained enjoyment together (sambhoga).”
dṛṣṭe’pi śāmyen mayi tan na duḥkhaṁ
viccheda-cintākulitātmanāṁ vai |
harṣāya teṣāṁ kriyate vidhir yo
duḥkhaṁ sa sadyo dviguṇīkaroti ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.7.96)
“Even if I am seen [by them at last],
That suffering shall not cease
For they whose hearts are indeed overwhelmed
By unrest because of separation [from me].
The means which are enacted [by me]
For the sake of their elation
Immediately double their suffering.”
evaṁ yad dhyāna-pūjādāv ekāntibhyaḥ prarocate |
kṛṣṇāya rocate’tyantaṁ tad eva ca satāṁ matam ||
tathā ca tṛtīya-skandhe śrī-kardama-stutau—
tāny eva te’bhirūpāṇi rūpāṇi bhagavaṁs tava |
yāni yāni ca rocante sva-janānām arūpiṇaḥ ||
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 7.381–382)
“In this way, specifically that which in meditation, ritual worship, and so forth is highly pleasing to the one-pointed is exceedingly pleasing to Kṛṣṇa and [thus] approved by the sat. Accordingly also, in the praise by Śrī Kardama in the Third Canto [i.e., SB 3.24.31, it is said], ‘O Bhagavān, specifically those forms of yours—of you who are beyond form—which are pleasing to your own persons are suitable for you.’”
