viṣṇur eva hi yasyaiṣa devatā vaiṣṇavaḥ smṛtaḥ ||
(Liṅga Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.4)
“One whose devatā [i.e., cherished object of worship] is specifically Viṣṇu is known as a Vaiṣṇava [i.e., a bhakta of Viṣṇu].”
ananya-mamatā viṣṇau mamatā prema-saṅgatā |
bhaktir ity ucyate bhīṣma-prahlādoddhava-nāradaiḥ ||
(Nārada Pañcarātra; cited Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.382; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.4.2; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.23.8)
“Bhakti dedicated to Viṣṇu that is filled with mamatā [for him] and free from any other mamatā [i.e., loving attachment, lit., ‘my-ness,’ for anyone or anything else] is called prema by Bhīṣma, Prahlāda, Uddhava, and Nārada.”
tatra śrī-vāsudevasya sarva-deva-śiromaṇeḥ |
pādāmbujaika-bhāg eva dīkṣā grāhyā manīṣibhiḥ ||
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 1.103)
“In this regard [i.e., in regard to dīkṣā being accepted], dīkṣā, that is, taking shelter solely in the lotus feet of Śrī Vāsudeva, the crest-jewel of all devas, is to be accepted by the wise [since otherwise only indiscretion occurs].”
mantratas tantrataś chidraṁ deśa-kālārha-vastutaḥ |
sarvaṁ karoti niśchidram anusaṅkīrtanaṁ tava ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 8.23.16; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.376; Bhakti Sandarbha: 97)
“Continuous saṅkīrtana of you makes flawless all flaws [in yajñas] related to mantras, procedure, place, time, eligibility, and ingredients.”
sarvapārādha-bhañjanatvam
viṣṇu-yāmale śrī-bhagavad-uktau—
mama nāmāni loke’smin śraddhayā yas tu kīrtayet |
tasyāparādha-koṭīs tu kṣamāmy eva na saṁśayaḥ ||
(Viṣṇu-yāmala; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.375; Bhakti Sandarbha: 265; Krama-sandarbha-ṭikā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.1.11)
“The name of Śrī Bhagavān’s being a destroyer of all offenses [is described as follows] in a statement of Śrī Bhagavān in Viṣṇu-yāmala: ‘I certainly forgive even crores of offenses (aparādhas) of someone in this world who can chant my names with śraddhā. There is no doubt [about this].’”
sadhrīcīno hy ayaṁ loke panthāḥ kṣemo’kuto-bhayaḥ |
suśīlāḥ sādhavo yatra nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.1.17; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.565; Bhakti Sandarbha: 93, 121; Bṛhad and Laghu Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.87.3)
“In this world, this path [i.e., the path of bhakti to Śrī Nārāyaṇa], whereupon there are those of high character [i.e., gracious], virtue [i.e., non-desirousness], and devotion to Nārāyaṇa, is certainly well-directed [i.e., the most appropriate], since it is [supremely] beneficial and completely free from fear [i.e., any cause of obstruction or danger].”
na karma-bandhanaṁ janma vaiṣṇavānāṁ ca vidyate |
viṣṇor anucaratvaṁ hi mokṣam āhur manīṣiṇaḥ ||
na dāsyam amareśasya bandhanaṁ parikīrtitam |
sarva-bandhana-nirmuktā hari-dāsā nirāmayāḥ ||
(Padma Purāṇa: 6.229.58-59; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.169–170; Prīti Sandarbha: 16, 45; Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā and Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.9.29)
“The birth of Vaiṣṇavas is not [produced by] bondage in karma, since the wise call being an attendant of Viṣṇu mokṣa. Servitude to the immortal Lord is not described as bondage, since Hari’s servants are completely free from all bondage [i.e., that which causes entanglement in saṁsāra] and unmarred [i.e., faultless, alt., free from disease].”
vande śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanyaṁ bhagavantaṁ kṛpārṇavam |
prema-bhakti-vitānārthaṁ gauḍeṣv avatatāra yaḥ ||
(Bṛhad Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.1.1; cited in Daśa-ślokī-bhāṣyam: 1.7)
“I worship the Ocean of grace,
Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya,
Who descended in Gauḍa
For the sake of distributing prema-bhakti.”
kīṭeṣu pakṣiṣu mṛgeṣu sarīsṛpeṣu
rakṣaḥ-piśāca-manujeṣv api yatra tatra |
jātasya me bhavatu keśava te prasādāt
tvayy eva bhaktir atulāvyabhicāriṇī ca ||
(Pāṇḍava-gītā; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 8.436)
“Among insects, birds, animals, reptiles, evil spirits and sprites (rākṣasas, piśācas), or human beings, wherever I am born, O Keśava, by your grace let me have incomparable and unwavering bhakti to you.”
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ |
harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā
manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 5.18.12; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.561; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.1.29; Bhakti Sandarbha: 109; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.8.58, 2.22.76)
“[Prahlāda Mahārāja to Bhagavān Nṛsiṁha:] The suras along with all qualities reside in full within one who has unconditional bhakti to Bhagavān. How could a non-bhakta of Hari running outwards after the asat as a result of desire have the qualities of the mahats?”
