Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda

gṛheṣv āviśatāṁ cāpi puṁsāṁ kuśala-karmaṇām

gṛheṣv āviśatāṁ cāpi puṁsāṁ kuśala-karmaṇām ||
mad-vārtā-yāta-yāmānāṁ na bandhāya gṛhā matāḥ ||
navyavad dhṛd aye yaj jño brahmaitad brahma-vādibhiḥ |
na muhyanti na śocanti na hṛṣyanti yato gatāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.30.19–20; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 332)

[Translated according to the Bhāvārtha-dīpikā:] “[Śrī Bhagavān to the Pracetas:] The household lives of persons who are skillful in action and pass their time in discussion of me even though they have entered household lives is not considered to lead to bondage, since I the Knower—this Brahman those who have attained which neither become deluded, nor lament, and nor become excited—appear ever-anew in the heart by means of expounders of Brahman.”

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sarveṣām anukūla-vedanīyaṁ sukham

sarveṣām anukūla-vedanīyaṁ sukham | pratikūla-vedanīyaṁ duḥkham |
(Tarka-saṅgraha: 55–56)

“That which is perceptible as favorable by all is [called] happiness (sukham). That which is perceptible as unfavorable [by all] is [called] suffering (duḥkha).”

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duḥkham avyakta-vartmaiva tad-bahu-vighnam ato budhaḥ

duḥkham avyakta-vartmaiva tad-bahu-vighnam ato budhaḥ |
sukhaṁ kṛṣṇa-padāmbhojaṁ bhakti-sat-pathavān bhajet ||
(Subodhinī-ṭīkā of Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda on Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 12.20)

“The path of the Unmanifest [i.e., upāsana of undifferentiated (nirviśeṣa) Brahman] is troublesome and beset with many obstacles. Therefore, a wise person, adherent to the right path of bhakti, should worship the delightful lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.”

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mahābhūtāny ahaṅkāro buddhir avyaktam eva ca |

mahābhūtāny ahaṁkāro buddhir avyaktam eva ca |
indriyāṇi daśaikaṁ ca pañca cendriya-gocarāḥ ||
icchā dveṣaḥ sukhaṁ duḥkhaṁ saṁghātaś cetanā dhṛtiḥ |
etat kṣetraṁ samāsena sa-vikāram udāhṛtam ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 13.5-6)

“The [five] gross elements (mahābhūtas), the ego (ahaṅkāra), the intellect (buddhi), the unmanifested [i.e., prakṛti], the ten senses and the one [additional one], the five objects of the senses, desire, aversion, happiness, suffering, the aggregate [i.e., the body], consciousness, and resolution—this in sum is said to be the field (kṣetra) along with its transformations.”

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taṁ tvākhilātma-dayiteśvaram āśritānāṁ

taṁ tvākhilātma-dayiteśvaram āśritānāṁ
sarvārtha-daṁ sva-kṛta-vid visṛjeta ko nu |
ko vā bhajet kim api vismṛtaye’nu bhūtyai
kiṁ vā bhaven na tava pāda-rajo-juṣāṁ naḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.29.5; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 328)

“[Uddhava to Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] Indeed, who cognizant of what has been done for oneself [by you] would reject you, he who is the Self, Beloved, and Īśvara of all and the bestower of all ends upon those who have taken shelter? Who would adore anyone else for the sake of [worldly] well-being or even forgetfulness [of the world, i.e., mokṣa]? And what shall we who delight in the dust of your feet not have [if we simply continue to engage solely in bhakti to you with disinterest in all else]?”

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pureha bhūman bahavo’pi yoginas

pureha bhūman bahavo’pi yoginas
tvad-arpitehā nija-karma-labdhayā |
vibudhya bhaktyaiva kathopanītayā
prapedire’ñjo’cyuta te gatiṁ parām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.14.5; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.588, Bhakti Sandarbha: 96)

“O Infinite One! O Acyuta! In the past here, even many yogīs whose activities were offered to you understood the Ātmā and reached your supreme abode solely by bhakti [which was] attained through their own actions [that were offered to you] and acquired through discussion [of you].”

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yasmin sat-karṇa-pīyuṣe yaśas-tīrtha-vare sakṛt

yasmin sat-karṇa-pīyuṣe yaśas-tīrtha-vare sakṛt |
śrotrāñjalir upaspṛśya dhunute karma-vāsanām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 9.24.62)

“One who with the cupped hands of the ears once sips the nectar for the ears of sādhus, the excellent tīrtha [i.e., sacred water] of his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] glory, dispels [i.e., purifies oneself of] [all] inclinations (vāsanās) for karma.”

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na yasya cittaṁ bahir-artha-vibhramaṁ

na yasya cittaṁ bahir-artha-vibhramaṁ
tamo-guhāyāṁ ca viśuddham āviśat |
yad-bhakti-yogānugṛhītam añjasā
munir vicaṣṭe nanu tatra te gatim ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.24.59; cited in Prīti Sandarbha: 7)

“A sage whose heart, pure by virtue of being favored by bhakti-yoga, is not agitated by external objects and does not enter the cave of darkness, rightly and certainly sees your state therein.”

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na caivaṁ vismayaḥ kāryo bhavatā bhagavaty aje

na caivaṁ vismayaḥ kāryo bhavatā bhagavaty aje |
yogeśvareśvare kṛṣṇe yata etad vimucyate ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.29.16)

“You should also not be so amazed by Bhagavān, the Unborn, the Master of the masters of yoga, Kṛṣṇa, because of whom this [entire world] is liberated.”

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na cāsya kaścin nipuṇena dhātur

na cāsya kaścin nipuṇena dhātur
avaiti jantuḥ kumanīṣa ūtīḥ |
nāmāni rūpāṇi mano-vacobhiḥ
santanvato naṭa-caryām ivājñaḥ ||
sa veda dhātuḥ padavīṁ parasya
duranta-vīryasya rathāṅga-pāṇeḥ |
yo’māyayā santatayānuvṛttyā
bhajeta tat-pāda-saroja-gandham ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.3.37–38)

“No living being of corrupt intelligence understands with the mind or words through expertise [i.e., skill in argument and like, or skill in adhering to the paths of jñāna or yoga] the sports, names, and forms of the [Supreme] Element, he who extends [his names, forms, and sports when he graciously descends in age after age], just as an ignorant person [does not understand] the performance of a dancer. [Only] One who can non-deceitfully, continuously, and accordingly worship the fragrance of his lotus feet knows the way [alt., position] of the Supreme Element, he of infinite potency and chakra in hand.”

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