Avatāras

matto’py anantāt parataḥ parasmāt

matto’py anantāt parataḥ parasmāt
svargāpavargādhipater na kiñcit |
yeṣāṁ kim u syād itareṇa teṣām
akiñcanānāṁ mayi bhakti-bhājām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 5.5.25)

“For those possessionless (akiñcana) bearers of bhakti to me who have no desire for anything even from me, whom am Infinite, higher than the highest [i.e., superior even to Brahmā and so forth], and the Supreme Master of Svarga and apavarga [i.e., mokṣa], what shall be the need of anything else [alt., of anyone else]?”

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atha pādmoktā daśāpy aparādhāḥ parityājyāḥ

atha pādmoktā daśāpy aparādhāḥ parityājyāḥ | yathā sanat-kumāra-vākyam—sarvāparādha-kṛd api … | aparādhāś caite— satāṁ nindā nāmnaḥ … | ity anena hiṁsādīnāṁ vacanāgocaratvaṁ darśitam | nindādayas tu yathā skānde śrī-mārkaṇḍeya-bhagīratha-saṁvāde—nindāṁ kurvanti ye mūḍhā vaiṣṇavānāṁ mahātmanām | patanti pitṛbhiḥ sārdhaṁ mahāraurava-saṁjñite || hanti nindanti vai dveṣṭi vaiṣṇavān nābhinandati | krudhyate yāti no harṣaṁ darśane patanāni ṣaṭ || iti | tan-nindā-śravaṇe’pi doṣa uktaḥ ‘nindāṁ bhagavataḥ śṛṇvan …’ iti | … tad evaṁ śrī-viṣṇoḥ sarvātmakatvena prasiddhatvāt tasmāt sakāśāt śivasya guṇa-nāmādikaṁ bhinnaṁ śakty-antara-siddham iti yo dhiyāpi paśyed ity arthaḥ | dvayor abheda-tātparyeṇa ṣaṣṭhy-antatve sati śrī-viṣṇoś cety apekṣya ca-śabdaḥ kriyeta | tat-prādhānya-vivakṣayaiva śrī-śabdaś ca tatraiva dattaḥ | ata eva ‘śiva-nāmāparādhaḥ’ iti śiva-śabdena mukhyatayā śrī-viṣṇur eva pratipādita ity abhipretam | sahasra-nāmādau ca sthāṇu-śivādi-śabdās tathaiva | atha śruti-śāstra-nindanam—yathā pāṣaṇḍa-mārgeṇa dattātreya-rṣabhadevopāsakānāṁ pāṣaṇḍinām | tathā arthavādaḥ stuti-mātram idam iti mananam | kalpanaṁ tan-māhātmya-gauṇatā-karaṇāya gaty-antara-cintanam | yathoktaṁ kaurme vyāsa-gītāyāṁ—deva-drohād guru-drohaḥ koṭi-koṭi-guṇādhikaḥ | jñānāpavādo nāstikyaṁ tasmāt koṭi-guṇādhikam || iti | … nāmno balād iti | yadyapi bhaven nāmno balenāpi kṛtasya pāpasya tena nāmnā kṣayaḥ, tathāpi yena nāmno balena parama-puruṣārtha-svarūpaṁ sac-cid-ānanda-sāndraṁ sākṣāc-chrī-bhagavac-caraṇāravindaṁ sādhayituṁ pravṛttaḥ, tenaiva parama-ghṛṇāspadaṁ pāpa-viṣayaṁ sādhayatīti parama-daurātmyam | tataḥ kadarthayaty eva tan-nāma ceti tat-pāpa-koṭi-mahattamasyāparādhasyāpāto bāḍham eva | tato yamair bahubhir yama-niyamādibhiḥ kṛta-prāyaścittasya krameṇa prāptādhikārair anekair api daṇḍa-dharair vā kṛta-daṇḍasya tasya śuddhy-abhāvo yukta eva nāmāparādha-yuktānām ity-ādi vakṣyamāṇānusāreṇa punar api satata-nāma-kīrtana-mātrasya tatra prāyaścittatvāt, sarvāparādha-kṛd api ity-ādy-ukty-anusāreṇa nāmāparādha-yuktasya bhagavad-bhaktimato’py adhaḥpāta-lakṣaṇa-bhoga-niyamāc ca | … atha ‘dharma-vrata-tyāgaḥ’ iti dharmādibhiḥ sāmya-mananam api pramādaḥ, aparādho bhavatīty arthaḥ | … atha aśraddadhāne ity-ādinopadeṣṭur aparādhaṁ darśayitvopadeśyasyāha—śrutveti | yataḥ ahaṁ-mamādi-paramaḥ ahantā-mamatādy-eka-tātparyeṇa tasminn anādaravān ity arthaḥ | ‘nāmaikaṁ yasya vāci smaraṇa-patha-gatam’ ity-ādau deha-draviṇādi-nimittaka-pāṣaṇḍa-śabdena ca daśāparādhā lakṣyante pāṣaṇḍamayatvāt teṣām | tathā tad-vidhānām evāparādhāntaram uktaṁ pādma-vaiśākha-māhātmye—avamanya prayānti ye bhagavat-kīrtanaṁ narāḥ | te yānti narakaṁ ghoraṁ tena pāpena karmaṇā || iti | eṣāṁ cāparādhānām ananya-prāyaścittatvam evoktaṁ tatraiva—nāmāparādha-yuktānāṁ nāmāny eva haranty agham | aviśrānti-prayuktāni tāny evārthakarāṇi ca || iti | atra sat-prabhṛtiṣv aparādhe tu tat-santoṣārtham eva santata-nāma-kīrtanādikaṁ samucitam | ambarīṣa-caritādau tad-eka-kṣamyatvenāparādhānāṁ darśanāt | uktaṁ ca nāma-kaumudyām—‘mahad-aparādhasya bhoga eva nivartakaḥ tad-anugraho vā’ iti | tasmād gaty-antarābhāvāt sādhūktam ‘etan nirvidyamānānām’ iti | evaṁ śrī-nāradenoktaṁ bṛhan-nāradīye—mahimnām api yan nāmnaḥ pāraṁ gantum anīśvarāḥ | manavo’pi munīndrāś ca kathaṁ taṁ kṣuṇṇa-dhīr bhaje || iti ||
(Excerpt from Bhakti Sandarbha: 265)

“Then, the ten offenses stated in Padma Purāṇa are to be avoided in full as per the statement of Sanat-kumara [in PP 4.25.12-13]: sarvāparādha-kṛd api … . And these are the offenses: satāṁ nindā nāmnaḥ … [as stated in PP 4.25.15–18]. …
“[The following explanation of the offenses is then offered:] (1) ‘Defamation of the sat’ (satāṁ nindā)—by this [statement] violence and so forth [i.e., and other forms of offense more grievous than defamation] are shown to be outside the scope of speech [i.e., so greatly offensive that there is no need to even mention them]. Defamation and so forth are indeed [described] in the conversation of Śrī Mārkaṇḍeya and Bhagīratha in Skanda Purāṇa: ‘Fools who engage in defamation of great Vaiṣṇavas fall into that which is known as Mahāraurava along with their forefathers. Striking, defaming, despising, not respectfully greeting, getting angry with, and not being joyful upon seeing Vaiṣṇavas are six causes of falling [into naraka].’ A fault is [also] stated [to exist] even in the case of [only] hearing defamation of them [i.e., bhaktas of Bhagavān; meaning, it is not only an offense to speak defamation of Vaiṣṇavas but also to listen to it] as per [the statement] nindāṁ Bhagavataḥ śṛṇvan [in SB 10.74.40]. …
“(2) Thus, in this way [i.e., as per the numerous statements from śāstra cited in this section to show that all the names of the various devas are actually names of Bhagavān Viṣṇu which he has allotted to those devas], because of Śrī Viṣṇu’s being well known to be all-containing [i.e., the ultimate being who contains even all the other devas], one who shall see even with the intellect the qualities, names, and so forth of Śiva to be distinct from him [i.e., from Śrī Viṣṇu], that is, [to be] existent by means of another potency (śakti) [i.e., a potency thought to belong to another devatā rather than to belong ultimately to Śrī Viṣṇu himself and be invested into such a devatā by Śrī Viṣṇu, is an offender of the name] is the meaning. If there was a sixth case ending [intended to be read in the word Viṣṇoḥ in the verse, which as per the rules of grammar can be interpreted to be in either the fifth or the sixth case] with the intent of [conveying the] nondistinction between the two [i.e., between Śiva and Viṣṇu], then [the phrase] ‘and of Śrī Viṣṇu’ (Śrī-Viṣṇoś ca) would have been expected [to have been found in the text] and the word ‘and’ (ca) would have been used [to fulfill this expectation; this is to say, since the word ‘and’ (ca) was not used in the text following the compound Śrī-Viṣṇoś, this compound should be interpreted to be in the fifth grammatical case rather than the sixth]. With the intention specifically of his [i.e., Viṣṇu’s] preeminence [in comparison to Śiva], the word śrī was also used only there [i.e., only in compound with the word Viṣṇu, and not with the word Śiva]. Therefore, in regard to the compound ‘an offense to the name of Śiva’ (Śiva-nāmāparādhaḥ) [stated in the later verse regarding the ninth offense], that Śrī Viṣṇu in particular is primarily referred to by the word Śiva is intended. In the Viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma and elsewhere as well, the names Sthāṇu, Śiva, and so forth are just the same [i.e., they refer primarily to Śrī Viṣṇu rather than to Śiva even though they are commonly understood to refer primarily to Śiva].
“Then [i.e., the third offense is not elaborated on in the text, likely because the explanation of the first offense applies to offense related to the guru as well], (4) defamation of the Śrutis and śāstras is as in the case of heretics (pāṣaṇḍis), that is, worshipers of Dattātreya and Ṛṣabhadeva, in accord with the path of a heresy [i.e., it refers to the fundamental heresy of rejection of the authority of the Śrutis and other śāstras].
“(5) Also, ‘praise’ (arthavādaḥ) refers to considering, ‘This is mere praise’ [i.e., opining that the śāstra’s descriptions of the greatness of the name are mere hyperbole]. (6) Fabricating (kalpanam) refers to thinking in another manner [about the meaning of Hari’s name] for the purpose of making its greatness secondary [i.e., construing the names of Hari to be merely figurative and opining that they are not actually inherently possessed of the meaning, greatness, and potency that the great ones (mahātmās) have experienced the names to manifest], as stated in the Vyāsa-gītā in Kūrma Purāṇa: ‘Offense to guru is tens of millions of times worse than offense to the Deity. But denial of knowledge [i.e., intentionally reinterpreting śāstra so as to construe it to be merely metaphorical, mythological, and the like] and disbelief [in the śāstra] are ten millions times worse than that [i.e., than offense to guru].’
“(7) In regard to nāmno balāt … [i.e., the seventh offense], although the destruction even of sin performed based on the strength of the name shall occur by means of that [very same] name, still if one performs a sinful act, which is an object of extreme repugnance, on the basis of that very same strength of the name by which one has endeavored to attain the lotus feet of Śrī Bhagavān himself, which are constituted of eternal being, consciousness, and intense bliss and by nature the supreme puruṣārtha, then that is extreme ill-naturedness. In this case, one veritably misuses the name, and thus the occurrence of an offense a crore times far greater than that sin [which one intended to use the name to absolve oneself of] most certainly ensues. In this case, the non-occurrence of purification of him [i.e., of such an offender of the name] by means of regulations, that is, [the non-occurrence of purification] of one [such offender] who has performed atonement by means of numerous restraints (yamas), regulations (niyamas), and so forth, or, of one [such offender] upon whom punishment has been inflicted even by numerous bearers of the staff [i.e., Yamarājas] who have sequentially received the authority [to punish offenders over the course of numerous cyclic manifestations of the material world], is certainly appropriate on account of only again constantly chanting the name [of Hari] being the atonement in this case as per the forthcoming statement [in Padma Purāṇa], ‘The names [of Hari] certainly destroy the sins of those who have committed offense to the name; uttered incessantly, they are certainly effective,’ and on account of the law (niyama) of suffering in the form of falling down [being compulsorily applicable] for one who has committed offense to the name even though [one may otherwise be] possessed of bhakti to Bhagavān as per [the statement in PP 4.25.12-13] sarvāparādha-kṛd api …. …
“(8) Then, in regard to [the statement] dharma-vrata-tyāgaḥ …, equating [the name] with dharma and so forth is also negligence, meaning, an offense occurs [because of it]. …
“(9) Then, after showing the offense of [i.e., that can be committed by] a teacher [of the name] in [the statement] aśraddadhāne …, he [i.e., Sanat-kumāra] states (10) [the offense which can occur on the part] of the recipient of instruction [regarding the name]: śrutvāpi … Because of being one for whom ‘I’, ‘mine’, and so forth are primary, that is, [being one who is] possessed of disregard for it [i.e., the name of Hari] on account of being fixated principally upon egotism (ahantā), possessiveness (mamatā), and so forth, is the meaning [of the tenth offense].
“The ten offenses are also indicated by the word ‘the heretical’ (pāṣaṇḍa), who are motivated by the body, wealth, and so forth, in [the statement in PP 4.25.24] nāmaikaṁ yasya vāci smaraṇa-patha-gatam … because of their being heretical (pāṣaṇḍamaya) [i.e., because of the offenses’ being acts contrary to the teaching of the śāstra]. Also, another offense of those of that type [i.e., of the heretical (pāṣaṇḍis)] is stated in the Vaiśākha-māhātmya in Padma Purāṇa (5.96.63): ‘Those people who disrespect kīrtana of Bhagavān and leave [places where it is being performed] go to a fearsome naraka because of this sinful act.’
“There verily being no other atonement for all these offenses [apart from further chanting of the name] is stated in that very place [in Padma Purāṇa just after the aforementioned ten offenses were listed]: ‘The names [of Hari] certainly destroy the sins of those who have committed offense to the name; uttered incessantly, they are certainly effective.’ Here, in the case of an offense to a sādhu and so forth [i.e., and to Bhagavān, his name, the guru, and so forth as aforementioned in the list of the ten offenses], constant kīrtana and so forth of the name specifically for the sake of satisfying them [i.e., whomever has been offended] is appropriate [i.e., enjoined as the appropriate means of rectification] because of observance in the narrations of Ambarīṣa and so forth of offenses being forgivable only by them [i.e., by the person in particular who was offended, as in the case of Durvāsā Muni’s offense to Ambarīṣa Mahārāja, not even Bhagavān himself could forgive Durvāsā Muni’s offense; it was only forgiven when Durvāsā Muni appealed directly to Ambarīṣa Mahārāja for forgiveness]. It is also stated in the Nāma-kaumudī: ‘The only mitigation of an offense to a great one (mahat) is suffering [the reactions of the offense] or his favor [i.e., receiving the forgiveness of the person who was offended].’ Therefore, because of the absence of any other means, it was rightly stated [in SB 2.1.11, as cited at the beginning of this anuccheda] etan nirvidyamānānām … [‘This anukīrtana of Hari’s name, wherein there is no fear from anywhere, is enjoined for the indifferent, the desirous, and the yogīs’]. It was similarly stated by Śrī Nārada in Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa: ‘How can I of defeated intellect worship he even the greatness of whose name human beings and even the foremost of the sages are unable to reach the limit of?’”

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varān vibho tvad varadeśvarād budhaḥ

varān vibho tvad varadeśvarād budhaḥ
kathaṁ vṛṇīte guṇa-vikriyātmanām |
ye nārakāṇām api santi dehināṁ
tān īśa kaivalya-pate vṛṇe na ca ||
na kāmaye nātha tad apy ahaṁ kvacin
na yatra yuṣmac-caraṇāmbujāsavaḥ |
mahattamāntar-hṛdayān mukha-cyuto
vidhatsva karṇāyutam eṣa me varaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.20.23–24)

“[Pṛthu Mahārāja to Bhagavān:] O Vibhu! How can an intelligent person request from you, the Īśvara of [even] the granters of boons [i.e., of the devatās such as Brahmā], the boons of [i.e., sought by] those for whom a transformation of the guṇas [i.e., the ahaṅkāra] is [considered] the self? O Īśa! O Master of kaivalya! I too [i.e., although I am not intelligent] do not request those [boons, i.e., objects enjoyable to the senses] which even those possessed of hellish bodies [i.e., the bodies of hogs, dogs, and so on] have. O Nātha! I never desire even that wherein the nectar of your lotus feet is not streaming out through the mouth from the inner heart of the greatest mahats. Please grant me ten-thousand ears [to drink in the nectar of that discussion of your lotus feet]. This is my request.”

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ātmārāmān madhura-caritair bhakti-yoge vidhāsyam

ātmārāmān madhura-caritair bhakti-yoge vidhāsyam
nānā-līlā-rasa-racanayā nandayiṣyan sva-bhaktān |
daityānīkair bhuvam atibharāṁ vīta-bhārāṁ kariṣyan
mūrtānando vraja-pati-gṛhe jātavat prādurāsīt ||
(Ānanda-vṛndāvana-campū: 2.9)

“To direct ātmārāmas to bhakti-yoga

With his sweet acts,

To delight his own bhaktas

With a production of the rasa of various līlās,

And to unburden the earth

From the excessive burden of the armies of the daityas,

Embodied Bliss [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa]

Appeared in the home of Vraja’s king

Like a newborn.”

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mat-saṅga-śabdenātra mama saṅgo madīyādīnāṁ ca saṅga ity abhidhāpyate

mat-saṅga-śabdenātra mama saṅgo madīyādīnāṁ ca saṅga ity abhidhāpyate | ubhayatrāpi mat-sambandhitvād ity abhiprāyeṇa | tatra svasyāpi sattvāt sat-saṅga-prakaraṇe sva-saṅgo’py antarbhāvitaḥ | yat tu purā bhāgavata-saṅgenaiva bhagavat-kṛpā bhavatīty uktaṁ, tat tu tat-sāmmukhya-janmany eva | atra tu sa eva bhāgavata-saṅgaḥ sādhana-viśeṣatvenocyata iti na doṣaḥ | yadi vātra kutracit sāmmukhya-janma-kāraṇam api bhagavat-saṅgo bhavet, tadāpy evam ācakṣmahe—sac-chabdārtham avatāram aṅgīkṛtya yat kadācit sarvatra kṛpāṁ vitanoti bhagavān, tac ca sat-sambandhenaivety ato nābhyupagama-hānir iti ||
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 240)

“Here [i.e., in SB 11.12.7] by the [compound] word mat-saṅga [lit., ‘my association’], the association of myself [i.e., Bhagavān], and the association of those who are my own [i.e., Bhagavān’s own, meaning, his bhaktas], are [both] indicated with the intention being because of there being a relation with me [i.e., Bhagavān] in both cases [i.e., by means of both types of association]. In that regard, because of himself also being sat [i.e., because Bhagavān himself is also a sādhu], his own saṅga is also included in the subject of sat-saṅga. While it was stated previously [in Anuccheda 180] that Bhagavān’s grace occurs [towards a jīva in saṁsāra] only because of [the jīva first having] association with those devoted to Bhagavān (bhāgavatas) [i.e., his bhaktas], that was [stated] specifically in relation to the production of intentness (sāmmukhya) upon him [i.e., Bhagavān]. Here, however, that very association with those devoted to Bhagavān is [being] referred to as a type of sādhana. Thus, there is no fault [i.e., no inconsistency between these two statements, since sat-saṅga understood as association with bhaktas of Bhagavān specifically, and not association with Bhagavān himself, can be considered the sole cause of the sāmmukhya towards Bhagavān, which is only an initial, general state of intentness upon Bhagavān, whereas association with bhaktas, or association with Bhagavān, or various other practices can all be rightly recognized as forms of sādhana, that is, means to siddhi, meaning, full attainment of Bhagavān, which are all processes that begin after the attainment of the aforementioned initial sāmmukhya towards Bhagavān]. If, alternately in this regard, association with Bhagavān shall also be [seen to be] in some cases a cause of the production of intentness (sāmmukhya) [upon Bhagavān], even then we shall consider the meaning of the word sat [as follows] in this manner: when Bhagavān, after undertaking a decent (avatāra), sometimes distributes his grace everywhere, then that is also because of a relation with the sat [i.e., his bhaktas, meaning, Bhagavān primarily descends for the sake of gracing his bhaktas, as was explained earlier in Anuccheda 93 of Paramātma Sandarbha, and in the process if he happens in some cases to distribute his grace widely to everyone around his bhaktas as well and as a result persons around his bhaktas are seen to attain sāmmukhya towards him, then that extension of grace is still to be considered to have occurred because of Bhagavān’s relation with the sat, that is, his bhaktas]. Therefore, there is no loss in conceding [that sometimes Bhagavān extends his grace directly to some persons who are not seen to have previously had any association with his bhaktas, since even in those cases his bestowing his grace upon such persons is actually still because of a relation with his bhaktas, and thereby the principle that sat-saṅga is the sole cause of sāmmukhya toward Bhagavān stands].”

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mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā

mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā
vimanyavaḥ suhṛdaḥ sādhavo ye |
ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā
janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu ||
gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu
na prīti-yuktā yāvad-arthāś ca loke ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 5.5.2–3; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.17, 69; Bhakti Sandarbha: 186; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.82)

“Service to the mahats is said to be the door to mukti of various types, and attachment to those who are attached to women [is said to be] the door to darkness. The mahāntas [lit., ‘the great’] are they who are of equal mind, tranquil, free from anger, friendly, and virtuous, and alternately, they who (1) have made affection [i.e., prema] for me, Īśa, their aim, (2) [they] who are unpossessed of affinity for homes, wives, children, friends, and persons fixed upon affairs related to bodily maintenance, and (3) [they] who are possessed of only so much wealth [as is necessary] in this world.”

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viśva-pālanārthaṁ parameśvaro na kiñcit karoti

viśva-pālanārthaṁ parameśvaro na kiñcit karoti, kintu svena sahaivāvatīrṇān vaikuṇṭha-pārṣadān tathādhikārika-devādy-antargatān tathā taṭasthān anyāṁś ca bhaktān ānandayituṁ svarūpa-śakty-āviṣkāreṇaiva nānāvatārān līlāś cāsau prakāśayati | … tad evaṁ bhaktānandārtham eva tān prakaṭayatas tasyānanusaṁhitam api sura-pakṣapātādi-viśva-pālana-rūpaṁ tan-māyā-kāryaṁ svata eva bhavati | loke yathā kecid bhaktāḥ parasparaṁ bhagavat-prema-sukhollāsāya militāḥ, tad-anabhijñān api kāṁścin mārdaṅgikādīn saṅgṛhya tad-guṇa-gānānandenonmattavan nṛtyanto viśveṣām evāmaṅgalaṁ ghnanti, maṅgalam api vardhayantīti | … evam evoktam—sṛṣṭy-ādikaṁ harer naiva prayojanam apekṣya tu | kurute kevalānandād yathā martyasya nartanam || iti |
(Excerpt from Paramātma Sandarbha: 93)

“Parameśvara does not do anything to sustain the universe, but he manifests various avatāras and līlās purely by revelation of his svarūpa-śakti (inherent potency) to delight his associates from Vaikuṇṭha who descend along with him as well as those amongst the authorities, devas, and so forth [who see to the administration of the universe], and other peripheral bhaktas [i.e., those bhaktas on the periphery of matters of universal administration and his līlās with his descended associates]. … Thus, in this way, while manifesting them [i.e., his various avatāras] solely for the sake of the bliss of [his] bhaktas, the work of his māyā, in the form of his sustaining the universe by favoring the suras and so forth, occurs of its own accord [i.e., automatically] even though unsought [out by him specifically], just as in the world when some bhaktas are assembled together to increase the joy of [their] prema for Bhagavān and have gathered some mṛdaṅga players who are even unacquainted with that [i.e., the joy of prema for Bhagavān], they [i.e., those bhaktas] become maddened by the bliss of singing of his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] qualities and dance, and so dispel the inauspiciousness of the world and increase the auspiciousness as well [i.e., the bhaktas primary purpose is satisfying Bhagavān with acts of bhakti but concomitantly as they do this they also happen, secondarily, to dispel auspiciousness and create auspiciousness in their midst within the world]. … In this way, it is said [in the Nārāyaṇa-saṁhitā], ‘Hari does not require any motive for emanation and so forth [i.e., for emanating, sustaining, and dissolving the material universes]. He acts purely out of bliss, like the dancing of an intoxicated person.’”

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atha yad avatārādāv aśuddha-cittānām api tat-sākṣātkāraḥ śrūyate

atha yad avatārādāv aśuddha-cittānām api tat-sākṣātkāraḥ śrūyate, tat khalu tad-ābhāsa eva jñeyaḥ | ‘nāhaṁ prakāśaḥ sarvasya yogamāyā-samāvṛtaḥ’ iti śrī-gītopaniṣadbhyaḥ | … adarśanaṁ cānavatāra-samaye vyāpakasyāpi darśanābhāvaḥ, avatāra-samaye tu paramānande’pi duḥkhadatvaṁ, manorame’pi bhīṣaṇatvam, sarva-suhṛdy api durhṛttvam ity ādi-viparīta-darśanam eva | tad-aprakāśe yogamāyā-prakāśe ca mūlaṁ kāraṇaṁ tad-bhaktāparādhādimaya-puruṣa-cittāsvācchyam | yat khalu tadānīntane tasya sārvatrika-prakāśe’pi vajralepāyate | ata eva ‘muktir hitvā’ ity-ādi-lakṣaṇasyāvyāpter na tasya sākṣātkārābhāsasya mukti-saṁjñatvam api |
(Prīti Sandarbha: 7)

“Then, the direct perception (sākṣātkāra) of him [i.e., of Bhagavān] on the part even of those of impure heart that is heard of during [his] descents (avatāras), or in other instances, is to be understood as only a semblance (ābhāsa) of that [i.e., of actual direct perception (sākṣātkāra) of him], as per the Gītopaniṣad [7.25], ‘Being concealed by [my] yogamāyā, I am not manifest to all.’ … Also, non-vision [of Bhagavān] at a time other than a descent (avatāra) [of Bhagavān] means the absence of vision even of he [i.e., Bhagavān] who [by nature] is all-pervading, whereas at the time of [his] descent (avatāra) [non-vision of him] is verily reversed vision, such as that of his being [seen to be] a cause of suffering even when he is the supreme bliss, being [seen to be] terrifying even though he is charming, or being [seen to be] an ill-wisher even when he is the well-wisher of all. In the case of non-manifestation of him [i.e., in the case of times when his descent (avatāra) is not taking place] and in the case of manifestation of [his] yogamāyā [i.e., in the case of yogamāyā concealing him even during the time of his descent (avatāra)], the root cause [of these instances of non-vision of him] is the impurity in an embodied being’s (puruṣa’s) citta in the form of offenses (aparādhas) to his bhaktas and so forth, which even at the time of his manifestation everywhere [i.e., even during the time of his descent (avatāra) when he is openly visible] is as if cement [i.e., such impurity in the citta remains hard and fixed in place, blocking reflection of his potency of self-manifestation (sva-prakāśitatva-śakti) off of the citta into the mind whereby direct perception of him would otherwise take place]. Therefore, because of the non-pervasion [i.e., non-existence] of the characteristics [stated] in muktir hitvānyathā … [i.e., in the definition of mukti given in SB 2.10.6], a semblance (ābhāsa) of direct perception (sākṣātkāra) of him that occurs in such cases] does not have the status of being designated as mukti.”

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atha śruti-smṛtī mamaivājñe ity-ādi-nindita-mātra-svāvaśyaka-kriyā-niṣedhayor ullaṅghanaṁ dvividham

atha śruti-smṛtī mamaivājñe ity-ādi-nindita-mātra-svāvaśyaka-kriyā-niṣedhayor ullaṅghanaṁ dvividham | tau hi dharma-śāstroktau bhakti-śāstroktau ceti | bhagavad-bhakti-viśvāsena dauḥśīlyena vā pūrvayor akaraṇa-karaṇa-pratyāsattau na vaiṣṇava-bhāvād bhraṁśaḥ, ‘devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṝṇāṁ’ ity-ādy-ukteḥ, ‘api cet sudurācāraḥ’ ity-ādy-ukteś ca | tādṛśa-rucimati tu tayaiva rucyā dviṣṭatvād apunar-bhavādy-ānandasyāpi vāñchā nāsti, kim uta parama-ghṛṇāspadasya | atas tatra svata eva na pravṛttiḥ | pramādādinā kadācij jātaṁ ced vikarma tat-kṣaṇād eva naśyaty api | uktaṁ ca—‘vikarma yac cotpatitaṁ kathañcid dhunoti sarvaṁ hṛdi sanniviṣṭaḥ’ iti | atha yadi vaiṣṇava-śāstroktau tau, tarhi viṣṇu-santoṣaika-prayojanāv eva bhavataḥ | tayoś ca tādṛśatve śrute sati tadīya-rāga-rucimataḥ svata eva pravṛtty-apravṛttī syātām—tat-santoṣaika-jīvanatvāt prīti-jāteḥ | ata eva na tatra svānugamyamāna-rāgātmaka-siddha-bhakta-viśeṣeṇa kṛtatvākṛtatvayor anusandhānaṁ cāpekṣyaṁ syāt, kintu tat-kṛtatve sati viśeṣeṇāgraho bhavatīty eva viśeṣaḥ | atra kvacic chāstrokta-krama-vidhy-apekṣā ca rāga-rucyaiva pravartiteti rāgānugāntaḥpāta eva | ye ca śrī-gokulādi-virāji-rāgātmikānugās tat-parās te tu śrī-kṛṣṇa-kṣema-tat-saṁsargāntarāyābhāvādi-kāmyātmaka-tad-abhiprāya-rītyaiva vaiṣṇava-laukika-dharmānuṣṭhānaṁ kurvanti | ata eva rāgānugāyāṁ rucer eva sad-dharma-pravartakatvāt śruti-smṛtī mamaivājñe ity etad-vākyasya na tad-vartma-bhakti-viṣayatvam, ‘api cet sudurācāraḥ’ ity ādi-virodhān na ca vidhi-vartma-bhakti-viṣayatvaṁ kintu bāhya-śāstra-nirmita-buddha-rṣabha-dattātreyādi-bhajana-vartma-viṣayatvam eva | tathoktam—veda-dharma-viruddhātmā yadi devaṁ prapūjayet | sa yāti narakaṁ ghoraṁ yāvad āhūta-samplavam || iti | rāgānugāyāṁ vidhy-apravartitāyām api na veda-bāhyatvam, veda-vaidika-prasiddhaiva sā—tatra tatra rucitvāt | vedeṣu buddhādīnāṁ tu varṇanaṁ veda-bāhyaṁ viruddhatvenaiva yathā—tataḥ kalau sampravṛtte sammohāya sura-dviṣām | buddho nāmnāñjana-sutaḥ kīkaṭeṣu bhaviṣyati || ity-ādi |tasmād bhavaty eva rāgānugā samīcīnā | tathā vaidhīto’py atiśayavatī ca | maryādā-vacanaṁ hy āveśārtham eveti darśitam | sa punar āveśo yathā ruci-viśeṣa-lakṣaṇa-mānasa-bhāvena syāt, na tathā vidhi-preraṇayā, svārasika-mano-dharmatvāt tasya | tatra cāstāṁ tāvad-anukūla-bhāvaḥ, parama-niṣiddhena pratikūla-bhāvenāpy āveśo jhaṭiti syāt | tad-āveśa-sāmarthyena prātikūlya-doṣa-hāniḥ syāt | sarvānartha-nivṛttiś ca syād iti bhāva-mārgasya balavattve dṛṣṭānto’pi dṛśyate | tatra yady anukūla-bhāvaḥ syāt, tadā paramaikānti-sādhya evāsau |
(Excerpted from Bhakti Sandarbha: 312)

“Then, transgression of compulsory actions and prohibitions [i.e., those enjoined in śāstra] for oneself, which is criticized outright in [the aforementioned verse of Vādhūla-smṛti wherein Bhagavān states], ‘Śruti and Smṛti are verily my orders. One who proceeds transgressing them is a defier of [my] orders and my enemy. Even if he is my bhakta, he is not a Vaiṣṇava,’ is of two types. These [two types of compulsory actions and prohibitions] are (1) those stated in dharma-śāstra, and (2) those stated in bhakti-śāstra. In the case of non-performance and performance of the former [i.e., of non-performance of compulsory actions stated in dharma-śāstra and performance of acts prohibited in dharma-śāstra] because of conviction (viśvāsa) in bhakti to Bhagavān, or because of bad character, falling from the state of being a Vaiṣṇava does not occur, as per the statement [in SB 11.5.41], ‘O King, one who has forsaken one’s duties [i.e., the duties of one’s varṇa and āśrama] and taken shelter completely in the ultimate shelterer, Mukunda, is neither a servant of, nor a debtor to, the devas, the ṛṣis, living beings, relatives, mankind, or ancestors,’ and the statement [in BG 9.30], ‘If even a person of extreme misconduct serves me exclusively, he should be regarded as a sādhu because he is rightly resolved.’ One endowed with such taste (ruci) [i.e., taste for a particular form of rāgātmikā-bhakti that produces disinterest in everything apart from such bhakti], however, has no desire even for the bliss of the non-repetition of birth and so on [i.e., no desire for any of the varieties of mokṣa or any of the pleasures that can be attained through adherence to dharma], much less [desire] for anything that is an object of repugnance [i.e., much less for things that contravene the directives of śāstra, that is, that are adharmic] because of [all such things from the bliss of mokṣa on down] being detested [by that bhakta] just by virtue of that taste [i.e., taste for a particular form of rāgātmikā-bhakti]. Therefore, there is naturally just no propensity [in such a bhakta] for that [i.e., for actions that contravene the directives of śāstra]. If at some time a wrongful action is occasioned [by such a bhakta] as a result of inattention or otherwise, that is also destroyed immediately. This is also stated [in SB 11.5.42], ‘Situated in the heart [of a dear one who has given up regard for others, i.e., all other devatās, and is engaged in service to the soles of his feet, Hari, the Supreme Lord,] washes away in full any wrongful action that has somehow arisen [i.e., that has somehow been committed by that bhakta].’ Now, when those [compulsory actions and prohibitions that may so happen to be contravened by a bhakta] are those stated in Vaiṣṇava-śāstra, then those are existent only for the singular aim of the satisfaction of Viṣṇu. When they are heard of as being such [i.e., when it is known that they exist solely for the purpose of satisfying Bhagavān], then a propensity [to perform the actions enjoined in bhakti-śāstra] and a non-propensity [to perform the actions forbidden in bhakti-śāstra] shall come about entirely naturally for one endowed with [the aforementioned] taste (ruci) for a rāga related to him [i.e., Bhagavān, that is, for the rāga of a particular rāgātmikā-bhakta], because of his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] satisfaction being the very life of the manifestation of prīti [i.e., prema for Bhagavān]. Therefore, there shall also be no examination or necessary observability of performance and non-performance in this regard [i.e., in regard to performance of actions enjoined in bhakti-śāstra and non-performance of actions forbidden in bhakti-śāstra] by the particular rāgātmaka-siddha-bhakta [i.e., the realized bhakta possessed of rāga for Bhagavān] being followed by oneself, but eagerness does occur in particular [on the part of a sādhaka] for those [actions] that are performed [by the rāgātmaka-siddha-bhakta whom a sādhaka follows]. In this regard, in some cases, observance of [injunctive] procedures stated in śāstra also proceeds [i.e., occurs in the sādhana of a rāgānugā-bhakti-sādhaka] just because of [the aforementioned] taste (ruci) for a [particular] rāga and thus [such observance] is indeed included in rāgānugā [-bhakti]. Those who are followers of the rāgātmikās [i.e., rāgātmikā-bhaktas] residing in Śrī Gokula or elsewhere and devoted to them perform Vaiṣṇava [practices] and conventional dharma practices only with their [i.e., those rāgātmikā-bhaktas’] disposition and intention [which is] constituted of an object of desire such as Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s well-being or the negation of obstacles to meeting with him. Therefore, because of taste (ruci) alone being the impetus for [adherence to] proper conduct (sad-dharma) in rāgānugā [i.e., on the path of rāgānugā-sādhana-bhakti], this statement, ‘Śruti and Smṛti are verily my orders …,’ has no applicability to the bhakti of that path [i.e., to rāgānugā-bhakti]. It also has no applicability to the bhakti of the path of vidhi [i.e., to vaidhī-bhakti either] because of [its] contrariety to [the aforementioned statement in BG 9.30,] ‘If even a person of extreme misconduct serves me exclusively, he should be regarded as a sādhu because he is rightly resolved.’ It has applicability, rather, only to the paths of worship of [i.e., taught by] Buddha, Ṛṣabha, Dattātreya, and others that are formulated by exterior texts [i.e., by texts that are not part of the Vedic canon]. Thus, it is said, ‘If someone whose disposition is opposed to the dharma of the Vedas intently worships Deva, he goes to a a fearsome naraka until the summoning of the flood [i.e., until the dissolution of the universe].’ Although rāgānugā [-bhakti] is not impelled by injunction [i.e., the injunctions enjoined in the Vedic śāstras], it is not exterior to [the scope of] the Vedas. It is indeed [rather] fully established in [alt., highly renowned throughout] the Vedas and śāstras based on the Vedas on account of taste (ruci) [within it] for these [i.e., for the Vedas and śāstras based on the Vedas, that is, on account of sādhakas following the path of rāgānugā-bhakti invariably having taste (ruci), that is, great regard, for the general authority of the Vedas and texts related to them and in a particular for the specific portions of them that pertain to the path of rāgānugā-bhakti]. The descriptions of Buddha and so forth [i.e., Ṛṣabha, Dattātreya, and others that can be found] in the Vedas [and śāstras based on them], however, are exterior to the Vedas because of [their, i.e., Buddha and so forth’s] being opposed [to the Vedas], as [is indicated] in [the following statement from SB, 1.3.24], ‘Then at the beginning of [the Age of] Kali, Buddha, the son of Añjanā, will appear among the Kīkaṭas [i.e., in the region of Gayā in Bihar] for the purpose of bewildering the suras’ foes’ [i.e., Buddha, Ṛṣabha, Dattātreya, and others are considered to be exterior to the Vedas and Vedic dharma even though they are mentioned within texts of the Vedic canon and recognized as avatāras because they taught people to disregard the Vedas’ authority and follow a path not enjoined by the Vedas]. Therefore, rāgānugā [-bhakti] is certainly proper [i.e., a path supported by Vedic authority, a path worthy of being followed, and a path not to be confused with paths exterior to Vedic dharma] and so also superior even to vaidhī [-bhakti]. That the pronouncement of protocol [i.e., the śāstra’s stating injunctions and prohibitions as an impetus for people to follow the path of bhakti, i.e., the path of vaidhī-bhakti] is only for the purpose of [leading people towards the state of] absorption [in bhakti] has been shown [already]. That absorption, furthermore, shall not come about [as strongly and completely] by means of the impetus of injunctions as it shall by means of the disposition (bhāva) of the mind characterized by a specific taste (ruci) because of its [i.e., that absorption based on taste’s] being the natural characteristic of the mind. And in that regard, let alone a specifically favorable disposition (anukūla-bhāva) [towards the object of bhakti, viz., Bhagavān], absorption [of the mind in Bhagavān] can quickly come about even by means of an unfavorable disposition (pratikūla-bhāva) [towards the object of bhakti, viz., Bhagavān] that is completely forbidden [i.e., since absorption of the mind in Bhagavān can quickly occur even when one fosters a forbidden and offensive unfavorable disposition towards Bhagavān, it can occur all the more by means of a favorable disposition towards Bhagavān]. Removal of the fault of unfavorability [in one’s disposition in the case of those who become absorbed in Bhagavān out of unfavorability] shall occur by the power of that absorption [in Bhagavān, he who is the ultimate cause of all purification]. The cessation of all obstructions (anarthas) shall also occur [by virtue of that absorption in Bhagavān even out of an unfavorable disposition]. Thus, an illustration of the powerfulness of the path of bhāva [i.e., the path of engagement on the basis of the mind’s natural propensity for absorption in objects for which it has taste (ruci)] is also evident [since absorption of the mind even by means of a bhāva (disposition) of unfavorability towards Bhagavān results in full purification of the mind]. In that regard [i.e., in regard to that state of absorption], if one shall have a favorable disposition (anukūla-bhāva) [towards Bhagavān therein], then that [state] is itself the object sought by those who are supremely one-pointed [i.e., by those who practice complete mental one-pointedness upon Bhagavān by various forms of sādhana].”

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rakṣo-daitya-kulaṁ hataṁ kiyad idaṁ yogādi-vartma-kriyā

rakṣo-daitya-kulaṁ hataṁ kiyad idaṁ yogādi-vartma-kriyā-
mārgo vā prakaṭī-kṛtaḥ kiyad idaṁ sṛṣṭy-ādikaṁ vā kiyat |
mediny-uddharaṇādikaṁ kiyad idaṁ premojjvalāyā mahā-
bhakter vartma-karīṁ parāṁ bhagavataś caitanya-mūrtiṁ stumaḥ ||
(Caitanya-candrāmṛta: 7)

“How great is this killing of rākṣasas and Daityas? Or how great is this establishing the remedial processes of the paths of yoga and so on? Or how great is emanating and so on [manifesting, maintaining, and dissolving the material universes]? How great is saving the earth and so on? We adore only Bhagavān’s form of Śrī Caitanya, the establisher of the supreme path of bhakti resplendent with prema [i.e., in comparison to Śrī Caitanya, the best of all avatāras who has given the paramount spiritual gift, we do not highly praise the acts of Rāma, Nṛsiṁha, and others (who killed demons), Kapila and others (who taught yoga and other disciplines), Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva (who manifest and oversee saṁsāra), or Varāha and others (who saved the earth and performed other feats)].”

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