Bābāra Kathā – Page 4

nivṛttiḥ paramo dharmo nivṛttiḥ paramaṁ sukham

nivṛttiḥ paramo dharmo nivṛttiḥ paramaṁ sukham |
manasā vinivṛttānāṁ dharmasya nicayo mahān ||
manaḥ-pūrvāgamā dharmā adharmāś ca na saṁśayaḥ |
manasā badhyate cāpi mucyate cāpi mānavaḥ ||
nigṛhīte bhavet svargo visṛṣṭe narako dhruvaḥ |
(Mahābhārata: 13.213.41–43)

“Desistance (nivṛtti) is the ultimate dharma. Desistance is the ultimate happiness. Those have amply desisted by mind have a vast accumulation of dharma. Dharma and adharma are of prior appearance in the mind [i.e., dharma and adharma first arise in the mind and then manifest in the form of action]. There is no doubt [of this]. A human being is bound and also liberated by means of the mind. When [the mind is] controlled, Svarga shall manifest, and when released [i.e., left uncontrolled], Naraka is certain.”

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mādhuryādy-āśrayatvena kṛṣṇādīṁs tanute ratiḥ

mādhuryādy-āśrayatvena kṛṣṇādīṁs tanute ratiḥ |
tathānubhūyamānās te vistīrṇāṁ kurvate ratim ||
atas tasya vibhāvādi-catuṣkasya rater api |
atra sāhāyakaṁ vyaktaṁ mitho’jasram avekṣyate ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.5.98–99)

“Rati reveals Kṛṣṇa and so forth [i.e., his companions, paraphernalia, abode, etc.] as vessels of [the qualities of] sweetness (mādhurya) and so forth. Being [then] experienced as such, they expand rati. Therefore, continuous mutual assistance of rati and the quad of the vibhāvas and so forth [i.e., the four primary ingredients of rasa other than the sthāyi-bhāva (rati), namely, the vibhāvas, anubhāvas, sāttvika-bhāvas, and sañcarī-bhāvas] is clearly seen here [i.e., in this aforementioned process of rasa manifesting].”

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sa vai nivṛtti-dharmeṇa vāsudevānukampayā

sa vai nivṛtti-dharmeṇa vāsudevānukampayā |
bhagavad-bhakti-yogena tirodhatte śanair iha ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.7.12)

“By the favor of Vāsudeva—[that is, by] the practice of bhakti to Bhagavān accompanied by observance of desistance (nivṛtti-dharma)—that [i.e., the nature of the non-self, meaning, identification with the adjuncts of māyā, delusion, etc.] indeed gradually disappears here [i.e., in this world].”

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evaṁ sañjāta-vairāgyo vijñānāloka ātmani

evaṁ sañjāta-vairāgyo vijñānāloka ātmani |
vicarāmi mahīm etāṁ mukta-saṅgo’nahaṅkṛtaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.9.30)

“Thus endowed with non-attachment (vairāgya) and the light of refined knowledge in regard to the Self, I roam about this earth freed from attachment and without egotism.”

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taṁ satyam ānanda-nidhiṁ bhajeta

taṁ satyam ānanda-nidhiṁ bhajeta
nānyatra sajjed yata ātma-pātaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.1.39; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 26)

“One should worship him [i.e., Bhagavān],
The Reality,
The Reservoir of Bliss.
One should not be attached elsewhere
Because the downfall of the self occurs [as a result].”

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naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās

naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās
tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ |
śoce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyārtha-
māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.9.43)

“Of mind absorbed in the great nectar
Of [songs sung by] the singers of your feats,
I am certainly not afraid,
O Supreme One,
Of the insurmountable Vaitaraṇī.
[Still,] I pity the fools,
Whose minds are averse to that [great nectar],
Bearing the burden [of worldly life]
For the sake of the illusory pleasure
Produced by objects of the senses.”

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naitan manas tava kathāsu vikuṇṭhanātha

naitan manas tava kathāsu vikuṇṭhanātha
samprīyate durita-duṣṭam asādhu tīvram |
kāmāturaṁ harṣa-śoka-bhayaiṣaṇārtaṁ
tasmin kathaṁ tava gatiṁ vimṛśāmi dīnaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.9.39; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 1)

“O Lord of Vaikuṇṭha!
This mind—
Corrupted by sin,
Unholy,
Impetuous,
Afflicted by kāma,
And beset with elation, sorrow, fear, and desire—
Does not take great pleasure
In narrations about you.
Therewith,
How can this wretch
Contemplate your existence?”

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trasto’smy ahaṁ kṛpaṇa-vatsala duḥsahogra

trasto’smy ahaṁ kṛpaṇa-vatsala duḥsahogra-
saṁsāra-cakra-kadanād grasatāṁ praṇītaḥ |
baddhaḥ sva-karmabhir uśattama te’ṅghri-mūlaṁ
prīto’pavarga-śaraṇaṁ hvayase kadā nu ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.9.16)

“Cast among devourers [i.e., asuras],
And bound by my own karmas,
I am afraid of the havoc
Of the fierce, difficult to bear wheel of saṁsāra.
O you who are affectionate to the pitiable,
O Greatest Beloved,
When will you be pleased
And call [me] to the shelter that is [itself] liberation—
The soles of your feet?”

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advaitam acyutam anādim ananta‑rūpam

advaitam acyutam anādim ananta‑rūpam
ādyaṁ purāṇa‑puruṣaṁ nava‑yauvanaṁ ca |
vedeṣu durlabham adurlabham ātma‑bhaktau
govindam ādi‑puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi ||
(Brahma-saṁhitā: 5.33)

“Incomparable,
Undiminishing,
Without beginning,
Infinite in form,
Original,
Prior to the Puruṣa,
Also ever-youthful,
Difficult to understand in the Vedas,
And not difficult to understand
Through bhakti from the heart—
I worship him,
Govinda,
The Original Puruṣa.”

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sarvātmakatvena bṛhat-tamatvād bhagavato rūpam eva brahma

sarvātmakatvena bṛhat-tamatvād bhagavato rūpam eva brahma |
(Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.8.78)

“On account of being the greatest [i.e., the most vast entity] by virtue of being the constitution of all [other entities in existence, i.e., of being the totality of existence], only the form of Bhagavān is [the rightful referent of the word] Brahman.”

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