Bābāra Kathā

ākṛṣṭiḥ kṛta-cetasāṁ sumahatām uccāṭanaṁ cāṁhasām

ākṛṣṭiḥ kṛta-cetasāṁ sumahatām uccāṭanaṁ cāṁhasām
ācaṇḍālam amūka-loka-sulabho vaśyaś ca mukti-śriyaḥ |
no dīkṣāṁ na ca dakṣiṇāṁ na ca puraścaryāṁ manāg īkṣate
mantro’yaṁ rasanā-spṛg eva phalati śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmātmakaḥ ||
(Lakṣmīdhara; cited in Padyāvalī: 29; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.15.112)

“This mantra consisting of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name attracts [even] the highly exalted of purified mind, dispels [even] extremely severe sins, is easily available to [all] people who are not mute, including [even] caṇḍālas, controls the fortune of mukti, does not consider dīkṣā, donations, or prepartory rites (puraścaryā) in the least, and bears fruit just by touching the tongue.”

Read on →

śrīman-nāma prabhos tasya śrī-mūrter apy ati-priyam

śrīman-nāma prabhos tasya śrī-mūrter apy ati-priyam |
jagad-dhitaṁ sukhopāsyaṁ sa-rasaṁ tat-samaṁ na hi ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.3.184)

“Prabhu’s splendid name, dearer to him than even his beautiful form, is beneficial for the world, easily worshipped, and full of rasa. Indeed it has no equal.”

Read on →

tuṇḍe tāṇḍavinī ratiṁ vitanute tuṇḍāvalī-labdhaye

tuṇḍe tāṇḍavinī ratiṁ vitanute tuṇḍāvalī-labdhaye
karṇa-kroḍa-kaḍambinī ghaṭayate karṇārbudebhyaḥ spṛhām |
cetaḥ-prāṅgaṇa-saṅginī vijayate sarvendriyāṇāṁ kṛtiṁ
no jāne janitā kiyadbhir amṛtaiḥ kṛṣṇeti varṇa-dvayī ||
(Vidagdha-mādhava: 1.33; cited in Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 3.1.99)

[Paurṇamāsī to Nāndīmukhi:] “When they dance in my mouth, they increase my yearning to obtain numerous mouths. When they sprout in the hollows of my ears, they produce the desire for tens of millions of ears. When they appear in the courtyard of my heart, they conquer the functioning of all my senses [and thus render me senseless]. I do not know with how much nectar the two syllables ‘Kṛṣ-ṇa’ have manifest.”

Read on →

ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyaṁ indriyaiḥ

ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyaṁ indriyaiḥ |
sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.234; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.17.136)

“Therefore, Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name and so forth shall not be expressible by the senses. Indeed, it only manifests itself when the tongue and so forth are intent upon service.”

Read on →

yatraikāgrato tatrāviśeṣāt

yatraikāgrato tatrāviśeṣāt |
(Vedānta-sūtra: 4.1.11)

“[Where should one perform upāsana?] Where one-pointedness [of mind] occurs, because of [there being] no particulars in that regard [i.e., because śāstra gives no injunctions regarding where upāsana should be performed other than where the mind can become one-pointed].”

Read on →

mana ekatra saṁyuñjyāj jita-śvāso jitāsanaḥ

mana ekatra saṁyuñjyāj jita-śvāso jitāsanaḥ |
vairāgyābhyāsa-yogena dhriyamāṇam atandritaḥ ||
yasmin mano labdha-padaṁ yad etac
chanaiḥ śanair muñcati karma-reṇūn |
sattvena vṛddhena rajas tamaś ca
vidhūya nirvāṇam upaity anindhanam ||
tadaivam ātmany avaruddha-citto
na veda kiñcid bahir antaraṁ vā |
yatheṣu-kāro nṛpatiṁ vrajantam
iṣau gatātmā na viveda pārśve ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.9.11–13)

“Mastering one’s posture and [then] mastering one’s breath, fix the steadied mind in one place alertly through non-attachment and regulated practice. The mind in which a position is attained [i.e., a mind which has become fixed on its object] gradually gives up the dust of karma [i.e., the vāsanās produced by karma], by an increase of sattva shakes off rajas and tamas, and attains perfect repose (nirvāṇa) free from any kindling [i.e., any effects of the guṇas]. Then, in this way, the mind shut in upon the ātmā does not perceive anything external [e.g., sights] or internal [e.g., memories], just as an arrow-maker, his mind absorbed in [crafting] arrows, did not notice in the least a king passing beside him [with a large entourage playing kettle-drums].”

Read on →

idaṁ hi yogeśvara yoga-naipuṇaṁ

idaṁ hi yogeśvara yoga-naipuṇaṁ
hiraṇyagarbho bhagavāñ jagāda yat |
yad anta-kāle tvayi nirguṇe mano
bhaktyā dadhītojjhita-duṣkalevaraḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 5.19.13)

“O Master of yoga, that which Bhagavān Hiraṇyagarbha [i.e., Lord Brahmā] has spoken of is certainly expertise in yoga: at the time of death, the wavering mind, abandoning the contemptible body, should be placed with bhakti on you who are nirguṇa.”

Read on →

mana eva manuṣyāṇaṁ kāraṇaṁ bandha-mokṣayoḥ

mana eva manuṣyāṇaṁ kāraṇaṁ bandha-mokṣayoḥ |
bandhāya viṣayāsaktaṁ muktyai nirviṣayaṁ smṛtam ||
(Maitrāyaṇīya Upaniṣad: 6.34.11)

“For human beings, the mind alone is the cause of bondage and mokṣa. A mind that is attached to sense objects is regarded as the cause of bondage, and a mind uninvolved with the sense objects is [regarded as] the cause of liberation.”

Read on →

Scroll to Top