Bābāra Kathā – Page 52

sa vai sat-karmaṇāṁ sākṣād dvijāter iha sambhavaḥ

sa vai sat-karmaṇāṁ sākṣād dvijāter iha sambhavaḥ |
ādyo’ṅga yatrāśramiṇāṁ yathāhaṁ jñānado guruḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.80.32)

“[Kṛṣṇa to Sudāma:] Here he because of whom existence arises [i.e., one’s father] is the first guru, he because of whom [the existence] of a twice-born’s meritorious activities arises is [the second guru] like I [myself], and he who is a giver of knowledge to the members of the āśramas is [the third guru] directly [I myself].”

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sākṣād dharitvena samasta-śāstrair

sākṣād dharitvena samasta-śāstrair
uktas tathā bhāvyata eva sadbhiḥ |
kintu prabhor yaḥ priya eva tasya
vande guroḥ śrī-charaṇāravindam ||
(Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda’s Gurudevāṣṭakam: 7)

“I offer obeisance unto the beautiful lotus feet of guru, who is described by all the śāstras as being Hari himself and is indeed considered so by the sādhus [on account of his being most dear to Hari], yet [by nature] is really a dear one of Prabhu [i.e., a bhakta dear to Hari and not a manifestation of Hari who is equal to Hari in all respects].”

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naivopayanty apacitiṁ kavayas taveśa

naivopayanty apacitiṁ kavayas taveśa
brahmāyuṣāpi kṛtam ṛddha-mudaḥ smarantaḥ |
yo’ntar bahis tanu-bhṛtām aśubhaṁ vidhunvann
ācārya-caittya-vapuṣā sva-gatiṁ vyanakti ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.29.6)

“[Uddhava to Kṛṣṇa:] O Lord, abounding with joy in remembering the feats [i.e., the unconditional favor] of you who with your external form as the ācārya and internal [form] situated in the citta dispel inauspiciousness and manifest your own shelter for embodied beings, the wise cannot proffer remuneration [i.e., clear their debt to you] even within the life-span of Brahmā [i.e., they can never sufficiently reciprocate with you even by serving you til the end of time].”

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tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam

tasmād guruṁ prapadyeta jijñāsuḥ śreya uttamam
śābde pare ca niṣṇātaṁ brahmaṇy upaśamāśrayam
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.3.21; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 1.32; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.97; Bhakti Sandarbha: 202, 238)

“Therefore [i.e., because there is no lasting fulfillment in saṁsāra and bhakti is the only means of crossing over saṁsāra], one who wishes to know the highest good should take shelter in a guru who is adept in śabda-brahman and Parabrahman, and is an abode of tranquility.”

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sat-saṅga eva tat-sāmmukhye dvāram ity uktam

sat-saṅga eva tat-sāmmukhye dvāram ity uktam | te ca santas tat-sammukhā evātra gṛhyante, na tu vaidikācāra-mātra-parā anupayogitvāt |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 186)

“It has been said that sat-saṅga is the only gateway to intentness upon Tat [i.e., the Supreme Entity (Para-tattva)]. And in this regard only those who are intent upon Tat are accepted as the sat, and not, rather, those who are merely adherent to Vedic conduct because of [those mere adherent to conduct’s] being unsuitable [i.e., intentness upon Tat is the primary characteristic of sādhutva (being a sādhu), and because those who lack this characteristic, regardless of whether they are formally adherent to Vedic conduct or not, are not sādhus in the true sense, their association is unsuitable for those seeking intentness upon Tat because it will not give rise to such intentness].”

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kṛpāra samudra—dīna-hīne dayāmaya

kṛpāra samudra—dīna-hīne dayāmaya |
kṛṣṇa-kṛpā vinā kona sukha nāhi haya ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.17.75)

“Kṛṣṇa is an ocean of grace and is [especially] gracious to the humble and lowly. Without Kṛṣṇa’s grace, no happiness comes to be.”

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vijita-hṛṣīka-vāyubhir adānta-manas turagaṁ

vijita-hṛṣīka-vāyubhir adānta-manas turagaṁ
ya iha yatanti yantum atilolam upāya-khidaḥ |
vyasana-śatānvitāḥ samavahāya guroś caraṇaṁ
vaṇija ivāja santy akṛta-karṇadharā jaladhau ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.87.33)

“O Unborn One [i.e., Bhagavān], those here [i.e., in the ocean of saṁsāra] who abandon the feet of guru and endeavor to subdue the extremely volatile stallion of the untamed mind [even] with conquered senses and vital airs become afflicted by the method [i.e., by the very method, whatever it may be, they take up to try to tame the mind] and beset with hundreds of adversities, just as merchants who have not procured a helmsman are [so afflicted] at sea.”

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nṛ-deham ādyaṁ sulabhaṁ sudurlabhaṁ

nṛ-deham ādyaṁ sulabhaṁ sudurlabhaṁ
plavaṁ sukalpaṁ guru-karṇa-dhāram |
mayānukūlena nabhasvateritaṁ
pumān bhavābdhiṁ na taret sa ātma-hā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.20.17)

[Kṛṣṇa to Uddhava:] “Having attained the well-constructed boat of this human body, which is fundamental [to all attainments], easily yet rarely attained, captained by guru, and propelled by the wind of my favor, a person who shall not cross the ocean of material existence is a self-destroyer.”

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yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo

yasya prasādād bhagavat-prasādo
yasyāprasādān na gatiḥ kuto’pi |
dhyāyaṁ stuvaṁs tasya yaśas tri-sandhyaṁ
vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam ||
(Viśvanātha Cakravartīpāda’s Gurudevāṣṭakam: 8)

“I offer obeisance unto the beautiful lotus feet of guru, meditating upon and praising his glory at the three junctions of the day. By his grace, one gains Bhagavān’s grace, and by his dissatisfaction, one has no shelter anywhere.”

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kahahu bhagati patha kavana prayāsā

kahahu bhagati patha kavana prayāsā |
joga na makha japa tapa upavāsā ||
sarala subhāva na mana kuṭilāī |
jathā lābha saṁtoṣa sadāī ||
mora dāsa kahāi kara nara āsā |
kara-i tau kahahu kahā bisvāsa ||
bahuta kaha-u̐ kā kathā baḍhai |
ehi ācarana basya maiṁ bhāi ||
(Rāma-carita-mānasa: 7.45.1–2)

[Rāma addressing an assembly at his court:] “Tell me, on the path of bhakti, what is the exertion [i.e., what is so troublesome]? There is no yoga, sacrifice (yajña), japa, austerity, or fasting. [Rather,] there is [just] sincere disposition, non-crookedness of mind, and always being satisfied with whatever is obtained. If someone says they are my servant but places their hope in men, then tell me, where is their faith [i.e., what faith do they really have in me]? I have said so much, and what is the use of prolonged discussion? [Simply] This conduct [i.e., the aforementioned conduct of being sincere, non-deceitful, satisfied, and fully faithful to me] captivates me, O brother!”

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