dharma-mūlaṁ hi bhagavān sarva-vedamayo hariḥ |
smṛtaṁ ca tad-vidāṁ rājan yena cātmā prasīdati ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.11.7; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha 58)
“O King, the basis of dharma [i.e., the pramāṇa, the means of knowing dharma], by which the ātmā [i.e., the mind] is satisfied, definitively is Bhagavān, Hari, the embodiment [i.e., the source] of all the Vedas, and that which is remembered by those who know him [i.e., the Smṛti-śāstras].”
tad evaṁ tad-dhāmnām upary-adhaḥ prakāśa-mātratvenobhaya-vidhatvaṁ prasaktam | vastutas tu śrī-bhagavan-nityādhiṣṭhānatvena tac-chrī-vigrahavad ubhayatra prakāśāvirodhāt, samāna-guṇa-nāma-rūpatvenāmnātatvāt, lāghavāc ca, eka-vidhatvam eva mantavyam |
(Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha 106.8)
“ln this way, only because of his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] dhāmas being manifest above and below [i.e., in Vaikuṇṭha and in the midst of prakṛti] are they described as being of both types [i.e., as being of two different varieties and not simply one]. In reality, however, as these dhāmas are Śrī Bhagavān’s eternal residence [i.e., his invariable locus of being], they are to be understood as being of only one type (1) because like his divine form there is no contradiction in their being manifest in both places [i.e., simultaneously above in Vaikunṭha and below in the midst of prakṛti], (2) because they are said to have the same qualities, names, and forms, and (3) because of conciseness [in conception].”
tasmāt sarvātmanā rājan hṛdi-sthaṁ kuru keśavam |
mriyamāṇo hy avahitas tato yāsi parāṁ gatim ||
mriyamāṇair abhidhyeyo bhagavān puruṣottamaḥ |
ātma-bhāvaṁ nayaty aṅga sarvātmā sarva-saṁśrayaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 12.3.49–50)
“Therefore, O King, with your whole being [i.e., with full endeavor], fix Keśava within the heart. By being [so] attentive while dying, you will attain the supreme destination. O King! Bhagavān, Puruṣottama, who is to be meditated upon by the dying, and is the Self of all and Shelter of all, leads [one] to bhāva of the ātmā [i.e., to the svarūpa (bhāva) of the jīva (ātmā), or, to prema (bhāva) for himself (Ātmā)].”
jīvana-maraṇa kṛṣṇa-icchāya se haya |
viṣa vā amṛta bhakṣileo kichu naya ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata: 3.2.32)
“Life and death occur by Kṛṣṇa’s will. Even if one drinks poison or nectar, that is nothing [i.e., that cannot override Kṛṣṇa’s will].”
pibanti ye bhagavata ātmanaḥ satāṁ
kathāmṛtaṁ śravaṇa-puṭeṣu sambhṛtam |
punanti te viṣaya-vidūṣitāśayaṁ
vrajanti tac-caraṇa-saroruhāntikam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.2.37; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.441; Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.3.124; Paramātma Sandarbha: 108; Bhakti Sandarbha: 30, 86)
“Those who drink, held in the cups of their ears, the nectar of kathā about Bhagavān, the Ātmā of the sādhus, purify their hearts contaminated by viṣaya and reach the presence of his lotus feet.”
vidyā-tapaḥ-prāṇa-nirodha-maitrī-
tīrthābhiṣeka-vrata-dāna-japyaiḥ |
nātyanta-śuddhiṁ labhate’ntar-ātmā
yathā hṛdi-sthe bhagavaty anante ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 12.3.48)
“The inner self does not attain such great purification by learning [i.e., worship of the devatās], austerity, prāṇāyāma, good will, bathing at tīrthas, rites, charity, or japa as [its does] when Bhagavān Ananta is situated in the heart.”
yathā hemni sthito vahnir durvarṇaṁ hanti dhātu-jam |
evam ātma-gato viṣṇur yoginām aśubhāśayam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 12.3.47)
“As fire set upon gold removes discoloration caused by metals, so Viṣṇu situated in the mind [removes] the inauspicious thoughts of yogīs.”
śrutaḥ saṅkīrtito dhyātaḥ pūjitaś cādṛto’pi vā |
nṛṇāṁ dhunoti bhagavān hṛt-stho janmāyatāśubham ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 12.3.46)
“When heard about, highly praised, meditated upon, worshipped, or even honored, Bhagavān, situated in the heart, removes ten-thousand births of human beings’ inauspiciousness.”
puṁsāṁ kali-kṛtāṁ doṣān dravya-deśātma-sambhavān |
sarvān harati citta-stho bhagavān puruṣottamaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 12.3.45)
“Bhagavān, Puruṣottama, situated in the citta, removes from people all the faults created by Kali existing amid objects, places, and the self.”
ārādhyo bhagavān vrajeśa-tanayas tad-dhāma vṛndāvanaṁ
ramyā kācid upāsanā vraja-vadhū-vargeṇa yā kalpitā |
śāstraṁ bhāgavataṁ pramāṇam amalaṁ premā pumārtho mahān
itthaṁ gaura-mahāprabhor matam atas tatrādaro naḥ paraḥ ||
(Caitanya-mata-mañjuṣā: 1.1)
“‘The object of worship is Bhagavān, the Son of Vraja’s king. His abode is Vṛndāvana. The lovely worship [that is to be performed] is that which is performed by the ladies of Vraja. The flawless pramāṇa [i.e., means of knowing these conclusions] is the śāstra [Śrīmad] Bhāgavatam, and the [rightful ultimate] aim of a human being is prema.’ This is the view of Gaura Mahāprabhu, and thus we have the highest regard for it.”
