Bhakta-vaśyatā

jahyād yad-arthe svān prāṇān hanyād vā pitaraṁ gurum

jahyād yad-arthe svān prāṇān hanyād vā pitaraṁ gurum |
tasyāṁ svatvaṁ striyāṁ jahyād yas tena hy ajito jitaḥ ||
kṛmi-viḍ-bhasma-niṣṭhāntaṁ kvedaṁ tucchaṁ kalevaram |
kva tadīya-ratir bhāryā kvāyam ātmā nabhaś-chadiḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.14.12–13)

“The Unconquerable One [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān] becomes conquered by one who can relinquish possessiveness of one’s wife, for the sake of whom one [who is attached to one‘s wife] may relinquish [even] one’s vital airs [i.e., give up one’s life] or may kill [even] one’s father or guru [if a circumstance arises in which one’s wife’s life is in danger]. Where is this insignificant body, the end-state of which is in insects, excrement, or ashes? Where is a wife, whose attachment is to that [i.e., to that insignificant body]? And where is this Self, he who eclipses [even] the sky?”

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kṛṣṇa sei satya kare, yei māge bhṛtya

kṛṣṇa sei satya kare, yei māge bhṛtya |
bhṛtya-vāñchā-pūrti-vinu nāhi anya kṛtya ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.15.168)

“Kṛṣṇa manifests that which [his] servants ask for. He has no task other than fulfilling [his] servants’ desires.”

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āraṇya-veśo vicalat-kadamba

āraṇya-veśo vicalat-kadamba-
mālāvataṁsāmbara-bārha-mauliḥ |
saurabhya-saṁvāsita-dik-taṭānto
līlā-smita-śrī-vikasan-mukhābjaḥ ||
kṛpāvalokollasad-īkṣaṇāmbujo
vicitra-saundarya-bharaika-bhūṣaṇaḥ |
go-dhūlikālaṅkṛta-cañcalālaka-
śreṇy-āvṛti-vyagra-karāmbujāṅguliḥ ||
dharā-tala-śrī-bhara-dāna-hetunā
bhūmi-spṛśor nṛtya-vilāsa-gāminoḥ |
sujātayoḥ śrī-pada-padmayor javad-
uccālanollāsa-bharair manoharaḥ ||
kaiśora-mādhurya-bharollasac-chrī-
gātrābhra-kānty-ujjvalitākhilāśaḥ |
tatratya-nitya-priya-loka-citta-
grāhyādbhutāneka-mahattva-sindhuḥ ||
sva-dīna-loka-priyatā-niyantrito
balād athotplutya samīpam āgataḥ |
tad-īkṣaṇa-prema-vimohitaṁ hi māṁ
gale gṛhitvā sahasāpatad bhuvi ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.6.56–60)

“With forest garb,
Kadamba garland, earrings, and peacock feather crest swaying,
The extremes of the directions
Fully scented with his fragrance,
Lotus face blossoming
With the splendor of a mild, playful smile,
Lotus eyes beaming with a glance of grace,
An abundance of variegated beauty
As his preeminent ornament,
The fingers of his lotus hand eagerly engaged
In retaining his locks
That had become decorated
With the dust raised by the cows,
Captivating the heart
With abundances of elation—
The high steps of his superb, blessed lotus feet
Moving with the joviality of dance
And touching the earth
For the sake of granting an abundance of blessedness
Upon the earth’s surface—
All directions illuminated
By the cloud-like luster of his blessed figure
Shining with an abundance of the sweetness of adolescence,
An ocean of numerous, astonishing greatnesses
Constantly perceptible to the minds
Of his dear ones present there [i.e., in Goloka],
And controlled by his fondness [i.e., prema]
For this humble person of his own [i.e., me (Gopa Kumāra)],
He then,
Forcibly jumping,
Came near me—
I who was overwhelmed with prema
Just by the sight of him—
Grabbed hold of my neck,
And suddenly [i.e., unintentionally] fell to the ground.”

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śoka-paṅka-nimagnaṁ yaḥ sāṅkhya-yogopadeśataḥ

śoka-paṅka-nimagnaṁ yaḥ sāṅkhya-yogopadeśataḥ |
ujjahārārjunaṁ bhaktaṁ sa kṛṣṇaḥ śaraṇaṁ mama ||
(Subodhinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 2.72)

“He who by means of instructions
About the yoga of wisdom
Uplifted Arjuna,
His bhakta submerged in the mud of sorrow—
Kṛṣṇa—
Is my shelter.”

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tvaṁ bhakti-yoga-paribhāvita-hṛt-saroja

tvaṁ bhakti-yoga-paribhāvita-hṛt-saroja
āsse śrutekṣita-patho nanu nātha puṁsām |
yad yad dhiyā ta urugāya vibhāvayanti
tat tad vapuḥ praṇayase sad-anugrahāya ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.9.11; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 7.383; Bhagavat Sandarbha: 6, 40; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.3.111)

“[Brahmā to Śrī Bhagavān:] O Nātha! You, he the path to whom is seen by hearing, dwell in the lotus-hearts of living beings that have been purified by bhakti-yoga [alt., that have been made fit (for you) by virtue of prema]. O you of highest praise! [Alt., O you who are sung of in many ways!] Out of favor upon the sat, you bring forth that very form of yours which they distinctively meditate on [alt., visualize] with the mind.”

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premodreka-parīpāka-mahimā kena varṇyatām

premodreka-parīpāka-mahimā kena varṇyatām |
yaḥ kuryāt parameśaṁ taṁ sad-bandhum iva laukikam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.75)

“[Śrī Nārada along with Uddhava to Gopa Kumāra:] By whom can be described the greatness of the complete maturation of an abundance of prema which can make him, the Supreme Īśa, [act] like an excellent kinsmen (bandhu) of the world?

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yal-līlānubhavenāyaṁ bhramaḥ syān mādṛśām api

yal-līlānubhavenāyaṁ bhramaḥ syān mādṛśām api |
vaikuṇṭha-dvārakāyaṁ kiṁ martye vartāmahe’thavā ||
yuktaṁ tad ekā prabhu-pāda-padmayoḥ
sa-prema-bhaktir bhavatām apekṣitā |
bhakta-priyasyāsya ca bhakta-kāmita-
prapūraṇaṁ kevalam iṣṭam uttamam ||
vaikuṇṭha-vāsocitam īhitaṁ na vo
no martya-loka-sthiti-yogyam apy ataḥ |
aiśvarya-yogyaṁ na hi loka-bandhutā-
yuktaṁ ca tasyāpi bhaved apekṣitam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.71–73)

“[Śrī Nārada along with Uddhava to Gopa Kumāra:] ‘Are we present in the Dvārakā in Vaikuṇṭha or [the Dvārakā] in the mortal world?’ That līlā by experience of which this confusion [that was just described] can occur even for those like myself is befitting [for Prabhu, that is, Śrī Bhagavān, and his bhaktas like you]. Only bhakti [endowed] with prema for the lotus feet of Prabhu is regarded by you all [i.e., by bhaktas such as yourself], and only completely fulfilling the desired ends of bhaktas is the ultimate desired object of [Prabhu,] he to whom bhaktas are dear. Thus, activity neither suited to residence in Vaikuṇṭha, nor suited to residence in the mortal plane, nor suited to aiśvarya, or nor suited to being a kinsman (bandhu) [of people] in the [mortal] world shall be regarded by you all or by him.”

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aho alaṁ kautukam etad īkṣyate

aho alaṁ kautukam etad īkṣyate
yathaiṣa vikrīḍati martya-loka-gaḥ |
tathaiva vaikuṇṭha-padopari sthito
nija-priyānāṁ paritoṣa-hetave ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.70)

“[Śrī Nārada along with Uddhava to Gopa Kumāra:] Aho! This great delight is seen: as he [i.e., Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa] sports situated in the mortal plane [i.e., in the Dvārakā on Earth], so exactly does he [sport here in the Dvārakā] situated above the domain of Vaikuṇṭha for the sake of the complete satisfaction of his dear ones.”

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na vidyate yasya ca janma karma vā

na vidyate yasya ca janma karma vā
na nāma-rūpe guṇa-doṣa eva vā |
tathāpi lokāpyaya-sambhavāya yaḥ
sva-māyayā tāny anukālam ṛcchati ||
tasmai namaḥ pareśāya brahmaṇe’nanta-śaktaye |
arūpāyoru-rūpāya nama āścarya-karmaṇe ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 8.3.8–9)

“Obeisance unto the Supreme Īśa, unto Brahman, unto he possessed of unending potency, unto he who has no birth or action, no name or form, and no faults in the form of [material] qualities whatsoever, and who by means of his own māyā still accepts these [i.e., births, actions, names, forms, and qualities] perpetually for the sake of the dissolution and the attainment of the people. Obeisance unto he who has no [material] form, unto he who has an excellent [spiritual] form, unto he of astonishing action.”

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sarva-dharmopapatteś ca

sarva-dharmopapatteś ca |
(Vedānta-sūtra: 2.1.37)

“And because of the establishment of all attributes [in Brahman, Brahman rightly both remains impartial to jīvas in general and favors his bhaktas specifically].

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