baḍa kīrti haile caitanya nāhi pāi |
‘bhakti-vaśa sabe prabhu’—cāri-vede gāi ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata: 2.10.279)
“[Even] If one acquires great renown, one does not attain Caitanya. The four Vedas sing, ‘Prabhu is completely captivated [only] by bhakti.’”
ahaṁ bhakta-parādhīno hy asvatantra iva dvija |
sādhubhir grasta-hṛdayo bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 9.4.63; cited in Paramātma Sandarbha: 93, Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha: 177, Bhakti Sandarbha: 181, Prīti Sandarbha: 62, 122, 146)
[Viṣṇu to Durvāsā:] “O brāhmaṇa, I am completely controlled by my bhaktas. Indeed, it is as though I am not independent. My heart is captured by the sādhus, my bhaktas, as I hold my bhaktas dear [and so also those who belong to my bhaktas].”
atra pariśramam iti kṛpayety ābhyāṁ dvy-aṅgula-nyūnatā-samāhitā bhakta-niṣṭhā bhajanotthā śrāntis tad-darśanotthā sva-niṣṭhā kṛpā ceti dvābhyām eva bhagavān baddho bhavet | te dve yāvan nābhūtāṁ tāvad dvy-aṅgula-nyūnatā āsīt | tayor udbhūtayos tu baddho’bhūd iti premnā sva-baddhena prakāra sva-mātari svayam udāhṛto bhagavateti jñeyam ||
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.9.18)
“Here exertion (pariśrama) and grace (kṛpā)—by these the [cause of the] shortness of two fingers is inferred; the fatigue arising from bhajana present in the bhakta and the grace arising from seeing this present in him—specifically by these two Bhagavān became bound. As long as these two did not manifest, the shortness of two fingers was present. When these two manifested, however, he became bound. Thus, it is to be understood that the way to bind him with prema has been demonstrated by Bhagavān Himself through his own mother.”
cic-chakti-sāra-bhūtena premṇaiva tasyānandātiśayārtham eva bhakta-vaśyatvaṁ niṣpadyata … |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.9.19)
“[Bhagavān’s] Being captivated by bhaktas is effected only by prema, the essence of the cit-śakti, for the purpose of [producing] profuse bliss for him.”
