ity ataḥ kathitā nitya-priyā yādava-vallavāḥ |
eṣāṁ laukikavac ceṣṭā līlā mura-ripor iva ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.1.296)
“Thus, the Yādavas and Vallavas [i.e., gopas] are said to be eternal dear ones [of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa]. Their activity, like the līlā of Mura-ripu [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣna] is like that of the world [i.e., although supramundane, it resembles in certain respects activity of the world].”
titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām |
ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ ||
mayy ananyena bhāvena bhaktiṁ kurvanti ye dṛḍhām |
mat-kṛte tyakta-karmāṇas tyakta-svajana-bāndhavāḥ ||
mad-āśrayāḥ kathā mṛṣṭāḥ śṛṇvanti kathayanti ca |
tapanti vividhās tāpā naitān mad-gata-cetasaḥ ||
ta ete sādhavaḥ sādhvi sarva-saṅga-vivarjitāḥ |
saṅgas teṣv atha te prārthyaḥ saṅga-doṣa-harā hi te ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.25.21–24; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.81)
“[Bhagavān Kapila:] Those who are forbearing, compassionate, well-wishing of all embodied beings, without enemies, peaceful, and possessed of the adornment of good disposition are the sādhus. They who with unalloyed bhāva engage in resolute bhakti to me, they who have given up karmas and given up relatives and friends for me, they who hear and recount pure narrations about me, they of mind given over to me whom the various miseries do not trouble—O Sādhvī [i.e., O pure Mother], they are the sādhus, and [they] are completely free from all attachment. Therefore, attachment to them is to be desired by you, as they are removers of the fault of attachment.”
na kāma-karma-bījānāṁ yasya cetasi sambhavaḥ |
vāsudevaika-nilayaḥ sa vai bhāgavatottamaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.2.50; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.61; Bhakti Sandarbha: 193)
“One whose sole shelter is Vāsudeva—in whose mind there is no appearance of kāmas, karmas, or [their] causes—is verily the best of Bhāgavatas.”
maryādāṁ ca kṛtāṁ tena yo bhinatti sa mānavaḥ |
na viṣṇu-bhakto vijñeyaḥ sādhu-dharmārcito hariḥ ||
(Viṣṇu-dharma Purāṇa; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 172, 173)
“A human being who transgresses the code of conduct established by him [i.e., by Bhagavān Viṣṇu] should not be recognized as a bhakta of Viṣṇu; Hari is worshipped by virtuous conduct [i.e., the dharma of the sādhus, and not by transgressions thereof].”
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru |
mām evaiṣyasi yuktvaivam ātmānaṁ mat-parāyaṇaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 9.34)
“Be of mind fixed on me, [be] my bhakta, and [be] my worshipper. Offer obeisance to me. You will come to me alone, having engaged your self [i.e., the body and mind] in this way [in me] as one whose shelter is in me.”
sadhrīcīno hy ayaṁ loke panthāḥ kṣemo’kuto-bhayaḥ |
suśīlāḥ sādhavo yatra nārāyaṇa-parāyaṇāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.1.17; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.565; Bhakti Sandarbha: 93, 121; Bṛhad and Laghu Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.87.3)
“In this world, this path [i.e., the path of bhakti to Śrī Nārāyaṇa], whereupon there are those of high character [i.e., gracious], virtue [i.e., non-desirousness], and devotion to Nārāyaṇa, is certainly well-directed [i.e., the most appropriate], since it is [supremely] beneficial and completely free from fear [i.e., any cause of obstruction or danger].”
na karma-bandhanaṁ janma vaiṣṇavānāṁ ca vidyate |
viṣṇor anucaratvaṁ hi mokṣam āhur manīṣiṇaḥ ||
na dāsyam amareśasya bandhanaṁ parikīrtitam |
sarva-bandhana-nirmuktā hari-dāsā nirāmayāḥ ||
(Padma Purāṇa: 6.229.58-59; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.169–170; Prīti Sandarbha: 16, 45; Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā and Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.9.29)
“The birth of Vaiṣṇavas is not [produced by] bondage in karma, since the wise call being an attendant of Viṣṇu mokṣa. Servitude to the immortal Lord is not described as bondage, since Hari’s servants are completely free from all bondage [i.e., that which causes entanglement in saṁsāra] and unmarred [i.e., faultless, alt., free from disease].”
gaura-bhakta-gaṇān vande svānanda-rasa-vigrahān |
nāma-mudrā-lasad-dhastān āśritāśraya-vatsalān ||
nāma-saṅkīrtanādyaiś ca kampāśru-pulakānvitān |
caitanya-caraṇāmbhoja-makaranda-madhu-vratān ||
(Unknown source)
“I worship Gaura’s bhaktas,
[Their] Hands shining with the name and mudras
[i.e., counting repetitions of the name and displaying mudrās],
[Who are] Embodiments of the rasa of their own bliss,
Affectionate shelters of those who have sought shelter,
Imbued with trembling, tears, and horripilation
By virtue of nāma-saṅkīrtana and so forth,
[And] Bees in the nectar of the lotus of Caitanya’s feet.”
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ |
harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā
manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 5.18.12; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.561; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.1.29; Bhakti Sandarbha: 109; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.8.58, 2.22.76)
“[Prahlāda Mahārāja to Bhagavān Nṛsiṁha:] The suras along with all qualities reside in full within one who has unconditional bhakti to Bhagavān. How could a non-bhakta of Hari running outwards after the asat as a result of desire have the qualities of the mahats?”
anapekṣaḥ śucir dakṣa udāsīno gata-vyathaḥ |
sarvārambha-parityāgī yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 12.16)
“My bhakta—one who is disinterested, pure, adept, indifferent, free from anxiety, and a relinquisher of all undertakings—is dear to me.”
