karma vikṣepakaṁ tasyā vairāgyaṁ rasa-śoṣakam |
jñānaṁ hāni-karaṁ tat-tac-chodhitaṁ tv anuyāti tām ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.2.205)
“Karma [i.e., observance of the practices enjoined for those following the path of karma] is a cause of distraction from it [i.e., from bhakti]. Vairāgya is a cause of desiccation of rasa [for it]. Jñāna is cause of detriment [to it]. [When] Rectified, however, these attend to it.”
śrī-gurūpasatti-kāraṇam—
kṛpayā kṛṣṇa-devasya tad-bhakta-jana-saṅgataḥ |
bhakter māhātmyam ākarṇya tām ichchan sad-guruṁ bhajet ||
atrānubhūyate nityaṁ duḥkha-śreṇī paratra ca |
duḥsahā śrūyate śāstrāt titīrṣed api tāṁ sudhīḥ ||
(Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 1.28–29)
“The cause of approaching a blessed guru [is described as follows]: Upon hearing by Kṛṣṇadeva’s grace in the company of his bhaktas of the greatness of bhakti and [then consequently] desiring that, one shall worship an excellent guru. A difficult to bear succession of sufferings is experienced continuously here [i.e., in this world] and from the śāstra is heard of [as also continuing] in the hereafter. One of sharp intellect shall desire [at least] just to cross beyond that.”
śreyaḥ-sṛtiṁ bhaktim udasya te vibho
kliśyanti ye kevala-bodha-labdhaye |
teṣām asau kleśala eva śiṣyate
nānyad yathā sthūla-tuṣāvaghātinām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.14.4; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.608; Bhagavat Sandarbha: 95; Bhakti Sandarbha: 5, 67, 71, 105, 176; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.22, 2.24.170, 2.25.31)
“O Lord, for those who abandon [the path of] bhakti to you, that from which there is a flow of auspiciousnesses [alt., that which is the path to auspiciousness], and struggle to attain awareness of oneness, only this hardship remains and nothing else, as is the case for those who thresh thick chaff.”
bhaktyā mām abhijānāti yāvān yaś cāsmi tattvataḥ |
tato māṁ tattvato jñātvā viśate tad-anantaram ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 18.55)
“By bhakti, one knows me truly, as far as, and as to who, I am. Then, having known me truly, thereafter one enters [me].”
brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati |
samaḥ sarveṣu bhūteṣu mad-bhaktiṁ labhate parām ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 18.54; cited in Prīti Sandarbha: 7; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.8.65)
“Situated in Brahman and being of clear mind, one neither laments nor hankers. Equal to all beings, one attains supreme bhakti to me.”
jñātvājñātvātha ye vai māṁ yāvān yaś cāsmi yādṛśaḥ |
bhajanty ananya-bhāvena te me bhakta-tamā matāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.11.33; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.24; Bhakti Sandarbha: 201, 312)
“Having understood, or not having understood, me as far as I am, for who I am, and of what nature I am, those who worship me with a one-pointed (ananya) bhāva are considered by me the best of bhaktas.”
karma-nirhāram uddiśya parasmin vā tad-arpaṇam |
yajed yaṣṭavyam iti vā pṛthag-bhāvaḥ sa sāttvikaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.29.10 cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 233)
“[Kapiladeva:] One possessed of separate disposition (bhāva) who shall worship [me in the deity and elsewhere] for the sake of removing karma [i.e., to attain mokṣa], [for the sake of] offering that [i.e., one’s karma] to the Supreme, or as a duty, is sāttvika [i.e., of the nature of sattva-guṇa].”
