Prema-bhakti

aho laukika-sad-bandhu-bhāvaṁ ca staumi yena hi

aho laukika-sad-bandhu-bhāvaṁ ca staumi yena hi |
gauravāder vilopena kṛṣṇe sat-prema tanyate ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.76)

“[Śrī Nārada along with Uddhava to Gopa Kumāra:] Aho! And certainly I praise that attitude (bhāva) [on the part of bhaktas] of [Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s being] an excellent worldly kinsman by which excellent prema for Kṛṣṇa is expanded as a result of the removal of reverence and so forth [in regard to him].”

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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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saprema-bhakteḥ paramānukūlaṁ

saprema-bhakteḥ paramānukūlaṁ
dainyaṁ mahāpuṣṭi-karaṁ sadā vaḥ |
tasyāpi tat-prema-vibhāvane’laṁ
bhogākula-grāmya-vihāra-jātaṁ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.74)

“[Śrī Nārada along with Uddhava to Gopa Kumāra:] The humility (dainya) of you all is always highly favorable for, and greatly nourishing of, bhakti [endowed] with prema, and the profusion of sport resembling [that of] a villager absorbed in enjoyment even on his [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān’s] part is well capable in regard to manifesting prema for him.”

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evaṁ-vrataḥ sva-priya-nāma-kīrtyā

evaṁ-vrataḥ sva-priya-nāma-kīrtyā
jātānurāgo druta-citta uccaiḥ |
hasaty atho roditi rauti gāyaty
unmādavan nṛtyati loka-bāhyaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.2.40; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.641; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.4.6 Bhakti Sandarbha: 188, 263; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.7.94, 2.9.260, 2.23.41, 2.25.141, 3.3.179)

“One whose rite is so, in whom anurāga [i.e., prema] has manifest by chanting the name of one’s Beloved, and who is [thus] of melted heart, loudly laughs, cries, shouts, sings, and dances as though mad, oblivious to society.”

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jala-sthalaukasaḥ sarve nava-vāri-niṣevayā

jala-sthalaukasaḥ sarve nava-vāri-niṣevayā |
abibhran ruciraṁ rūpaṁ yathā hari-niṣevayā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.20.13)

“All [living beings] dwelling on land and in water bore a bright appearance by partaking of the fresh water [of the monsoon rains] just as [all living beings do] by serving Hari.”

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vighnākulatve’pi mano-rati-paratā

vighnākulatve’pi mano-rati-paratā | …
yasya kṛcchra-gatasyāpi keśave ramate manaḥ |
na vicyutā ca bhaktir vai sa vai bhāgavato naraḥ ||
āpad-gatasya yasyeha bhakir avyabhicāriṇī |
nānyatra ramate cittaṁ sa vai bhāgavato naraḥ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.67–68)

“[A third degree of one-pointedness (ekāntitā) upon Śrī Bhagavān is described:] Being devoted with rati in the mind even while being disturbed by obstructions [is described in Skanda Purāṇa]: ‘A person whose mind rejoices in Keśava and whose bhakti does not digress even when one is beset with hardship is verily a Bhāgavata. A person beset with adversity here [in this world] whose bhakti is unwavering and whose mind does not rejoice elsewhere [i.e., apart from in Śrī Bhagavān] is verily a Bhāgavata.”

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ka utsaheta santyaktum uttamaḥśloka-saṁvidam

ka utsaheta santyaktum uttamaḥśloka-saṁvidam |
anicchato’pi yasya śrīr aṅgān na cyavate kvacit ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.47.48)

“[The gopīs to Uddhava:] Who could completely give up perception of [alt., private conversations with] he of highest praise, from whose chest Śrī never strays even when he is nonchalant?”

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aho yūyaṁ sma pūrṇārthā bhavatyo loka-pūjitāḥ

aho yūyaṁ sma pūrṇārthā bhavatyo loka-pūjitāḥ |
vāsudeve bhagavati yāsām ity arpitaṁ manaḥ ||
dāna-vrāta-tapo-homa-japa-svādhyāya-saṁyamaiḥ |
śreyobhir vividhaiś cānyaiḥ kṛṣṇe bhaktir hi sādhyate ||
bhagavaty uttamaḥ-śloke bhavatībhir anuttamā |
bhaktiḥ pravartitā diṣṭyā munīnām api durlabhā ||
diṣṭyā putrān patīn dehān svajanān bhavanāni ca |
hitvāvṛṇīta yūyaṁ yat kṛṣṇākhyaṁ puruṣaṁ param ||
sarvātma-bhāvo’dhikṛto bhavatīnām adhokṣaje |
viraheṇa mahābhāgā mahān me’nugrahaḥ kṛtaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.47.23–27)

“[Uddhava to the gopīs:] Aho! You all, whose minds are offered to Bhagavān Vāsudeva in this way, are verily successful and worshipable to the world. Bhakti to Kṛṣṇa is certainly accomplished by means of charity, rites, austerities, sacrifices, japa, study, and sense control, as well as by various other meritorious acts. Unexcelled bhakti to Bhagavān, he of highest praise (Uttamaḥśloka), that is rare to attain even for the sages, [however,] has been performed [alt., will be propagated] by you all by great fortune. That you all have forsaken [your] sons, husbands, bodies, relatives, and homes and accepted the Supreme Puruṣa [alt., ‘another man’] known as Kṛṣṇa is by great fortune. Bhāva in full form for he who is transcendent (Adhokṣaja) has been attained by [alt., conferred upon] you all, and by separation [i.e., by your experience of separation from Kṛṣṇa with that most complete form of bhāva], O you all of great fortune, tremendous favor has been shown to me.”

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brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham amṛtasyāvyayasya ca

brahmaṇo hi pratiṣṭhāham amṛtasyāvyayasya ca |
śāśvatasya ca dharmasya sukhasyaikāntikasya ca ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 14.27)

“Since I am the basis of Brahman, of the imperishable nectar, of the eternal dharma, and of the bliss of the one-pointed.”

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vihāya pitṛ-devādīn pariniṣṭhāṅ gato harau

vihāya pitṛ-devādīn pariniṣṭhāṅ gato harau |
tad-gāḍha-premabhiḥ pūrṇa ekāntīti nigadyate ||
(Unknown source; cited in the Bṛhad Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā, Laghu Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā, and Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.46.2)

“One who forsakes the forefathers, devas, and so forth, is given to complete fixity upon Hari, and is fulfilled by virtue of an abundance of intense prema for him is called ‘one-pointed’ (ekānti).”

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