cet kṛṣṇacandrasya mahāvatāras
tādṛg-nija-prema-vitāna-kārī |
syād vā kadācid yadi rādhikāyāḥ
premānubhūtiṁ tad upaity athāpi ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.234)
“If a great avatāra of Kṛṣṇacandra who is a distributor of such prema for himself, or, if [such a great avatāra] of Rādhikā, should ever come about, then too one would attain experience of that prema.”
sā rādhikā bhagavatī kvacid īkṣyate cet
premā tadānubhavam ṛcchati mūrtimān saḥ |
śakyeta ced gaditum eṣa tayā tadaiva
śrūyeta tattvam iha ced bhavati sva-śaktiḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.233)
“If ever she, Bhagavatī Rādhikā, is seen, then one attains experience of the embodiment of prema, and if this [i.e., prema] can ever be described by her, only then the essential nature [of that prema] shall be heard about, if one’s ability for that remains.”
sāmānyataḥ kiñcid idaṁ mayoktaṁ
vaktuṁ viśeṣeṇa na śakyate tat |
premā tu kṛṣṇe vraja-yoṣitāṁ yas
tat-tattvam ākhyātum alaṁ kathaṁ syām ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.231)
“This much [about prema] is said by me in general. I am not able to describe that in depth. Indeed how would I be able to describe the essential nature of the prema for Kṛṣṇa of the ladies of Vraja?”
adbhuta nigūḍha premera mādhurya-mahimā |
āpani āsvādi’ prabhu dekhāilā sīmā ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 3.17.67)
“The greatness of the sweetness (mādhurya) of prema is astonishing and highly confidential. Personally relishing [this], Prabhu showed the extremity [thereof].”
bhrātaḥ premṇaḥ svarūpaṁ yat tad dhi jānanti tad-vidaḥ |
yasya cittārdratā-jātaṁ bāhyaṁ kampādi-lakṣaṇam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.226)
“Brother, only the experiencers thereof know that which is the essential nature of prema and of which the external characteristics of trembling and so on are produced by meltedness of the heart.”
teṣāṁ satata-yuktānāṁ bhajatāṁ prīti-pūrvakam |
dadāmi buddhi-yogaṁ taṁ yena mām upayānti te ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 10.10)
“To those ever-intent [upon me] and worshiping [me] lovingly, I give that means of understanding by which they reach me.”
itthaṁ śrī-rādhikā-prāṇa-nātha-pāda-sarojayoḥ |
yena premānubhūty-āśā dattā taṁ nāradaṁ bhaje ||
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.234)
“I worship him,
Nārada,
By whom was given in this way
The hope of experience of prema
For the lotus feet of Śrī Rādhikā’s Beloved (Prāṇanātha).”
kṛṣṇehitānām akhilottamaṁ yas
tarkaiḥ prakarṣaṁ tanute sa dhanyaḥ |
teṣāṁ darākārṇana-mātrato yaḥ
syāt prema-pūrṇas tam ahaṁ namāmi ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.139)
“One who disseminates the supereminent among all of Kṛṣṇa’s activities with rationale is blessed [i.e., highly fortunate, or, highly praiseworthy]. To someone who can become filled with prema as a result just of hearing of them a little [i.e., without even requiring deliberation based on rationale], I offer obeisance [i.e., such a person is most worshipable].”
tathā na te mādhava tāvakāḥ kvacid
bhraśyanti mārgāt tvayi baddha-sauhṛdāḥ |
tvayābhiguptā vicaranti nirbhayā
vināyakānīkapa-mūrdhasu prabho ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.2.33; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.201; Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.14; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.4.46; Paramātma Sandarbha: 17; Bhakti Sandarbha: 121; Prīti Sandarbha: 7)
“O Mādhava, those who are your own, who are bound to you by cordiality, never fall down from the path in that way. Protected by you on all sides and [thus] fearless, O Prabhu, they roam atop the heads of those who proffer protection from arrays of impediments.”
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.”
