Sādhana-bhakti – Page 19

śraddhā viśeṣataḥ prītiḥ

śraddhā viśeṣataḥ prītiḥ śrī-mūrter aṅghri-sevane |
śrīmad-bhāgavatārthānām āsvādo rasikaiḥ saha ||
sajātīyāśaye snigdhe sādhau saṅgaḥ svato vare |
nāma-saṅkīrtanaṁ śrīman-mathurā-maṇḍale sthitiḥ ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.90–2)

“(60) Śraddhā and special affinity (prīti) for serving the feet of the śrī-mūrti, (61) tasting the meanings of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam with relishers of rasa (rasikas), (62) associating with sādhus who are of like aspiration, affectionate, and superior to oneself, (63) saṅkīrtana of the name, and (64) residing in the beautiful district of Mathurā.”

Read on →

guru-pādāśrayas tasmāt

guru-pādāśrayas tasmāt kṛṣṇa-dīkṣādi-śikṣaṇam |
viśrambheṇa guroḥ sevā sādhu-vartmānuvartanam || …
trayāṁ pradhānam evoktaṁ guru-pādāśrayādikam |
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.74, 83)

“(1) [Taking] Shelter at the feet of guru; (2) [receiving] instruction [from guru] beginning with Kṛṣṇa-mantra-dīkṣā; (3) serving guru with confidence; (4) following the path of the sādhus. … The three [practices] beginning with [taking] shelter at the feet of guru [amongst the sixty-four listed] are said to be principal.”

Read on →

tena gopikādy-anugatimaya-sva-nyūnatā-duḥkhāṅgīkāras

tena gopikādy-anugatimaya-sva-nyūnatā-duḥkhāṅgīkāras tu viriñca-bhava-lakṣmy-ādibhir īśvarābhimānibhiḥ sva-sva-loka-sthitair duḥśaka eva, anyeṣāṁ tu tādṛśopadeśasyālābhād arocakatvād vā tad-anugaty-abhāva eva … |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.9.21)

“Acceptance of the hardship of their own inferiority in following the gopikās and others [i.e., other residents of Gokula], is not possible for Brahmā, Śiva, Lakṣmī, and others who are situated in their own domains and have the mentality of being īśvaras. In the case of others, however, an absence of following them [i.e., the residents of Gokula] is because of not having received such instruction [to do so] or having no taste for it.”

Read on →

śrī-bhāgavate’smin bhagavat-premaiva

śrī-bhāgavate’smin bhagavat-premaiva sarva-puruṣārtha-śiromaṇitvenodghuṣyate | tasya mūla-bhūtāśrayāṇāṁ bhaktānāṁ madhye nitya-siddhatva eva tasya nitya-sthitiḥ sambhavet, teṣv api madhye gokula-vartinas tan-mātādaya eva śreṣṭhāḥ yeṣāṁ vātsalyādi-bhāva-viṣayī-bhūtaḥ kṛṣṇas tad-anugamana-bhaktimadbhir eva sulabho nānyair …|
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.9.21)

“In this Śrīmad Bhāgavatam only Bhagavat-prema is proclaimed to be the crown jewel of all puruṣārthas. Its [i.e., prema’s] eternal existence is possible within its substrata, bhaktas, only because of their being nitya-siddha. Among them, furthermore, the best are the residents of Gokula, such as his [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s] mother, the object of whose bhāvas of vātsalya and so forth—Kṛṣṇa—is easily attainable only by devotees who follow them [i.e., those residents of Gokula] and not by others [i.e., those who practice bhakti without following the residents of Gokula].”

Read on →

karma, tapa, yoga, jñāna

karma, tapa, yoga, jñāna, vidhi-bhakti, japa, dhyāna,
ihā haite mādhurya durlabha |
kevala ye rāga-mārge, bhaje kṛṣṇe anurāge,
tāre kṛṣṇa-mādhurya sulabha ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.21.119)

“Karma [i.e., observing the duties of one’s varṇa and āśrama], tapa (austerity), yoga, jñāna [i.e., deliberation on the meaning of the Upaniṣads], vidhi-bhakti [i.e., devotion motivated by śāstric injunctions], japa (repetition of a mantra), dhyāna (meditation)—through these [Kṛṣṇa’s] mādhurya is difficult to attain. Only for one who worships Kṛṣṇa with anurāga (loving attachment) according to the path of rāga is Kṛṣṇa’s mādhurya easy to attain.”

Read on →

rāgera bhajana-patha

rāgera bhajana-patha, kahi ebe abhimata,
loka-veda-sāra ei vāṇī |
sakhīra anugā haiyā, vraje siddha-deha pāiyā,
sei bhāve juḍābe parāṇī ||
(Prema-bhakti-candrika: 48)

“I now speak of the approved path of rāga-bhajana. This teaching is the essence of the world [i.e., worldly propriety] and the Vedas. Becoming a follower of the sakhīs, and receiving a siddha-deha in Vraja, soothe the heart with this bhāva.”

Read on →

kṛṣṇa-tad-bhakta-kāruṇya

kṛṣṇa-tad-bhakta-kāruṇya-mātra-lābhaika-hetukā |
puṣṭi-mārgatayā kaiścid iyaṁ rāgānugocyate ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.309)

“Because the only cause for attaining it is simply the grace of Kṛṣṇa and his bhaktas, this rāgānugā [-bhakti] is called puṣṭi-mārga by some.”

Read on →

śrī-mūrter mādhurīṁ prekṣya

śrī-mūrter mādhurīṁ prekṣya tat-tal-līlāṁ niśamya vā |
tad-bhāvākāṅkṣiṇo ye syus teṣu sādhanatānayoḥ |
purāṇe śruyate pādme puṁsam api bhaved iyam ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.300)

“After seeing the beauty of the śrī-mūrti [i.e., the beauty of the śrī-mūrti of Śrī Kṛṣṇa along with the śrī-mūrtis of his beloveds engaged in their various līlās], or hearing of the beauty of their various līlās, those who shall become desirous of that bhāva [i.e., the bhāva of the Vraja-gopīs] possess the means [i.e., the adhikāra, eligibility] for these two [i.e., either of the two types of kāmānugā-bhakti]. This can occur even in men, as is heard of in Padma Purāṇa.”

Read on →

ataeva gopī-bhāva kari aṅgīkāra

ataeva gopī-bhāva kari aṅgīkāra |
rātri-dine cinte rādhā-kṛṣṇera vihāra ||
siddha-deha cinti kare tāhā̐i sevana |
sakhī-bhāve pāya rādhā-kṛṣṇera caraṇa ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.8.227–8)

“[Rāmānanda Rāya to Śrīman Mahāprabhu:] Therefore, accept the bhāva of the gopīs and think of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa’s play night and day. Thinking of one’s siddha-deha, engage in service specifically there [i.e., in Vraja]. With the bhāva of a sakhī, one attains the feet of Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa.”

Read on →

tad-bhāvecchātmikā tāsām

tad-bhāvecchātmikā tāsām bhāva-mādhurya-kāmitā |
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.299)

“Bhakti constituted of desire for the sweetness of their [i.e., the Vraja-gopīs’] bhāva shall be [called] tad-bhāvecchātmikā [i.e., bhakti constituted of desire for their bhāva].”

Read on →