Rāgānugā-bhakti – Page 6

atha teṣāṁ śuddha-bhaktānāṁ bhūta-śuddhy-ādikaṁ

atha teṣāṁ śuddha-bhaktānāṁ bhūta-śuddhy-ādikaṁ yathā-mati vyākhyāyate | tatra bhūta-śuddhir nijābhilaṣita-bhagavat-sevaupayika-tat-pārṣada-deha-bhāvanā-paryantaiva tat-sevaika-puruṣārthibhiḥ kāryā nijānukūlyāt |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 286)

“Now, the bhūta-śuddhi [i.e., ‘purification of the elements’, a part of the process of arcana] of pure bhaktas [i.e., of those following the path of bhakti unmixed with karma, jñāna, and so forth] is explained as per my understanding. In that regard, bhūta-śuddhi is to be performed by those whose only puruṣārtha is service to him [i.e., Bhagavān] verily up to [i.e., including] contemplation of [oneself inhering in] the body of an associate of Bhagavān conducive to one’s own desired service to him because of [its, i.e., such contemplation’s] favorability for oneself [i.e., because such is favorable to attaining one’s desired bhāva and service therewith].”

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sakhyāṁ sva-sneho, yathā

sakhyāṁ sva-sneho, yathā—
śaila-mūrdhni hariṇā viharantī
roma-kuḍmala-karmabita-mūrtiḥ |
rādhikā salalitaṁ lalitāyāḥ
paśya mārṣṭi lulitālakam āsyam ||
(Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi: 13.104)

“Personal [i.e., a nāyikā’s own] affection for sakhīs is [described] as follows: ‘[Rūpa Mañjarī says to a sakhī of Lalitā:] Look! While sporting with Hari atop the mountain, her figure inlaid with budding pores [i.e., horripilation], Rādhikā wipes Lalitā’s charming face with disheveled locks.”

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sañcārī syāt samāno vā kṛṣṇa-ratyāḥ suhṛd-ratiḥ

sañcārī syāt samāno vā kṛṣṇa-ratyāḥ suhṛd-ratiḥ |
adhikā puṣyamāṇā ced bhāvollāsā ratiḥ ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.5.128)

“Rati for a friend (suhṛt) that is equal or otherwise to [i.e., lesser than] rati for Kṛṣṇa shall be [considered] a sañcāri [-bhāva]. If it is [sometimes] greater and flourishing [more so than one’s Kṛṣṇa-rati], [then] it is [called] bhāvollāsa-rati.”

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devānāṁ guṇa-liṅgānām ānuśravika-karmaṇām

devānāṁ guṇa-liṅgānām ānuśravika-karmaṇām |
sattva evaika-manaso vṛttiḥ svābhāvikī tu yā ||
animittā bhāgavatī bhaktiḥ siddher garīyasī ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.25.32; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.614; Prīti Sandarbha: 61)

“The vṛtti [i.e., engagement] solely in relation to Sattva [i.e., Bhagavān], which is natural [i.e., not effected by force] and causeless [i.e., free from extraneous desire], of the illuminators [i.e., the senses], which make known their objects and whose actions are directed by the Veda, of one of singular [i.e., one-pointed] mind is [known as] bhakti related to Bhagavān, and [is] superior to siddhi [i.e., mokṣa].”

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na yasya janma-karmabhyāṁ na varṇāśrama-jātibhiḥ

na yasya janma-karmabhyāṁ na varṇāśrama-jātibhiḥ |
sajjate’sminn aham-bhāvo dehe vai sa hareḥ priyaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.2.51; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.28)

“One whose sense of ‘I’ does not adhere to this body along with [its] birth [i.e., nobility] and karma [i.e., performance of austerities, japa, meditation, etc.], or [its] varṇa [e.g., being a brāhmaṇa], āśrama [e.g., being a brahmacārī], and jāti [e.g., being born to a particular set of parents, in a particular country, in a particular region, etc.], is dear to Hari.”

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kṛṣṇaś ca kṛṣṇa-bhaktāś ca budhair ālambanā matāḥ

kṛṣṇaś ca kṛṣṇa-bhaktāś ca budhair ālambanā matāḥ |
raty-āder viṣayatvena tathādhāratayāpi ca ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.1.16)

“Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa’s bhaktas are known by the wise to be the ālambanas (supports) by virtue of [their] being the object (viṣaya) and the vessel (ādhāra) of rati and so forth [i.e., and the secondary rasas of laughter and so on].”

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śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pañcarātra-vidhiṁ vinā

śruti-smṛti-purāṇādi-pañcarātra-vidhiṁ vinā |
aikāntikī harer bhaktir utpātāyaiva kalpate ||
bhaktir aikāntikī veyam avicārāt pratīyate |
vastutas tu tathā naiva yad aśāstrīyatekṣyate ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.101–102; Brahma-yāmala; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 284, 312)

“‘Without [adherence to] the injunctions of the Śrutis, Smṛtis, Purāṇas, Pañcarātras, and other śāstras, [even] one-pointed bhakti to Hari leads only to disturbance.’ Such bhakti [as mentioned in this verse from Brahma-yāmala] may appear to be one-pointed as a result of misjudgement. In reality, however, it is not so because it is seen to be unsupported by śāstra.”

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atha priya-sakhyāṁ snehādhikāḥ

atha priya-sakhyāṁ snehādhikāḥ—
tadīyatābhimāninyo yāḥ snehaṁ sarvadāśritāḥ |
sakhyām alpādhikaṁ kṛṣṇāt sakhī-snehādhikās tu tāḥ ||
yāḥ pūrvaṁ prāṇa-sakhyaś ca nitya-sakhyaś ca kīrtitāḥ |
sakhī-snehādhikā jñeyās tā evātra manīṣibhiḥ ||
(Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi: 8.131, 134)

“Now, those who have greater affection for their dear sakhī [are described]—Those who have the identity of being her own [i.e., of belonging to their dear sakhī] and are always endowed with affection slightly greater for their sakhī than Kṛṣṇa are [known as] those of greater affection for their sakhī. … They who were previously called the prāṇa-sakhīs and nitya-sakhīs are to known by the wise in this regard as those of greater affection for their sakhī.”

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siddha-rūpeṇa antaś-cintitābhīṣṭa-tat-sevopayogi-dehena

siddha-rūpeṇa antaś-cintitābhīṣṭa-tat-sevopayogi-dehena … |
(Durgama-saṅgamanī-ṭīkā on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.295)

“The siddha-rūpa [i.e., siddha-deha] is an internally conceived body suitable for service to one’s desired object [i.e., Iṣṭa-devatā, Śrī Kṛṣṇa].”

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gopa-rāmā-jana-prāṇa-preyase’tiprabhuṣṇave

gopa-rāmā-jana-prāṇa-preyase’tiprabhuṣṇave |
tadīya-priya-dāsyāya māṁ madīyam ahaṁ dade ||
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.1.1, 2.1.1, 3.1.1, 4.1.1, 5.1.1, 6.1.1, 7.1.1, 8.1.1, 9.1.1, 10.1.1, 11.1.1, 12.1.1)

“I offer myself and my own [i.e., all that belongs to me and my very sense of possessiveness] unto the Beloved of the hearts of beautiful gopīs, he of all-surpassing capability, and the service of his beloveds.”

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