Uttama-bhakti

yeṣāṁ sa eṣa bhagavān dayayed anantaḥ

yeṣāṁ sa eṣa bhagavān dayayed anantaḥ
sarvātmanāśrita-pado yadi nirvyalīkam |
te dustarām atitaranti ca deva-māyāṁ
naiṣāṁ mamāham iti dhīḥ śva-śṛgāla-bhakṣye ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.7.42; cited in Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.4.86; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.6.235)

“If those whom he, this Bhagavān, the Unlimited, may grace take shelter in his feet in all respects without duplicity, they will cross beyond his difficult to surmount, divine māyā [and come to know him], and they will have no notion of ‘my’ or ‘I’ in regard to that which is food for dogs and jackals [i.e., the material body].”

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kṛṣṇa-bhakti-sudhā-pānād deha-daihika-vismṛteḥ

kṛṣṇa-bhakti-sudhā-pānād deha-daihika-vismṛteḥ |
teṣāṁ bhautika-dehe’pi sac-cid-ānanda-rūpatā ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.3.61)

“On account of non-remembrance of the body and the bodily as a result of drinking the nectar of bhakti to Kṛṣṇa, their having a form [constituted] of eternal being, consciousness, and bliss can come about even [when they are] in a body [made] of the [material] elements.”

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vimuktākhila-tarṣair yā muktir api vimṛgyate

vimuktākhila-tarṣair yā muktir api vimṛgyate |
yā kṛṣṇenātigopyāśu bhajadbhyo’pi na dīyate ||
sā bhukti-mukti-kāmatvāc chuddhāṁ bhaktim akurvatām |
hṛdaye sambhavaty eṣāṁ kathaṁ bhāgavatī ratiḥ ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.3.42–43)

“That which is sought even by the liberated who are completely free from all [extraneous] desires, which is highly confidential and [which is] not given by Kṛṣṇa quickly even to worshippers [of himself]—how can [that] rati for Bhagavān appear in the heart of those who do not perform pure bhakti on account of being possessed of desire for enjoyment or liberation?”

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vinā sarva-tyāgaṁ bhavati na bhajanaṁ hy asu-pateḥ

vinā sarva-tyāgaṁ bhavati na bhajanaṁ hy asu-pateḥ |
(Caitanyacandrodaya-nāṭaka: 5.22)

“Without relinquishment of everything [apart from it], worship of the Lord of the life airs [i.e., the Lord of the heart, or, the Lord of one’s life] certainly does not occur [as it is meant to in truth].”

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bhukti-mukti-spṛhā yāvat piśācī hṛdi vartate

bhukti-mukti-spṛhā yāvat piśācī hṛdi vartate |
tāvad bhakti-sukhasyātra katham abhyudayo bhavet ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛtā-sindhu: 1.2.22)

“As long as the fiend of desire for enjoyment or mukti remains in the heart, how can the emergence of the happiness of bhakti occur there?”

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tad evaṁ trividhāpi sā punar akaitavā sakaitavā ceti dvividhā jñeyā

tad evaṁ trividhāpi sā punar akaitavā sakaitavā ceti dvividhā jñeyā | tatrāropa-saṅga-siddhayor yasyā bhakteḥ sambandhena bhakti-pada-prāptyāṁ sāmarthyaṁ tan-mātrāpekṣatvaṁ ced akaitavatvaṁ, svīyānyadīya-phalāpekṣatvaṁ cet sakaitavatvam | svarūpa-siddhāyāś ca yasya bhagavataḥ sambandhena tādṛśaṁ māhātmyaṁ tan-mātrāpekṣa-parikaratvaṁ ced akaitavatvaṁ, prayojanāntarāpekṣayā karma-jñāna-parikaratvaṁ cet sakaitavatvam | iyam evākaitavā akiñcanākhyatvena pūrvam uktā | ‘dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo’tra paramaḥ’ ity atra cāsya tad-ubhaya-vidhatve pramāṇaṁ jñeyam | tathoktaṁ—‘prīyate’malayā bhaktyā harir anyad viḍambanam’ iti |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 217)

“Thus, in this way, although of three types [i.e., (1) āropa-siddhā, accomplished (siddhā) by means of attribution (āropa); (2) saṅga-siddhā, accomplished (siddhā) by means of association (saṅga); and (3) svarūpa-siddhā, accomplished (siddhā) by means of its own nature (svarūpa)], that [i.e., bhakti] further is to be known to be of two types: akaitavā (non-deceitful) and sakaitavā (deceitful) [i.e., each of the three aforementioned types of bhakti can be of two types, that is, either akaitavā (non-deceitful) or sakaitavā (deceitful)]. Therein, if āropa- and saṅga-siddhā [-bhakti] are possessed of intent only upon that bhakti by connection with which they have the ability to attain the status of [being] bhakti [i.e., if they are possessed of intent only upon bhakti wherein there is desire for bhakti alone, then] they are possessed of akaitavatva (non-deceitfulness), but if they are possessed of intent upon a result relating to one’s self or relating to another [i.e., relating to anyone other than Bhagavān, then] they are possessed of sakaitavatva (deceitfulness). If svarūpa-siddhā [-bhakti] is possessed of being an assistant to intent only upon that bhakti [wherein there is desire for bhakti alone by connection with which it [i.e., that svarūpa-siddhā-bhakti] has such greatness [i.e., has the quality of being the very essence of all the śāstras as discussed in BKS 169, has the quality of being the highest bliss (paramānanda) as discussed in BKS 3, and so on, then] it is possessed of akaitavatva (non-deceitfulness), but if it is possessed of being an assistant to karma or jñāna on account of intent upon another aim (prayojana) [i.e., an aim other than bhakti wherein there is desire for bhakti alone, then] it is possessed of sakaitavatva (deceitfulness). This exact non-deceitful (akaitavā) [bhakti] was described earlier [in BKS 165, 170, 178 179, and 202 with reference to SB 5.18.12] as being called ‘unconditional’ (akiñcanā). Also, evidence in regard to its [i.e., bhakti’s] being of both types [i.e., potentially being either non-deceitful or deceitful] is to be understood here in [SB 1.1.2], ‘Here [i.e., in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam] is the highest dharma completely free from deceit (kaitava)’ (dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo’tra paramaḥ). Similarly, it is stated [in SB 7.7.52], ‘Hari is pleased [only] by taintless bhakti. All else is a sham [i.e., deceitful].’”

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yathā sakāma-bhaktā hi bhuktvā tat-kāmitaṁ phalam

yathā sakāma-bhaktā hi bhuktvā tat-kāmitaṁ phalam |
kāle bhakti-prabhāvena yogyaṁ vindanti tat-phalam ||
yathā ca tatra tat-kālaṁ bhakter yogyaṁ na sat-phalam |
sañjātam iti tac chuddha-bhaktimadbhir vinindyate ||
te hi bhakteḥ phalaṁ mūlaṁ bhagavac-caraṇābjayoḥ |
sadā sandarśana-krīḍānanda-lābhādi manvate ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.4.221–223)

“As desirous (sakāma) bhaktas, indeed after partaking of their desired result, in time by the influence of bhakti attain the befitting result thereof [i.e., of their practice of bhakti], and as the befitting, true result of bhakti is not manifested to them [i.e., to those desirous (sakāma) bhaktas] at that time [i.e., so long as they still remain desirous of an object other than bhakti]—so that [i.e., any object that is attained by means of sakāma-bhakti] is condemned by those possessed of pure bhakti since they consider the primary result of bhakti to be the attainment of the bliss of constant direct sight of Bhagavān’s lotus feet, sporting [in their midst], and so forth [i.e., as well as the favor of attaining the bliss of direct service to those lotus feet and the like, on account of those attainments alone being dear to bhaktas by virtue of their prema-bhakti for Śrī Bhagavān].”

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dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo’tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ

dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo’tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ
vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu śivadaṁ tāpa-trayonmūlanam |
śrīmad-bhāgavate mahāmuni-kṛte kiṁ vāparair īśvaraḥ
sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate’tra kṛtibhiḥ śuśrūṣubhis tat-kṣaṇāt ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.1.2; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.396; Tattva Sandarbha: 19, 26, 50; Bhagavat Sandarbha: 84; Paramātma Sandarbha: 106, Bhakti Sandarbha: 106, 115, 217; Prīti Sandarbha: 16, 18, 73; Durgama-saṅgamanī-ṭīkā and Bhakti-sāra-pradarśinī-ṭīkā on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.244)

“Here [i.e., in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam], for the sādhus who are free from envy, is the highest dharma wherein deceit is utterly rejected. Here is the Reality, the real object to be be known, which bestows the highest good and uproots the three miseries. What need is there of any other [śāstra] than this Śrīmad Bhāgavatam compiled by the best of the sages [i.e., Vedavyāsa]? [There is no such need because] Here Īśvara is bound within the heart by the fortunate who desire to serve immediately, from that [very] moment [they begin to listen].”

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bhaktyā tv ananyayā śakya aham evaṁvidho’rjuna

bhaktyā tv ananyayā śakya aham evaṁvidho’rjuna |
jñātuṁ draṣṭuṁ ca tattvena praveṣṭuṁ ca parantapa ||
mat-karma-kṛn mat-paramo mad-bhaktaḥ saṅga-varjitaḥ |
nirvairaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu yaḥ sa mām eti pāṇḍava ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 11.54–55)

“But by exclusive (ananyā) bhakti, O Arjuna, O scorcher of enemies, I, in this form, am able in reality to be known, to be seen, and to be entered [i.e., fully united with]. One who is a performer of action related to me, for whom I am supreme, who is my bhakta, who is free from attachment, and who is without enmity towards all beings, attains me, O son of Pandu.”

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na hy aṅgopakrame dhvaṁso mad-dharmasyoddhavāṇv api

na hy aṅgopakrame dhvaṁso mad-dharmasyoddhavāṇv api |
mayā vyavasitaḥ samyaṅ nirguṇatvād anāśiṣaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.29.20; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.527; Rāga-vartma-candrikā: 1.12)

“Indeed, O Uddhava, there is certainly no loss even slightly in an undertaking of dharma related to me that is without interest in benedictions since it is determined to be proper by me on account of [its] being beyond the guṇas.”

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