Citta-śuddhi

arcādāv arcayet tāvad īśvaraṁ māṁ sva-karma-kṛt

arcādāv arcayet tāvad īśvaraṁ māṁ sva-karma-kṛt |
yāvan na veda sva-hṛdi sarva-bhūteṣv avasthitam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.29.25)

“Being a performer of one’s own duty (karma), one should worship [me, Īśvara] in a deity or elsewhere so long as one does not know in one’s own heart me, Īśvara, to be present in all beings [and once one does, then one should continue to worship a deity of myself, but purely as my bhakta rather than as a follower of the path of karma].”

Read on →

ahaṁ sarveṣu bhūteṣu bhūtātmāvasthitaḥ sadā

ahaṁ sarveṣu bhūteṣu bhūtātmāvasthitaḥ sadā |
tam avajñāya māṁ martyaḥ kurute’rcā-viḍambanam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.29.21; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 106)

[Kapiladeva:] “I am ever present in all beings as the Self [i.e., the Inner Regulator (Antaryāmī)] of all beings. By disrespecting him, that is, me, a mortal makes a mockery of ritual worship [alt., a mockery of my deity].”

Read on →

tasmād asad-abhidhyānaṁ yathā svapna-manoratham

tasmād asad-abhidhyānaṁ yathā svapna-manoratham |
hitvā mayi samādhatsva mano mad-bhāva-bhāvitam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.14.28)

“Therefore, one should reject desire for [alt., meditation upon] the asat, which is like the illusion in a dream, and upon me fully fix the mind imbued with bhāva by way of contemplation of me.”

Read on →

yaśaḥ-śriyām eva pariśramaḥ paro

yaśaḥ-śriyām eva pariśramaḥ paro
varṇāśramācāra-tapaḥ-śrutādiṣu |
avismṛtiḥ śrīdhara-pāda-padmayor
guṇānuvāda-śravaṇādarādibhiḥ ||
avismṛtiḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ
kṣiṇoty abhadrāṇi ca śaṁ tanoti |
sattvasya śuddhiṁ paramātma-bhaktiṁ
jñānaṁ ca vijñāna-virāga-yuktam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 12.12.54–55)

“Great endeavor in regard to the conduct of the varṇas and āśramas, austerity, learning, and so on is only for [worldly] wealth and fame. By hearing, honoring, and so forth narrations of [his] qualities, [however,] non-forgetfulness of Śrīdhara’s lotus feet comes about. Non-forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet dispels inauspiciousness and produces equanimity, purity of mind, bhakti to the Supreme Self, and knowledge accompanied by realization and non-attachment.”

Read on →

vimuñcati yadā kāmān mānavo manasi sthitān

vimuñcati yadā kāmān mānavo manasi sthitān |
tarhy eva puṇḍarīkākṣa bhagavattvāya kalpate ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.10.9)

“O you of lotus eyes! When a human being completely casts away desires situated in the mind, only then does one become fit for Bhagavattva.”

Read on →

ṛṣe vidanti munayaḥ praśāntātmendriyāśayāḥ

ṛṣe vidanti munayaḥ praśāntātmendriyāśayāḥ |
yadā tad evāsat-tarkais tirodhīyeta viplutam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.6.41)

“O sage, when of calm body, senses, and mind, contemplatives know him [i.e., Bhagavān]. [When] Assailed by spurious argumentation (asat-tarka) [however] he conceals himself.”

Read on →

devānāṁ śuddha-sattvānām ṛṣīṇāṁ cāmalātmanām

devānāṁ śuddha-sattvānām ṛṣīṇāṁ cāmalātmanām |
bhaktir mukunda-caraṇe na prāyeṇopajāyate ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.14.2; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.545; Bhakti Sandarbha: 134)

“[Even] In devas of pure mind or ṛṣis of taintless mind, bhakti to Mukunda’s feet generally does not manifest.”

Read on →

naitan manas tava kathāsu vikuṇṭhanātha

naitan manas tava kathāsu vikuṇṭhanātha
samprīyate durita-duṣṭam asādhu tīvram |
kāmāturaṁ harṣa-śoka-bhayaiṣaṇārtaṁ
tasmin kathaṁ tava gatiṁ vimṛśāmi dīnaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.9.39; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 1)

“O Lord of Vaikuṇṭha!
This mind—
Corrupted by sin,
Unholy,
Impetuous,
Afflicted by kāma,
And beset with elation, sorrow, fear, and desire—
Does not take great pleasure
In narrations about you.
Therewith,
How can this wretch
Contemplate your existence?”

Read on →

yasmin yasmiṁs tu viṣaye yo yo yāti viniścayam

yasmin yasmiṁs tu viṣaye yo yo yāti viniścayam |
sa tam evābhijānāti nānyaṁ bharata-sattama ||
yathā yathā ca paryeti loka-tantram asāravat |
tathā tathā virāgo’tra jāyate nātra saṁśayaḥ ||
evaṁ vyavasite loke bahu-doṣe yudhiṣṭhira |
ātma-mokṣa-nimittaṁ vai yateta matimān naraḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 12.175.3–5)

“Whatever firm resolve one acquires in regard to whatever object—that alone one understands [to be truly beneficial], and not anything else, O best of the Bharatas. As far as one maturely recognizes [i.e., deliberates upon and thereby understands] the intrinsic nature of the world to be essenceless, so far detachment towards it arises. Of this there is no doubt. When the world is thus determined to be possessed of numerous defects, O Yudhiṣṭhra, an intelligent person shall certainly endeavor for the sake of liberation of the self.”

Read on →

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?”

Read on →

Scroll to Top