Compassion

svārthaṁ parārthaṁ vāprapta-prārthanecchā

svārthaṁ parārthaṁ vāprapta-prārthanecchā | sā cātma-manasoḥ samyogāt sukhādy-apekṣāt smṛty-apekṣād votpadyate | prayatna-smṛti-dharmādharma-hetuḥ | kāmo’bhilāṣaḥ rāgaḥ saṅkalpaḥ kāruṇyaṁ vairāgyam upadhā bhāva ity evam ādaya icchā-bhedāḥ | maithunecchā kāmaḥ | abhyavahārecchābhilāṣaḥ | punaḥ punar viṣayānurañjanecchā rāgaḥ | anāsanna-kriyecchā saṅkalpaḥ | svārtham anapekṣya para-duhkha-prahāṇecchā kāruṇyam | doṣa-darśanād viṣaya-tyāgecchā vairāgyam | para-vañcanecchā upadhā | antarnigūḍhecchā bhāvaḥ | cikīrṣā-jihīrṣety-ādi-kriyā-bhedād icchā-bhedā bhavanti ||
(Padārtha-dharma-saṅgraha: 126)

“A wish for an unattained object for one’s own sake or for another’s sake is [called] desire (icchā). This is produced by contact of the self and mind out of regard for pleasure (sukha) and so forth, or, out of regard for a memory (smṛti) and so forth. It is a cause of effort (pratyana), remembrance (smṛti), merit (dharma), and dermit (adharma). Lust (kāma), craving (abhilāṣa), attachment (rāga), resolve (saṅkalpa), compassion (kāruṇya), aversion (vairāgya), deceit (upadhā), intention (bhāva), and so forth are varieties of desire. Desire for copulation is [called] lust (kāma). Desire for eating is [called] craving (abhilāṣa). Desire for repeatedly enjoying an object is [called] attachment (rāga). Desire for a non-immediate action is [called] a resolve (saṅkalpa). Desire to remove the pain of another without regard for one’s own sake [i.e., without selfish interest] is [called] compassion (kāruṇya). Desire to avoid an object as a result observation of a fault [in the object] is [called] aversion (vairāgya). Desire to deceive another is [called] deceit (upadhā). Internally concealed desire is [called] intention (bhāva). Varieties of desire exist based on varieties of actions (kriyās), such as the desire to do and the desire to remove.”

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dviṣataḥ para-kāye māṁ

dviṣataḥ para-kāye māṁ mānino bhinna-darśinaḥ |
bhūteṣu baddha-vairasya na manaḥ śāntim ṛcchati ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.29.23; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 106)

[Kapiladeva:] “The mind of one who is inimical towards me in another’s body, [that is,] of disunited vision, [thus] conceited, and [thus] bound by enmity towards [other] beings, does not attain peace.”

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ahiṁsā prathamaṁ puṣpaṁ puṣpam indriya-nigrahaḥ

ahiṁsā prathamaṁ puṣpaṁ puṣpam indriya-nigrahaḥ |
sarva-bhūta-dayā puṣpaṁ kṣamā puṣpaṁ viśeṣataḥ ||
jñāna-puṣpaṁ tapaḥ puṣpaṁ dhyāna-puṣpaṁ tu saptamam |
satyam aṣṭa-vidhaṁ puṣpaṁ viṣṇoḥ prītikaraṁ bhavet ||
(Prapanna-parijāta: 5.28)

“First, the flower of (1) non-violence, [then] the flower of (2) control of the senses, the flower of (3) kindness [alt., compassion] to all beings, the flower of (4) forbearance [alt., forgiveness] in particular, the flower of (5) knowledge, the flower of (6) austerity, the flower of (7) meditation seventh, and (8) truthfulness—[these] flowers of eight types shall be pleasing to Viṣṇu.”

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prāṇair viyuktā na bhavanti yāvat

prāṇair viyuktā na bhavanti yāvat
tāvad vinodaṁ karuṇa tyajaitam |
kṛṣṇānyathā goṣṭha-janaika-bandho
gantāsi śokaṁ mṛdula-svabhāvaḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.6.239)

“[Baladeva appeals to Kṛṣṇa lying motionless in the coils of Kāliya:] Before they become deprived of their prāṇas,
O Compassionate One,
Stop this play.
Otherwise,
O Kṛṣṇa,
O you whose only kinsmen are the people of the cowherd community,
You who are of tender disposition
Will undergo sorrow.”

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naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās

naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaraṇyās
tvad-vīrya-gāyana-mahāmṛta-magna-cittaḥ |
śoce tato vimukha-cetasa indriyārtha-
māyā-sukhāya bharam udvahato vimūḍhān ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.9.43)

“Of mind absorbed in the great nectar
Of [songs sung by] the singers of your feats,
I am certainly not afraid,
O Supreme One,
Of the insurmountable Vaitaraṇī.
[Still,] I pity the fools,
Whose minds are averse to that [great nectar],
Bearing the burden [of worldly life]
For the sake of the illusory pleasure
Produced by objects of the senses.”

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tulā-puruṣa-dānādyair aśvamedhādibhir makhaiḥ

tulā-puruṣa-dānādyair aśvamedhādibhir makhaiḥ |
vārāṇasī-prayāgādi-tīrtha-snānādibhiḥ priye ||
gayā-śrāddhādibhiḥ pitryair veda-pāṭhādibhir japaiḥ |
tapobhir ugrair niyamair yamair bhūta-dayādibhiḥ ||
guru-śuśrūṣaṇaiḥ satyair dharmair varṇāśramānvitaiḥ |
jñāna-dhyānādibhiḥ samyak-caritair janma-koṭibhiḥ ||
na yānti tat paraṁ śreyo viṣṇuṁ sarveśvareśvaram |
sarva-bhāvair anāśritya purāṇaṁ puruṣottamam ||
(Padma Purāṇa; Nārada Pañcarātra: 4.2.17–20; cited in the Dig-darśinī-ṭikā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 1.118)

“[Mahādeva to Parvatī:] O dear one, by means of crores of births of righteous conduct—[the giving of] charities such as that equal to the person [i.e., the charity of giving away an amount of gold equal to the weight of one’s body], [conducting] sacrifices like the horse-sacrifice, bathing and so on at tīrthas like Vārāṇasī and Prayāga, [performances of] rites for the forefathers like [an offering of] last rights at Gayā, recitation and so forth of Vedas, japas [i.e., performing japa of various mantras], severe austerities, regulations, restrictions, [showing] compassion and the like towards other living beings, [performing] services to the guru, [observing] noble duties based on one’s varṇa and āśrama, [acquiring] knowledge, [performing] meditation, and so on—one does not attain the supreme weal, Viṣṇu, the Īśvara of all īśvaras, without taking shelter in [him] the primeval Supreme Person with all of one’s manners of being [i.e., with the totality of one’s self].”

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yo gajendraṁ jhaṣa-grastaṁ dhyāyantaṁ caraṇāmbujam

yo gajendraṁ jhaṣa-grastaṁ dhyāyantaṁ caraṇāmbujam |
krośantīnāṁ kareṇūnāṁ kṛcchrato’mocayad drutam ||
taṁ sukhārādhyam ṛjubhir ananya-śaraṇair nṛbhiḥ |
kṛtajñaḥ ko na seveta durārādhyam asādhubhiḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.19.35–36; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 153)

“What grateful person would not worship he who swiftly saved the crying lady elephants’ elephant-king [i.e., Gajendra] from danger while [the elephant-king was] meditating on his lotus feet after being seized by a crocodile, [he] who is easily propitiated by persons who are sincere and of undivided shelter yet difficult to propitiate for the unvirtuous?”

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adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca

adveṣṭā sarva-bhūtānāṁ maitraḥ karuṇa eva ca |
nirmamo nirahaṅkāraḥ sama-duḥkha-sukhaḥ kṣamī ||
santuṣṭaḥ satataṁ yogī yatātmā dṛḍha-niścayaḥ |
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir yo mad-bhaktaḥ sa me priyaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 12.13–14)

“My bhakta—one who is non-inimical, friendly, and indeed compassionate towards all beings, free from possessiveness, free from egotism, equal towards suffering and happiness, forbearing, ever satisfied, a yogī, self-restrained, of firm conviction, and of mind and intellect offered to me—is dear to me.”

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dharmaḥ satya-dayopeto vidyā vā tapasānvitā

dharmaḥ satya-dayopeto vidyā vā tapasānvitā |
mad-bhaktyāpetam ātmānaṁ na samyak prapunāti hi ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.14.22; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.557; Bhakti Sandarbha: 79, 111, 147)

“Devoid of bhakti to me, dharma endowed with truthfulness and compassion, or knowledge accompanied by austerity, certainly do not fully purify the mind.”

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na vidyate yasya ca janma karma vā

na vidyate yasya ca janma karma vā
na nāma-rūpe guṇa-doṣa eva vā |
tathāpi lokāpyaya-sambhavāya yaḥ
sva-māyayā tāny anukālam ṛcchati ||
tasmai namaḥ pareśāya brahmaṇe’nanta-śaktaye |
arūpāyoru-rūpāya nama āścarya-karmaṇe ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 8.3.8–9)

“Obeisance unto the Supreme Īśa, unto Brahman, unto he possessed of unending potency, unto he who has no birth or action, no name or form, and no faults in the form of [material] qualities whatsoever, and who by means of his own māyā still accepts these [i.e., births, actions, names, forms, and qualities] perpetually for the sake of the dissolution and the attainment of the people. Obeisance unto he who has no [material] form, unto he who has an excellent [spiritual] form, unto he of astonishing action.”

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