Dearness

nātaḥ parataro loke puṁsaḥ svārtha-vyatikramaḥ

nātaḥ parataro loke puṁsaḥ svārtha-vyatikramaḥ |
yad-adhy anyasya preyastvam ātmanaḥ sva-vyatikramāt ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgatavatam: 4.22.32)

“There is no neglect of one’s own interest in this world greater than one’s own neglect of the self (ātmā) [i.e., of one’s true nature as an eternal spiritual entity distinct from the gross and subtle bodies], [the self solely] for the sake of which there is dearness of another [i.e., of any other thing, person, etc., e.g., one’s body gross and subtle bodies, family, wealth, etc.].”

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nātha yoni-sahasreṣu yeṣu yeṣu vrajāmy aham

nātha yoni-sahasreṣu yeṣu yeṣu vrajāmy aham |
teṣu teṣv acyutā bhaktir acyute’stu sadā tvayi ||
yā prītir avivekānāṁ viṣayeṣv anapāyinī |
tvām anusmarataḥ sā me hṛdayān nāpasarpatu ||

(Viṣṇu Purāṇa: 1.20.18–19; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 8.434–435; Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha: 142; Bhakti Sandarbha: 217; Prīti Sandarbha: 50, 61)

“O Nātha, wherever I go in the course of thousands of births, may I always have unwavering (acyutā) bhakti to you, the unwavering Lord (Acyuta)! As I continuously remember you, may that everlasting prīti which [is possessed of a characteristic like the prīti which] the undiscerning have for objects of the senses, never slip away from my heart.”

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tatra bhāgavatān dharmān

tatra bhāgavatān dharmān śikṣed gurv-ātma-daivataḥ |
amāyayānuvṛttyā yais tuṣyed ātmātmado hariḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.3.22; cited in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.98; Bhakti Sandarbha: 206)

“One for whom guru is one’s ātmā and devatā should, through unaffected adherence, learn from him Bhāgavata-dharmas by which Hari, he who gives his own self, can be pleased.”

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na tathā me priyatama

na tathā me priyatama ātma-yonir na śaṅkaraḥ |
na ca saṅkarṣaṇo na śrīr naivātmā ca yathā bhavān ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.14.15)

“Neither he who is self-born [i.e., Brahmā], nor Śaṅkara [i.e., Śiva], nor Saṅkarṣaṇa [i.e., Balarāma], nor Śrī [i.e., Lakṣmī], nor even my own Self are so dearmost to me as you [O Uddhava].”

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evaṁ sva-citte svata eva siddha

evaṁ sva-citte svata eva siddha
ātmā priyo’rtho bhagavān anantaḥ |
taṁ nirvṛto niyatārtho bhajeta
saṁsāra-hetūparamaś ca yatra ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.2.6; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 2)

“As such [i.e., being detached from mundanity], resolute and fulfilled, one should engage in worship of him [Hari], [since he is] self-existent within one’s own consciousness, the Self, beloved, real, glorious, and without end, wherein [i.e., within such worship] there is cessation of the cause of saṁsāra and so forth [i.e., attainment of him.”

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na hy asyāsti priyaḥ kaścin

na hy asyāsti priyaḥ kaścin nāpriyaḥ svaḥ paro’pi vā |
ātmatvāt sarva-bhūtānāṁ sarva-bhūta-priyo hariḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.17.33)

“No one is dear to him, and no one is undear; no one is his own or estranged from him either. Because he is the ātmā of all living beings, Hari is dear to all living beings [alt., he is the object of their unconditional prīti].”

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na vā are patyuḥ kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavaty

na vā are patyuḥ kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavaty ātmanas tu kāmāya patiḥ priyo bhavati | na vā are jāyāyai kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavaty ātmanas tu kāmāya jāyā priyā bhavati | na vā are putrāṇāṁ kāmāya putrāḥ priyā bhavanty ātmanas tu kāmāya putrāḥ priyā bhavanti | na vā are vittasya kāmāya vittaṁ priyaṁ bhavaty ātmanas tu kāmāya vittaṁ priyaṁ bhavati | na vā are brahmaṇaḥ kāmāya brahma priyaṁ bhavati, ātmanas tu kāmāya brahma priyaṁ bhavati | na vā are kṣatrasya kāmāya kṣatraṁ priyaṁ bhavaty ātmanas tu kāmāya kṣatraṁ priyaṁ bhavati | na vā are lokānāṁ kāmāya lokāḥ priyā bhavanty ātmanas tu kāmāya lokāḥ priyā bhavanti | na vā are devānāṁ kāmāya devāḥ priyā bhavanty ātmanas tu kāmāya devāḥ priyā bhavanti | na vā are bhūtānāṁ kāmāya bhūtāni priyāṇi bhavanty ātmanas tu kāmāya bhūtāni priyāṇi bhavanti | na vā are sarvasya kāmāya sarvaṁ priyaṁ bhavaty ātmanas tu kāmāya sarvaṁ priyaṁ bhavati | ātmā vā are draṣṭavyaḥ śrotavyo mantavyo nididhyāsitavyo maitreyy ātmano vā are darśanena śravaṇena matyā vijñānenedaṁ sarvaṁ viditam |
(Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad: 2.4.5; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 7)

“Truly, not for the sake of love for the husband is the husband dear. Rather, for the sake of love for the Ātmā [alt., ātmā] the husband is dear. Truly, not for the sake of love for the wife is the wife dear. Rather, for the sake of love for the Ātmā the wife is dear. Truly, not for the sake of love for sons are sons dear. Rather, for the sake of love for the Ātmā sons are dear. Truly, not for the sake of love for wealth is wealth dear. Rather, for the sake of love for the Ātmā wealth is dear. Truly, not for the sake of love for the brāhmaṇa is the brāhmaṇa dear. Rather, for the sake of love for the Ātmā the brāhmaṇa is dear. Truly, not for the sake of love for the kṣatriya is the kṣatriya dear. Rather, for the sake of love for the Ātmā the kṣatriya is dear. Truly, not for the sake of love for the worlds are the worlds dear. Rather, for the sake of love for the Ātmā the worlds are dear. Truly, not for the sake of love for the devas are the devas dear. Rather, for the sake of love for the Ātmā the devas are dear. Truly, not for the sake of love for living beings are living beings dear. Rather, for the sake of love for the Ātmā living beings are dear. Truly, not for the sake of love for all are all dear. Rather, for the sake of love for the Ātmā all are dear. Truly, the Ātmā is to be seen, [that is,] to be heard about, to be contemplated, and to be deeply meditated upon. O Maitreyī, truly, by seeing, [that is,] by hearing, reflecting upon, and realizing the Ātmā, everything becomes known.”

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tad etat preyaḥ putrāt

tad etat preyaḥ putrāt, preyo vittāt, preyo’nyasmāt sarvasmād antarataraṁ yad ayam ātmā | sa yo’nyam ātmanaḥ priyaṁ bruvāṇaṁ brūyāt priya rotsyatītīśvaro ha tathaiva syāt, ātmānam eva priyam upāsīta | sa ya ātmānam eva priyam upāste, na hāsya priyaṁ pramāyukaṁ bhavati ||
(Bṛhadāraṇyaka Upaniṣad: 1.4.8)

“This which is dearer than a son, dearer than wealth, dearer than others, and all else—this is the ātmā deeper within. One who says of someone who says something else is dearer than the ātmā, “He will lose that which he holds dear” is capable [i.e., fit to say so], and indeed that will come to be. One should regard only the ātmā as dear. Indeed that which is dear to one who regards only the ātmā as dear is never subject to destruction.”

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