Grace

dūrān niśamya mahimānam upetya pārśvam

dūrān niśamya mahimānam upetya pārśvam
antaḥ praviśya śubha-bhāgavatāmṛtābdheḥ |
paśyāmi kṛṣṇa-karuṇāñjana-nirmalena
hṛl-locanena bhagavad-bhajanaṁ hi ratnam ||
(Viṣṇu Purī’s Bhakti-ratnāvalī: 6)

“After hearing from afar, approaching the bank [i.e., studying], and then entering within [i.e., understanding the confidential meaning of] the greatness of the ocean of the nectar that is the bountiful Bhāgavatam, I see with the eyes of my heart purified by the collyrium of Kṛṣṇa’s compassion that Bhagavad-bhajana alone is the jewel [i.e., bhakti is essential to the attainment of all puruṣārthas and furthermore is the ultimate puruṣārtha itself].”

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puṁsāṁ kilaikānta-dhiyāṁ svakānāṁ

puṁsāṁ kilaikānta-dhiyāṁ svakānāṁ
yāḥ sampado divi bhūmau rasāyām |
na rāti yad dveṣa udvega ādhir
madaḥ kalir vyasanaṁ samprayāsaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.11.22)

“To persons of one-pointed mind who are his own, he certainly does not bestow the riches which are [found] in Heaven, on Earth, or in Rasā, and from which enmity, fear, anxiety, conceit, quarrel, plight, and exertion ensue.”

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yadā yasyānugṛhṇāti

yadā yam anugṛhṇāti bhagavān ātma-bhāvitaḥ |
sa jahāti matiṁ loke vede ca pariniṣṭhitām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.29.46; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.64; Bhakti Sandarbha: 284; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 11.115)

“[Nārada to Prācīnabarhi:] When Bhagavān, being meditated upon within the heart, favors one, then one abandons resolute regard for the world [i.e., social conventions] and the Veda [i.e., injunctions given in the Vedas].”

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na yat-prasādāyuta-bhāga-leśam

na yat-prasādāyuta-bhāga-leśam
anye ca devā guravo janāḥ svayam |
kartuṁ sametāḥ prabhavanti puṁsas
tam īśvaraṁ tvāṁ śaraṇaṁ prapadye ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 8.24.49)

[Satyavrata Rāja to Matsya Avatāra:] “The [Supreme] Person [even] a trace of a one ten-thousandth part of whose grace other devas, gurus, and persons [i.e., kings and so forth] combined are independently [i.e., independent of him] unable to grant—I take shelter in him, Īśvara—you.”

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sarva-śakti-cakravartinī

sarva-śakti-cakravartinī parama-bhāsvatī kṛpā-śaktir eva bhagavac-cittaṁ navanītam iva vidrutīkṛtya … |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.9.18)

“The empresses of all [Bhagavān’s] śaktis, the supremely radiant kṛpā-śakti (potency of grace), melts Bhagavan’s heart like butter.”

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bhavān hi kāraṇaṁ tatra

bhavān hi kāraṇaṁ tatra sarva-jño jagad-īśvaraḥ |
anugrahaṁ nigrahaṁ vā manyase tad vidhehi naḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.16.59)

“Because you, the all-knowing Īśvara of the universe, are the cause in this regard [i.e., of one giving up your māyā], please give us mercy or punishment, as you think [fit].”

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atra pariśramam iti kṛpayety ābhyāṁ dvy-aṅgula-nyūnatā-samāhitā

atra pariśramam iti kṛpayety ābhyāṁ dvy-aṅgula-nyūnatā-samāhitā bhakta-niṣṭhā bhajanotthā śrāntis tad-darśanotthā sva-niṣṭhā kṛpā ceti dvābhyām eva bhagavān baddho bhavet | te dve yāvan nābhūtāṁ tāvad dvy-aṅgula-nyūnatā āsīt | tayor udbhūtayos tu baddho’bhūd iti premnā sva-baddhena prakāra sva-mātari svayam udāhṛto bhagavateti jñeyam ||
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.9.18)

“Here exertion (pariśrama) and grace (kṛpā)—by these the [cause of the] shortness of two fingers is inferred; the fatigue arising from bhajana present in the bhakta and the grace arising from seeing this present in him—specifically by these two Bhagavān became bound. As long as these two did not manifest, the shortness of two fingers was present. When these two manifested, however, he became bound. Thus, it is to be understood that the way to bind him with prema has been demonstrated by Bhagavān Himself through his own mother.”

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anya-kāmī yadi kare kṛṣṇera bhajana

anya-kāmī yadi kare kṛṣṇera bhajana |
nā māgileo kṛṣṇa tāre dena sva-caraṇa ||
kṛṣṇa kahe—āmā bhaje, māge viṣaya-sukha |
amṛta chāḍi’ viṣa māge—ei baḍa mūrkha ||
āmi vijña, ei mūrkhe viṣaya kene diba? |
sva-caraṇāmṛta diyā viṣaya bhulāiba ||
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.37–39)

“If someone with other desires [i.e., someone who desires anything other than Kṛṣṇa] engages in worship of Kṛṣṇa, then Kṛṣṇa gives them his own feet even though they did not ask [for them]. Kṛṣṇa says [i.e., considers], ‘They worship me but ask for the pleasure of sense objects; they reject nectar and ask for poison. They are a great fool. I [on the contrary] am wise. [So,] Why should I give this fool objects of the senses? I will give them the nectar of my own feet and make them forget about objects of the senses.’”

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na śakyaḥ sa tvayā draṣṭum

na śakyaḥ sa tvayā draṣṭum asmābhir vā bṛhaspate |
yasya prasādaṁ kurute sa vai taṁ draṣṭum arhati ||
(Mahābhārata: 12.323.18; cited in Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.419, Bhagavat Sandarbha: 34)

“O Bṛhaspati, he [i.e., Bhagavān] cannot be seen by you or by us. Only someone whom he has graced is able to see him.”

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nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo

nāyam ātmā pravacanena labhyo
na medhayā na bahunā śrutena |
yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyaḥ
tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanūṁ svām ||
(Kaṭha Upaniṣad: 1.2.23; cited in Bhagavat Sandarbha: 121)

“The Ātmā is attainable neither by exposition, nor by intellect, nor by extensive hearing [of śāstra]. The Ātmā is attainable by one whom he chooses. To him [who is so chosen] the Ātmā reveals his own form.”

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