Jñāna

karmaṇaḥ sākṣāt-sāmmukhya-rūpa-jñāna-bhakty-udaya-paryantatvāt

karmaṇaḥ sākṣāt-sāmmukhya-rūpa-jñāna-bhakty-udaya-paryantatvāt svayam eva tābhyāṁ nyakkāraḥ | tatra sākṣāt-sāmmukhye ca nirviśeṣa-sāmmukhyaṁ jñānam | saviśeṣasyāpi tattvasya bhagavattvaṁ paramātmatvaṁ ceti mukhyam āvirbhāva-dvayam iti saviśeṣa-sāmmukhya-rūpāyā bhaktes tu mukhyaṁ bheda-dvayaṁ bhagavan-niṣṭhatvaṁ paramātma-niṣṭhatvaṁ ceti |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 176)

“Because of karma’s extending [only] up to the appearance of jñāna or bhakti, that is, the [two] forms of direct intentness (sākṣāt-sāmmukhya) [upon the Para-tattva], discarding [of karma] by them [i.e., by jñāna and bhakti] occurs of its own accord [i.e., automatically once jñāna or bhakti come about]. Therein, furthermore, among the two [forms of] direct intentness [upon the Para-tattva] (sākṣāt-sāmmukhya), intentness (sāmmukhya) upon the unqualified (nirviśeṣa) [aspect of the Para-tattva] is [called] jñāna. The Qualified (saviśeṣa) Tattva also has two primary manifestations, Bhagavān-ness (Bhagavattva) and Paramātmā-ness (Paramātmatva), and thus bhakti, the nature of which is intentness (sāmmukhya) upon the qualified (saviśeṣa) [aspect of the Para-tattva], has two primary divisions: fixity upon Bhagavān and fixity upon Paramātmā.”

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pātraṁ tv atra niruktaṁ vai kavibhiḥ pātra-vittamaiḥ

pātraṁ tv atra niruktaṁ vai kavibhiḥ pātra-vittamaiḥ |
harir evaika urvīśa yan-mayaṁ vai carācaram ||
devarṣy-arhatsu vai satsu tatra brahmātmajādiṣu |
rājan yad agra-pūjāyāṁ mataḥ pātratayācyutaḥ ||
jīva-rāśibhir ākīrṇa aṇḍa-kośāṅghripo mahān |
tan-mūlatvād acyutejyā sarva-jīvātma-tarpaṇam ||
purāṇy anena sṛṣṭāni nṛ-tiryag-ṛṣi-devatāḥ |
śete jīvena rūpeṇa pureṣu puruṣo hy asau ||
teṣv eva bhagavān rājaṁs tāratamyena vartate |
tasmāt pātraṁ hi puruṣo yāvān ātmā yatheyate ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.14.34–38)

“[Śrī Nārada to Śrī Yudhiṣṭhira:] O Ruler of the earth! The one Hari alone, of whom the universe [lit., the moving and the unmoving] is constituted, has been declared the [most] fit recipient of honor (pātram) here [i.e., on the earth] by the learned most knowledgable in regard to fit recipients of honor since, O King, Acyuta [i.e., Hari] was accepted as being the fit recipient of the first worship there [i.e., at your Rājasūya sacrifice] even when the devas, ṛṣis, ascetics, sons of Brahmā [i.e., Sanat, Sanandana, and so on], and others were present. Worship of Acyuta is satisfying to all jīvas and oneself because of [his] being the root of the vast tree of the universe filled with the multitudes of jīvas. The abodes [i.e., bodies] of human beings, animals, sages, and devatās [i.e., all living beings] were emanated by him. He, the Puruṣa, [then] lies in those abodes in the form of life [i.e., in the form of he who is the cause of life in those abodes, i.e., the Inner Regulator (Antaryāmī)]. O King, Bhagavān is present in these [abodes, i.e., bodies] verily in a gradation. Therefore, a person [i.e., a human being] is a fit recipient of honor as and to the extent the Self [i.e., Bhagavān] is perceived.”

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yogās trayo mayā proktā nṝṇāṁ śreyo-vidhitsayā

yogās trayo mayā proktā nṝṇāṁ śreyo-vidhitsayā |
jñānaṁ karma ca bhaktiś ca nopāyo’nyo’sti kutracit ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.20.6; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 170)

“Three yogas—jñāna, karma, and bhakti—have been taught by me with the intention of bringing about the weal of human beings. There is no other means [to weal for human beings] anywhere.”

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bodho’nya-sādhanebhyo hi sākṣān mokṣaika-sādhanam

bodho’nya-sādhanebhyo hi sākṣān mokṣaika-sādhanam |
pākasya vahnivaj jñānaṁ vinā mokṣo na sidhyati ||
(Ātma-bodha: 2)

“In comparison to other means (sādhanas), certainly understanding is directly the sole means to mokṣa. Mokṣa is not attained without knowledge, which is like fire for cooking [i.e., as cooking cannot be accomplished without fire, so mokṣa cannot be attained without knowledge].”

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vittir viraktiś ca kṛtāñjaliḥ puro

vittir viraktiś ca kṛtāñjaliḥ puro
yasyāḥ parānanda-tanor vitiṣṭhate |
siddhiś ca sevā-samayaṁ pratīkṣate
bhaktiḥ pareśasya punātu sā jagat ||
(Govinda-bhāṣya on Vedānta-sūtra: 3.2.1)

“May bhakti to the Supreme Īśa—
She possessed of a form of supreme bliss
Before whom Knowledge and Non-attachment
Stand with cupped-palms
And Siddhi awaits an occasion for service—
Purify the universe.”

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na vinā sādhanair devo jñāna-vairāgya-bhaktibhiḥ

na vinā sādhanair devo jñāna-vairāgya-bhaktibhiḥ |
dadāti sva-padaṁ śrīmān atas tāni budhaḥ śrayet ||
(Govinda-bhāṣya on Vedānta-sūtra: 3.1.1)

“Without the means (sādhanas) of knowledge (jñāna), non-attachment (vairāgya), and devotion (bhakti), blessed Deva does not grant his own abode [alt., his feet, to anyone]. Therefore, the wise shall take shelter in those [i.e., in the sādhanas of jñāna, vairāgya, and bhakti].”

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nāsac-chāstreṣu sajjeta nopajīveta jīvikām

nāsac-chāstreṣu sajjeta nopajīveta jīvikām |
vādavādāṁs tyajet tarkān pakṣaṁ kañca na saṁśrayet ||
na śiṣyān anubadhnīta granthān naivābhyased bahūn |
na vyākhyām upayuñjīta nārambhān ārabhet kvacit ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.13.7–8; cited in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.113)

“[Śrī Nārada to Śrī Yudhiṣṭhira regarding rules for a sannyāsī:] One should not foster attachment to texts related to the unreal (asat-śāstra), one should not subsist on a vocation, one should avoid arguments based on assertions regarding propositions, and one should not take any particular side [in such arguments]. One should not be followed by [many] disciples, one should not study many texts, one should not engage in teaching [many texts], and one should never start undertakings.”

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bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ śraddhayātmā priyaḥ satām

bhaktyāham ekayā grāhyaḥ śraddhayātmā priyaḥ satām |
bhaktiḥ punāti man-niṣṭhā śvapākān api sambhavāt ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.14.21; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.602; Bhakti Sandarbha: 147, 241; Prīti Sandarbha: 1; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.20.135)

“[Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] I, the Self—the Beloved—of the sat, am attainable by means of one-pointed bhakti with śraddhā. Bhakti fixed upon me purifies even dog-cookers of their birth.”

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na sādhayati māṁ yogo na sāṅkhyaṁ dharma uddhava

na sādhayati māṁ yogo na sāṅkhyaṁ dharma uddhava |
na svādhyāyas tapas tyāgo yathā bhaktir mamorjitā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.14.20; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.601; Bhakti Sandarbha: 78, 103, 147, 327; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.20.134)

“[Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] O Uddhava, neither yoga, nor sāṅkhya, nor dharma, nor study, nor austerity, nor renunciation cause attainment of me like powerful bhakti to me [does].”

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nṛṣu tava māyayā bhramam amīṣv avagatya bhṛśaṁ

nṛṣu tava māyayā bhramam amīṣv avagatya bhṛśaṁ
tvayi sudhiyo’bhave dadhati bhāvam anuprabhavam |
katham anuvartatāṁ bhava-bhayaṁ tava yad bhrū-kuṭiḥ
sṛjati muhus trinemir abhavac-charaṇeṣu bhayam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.87.32)

[Translated according to Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda’s commentary:] “Understanding the ignorance as a consequence of your māyā among these human beings wherefrom repeated birth ensues, the wise foster bhāva [i.e., render service] profusely for you, Non-existence [i.e., you who are the cause of liberation from material existence]. How could your followers have any distress on account of [material] existence, since the furrowing of your brows—time (trinemi)—creates distress perpetually for those who are not in your shelter?”

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