yasya kasya taror mūlaṁ yena kenāpi miśritam |
yasmai kasmai pradātavyaṁ yadvā tadvā bhaviṣyati ||
(Unknown source)
[An āyurveda guru told a new disciple:] “When a root from some tree or other mixed with something or other is prescribed for something or other, then something or other will happen.”
pustakasthā tu yā vidyā para-hasta-gataṁ dhanam |
kārya-kāle samutpanne na sā vidyā na tad-dhanam ||
(Cāṇakhya-nīti-darpaṇa: 16.20)
“Knowledge situated in a book is not knowledge, and wealth held in the hand of another is not wealth, when the time of need arises.”
etan mahākhyāna-varaṁ mahā-hareḥ
kāruṇya-sārālaya-niścayārthakam |
yaḥ śraddhayā saṁśrayate kathañcana
prāpnoti tat-prema tathaiva so’py aram ||
(Bṛhad-Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.7.160)
“Anyone who somehow [i.e., by śravaṇa, kīrtana, or otherwise] takes full shelter [i.e., becomes fully absorbed] with śraddhā in this most excellent narration—the purpose of which is determining the recipient of the essence of the great Hari’s grace—quickly attains that very prema for him [i.e., and so all the more so does one who engages in the process bhajana it describes].”
tat karma hari-toṣaṁ yat sā vidyā tan-matir yayā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.29.49)
“That which satisfies Hari is karma [i.e., only action that is a cause of Hari’s satisfaction is truly action that ought to be performed], and that by which one becomes endowed with understanding of him is vidyā [i.e., only knowledge based on śāstra by which one comes to perceive Hari is true knowledge].”
jñāne prayāsam udapāsya namanta eva
jīvanti san-mukharitāṁ bhavadīya-vārtām |
sthāne sthitāḥ śruti-gatāṁ tanu-vāṅ-manobhir
ye prāyaśo’jita jito’py asi tais trilokyām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.14.3)
[Brahmā to Kṛṣṇa:] “O you who are generally unconquerable throughout the three worlds, you are certainly conquered by those who throw away endeavor for jñāna, live situated in their position, and simply honor with their body, speech, and mind the narrations about you they hear resounded by the sādhus.”
āhāra-nidrā-bhaya-maithunaṁ ca
sāmānyam etat paśubhir narāṇām |
dharmo hi teṣām adhiko viśeṣo
dharmeṇa hīnāḥ paśubhiḥ samānāḥ ||
(Hitopadeśa: Maṅgalācaraṇam, 25)
“Eating, sleeping, fearing, and mating—these on the part of humans are common with animals. Dharma is their [i.e., humans’] greater, distinguishing quality. Those who are devoid of dharma are the same as animals.”
sukhaṁ me sarvadā bhūyāt dukhaṁ mā bhūt kadācana |
itīcchā sarva-sāmānyā jñānād eva tat siddhyate ||
(Unknown source)
“May I always be happy. May I never suffer. This desire is common to all, and it is fulfilled only through knowledge.”
vidyā vivādāya dhanaṁ madāya
śaktiḥ pareṣāṁ paripīḍanāya |
khalasya sādhor viparītam etaj
jñānāya dānāya ca rakṣaṇāya ||
(Subhāṣita-saṅgraha)
“A wicked person’s knowledge is [only used] for disputation, wealth is [only used] for conceit, and power is [only used] for troubling others. It is the opposite with a virtuous person [sādhu], where these are [used only] for understanding, charity, and protection [of others].”
yadā kiñcij-jño’haṁ dvipa iva madāndhas samabhavaṁ
tadā sarvajño’smīty abhavad avaliptaṁ mama manaḥ |
yadā kiñcit kiñcid budhajana-sakāśād avagataṁ
tadā mūrkho’smīti jvara iva mado me vyapagataḥ ||
(Nīti-śatakam: 8)
“When I had a little knowledge
and became blinded with pride
like an elephant [in rut],
then my mind became arrogant,
as I thought, ‘I know everything.’
When I understood a little something from wise persons,
then I thought, ‘I am a fool,’
and my pride faded away like a fever.
oṁ athāśvalāyano bhagavantaṁ
parameṣṭhinam upasametyocāva |
adhīhi bhagavan brahma-vidyāṁ variṣṭhāṁ
sadā sadbhiḥ sevyamānāṁ nigūḍhām |
yathācirāt sarva-pāpaṁ vyapohya
parātparaṁ puruṣaṁ yāti vidvān ||1||
tasmai sa hovāca pitāmahaś ca
śraddhā-bhakti-dhyāna-yogād avaihi ||2||
na karmaṇā na prajayā dhanena
tyāgenaike amṛtatvam ānaśuḥ |
pareṇa nākaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ
vibhrājate yad yatayo viśanti ||3||
vedānta-vijñāna-suniścitārthāḥ
sannyāsa-yogād yatayaḥ śuddha-sattvāḥ |
te brahmalokeṣu parānta-kāle
parāmṛtāḥ parimucyanti sarve ||4||
(Kaivalya Upaniṣad: 1–4; Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad: 3.2.6)
“Om. Now, Āśvalāyana approached illustrious Brahmā and said, ‘O illustrious One, please teach me Brahmā-vidyā, which is most excellent [among all types of knowledge], ever-adhered to by the sādhus, and secret, and by which the wise soon become absolved of all sin and attain the Supreme Puruṣa,’ and to him [i.e., to Āśvalāyana], the Grandsire [i.e., Lord Brahmā] verily spoke, ‘You can realize [the Brahma-vidyā you wish to attain] through the practices of śraddhā, bhakti, and meditation. Neither by karma, nor by progeny or wealth, but only by renunciation can you attain immortality, which is beyond heaven and shines hidden in the cave [i.e., heart]. Ascetics [lit., those who strive (for it)] enter it. Completely determined upon the object of realization established by Vedānta and of purified nature by virtue of practice of sannyāsa, the ascetics in the planes of Brahmā [i.e., in the various planes through the material universe] at the time of the final end [i.e., at the time of the dissolution of the material universe] overcome death and become completely liberated [from entanglement in saṁsāra, i.e., they realize Brahman].”
