vaiṣamya-nairghṛṇye na sāpekṣatvāt tathā hi darśayati |
(Vedānta-sūtra: 2.1.34)
“There exists no partiality or cruelty [in Brahman when he acts as the emanator of the universe] because of [Brahman’s] being dependent [on the karma of the jīvas] since the śāstra shows so.”
rajo’dhikāḥ karma-parā duḥkhe ca sukha-māninaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.10.26)
“[Maitreya describes the nature of human beings:] ‘Filled with abundance of rajas and given to action, they consider themselves to feel happiness [even] while suffering.”
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.”
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.”
asmil̐ loke vartamānaḥ svadharmastho’naghaḥ śuciḥ |
jñānaṁ viśuddham āpnoti mad-bhaktiṁ vā yadṛcchayā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.20.11)
“While existing in this world, one who is situated in one’s own dharma, sinless, and pure attains pure jñāna, or, bhakti to me independently.”
naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ
na śobhate jñānam alaṁ nirañjanam |
kutaḥ punaḥ śaśvad abhadram īśvare
na cārpitaṁ karma yad apy akāraṇam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.5.12; cited in Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.554; Bhagavat Sandarbha: 70, Bhakti Sandarbha: 3, 5, 23, 115, 116, 217; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.19)
“[Śrī Nārada to Śrī Vyāsa:] Even untainting jñāna of Brahman (naiṣkarmya) [when] devoid of bhāva for Acyuta does not shine greatly [i.e., does not lead to direct experience of Brahman], so how much less so does ever-inauspicious karma not offered to Īśvara, even which [i.e., when it] is causeless?”
tat karma yan na bandhāya sā vidyā yā vimuktaye |
āyāsāyāparaṁ karma vidyānyā śilpa-naipuṇam ||
(Viṣṇu Purāṇa: 1.19.41)
“[Prahlāda Mahārāja to Hiraṇyakaśipu:] Action is that which does not lead to bondage. Knowledge is that which leads to liberation [from bondage]. Action otherwise leads to hardship, and knowledge otherwise is [mere] proficiency in a craft.”
kartā śāstrārthavattvāt |
(Vedānta-sūtra: 2.3.31)
“[The jīva is] A doer because of śāstra being possessed of meaning.”
udyamena hi sidhyanti kāryāṇi na manorathaiḥ |
na hi suptasya siṁhasya praviśanti mukhe mṛgāḥ ||
(Hitopadeśa: Maṅgalācaraṇa, 36; Pañcatantra: Mitra-samprāpti)
“Tasks are accomplished verily by industriousness, and not just by desires. Animals do not enter the mouth of a sleeping lion.”
kāka-tāIīyavat prāptaṁ dṛṣṭvāpi nidhim agrataḥ |
na svayaṁ daivam ādatte puruṣārtham apekṣate ||
(Hitopadeśa: Maṅgalācaraṇa, 35)
“Destiny itself does not grant [one possession of] a jewel even after it has been seen present in the fore like the palm and the crow [i.e., by chance]. A person’s effort is [also] required [for one to obtain it].”
