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ahiṁsā prathamaṁ puṣpaṁ puṣpam indriya-nigrahaḥ

ahiṁsā prathamaṁ puṣpaṁ puṣpam indriya-nigrahaḥ |
sarva-bhūta-dayā puṣpaṁ kṣamā puṣpaṁ viśeṣataḥ ||
jñāna-puṣpaṁ tapaḥ puṣpaṁ dhyāna-puṣpaṁ tu saptamam |
satyam aṣṭa-vidhaṁ puṣpaṁ viṣṇoḥ prītikaraṁ bhavet ||
(Prapanna-parijāta: 5.28)

“First, the flower of (1) non-violence, [then] the flower of (2) control of the senses, the flower of (3) kindness [alt., compassion] to all beings, the flower of (4) forbearance [alt., forgiveness] in particular, the flower of (5) knowledge, the flower of (6) austerity, the flower of (7) meditation seventh, and (8) truthfulness—[these] flowers of eight types shall be pleasing to Viṣṇu.”

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yaśaḥ-śriyām eva pariśramaḥ paro

yaśaḥ-śriyām eva pariśramaḥ paro
varṇāśramācāra-tapaḥ-śrutādiṣu |
avismṛtiḥ śrīdhara-pāda-padmayor
guṇānuvāda-śravaṇādarādibhiḥ ||
avismṛtiḥ kṛṣṇa-padāravindayoḥ
kṣiṇoty abhadrāṇi ca śaṁ tanoti |
sattvasya śuddhiṁ paramātma-bhaktiṁ
jñānaṁ ca vijñāna-virāga-yuktam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 12.12.54–55)

“Great endeavor in regard to the conduct of the varṇas and āśramas, austerity, learning, and so on is only for [worldly] wealth and fame. By hearing, honoring, and so forth narrations of [his] qualities, [however,] non-forgetfulness of Śrīdhara’s lotus feet comes about. Non-forgetfulness of Kṛṣṇa’s lotus feet dispels inauspiciousness and produces equanimity, purity of mind, bhakti to the Supreme Self, and knowledge accompanied by realization and non-attachment.”

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tatra saṁsāra-cakrasya mokṣo jñānena dṛśyate

tatra saṁsāra-cakrasya mokṣo jñānena dṛśyate |
ādhyātma-tattva-vijñānaṁ jñānam ity abhidhīyate ||
(Mahābhārata: 13.243.22)

“In that regard, mokṣa is observed [to occur] through knowledge of the wheel of saṁsāra. Refined knowledge of the nature of the higher self is known as ‘knowledge’ (jñānam).”

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tulā-puruṣa-dānādyair aśvamedhādibhir makhaiḥ

tulā-puruṣa-dānādyair aśvamedhādibhir makhaiḥ |
vārāṇasī-prayāgādi-tīrtha-snānādibhiḥ priye ||
gayā-śrāddhādibhiḥ pitryair veda-pāṭhādibhir japaiḥ |
tapobhir ugrair niyamair yamair bhūta-dayādibhiḥ ||
guru-śuśrūṣaṇaiḥ satyair dharmair varṇāśramānvitaiḥ |
jñāna-dhyānādibhiḥ samyak-caritair janma-koṭibhiḥ ||
na yānti tat paraṁ śreyo viṣṇuṁ sarveśvareśvaram |
sarva-bhāvair anāśritya purāṇaṁ puruṣottamam ||
(Padma Purāṇa; Nārada Pañcarātra: 4.2.17–20; cited in the Dig-darśinī-ṭikā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 1.118)

“[Mahādeva to Parvatī:] O dear one, by means of crores of births of righteous conduct—[the giving of] charities such as that equal to the person [i.e., the charity of giving away an amount of gold equal to the weight of one’s body], [conducting] sacrifices like the horse-sacrifice, bathing and so on at tīrthas like Vārāṇasī and Prayāga, [performances of] rites for the forefathers like [an offering of] last rights at Gayā, recitation and so forth of Vedas, japas [i.e., performing japa of various mantras], severe austerities, regulations, restrictions, [showing] compassion and the like towards other living beings, [performing] services to the guru, [observing] noble duties based on one’s varṇa and āśrama, [acquiring] knowledge, [performing] meditation, and so on—one does not attain the supreme weal, Viṣṇu, the Īśvara of all īśvaras, without taking shelter in [him] the primeval Supreme Person with all of one’s manners of being [i.e., with the totality of one’s self].”

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yayā hṛt-kṣobha-rāhityān mahākautukato’pi te

yayā hṛt-kṣobha-rāhityān mahākautukato’pi te |
vṛttaṁ bhāva-viśeṣena tat-tal-loke’cyutekṣaṇaṁ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.251)

“Because of which [i.e., because of being unknowing], your sight of Acyuta occurred on those various lokas [i.e., in Svarga, Mahar, and so on] by means of your special bhāva [in relation to Bhagavān] on account of your absence of agitation of mind and your great curiosity.”

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āmnāya-prathitānvayā smṛtimatī bāḍhaṁ ṣaḍ-aṅgojjvalā

āmnāya-prathitānvayā smṛtimatī bāḍhaṁ ṣaḍ-aṅgojjvalā
nyāyenānugatā purāṇa-suhṛdā mīmāṁsayā maṇḍitā |
tvāṁ labdhāvasarā cirād guru-kule prekṣya sva-saṅgārthinaṁ
vidyā nāma vadhūś caturdaśa-guṇā govinda śuśrūṣate ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.1.77; cited in Sāhitya-kaumudī: 6.3)

“[Siddhas and Cāraṇas praise Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] O Govinda,
The young bride named Knowledge,
Whose lineage is extended by the [four] Vedas,
Who is possessed of the Smṛtis,
Who is exceedingly bright with the six [Veda-] aṅgas,
Who is followed by Nyāya,
Who is decorated by Mīmāṁsā
The friends of which are the Purāṇas,
Who is [thus] possessed of fourteen attributes,
And who upon seeing you seeking her own company
At the house of a guru
Has found an opportunity after a long time,
Desires to serve [you].”

A second translation as per the second intended meaning of the verse:

“[Siddhas and Cāraṇas praise Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] O Govinda,
The young bride named Knowledge,
Whose family is renowned for [its] nobility,
Who is endowed with good memory,
Whose six parts are exceedingly bright,
Who is observant of good conduct,
Who is decorated with discernment
The supporters of which are elders,
Who is present in the home of [her] parents,
Who upon seeing you seeking her own company
Has found an opportunity after a long time,
And is [thus] possessed of fourteen qualities,
Desires to serve [you].”

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dharmaḥ satya-dayopeto vidyā vā tapasānvitā

dharmaḥ satya-dayopeto vidyā vā tapasānvitā |
mad-bhaktyāpetam ātmānaṁ na samyak prapunāti hi ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.14.22; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.557; Bhakti Sandarbha: 79, 111, 147)

“Devoid of bhakti to me, dharma endowed with truthfulness and compassion, or knowledge accompanied by austerity, certainly do not fully purify the mind.”

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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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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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kā vidyā hari-bhaktir eva na punar vedādi-niṣṇātatā

kā vidyā hari-bhaktir eva na punar vedādi-niṣṇātatā
kīrtiḥ kā bhagavat-paro’yam iti yā khyātir na dānādijā |
kā śrīḥ tat-priyatā na vai dhana-jana-grāmādi-bhūyiṣṭhatā |
kiṁ duḥkhaṁ bhagavat-priyasya viraho no hṛd-vraṇādi-vyathā ||8||
bhagavān: bhadram | ke muktāḥ?
rāmānandaḥ: pratyāsattir hari-caraṇayoḥ sānurāge na rāge
prītiḥ premātiśayini harer bhakti-yoge na yoge |
āsthā tasya praṇaya-rabhasasyopadehe na dehe
yeṣāṁ te hi prakṛti-sarasā hanta muktā na muktāḥ ||9||
bhagavān : bhavatu |
kiṁ geyaṁ vraja-keli-karma kim iha śreyaḥ satāṁ saṅgatiḥ
kiṁ smartavyam aghāri-nāma kim anudhyeyaṁ murāreḥ padam |
kva stheyaṁ vraja eva kiṁ śravaṇayor ānandi vṛndāvana-
krīḍaikā kim upāsyam atra mahasī śrī-kṛṣṇa-rādhābhidhe ||10||
bhagavān: bhadram |
(Caitanya-candrodaya-nāṭakam: 7.8–10; cited in Alaṅkāra-kaustubha: 8.233–234, 236)

“Bhagavān: What is knowledge?
“Rāmānanda: Hari-bhakti alone [is knowledge], and not, rather, expertise in the Vedas and so on.
“Bhagavān: What is glory?
“Rāmānanda: The renown, ‘He is devoted to Bhagavān’ [is glory] and not that produced by giving and so on.
“Bhagavān: What is wealth?
“Rāmānanda: Fondness for him [i.e., Bhagavān, is wealth], and certainly not an abundance of money, people [i.e., relatives, friends, followers, man-power, or otherwise], villages [i.e., land, property, social influence, etc.] and so on.
“Bhagavān: What is suffering?
“Rāmānanda: The separation of one dear to Bhagavān [is suffering], and not the pain of a wound in the heart or otherwise.
“Bhagavān: Very well. Who is liberated?
“Rāmānanda: Hanta! Those of rasa-laden disposition [alt., nature] who have close contact with [alt., affinity (āsakti) for] those possessed of loving attachment (anurāga) to Hari’s feet and not [rather close contact with or affinity for] attachment (rāga) [to objects of the senses (viṣaya)], [who] have fondness (prīti) for bhakti-yoga filled with a profusion of prema related to Hari, and not [rather] for yoga [i.e., jñāna-, karma-, or aṣṭāṅga-yoga, etc.], and [who] have conviction in the body suitable for he of fervent love (praṇaya) and not [rather conviction] in the [worldly] body, are liberated, and not [rather] the liberated [i.e., those who think themselves liberated].
“Bhagavān: Let it be. What is to be sung?
“Rāmānanda: The acts of play in Vraja.
“Bhagavān: What is the highest good (śreyas) here [in this world]?
“Rāmānanda: The association of the sat.
“Bhagavān: What is to be remembered?
“Rāmānanda: The name of Agha’s Foe.
“Bhagavān: What is to be meditated upon?
“Rāmānanda: The feet of Mura’s Foe.
“Bhagavān: Where is one to be stationed?
“Rāmānanda: In Vraja alone.
“Bhagavān: What is delighting to the ears?
“Rāmānanda: The play in Vṛndāvana alone.
“Bhagavān: What is the object to be approached [i.e., worshiped] here?
“Rāmānanda: The object of worship is the [two-fold] brilliance known as Śrī Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā.
“Bhagavān: Very well.”

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