Nārada Ṛṣi

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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naiṣkarmyam apy acyuta-bhāva-varjitaṁ

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 illuminative of Brahman (naiṣkarmya) [if it is] 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?’”

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satāṁ nindā nāmnaḥ paramam aparādhaṁ vitanute

satāṁ nindā nāmnaḥ paramam aparādhaṁ vitanute |
yataḥ khyātiṁ yātaṁ katham u sahate tad‑vigarhām ||
śivasya śrī‑viṣṇor ya iha guṇa‑nāmādi‑sakalaṁ |
dhiyā bhinnaṁ paśyet sa khalu hari‑nāmāhitakaraḥ ||
guror avajñā śruti‑śāstra‑nindanaṁ
tathārthavādo hari‑nāmni kalpanam |
nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa‑buddhir
na vidyate tasya yamair hi śuddhiḥ ||
dharma‑vrata‑tyāga‑hutādi‑sarva‑
śubha‑kriyā‑sāmyam api pramādaḥ |
aśraddadhāne vimukhe’py aśṛṇvati
yaś copadeśaḥ śiva‑nāmāparādhaḥ ||
śrutvāpi nāma‑māhātmyaṁ yaḥ prīti‑rahito’dhamaḥ |
ahaṁ‑mamādi‑paramo nāmni so’py aparādha‑kṛt ||
(Padma Purāṇa: 4.25.15–18; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.521–524; Bhakti Sandarbha: 265)

[Śrī Sanat-kumāra to Śrī Nārada:] (1) Defamation of the sat causes the greatest offense to the name. Oh! How can the name tolerate condemnation of those on whose account it has attained renown? (2) One here who shall see with the intellect all of Śiva’s qualities, names, and so forth to be distinct from Śrī Viṣṇu is certainly a committer of enmity towards Hari’s name. (3) Disrespect for the guru, and (4) defamation of the Śrutis and śāstras [are offenses to the name]. Also, (5) [assumption of mere] praise (arthavāda) and (6) fabrication in regard to Hari’s name [are offenses to the name]. (7) The purification of one who has the intention of sinning on the basis of the name’s power [to dispel sin, which is an offense to the name] certainly does not occur by means of regulations. (8) [Considering there to be] Equality [of the name] with all [types of] auspicious acts, such as dharma, rites, renunciation, and sacrifice, is also negligence [in regard to the name, i.e., an offense]. (9) Instructing one who is faithless, averse, or undesirous of hearing [about the name] is an offense to Śiva’s name [alt., to the auspicious name of Śrī Viṣṇu]. (10) Even after having heard about the greatness of the name, one who remains devoid love [for the name], vile, and [someone] for whom ‘I’, ‘mine’, and so forth are primary, is also an offender [of the name].”

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ṣaṣṭhi-varṣa-sahasrāṇi

śrī-bṛhad-vāmane ca bhṛgv-ādīn prati śrī-brahma-vākyaṁ—
ṣaṣṭhi-varṣa-sahasrāṇi mayā taptaṁ tapaḥ purā |
nanda-gopa-vraja-strīṇāṁ pāda-reṇūpalabdhaye |
tathāpi na mayā prāptās tāsāṁ vai pāda-reṇavaḥ ||
bhṛgv-ādi-vākyaṁ—
vaiṣṇavānāṁ pāda-rajo gṛhyate tvad-vidhair api |
santi te bahavo loke vaiṣṇavā nāradādayaḥ ||
teṣāṁ vihāya gopīnāṁ pāda-reṇus tvayāpi yat |
gṛhyate saṁśayo me’tra ko hetus tad vada prabho ||
śrī-brahma-vākyaṁ—
na striyo vraja-sundaryaḥ putrāḥ śreṣṭhāḥ śriyo’pi tāḥ |
nāhaṁ śivaś ca śeṣaś ca śrīś ca tābhiḥ samāḥ kvacit ||
(Bṛhad-vāmana Purāṇa; cited in Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.1.31–33)

“A statement of Śrī Brahmā to Bhṛgu and others in Śrī Bṛhad-vāmana Purāṇa: ‘Austerity was practiced by me for 60,000 years to attain the foot-dust of the women of Nanda’s cowherd pasturelands. Still, their foot-dust was not attained by me.’ The reply of Bhṛgu and so forth: ‘[If] The foot-dust of Vaiṣṇavas is honored even by those like yourself, [then] there are many Vaiṣṇavas in the world such as Nārada [whose foot-dust you could honor]. [Still,] Avoiding theirs [i.e., their foot-dust], the foot-dust of the gopīs is honored even by you. I have a doubt about this. Please say, O Prabhu, what is the reason for that?’ The reply of Śrī Brahmā: ‘O sons! The beauties of Vraja are not women. They are superior even to Śrī [i.e., Lakṣmī]. Neither I, nor Śiva, nor Śeṣa, nor Śrī are ever equal to them.”

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hantāsmin janmani bhavān mā māṁ draṣṭum ihārhati

hantāsmin janmani bhavān mā māṁ draṣṭum ihārhati |
avipakva-kaṣāyāṇāṁ durdarśo’haṁ kuyoginām ||
sakṛd yad darśitaṁ rūpam etat kāmāya te’nagha |
mat-kāmaḥ śanakaiḥ sādhu sarvān muñcati hṛc-chayān ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.6.22–23)

“[Bhagavān as a disembodied voice to Śrī Nārada in his previous life after once giving him darśana:] Hanta! You will not be able to see me [again] in this life. I am imperceptible to immature yogīs, whose impurities are not burnt away. O sinless one! This form which was once shown [to you by me] was for the sake of your desire [i.e., to intensify your desire for me]. A sādhu with desire for me gradually gives up all that lie in the heart.”

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ūtiś ca vāsanā proktā tat-tat-karmānusāriṇī

ūtiś ca vāsanā proktā tat-tat-karmānusāriṇī |
aśubhā ca śubhā ceti dvidhā sā hetu-bhedataḥ ||
aśubhā mahatāṁ kopāc chubhā mahad-anugrahāt |
harer dvārapayor yadvad vaikuṇṭhe vasator api ||
catuḥsana-ruṣā viṣṇu-dveṣādy-aśubha-vāsanā |
yathā ca daitya-garbhe’pi prahlādasya sataḥ sthirā ||
nāradānugrahād āsa viṣṇau sad-bhakti-vāsanā |
sva-bhaktaṁ ca sadā viṣṇur dviṣantam api rakṣati ||
tṛtīye’tha bhave dvāḥsthāv akarod ātmasāt prabhuḥ |
ato manīṣiṇā yatnaḥ kāryo mahad-anugrahe ||
ity etad artham ūtīnām atra lakṣaṇam ucyate |
tatrādau daśabhir daitya-tat-putra-mati-bhedataḥ ||
mahat-kopānukampottha-vāsanā bheda ucyate |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.1.1)

“An ūti (wish) is also called a vāsanā (inclination) and follows from particular karmas. It is of two types, inauspicious (aśubha) and auspicious (śubha), as a result of a difference in cause. An inauspicious vāsanā occurs as a result of the anger of a great one (mahat), and an auspicious vāsanā occurs as a result of the favor of a great one (mahat), as in the case of the inauspicious vāsanā for enmity and so forth towards Viṣṇu of the door-keepers’ of Hari [i.e., Jaya and Vijaya], even though they were residing in Vaikuṇṭha, as a result of the anger of the catuḥsana [i.e., the four kumāras], and as in the case of the unwavering vāsanā for pure bhakti to Viṣṇu of Prahlāda, even though he was born in the womb of a daitya, that occurred as a result of the favor of Nārada. Also, Viṣṇu always protects his own bhakta, even [when his bhakta is] inimical [towards him, as Jaya and Vijaya became as a result of the four kumāras’ anger and curse upon them]. Also, in the Third Canto, Prabhu accepted the door-keepers as his own [i.e., Bhagavān still considered Jaya and Vijaya his own bhaktas and protected them even though they acquired an inauspicious vāsanā as a result of their actions in relation to the kumāras]. Thus [i.e., the principle to be understood from the aforementioned is that], effort is to be made by the wise for the favor of a great one [i.e., to acquire an auspicious vāsanā, that is, a vāsanā for pure bhakti, one must endeavor to attain the favor a great one (mahat)]. This is the meaning. [Thus,] Here, the characteristics (lakṣaṇas) of ūtis (wishes) are stated. In that regard, by the first ten [chapters of the Seventh Canto], on the basis of the difference in mentality of the daitya [i.e., Hiraṇyakāśipu] and his son [i.e., Prahlāda], the distinction between the vāsanās arising from the anger and favor of a great one (mahat) is stated [i.e., they are distinguished as inauspicious and auspicious].”

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vaireṇa yaṁ nṛpatayaḥ śiśupāla-pauṇḍra

vaireṇa yaṁ nṛpatayaḥ śiśupāla-pauṇḍra-
śālvādayo gati-vilāsa-vilokanādyaiḥ |
dhyāyanta ākṛta-dhiyaḥ śayanāsanādau
tat-sāmyam āpur anurakta-dhiyāṁ punaḥ kim ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.5.48)

“Kings such as Śiśupāla, Pauṇḍraka, and Śālva attained equality with he [i.e., Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa] whom they meditated upon out of enmity while lying down, sitting, and so forth, their minds imprinted with his movements, play, glances, and so forth. [So,] How much more [is this attainment of equality with him certain to happen in the the case] of those whose minds are attached [to him]?”

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ananya-mamatā viṣṇau mamatā prema-saṅgatā

ananya-mamatā viṣṇau mamatā prema-saṅgatā |
bhaktir ity ucyate bhīṣma-prahlādoddhava-nāradaiḥ ||
(Nārada Pañcarātra; cited Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.382; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.4.2; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.23.8)

“Bhakti dedicated to Viṣṇu that is filled with mamatā [for him] and free from any other mamatā [i.e., loving attachment, lit., ‘my-ness,’ for anyone or anything else] is called prema by Bhīṣma, Prahlāda, Uddhava, and Nārada.”

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prayujyamāne mayi tāṁ śuddhāṁ bhāgavatīṁ tanum

prayujyamāne mayi tāṁ śuddhāṁ bhāgavatīṁ tanum |
ārabdha-karma-nirvāṇo nyapatat pāñca-bhautikaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.6.29; cited in Prīti Sandarbha: 11)

“[Nārada:] When that pure figure related to Bhagavān [i.e., the form of an associate (pārṣada) of Bhagavān] was being bestowed upon me, the body [made] of the five elements, the commenced (prārabdha) karma of which was exhausted, fell away.”

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katamo’pi na venaḥ syāt pañcānāṁ puruṣaṁ prati

katamo’pi na venaḥ syāt pañcānāṁ puruṣaṁ prati |
tasmāt kenāpy upāyena manaḥ kṛṣṇe niveśayet ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.1.31)

“[Nārada Ṛṣi to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja:] Veṇa did not have even one of these five [aforementioned bhāvas] for the Puruṣa. Therefore, one may absorb the mind in Kṛṣṇa by some particular means.”

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