Paramārtha

athāsat-saṅga-doṣāḥ

athāsat-saṅga-doṣāḥ |
asadbhiḥ saha saṅgas tu na kartavyaḥ kadācana |
yasmāt sarvārtha-hāniḥ syād adhaḥpātaś ca jāyate ||
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.294)

“Now, the faults of asat-saṅga [are described]: Saṅga with the asat, as a result of which the loss of all objects shall occur and downfall ensues, is not to be done at any time.”

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Uddhava-gītā

Uddhava-gītā

Six verses in praise of the Vraja-gopīs expressed by Śrī Uddhava after delivering Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s messages from Mathurā.

Excerpted from Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.47.58–63.

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tasmād bhārata sarvātmā bhagavān īśvaro hariḥ

tasmād bhārata sarvātmā bhagavān īśvaro hariḥ |
śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca smartavyaś cechatābhayam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.1.5; cited in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.7; Bhakti Sandarbha: 25, 125; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.110)

“[Śukadeva Gosvāmī to Mahārāja Parīkṣit:] O descendant of Bharata! The Self of all, Bhagavān, Īśvara, Hari, is to be heard about, to be praised, and to be remembered by one desirous of fearlessness.”

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kim alabhyaṁ bhagavati prasanne śrī-niketane

kim alabhyaṁ bhagavati prasanne śrī-niketane |
tathāpi tat-parā rājan na hi vāñchanti kiñcana ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.39.2)

“What is unattainable when Bhagavān, the abode of Śrī, is satisfied? Still, O King, those who are devoted to him do not desire anything [other than bhakti to him].”

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yāvatā syāt sva-nirvāhaḥ svīkuryāt tāvad artha-vit

yāvatā syāt sva-nirvāhaḥ svīkuryāt tāvad artha-vit |
ādhikye nyūnatāyāṁ ca cyavate paramārthataḥ ||
(Nāradīya Purāṇa; cited in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.108)

“As much as shall be necessary for one’s accomplishing [of one’s goal], that much a knower of utility [i.e., a person who knows how to attain one’s goal] should accept. One becomes deviated from the ultimate goal (paramārtha) as a result of excess and deficiency.”

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gatānugatiko lokaḥ kuṭṭanīm upadeśinīm

gatānugatiko lokaḥ kuṭṭanīm upadeśinīm |
pramāṇayati no dharme yathā goghnam api dvijam ||
(Hitopadeśa: Mitra-lābha, 10)

“People, who are imitative [lit., ‘goers after that which has gone,’ i.e., just followers of what those before them have done], do not accept an advising procuress [i.e., a procuress who gives good advice] as a source of knowledge in regard to dharma as they do even a cow-killing twice-born [i.e., a highly sinful brāhmaṇa who severely transgresses the dharma or behaves in a way that clearly demonstrates he is ignorant of it].”

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kva kasya karma saṁvīkṣya karoty anyo’pi garhitam

kva kasya karma saṁvīkṣya karoty anyo’pi garhitam |
gatānugatiko loko na lokaḥ pāramārthikaḥ ||
(Pañcatantra: 373)

“After observing the contemptible act of someone somewhere, another also does it. People are imitative [lit., they just follow, that is, blindly copy, those who have gone before them]. People are not seekers of a higher object [alt., the ultimate attainment, i.e., they do not really care for virtue, truth, ideals, or a spiritual end].”

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sa ya eṣo’ṇimaitadātmyam idaṁ sarvaṁ tat satyaṁ sa ātmā tat tvam asi śvetaketo

sa ya eṣo’ṇimaitadātmyam idaṁ sarvaṁ tat satyaṁ sa ātmā tat tvam asi śvetaketo … |
(Chāndogya Upaniṣad: 6.8.7)

“That which is this minuteness (aṇimā) [i.e., that which is the subtle basis of perceptible world]—this whole [perceptible world] is possessed of the nature of this [i.e., of this subtle-most existence]. That [i.e., that subtle-most existence which is the source of everything] is being (satya). That is the Self (Ātmā). You are that, O Śvetaketu.”

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Svāmī Vivekānanda in Bhakti-rahasya

(Svāmī Vivekānanda in Bhakti-rahasya)

“A great soul would say, ‘Imagine there is a thief in this house. Somehow, he came to know that there is a tāla of gold in the next room, and between these two rooms there is a very thin wall. In such a case, what will be the condition of the thief? He will have no sleep. He will not be able to eat. He will not be able to do anything. “How can I obtain that tāla of gold?” His mind will remain fixed only on that. He will only think, “How can I make a hole in that wall and take the tāla of gold?”
“‘What do you all want to say [i.e., so, what do I mean by this]? If human beings truly had faith that the source of happiness, bliss, and glory, Svayaṁ Bhagavān, exists, then would they be able to engage in ordinary worldly (sāṁsārika) work and not try to attain him?’
“As soon as human beings have faith that someone known as Bhagavān exists, then they become mad with intense desire to attain him. … This frenzy, this thirst, this earnest propensity, is called the awakening of a life of dharma. Only when people reach this state has their spiritual (ādhyātmika) life begun.”

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nārāyaṇamayaṁ dhīrāḥ paśyanti paramārthinaḥ

nārāyaṇamayaṁ dhīrāḥ paśyanti paramārthinaḥ |
jagad dhanamayaṁ lubdhāḥ kāmukāḥ kāminīmayam ||
(Unknown source)

“The wise, seekers of the highest attainment, see the world to be full of Nārāyaṇa [i.e., pervaded by Nārāyaṇa], the greedy [however, see the world to be] full of wealth, and the lustful [see the world to be] full of desirable women.”

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