baḍa kīrti haile caitanya nāhi pāi |
‘bhakti-vaśa sabe prabhu’—cāri-vede gāi ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata: 2.10.279)
“[Even] If one acquires great renown, one does not attain Caitanya. The four Vedas sing, ‘Prabhu is completely captivated [only] by bhakti.’”
atra pariśramam iti kṛpayety ābhyāṁ dvy-aṅgula-nyūnatā-samāhitā bhakta-niṣṭhā bhajanotthā śrāntis tad-darśanotthā sva-niṣṭhā kṛpā ceti dvābhyām eva bhagavān baddho bhavet | te dve yāvan nābhūtāṁ tāvad dvy-aṅgula-nyūnatā āsīt | tayor udbhūtayos tu baddho’bhūd iti premnā sva-baddhena prakāra sva-mātari svayam udāhṛto bhagavateti jñeyam ||
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.9.18)
“Here exertion (pariśrama) and grace (kṛpā)—by these the [cause of the] shortness of two fingers is inferred; the fatigue arising from bhajana present in the bhakta and the grace arising from seeing this present in him—specifically by these two Bhagavān became bound. As long as these two did not manifest, the shortness of two fingers was present. When these two manifested, however, he became bound. Thus, it is to be understood that the way to bind him with prema has been demonstrated by Bhagavān Himself through his own mother.”
cic-chakti-sāra-bhūtena premṇaiva tasyānandātiśayārtham eva bhakta-vaśyatvaṁ niṣpadyata … |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.9.19)
“[Bhagavān’s] Being captivated by bhaktas is effected only by prema, the essence of the cit-śakti, for the purpose of [producing] profuse bliss for him.”
nāmnāṁ tu saṅkīrtanam ārti-bhārān
meghaṁ vinā prāvṛṣi cātakānām |
rātrau viyogāt sva-pate rathāṅgi-
vargasya cākroṣaṇavat pratīhi ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.3.167)
“Know saṅkīrtana of the names [of Bhagavān] to arise from a profusion of heartache like the loud cries of cātakas during a monsoon devoid of clouds or [the loud cries] of cakravākīs at night separated from their husbands.”
pratiṣṭhāśā dhṛṣṭā śvapaca-ramaṇī me hṛdi naṭet
kathaṁ sādhu-premā spṛśati śucir etan nanu manaḥ |
sadā tvaṁ sevasva prabhu-dayita-sāmantam atulaṁ
yathā tāṁ niṣkāsya tvaritam iha taṁ veśayati saḥ ||
(Stavāvalī: Manaḥ-śikṣā, 7)
“The low-class shrew of desire for pratiṣṭhā is dancing in my heart, so how will the pure prema of the sādhus ever touch it? O mind! You should always serve the unrivaled chieftain of Prabhu’s devotee so that he will immediately banish this shrew and instill pure prema therein [i.e., within your heart].”
