Puruṣārtha – Anuśīlana.in

sukhaṁ tu jagatām eva kāmyaṁ dharmeṇa jāyate

sukhaṁ tu jagatām eva kāmyaṁ dharmeṇa jāyate |
adharma-janyaṁ duḥkhaṁ syāt pratikūlaṁ sacetasām ||
nirduḥkhatve sukhe cecchā taj-jñānād eva jāyate |
icchā tu tad-upāye syād iṣṭopāyatva-dhīr yadi ||
(Bhāṣa-pariccheda: 145–146)
“Pleasure (sukha), that which is the entire world’s object of desire, arises by means of merit (dharma). Pain (duḥkha), which is produced by demerit (adharma), shall be [defined as] that which is unpleasant (pratikūla) for all conscious beings. Desire for painlessness and pleasure arises specifically from knowledge of these, whereas desire shall come about for a means to these [i.e., to painlessness and pleasure] if there is awareness of [something’s] instrumentality to that which is desired [viz., painlessness and pleasure].”

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kiṁ durāpaṁ mayi prīte tathāpi vibudharṣabhāḥ

kiṁ durāpaṁ mayi prīte tathāpi vibudharṣabhāḥ |
mayy ekānta-matir nānyan matto vāñchati tattva-vit ||
na veda kṛpaṇaḥ śreya ātmano guṇa-vastu-dṛk |
tasya tān icchato yacched yadi so’pi tathā-vidhaḥ ||
svayaṁ niḥśreyasaṁ vidvān na vakty ajñāya karma hi |
na rāti rogiṇo’pathyaṁ vāñchato’pi bhiṣaktamaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.9.47–49)

“[Bhagavān Viṣṇu:] O best of the devatās! What is difficult to attain when I am pleased? [Nothing]. Still, a knower of the essence—one whose mind is one-pointed upon me—does not desire anything other than me. A pitiable seer of substance in [worldly] objects does not understand his own good. If at will someone shall give those [i.e., essenceless worldly objects] to him, [then] he too is of such sort [i.e., then that giver of worldly objects is also ignorant just like the desirer of them is]. One who has knowledge of the highest good himself certainly does not speak of karma to one who is ignorant. An excellent doctor does not administer that which is unsalutary for a patient even if [the patient is] desirous [of that].”

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bhaktiṁ muhuḥ pravahatāṁ tvayi me prasaṅgo

bhaktiṁ muhuḥ pravahatāṁ tvayi me prasaṅgo
bhūyād ananta mahatām amalāśayānām |
yenāñjasolbaṇam uru-vyasanaṁ bhavābdhim
neṣye bhavad-guṇa-kathāmṛta-pāna-mattaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.9.11; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.290, Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.14)

“O Unending One! May I have the full association of mahats who are always fully sustaining bhakti to you and [thus] of taintless heart by which I, inebriated by drinking the nectar of narrations of your qualities, shall easily cross beyond the immense ocean of material existence beset with waves of afflictions.”

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adhokṣajālambham ihāśubhātmanaḥ

adhokṣajālambham ihāśubhātmanaḥ
śarīriṇaḥ saṁsṛti-cakra-śātanam |
tad brahma-nirvāṇa-sukhaṁ vidur budhās
tato bhajadhvaṁ hṛdaye hṛd-īśvaram ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.7.37)

“The wise know the impure mind’s contact with Adhokṣaja [i.e., Bhagavān] to be destructive of the cycle of saṁsāra for an embodied being in this world and to be [inclusive of] the bliss of immersion (nirvāṇa) in Brahman. Therefore, you all should worship the Lord of the heart in the heart.”

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yasmin yasmiṁs tu viṣaye yo yo yāti viniścayam

yasmin yasmiṁs tu viṣaye yo yo yāti viniścayam |
sa tam evābhijānāti nānyaṁ bharata-sattama ||
yathā yathā ca paryeti loka-tantram asāravat |
tathā tathā virāgo’tra jāyate nātra saṁśayaḥ ||
evaṁ vyavasite loke bahu-doṣe yudhiṣṭhira |
ātma-mokṣa-nimittaṁ vai yateta matimān naraḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 12.175.3–5)

“Whatever firm resolve one acquires in regard to whatever object—that alone one understands [to be truly beneficial], and not anything else, O best of the Bharatas. As far as one maturely recognizes [i.e., deliberates upon and thereby understands] the intrinsic nature of the world to be essenceless, so far detachment towards it arises. Of this there is no doubt. When the world is thus determined to be possessed of numerous defects, O Yudhiṣṭhra, an intelligent person shall certainly endeavor for the sake of liberation of the self.”

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bhaume cāsmin sapadi mathurā-maṇḍale yāna-mātrāt

bhaume cāsmin sapadi mathurā-maṇḍale yāna-mātrāt
sidhyeyus tāḥ sakala-samaye yasya kasyāpi naiva |
kintv etasya priya-jana-kṛpā-pūrataḥ kasyacit syus
tad bho mātaś cinu pada-rajas tat-padaika-priyāṇām ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.76)

“Those [various delightful līlās of Madana Gopāla] certainly cannot be attained by anyone at all times just by suddenly going to the district of Mathurā on this earth [i.e., only during the time of the descent of the blessed Lord of Goloka to the district of Mathurā on earth can someone simply arrive there suddenly and perceive his delightful līlās by his grace]. [At all other times,] Rather, those can be had by someone [only] as a result of a flood of grace from a person dear to him [as in the case of Janaśarmā receiving the grace of Sarūpa (Gopa Kumāra)]. Therefore, O Mother, gather dust from the feet of those to whom only his feet are dear [i.e., gather dust from the feet of his bhaktas who hold Kṛṣṇa-bhakti alone and not mokṣa or anything else dear].”

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so’pi saṅkalpajaṁ viṣṇoḥ pāda-sevopasāditam

so’pi saṅkalpajaṁ viṣṇoḥ pāda-sevopasāditam |
prāpya saṅkalpa-nirvāṇaṁ nātiprīto’bhyagāt puram ||
vidura uvāca—
sudurlabhaṁ yat paramaṁ padaṁ harer
māyāvinas tac-caraṇārcanārjitam |
labdhvāpy asiddhārtham ivaika-janmanā
kathaṁ svam ātmānam amanyatārtha-vit ||
maitreya uvāca—
mātuḥ sapatnyā vāg-bāṇair hṛdi viddhas tu tān smaran |
naicchan mukti-pater muktiṁ paścāt tāpam upeyivān ||
dhruva uvāca—
samādhinā naika-bhavena yat padaṁ
viduḥ sanandādaya ūrdhva-retasaḥ |
māsair ahaṁ ṣaḍbhir amuṣya pādayoś
chāyām upetyāpagataḥ pṛthaṅ-matiḥ ||
aho bata mamānātmyaṁ manda-bhāgyasya paśyata |
bhava-cchidaḥ pāda-mūlaṁ gatvāyāce yad antavat ||
matir vidūṣitā devaiḥ patadbhir asahiṣṇubhiḥ |
yo nārada-vacas tathyaṁ nāgrāhiṣam asattamaḥ ||
daivīṁ māyām upāśritya prasupta iva bhinna-dṛk |
tapye dvitīye’py asati bhrātṛ-bhrātṛvya-hṛd-rujā ||
mayaitat prārthitaṁ vyarthaṁ cikitseva gatāyuṣi |
prasādya jagad-ātmānaṁ tapasā duṣprasādanam |
bhava-cchidam ayāce’haṁ bhavaṁ bhāgya-vivarjitaḥ ||
svārājyaṁ yacchato mauḍhyān māno me bhikṣito bata |
īśvarāt kṣīṇa-puṇyena phalī-kārān ivādhanaḥ ||
maitreya uvāca—
na vai mukundasya padāravindayo
rajo-juṣas tāta bhavādṛśā janāḥ |
vāñchanti tad-dāsyam ṛte’rtham ātmano
yadṛcchayā labdha-manaḥ-samṛddhayaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.9.27–36)

“[Maitreya:] Even after attaining his desire—that which led [him] to [attaining] the service of Viṣṇu’s feet and because of which his resolve [to propitiate Viṣṇu by means of performing austere worship] was extinguished—he returned home not greatly satisfied.
“Vidura said: ‘Even after having attained in one birth that supreme abode of gracious Hari [i.e., the “vault of heaven” in the upper most region of the material universe], acquired through worship of his feet and most difficult to attain, why did he who was sagacious [i.e., able to discern between essence and non-essence and cognizant of the ultimate puruṣārtha] consider himself as though unsuccessful [i.e., to have not attained a worthwhile goal]?’
“Maitreya said: ‘Having been struck at heart by the arrows of the words of his stepmother and remembering them [i.e., those arrow-like words, at the time of his meeting with Śrī Bhagavān], he did not desire mukti [i.e., bhakti, that is, servitude to Śrī Bhagavān and the position of being one of his associates] from the Lord of mukti [i.e., from Śrī Bhagavān] and [thereafter thus] felt remorse.’
“Dhruva said: ‘After attaining in six months the shade of the feet of he who Sananda and other celibates realized by means of samādhi [only] over the course of many births, I went away [because of] being of separate interest [i.e., because my interest was in an object other than Śrī Bhagavān and thus he did not take me with him to his abode right then]. Oh! Alas! See the mindlessness of I of meager fortune! After having reached the base of the feet of the Destroyer of material existence, I begged for what is perishable. My mind was polluted by the falling, intolerant devas [i.e., by the devas who are inevitably subject to falling from their positions and intolerant of those who attain something beyond them]. Being most wicked, I did not accept the truth of Nārada’s word [when he told me to ignore the harsh remarks of my stepmother that initially prompted me to propitiate Bhagavān for the sake of attaining a kingdom greater than my father’s]. Taking shelter in Bhagavān’s māyā and, as though asleep, being a seer of difference even in a second unreality [i.e., seeing a puruṣārtha other than Śrī Bhagavān as though perceiving unrealities in a dream], I suffered from heartache because of an enemy who was a brother [i.e., I perceived my own brother to be my enemy even though he wasn’t inimical to me at all]. That which was requested [from Śrī Bhagavān] by me is useless, like treatment for a dead person. After propitiating the Self of the universe, the Destroyer of material existence who is difficult to propitiate by means of austerity, I begged for material existence [i.e., something of the realm of material existence that binds one within it], being devoid of fortune. From he who was offering [me] sovereignty [i.e., servitude to himself], honor [i.e., a kingdom and other causes of attaining worldly honor] was begged for by me out of foolishness like unhusked grain is [begged for] from an emperor by a poor man because of being devoid of merit.’
“Maitreya said: ‘My dear [i.e., dear Vidura], persons like you who delight in the dust of the lotus feet of Mukunda and whose well-being of mind comes about [just] by means of that which is attained of its own accord [i.e., those who are satisfied with and able to draw benefit from whatever it is they encounter] certainly do not desire any object of the self [i.e., any puruṣārtha] other than servitude to him.”

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kṣaṇārdhenāpi tulaye na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam

kṣaṇārdhenāpi tulaye na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam |
bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya martyānāṁ kim utāśiṣaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.24.57; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.285; Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.14; Bhakti Sandarbha: 189, 247; Prīti Sandarbha: 30)

“[Bhagavān Śiva to the Pracetas:] I equate neither Svarga nor non-repetition of birth, much less the benedictions had by human beings, with even half a moment of association with those who are attached to Bhagavān.”

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yadyapi śrī-bhāgavata-mate pañcarātrādivad arcana

yadyapi śrī-bhāgavata-mate pañcarātrādivad arcana-mārgasyāvaśyakatvaṁ nāsti tad vināpi śaraṇāpatty-ādīnām ekatareṇāpi puruṣārtha-siddher abhihitatvāt, tathāpi śrī-nāradādi-vartmānusaradbhiḥ śrī-bhagavatā saha sambandha-viśeṣaṁ dīkṣā-vidhānena śrī-guru-caraṇa-sampāditaṁ cikīrṣadbhiḥ kṛtāyāṁ dīkṣāyām arcanam avaśyaṁ kriyetaiva | ‘divyaṁ jñānaṁ yato dadyāt kuryāt pāpasya saṅkṣayam | tasmād dīkṣeti sā proktā deśikais tattva-kovidaiḥ || ato guruṁ praṇamyaivaṁ sarvasvaṁ vinivedya ca | gṛhṇīyād vaiṣṇavaṁ mantraṁ dīkṣā-pūrvaṁ vidhānataḥ ||’ ity āgamāt | divyaṁ jñānaṁ hy atra śrīmati mantre bhagavat-svarūpa-jñānaṁ, tena bhagavatā sambandha-viśeṣa-jñānaṁ ca | yathā pādmottara-khaṇḍādāv aṣṭākṣarādikam adhikṛtya vivṛtam asti |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 283)

“Although in the view of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam there is no necessity of the path of arcana [i.e., ritual worship] based on the Pañcarātra and other such texts because of attainment of the puruṣārthas even by means of any one [limb of bhakti] among [the limbs of bhakti such as] śaraṇāgati and so forth even without that [i.e., even without performing arcana] being declared [i.e., affirmed to occur], still arcana necessarily should be performed after acceptance of dīkṣa by those following the path of Nārada and others who desire to form a specific relationship with Śrī Bhagavān that is established by the feet of the blessed guru by means of the rite of dīkṣā, as per the [following statements in the] Āgamas, ‘Because it can grant divine knowledge and completely destroy sin, it is called dīkṣā by preceptors learned in the truth. Therefore, offering obeisance in this way to the guru and offering [him] one’s all, one should accept a Vaiṣṇava mantra and the rite of dīkṣā according to rule.’ ‘Divine knowledge’ here refers to knowledge of the identity of Bhagavān in the blessed mantra, and therewith knowledge of a specific relationship with Bhagavān, as is explained in regard to the eighteen-syllable mantra in the Uttara-khaṇḍa of Padma Purāṇa and elsewhere.”

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nanu bhagavan-nāmātmakā eva mantrāḥ

nanu bhagavan-nāmātmakā eva mantrāḥ | tatra viśeṣeṇa namaḥ-śabdādy-alaṅkṛtāḥ śrī-bhagavatā śrīmad-ṛṣibhiś cāhita-śakti-viśeṣāḥ, śrī-bhagavatā samam ātma-sambandha-viśeṣa-pratipādakāś ca | tatra kevalāni śrī-bhagavan-nāmāny api nirapekṣāṇy eva parama-puruṣārtha-phala-paryanta-dāna-samarthāni | tato mantreṣu nāmato’py adhika-sāmarthye labdhe kathaṁ dīkṣādy-apekṣā? ucyate—yadyapi svarūpato nāsti, tathāpi prāyaḥ svabhāvato dehādi-sambandhena kadartha-śīlānāṁ vikṣipta-cittānāṁ janānāṁ tat-tat-saṁkocīkaraṇāya śrīmad-ṛṣi-prabhṛtibhir atrārcana-mārge kvacit kvacit kācit kācin maryādā sthāpitāsti | tatas tad-ullaṅghane śāstraṁ prāyaścittam udbhāvayati | tata ubhayam api nāsamañjasam iti tatra tat-tad-apekṣā nāsti |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 284)

“[A question is raised:] ‘Well, mantras are certainly comprised of Bhagavān’s names, with the distinction therein [i.e., between mantras and Bhagavān’s names being] that they [i.e., mantras] are ornamented with the word “obeisance” (namaḥ) and so forth, are imbued with special potency (śakti) by Śrī Bhagavān and blessed seers (ṛṣis), and are establishers of a special relationship of the self with Śrī Bhagavān. In this regard, even Śrī Bhagavān’s names alone [i.e., his names not in conjunction with the ornamental words, special potency, and so forth found in mantras] are verily independent and capable of bestowing results including [even] the supreme puruṣārtha. So, why is there a dependence upon dīkṣā and so forth in regard to mantras, which are possessed of greater capability than even the name?’ It is said [in response to this question] that although there is none [i.e., no such dependence of mantras upon dīkṣā and so forth] in relation to [the] essential nature [of mantras], still here on the path of arcana there is in certain respects some type of protocol established by the blessed seers (ṛṣis) and others for persons naturally possessed of aimless [alt., troublesome] behavior and a distracted mind on account of relation with the body and so forth for the sake of curbing these [i.e., such unfavorable physical and mental behavior]. Thus, śāstra prescribes atonement in the case of transgression of this [i.e., of the established protocol in relation to arcana]. Thus, neither is unreasonable [i.e., thus mantras being non-dependent upon dīkṣā by virtue of their essential nature is reasonable, and their requiring dīkṣā for the purpose of efficiently curbing the unfavorable physical and mental behavior of human beings is also reasonable], and in this way therein [i.e., in regard to names of Bhagavān and mantras comprised of names of Bhagavān] there is no dependence [fundamentally] of either of them [upon dīkṣā].”

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