Puruṣārtha

ekāntinas tāvad dvividhāḥ—ajāta-jāta-prītitva-bhedena | jāta-prītayaś ca trividhāḥ—(1) eke tadīyānubhava-mātra-niṣṭhāḥ śānta-bhaktādayaḥ; (2) anye tadīya-darśana-sevanādi-rasa-mayāḥ parikara-viśeṣābhimāninaḥ; (3) svayaṁ parikara-viśeṣāś ca | tatra teṣu ajāta-prītibhiḥ sarva-puruṣārthatvena tat-prītir eva prārthanīyā | atha jāta-prītiṣu śānta-bhaktādayas tu kadācid darśanādikaṁ vā prārthayante sevādikaṁ vinaiva, tad-vāsanāyā abhāvāt | sakṛd api kṛpā-dṛṣṭy-ādi-lābhena tṛptāś ca bhavanti | … ata eva tat-sāmīpyādike’pi teṣām anāgrahaḥ | ye tu tat-parikara-viśeṣābhimāninas te khalu tat-tat-prīti-viśeṣotkaṇṭhino yadā bhavanti, tadā tat-tat-sevā-viśeṣecchayā prārthayanta eva tat-sāmīpyādikam | tat-prārthanā ca prīti-vilāsa-rūpaiva | puṣṇāti ca tām iti guṇa eva | yadā ca teṣāṁ dainyena tat-prāpty-asambhāvanā jāyate, tadāpi ca tat-prīty-aviccheda-mātraṁ prārthayante | so’pi ca guṇa eva | yat tu kevala-saṁsāra-mokṣa-tat-sāmīpyānanda-viśeṣa-prārthanaṁ prīti-vikāratā-śūnyaṁ tat punaḥ sarvathā keṣāṁcid apy ekāntināṁ nābhirucitam | … tatraikatva-lakṣaṇaṁ sāyujyaṁ tu svarūpata eva tad-vinābhūtam | anyat tu vāsanā-bhedena | sārūpyasya tu sevopakāritvaṁ śobhā-viśeṣeṇa, śrī-vaikuṇṭhe’pi tadīya-nitya-sevakānāṁ tathaiva tādṛśatvam | loke’pi kiśora-vidagdha-kṣiti-pati-putraiḥ samāna-rūpa-vayaskā sevakāḥ saṅgṛhītā dṛśyante ślāghyante ca lokaiḥ | tasmād yathā tathā śrīmat-prīter eva puruṣārthatvam ity āyātam | te prīty-eka-puruṣārthino’pi bhāva-viśeṣeṇānyad vāñchantu na vāñchantu vā, sva-sva-bhakti-jāty-anurūpā bhakti-parikarāḥ padārthāḥ saṁsāra-dhvaṁsa-pūrvakam udayanta eva | na te kadācid vyabhiracanti ca |
(Prīti Sandarbha: 51)

“Ekāntīs [i.e., those who are one-pointed upon Bhagavān] are of two types as per a distinction of being (1) those in whom prīti has not manifested and (2) those in whom prīti has manifested. Those in whom prīti has manifested, furthermore, are of three types: (2a) some are śānta-bhaktas and others whose fixity is solely in experience (anubhava) of him [i.e., Bhagavān; they do not have fixity in a particular identity related to Bhagavān or in a particular form of service to Bhagavān], (2b) others are possessed of the identity (abhimāna) of [being] a particular associate [of Bhagavān] and immersed in the rasa of seeing him, serving [him], and so forth [i.e., they have a particular sense of identity in relation to Bhagavān and are immersed in serving him but they have not yet attained the state of actually being associates of Bhagavān], and (2c) some are themselves particular associates [of Bhagavān, i.e., they have attained the state of actually being associates of Bhagavān]. Therein, among them [i.e., among all the types of aforementioned ekāntīs], prīti for him [i.e., Bhagavān] is alone to be prayed for as all puruṣārthas [i.e., as the sum total of all puruṣārthas] by those [ekāntīs] in whom prīti has [yet] not manifested [i.e., the first type of ekāntīs]. Then, among those in whom prīti has [already] manifested [i.e., the second type of ekāntīs], śānta-bhaktas and others sometimes may pray for sight and so forth [of Bhagavān] but only without service and so forth [to him] because of the absence [in them] of an inclination (vāsanā) for that [i.e., for service to him]. They also become satiated by attaining even once a glance or otherwise of grace [from Bhagavān]. … Thus, they do not have any strong affinity (āgraha) even for nearness (sāmīpya) to him and so forth [i.e., for sārṣṭi-, sārūpya-, or sālokya-mukti]. When those who are possessed of the identity of [being] a particular associate of his, however, become earnestly desirous (utkaṇṭhita) of a particular type of corresponding prīti [for him], then out of desire for a particular corresponding service [to him] they pray for nearness (sāmīpya) to him and so forth [i.e., for sārṣṭi, sārūpya, and/or sālokya as befitting]. That [type of] prayer, moreover, is an expression of prīti itself. It nourishes that [i.e., prīti], and thus is verily a virtue. Furthermore, when inconceivability of attaining that [i.e., nearness (sāmīpya) to Bhagavān and so forth] arises because of their humility [i.e., when they feel as though it is impossible for them to ever attain nearness (sāmīpya) to Bhagavān or any of the other means they pray for out of their desire to serve Bhagavān as a particular associate of his with prīti], then too, furthermore, they pray just for a continuity of prīti for him [i.e., they pray only for prīti for him that never becomes interrupted]. That too, furthermore, is verily a virtue. Prayer only for liberation (mokṣa) from saṁsāra and the particular bliss of nearness (sāmīpya) to him that is devoid of being an expression of prīti, however, is not relishable under any circumstances to any ekāntīs [i.e., ekāntīs only accept varieties of mukti when they are conducive to service to Bhagavān, and they do so only out of desire to serve Bhagavān and not out of desire for becoming free from the suffering of saṁsāra or experiencing the bliss inherent in sāmīpya and so forth]. … Therein [i.e., among the five types of mukti,] sāyujya, the characteristic of which is oneness [of the jīva and Bhagavān], by its very nature is devoid of that [i.e., of service to Bhagavān, and thus is never accepted by ekāntīs]. Others, however, as per a specific type of inclination (vāsanā) [may be accepted by ekāntīs, e.g., sāmīpya, sālokya, and sāṛṣti may be accepted by ekāntī-bhaktas as means to rendering service to Bhagavān in his domain, in personal presence, and with appropriate paraphernalia]. The utility for service of sārūpya is because of its specific splendor [i.e., because it befits the elegance of the service offered to Bhagavān and thereby increases Bhagavān’s satisfaction]; in Śrī Vaikuṇṭha as well, in precisely this way [i.e., specifically because of sārūpya], his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] eternal servants have an alikeness [to him, i.e., an appearance similar to that of Bhagavān]. In the world as well, servants of equal age and appearance accepted by young, cultured princes are seen and praised by people. Therefore, howsoever [i.e., be it accompanied by subordinate desires for things conducive to it or not], blessed prīti alone being the puruṣārtha is established. Also, those whose puruṣārtha is prīti alone, because of [their] particular [personal] bhāva, may desire, or may not desire, something else [conducive to their service, e.g., a specific type of mukti]; [still,] the paraphernalia corresponding to their own personal type of bhakti that is conductive to [their] bhakti certainly manifests preceded by the dissolution of saṁsāra [i.e., such bhaktas automatically attain the paraphernalia required for and conducive to their service to Bhagavān after becoming liberated from saṁsāra], and they never fall away [i.e., and that paraphernalia is never lost to them thereafter].”

Read on →