Rāga

svārthaṁ parārthaṁ vāprapta-prārthanecchā

svārthaṁ parārthaṁ vāprapta-prārthanecchā | sā cātma-manasoḥ samyogāt sukhādy-apekṣāt smṛty-apekṣād votpadyate | prayatna-smṛti-dharmādharma-hetuḥ | kāmo’bhilāṣaḥ rāgaḥ saṅkalpaḥ kāruṇyaṁ vairāgyam upadhā bhāva ity evam ādaya icchā-bhedāḥ | maithunecchā kāmaḥ | abhyavahārecchābhilāṣaḥ | punaḥ punar viṣayānurañjanecchā rāgaḥ | anāsanna-kriyecchā saṅkalpaḥ | svārtham anapekṣya para-duhkha-prahāṇecchā kāruṇyam | doṣa-darśanād viṣaya-tyāgecchā vairāgyam | para-vañcanecchā upadhā | antarnigūḍhecchā bhāvaḥ | cikīrṣā-jihīrṣety-ādi-kriyā-bhedād icchā-bhedā bhavanti ||
(Padārtha-dharma-saṅgraha: 126)

“A wish for an unattained object for one’s own sake or for another’s sake is [called] desire (icchā). This is produced by contact of the self and mind out of regard for pleasure (sukha) and so forth, or, out of regard for a memory (smṛti) and so forth. It is a cause of effort (pratyana), remembrance (smṛti), merit (dharma), and dermit (adharma). Lust (kāma), craving (abhilāṣa), attachment (rāga), resolve (saṅkalpa), compassion (kāruṇya), aversion (vairāgya), deceit (upadhā), intention (bhāva), and so forth are varieties of desire. Desire for copulation is [called] lust (kāma). Desire for eating is [called] craving (abhilāṣa). Desire for repeatedly enjoying an object is [called] attachment (rāga). Desire for a non-immediate action is [called] a resolve (saṅkalpa). Desire to remove the pain of another without regard for one’s own sake [i.e., without selfish interest] is [called] compassion (kāruṇya). Desire to avoid an object as a result observation of a fault [in the object] is [called] aversion (vairāgya). Desire to deceive another is [called] deceit (upadhā). Internally concealed desire is [called] intention (bhāva). Varieties of desire exist based on varieties of actions (kriyās), such as the desire to do and the desire to remove.”

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tāvad rāgādayaḥ stenāḥ tāvat kārāgṛhaṁ gṛham

tāvad rāgādayaḥ stenāḥ tāvat kārāgṛhaṁ gṛham |
tāvan moho’ṅghri-nigaḍo yāvat kṛṣṇa na te janāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.14.36)

“For that long attachment (rāga) and so forth are thieves, for that long one’s house is a prison, and for that long affection is a foot-shackle—so long as people do not become yours, O Kṛṣṇa!”

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e mādhuryāmṛta pāna sadā yei kare

e mādhuryāmṛta pāna sadā yei kare |
tṛṣṇā-śānti nahe, tṛṣṇā bāḍhe nirantare ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.4.149)

“One who continuously drinks the nectar of this sweetness (mādhurya) [of Śrī Kṛṣṇa]—there is no quenching of [their] thirst. [Their] Thirst increases ceaselessly.”

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asmin karmādhikāriṇi manuṣya-loke dvivdhau bhūta-sargau

asmin karmādhikāriṇi manuṣya-loke dvivdhau bhūta-sargau manuṣya-sṛṣṭī bhavataḥ | yadāyaṁ manuṣya-loke śāstrāt svābhāvikau rāga-dveṣau vinirdhūya śāstrīyārthānuṣṭhāyī tadā daivaḥ | yadā śāstram utsṛjya svābhāvika-rāga-dveṣādhīno’śāstrīyān dharmān ācarati, tadā tv āsuraḥ |
(Gītā-bhūṣaṇa-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 16.6)

“In this world of human beings governed by karma, the elementary nature of emanated human beings is twofold. When in the world of human beings one on account of the śāstra shakes off the attachment (rāga) and aversion (dveṣa) belonging to one’s acquired disposition (svabhāva), and acts in accord with the aim of the śāstra, then one is daiva [i.e., of godly nature]. When one is controlled by the attachment (rāga) and aversion (dveṣa) belonging to one’s acquired disposition (svabhāva), rejects the śāstra, and observes practices that are non-śāstric [i.e., contrary to the teaching of the śāstra], then one is āsura [i.e., of ungodly nature].”

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so’yam upadeśo buddhy-arthaḥ

so’yam upadeśo buddhy-arthaḥ | sarvatra tadīyatva-jñānārthaḥ pādavat | pādo’sya viśvā bhūtāni ity atra yathā viśvasya bhagavat-pādatvopadeśas tadvat | evaṁ hi dveṣa-nihīnaṁ manas tat-pravaṇaṁ bhavati | na caivaṁ rāga-prāptir nihīnatva-buddher bādhakatvāt |
(Govinda-bhāṣya on Vedānta-sūtra: 3.2.34)

“This teaching [i.e., the teaching Chāndogya Upaniṣad 3.14.1, ‘All of this is verily Brahman’ (sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ Brahma)] is for the sake of understanding, that is, for the sake of awareness of belongingness to him (tadīyatva) in everything, like [his] foot, that is, as there is a teaching of the universe’s being the foot of Bhagavān here [in Ṛg-veda 10.90.3], ‘The existent universes are his foot.’ In this way completely free from enmity, the mind becomes intent upon him [i.e., on Bhagavān]. Also in this way [i.e., also by means of the aforementioned teaching that everything belongs to him] an occurrence of attachment (rāga) [to the universe in which one is situated, or anything within it] does not occur because of the annulling of that by understanding of the utter inferiority [of sāṁsārika existence and everything within it in comparison to Śrī Bhagavān himself].”

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yadā na kurute bhāvaṁ sarva-bhūteṣv amaṅgalam

yadā na kurute bhāvaṁ sarva-bhūteṣv amaṅgalam |
sama-dṛṣṭes tadā puṁsaḥ sarvāḥ sukhamayā diśaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 9.19.15)

“When a person does not foster an attitude of inauspiciousness towards all living beings, then, because of [one’s] equal vision, all directions are filled with happiness.”

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indriyasyendriyasyārthe rāga-dveṣau vyavasthitau

indriyasyendriyasyārthe rāga-dveṣau vyavasthitau |
tayor na vaśam āgacchet tau hy asya paripanthinau ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 3.34)

“Attraction (rāga) and aversion (dveṣa) to an object of each sense is firmly established [i.e., bound to occur]. One should not come under the control of these since they are one’s obstructions.”

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rañjanaṁ tat-sādhanaṁ vā rāgaḥ

rañjanaṁ tat-sādhanaṁ vā rāgaḥ | neha—rajaty asmin raṅgaḥ |
(Vṛtti on Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa: 1619)

“[The word] Rāga [made from the dhātu rañj and the pratyāya [gh]a[ṇ]] means rañjana [i.e., coloring, the act of being colored; alt., delighting; alt., desire, attachment, love, or beauty] or a means thereof [i.e., dye, that by which something becomes colored]. Not here [is the operation described in the sūtra applied]: raṅga [thus] means that wherein one delights [i.e., a theater, a stage, etc.].”

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