Sādhutva

satāṁ nindā nāmnaḥ paramam aparādhaṁ vitanute

satāṁ nindā nāmnaḥ paramam aparādhaṁ vitanute |
yataḥ khyātiṁ yātaṁ katham u sahate tad‑vigarhām ||
śivasya śrī‑viṣṇor ya iha guṇa‑nāmādi‑sakalaṁ |
dhiyā bhinnaṁ paśyet sa khalu hari‑nāmāhitakaraḥ ||
guror avajñā śruti‑śāstra‑nindanaṁ
tathārthavādo hari‑nāmni kalpanam |
nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa‑buddhir
na vidyate tasya yamair hi śuddhiḥ ||
dharma‑vrata‑tyāga‑hutādi‑sarva‑
śubha‑kriyā‑sāmyam api pramādaḥ |
aśraddadhāne vimukhe’py aśṛṇvati
yaś copadeśaḥ śiva‑nāmāparādhaḥ ||
śrutvāpi nāma‑māhātmyaṁ yaḥ prīti‑rahito’dhamaḥ |
ahaṁ‑mamādi‑paramo nāmni so’py aparādha‑kṛt ||
(Padma Purāṇa: 4.25.15–18; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.521–524; Bhakti Sandarbha: 265)

[Śrī Sanat-kumāra to Śrī Nārada:] (1) Defamation of the sat causes the greatest offense to the name. Oh! How can the name tolerate condemnation of those on whose account it has attained renown? (2) One here who shall see with the intellect all of Śiva’s qualities, names, and so forth to be distinct from Śrī Viṣṇu is certainly a committer of enmity towards Hari’s name. (3) Disrespect for the guru, and (4) defamation of the Śrutis and śāstras [are offenses to the name]. Also, (5) [assumption of mere] praise (arthavāda) and (6) fabrication in regard to Hari’s name [are offenses to the name]. (7) The purification of one who has the intention of sinning on the basis of the name’s power [to dispel sin, which is an offense to the name] certainly does not occur by means of regulations. (8) [Considering there to be] Equality [of the name] with all [types of] auspicious acts, such as dharma, rites, renunciation, and sacrifice, is also negligence [in regard to the name, i.e., an offense]. (9) Instructing one who is faithless, averse, or undesirous of hearing [about the name] is an offense to Śiva’s name [alt., to the auspicious name of Śrī Viṣṇu]. (10) Even after having heard about the greatness of the name, one who remains devoid love [for the name], vile, and [someone] for whom ‘I’, ‘mine’, and so forth are primary, is also an offender [of the name].”

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ūtiḥ syād vāsanā sātra saptame kathyate dvidhā

ūtiḥ syād vāsanā sātra saptame kathyate dvidhā |
aśubhā ca śubhā cāpi kopato’nugrahāt satām ||
santaś ca trividhāḥ śuddha-bhaktā jñānādi-miśritām |
bhaktiṁ dadhānās tan-miśra-jñānavantaś ca kīrtitāḥ ||
hiraṇyakaśipoḥ svābhāvikī yā vāsanāśubhā |
tatra hetuḥ sanandādi-kopaḥ prācīna eva saḥ ||
tasyāpi putro yas tasya prahlādasya śobhottamā |
śuddha-bhaktau vāsanā śrī-nāradāṅghri-kṛpā-bharāt ||
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.1.1)

Ūti (wish) shall mean [in this case] vāsanā (inclination). This is discussed here in the Seventh Canto and is of two types, inauspicious (aśubha) and auspicious (śubha), as a result of the anger and favor of the sat [i.e., inauspicious ūtis or vāsanās arise as a result of a sādhu’s anger and auspicious vāsanās arise as a result of a sādhu’s favor]. The sat, furthermore, are said to be of three types: (1) pure bhaktas, (2) those who foster bhakti mixed with jñāna and so forth, and (3) those possessed of jñāna mixed with that [i.e., with bhakti]. The cause in regard to the natural, inauspicious vāsanā which Hiraṇyakaśipu had was verily the prior anger of Sananda and so forth [i.e., the four kumāras]. The auspicious vāsanā for pure bhakti of Prahlāda, he who was his [i.e., Hiraṇyakaśipu’s] own son, was because of the abundance of grace [Prahāda received] from the blessed feet of Nārada.”

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ūtiś ca vāsanā proktā tat-tat-karmānusāriṇī

ūtiś ca vāsanā proktā tat-tat-karmānusāriṇī |
aśubhā ca śubhā ceti dvidhā sā hetu-bhedataḥ ||
aśubhā mahatāṁ kopāc chubhā mahad-anugrahāt |
harer dvārapayor yadvad vaikuṇṭhe vasator api ||
catuḥsana-ruṣā viṣṇu-dveṣādy-aśubha-vāsanā |
yathā ca daitya-garbhe’pi prahlādasya sataḥ sthirā ||
nāradānugrahād āsa viṣṇau sad-bhakti-vāsanā |
sva-bhaktaṁ ca sadā viṣṇur dviṣantam api rakṣati ||
tṛtīye’tha bhave dvāḥsthāv akarod ātmasāt prabhuḥ |
ato manīṣiṇā yatnaḥ kāryo mahad-anugrahe ||
ity etad artham ūtīnām atra lakṣaṇam ucyate |
tatrādau daśabhir daitya-tat-putra-mati-bhedataḥ ||
mahat-kopānukampottha-vāsanā bheda ucyate |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.1.1)

“An ūti (wish) is also called a vāsanā (inclination) and follows from particular karmas. It is of two types, inauspicious (aśubha) and auspicious (śubha), as a result of a difference in cause. An inauspicious vāsanā occurs as a result of the anger of a great one (mahat), and an auspicious vāsanā occurs as a result of the favor of a great one (mahat), as in the case of the inauspicious vāsanā for enmity and so forth towards Viṣṇu of the door-keepers’ of Hari [i.e., Jaya and Vijaya], even though they were residing in Vaikuṇṭha, as a result of the anger of the catuḥsana [i.e., the four kumāras], and as in the case of the unwavering vāsanā for pure bhakti to Viṣṇu of Prahlāda, even though he was born in the womb of a daitya, that occurred as a result of the favor of Nārada. Also, Viṣṇu always protects his own bhakta, even [when his bhakta is] inimical [towards him, as Jaya and Vijaya became as a result of the four kumāras’ anger and curse upon them]. Also, in the Third Canto, Prabhu accepted the door-keepers as his own [i.e., Bhagavān still considered Jaya and Vijaya his own bhaktas and protected them even though they acquired an inauspicious vāsanā as a result of their actions in relation to the kumāras]. Thus [i.e., the principle to be understood from the aforementioned is that], effort is to be made by the wise for the favor of a great one [i.e., to acquire an auspicious vāsanā, that is, a vāsanā for pure bhakti, one must endeavor to attain the favor a great one (mahat)]. This is the meaning. [Thus,] Here, the characteristics (lakṣaṇas) of ūtis (wishes) are stated. In that regard, by the first ten [chapters of the Seventh Canto], on the basis of the difference in mentality of the daitya [i.e., Hiraṇyakāśipu] and his son [i.e., Prahlāda], the distinction between the vāsanās arising from the anger and favor of a great one (mahat) is stated [i.e., they are distinguished as inauspicious and auspicious].”

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santo’napekṣā mac-cittāḥ praśāntāḥ sama-darśinaḥ

santo’napekṣā mac-cittāḥ praśāntāḥ sama-darśinaḥ
nirmamā nirahaṅkārā nirdvandvā niṣparigrahāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.26.27; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.65; Bhakti Sandarbha: 247)

“Those who are disinterested, of mind fixed on me, completely peaceful, equal seers, free from attachment, free from egotism, free from duality, and free from acquisition are the sat.”

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svātantryāt kriyate karma na ca vedoditaṁ mahat

svātantryāt kriyate karma na ca vedoditaṁ mahat |
vinaiva bhagavat-prītyā te vai pāṣaṇḍinaḥ smṛtāḥ ||
(Padma Purāṇa: Uttara-khaṇḍa, 235.9a, 7a; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 312)

“They who, without prīti for Bhagavān, independently perform grand works not stated in the Vedas are known as heretics (pāṣaṇḍis).”

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tad evaṁ teṣāṁ bahu-bhedeṣu satsu teṣām eva

tad evaṁ teṣāṁ bahu-bhedeṣu satsu teṣām eva prabhāva-tāratamyena kṛpā-tāratamyena bhakti-vāsanā-bheda-tāratamyena sat-saṅgāt kāla-śaighrya-svarūpa-vaiśiṣṭyābhyāṁ bhaktir udayate | … tatra prathamaṁ tāvat tat-tat-saṅgāj jātena tat-tac-chraddhā-tat-tat-paramparā-kathā-rucy-ādinā jāta-bhagavat-sāmmukhyasya tat-tad-anuṣaṅgenaiva tat-tad-bhajanīye bhagavad-āvirbhāva-viśeṣe tat-bhajana-mārga-viśeṣe ca rucir jāyate |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 202)

“Thus, in this way, bhakti manifests with speciality in nature (svarūpa) and with swiftness or time [i.e., relative slowness] as a result of sat-saṅga in accord with a gradation in types of bhakti-vāsanās [i.e., the predilections for particular forms of bhakti fostered by the sādhus with whom one associates], [as well as] in accord with a gradation in [the degree of] grace [received by an individual from the sādhus with whom one associates], and in accord with a gradation in the potency [i.e., spiritual prowess] of those [sādhus] among the numerous types of sādhus there among [i.e., among all the sādhus who are Vaiṣṇavas]. … In this regard, taste [alt., liking] (ruci) for a specific appearance [i.e., form] of Bhagavān as one’s specific object of worship (bhajanīya), as well as for a specific path of worship (bhajana) of him, manifest in the course of ongoing specific association [i.e., association with a specific type of Vaiṣṇava sādhu] for someone in whom intentness (sāmmukhya) upon Bhagavān has manifested by means first of all of a specific form of śraddhā, a specific form of taste (ruci) for the kathā [i.e., discussion of Bhagavān] of a [specific] paramparā [i.e., lineage of Vaiṣṇava sādhus], and so forth, [which become] manifest as a result of a specific form of association [i.e., the association of a particular Vaiṣṇava sādhu].”

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bhajanti ye yathā devān devā api tathaiva tān

bhajanti ye yathā devān devā api tathaiva tān |
chāyeva karma-sacivāḥ sādhavo dīna-vatsalāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.2.6; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.209; Bhakti Sandarbha: 183)

“As they [i.e., living beings] honor the devas, so too the devas, ministers of karma, honor them like a shadow [i.e., the devas merely reciprocate the worship they receive from livings beings in a fixed corresponding manner]. The sādhus [on the contrary] are affectionate to the distressed [i.e., the sādhus can favor living beings independent of one’s karmic circumstances].”

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bhūtānāṁ deva-caritaṁ duḥkhāya ca sukhāya ca

bhūtānāṁ deva-caritaṁ duḥkhāya ca sukhāya ca |
sukhāyaiva hi sādhūnāṁ tvādṛśām acyutātmanām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.2.5; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.208)

“[Vasudeva to Nārada Ṛṣi:] The actions of the devas lead to both suffering and happiness for living beings, while those of sādhus like you, whose hearts are fixed on Acyuta, lead only to happiness.”

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sat-saṅga-hetuś ca satāṁ svaira-cāritaiva, nānyaḥ

sat-saṅga-hetuś ca satāṁ svaira-cāritaiva, nānyaḥ | … satāṁ kṛpā ca duravasthā-darśana-mātrodbhavā, na svopāsanādy-apekṣā, yathā śrī-nāradasya nalakūvara-maṇigrīvayoḥ |
(Excerpt from Bhakti Sandarbha: 181, 183)

“The cause of sat-saṅga, furthermore, is the independent action of the sat, and not anything else. … The grace of the sat, furthermore, is produced only by [their] sight of plight [in a living being], and is not dependent on their own upāsanā [i.e., on receiving respect, service, and so forth that is offered to them], as was Śrī Nārada’s [grace] upon Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva. … ”

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svayaṁ samuttīrya sudustaraṁ dyuman

svayaṁ samuttīrya sudustaraṁ dyuman
bhavārṇavaṁ bhīmam adabhra-sauhṛdāḥ |
bhavat-padāmbhoruha-nāvam atra te
nidhāya yātāḥ sad-anugraho bhavān ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.2.31; cited in Paramātma Sandarbha: 93; Bhakti Sandarbha: 180)

“O luminous One, after having fully crossed over the fearsome and difficult to traverse ocean of material existence and reached [the shore] themselves, they of abundant affection [alt., friendliness, i.e., the sat] have left the boat of your lotus feet here [for others of the future to take shelter in and so also reach the shore], since you are he whose grace is the sat [alt., he whose grace comes to those in the ocean of material existence only through the sat].”

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