Saṁskāra

prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva viddhy anādī ubhāv api

prakṛtiṁ puruṣaṁ caiva viddhy anādī ubhāv api |
vikārāṁś ca guṇāṁś caiva viddhi prakṛti-saṁbhavān ||
kārya-kāraṇa-kartṛtve hetuḥ prakṛtir ucyate |
puruṣaḥ sukha-duḥkhānāṁ bhoktṛtve hetur ucyate ||
puruṣaḥ prakṛti-stho hi bhuṅkte prakṛtijān guṇān |
kāraṇaṁ guṇa-saṅgo’sya sad-asad-yoni-janmasu ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 13.19–21)

“Prakṛti and the puruṣa—for certain know both to be verily beginningless (anādi), and know the transformations (vikāras) and functions (guṇas) [thereof] to be born of prakṛti. Prakṛti is said to be the cause in regard to being the producer of effects and instruments. The puruṣa is said to be the cause in regard to being the experiencer of happinesses and sufferings. The puruṣa situated in prakṛti experiences the functions (guṇas) born of prakṛti amid births in high and low wombs, and his attachment to [these] functions (guṇas) is the cause [thereof].”

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pariṇāma-tāpa-saṁskāra-duḥkhair guṇa-vṛtti-virodhāc ca duḥkham eva sarvam vivekinaḥ

pariṇāma-tāpa-saṁskāra-duḥkhair guṇa-vṛtti-virodhāc ca duḥkham eva sarvam vivekinaḥ |
(Yoga-sūtra: 2.15)

“For one possessed of discernment, everything [i.e., all worldly experience] is verily suffering because of the sufferings of [i.e., caused by] transformation [i.e., karmic reactions, alt., invariable impermanence], [the] sorrow [ensuing from such transformation], and [the] saṁskāras [created thereby], and on account of the opposition in the functioning of the guṇas.”

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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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athāpi nopasajjeta strīṣu straiṇeṣu cārtha-vit

athāpi nopasajjeta strīṣu straiṇeṣu cārtha-vit |
viṣayendriya-saṁyogān manaḥ kṣubhyati nānyathā ||
adṛṣṭād aśrutād bhāvān na bhāva upajāyate |
asamprayuñjataḥ prāṇān śāmyati stimitaṁ manaḥ ||
tasmāt saṅgo na kartavyaḥ strīṣu straiṇeṣu cendriyaiḥ |
viduṣāṁ cāpy avisrabdhaḥ ṣaḍ-vargaḥ kim u mādṛśām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.26.22–24)

“Even then [i.e., even though women are disgusting in so far as their bodies are made of flesh, blood, stool, urine, pus, and so forth], a sagacious person should not associate with women or those subjugated by women. The mind is disturbed by contact of the senses with [their] objects and not otherwise [i.e., the mind is not disturbed if such contact does not occur]. Feeling does not arise from unseen or unheard of objects. [Thus,] The mind of one who is non-engaged with the prāṇas [i.e., senses] is still and peaceful. Therefore, association is not to be done by means of the senses with women or those subjugated by women, since the ṣaḍ-varga [i.e., the six senses] even of the wise, much less of myself [i.e., of I who am undiscerning], are untrustworthy.”

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guṇeṣv āviśate ceto guṇāś cetasi ca prajāḥ

guṇeṣv āviśate ceto guṇāś cetasi ca prajāḥ |
jīvasya deha ubhayaṁ guṇāś ceto mad-ātmanaḥ ||
guṇeṣu cāviśac cittam abhīkṣṇaṁ guṇa-sevayā |
guṇāś ca citta-prabhavā mad-rūpa ubhayaṁ tyajet ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.13.25–26)

“[Haṁsa Bhagavān to Sanaka and other sages:] O sons! The mind becomes absorbed in the guṇas [i.e., the sense objects], and the guṇas [become absorbed] in the mind. Both the guṇas and the mind are bodies of [i.e., external adjuncts to] the jīva, who is constituted of me. The mind remains absorbed in the guṇas because of constant attendance to the guṇas, and the guṇas likewise remain strongly apparent in the mind. One who is absorbed in my form can abandon them both.”

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viṣaya-vairāgye’pi gūḍhaṁ saṁskāravanto’pi sambhavanti

viṣaya-vairāgye’pi gūḍhaṁ saṁskāravanto’pi sambhavanti |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 187)

“Even in the midst of detachment from the sense objects, also possessing invisible [i.e., latent] saṁskāras [for varieties of sensual experience] is possible [for a mahānta, i.e., one who has attained success on the path of bhakti].”

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atas tad-apavādārthaṁ bhaja sarvātmanā harim

atas tad-apavādārthaṁ bhaja sarvātmanā harim |
paśyaṁs tad-ātmakaṁ viśvaṁ sthity-utpatty-apyayā yataḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.29.79)

“Therefore, to counteract that [i.e., the jīva’s bondage in avidyā by means of karma perpetuated by the mind’s functioning on the basis of saṁskāras], worship Hari with your full being, seeing the universe to be constituted of him and [its] existence, emanation, and dissolution to occur because of him.”

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bhakti-nirdhūta-doṣāṇāṁ prasannojjvala-cetasām

bhakti-nirdhūta-doṣāṇāṁ prasannojjvala-cetasām |
śrī-bhāgavata-raktānāṁ rasikāsaṅga-raṅgiṇām ||
jīvanī-bhūta-govinda-pāda-bhakti-sukha-śriyām |
premāntaraṅga-bhūtāni kṛtyāny evānutiṣṭhatām ||
bhaktānāṁ hṛdi rājantī saṁskāra-yugalojjvalā |
ratir ānanda-rūpaiva nīyamānā tu rasyatām ||
kṛṣṇādibhir vibhāvādyair gatair anubhavādhvani |
prauḍhānanda-camatkāra-kāṣṭhām āpadyate parām ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.1.7–10)

“In the hearts of bhaktas who have been purified by bhakti of all faults [e.g., attachment, aversion, delusion, etc.], whose hearts are clear [i.e., fit for the manifestation of a higher pure existence (śuddha-sattva-viśeṣa)] and bright [i.e., all-knowing by virtue of this manifestation], who cherish [tasting] Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, who rejoice in the company of relishers of rasa, whose life is the wealth of the bliss of bhakti to the feet of Govinda, and who engage in all of prema’s natural activities—rati, which is ānanda itself, appears bright as a result of the two types of saṁskāras [i.e., impressions in the citta made by pure bhakti in one’s previous births and one’s present birth], reaches the state of being relishable [i.e., of being rasa] on the pathway of perception on account of present vibhāvas and so forth [i.e., anubhāvas, sāttvika-bhāvas, vyabhichārī-bhāvas], such as Kṛṣṇa, and reaches the highest pinnacle of intense bliss and wonder [i.e., transforms into sneha, māna, praṇaya, anurāga, bhāva, and mahābhāva].”

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