Śānti

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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jñāna-hīno gurus tyājyo mithyāvādī viḍambakaḥ

jñāna-hīno gurus tyājyo mithyāvādī viḍambakaḥ |
sva-viśrāntiṁ na jānāti para-śāntiṁ karoti kim ||
(Guru-gītā: 198; Siddha-siddhānta-saṅgraha: 5.38)

“A guru who is devoid of knowledge, a speaker of falsity, and a charlatan is to be rejected. How can one who does not know self-repose [i.e., mastery of the mind] create peace for others?”

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aghahara tava vīrya-proṣitāśeṣa-cintāḥ

aghahara tava vīrya-proṣitāśeṣa-cintāḥ
parihṛta-gṛha-vāstu-dvāra-bandhānubaddhāḥ |
nija-nijam iha rātrau prāṅganaṁ śobhayantaḥ
sukham avicalad-aṅgāḥ śerate paśya gopāḥ ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.4.174)

“O Aghahara, look at the gopas, who have cast away all worries by virtue of your vigor, given up the obligation of locking the doors of their households, finely decorated their own courtyards, and comfortably, with unmoving bodies, gone to sleep at night here [in Vraja].”

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māṅgalyaṁ jagatām eva viśvāsāspadatā matā

māṅgalyaṁ jagatām eva viśvāsāspadatā matā ||
yathā—
anyāyyaṁ na harāv iti vyapagata-dvārārgalā dānavā
rakṣī kṛṣṇa iti pramattam abhitaḥ krīḍāsu raktāḥ surāḥ |
sākṣī vetti sa bhaktim ity avanata-vrātāś ca cintojjhitāḥ
ke viśvambhara na tvad-aṅghri-yugale viśrambhitāṁ bhejire ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 2.1.259–260)

“[Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s quality of] Being the object of the entire world’s faith is considered [his quality of] auspiciousness (māṅgalya), [which is illustrated] as follows: ‘Because “There is no injustice in Hari,” the Dānavas [i.e., asuras] leave theirs doors unbolted, because “Kṛṣṇa is our protector,” the suras [i.e., devas] are carelessly absorbed in play all around, and because “He, the witnesser, knows our bhakti,” the humble [lit., “those who are bent down,” i.e., bhaktas] are worry-free. O Maintainer of the world! Who has not fostered confidence in your feet?”

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nāvirato duścaritān nāśānto nāsamāhitaḥ

nāvirato duścaritān nāśānto nāsamāhitaḥ |
nāśānta-mānaso vāpi prajñānenainam āpnuyāt ||
(Kaṭha Upaniṣad: 1.2.24; cited in the Govinda-bhāṣya on Vedānta-sūtra: 3.3.54; Gītā-bhūṣaṇa-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 9.31)

“Neither one who has not desisted from misbehavior, nor one who is devoid of peace [i.e., devoid of control of the senses], nor one who is not steadfast [alt., concentrated], nor one whose mind is devoid of peace, can attain this [i.e., the Ātmā] through knowledge.”

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nāsti buddhir ayuktasya na cāyuktasya bhāvanā

nāsti buddhir ayuktasya na cāyuktasya bhāvanā |
na cābhāvayataḥ śāntir aśāntasya kutaḥ sukham ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 2.66)

“One who is uncontrolled [i.e., of uncontrolled mind and senses] has no discernment, and one who is uncontrolled has no meditation. One who has no meditation further has no peace [i.e., relief from desire for, and engagement with, the sense objects (viṣaya)], and how can one who has no [such] peace have [any experience of] happiness [i.e., the bliss of the self]?”

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kṛṣṇa-bhakta niṣkāma,— ataeva ‘śānta’

kṛṣṇa-bhakta niṣkāma,— ataeva ‘śānta’ |
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī sakali ‘aśānta’ ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.19.149)

“A devotee of Kṛṣṇa is free from desire and thus peaceful. Those who desire enjoyment, liberation, or supernatural power are not peaceful.”

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nirapekṣaṁ muniṁ śāntaṁ nirvairaṁ sama-darśanam

nirapekṣaṁ muniṁ śāntaṁ nirvairaṁ sama-darśanam |
anuvrajāmy ahaṁ nityaṁ pūyeyety aṅghri-reṇubhiḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.14.16)

[Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] “I always follow one who is indifferent, contemplative, peaceful, free from enmity, and of equal vision so that I may be purified by the dust of his feet.”

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yat pṛthivyāṁ vrīhi-yavaṁ

yat pṛthivyāṁ vrīhi-yavaṁ hiraṇyaṁ paśavaḥ striyaḥ |
nālam ekasya tat sarvam iti matvā śamaṁ vrajet ||
(Hari-vaṁśa Purāṇa: 22.38; Mahābhārata: 5.63.11; cited in the Sārārtha-varṣiṇī-ṭīkā and Gītā-bhūṣaṇa-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 3.37)

“All the rice, barley, gold, animals, and women on earth are not sufficient for one [person]. Deliberate on this and take to equanimity.”

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