Śāstra

dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo’tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ

dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo’tra paramo nirmatsarāṇāṁ satāṁ
vedyaṁ vāstavam atra vastu śivadaṁ tāpa-trayonmūlanam |
śrīmad-bhāgavate mahāmuni-kṛte kiṁ vāparair īśvaraḥ
sadyo hṛdy avarudhyate’tra kṛtibhiḥ śuśrūṣubhis tat-kṣaṇāt ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.1.2; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.396; Tattva Sandarbha: 19, 26, 50; Bhagavat Sandarbha: 84; Paramātma Sandarbha: 106, Bhakti Sandarbha: 106, 115, 217; Prīti Sandarbha: 16, 18, 73; Durgama-saṅgamanī-ṭīkā and Bhakti-sāra-pradarśinī-ṭīkā on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.244)

“Here [i.e., in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam], for the sādhus who are free from envy, is the highest dharma wherein deceit is utterly rejected. Here is the Reality, the real object to be be known, which bestows the highest good and uproots the three miseries. What need is there of any other [śāstra] than this Śrīmad Bhāgavatam compiled by the best of the sages [i.e., Vedavyāsa]? [There is no such need because] Here Īśvara is bound within the heart by the fortunate who desire to serve immediately, from that [very] moment [they begin to listen].”

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nārāyaṇaḥ paraṁ brahma taj jñānenātha gamyate

nārāyaṇaḥ paraṁ brahma taj jñānenātha gamyate |
jñānasya sādhanaṁ śāstraṁ śāstraṁ ca guru-vaktragam ||
brahma-prāptir ato hetor gurv-adhīnā sadaiva hi |
hetunānena vai viprā gurur gurutaraḥ smṛtaḥ ||
yasmād devo jagannāthaḥ kṛtvā martyamayīṁ tanum |
magnān uddharate lokān kāruṇyāc chāstra-pāṇinā ||
tasmād bhaktir gurau kāryā saṁsāra-bhaya-bhīruṇā |
śāstra-jñānena yo’jñānaṁ timiraṁ vinipātayet ||
śāstraṁ pāpa-haraṁ puṇyaṁ pavitraṁ bhoga-mokṣadam |
śāntidaṁ ca mahārthaṁ ca vakti yaḥ sa jagad-guruḥ ||
(Nārada Pañcarātra; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.413–417)

“Nārāyaṇa is the Supreme Brahman, and he is attained by means of knowledge (jñāna). The means of acquiring knowledge (jñāna) is the śāstra, and the śāstra is learned from the mouth of the guru. For this reason, the attainment of Brahman is indeed verily always dependent on the guru, and for that reason, O brāhmaṇas, the guru is known to be very important [lit., ‘very heavy’]. Because Deva, the Lord of universe, out of compassion adopts a mortal form [i.e., the human form of the guru] and delivers the people immersed [in the ocean of saṁsāra] with the hand of the śāstra, bhakti to the guru is to be performed by those who are frighted by the fear of saṁsāra [i.e., by those who aspire to transcend saṁsāra]. He who can completely dispel the darkness of ignorance with knowledge of the śāstra—[he] who is a speaker of the śāstra, which is a remover of sin, sacred, purifying, a bestower of enjoyment and mokṣa, a bestower of peace, and possessed of deep meaning—is a guru of the world.”

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sarvajña munira vākya śāstra—paramāṇa

sarvajña munira vākya śāstra—paramāṇa |
āmā-sabhā-jīvera haya śāstra-dvārā jñāna ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.20.350)

“The statements of the all-knowing sages—the śāstra—is the pramāṇa [i.e., the means of attaining valid knowledge]. All of us jīvas have knowledge by means of the śāstra.”

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śāstraṁ hy abuddhvā tattvena kecid vāda-balāj janāḥ

śāstraṁ hy abuddhvā tattvena kecid vāda-balāj janāḥ |
kāma-dveṣābhibhūtatvād ahaṅkāra-vaśaṁ gatāḥ ||
yāthātathyam avijñāya śāstrāṇāṁ śāstra-dasyavaḥ |
brahma-stenā nirārambhā dambha-moha-vaśānugāḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: Śānti-parva, 269.53)

“Not understanding śāstra accurately, some persons become captivated by arrogance (ahaṅkāra) on account of being overcome by desire or enmity on the strength of argument. Without knowing the truth of the śāstras, the robbers of the śāstras—thieves of Brahman—controlled by deceit and delusion, remain without undertaking [i.e., they do not take up the practices taught in the śāstras beginning with equanimity and so on].”

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ye tu rāgānugā-bhaktiḥ sarvathaiva sarvadaiva śāstra-vidhim

ye tu rāgānugā-bhaktiḥ sarvathaiva sarvadaiva śāstra-vidhim atikrānta eva iti bruvāte, ‘ye śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya yajante śraddhayānvitaḥ’ iti ‘vidhi-hīnam asṛṣṭānnam’ ity ādi-gītokter gārham arhanto muhur utpātam anubhūtavanto’nubhavanto’nubhaviṣyanti cety alam ati-vistarena | hanta rāgānugā-vartma durdarśaṁ vibudhair api | paricinvantu sudhiyo bhaktāś candrikayānayā |
(Rāga-vartma-candrikā: 2.8–9)

“But as per statements of Śrī Gītā such as [17.1], ‘O Kṛṣṇa, what is the position of those possessed of śraddhā who perform worship [while] rejecting the injunctions of śāstra? Is it sattva, rajas, or tamas?’ and [17.13], ‘Yajña (sacrifice) that is devoid of injunctions [from śāstra], is without distribution of food, is devoid of mantras, is without donations, and is devoid of śraddhā is called tāmasa,’ those who say that rāgānugā-bhakti is absolutely always and absolutely in all respects exclusively beyond the injunctions of śāstra are deserving of censure and have experienced [in the past], are experiencing [in the present], and will experience [in the future] repeated calamities. Enough excessive elaboration [i.e., saying this much is sufficient to stress this point]. Oh! The rāganugā-path (vartma) is difficult to see, even for the devas! May wise bhaktas recognize it with [the help of] this moonlight (candrikā) [i.e., with the help of this book].”

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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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naikātmatāṁ me spṛhayanti kecin

naikātmatāṁ me spṛhayanti kecin
mat-pāda-sevābhiratā mad-īhāḥ |
ye’nyonyato bhāgavatāḥ prasajya
sabhājayante mama pauruṣāṇi ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.25.34; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.440; Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.43 ; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.27; Bhakti Sandarbha: 340; Prīti Sandarbha: 21, 51, 73)

“Some bhāgavatas, who are deeply engaged in service to my feet, whose actions are for me, and who devoutly honor my feats, do not covet oneness with me.”

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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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