yesāṁ śāstrānugā buddhir na te muhyanti bhārata
yesāṁ śāstrānugā buddhir na te muhyanti bhārata |
(Mahābhārata: 1.1.84)
“[Sañjaya to Dhṛtarāṣṭra:] Those whose intellect (buddhi) is not adherent to śāstra become deluded, O Bhārata.”
Śāstra
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].”
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].”
kartā śāstrārthavattvāt
kartā śāstrārthavattvāt |
(Vedānta-sūtra: 2.3.31)
“[The jīva is] A doer because of śāstra being possessed of meaning.”
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.”
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.”
yāny anavadyāni karmāṇi tāni sevitavyāni no itarāṇi
yāny anavadyāni karmāṇi tāni sevitavyāni no itarāṇi |
yāny asmākaṁ sucaritāni tāni tvayopāsyāni no itarāṇi |
(Taittirīya Upaniṣad: 1.11.2–3)
“Those acts which are unobjectionable are to be practiced, and not others. Those which are fine deeds of ours are to be honored by you, and not others.”
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).”
mama śāstraṁ bahiṣkṛtya asmākaṁ yaḥ prapadyate
mama śāstraṁ bahiṣkṛtya asmākaṁ yaḥ prapadyate |
muktvā ca mama śāstrāṇi śāstram anyat prabhāṣase ||
(Varāha Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 8.460)
“One who excludes śāstra related to me and takes shelter in me [alt., approaches me, that is, performs upāsanā (worship)], and one who rejects śāstras related to me and teaches other śāstra … [commits offense to me].”
veda-gamyaṁ paraṁ śuddham iti satyā parā śrutiḥ
veda-gamyaṁ paraṁ śuddham iti satyā parā śrutiḥ |
(Mahābhārata: 12.220.97)
“‘The pure Supreme is knowable through the Veda.’ This śruti [i.e., statement] is supremely true.”