Śāstra

guruḥ śāstraṁ śraddhā rucir anugatiḥ siddhir iti me

guruḥ śāstraṁ śraddhā rucir anugatiḥ siddhir iti me
yad etat tat sarvaṁ caraṇa-kamalaṁ rājati yayoḥ |
kṛpā-mādhvīkena snapita-nayanāmbhoja-yugalau
sadā rādhā-kṛṣṇāv aśaraṇa-gatī tau mama gatiḥ ||
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 340)

“Guru, śāstra, śraddhā,
Taste (ruci), service (anugati), and attainment (siddhi)—
Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa,
Whose lotus feet manifest as all of these to me,
Whose lotus eyes are always moistened
With the nectar of grace,
And who are the shelter of the refugeless,
Are ever my shelter.”

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nidānaṁ tu paraṁ premṇaḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-karuṇā-bharaḥ

nidānaṁ tu paraṁ premṇaḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-karuṇā-bharaḥ |
kasyāpy udety akasmād vā kasyacit sādhana-kramāt ||
yathodārān milaty annaṁ pākvaṁ vā pāka-sādhanam |
sādhakasyocyate śāstra-gatyāyaṁ sādhana-kramaḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.215–216)

“But the primary cause of [such] prema is an abundance of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s grace. That manifests for some without cause and for some through a course of sādhanas, just as either cooked food or the ingredients for cooking come [to someone] from a generous person. This course of sādhanas for a sādhaka [through which an abundance of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s grace manifests] is [now going to be] described [by me] in accord with śāstra.”

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mahāprasāde govinde nāma-brahmaṇi vaiṣṇave

mahāprasāde govinde nāma-brahmaṇi vaiṣṇave |
svalpa-puṇya-vatāṁ rājan viśvāso naiva jāyate ||
(Attributed to Mahābhārata)

“O King, faith in mahāprasāda, Govinda, the name [i.e., Bhagavān‘s name], the Veda, and the Vaiṣṇava certainly does not arise in those possessed of little piety.”

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sarva-prapañcātītānāṁ teṣāṁ vaikuṇṭha-vāsinām

sarva-prapañcātītānāṁ teṣāṁ vaikuṇṭha-vāsinām |
tasya vaikuṇṭha-lokasya tasya tan-nāyakasya ca ||
tāni māhātmya-jātāni prapañcāntargataiḥ kila |
dṛṣṭāntair nopayujyante na śakyante ca bhāṣitum ||
tathāpi bhavato brahman prapañcāntargatasya hi |
prapañca-parivārāntardṛṣṭi-garbhita-cetasaḥ ||
tad-dṛṣṭānta-kulenaiva tat tat syād bodhitaṁ sukham |
tathety ucyeta yat kiñcit tad-āgaḥ kṣamatāṁ hariḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.4.40–43)

“The greatnesses of the residents of Vaikuṇṭha beyond the entire phenomenal world, of Vaikuṇṭhaloka, and of its master [i.e., Vaikuṇṭhanātha, who like Vaikuṇṭhaloka and its residents is so also beyond the entire phenomenal world] are certainly not fit, and not able, to be described with examples from within the phenomenal world. Still, O brāhmaṇa, for you who are within the phenomenal world and the inner vision [i.e., awareness] of whose mind is filled with the coverings of the phenomenal world, those [greatnesses] can be easily made known only through such examples [i.e., examples drawn from the phenomenal world]. ‘It may be said to be such.’ May Hari forgive the offense of whatever may be said as such [i.e., whatever may be said of those greatnesses by means of stating examples drawn from the phenomenal world, such as, ‘He [i.e., Bhagavān] is like an emperor’].”

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śāstrera siddhānta ei vijñera anubhava

śāstrera siddhānta ei vijñera anubhava |
mūḍha-loka nāhi jāne bhāvera vaibhava ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.6.104)

“This is the śāstra’s siddhānta and the experience of the wise. Ignorant people do not understand the greatness of bhāva.”

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tāre kahe—kene kara kutarkānumāna?

tāre kahe—kene kara kutarkānumāna? |
śāstra-viruddhārtha kabhu nā haya pramāṇa ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.2.73)

“To that, it is said, ‘Why do you make an inference based on fallacious reasoning? A meaning that is contrary to śāstra is never authentic [i.e., a valid means of knowing the object of knowledge].”

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pitṛ-deva-manuṣyāṇāṁ vedaś cakṣus taveśvara

pitṛ-deva-manuṣyāṇāṁ vedaś cakṣus taveśvara |
śreyas tv anupalabdhe’rthe sādhya-sādhanayor api ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.20.4; cited in Tattva Sandarbha: 11)

“O Lord, regarding an imperceptible object, as well as the goal and the means [pertaining to it], your Veda is the best eye for the forefathers, the devas, and human beings.”

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aprākṛta vastu nahe prākṛta-gocara

aprākṛta vastu nahe prākṛta-gocara |
veda-purāṇete ei kahe nirantara ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.9.194)

“An immaterial object is not materially perceptible. The Vedas and Purāṇas say this constantly.”

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abhyāso na hi tyaktavyo abhyāso hi paraṁ balam

abhyāso na hi tyaktavyo abhyāso hi paraṁ balam |
anabhyāse viṣaṁ vidyā ajīrṇe bhojanaṁ viṣam ||
(Subhāṣita-mañjarī)

“Practice (abhyāsa) is never to be abandoned. Practice is indeed the greatest strength. Without practice, knowledge is poison, just as food is poison during indigestion.”

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paṭhakāḥ pāṭhakāś caiva ye cānye śāstra-cintakāḥ

paṭhakāḥ pāṭhakāś caiva ye cānye śāstra-cintakāḥ |
sarve vyasanino mūrkhā yaḥ kriyāvān sa paṇḍitaḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 3.313.110)

“All the students, teachers, and others who consider śāstra but are addicted to vices are fools. One who engages in practice [of all that is taught in śāstra] is wise.”

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