Sincerity

na cāsya kaścin nipuṇena dhātur

na cāsya kaścin nipuṇena dhātur
avaiti jantuḥ kumanīṣa ūtīḥ |
nāmāni rūpāṇi mano-vacobhiḥ
santanvato naṭa-caryām ivājñaḥ ||
sa veda dhātuḥ padavīṁ parasya
duranta-vīryasya rathāṅga-pāṇeḥ |
yo’māyayā santatayānuvṛttyā
bhajeta tat-pāda-saroja-gandham ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.3.37–38)

“No living being of corrupt intelligence understands with the mind or words through expertise [i.e., skill in argument and like, or skill in adhering to the paths of jñāna or yoga] the sports, names, and forms of the [Supreme] Element, he who extends [his names, forms, and sports when he graciously descends in age after age], just as an ignorant person [does not understand] the performance of a dancer. [Only] One who can non-deceitfully, continuously, and accordingly worship the fragrance of his lotus feet knows the way [alt., position] of the Supreme Element, he of infinite potency and chakra in hand.”

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nṛpo na hari-sevitā vyaya-kṛtī na hary-arpakaḥ

nṛpo na hari-sevitā vyaya-kṛtī na hary-arpakaḥ
kavir na hari-varṇakaḥ śrita-gurur na hary-āśritaḥ |
guṇī na hari-tatparaḥ sarala-dhīr na kṛṣṇāśrayaḥ
sa na vraja-ramānugaḥ sva-hṛdi sapta-śalyāni me ||
(Gopāla-campū: 1.33.178)

“A king who is not a servant of Hari,

A spender who is not an offerer to Hari,

A poet who is not a narrator of Hari,

A disciple of a guru who is not sheltered in Hari,

A virtuous person who is not devoted to Hari,

A simple [alt., sincere, unpretentious] person who is not sheltered in Hari,

And he [i.e., one who is sheltered in Hari] who is not a follower of the beautiful ladies of Vraja—

[These seven types of persons] Are seven spears in my own heart.”

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sa kartā sarva-dharmāṇāṁ bhakto yas tava keśava

sa kartā sarva-dharmāṇāṁ bhakto yas tava keśava |
sa kartā sarva-pāpānāṁ yo na bhaktas tavācyuta ||
dharmo bhavaty adharmo’pi kṛto bhaktais tavācyuta |
pāpaṁ bhavati dharmo’pi tavābhaktaiḥ kṛto hareḥ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.90)

“He who is your bhakta is a performer of all dharma, O Keśava, and he who is not your bhakta is a performer of all sins, O Acyuta. Even adharma performed by your bhaktas [e.g., some occasional excessive acceptance of donations at a tīrtha or similar place] becomes dharma [because it is for your sake, by virtue of the sincerity of your bhakta], O Acyuta, and even dharma performed by non-bhaktas [e.g., performance of yoga and so on] becomes sin [because of disregard for you], O Hari.”

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tatra bhāgavatān dharmān śikṣed gurv-ātma-daivataḥ

tatra bhāgavatān dharmān śikṣed gurv-ātma-daivataḥ |
amāyayānuvṛttyā yais tuṣyed ātmātmado hariḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.3.22; cited in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.98; Bhakti Sandarbha: 206)

“One for whom the guru is the self (ātmā) and the Devatā should, through unaffected adherence, learn from him Bhāgavata-dharmas by which Hari, he who gives his own self, can be pleased.”

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vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana

vyavasāyātmikā buddhir ekeha kuru-nandana |
bahu-śākhā hy anantāś ca buddhayo’vyavasāyinām ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 2.41)

“O son of the Kurus, the resolute intellect (buddhi) is one [i.e., one-pointed] in this regard [i.e., in regard to practicing bhakti-yoga]. The intellects of the irresolute, however, are many-branched and endless [i.e., divided between numerous different pursuits and driven by an endless number of worldly desires].”

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kahahu bhagati patha kavana prayāsā

kahahu bhagati patha kavana prayāsā |
joga na makha japa tapa upavāsā ||
sarala subhāva na mana kuṭilāī |
jathā lābha saṁtoṣa sadāī ||
mora dāsa kahāi kara nara āsā |
kara-i tau kahahu kahā bisvāsa ||
bahuta kaha-u̐ kā kathā baḍhai |
ehi ācarana basya maiṁ bhāi ||
(Rāma-carita-mānasa: 7.45.1–2)

[Rāma addressing an assembly at his court:] “Tell me, on the path of bhakti, what is the exertion [i.e., what is so troublesome]? There is no yoga, sacrifice (yajña), japa, austerity, or fasting. [Rather,] there is [just] sincere disposition, non-crookedness of mind, and always being satisfied with whatever is obtained. If someone says they are my servant but places their hope in men, then tell me, where is their faith [i.e., what faith do they really have in me]? I have said so much, and what is the use of prolonged discussion? [Simply] This conduct [i.e., the aforementioned conduct of being sincere, non-deceitful, satisfied, and fully faithful to me] captivates me, O brother!”

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nāguṇī guṇinaṁ vetti

nāguṇī guṇinaṁ vetti guṇī guṇiṣu matsarī |
guṇī ca guṇarāgī ca viralo saralo janaḥ ||
(Subhāṣita-ratna-bhāṇḍāgāra: 45.13)

“The unqualified do not recognize the qualified, and the qualified are [often] envious of the [others who are] qualified. A sincere person who is both qualified and appreciative of qualities [in others] is rare.”

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