Sūkti Sudhākara

tatra harau snehādhikāḥ

tatra harau snehādhikāḥ—
ahaṁ harer iti svānte gūḍhām abhimatiṁ gatāḥ |
anyatra kvāpy anāsaktyā sveṣṭāṁ yūtheśvarīṁ śritāḥ ||
manāg evādhikaṁ snehaṁ vahantyas tatra mādhave |
tad-dūtyādi-ratāś cemā harau snehādhikā matāḥ ||
yāḥ pūrvaṁ sakhya ity uktās tās tu snehādhikā harau ||
(Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi: 8.126–127, 130)

“Therein, those of greater affection for Hari [are described]—
Those who have the hidden identity in their hearts, ‘I am Hari’s,’ are sheltered in the yūtheśvarī desired by themselves [i.e., in the yūtheśvarī whose bhāva suits their own] without attachment anywhere else [i.e., to any other yūtheśvarī], possess slightly greater affection for Mādhava, and act as messengers for him, are considered to be of greater affection for Hari. … Those previously described as sakhīs [in verse 4.51, i.e., the group among the five classes of Śrī Rādhā’s sakhīs whose members are called (simply) sakhīs] are of greater affection for Hari.”

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atha priya-sakhyāṁ snehādhikāḥ

atha priya-sakhyāṁ snehādhikāḥ—
tadīyatābhimāninyo yāḥ snehaṁ sarvadāśritāḥ |
sakhyām alpādhikaṁ kṛṣṇāt sakhī-snehādhikās tu tāḥ ||
yāḥ pūrvaṁ prāṇa-sakhyaś ca nitya-sakhyaś ca kīrtitāḥ |
sakhī-snehādhikā jñeyās tā evātra manīṣibhiḥ ||
(Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi: 8.131, 134)

“Now, those who have greater affection for their dear sakhī [are described]—Those who have the identity of being her own [i.e., of belonging to their dear sakhī] and are always endowed with affection slightly greater for their sakhī than Kṛṣṇa are [known as] those of greater affection for their sakhī. … They who were previously called the prāṇa-sakhīs and nitya-sakhīs are to known by the wise in this regard as those of greater affection for their sakhī.”

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parama-preṣṭha-sakhyas tu lalitā sa-viśākhikā

parama-preṣṭha-sakhyas tu lalitā sa-viśākhikā |
sa-citrā campakalatā tuṅgavidyendulekhikā |
raṅgadevī sudevī cety aṣṭau sarva-gaṇāgrimāḥ ||
āsāṁ suṣṭhu dvayor eva premṇaḥ parama-kāṣṭhayā |
kvacij jātu kvacij jātu tad-ādhikyam ivekṣate ||
(Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi: 4.54–55)

“The eight parama-preṣṭha-sakhīs—Lalitā, Viśākhā, Citrā, Campakalatā, Tuṅgavidyā, Indulekhā, Raṅgadevī and Sudevī—are the foremost amongst all the groups [of sakhīs]. By virtue of the superlative level of their prema for the two of them [i.e., Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa], an aptly greater degree thereof [i.e., greater degree of prema] is as if seen sometimes for one and sometimes for another [i.e., either for Śrī Rādhā or for Kṛṣṇa].”

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atha sama-snehāḥ

atha sama-snehāḥ—
kṛṣṇe sva-priya-sakhyāṁ ca vahantyaḥ kam api sphuṭam |
sneham anyūnatādhikyaṁ sama-snehās tu bhūriśaḥ ||
tulya-pramāṇakaṁ prema vayantyo’pi dvayor imāḥ |
rādhāyā vayam ity uccair abhimānam upāśritāḥ |
parama-preṣṭha-sakhyaś ca priya-sakhyaś ca tā matāḥ ||
(Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi: 8.135, 137)

“Now, those of equal affection [are described]—
Those who possess indescribable, vivid affection neither lesser nor greater for both Kṛṣṇa and their own dear sakhī are [known as] those of equal affection and highly numerous. … Those who, although they possess prema of equal measure for the pair [i.e., for both their dear sakhī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa], strongly foster the identity, ‘We are Rādhā’s’ are considered to be the parama-preṣṭha-sakhīs and priya-sakhīs.”

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asamaṁ ca samaṁ ceti snehaṁ sakhyaḥ svapakṣagāḥ

asamaṁ ca samaṁ ceti snehaṁ sakhyaḥ svapakṣagāḥ |
kṛṣṇe yūthādhipāyāṁ ca vahantyo dvividhā matāḥ ||
(Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi: 8.124)

“Sakhīs situated in one’s own group are considered to be of two types: those who possess either unequal or equal affection for Kṛṣṇa and their yūtheśvarī [i.e., group leader].”

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tad evaṁ tat-kratu-nyāyena ca śuddha-bhaktānām anyā gatir nāsty eva

tad evaṁ tat-kratu-nyāyena ca śuddha-bhaktānām anyā gatir nāsty eva | śrutiś ca—‘yathā kratur asmin loke puruṣo bhavati, tathetaḥ pretya bhavati’ iti, kratur atra saṅkalpa iti bhāṣyakārāḥ | śruty-antaraṁ ca—‘sa yathā-kāmo bhavati, tat kratur bhavati | yat-kratur bhavati, tat karma kurute | yat karma kurute, tad abhisampadyate’ iti | anyac ca ‘yad yathā yathopāsate tad eva bhavanti’ iti | śrī-bhagavat-pratijñā ca—‘ye yathā māṁ prapadyante tāṁs tathaiva bhajāmy aham’ iti | tathaiva brahma-vaivarte—‘yadi māṁ prāptum icchanti prāpnuvanty eva nānyathā’ iti | … tāḥ prati svayam abhyupagacchati—‘saṅkalpo viditaḥ sādhvyo …’ |
(Prīti Sandarbha: 51)

“Thus, in this way, by the ‘principle of like intention’ (tat-kratu-nyāya) [i.e., the principle that the result of a sacrifice will manifest in accord with the performer’s intention], pure bhaktas verily have no other attainment (gati) [i.e., they verily attain the prīti for Bhagavān that they aspire for along with a form, paraphernalia, service, and entrance into an abode of Bhagavān that are suited to that particular type of prīti]. The Śruti also [states this in Chāndogya Upaniṣad 3.14.1], ‘As is a living being’s intention (kratu) in this world, so the living being becomes upon departing from here.’ Here, [the word] ‘intention’ (kratu) means ‘resolve’ (saṅkalpa) according to the commentator [i.e., Śrī Śaṅkarācāryapāda]. Another Śruti [i.e., Bṛhadārayaṇka Upaniṣad 4.4.5] also [states this], ‘As is one’s desire, so is one’s intention. As is one’s intention, so is the action one performs, and as is the action one performs, so is that which one attains [i.e., the result].’ Elsewhere also [in Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, 10.5.2.20], ‘As one worships [him], so indeed one becomes.’ Śrī Bhagavān’s vow as well [is stated in BG 4.11], ‘‘As they approach me, so exactly I reciprocate with them.’ Similarly in Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa [it is also stated by Śrī Bhagavān], ‘If they desire to attain me, they certain attain [me] and not otherwise.‘ … Śrī Bhagavān himself affirms [this principle] before them [i.e., before the gopīs] in saṅkalpo viditaḥ sādhvyo … [i.e., SB 10.22.25–26].”

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te prīty-eka-puruṣārthino’pi bhāva-viśeṣeṇānyad vāñchantu na

te prīty-eka-puruṣārthino’pi bhāva-viśeṣeṇānyad vāñchantu na vāñchantu vā sva-sva-bhakti-jāty-anurūpā bhakti-parikarāḥ padārthāḥ saṁsāra-dhvaṁsa-pūrvakam udayanta eva |
(Prīti Sandarbha: 51)

“Whether those whose sole aim of human life is prīti desire or do not desire anything else on account of a particular bhāva [i.e., anything in addition to prīti, such as a particular type of mukti to facilitate the fulfillment of a particular desire to serve Bhagavān in a particular way], the elements supporting their bhakti and corresponding to their personal type of bhakti certainly manifest [to them] after the destruction of saṁsāra [i.e., after they are liberated from saṁsāra].”

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ajānan dāhārtiṁ viśati śalabho dīpa-dahanaṁ

ajānan dāhārtiṁ viśati śalabho dīpa-dahanaṁ
na mīno’pi jñātvā vṛta-baḍiśam aśnāti piśitam |
vijānanto’py etān vayam iha vipaj-jāla-jaṭilān
na muñcāmaḥ kāmān ahaha gahano moha-mahimā ||
(Attributed to a Śānti-śataka of Bilvamaṅgala Ṭhākura)

“Not knowing the pain of being burnt, a moth enters the flame of a lamp. A fish too eats a piece of meat not knowing it is a covered hook. Although we [however] know objects of enjoyment here [i.e., in saṁsāra] are embedded in a net of afflictions, we do not give them up. Ahaha! How impenetrable is the power of delusion!”

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