bhaktyā vihīnā aparādha-lakṣaiḥ
kṣiptāś ca kāmādi-taraṅga-madhye |
kṛpāmayi tvāṁ śaraṇaṁ prapannā
vṛnde numas te caraṇāravindam ||
(Stavāmṛta-laharī: Vṛndāṣṭakam, 8)
“Devoid of bhakti and cast by lakhs of aparādhas into the waves of kāma and so forth [within the ocean of saṁsāra], O gracious one, we take shelter in you. [Please protect us.] O Vṛndā! We offer obeisance at your lotus feet.”
rāsābhilāṣo vasatiś ca vṛndā-
vane tvad-īśāṅghri-saroja-sevā |
labhyā ca puṁsāṁ kṛpayā tavaiva
vṛnde numas te caraṇāravindam ||
(Stavāmṛta-laharī: Vṛndāṣṭakam, 6)
“Desire for rāsa [i.e., for participating in the rāsa dance], residence in Vṛndāvana, and service to the lotus feet of your Īśas [i.e., Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa] is attained by living beings only by your grace. O Vṛndā! We offer obeisance at your lotus feet.”
samasta-vaikuṇṭha-śiromaṇau śrī-
kṛṣṇasya vṛndāvana-dhanya-dhāmni |
dattādhikāre vṛṣabhānu-putryā
vṛnde numas te caraṇāravindam ||
(Stavāmṛta-laharī: Vṛndāṣṭakam, 3)
“O you who have been given authority by the Daughter of Vṛṣabhānu over Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s auspicious abode of Vṛndāvana, the crest-jewel of all of Vaikuṇṭha! O Vṛndā! We offer obeisance at your lotus feet.”
tavāraṇye devi dhruvam iha murārir viharate
sadā preyasyeti śrutir api virauti smṛtir api |
iti jñātvā vṛnde caraṇam abhivande tava kṛpāṁ
kuruṣva kṣipraṁ me phalatu nitarāṁ tarṣa-viṭapī ||
hṛdi cira-vasad-āśā-maṇḍalālamba-pādau
guṇavati tava nāthau nāthituṁ jantur eṣaḥ |
sapadi bhavad-anujñāṁ yācate devi vṛnde
mayi kira karuṇārdrāṁ dṛṣṭim atra prasīda ||
(Stava-mālā: Utklikā-vallari: 3–4)
[A prayer to Vṛndā Devī, the presiding devatā of Vṛndāvana:] “O Devī! Both the Śruti and the Smṛti proclaim that Murāri always and everlastingly enjoys with his beloved here in your forest. Understanding this, O Vṛndā, I adoringly offer obeisance at your feet. Please bestow your grace [upon me]. May the tree of my desire [by your grace] quickly and fully bear fruit [i.e., may it grant me the fruit of attaining Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa]. O virtuous one! This person begs for your prompt permission to appeal to your Masters [i.e., Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa], whose feet are the focus of a host of long-standing desires within his heart. O Devī! O Vṛndā! Please cast a glance tender with compassion upon me and be gracious in this regard [so that my desires may bear fruit, since without your grace, the grace of they who are submissive to you—Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa—is most difficult to attain].”
yā dṛṣṭā nikhilāgha-saṅgha-śamanī spṛṣṭā vapuḥ-pāvanī
rogāṇām abhivanditā nirasinī siktā’ntaka-trāsinī |
pratyāsatti-vidhāyinī bhagavataḥ kṛṣṇasya saṁropitā
nyastā tac-caraṇe vimukti-phaladā tasyai tulasyai namaḥ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 9.104)
“Upon being seen, she destroys all sins. Upon being touched, she purifies the body. Upon being adored, she removes all diseases. Upon being sprinkled, she scares away death. Upon being cultivated, she bestows attachment to Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and upon being placed at his feet, she bears the fruit of the highest liberation [i.e., prema-bhakti]. I offer obeisance unto her, Tulasī.”
na narma-yuktaṁ vacanaṁ hinasti na strīṣu rājan na vivāha-kāle |
prāṇātyaye sarva-dhanāpahāre pañcānṛtāny ahur apātakāni ||
pṛṣṭaṁ tu sākṣye pravadanam anyathā |
vadanti mithyā patitaṁ narendra ||
anṛtaṁ nānṛtaṁ strīṣu parihāsa-vivāhayoḥ |
ātma-praṇārthātha-dhāte ca tad evottamatāṁ vrajet ||
(Mahābhārata: 1.77.24–26)
“O King, neither a statement in jest, nor amid women, nor at the time of marriage, nor when one’s life is at stake, nor when all of one’s wealth may be lost is detrimental. These five untruths are said to be sinless. When questioned for the sake of [bearing] testimony, however, speaking otherwise [i.e., falsely] is dishonest and degraded, O ruler of men. An untruth amid women, in jest, in regard to marriage, and for the sake of [saving] one’s life is not an untruth. It [i.e., such an untruth] becomes most proper [when warranted].”
kiṁsvit satyaṁ kim anṛtaṁ kiṁsvid dharmyaṁ sanātanam |
kasmin kāle vadet satyaṁ kasmin kāle’nṛtaṁ vadet ||
satyasya vacanaṁ sādhu na satyād vidyate param |
yad bhūloke sudurjñātaṁ tat te vakṣyāmi bhārata ||
bhavet satyam avaktavyaṁ vaktavyam anṛtaṁ bhavet |
yatrānṛtaṁ bhavet satyaṁ satyaṁ vāpy anṛtaṁ bhavet ||
tādṛśe muhyate bālo yatra satyam aniṣṭhitam |
satyānṛte viniścitya tato bhavati dharmavit ||
(Mahābhārata: 12.110.3–6)
[Yudhiṣṭhira inquires:] “‘What is truth? What is untruth? What is always in accord with dharma? When should truth be spoken? When should untruth be spoken?’ [Bhīṣmadeva answers:] Truthful speech is best. There is nothing greater than truth. That which is very difficult to understand on the surface of earth [i.e., truth] I shall describe to you, O descendant of Bhārata. Truth can be improper to speak, and untruth can be proper to speak. An unwise person is bewildered by that wherein untruth can be truth or truth can also be untruth, and wherein truth is not fixed. After determining [what is] truth and [what is] untruth one then becomes a knower of dharma.”
satyasya vacanaṁ sādhu na satyād vidyate param |
tattvenaitat sudurjñeyaṁ yasya satyam anuṣṭhitam ||
bhavet satyam avaktavyaṁ vaktavyam anṛtaṁ bhavet |
sarvasvasyāpahāre tu vaktavyam anṛtaṁ bhavet ||
prāṇātyaye vivāhe ca vaktavyam anṛtaṁ bhavet |
yatrānṛtaṁ bhavet satyaṁ satyaṁ cāpy anṛtaṁ bhavet ||
tādṛśaṁ paśyate bālo yasya satyam anuṣṭhitam |
satyānṛte viniścitya tato bhavati dharmavit ||
(Mahābhārata: 8.49.27–30)
“Truthful speech is best. There is nothing greater than truth. That in which truth is [verily] established [however] is very difficult to truly understand. Truth can be improper to speak, and untruth can be proper to speak. Untruth may be spoken when all of one’s wealth may be lost. Untruth may be spoken when one’s life is at stake and in regard to marriage. O child, recognize that wherein untruth can be truth, truth can also be untruth, and wherein truth is established. After determining [what is] truth and [what is] untruth one then becomes a knower of dharma.”
vivāha-kāle rati-saṁprayoge prāṇātyaye sarva-dhanāpahāre |
viprasya cārthe hy anṛtaṁ vadeta pañcānṛtāny āhur apātakāni ||
(Mahābhārata: 8.49.29)
“Speaking an untruth at the time of marriage, amid romantic union, when one’s life is at stake, when all of one’s wealth may be lost, and for the sake of a brāhmaṇa—these five untruths are said to be sinless.”
anṛtaṁ jīvitasyārthe vadan na spṛśyate’nṛtaiḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 7.164.99)
“One is not touched by untruth by speaking an untruth for the sake of [saving someone’s] life.”
