pariniṣṭhito’pi nairguṇya uttama-śloka-līlayā |
gṛhīta-cetā rājarṣe ākhyānaṁ yad adhītavān ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.1.9)
“O royal sage! Although I was completely immersed in that which is beyond the guṇas, my consciousness was captivated by the līlā of he of highest praise [i.e., Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa], and [thus] I studied this narration [i.e., Śrīmad Bhāgavatam]”
harer guṇākṣipta-matir bhagavān bādarāyaṇiḥ |
adhyagān mahad ākhyānaṁ nityaṁ viṣṇu-jana-priyaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.7.11)
“Bhagavān Bādarāyaṇi [i.e., the son of Vyāsadeva, Śukadeva Gosvāmī], whose mind was captivated by the qualities of Hari and who held the Vaiṣṇavas most dear [alt., who was held dear by the Vaiṣṇavas], studied this great narration [Śrīmad Bhāgavatam].”
sva-sukha-nibhṛta-cetās tad-vyudastānya-bhāvo
’py ajita-rucira-līlākṛṣṭa-sāras tadīyam |
vyatanuta kṛpayā yas tattva-dīpaṁ purāṇaṁ
tam akhila-vṛjina-ghnaṁ vyāsa-sūnuṁ nato’smi ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 12.12.69)
“I offer obeisance unto him, the destroyer of all adversity, the son of Vyāsa [i.e., Śukadeva Gosvāmī]. Although his consciousness was filled with the bliss of the self and he had thus cast away all other affects, his heart was attracted by the brilliant līlā of the Unconquerable One [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa], and he graciously disseminated this Purāṇa dedicated to him [i.e., Śrīmad Bhāgavatam] which illuminates Tattva.”
yaṁ pravrajantam anupetam apeta-kṛtyaṁ
dvaipāyano viraha-kātara ājuhāva |
putreti tan-mayatayā taravo’bhinedus
taṁ sarva-bhūta-hṛdayaṁ munim ānato’smi ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.2.2)
“[Sūta Gosvāmī:] I bow to him [i.e., Śukadeva Gosvāmī], the sage upon whom the hearts of all beings are fixed [alt., the sage who is present in the hearts of all beings], he whom Dvaipāyana [i.e., Vyāsadeva], despairing in separation, called out to, ‘O son!’ as he withdrew [i.e., as Śukadeva departed from household life into seclusion to live as a renunciant just after his birth] unattained [i.e., not attained by Vyāsa; alt., alone] without rites [i.e., without receiving the upanaya and other customary saṁskāras], and, because of being absorbed [in whom], the trees echoed [‘O son!’ in return].”
bālasya neha śaraṇaṁ pitarau nṛsiṁha
nārtasya cāgadam udanvati majjato nauḥ |
taptasya tat-pratividhir ya ihāñjaseṣṭas
tāvad vibho tanu-bhṛtāṁ tvad-upekṣitānām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.9.19)
[Prahlāda Mahārāja:] “O Nṛsiṁha, here [i.e, in this world] neither are parents protection for a child [i.e., children are still subject to suffering even when in the care of their parents], nor is medicine [protection] for a diseased person [i.e., even people who receive medicine are still subject to suffering and death], nor is a boat [protection] for a sinking person in the ocean [i.e., even boats are still known to sink], since an afflicted person’s quickly desired counter-measures thereof [i.e., of suffering] are [only] such for so long [i.e., counter-measures quickly taken up to alleviate suffering are invariably only temporary and of uncertain effectiveness], O Great One, in the case of embodied beings who are disregarded by you [i.e., there is no real counter-measure for suffering apart from service unto you].”
yasmāt priyāpriya-viyoga-sayoga-janma-
śokāgninā sakala-yoniṣu dahyamānaḥ |
duḥkhauṣadhaṁ tad api duḥkham atad-dhiyāhaṁ
bhūman bhramāmi vada me tava dāsya-yogam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.9.17)
“Because I am burning in every birth [i.e., even in that of a king] in the fire of grief produced by separation from and union with that which is pleasing and displeasing and [because] the remedies for suffering are also [causes of further varieties of] suffering [e.g., poverty produces one type of suffering and the various processes of acquiring wealth produce others], I am bewildered by [alt., I am wandering on account of] my unknowing mind [i.e., despite my undergoing perpetual and unavoidable suffering, I still have the tendency to identify with my present body, even if it is that of a hog, and think that I am actually happy even in the midst of my suffering]. [Therefore,] O Great One, please tell me about the means of [attaining] your service [i.e., your service is the only actual means of remedying my condition of suffering].”
arthe hy avidyamāne’pi saṁsṛtir na nivartate |
manasā liṅga-rūpeṇa svapne vicarato yathā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.29.35)
“Although in the midst of a non-existent object [i.e., although sāṁsārika suffering does not have any real existence as the jīvātmā does], saṁsāra does not cease [i.e., sāṁsārika suffering continues so long as one identifies with it], just as an object [i.e., suffering] does not cease for one moving in a dream by means of the mind, that is, the subtle body [i.e., as one must wake up and thereby cease to identify with any elements within the dream in order to become free from the suffering in a dream, so one must cease to identify with any aspect of saṁsāra to become free from saṁsāra].”
naikāntataḥ pratīkāraḥ karmaṇāṁ karma kevalam |
dvayaṁ hy avidyopasṛtaṁ svapne svapna ivānagha ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.29.34)
“O sinless one, mere karma [i.e., karma devoid of jñāna] is not on its own a [real] countermeasure for karma, since both [i.e., any form of karma and any countermeasure for it], like a dream within a dream, are based on ignorance (avidyā).”
duḥkheṣv ekatareṇāpi daiva-bhūtātma-hetuṣu |
jīvasya na vyavacchedaḥ syāc cet tat-tat-pratikriyā ||
yathā hi puruṣo bhāraṁ śirasā gurum udvahan |
taṁ skandhena sa ādhatte tathā sarvāḥ pratikriyāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.29.32–33)
“There is no termination of even one of the jīvas’ sufferings caused by destiny, [other] living beings, or the self [i.e., the gross and subtle bodies] even if there are countermeasures for them. As a man carrying a heavy load on his head puts it on his shoulder [to relieve himself of fatigue], so are all countermeasures [i.e., all worldly means of relieving suffering are incomplete, temporary, and ultimately causes of further suffering].”
kāka-ceṣṭā bako dhyānaṁ śvāna-nidrā tathaiva ca |
svalpāhārī gṛha-tyāgī vidyārthī pañca-lakṣaṇaḥ ||
(Unknown source)
“The effort of a crow [i.e., making a perseverant endeavor], the concentration of a crane [i.e., patient and unwavering concentration focused on one’s major goal (the “big fish”) and not lesser matters (the “little fish” that are often seen around)], the sleep of a dog [i.e., falling asleep easily, sleeping for a short time, waking up quickly, and remaining alert even while asleep], being a light eater, and being a renouncer of the household [i.e., being content to live away from home and without all the comforts of home] are the five characteristics of a seeker of knowledge [i.e., a student].”
