santuṣṭyā manaḥ
santuṣṭyā manaḥ |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.5.4)
“The mind is purified by contentment.”
Sūkti Sudhākara
akartuḥ mad-bhaktāv api bhagavān eva me bhaktiṁ kārayatīti buddhyā svātantryeṇa kartṛtvābhimāna-śūnyāt
akartuḥ mad-bhaktāv api bhagavān eva me bhaktiṁ kārayatīti buddhyā svātantryeṇa kartṛtvābhimāna-śūnyāt |
(Excerpt from the Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.29.33)
“‘Non-doer’ means one who is such [i.e., a non-doer] on account of being free from the pride of being a doer independently by virtue of the mentality, ’Even in my bhakti [i.e., the bhakti I perform], Bhagavān causes my bhakti to be performed [i.e., I myself perform no action independently without being enabled to perform that action by him].’”
akartur arpitātmatvena sva-bharaṇādi-karmānapekṣamāṇāt
akartur arpitātmatvena sva-bharaṇādi-karmānapekṣamāṇāt | yad bhagavati bhaktiḥ kriyate, tatrāpi svasya bhagavad-adhīnatvaṁ jñātvā tad-abhimāna-śūnyāc ca |
(Excerpt from the Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā to Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 3.29.33 and Bhakti Sandarbha: 106)
“‘Non-doer’ means one who is such [i.e., a non-doer] on account of being unconcerned about activities beginning with maintaining oneself because of having offered oneself [to me, Bhagavān], and on account of being free from pride in the bhakti to Bhagavān one performs by understanding one’s own dependence upon Bhagavān therein as well.”
harau ratiṁ vahann eṣa narendrāṇāṃ śikhāmaṇiḥ
harau ratiṁ vahann eṣa narendrāṇāṃ śikhāmaṇiḥ |
bhikṣām aṭann ari-pure śvapākam api vandate ||
(Padma Purāṇa; cited in Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.3.33)
“Holding rati for Hari [in his heart], this crest jewel among kings [i.e., Bhagīratha Mahārāja] went to beg alms at the homes of enemies and bowed down even to outcastes [lit., dog-cookers].”
na svalpam apy adhyavasāya-bhīroḥ
na svalpam apy adhyavasāya-bhīroḥ
karoti vijñāna-vidhir guṇaṁ hi |
andhasya kiṁ hasta-tala-sthito’pi
prakāśayaty artham iha pradīpaḥ ||
(Hitopadeśa: 1.165)
“Application of knowledge [alt., of the faculty of discrimination] does not do even a little good for one who is afraid of determined action [i.e., putting one’s knowledge and conclusions into practice in the face of obstacles]. What object in this world does even a lamp present in the palm of the hand illuminate for a blind person?”
anirvedaḥ śriyo mūlyaṁ duḥkha-nāśe sukhasya ca
anirvedaḥ śriyo mūlyaṁ duḥkha-nāśe sukhasya ca |
mahān bhavaty anirviṇṇaḥ sukhaṁ cātyantam aśnute ||
(Mahābhārata: 5.39.45; Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha)
“Perseverance [lit., non-despondence] is the root of fortune, elimination of suffering, and happiness. One who is perseverant [alt., non-despondent] is great and enjoys the greatest happiness.”
ye nāma kecid iha naḥ prathayanti avajñāṁ
ye nāma kecid iha naḥ prathayanti avajñāṁ
jānanti te kim api tān prati naiṣa yatnaḥ |
utpatsyate tu mama ko’pi samāna-dharmā
kālo hy ayaṁ niravadhir vipulā ca pṛthvī ||
(Bhavabhūti’s Mālāti-mādhava: 1.8)
“Some may deride me. What do they know? This work [i.e., this book] is not for them. Someone of similar nature to me [i.e., an appreciator of my work], however, will come along [some day], since time is endless and this earth is vast.”
sahasā vidadhīta na kriyām
sahasā vidadhīta na kriyām
avivekaḥ param āpadāṁ padam |
vṛṇate hi vimṛśya-kāriṇaṁ
guṇa-lubdhāḥ svayam eva sampadaḥ ||
(Kirātārjunīyam: 2.30; cited in Sāhitya-darpaṇa: 643, Hitopadeśa: 4.104; the Vṛtti on Hari-nāmāmṛta-vyākaraṇa: 780; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-śeṣa: 90)
“One should not act rashly. Indiscrimination is a cause of severe misfortune. Desirous of [such] virtue, good fortune personally worships one who acts after having deliberated.”
nāpṛṣṭaḥ kasyacid brūyān na cānyāyena pṛcchataḥ
nāpṛṣṭaḥ kasyacid brūyān na cānyāyena pṛcchataḥ |
jānann api hi medhāvī jaḍaval loka ācaret ||
(Manu Smṛti: 2.110)
“Unless asked, do not speak to anyone, and do not speak to someone who asks improperly. Even while knowing, an intelligent person should act like a dullard [when it is unbefitting to disclose one’s knowledge].”
dharmārtham api neheta yātrārthaṁ vādhano dhanam
dharmārtham api neheta yātrārthaṁ vādhano dhanam |
anīhānīhamānasya mahāher iva vṛttidā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.15.15)
“A person devoid of wealth should not desire [alt., endeavor for] wealth even for the sake of dharma or one’s sustenance. Desirelessness [alt., non-endeavoring] [itself] provides the livelihood of one who is desireless [alt., non-endeavoring], as it does for a large snake [i.e., python].”