Bhakti Sandarbha

matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā

matir na kṛṣṇe parataḥ svato vā
mitho’bhipadyeta gṛha-vratānām |
adānta-gobhir viśatāṁ tamisraṁ
punaḥ punaś carvita-carvaṇānām ||
na te viduḥ svārtha-gatiṁ hi viṣṇuṁ
durāśayā ye bahir-artha-māninaḥ |
andhā yathāndhair upanīyamānās
te’pīśa-tantryām uru-dāmni baddhāḥ ||
naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ
spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ |
mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-’bhiṣekaṁ
niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.5.30–32)

“[Śrī Prahlāda to Hiraṇyakaśipu:] Inclination towards Kṛṣṇa cannot arise on account of another, on its own, or on account of both [i.e., on its own and on account of another] for those intent upon household life, who have entered darkness because of uncontrolled senses and whose chewing is [only] of the chewed [therein] again and again. They, of debased mind, who honor only those whose aim is in the external, certainly do not understand Viṣṇu, he who is the object to be reached [only] for those whose aim is related to the Self. They also become bound by the strong strands of Īśa’s cord like the blind being led by the blind. Their inclination, the need of which is the cessation of the insubstantial, does not touch the feet of he of great stride [i.e., Bhagavān] so long as one shall not accept a bath in the foot-dust of the divested—the great ones.”

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guruḥ śāstraṁ śraddhā rucir anugatiḥ siddhir iti me

guruḥ śāstraṁ śraddhā rucir anugatiḥ siddhir iti me
yad etat tat sarvaṁ caraṇa-kamalaṁ rājati yayoḥ |
kṛpā-mādhvīkena snapita-nayanāmbhoja-yugalau
sadā rādhā-kṛṣṇāv aśaraṇa-gatī tau mama gatiḥ ||
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 340)

“Guru, śāstra, śraddhā,
Taste (ruci), service (anugati), and attainment (siddhi)—
Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa,
Whose lotus feet manifest as all of these to me,
Whose lotus eyes are always moistened
With the nectar of grace,
And who are the shelter of the refugeless,
Are ever my shelter.”

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namo’stu te mahāyogin prapannam anuśādhi mām

namo’stu te mahāyogin prapannam anuśādhi mām |
yathā tvac-caraṇāmbhoje ratiḥ syād anapāyinī ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.29.40)

“[Uddhava to Kṛṣṇa:] May my obeisance be [offered] unto you, O greatest of yogīs. Please instruct me, who have taken shelter [in you], so that I may have everlasting rati for your lotus feet.”

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nandaḥ kim akarod brahman śreya evaṁ mahodayam

nandaḥ kim akarod brahman śreya evaṁ mahodayam |
yaśodā vā mahābhāgā papau yasyāḥ stanaṁ hariḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.8.46; cited in Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha: 146, Bhakti Sandarbha: 325, Prīti Sandarbha: 99, 158; Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.8.77, 3.7.34)

[Parīkṣit Mahārāja to Śukadeva Gosvāmī:] “O brāhmaṇa, what auspicious activity did the greatly prosperous Nanda, or the greatly fortunate Yaśodā, from whose breast Hari drank, perform?”

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nāmāparādha-yuktānāṁ nāmāny eva haranty agham

nāmāparādha-yuktānāṁ nāmāny eva haranty agham |
aviśrānti-prayuktāni tāny evārthakarāṇi ca ||
(Padma Purāṇa: 3.48.23 or 4.25.23; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.526; Bhakti Sandarbha: 265)

“The names [of Hari] certainly destroy the sins of those who have committed offense to the name; uttered incessantly, they are certainly effective.”

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madhura-madhuram etan maṅgalaṁ maṅgalānāṁ

madhura-madhuram etan maṅgalaṁ maṅgalānāṁ
sakala-nigama-vallī-sat-phalaṁ cit-svarūpam |
sakṛd api parigītaṁ śraddhayā helayā vā
bhṛgu-vara nara-mātraṁ tārayet kṛṣṇa-nāma ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.451; Tattva Sandarbha: 15; Bhagavat Sandarbha: 35; Bhakti Sandarbha: 172)

“O best of the Bhṛgus, the name of Kṛṣṇa, the sweetest of the sweet, the most auspicious of the auspicious, the eternal [alt., true] spiritual fruit of the vine of all the Nigamas [i.e., Vedas], can deliver any human being when chanted even once, faithfully or negligently.”

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nāmaikaṁ yasya vāci smaraṇa-patha-gataṁ śrotra-mūlaṁ gataṁ vā

nāmaikaṁ yasya vāci smaraṇa-patha-gataṁ śrotra-mūlaṁ gataṁ vā
śuddhaṁ vāśuddha-varṇaṁ vyavahita-rahitaṁ tārayaty eva satyam |
tac ced deha-draviṇa-janatā-lobha-pāṣaṇḍa-madhye
nikṣiptaṁ syān na phala-janakaṁ śīghram evātra vipra ||
(Padma Purāṇa: 3.48.24 or 4.25.24; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.527; Bhakti Sandarbha: 153, 265; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 3.3.60)

“Be it with proper or improper [pronunciation of] syllables, one name [of Bhagavān] without separation [alt., or even with separation of its syllables] which has entered one’s speech, path of remembrance, or the base of the ears certainly delivers [a living being]. This is certainly true. If that [i.e., the name of Bhagavān] should be cast down among those who are heretical out of greed related to the body, wealth, or people, [however,] O brāhmaṇa, it certainly does not become fruitful quickly here.”

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