ayaṁ hi sarva-kalpānāṁ sadhrīcīno mato mama |
mad-bhāvaḥ sarva-bhūteṣu mano-vāk-kāya-vṛttibhiḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.29.19; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 332)
“[Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Uddhava:] Indeed, this thought of me in all beings [performed] with the functions of the mind, speech, and body is considered by me to be the proper one among all processes.”
visṛjya smayamānān svān dṛśaṁ vrīḍāṁ ca daihikīm |
praṇamed daṇḍavad bhūmāv ā-śva-cāṇḍāla-go-kharam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.29.16; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 332; Caitanya-bhāgavata: 3.3.27)
“[Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Uddhava:] Disregarding the laughing of friends, bodily vision, and embarrassment, one should offer obeisance like a stick on the ground even to dogs, outcasts, cows, and donkeys.”
iti sarvāṇi bhūtāni mad-bhāvena mahādyute |
sabhājayan manyamāno jñānaṁ kevalam āśritaḥ ||
brāhmaṇe pukkase stene brahmaṇye’rke sphuliṅgake |
akrūre krūrake caiva sama-dṛk paṇḍito mataḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.29.13–14; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 331)
“[Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] O most brilliant one [i.e., O Uddhava], having taken to pure awareness (kevala-jñāna), and in this way honoring and regarding all beings with thought of me, a person of equal vision in relation to a brāhmaṇa, an outcaste, a thief, a respecter of brāhmaṇas, the sun, a spark, a non-cruel person, and a cruel person, is considered a wise person.”
mām eva sarva-bhūteṣu bahir antar apāvṛtam |
īkṣetātmani cātmānaṁ yathā kham amalāśayaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.29.12; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 330)
“One of untainted heart should see me alone to be externally and internally present and [to be] the Self in the self and in all beings, unrestrained like the sky.”
taṁ tvākhilātma-dayiteśvaram āśritānāṁ
sarvārtha-daṁ sva-kṛta-vid visṛjeta ko nu |
ko vā bhajet kim api vismṛtaye’nu bhūtyai
kiṁ vā bhaven na tava pāda-rajo-juṣāṁ naḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.29.5; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 328)
“[Uddhava to Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] Indeed, who cognizant of what has been done for oneself [by you] would reject you, he who is the Self, Beloved, and Īśvara of all and the bestower of all ends upon those who have taken shelter? Who would adore anyone else for the sake of [worldly] well-being or even forgetfulness [of the world, i.e., mokṣa]? And what shall we who delight in the dust of your feet not have [if we simply continue to engage solely in bhakti to you with disinterest in all else]?”
tathā tat-priya-vargaś ca pūrvaṁ darśitaḥ ‘tulayāma lavenāpi’ ity ādinā | asya bhagavad-viṣaya-prīty-ālambanatvam api yuktam | smaraṇādi-pathaṁ gate hy asmiṁs tad-ādhārā sā prītir anubhūyate | ālambana-śabdaś ca viṣayādhārayor vartana iti | … tad evam api yam āśritya śrī-bhagavati sa prīti-viśeṣaḥ pravartate, sa evālambano jñeyaḥ | anye tūddīpanāḥ | athaivaṁ sa-vāsana-bhinna-vāsanaka-dvidha-tat-priya-varga-viṣayā ca yā prītiḥ sāpi tat-prīty-ādhāratvenaiva na tu sva-sambandhādinā | ata eva tat-priya-varge’pi sva-sambandha-hetukāṁ prītiṁ niṣidhya śrī-bhagavaty eva tām abhyarthya punas tat-priya-varge tad-ādhāratvenaiva prītim aṅgīkaroti | atha tatra niṣedhaḥ—‘atha viśveśa viśvātman viśva-mūrte svakeṣu me | sneha-pāśam imaṁ chindhi dṛḍhaṁ pāṇḍuṣu vṛṣṇiṣu ||’ atha abhyarthanā—‘tvayi me’nanya-viṣayā matir madhu-pate’sakṛt | ratim udvahatād addhā gaṅgevaugham udanvati ||’ atha aṅgīkāraḥ—‘śrī-kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa-sakha vṛṣṇy-ṛṣabhāvani-dhrug-rājanya-vaṁśa-dahanānapavarga-vīrya | govinda go-dvija-surārti-harāvatāra yogeśvarākhila-guro bhagavan namas te ||’ atra śrī-kṛṣṇa-sakhety ādi-sambodhenais tat-prīty-ādhāratvenārjunādiṣv api prītir aṅgīkṛtyā | evaṁ ‘vṛknaḥ’ ity ādi-dvayaṁ śrīmad-uddhava-vākyam api saṅgamanīyam | yathā—‘vṛkṇaś ca me sudṛḍhaḥ sneha-pāśo dāśārha-vṛṣṇy-andhaka-sātvateṣu | prasāritaḥ sṛṣṭi-vivṛddhaye tvayā sva-māyayā hy ātma-subodha-hetinā || namo’stu te mahā-yogin prapannam anuśādhi mām | yathā tvac-caraṇāmbhoje ratiḥ syād anapāyinī ||’ sṛṣṭi-vivṛddhaye tvayā svādhīnayā māyayā yo dehādi-sambandhajaḥ sneha-pāśaḥ prasāritaḥ sa vṛkṇaś chinnaḥ | kena? ātma-subodha-hetinā, tvadīya-prīty-utpādaka-śobhana-jñāna-lakṣaṇa-śastreṇa | adhunā tvat-sambandhenaiva sa bhātīty arthaḥ | ata evottara-padyam api tathaiva | iyaṁ coktiḥ śrīmad-uddhavasya siddhatvān na sambahavatīti sva-vyājenānyān uddiśyaiveti jñeyam |
(Excerpted from Prīti Sandarbha: 112–115 and Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.8.41–43)
“Similarly [i.e., just as Śrī Kṛṣṇa was shown to be the objective support (viṣayālambana) of prīti], his dear ones were also shown [to be the “vessel-supports” (āśrayālambanas) of prīti] in accord with [the statement in SB 1.18.13], ‘Let us not equate Svarga or non-repetition of birth [i.e., mokṣa], much less the blessings [i.e., wealth] of mortals, with even an instant of association with those who are devoted to Bhagavān.’ Their being supports of prīti the object of which is Bhagavān is also appropriate since that prīti, the substratum of which is them, is experienced in them when he is situated on the path of [their] remembrance and forth. The word __ālambana__, furthermore, signifies both the object (viṣaya) and substratum (ādhāra) [of prīti]. … Thus, in this way as well, only the one [i.e., the particular dear one of Śrī Bhagavān] by taking shelter in whom a particular form of this prīti for Śrī Bhagavān proceeds [from the heart of the dear one towards its object, Śrī Bhagavān] is to be known as the support (ālambana) [of prīti], whereas others [i.e., other dear ones of Śrī Bhagavān] are excitants (uddīpanas) [of that prīti]. Now, similarly, even that prīti the object (viṣaya) of which is his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] dear ones, who are of two types—(1) of like inclination (vāsanā) and (2) of different inclination (vāsanā) [with respect to a particular bhakta’s inclination (vāsanā)]—exists only because of [those dear ones’] being substrata of prīti for him, and not, rather, because of a [a particular dear associate’s] own relationship or otherwise [with them]. Therefore, one [i.e., a particular dear associate of Śrī Bhagavān] terminates [one’s] prīti even for his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] dear ones the cause of which is one’s own relationship [with them], prays for that [i.e., prīti] only in relation to Śrī Bhagavān, and then accepts prīti for his dear ones only because of [their] being substrata of that [i.e., prīti for him]. Now, the termination in this regard [is illustrated in the following prayer of Śrī Kuntī Devī to Śrī Kṛṣṇa in SB 1.8.41], ‘Now, O Lord of the universe, O Giver of consciousness to the universe, O Form of the universe, please cut this strong bond of affection of mine for my relatives, the Pāṇḍavas and Vṛṣṇis.’ Now, the prayer [for prīti solely for Śrī Bhagavān, as illustrated in the next statement of Śrī Kuntī Devī in SB 1.8.42], ‘O Madhupati, may my mind, having no other object [but for you], continuously [i.e., without cessation, and without regard for obstacles] carry forth rati for you, just as the Gaṅgā carries forth its stream [i.e., its water, continuously towards the ocean, disregarding all obstacles in its path].’ Now, the acceptance [of prīti for dear ones of Śrī Bhagavān because of their being substrata of prīti for him, as illustrated in the next statement of Śrī Kuntī Devī in SB 1.8.43], ‘O Śrī Kṛṣṇa! O Friend of Arjuna! O Best of the Vṛṣṇis! O you who are the fire upon the dynasties of kings who are destructive of the earth! O you who are of unlimited potency! O Govinda! O you whose descent is for removing the distress of the cows, twice-born, and suras! O Master of Yoga! O Guru of all! O Bhagavān! Obeisance unto you.’ Here, by means of the invocations, ‘O blessed Friend of Arjuna’ and so forth, prīti even for Arjuna and others on account of [their] being substrata of prīti for him [i.e., Bhagavān] is accepted.
“The statement of Śrīmad Uddhava [to Śrī Kṛṣṇa] in the two [verses] beginning __vṛknaḥ__ … [i.e., SB 11.29.39–40] is also to be contextualized in this way. ‘The exceedingly firm bond of my affection for the Dāśārhas, Vṛṣṇis, Andhakas, and Sātvatas, which was extended by your own māyā for the purpose of perpetuating the emanation [i.e., the universe], has been cut away with the weapon of fine understanding of the Self [viz., you]. 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.’ [This citation is explained as follows:] This bond of [my] affection born of relationships with bodies and so on, which was extended [i.e., created and made extensive] by you by means of [your] independent māyā for the purpose of perpetuating the emanation [i.e., the universe], has been cut away. With what? With the weapon of fine understanding of the Self, that is, with the weapon in the form of brilliant knowledge productive of prīti for you. Now, that [bond of affection] shines only in relationship to you. This is the meaning. Therefore, the latter verse [i.e., SB 11.29.40] too is exactly so [i.e., it is spoken with the same sense and intent]. Because of Śrīmad Uddhava’s being a siddha, this statement [of his], furthermore, is not possible [for him to make on his own account]. Therefore, it is to be understood to be [spoken] only for the sake of others on the pretext of referring to himself.”
sa uttamaśloka mahan-mukha-cyuto
bhavat-padāmbhoja-sudhā-kaṇānilaḥ |
smṛtiṁ punar vismṛta-tattva-vartmanāṁ
kuyogināṁ no vitaraty alaṁ varaiḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.20.25; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 257)
“[Mahārāja Pṛthu to Śrī Bhagavān:] O you of highest praise! The air suffused with drops of the nectar from your lotus feet and cast forth from the mouths of mahātmās confers remembrance again to faulty yogīs who have forgotten the path of Truth (Tattva). [Therefore,] Away with [other] boons.”
na bhajati kumanīṣiṇāṁ sa ijyāṁ
harir adhanātma-dhana-priyo rasa-jñaḥ |
śruta-dhana-kula-karmaṇāṁ madair ye
vidadhati pāpam akiñcaneṣu satsu ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.31.21; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 301)
“The connoisseur of rasa, Hari, he to whom those who have no [worldly] wealth and whose wealth is the Self [i.e., the Ātmā, meaning, Hari himself] are dear, does not accept the worship of those of polluted intellect, who because of the intoxications of learning, wealth, family, and deeds, engage in wrong-doing in relation to sādhus who are without anything [i.e., free from any such intoxications and the pride and possessiveness that underlie them].”
na kevalaṁ śuddha-cittatvam eva yogyatā | kiṁ tarhi? tad-bhakti-viśeṣāviṣkṛta-tad-icchāmaya-tadīya-sva-prakāśatā-śakti-prakāśa eva mūla-rūpā sā, yat-prakāśena tad api niḥśeṣaṁ sidhyati | … tat-prakāśena niḥśeṣa-śuddha-cittatve siddhe, puruṣa-karaṇāni tadīya-sva-prakāśatā-śakti-tādātmyāpannatayaiva tat-prakāśatābhimānavanti syuḥ | tatra bhakti-viśeṣa-sāpekṣatvam uktam—‘tac-chraddadhānā munayaḥ’ ity ādau | tad-icchā-mayety ādy-udāharaṇaṁ ca brahma-bhagavator aviśeṣatayaiva dṛśyate | yathā satyavrataṁ prati śrī-matsya-deva-vākye—madīyaṁ mahimānaṁ ca paraṁ brahmeti śabditam | vetsyasy anugṛhītaṁ me sampraśnair vivṛtaṁ hṛdi || iti | tathaiva hi brahmāṇaṁ prati śrī-bhagavad-vākye—‘manīṣitānubhāvo’yaṁ mama lokāvalokanam’ iti | śrī-nārāyaṇādhyātme—nityāvyakto’pi bhagavān īkṣyate nija-śaktitaḥ | tām ṛte puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ kaḥ paśyetāmitaṁ prabhum || iti | śrutau ca—‘yam evaiṣa vṛṇute tena labhyas tasyaiṣa ātmā vivṛṇute tanuṁ svām’ iti |
(Prīti Sandarbha: 7)
“Not only purity of the citta alone is fitness [for direct experience (sākṣātkāra) of Śrī Bhagavān]. Then what [else is required]? Manifestation of his [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān’s] śakti of self-manifestation [alt., self-luminosity], which is revealed [in the citta] by a particular form of bhakti to him and constituted of his will, is the fundamental form [i.e., the fundamental cause of direct experience of him]—that [śakti] by manifestation of which this [i.e., purity of the citta] too is accomplished completely [i.e., since purification of the citta, without which experience of Śrī Bhagavān is impossible, is also reliant upon the purifying influence of Śrī Bhagavān’s svarūpa-śakti, it is all the more evident that his svarūpa-śakti, whereby he self-manifests himself, is the fundamental cause of directly experiencing him]. … When complete purity of the citta is effected by a manifestation of that [i.e., of the self-manifestation śakti of Śrī Bhagavān], then the means of a living being [i.e., the external means, viz., the external senses of seeing, hearing, and so forth, and the internal means, viz., the mind, intellect, ahaṅkāra, and citta], because of their having [then] acquired a state of oneness (tādātmya) with his śakti of self-manifestation, will become possessed of the notion of their being the illuminators of him [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān, even though Bhagavān’s own śakti working through them is the primary cause; this is to say that a person’s experience of Śrī Bhagavān will be felt by them to be similar to experiencing an object in the material world by means of the mind and senses even though this experience of Śrī Bhagavān is primarily being carried out by Śrī Bhagavān’s own śakti working through the mind and senses]. Dependence upon a specific form of bhakti in this regard [i.e., in regard to direct experience (sākṣātkāra) of Śrī Bhagavān taking place by means primarily of Bhagavān’s own potency of self-manifestation (sva-prakāśatā-śakti)] is stated [in SB 1.2.12], ‘The sages possessed of śraddhā see the Self (Ātmā) [i.e., the Paramātmā] within the self (ātmā) [i.e., the purified citta] by bhakti replete with knowledge (jñāna) and detachment (vairāgya) received through hearing [the Vedānta and so forth].‘ An illustration of [Bhagavān’s own potency of self-manifestation (sva-prakāśatā-śakti) being] Constituted of his will is also visible in regard to [direct experience of] Brahman and Bhagavān without distinction [between these two types of direct experience of the Para-tattva] as follows in the statement of Śrī Matsyadeva to Satyavrata [in SB 8.24.38], ‘And you will perceive my greatness, known as Parabrahman, favored [i.e., manifested] in [your] heart by me as it is described [by me] in response to [your] inquiries.’ Similarly in a statement of Śrī Bhagavān to Brahmā [in SB 2.9.21], ‘This vision of my abode [that you have had] is the result of my wish.’ And in Śrī Nārāyaṇa-adhyātma: ‘Although Bhagavān is eternally unmanifest, he can be seen by means of his own potency. Without that, who can see the unlimited Lord of lotus eyes?’ Also, in the Śruti [i.e., Kaṭha Upaniṣad 1.2.23], ‘He is attainable [i.e., able to be directly perceived] only by one whom he chooses. To him [who is so chosen] the Ātmā reveals his own form.’ Thus, even the requirement of purity of one’s means [i.e., senses] is to be understood to be only for the purpose of reflection of that potency [i.e., Bhagavān’s own potency of self-manifestation (sva-prakāśatā-śakti)].”
atha śrutau—‘bhaktir evainaṁ nayati, bhaktir evainaṁ darśayati bhakti-vaśaḥ puruṣo bhaktir eva bhūyasī’ iti śrūyate | tasmād evaṁ vivicyate—yā caivaṁ bhagavantaṁ svānandena madayati, sā kiṁ-lakṣaṇā syāt? iti | … hlādiny-ākhya-tadīya-svarūpa-śakty-ānanda-rūpaiveti avaśiṣyate, yayā khalu bhagavān svarūpānandam anubhavati, yad-ānandenānanda-viśeṣī-bhavati, yayaivaṁ taṁ tam ānandam anyān apy anubhāvayatīti | … tasyā hlādinyā eva kāpi sarvānandātiśāyinī vṛttir nityaṁ bhakta-vṛndeṣv eva nikṣipyamāṇā bhagavat-prīty-ākhyayā vartate | atas tad-anubhavena śrī-bhagavān api śrīmad-bhakteṣu prīty-atiśayaṁ bhajata iti | ata eva tat-sukhena bhakta-bhagavatoḥ parasparam āveśam āha—sādhavo hṛdayaṁ mahyaṁ sādhūnāṁ hṛdayaṁ tv aham | mad-anyat te na jānanti nāhaṁ tebhyo manāg api || … atyantāveśenaikatāpattyā jvalal-lohādāv agni-vyapadeśavad atrāpy abheda-nirdeśa ity arthaḥ | tenaiva parasparaṁ vaśavartitvam āha—ajita jitaḥ sama-matibhiḥ sādhubhir bhavān jitātmabhir bhavatā | vijitās te’pi ca bhajatām akāmātmanāṁ ya ātmado’ti-karuṇaḥ ||
(Prīti Sandarbha: 65)
“Now, in the Śruti [i.e., Māṭhara-śruti], it is heard, ‘Bhakti certainly attracts him. Bhakti certainly reveals him. The Puruṣa is captivated by bhakti. Bhakti is certainly [thus] supreme.’ Therefore, the following is to be considered: what could be the character of that which in this way maddens Bhagavān with its own bliss? … Only the bliss aspect of his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] svarūpa-śakti, known as hlādinī—(1) by which Bhagavān verily experiences the bliss of his own nature (svarūpa), (2) by the bliss of which he becomes possessed of the particular bliss [i.e., by virtue of which he possesses bliss as an inherent attribute], and (3) by which he similarly causes others as well to experience bliss—remains [as an acceptable conclusion]. [Thus,] Some particular vṛtti of the hlādini [-śakti], abounding in all bliss and being eternally cast only into bhaktas, exists by the name of prīti for Bhagavān. Then, by experience thereof [i.e., by experience of this vṛtti of the hlādinī-śakti known as prīti, when it is expressed to Bhagavān by the bhaktas into whom Bhagavān has cast it], Śrī Bhagavān also feels pleasure in profusion from his beautiful bhaktas. Therefore, Śrī Bhagavān [in SB 9.4.63] describes the mutual absorption of the bhakta and Bhagavān [in one another that occurs] because of that happiness, ‘The sādhus are my heart, and I am the heart of the sādhus. They do not know anyone other than I, and I do not know anyone other than them in the least.’ … As a red-hot iron or another object is called fire because of an acquisition of oneness [with fire] as a result of extreme immersion [i.e., as a red-hot iron is sometimes referred to as fire because fire has become completely infused into it], here too a description of non-difference is made [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān says he is the heart of sādhus and they are his heart because their hearts have acquired a state of oneness as a result of the intense absorption of their hearts in one another produced by the joy of prīti for one another, that is, produced by the effect of the supreme vṛtti of Śrī Bhagavān’s hlādinī-śakti, viz., prīti, or prema-bhakti; the sādhus, however, are not literally Bhagavān’s heart, and Bhagavān is not literally the sādhus’ heart]. This is the meaning. Specifically because of this [i.e., because of the happiness and consequent mutual absorption felt by Śrī Bhagavān and his bhaktas by virtue of prīti], Citraketu describes their mutual captivation [of another in SB 6.16.34], ‘O Unconquerable One! You are conquered by sādhus [i.e., bhaktas] who are of equal mind and conquered heart, and they are also fully conquered by you, who are highly gracious and give yourself to those who perform worship with hearts free from [extraneous] desire.’”
