vaiṣṇave bandhu-sat-kṛtyā
vaiṣṇave bandhu-sat-kṛtyā |
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.11.44; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 295)
“[Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa: Worship me] In a Vaiṣṇava with a proper reception for a kinsmen [alt., friend].”
Bhāgavata Sandarbha
purāṇy anena sṛṣṭāni nṛ-tiryag-ṛṣi-devatāḥ
purāṇy anena sṛṣṭāni nṛ-tiryag-ṛṣi-devatāḥ |
śete jīvena rūpeṇa pureṣu puruṣo hy asau ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.14.37; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 288)
“The abodes [i.e., bodies] of humans, animals, sages, and devatās were emanated by him. He, the Puruṣa, [then] lies in the [aforementioned] abodes in the form of life [i.e., in the form of he who is the cause of life in those abodes, i.e., the Inner Regulator (Antaryāmī)].”
yad yad iṣṭatamaṁ loke yac cātipriyam ātmanaḥ
yad yad iṣṭatamaṁ loke yac cātipriyam ātmanaḥ |
tat tan nivedayen mahyaṁ tad ānantyāya kalpate ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.11.41; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 8.119, 10.513, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.199, Bhakti Sandarbha: 295)
“[Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] Whatever is most desired in the world and whatever is most dear to oneself—offer that to me. This leads to the infinite.”
pīṭha-pūjāyāṁ bhagavad-dhāme śrī-guru-pādukā-pūjanam
pīṭha-pūjāyāṁ bhagavad-dhāme śrī-guru-pādukā-pūjanam evaṁ saṅgacchate, yathā—ya eva bhagavān atra vyaṣṭi-rūpatayā bhaktāvatāratvena śrī-guru-rūpo vartate, sa eva tatra samaṣṭi-rūpatayā sva-vāma-pradeśe sākṣād-avatāratvenāpi tad-rūpo vartata iti |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 286)
“Worshiping the shoes of śrī guru in Bhagavān’s dhāma during worship [of Śrī Bhagavān] at the yogapīṭha is appropriate since the very Bhagavān who exists here [i.e., in the material world] in the form of śrī guru on account of [śrī guru’s] being a manifestation [of Bhagavān] as a bhakta by virtue of [śrī guru’s] being an individuated (vyaṣṭi) form [of Bhagavān] exists there [i.e., at the yogapīṭha in Śrī Bhagavān’s dhāma] at a spot to his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] own left in that form [i.e., in the form of śrī guru] also as a manifestation in person by virtue of [that form of śrī guru’s] being a collective (samaṣṭi) form [of Bhagavān, i.e., the form of śrī guru present and fit to be worshiped by all at the yogapīṭha Bhagavān’s dhāma is the collective (samaṣṭi) form of śrī guru the innumerable individuated (vyaṣṭi) forms of whom manifest respectively to individual sādhakas in the material world].”
kiṁ bahunā sarvatraiva sahṛdayaiḥ sarva evāvagantavyaḥ
kiṁ bahunā, sarvatraiva sahṛdayaiḥ sarva evāvagantavyaḥ |
(Prīti Sandarbha: 158)
“What is the use of more [illustrations of the excellence of Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s manifestations and līlās in Śrī Vṛndāvana]? Verily in all cases, everything is to be [alt., can be] understood by sahṛdayas [i.e., rasikas, lit., ‘those with heart’].”
atha teṣāṁ śuddha-bhaktānāṁ bhūta-śuddhy-ādikaṁ
atha teṣāṁ śuddha-bhaktānāṁ bhūta-śuddhy-ādikaṁ yathā-mati vyākhyāyate | tatra bhūta-śuddhir nijābhilaṣita-bhagavat-sevaupayika-tat-pārṣada-deha-bhāvanā-paryantaiva tat-sevaika-puruṣārthibhiḥ kāryā nijānukūlyāt |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 286)
“Now, the bhūta-śuddhi [i.e., ‘purification of the elements’, a part of the process of arcana] of pure bhaktas [i.e., of those following the path of bhakti unmixed with karma, jñāna, and so forth] is explained as per my understanding. In that regard, bhūta-śuddhi is to be performed by those whose only puruṣārtha is service to him [i.e., Bhagavān] verily up to [i.e., including] contemplation of [oneself inhering in] the body of an associate of Bhagavān conducive to one’s own desired service to him because of [its, i.e., such contemplation’s] favorability for oneself [i.e., because such is favorable to attaining one’s desired bhāva and service therewith].”
smared vṛndāvane ramye mohayantam anāratam
smared vṛndāvane ramye mohayantam anāratam |
govindaṁ puṇḍarīkākṣaṁ gopa-kanyāḥ sahasraśaḥ ||
ātmano vadanāmbhoja-preritākṣi-madhu-vratāḥ |
kāma-bāṇena vivaśāś ciram āśleṣaṇotsukāḥ ||
muktāhāra-lasat-pīnottuṅga-stana-bharānatāḥ |
srasta-dhammilla-vasanā mada-skhalita-bhāṣaṇāḥ ||
danta-paṅkti-prabhodbhāsi-spandamānādharāñcitāḥ |
vilobhayantīr vividhair vibhramair bhāva-garbhitaiḥ ||
(Śāradā-tilaka, following the Mṛtuñjaya-saṁhitā; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 3.110–113, Bhakti Sandarbha: 286)
“Remember in joyful Vṛndāvana
Govinda of lotus eyes
Enchanting unceasingly
Thousands of gopa girls,
Their own bumblebees eyes directed
Towards the lotus of his face,
Captivated by arrows of kāma,
Long eager for his embraces,
Bowed by the weight of their full, raised breasts
Shining with pearl necklaces [draped over them],
Their chignons and garments disheveled,
Their speech wavering with passion,
Adorned with quivering lips
Shining with the splendor
Of their rows of teeth,
And alluring [him] with various amorous movements
Filled with bhāva.”
sat-puṇḍarīka-nayanaṁ meghābhaṁ vaidyutāmbaram
sat-puṇḍarīka-nayanaṁ meghābhaṁ vaidyutāmbaram |
dvi-bhujaṁ jñāna-mudrāḍhyaṁ vana-mālinam īśvaram ||
gopa-gopī-gavāvītaṁ sura-druma-talāśritam |
divyālaṅkaraṇopetaṁ rakta-paṅkaja-madhyagam ||
kālindī-jala-kallola-saṅgi-māruta-sevitam |
cintayaṁś cetasā kṛṣṇaṁ mukto bhavati saṁsṛteḥ ||
(Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad: 1.9–11; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 3.107–109, Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha: 153, Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.87.2)
“Excellent lotus eyes,
The luster of a cloud,
Cloth like lightning,
Two-arms,
Endowed with the posture of wisdom,
Wearing a forest garland,
Capable,
Surrounded by gopas, gopīs, and cows,
Situated at the base of a sura-tree,
Endued with divine ornaments,
Centered on red lotus [seat],
Attended by breezes
Bearing [the mist from] the waves
Of the waters of the Kālindī—
Meditating with the heart on Kṛṣṇa [in this way],
One becomes liberated from saṁsāra.”
tad evaṁ kalau nāma-kīrtana-pracāra-prabhāveṇaiva
tad evaṁ kalau nāma-kīrtana-pracāra-prabhāveṇaiva parama-bhagavat-parāyaṇatva-siddhir darśitā | tatra pāṣaṇḍa-praveśena nāmāparādhino ye, teṣāṁ tu tad-bahirmukhatvam eva syād … |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 274)
“Thus, in this way, in [the Age of] Kali, attainment of superlative devotedness to Bhagavān solely by the influence of engagement in nāma-kīrtana has been shown. Only obliviousness (bahirmukhatva) of him [however] shall ensue for those who are offenders of the name because of an ingress of heresy therein [i.e., those who commit offense to the name because of fostering a heretical mentality contrary to Bhagavad-bhakti will only remain oblivious of Bhagavān even if they engage in nāma-kīrtana, or other practices of bhakti, as a result of their offenses].”
bahubhir militvā kīrtanaṁ saṅkīrtanam ity ucyate
bahubhir militvā kīrtanaṁ saṅkīrtanam ity ucyate | tat tu camatkāra-viśeṣa-poṣāt pūrvato’py adhikam iti jñeyam |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 269)
“Kīrtana [performed] by many [who have] gathered together is called saṅkīrtana. This [i.e., saṅkīrtana] is to be known as superior even to the former [i.e., kīrtana] because of [its] fostering a special type of wondrousness.”