Bhāgavata Sandarbha

iha sambandhi-tattvaṁ brahmānandād api prakṛṣṭo rucira-līlā

iha sambandhi-tattvaṁ brahmānandād api prakṛṣṭo rucira-līlā-vaśiṣṭaḥ śrīmān ajita eva | sa ca pūrṇatvena mukhyatayā śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṁjña eveti śrī-bādarāyaṇa-samādhau vyaktībhaviṣyati | tathā prayojanākhyaḥ puruṣārthaś ca tādṛśa-tad-āsakti-janakaṁ tal-līlā-śravaṇādi-lakṣaṇaṁ tad-bhajanam evety āyātam |
(Tattva Sandarbha: 29)

“Here [i.e., in this text], the sambandhi-tattva [i.e., the subject, lit., ‘the entity bearing a relation (sambandha) [with the text],’ meaning, the entity related to through the text] is Śrīman Ajita [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān], who is possessed of relishable līlā and superior even to the bliss of Brahman. That he, furthermore, is known primarily as Śrī Kṛṣṇa by virtue of completeness [i.e., by virtue of the completeness he manifests only in his aspect known as Śrī Kṛṣṇa] will be clarified in [the forthcoming discussion of] Śrī Bādarāyaṇa’s samādhi. So also, the puruṣārtha [i.e., ‘object of a human being’], known as the prayojana [i.e., aim], and worship of him [i.e., the abhidheya], the characteristic of which is hearing and so forth of his līlā that produces such attachment (āsakti) to him [i.e., that leads to attainment of the prayojana, namely, prema for him] are understood.”

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athaivaṁ sūcitānāṁ śrī-kṛṣṇa-tad-vācya-vācakatā-lakṣaṇa-sambandha

athaivaṁ sūcitānāṁ śrī-kṛṣṇa-tad-vācya-vācakatā-lakṣaṇa-sambandha-tad-bhajana-lakṣaṇa-vidheya-saparyāyābhidheya-tat-prema-lakṣaṇa-prayojanākhyānām arthānāṁ nirṇayāya tāvat pramāṇaṁ nirṇīyate |
(Tattva Sandarbha: 9)

“Now, to ascertain the [four] topics thus indicated [in the preceding verse, i.e., yasya Brahmeti …], namely, (1) Śrī Kṛṣṇa [i.e., the subject], (2) the sambandha [i.e., the ‘relation’ of the text] with him the characteristic of which is [that of] referrer (vācakatā) and referent (vācya), (3) the abhidheya [i.e., ‘directive,’ lit., ‘that which is to be stated’], synonymous the with vidheya [i.e., ‘practice,’ lit., ‘that which is to be done’], the characteristic of which is worship (bhajana) of him [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa], and (4) the prayojana [i.e., aim, lit., ‘that motivated by which one acts’] the characteristic of which is prema for him, first pramāṇa [i.e., the means of knowing] is ascertained.”

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tvaṁ bhakti-yoga-paribhāvita-hṛt-saroja

tvaṁ bhakti-yoga-paribhāvita-hṛt-saroja
āsse śrutekṣita-patho nanu nātha puṁsām |
yad yad dhiyā ta urugāya vibhāvayanti
tat tad vapuḥ praṇayase sad-anugrahāya ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.9.11; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 7.383; Bhagavat Sandarbha: 6, 40; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.3.111)

“[Brahmā to Śrī Bhagavān:] O Nātha! You, he the path to whom is seen by hearing, dwell in the lotus-hearts of living beings that have been purified by bhakti-yoga [alt., that have been made fit (for you) by virtue of prema]. O you of highest praise! [Alt., O you who are sung of in many ways!] Out of favor upon the sat, you bring forth that very form of yours which they distinctively meditate on [alt., visualize] with the mind.”

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yo mantraḥ sa guruḥ sākṣād yo guruḥ sa hariḥ svayam

yo mantraḥ sa guruḥ sākṣād yo guruḥ sa hariḥ svayam |
gurur yasya bhavet tuṣṭas tasya tuṣṭo hariḥ svayam ||
(Vāmana-kalpa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 4.353; Bhakti Sandarbha: 237)

“The mantra is directly the guru, and the guru is Hari himself. Hari himself is pleased with one with whom the guru shall be pleased.”

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vācyatvaṁ vācakatvaṁ ca deva-tan-mantrayor iha

vācyatvaṁ vācakatvaṁ ca deva-tan-mantrayor iha |
abhedenocyate brahmaṁs tattvavidbhir vicāritaḥ ||
(Hayaśīrṣa Pañcarātra; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 198)

“O Brahmā, the existence as a referent and the existence as a referrer [respectively] of Deva and his mantra [i.e., the existence of Deva as the referent of his mantra and the existence of his mantra as a referrer to him] have been deliberated upon and described as non-different by knowers of the reality.”

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yasyānanaṁ makara-kuṇḍala-cāru-karṇa

yasyānanaṁ makara-kuṇḍala-cāru-karṇa-
bhrājat-kapola-subhagaṁ savilāsa-hāsam |
nityotsavaṁ na tatṛpur dṛśibhiḥ pibantyo
nāryo narāś ca muditāḥ kupitā nimeś ca ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 9.24.65; cited in Prīti Sandarbha: 82, 111; Durgama-saṅgamanī-ṭīkā on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.1.1; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.21.123)

“Drinking with their eyes whose [i.e., his, Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s] face, which is a constant festival, filled with a charming smile, and lovely with shining cheeks and adorable ears [decorated] with makara earrings, delighted women and men were not satiated and became angry at Nimi.”

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gopyas tapaḥ kim acaran yad amuṣya rūpaṁ

gopyas tapaḥ kim acaran yad amuṣya rūpaṁ
lāvaṇya-sāram asamorddhvam ananya-siddham |
dṛgbhiḥ pibanty anusavābhinavaṁ durāpam
ekānta-dhāma yaśasaḥ śriya aiśvarasya ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.44.14; cited in Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.135; Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha: 101, 183; Prīti Sandarbha: 99, 111; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.21.112)

“What austerity did the gopīs perform as a result of which they drink through their eyes his form which is the essence of loveliness, unequalled and unsurpassed, not accomplished otherwise, new at every moment, difficult to attain, and the ultimate reservoir of fame, splendor, and mastery?”

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atha parikarāṇām api bhāveṣu tāratamyaṁ vivecanīyaṁ

atha parikarāṇām api bhāveṣu tāratamyaṁ vivecanīyaṁ, yeṣāṁ bhagavattaivopajīvyā | tatra bhagavattā tāvat sāmānyato dvividhaiva—paramaiśvarya-rūpā parama-mādhurya-rūpā ceti | aiśvaryaṁ prabhutā | mādhuryaṁ nāma ca śīla-guṇa-rūpa-vayo-līlānāṁ sambandha-viśeṣāṇāṁ ca manoharatvaṁ, paramatvaṁ ca cāsamordhvatvam | atha bhaktādi-catur-vidhāḥ parikarāpi dvividhāḥ | paramaiśvaryānubhava-pradhānāḥ parama-mādhuryānubhava-pradhānāś ca | tatraiśvarya-mātrasya sādhvasa-sambhrama-gaurava-buddhi-janakatvaṁ mādhurya-mātrasya prīti-janakatvam iti sarvānubhava-siddham eva | tatas tatraiśvarya-mādhuryayoḥ paramatvam iti tābhyāṁ yathāsaṅkhyaṁ sādhvasādīnāṁ prīteś ca paramatvam eva syāt |
(Excerpt from Prīti Sandarbha: 97)

“Now, the gradation among the bhāvas of even the parikaras (companions) [of Śrī Bhagavān], whose sole sustenance is Bhagavattā [i.e., the myriad of characteristics that constitute the essential nature of Bhagavān, as opposed to the Brahman aspect (Brahmatva) of Bhagavān], is to be deliberated upon. In that regard, Bhagavattā is in general only of two types: that the form of which is paramount aiśvarya (paramaiśvarya) and that the form of which is paramount mādhurya (parama-mādhurya). Aiśvarya refers to powerfulness (prabhutā) [alt., Godhood], and mādhurya refers to charmingness [lit., ‘being captivating to the mind’] of disposition, qualities, figure, age, and līlā, as well as of specific relations [i.e., forms of relationship]. [The aforementioned] ‘Paramountness’ (paramatva) [of the aiśvarya and the mādhurya of Bhagavān’s Bhagavattā], furthermore, refers to [their] being unequaled and unsurpassed (asamordhvatva) [by any other feature of Śrī Bhagavān, much less by any feature of any other entity subordinate to him].

“Now, parikaras too, who are of four types beginning with bhaktas [i.e., those whose principal rati is dāsya and so forth], are also of two [general] types: those in whom experience of paramount aiśvarya is predominant (paramaiśvaryānubhava-pradhāna) and those in whom experience of paramount mādhurya is predominant (mādhuryānubhava-pradhāna). In this regard, only aiśvarya’s being productive of alarm (sādhavasa), reverential excitement (sambhrama), and a sense of superiority (gaurava-buddhi), and only mādhurya’s being productive of prīti, is certainly established by the experience of everyone. Thus, there is the paramountness (paramatva) of the aiśvarya and the mādhurya [of Śrī Bhagavān’s Bhagavattā] in this regard [i.e., such paramountness is also to be considered present in the nature of Śrī Bhagavān], and the definitive paramountness of alarm and so forth and of prīti [that bhaktas experience in response to Śrī Bhagavān’s Bhagavattā] shall come about respectively because of these two [i.e., because of the paramount aiśvarya and the paramount mādhurya in Śrī Bhagavān’s Bhagavattā].”

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tad evaṁ trividhāpi sā punar akaitavā sakaitavā ceti dvividhā jñeyā

tad evaṁ trividhāpi sā punar akaitavā sakaitavā ceti dvividhā jñeyā | tatrāropa-saṅga-siddhayor yasyā bhakteḥ sambandhena bhakti-pada-prāptyāṁ sāmarthyaṁ tan-mātrāpekṣatvaṁ ced akaitavatvaṁ, svīyānyadīya-phalāpekṣatvaṁ cet sakaitavatvam | svarūpa-siddhāyāś ca yasya bhagavataḥ sambandhena tādṛśaṁ māhātmyaṁ tan-mātrāpekṣa-parikaratvaṁ ced akaitavatvaṁ, prayojanāntarāpekṣayā karma-jñāna-parikaratvaṁ cet sakaitavatvam | iyam evākaitavā akiñcanākhyatvena pūrvam uktā | ‘dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo’tra paramaḥ’ ity atra cāsya tad-ubhaya-vidhatve pramāṇaṁ jñeyam | tathoktaṁ—‘prīyate’malayā bhaktyā harir anyad viḍambanam’ iti |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 217)

“Thus, in this way, although of three types [i.e., (1) āropa-siddhā, accomplished (siddhā) by means of attribution (āropa); (2) saṅga-siddhā, accomplished (siddhā) by means of association (saṅga); and (3) svarūpa-siddhā, accomplished (siddhā) by means of its own nature (svarūpa)], that [i.e., bhakti] further is to be known to be of two types: akaitavā (non-deceitful) and sakaitavā (deceitful) [i.e., each of the three aforementioned types of bhakti can be of two types, that is, either akaitavā (non-deceitful) or sakaitavā (deceitful)]. Therein, if āropa- and saṅga-siddhā [-bhakti] are possessed of intent only upon that bhakti by connection with which they have the ability to attain the status of [being] bhakti [i.e., if they are possessed of intent only upon bhakti wherein there is desire for bhakti alone, then] they are possessed of akaitavatva (non-deceitfulness), but if they are possessed of intent upon a result relating to one’s self or relating to another [i.e., relating to anyone other than Bhagavān, then] they are possessed of sakaitavatva (deceitfulness). If svarūpa-siddhā [-bhakti] is possessed of being an assistant to intent only upon that bhakti [wherein there is desire for bhakti alone by connection with which it [i.e., that svarūpa-siddhā-bhakti] has such greatness [i.e., has the quality of being the very essence of all the śāstras as discussed in BKS 169, has the quality of being the highest bliss (paramānanda) as discussed in BKS 3, and so on, then] it is possessed of akaitavatva (non-deceitfulness), but if it is possessed of being an assistant to karma or jñāna on account of intent upon another aim (prayojana) [i.e., an aim other than bhakti wherein there is desire for bhakti alone, then] it is possessed of sakaitavatva (deceitfulness). This exact non-deceitful (akaitavā) [bhakti] was described earlier [in BKS 165, 170, 178 179, and 202 with reference to SB 5.18.12] as being called ‘unconditional’ (akiñcanā). Also, evidence in regard to its [i.e., bhakti’s] being of both types [i.e., potentially being either non-deceitful or deceitful] is to be understood here in [SB 1.1.2], ‘Here [i.e., in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam] is the highest dharma completely free from deceit (kaitava)’ (dharmaḥ projjhita-kaitavo’tra paramaḥ). Similarly, it is stated [in SB 7.7.52], ‘Hari is pleased [only] by taintless bhakti. All else is a sham [i.e., deceitful].’”

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