Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta – Page 18

etan mahākhyāna-varaṁ mahā-hareḥ

etan mahākhyāna-varaṁ mahā-hareḥ
kāruṇya-sārālaya-niścayārthakam |
yaḥ śraddhayā saṁśrayate kathañcana
prāpnoti tat-prema tathaiva so’py aram ||
(Bṛhad-Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.7.160)

“Anyone who somehow [i.e., by śravaṇa, kīrtana, or otherwise] takes full shelter [i.e., becomes fully absorbed] with śraddhā in this most excellent narration—the purpose of which is determining the recipient of the essence of the great Hari’s grace—quickly attains that very prema for him [i.e., and so all the more so does one who engages in the process bhajana it describes].”

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icchā-vaśāt pāpam upāsakānāṁ

icchā-vaśāt pāpam upāsakānāṁ
kṣīyeta bhogonmukham apy amuṣmāt |
prārabdha-mātraṁ bhavatītareṣāṁ
karmāvaśiṣṭaṁ tad avaśya-bhogyam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.3.169)

“Even the sin which is about to be experienced [i.e., the prārabdha-karma] of upāsakas is destroyed by this [i.e., by nāma-saṅkīrtana] according to their will. For others, prārabdha [-karma] is the only remaining karma, since that is necessary to be experienced.”

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jīva-svarūpa-bhūtasya sac-cid-ānanda-vastunaḥ

jīva-svarūpa-bhūtasya sac-cid-ānanda-vastunaḥ |
sākṣād-anubhavenāpi syāt tādṛk sukham alpakam ||
(Bṛhad-Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.2.176)

“The happiness that arises from direct experience of the existence, consciousness, and bliss inherent in the jīva’s svarūpa is meager.”

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ye sarva-nairapekṣyena rādhā-dāsyecchavaḥ param

ye sarva-nairapekṣyena rādhā-dāsyecchavaḥ param |
saṅkīrtayanti tan-nāma tādṛśa-priyatā-mayāḥ ||
anyeṣām iva teṣāṁ ca prāpyaṁ ced hṛn na tṛpyati |
aho nanda-yaśodāder na sahe tādṛśīṁ gatim ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.1.21–22)

“If the attainment of those who, without regard for all of this [i.e., all the aforementioned sādhyas and sādhanas of karmīs, jñānīs, and other bhaktas], desire only servitude to Rādhā and engage in saṅkīrtana of his name [i.e., the name of Kṛṣṇa, the relisher of the rāsa dance], filled with such fondness [i.e., the extraordinary prema of the gopīs, the recipients of the very essence of Bhagavān’s grace], is like that of others [i.e., is the same as that of the Yādavas, Pāṇḍavas, and so forth], then my heart is not satisfied. Aho! I cannot tolerate such a destination [being that meant] for Nanda, Yaśodā, and others [i.e., for the people of Vraja led by Nanda and Yaśodā, since an equal result for those who are great and those who are lesser is not befitting].”

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yat tatra saṁsidhyati vastv ihāpi

yat tatra saṁsidhyati vastv ihāpi
sampadyate tat kila nāsti bhedaḥ |
kintv asya tatra vraja-bhū-caritra-
dṛṣṭi-śrutibhyāṁ bhavitā sa śokaḥ ||
tasmin jagannātha-mukhābja-darśanān
mahāprasādāvali-lābhataḥ sadā |
yātrotsavaughānubhavād api sphuraty
ullāsa evātmani naiva dīnatā ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.239)

“That reality which is fully manifest there [i.e., in Puruṣottama Kṣetra] is also manifest here [in Dvārakā]. There is certainly no difference [between the manifestations here and there], but there [i.e., in Puruṣottama Kṣetra] that sorrow [i.e., the sorrow that arises from feeling the absence of the attainment of one’s Iṣṭa-devatā] will occur as a result of seeing and hearing of his līlā [that takes place] in the land of Vraja [by means of watching dramatic enactments and the like of that Vraja-līlā and hearing songs and so forth about that Vraja-līlā while you are present in Puruṣottama Kṣetra, and thus because of this unrest in your heart you will not feel any special joy there]. There [i.e., in Puruṣottama Kṣetra], as a result of the sight (darśana) of Jagannātha’s lotus face, obtaining varieties of his mahāprasādam, and observing his numerous of outings and festivals, [some degree of] delight certainly arises in the heart continuously, but humility certainly does not.”

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kevalaṁ paramaṁ dainyam avalambyāsya śikṣayā

kevalaṁ paramaṁ dainyam avalambyāsya śikṣayā |
śrīman-madana-gopāla-caraṇābjam upāsata ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.7.153)

“According to his [i.e., Nārada’s] teaching, they [i.e., the sages in Prayāga] took recourse to pure and profound humility and worshipped the lotus feet of Śriman Madana Gopāla.”

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tatraivotpadyate dainyaṁ tat premāpi sadā satām

tatraivotpadyate dainyaṁ tat premāpi sadā satām |
tat-tac-chūnyam ivāraṇya-sarid-giry-ādi paśyatām ||
sadā hāhā-ravākrānta-vadanānāṁ tathā hṛdi |
mahā-santāpa-dagdhānāṁ sva-priyaṁ parimṛgyatām ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.242–243)

[Uddhava to Gopa Kumāra:] “There [i.e., in Gokula], humility (dainya) and prema always arise within the sādhus who see the forests [i.e., such as Vṛndāvana], waters [such as the Yamunā], mountains [such as Govardhana], and so forth as though empty, [those sādhus] whose mouths are filled with cries of “Hā! Hā!”, and who are burned by intense sorrow at heart as they search for their Beloved.”

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tāṁ vinodeti na prema goloka-prāpakaṁ hi yat

tāṁ vinodeti na prema goloka-prāpakaṁ hi yat |
na ca tal-loka-lābhena vināsya svāsthyam udbhavet ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.240)

“Without that [i.e., without humility], prema—that which is a cause of attaining Goloka—certainly does not manifest, and without attaining that plane [i.e., Goloka], one’s satisfaction shall not come about.”

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paripākeṇa dainyasya premājasraṁ vitanyate

paripākeṇa dainyasya premājasraṁ vitanyate |
parasparaṁ tayor itthaṁ kārya-kāraṇatekṣyate ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.225)

“With the full maturation of humility, prema manifests in a special manner continuously. In this way, their being the cause and effect of one another is seen.”

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yayā vācehayā dainyaṁ matyā ca sthairyam eti tat

yayā vācehayā dainyaṁ matyā ca sthairyam eti tat |
taṁ yatnena bhajed vidvāṁs tad-viruddhāni varjayet ||
dainyaṁ tu paramaṁ premṇaḥ parīpākeṇa janyate |
tāsāṁ gokula-nārīṇām iva kṛṣṇa-viyogataḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.223–224)

“One who is wise should carefully cultivate speech, activity, and thought by which that [i.e., humility] attains steadfastness and should avoid contrarieties [i.e., all speech, activity, and thought contrary] to that. Paramount humility, however, manifests with the full maturation of prema like that of them—the ladies of Gokula—as a result of separation from Kṛṣṇa.”

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