atas tad-apavādārthaṁ bhaja sarvātmanā harim |
paśyaṁs tad-ātmakaṁ viśvaṁ sthity-utpatty-apyayā yataḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.29.79)
“Therefore, to counteract that [i.e., the jīva’s bondage in avidyā by means of karma perpetuated by the mind’s functioning on the basis of saṁskāras], worship Hari with your full being, seeing the universe to be constituted of him and [its] existence, emanation, and dissolution to occur because of him.”
śruti-ratna-vibhūṣaṇa-ruci-jita-pūṣaṇam alidūṣaṇa-nayanānta-gatiṁ
yamunā-taṭa-talpita-puṣpam analpita-mada-jalpita-dayitāpta-ratim |
vandemahi vandita-nandam amandita-kulam andhita-khala-kaṁsa-matiṁ
tvām iha dāmodara haladhara-sodara hara no daram anubaddha-ratim ||
(Stava-mālā: Tribhaṅgī-pañcakam, 5)
“Unto you whose jeweled earrings have conquered the splendor of the sun, you whose sidelong glances belittle black bees, you who lie on a bed of flowers on the bank of the Yamunā, you who become delighted by the plentiful proud words of your beloved, you by whom Nanda is venerated, you who are of a prominent family, you who blinded the mind of wicked Kaṁsa, you who are bound by rati [to your bhaktas]—we offer obeisance. O Dāmodara! O Brother of Haladhara [i.e., O Kṛṣṇa, brother of Balarāma]! Please remove our fear here [i.e., our fear related to saṁsāra].”
saṁsāro hi deha-geha-pati-putrādy-āsakti-rūpas … |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.6.40)
“Saṁsāra is attachment to one’s body, house, husband, sons, and so forth.”
tṛṣṇaiva saṁsāras … |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.1.4)
“Thirst [i.e., desire] is itself saṁsāra.”
tās tu vṛndāvaneśvaryāḥ sakhyaḥ pañca-vidhā matāḥ |
sakhyaś ca nitya-sakhyaś ca prāṇa-sakhyaś ca kāścana |
priya-sakhyaś ca parama-preṣṭha-sakhyaś ca viśrutāḥ ||
(Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi: 4.50)
“The sakhīs of Vṛndāvaneśvarī [i.e., Śrī Rādhā] are considered to be of five types. They are known as sakhīs, nitya-sakhīs, prāṇa-sakhīs, priya-sakhīs, and parama-preṣṭha-sakhīs.”
ata ātyantikaṁ kṣemaṁ pṛcchāmo bhavato’naghāḥ |
saṁsāre’smin kṣaṇārdho’pi sat-saṅgaḥ śevadhir nṛṇām ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.2.30; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 59; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.85)
“Therefore, O sinless ones, I ask you all about the highest good. For human beings here in saṁsāra, even half a moment of association with the sat is a treasury.”
saṁsāra-viṣa-vṛkṣasya dve eva madhure phale |
subhāṣitaṁ ca susvādu sadbhiś ca saha saṅgamaḥ ||
(Unknown Source)
“On the poisonous tree of saṁsāra there are only two sweet fruits: highly relishable subhāṣitas and association with the sādhus.”
saṁsāra-kaṭu-vṛkṣasya dve phale amṛtopame |
subhāṣita-rasāsvādaḥ saṅgatiḥ sujane jane ||
(Subhāṣita-ratnākara)
“On the poisonous tree of saṁsāra only two fruits are like nectar: tasting the rasa of subhāṣitas and association with sādhus.”
saṁsāra-viṣa-vṛkṣasya dve phale hy amṛtopame |
mayi kṛṣṇe parā bhaktir mad-bhaktaiś ca samāgamaḥ ||
(Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa-saṁhitā: 3.56.72)
“On the poisonous tree of saṁsāra only two fruits are like nectar: pure bhakti to me, Kṛṣṇa, and association with my bhaktas.”
api sahavasatām asatāṁ jalarūha-jalavad bhavaty asaṁśleṣaḥ |
dūre’pi satāṁ vasatāṁ prītiḥ kumudenduvad bhavati ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 2078)
“Even by living together with the impious, like water on a lotus leaf, there is no connection [i.e., no real bond or friendship], yet even by residing afar from the sādhus, like a lily afar from the moon, amity [i.e., friendship, affection, love, and joy] develops.”
