sarveṣāṁ mārgāṇāṁ tāratamya-jñānena sva-mārgotkarṣa-jñānaṁ bhavati |
(Krama-sandarbha-tīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 11.14.31)
“Knowledge of the superiority of one’s own path arises through knowledge of the gradation between all paths.”
prajñā-prasādam āruhya aśocyāḥ śocato janān |
jagatīsthān ivādristho manda-buddhīn avekṣate ||
(Mahābhārata: 12.17.19)
“Having risen to the clarity of wisdom, one who need not be grieved for observes grieving persons, those of feeble intellect, as someone situated atop a mountain [observes] those situated on the ground.”
puṁsāṁ kilaikānta-dhiyāṁ svakānāṁ
yāḥ sampado divi bhūmau rasāyām |
na rāti yad dveṣa udvega ādhir
madaḥ kalir vyasanaṁ samprayāsaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.11.22)
“To living beings who are his own [i.e., who have offered themselves and been accepted by him] and whose minds are completely one-pointed [i.e., fully fixedly upon him], he [i.e., Bhagavān] does not give the opulences of Svarga, the earth, or Rasātala, from which arise enmity, agitation, mental distress, pride, quarrel, attachment, and exertion [i.e., numerous distractions from the joy of bhakti].”
vicitra-līlā-rasa-sāgarasya
prabhor vicitrāt sphuritāt prasādāt |
vicitra-saṅkīrtana-mādhurī sā
na tu sva-yatnād iti sādhu sidhyet ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.3.168)
“That variegated sweetness of saṅkīrtana can be truly attained [only] by the manifest, variegated grace of Prabhu [i.e., Bhagavān], the ocean of variegated līlā-rasa, and not, rather, by one’s own exertion.”
mahāprabhu nityānanda do̐hāra dāsera dāsa |
yāre kṛpā kare, tāra ihāte viśvāsa ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 3.19.109)
“One upon whom Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda, and a servant of their servants bestow grace can have faith in this [i.e., in the extraordinary līlā of Śrīman Mahāprabhu].”
bhakti-prabhāveṇa vicāra-jātaiḥ
sañjāyamānena sadedṛśais tvam |
vighnātivighnān kila jeṣyasīha
sarvatra te hanta vayaṁ sahāyāḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.3.173)
[Vaikuṇṭhā-vāsīs to Gopa Kumāra:] “By the power of bhakti, accumulated by varieties of such continuous deliberation, you will certainly conquer all obstacles, [even] the greatest obstacles. Hanta! In this, everywhere we are your supporters.”
mahākāruṇya-mahimā purāṇo nitya-nūtanaḥ |
tvadīyaḥ sac-cid-ānandas tasmai nityaṁ namo namaḥ ||
(Kṛṣṇa-līlā-stava: Dainyārti-vijñāpanam, 14)
“Obeisance and obeisance forever unto that great, primordial, [yet] ever-new, real, conscious, and blissful power of your [i.e., Bhagavān’s] compassion.”
satāṁ kṛpā ca duravasthā-darśana-mātrodbhavā, na svopāsanādy-apekṣā, yathā śrī-nāradasya nalakūvara-maṇigrīvayoḥ | tad āha—bhajanti ye yathā devān devā api tathaiva tān | chāyeva karma-sacivāḥ sādhavo dīna-vatsalāḥ |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 183)
“The grace of sādhus arises just by [them] seeing someone in an adverse condition. It is not dependent on one’s worship or otherwise, as in the case of Śrī Nārada’s grace upon Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva. Thus it is said (in SB 11.2.6), “As one serves the devas, so too do the devās, the administers of karma, serve him, like a refection. Sādhus [however] are affectionate to the poor [i.e., sādhus bestow grace upon jīvas out of compassion rather than out of reciprocal obligation, and they may bless jīvas with something far superior to what such fortunate jīvas may presently understand or desire].”
aho bakī yaṁ stana-kāla-kūṭaṁ
jighāṁsayāpāyayad apy asādhvī |
lebhe gatiṁ dhātry-ucitāṁ tato’nyaṁ
kaṁ vā dayāluṁ śaraṇaṁ vrajema ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.2.23; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.679; Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.5.29, 2.5.106; Kṛṣṇa Sandarbha: 103; Bhakti Sandarbha: 337; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.98)
“Aho! In what compassionate person could we possibly take shelter other than he whom Bakī [i.e., Pūtanā] fed lethal poison on her breast with the intent to kill [him] and [yet still], although she was wicked, attained a position appropriate for a nurse?”
kṛṣṇa-kṛpā vine nahe duḥkhera mocana |
thākila vā vidyā kula koṭi koṭi dhana ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata: 1.7.138)
“Without Kṛṣṇa’s grace, deliverance from suffering does not occur, even if one has learning, nobility, or crores and crores of wealth.”
