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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].”

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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’].”

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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].”

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śrī-gautamīya-tantrādau tad-dhyānaṁ prathitaṁ param

śrī-gautamīya-tantrādau tad-dhyānaṁ prathitaṁ param |
agrato’trāpi saṁlekhyaṁ yad iṣṭaṁ tatra tad bhajet ||
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 3.115)

“Meditation on him is also presented in Śrī Gautamīya Tantra and other works and compiled here [in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa] as well ahead [in 5.168–216]. One should perform that [meditation] which is cherished [by oneself] there [among those cited].”

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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.”

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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.”

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ato niṣevyamāṇāṁ ca sarvathā bhagavat-kathām

ato niṣevyamāṇāṁ ca sarvathā bhagavat-kathām |
muhus tad-rasikān pṛcchen mitho moda-vivṛddhaye ||
tathā vaiṣṇava-dharmāṁś ca kriyamānām api svayam |
sampṛcchet tad-vidaḥ sādhūn anyonya-prīti-vṛddhaye ||
nanu bhagavad-dharmāḥ parama-gopyāḥ praśna-mātreṇa kathaṁ kathyāḥ tatra likhati—śraddhayeti |
śraddhayā bhagavad-dharmān vaiṣṇavāyānupṛcchate |
avaśyaṁ kathayed vidvān anyathā doṣa-bhāg bhavet ||
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.472, 475–476, with an excerpt from the Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā)

“Therefore [i.e., because listening to other topics, as well as non-listening, aversion, and even satiation with Bhagavat-kathā, are to be given up], even though one is continuously engaged in honoring Bhagavat-kathā in all respects [by means of hearing it, praising it, remembering it, and so on] one should repeatedly inquire from rasikas thereof [about Bhagavān and topics related to him] for the sake of enhancing mutual delight [i.e., the delight of both the speaker and fellow listeners]. … Similarly, even though one is practicing the dharmas of a Vaiṣṇava oneself, one should inquire from sādhus knowledgeable about them for the sake of mutual delight. [A doubt is raised:] Bhagavat-dharmas [however] are highly confidential. How do they become fit to be explained just because of a question [about them being raised]? In regard to this [doubt], the author writes: When one repeatedly inquires from a Vaiṣṇava about Bhagavat-dharmas with śraddhā, then a knowledgeable person [i.e., a person conversant in the dharmas of a Vaiṣṇava] shall certainly speak [i.e., answer one’s questions], and otherwise shall be at fault [i.e., one who has true knowledge of Bhagavat-dharma based on śāstra yet withholds it from an inquirer possessed of the requisites to learn such knowledge, the foremost of which is śraddhā in bhakti-śāstra, commits a transgression against Bhagavat-dharma, as does someone who gives knowledge of Bhagavat-dharma to an unfit recipient and someone who gives answers about Bhagavad-dharma that contravene the śāstra’s siddhānta].”

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sarva-dravyeṣu vidyaiva

sarva-dravyeṣu vidyaiva dravyam āhur anuttamam |
ahāryatvād anarghatvād akṣayatvāc ca sarvadā ||
(Hitopadeśa: Maṅgalācaraṇa, 4)

“Among all objects, knowledge alone is said to be the superlative object because of [its] always being inexhaustible, invaluable, and non-stealable.”

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vidyāvatāṁ bhāgavate parīkṣā

hutāśane hāṭaka-saṁparīkṣā vipatti-kāle gṛhiṇī-parīkṣā |
raṇa-sthale śastra-bhṛtāṁ parīkṣā vidyāvatāṁ bhāgavate parīkṣā ||
(Unknown source)

“The test of gold is in fire.
The test of a wife is at the time of adversity.
The test of warriors [lit., ‘weapon-bearers’] is at the battle ground.
And the test of the knowledgable is in the Bhāgavatam.”

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