sadā pramāṇa-bhūtānām asmākaṁ mahatāṁ tathā |
vākyāni vyavahārāś ca pramāṇaṁ khalu sarvathā ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.2.197)
“The statements and behaviors of ourselves and the great, being pramāṇa [i.e., authoritative], are always pramāṇa [i.e., authoritative means of knowing] verily in all respects.”
asāre khalu saṁsāre sāram etan nirūpitam |
samasta-loka-nāthasya śraddhayārādhanaṁ hareḥ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.209)
“In verily essenceless saṁsāra, this has been ascertained to be the essence: worship with śraddhā of Hari, the Lord of all the worlds.”
mama śāstra-pravaktāraṁ mama śāstrānucintakam |
cintayāmi na sandeho naraṁ taṁ cātmavat sadā ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.375)
“[Bhagavān:] No doubt I always think of that person who teaches śāstra related to me and who reflects on śāstra related to me as my own.”
sarvasvenāpi viprendra kartavyaḥ śāstra-saṅgrahaḥ |
vaiṣṇavais tu mahā-bhaktyā tuṣṭy-arthaṁ cakra-pāṇinaḥ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.370)
“O best of brāhmaṇas, for the satisfaction of Bhagavān, collecting śāstras, even with the whole of one’s wealth, is to be done by Vaiṣṇavas with great bhakti.”
etasmād viramendriyārtha-gahanād āyāsakād āśraya
śreyo-mārgam aśeṣa-duḥkha-śamana-vyāpāra-dakṣaṁ kṣaṇāt |
svātmībhāvam upaihi santyaja nijāṁ kallola-lolaṁ gatiṁ
mā bhūyo bhaja bhaṅgurāṁ bhava-ratiṁ cetaḥ prasīdādhunā ||
(Vairāgya-śatakam: 63)
“Therefore,
Desist from the troublesome labyrinth
Of the sense-objects.
Take shelter in the path
Of the highest good (śreyas),
Capable in the matter of extinguishing
Endless suffering within a moment.
Reach the state of your own self,
Abandoning your own [present] condition,
Inconstant like a wave.
Do not again
Foster transient affinity for the world
[Much less partake of transient pleasures of the world based on it].
O mind,
Be satisfied now.”
paribhramasi kiṁ mudhā kvacana citta viśrāmyatāṁ
svayaṁ bhavati yad yathā bhavati tat tathā nānyathā |
atītam ananusmarann api ca bhāvy asaṅkalpayann
atarkita-samāgamān anubhavāmi bhogān aham ||
(Vairāgya-śatakam: 62)
“Why do you wander about in vain?
O Mind!
Rest somewhere.
Whatever happens of its own accord
Happens howsoever
And not otherwise.
[So,] Not repeatedly recalling the past,
And not planning in regard to the future,
I experience unconsidered, approaching objects.
kāyena dūre vrajinaṁ tyajantī
japantam antaḥkaraṇe hasantī |
samādhi-yoge ca bahir bhavantī
sandṛśyate kāpi mukunda-bhaktiḥ ||
(Unknown source; cited in Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.221)
“Extraordinary Mukunda-bhakti can be seen naturally avoiding from afar one engaged in karma, laughing at one engaged in japa within the mind, and leaving one fixed in samādhi.”
tad evaṁ kalau nāma-kīrtana-pracāra-prabhāveṇaiva parama-bhagavat-parāyaṇatva-siddhir darśitā | tatra pāṣaṇḍa-praveśena nāmāparādhino ye, teṣāṁ tu tad-bahirmukhatvam eva syād … |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 274)
“Thus, in this way, in [the Age of] Kali, attainment of superlative devotedness to Bhagavān solely by the influence of engagement in nāma-kīrtana has been shown. Only obliviousness (bahirmukhatva) of him [however] shall ensue for those who are offenders of the name because of an ingress of heresy therein [i.e., those who commit offense to the name because of fostering a heretical mentality contrary to Bhagavad-bhakti will only remain oblivious of Bhagavān even if they engage in nāma-kīrtana, or other practices of bhakti, as a result of their offenses].”
bahubhir militvā kīrtanaṁ saṅkīrtanam ity ucyate | tat tu camatkāra-viśeṣa-poṣāt pūrvato’py adhikam iti jñeyam |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 269)
“Kīrtana [performed] by many [who have] gathered together is called saṅkīrtana. This [i.e., saṅkīrtana] is to be known as superior even to the former [i.e., kīrtana] because of [its] fostering a special type of wondrousness.”
te ca prāṇi-mātrāṇām eva paramopakartāraḥ, kim uta sveṣām |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 269)
“They [i.e., my bhaktas who sing of my līlās] are the foremost benefactors of all living beings, and all the more of themselves.”
