Bhāgavata Māhātmya

ekadā kṛṣṇa-patnyas tu śrī-kṛṣṇa-virahāturāḥ

ekadā kṛṣṇa-patnyas tu śrī-kṛṣṇa-virahāturāḥ |
kālindīṁ muditā vīkṣya papracchur gata-matsarāḥ ||
śrī-kṛṣṇa-patnya ūcuḥ |
yathā vayaṁ kṛṣṇa-patnyas tathā tvam api śobhane |
vayaṁ viraha-duḥkhārtās tvaṁ na kālindi tad vada ||
tac chrutvā smayamānā sā kālindī vākyam abravīt |
sāpatnyaṁ vīkṣya tat tāsāṁ karuṇāpara-mānasā ||
śrī-kālindy uvāca |
ātmārāmasya kṛṣṇasya dhruvam ātmāsti rādhikā |
tasyā dāsya-prabhāveṇa viraho’smān na saṁspṛśet ||
tasyā evāṁśa-vistārāḥ sarvāḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāyikāḥ |
nitya-sambhoga evāsti tasyāḥ sāmmukhya-yogataḥ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa: Vaiṣṇava-khaṇḍa, Bhāgavata-māhātmya, 2.8–12)

“Once, wives of Kṛṣṇa who were distressed in separation from Śrī Kṛṣṇa [and had come to Śrī Vṛndāvana] saw Kālindī [i.e., Yamunā Devī] delighted, and been covetous, inquired [from her]. Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s wives said, ‘As we are wives of Kṛṣṇa, so too are you, O splendid one. We are stricken with sorrow in separation, but you are not, O Kālindī. Please explain this.’ Hearing this [inquiry], observing their rivalry [towards her as a co-wife], and being of compassionate mind towards them, she, Kālindī, smiling, spoke this statement [to them]. Śrī Kālindī said, ‘Rādhikā is the eternal self (ātmā) of Kṛṣṇa, he whose joy is in the self [i.e., he who is known to be ātmārāma]. By the influence of service to her, separation [from Kṛṣṇa] cannot touch us. All of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s mistresses (nāyikās) are extensions of a part of her alone. There is certainly perpetual union [with Kṛṣṇa] (nitya-sambhoga) as a result of being present before her [alt., as a result of her favor, or, as a result of attentive service to her].”

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ye śrī-kṛṣṇa-vihāraika-bhajanāsvāda-lolupāḥ

ye śrī-kṛṣṇa-vihāraika-bhajanāsvāda-lolupāḥ ||
muktāv api nirākāṁkṣās teṣāṁ bhāgavataṁ dhanam ||
(Skanda Purāṇa: Vaiṣṇava-khaṇḍa, Bhāgavata-māhātmya, 4.31)

“The Bhāgavata is the wealth of those who are disinterested even in mukti and deeply desirous of one-pointedly worshiping and relishing the play of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.”

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yadā viṣṇuḥ svayaṁ vaktā lakṣmīś ca śravaṇe ratā

yadā viṣṇuḥ svayaṁ vaktā lakṣmīś ca śravaṇe ratā |
tadā bhāgavata-śrāvo māsenaiva punaḥ punaḥ ||
yadā lakṣmīḥ svayaṁ vaktrī viṣṇuś ca śravaṇe rataḥ |
māsa-dvayaṁ rasāsvādas tadātīva suśobhate ||
adhikāre sthito viṣṇur lakṣmīr niścinta-mānasā |
tena bhāgavatāsvādas tasyā bhūri prakāśate ||
(Skanda Purāṇa: Vaiṣṇava-khaṇḍa, Bhāgavata-māhātmya, 3.35‒37)

“When Viṣṇu himself is the speaker [in a recitation of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam] and Lakṣmī is engaged in listening, then the hearing of the Bhāgavata is repeatedly only for one month [i.e., every time Viṣṇu does the series of daily readings, it always ends up taking one month to complete the full recitation of the text]. When Lakṣmī herself is the speaker and Viṣṇu is engaged in listening, then it [i.e., the recitation] is two months [in duration] and the relish of the rasa is exceedingly splendid. Viṣṇu is engaged in administration. Lakṣmī is worry-free in mind. Thus, her relish of the Bhāgavata manifests most abundantly.”

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śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ śāstraṁ yatra bhāgavatair yadā

śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ śāstraṁ yatra bhāgavatair yadā |
kīrtyate śrūyate cāpi śrī-kṛṣṇas tatra niścitam ||
śrīmad-bhāgavataṁ yatra ślokaṁ ślokārddham eva ca |
tatrāpi bhagavān kṛṣṇo ballavībhir virājate ||
(Skanda Purāṇa: Vaiṣṇava-khaṇḍa, Bhāgavata-māhātmya, 3.12‒13)

“When and where the śāstra Śrīmad Bhāgavam is praised and heard by Bhāgavatas, Śrī Kṛṣṇa too is certainly present there. Even where only a verse or a half-verse of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam [is heard and praised], there Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa manifests with the ballavīs [i.e., the gopīs].”

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cintāmaṇir loka-sukhaṁ surendraḥ svarga-saṁpadam

cintāmaṇir loka-sukhaṁ surendraḥ svarga-saṁpadam |
prayacchati guruḥ prīto vaikuṇṭhaṁ yogi-durlabham ||
(Padma Purāṇa: Bhāgavata-māhātmya, 1.8)

“A thought-jewel [bestows] the pleasure of the world, the king of the suras [bestows] the wealth of Svarga, and the satisfied guru [by means of his teachings] bestows Vaikuṇṭha, which is difficult to attain [even] for yogīs.”

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bhagavan-matir anapekṣaḥ suhṛdo dīneṣu sānukampo yaḥ

bhagavan-matir anapekṣaḥ suhṛdo dīneṣu sānukampo yaḥ |
bahudhā-bodhana-caturo vaktā sammānito munibhiḥ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa: Bhāgavata-māhātmya, 4.22)

“One whose mind is fixed on Bhagavān, and who is impartial [alt., without any desire, such as for obtaining wealth and fame], well-wishing, compassionate to the unfortunate, and expert in teaching in numerous ways is honored as a speaker by the sages.”

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yaḥ sthitvābhimukhaṁ praṇamya vidhivat tyaktānyavādo hareḥ

yaḥ sthitvābhimukhaṁ praṇamya vidhivat tyaktānyavādo hareḥ
līlāḥ śrotum abhīpsate’tinipuṇo namro’tha kḷpāñjaliḥ |
śiṣyo viśvasito’nucintana-paraḥ praśne’nuraktaḥ śuciḥ
nityaṁ kṛṣṇa-jana-priyo nigaditaḥ śrotā sa vai vaktṛbhiḥ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa: Bhāgavata-māhātmya, 4.21)

“One who comes afore, offers obeisance according to rule, gives up talk of all else, desires to hear Hari’s līlā, and is highly adept, humble, with joined palms, teachable, faithful, given to reflection, fond of questioning, clean, and dear to Kṛṣṇa’s bhaktas, is said to be a [perfect] listener by speakers.”

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śrotāro’tha nirūpyante śrīmad-viṣṇu-kathāśrayāḥ

śrotāro’tha nirūpyante śrīmad-viṣṇu-kathāśrayāḥ |
pravarā avarāś ceti śrotāro dvi-vidhā-patāḥ ||
pravarāś cātako haṁsaḥ śuko mīnādayas tathā |
avarā vṛka-bhūruṇḍa-vṛṣoṣṭādyāḥ prakīrtitāḥ ||
akhilopekṣayā yas tu kṛṣṇa-śāstra-śrutau vratī |
saḥ cātako yathāmbhoda-mukte pāthasi cātakaḥ ||
haṁsaḥ syāt sāram ādatte yaḥ śrotā vividhāc chrutāt |
dugdhenaikyaṁ gatāt toyād yathā haṁso’malaṁ payaḥ ||
śukaḥ suṣṭhu mitaṁ vakti vyāsam śrotṝṁś ca harṣayan |
supāṭhitaḥ śuko yadvat śikṣakaṁ pārśvagān api ||
śabdaṁ nānimiṣo jātu karoty āsvādayan rasam |
śrotā snigdho bhaven mīno mīnaḥ kṣīra-nidhau yathā ||
yas tudan rasikān śrotṝn vrauty ajño vṛko hi saḥ |
veṇu-svana-rasāsaktān vṛko’raṇye mṛgān yathā ||
bhūruṇḍaḥ śikṣayed anyāt śrutvā na svayam ācaret |
yathā himavataḥ śṛṅge bhūruṇḍākhyo vihaṁgamaḥ ||
sarvaṁ śrutam upādatte sārāsārāndha-dhīr vṛṣaḥ |
svādu-drākṣāṁ khaliṁ cāpi nirviśeṣaṁ yathā vṛṣaḥ ||
sa uṣṭro madhuraṁ muñcan viparīte rameta yaḥ |
yathā nimbaṁ caraty uṣṭro hitvāmram api tad-yutam ||
anye’pi bahavo bhedā dvayor bhṛṅga-kharādayaḥ |
vijñeyās tat-tad-ācāraiḥ tat-tat-prakṛti-sambhavaiḥ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa: Bhāgavata-māhātmya, 4.10–20)

“Now, listeners focused on Śrīmad Viṣṇu-kathā are examined. Listeners are set down in two categories: superior and inferior. The superior are called the cātaka, swan, parrot, fish, and so forth, and the inferior are [called] the wolf, bhūruṇḍa, bull, camel, and so forth. One who is avowed to listening [only] to Kṛṣṇa-śāstra with indifference towards all [else] is a cātaka, as the cātaka [bird] is avowed [exclusively] to water released by clouds. A listener who extracts the essence from various śāstras, just as a swan extracts pure milk from water that has been combined with milk, shall be [known as] a swan. A parrot [i.e., the class of listeners known as a parrot] speaks [i.e., recounts what has been heard] superlatively and concisely, delighting the expounder [i.e., the speaker of the Bhāgavatam] and the [other] listeners, just as a well-trained parrot delights his teacher and passers-by. A listener who never makes a sound or blinks, tastes the rasa [i.e., the rasa of the Bhāgavatam], and is affectionate [alt., lustrous] shall be [known as] a fish and is like a fish in the ocean of kṣīra. One who troubles and barks at rasikas and other listeners and is ignorant is a wolf, like a wolf who barks at and troubles deer in the forest fixated upon the rasa of the sound of a flute [played by a hunter]. The bhūruṇḍa will instruct others after listening but not practice himself [what he has heard and instructed others], just as the bird known as the bhūruṇḍa is found on the peaks of the Himalayas [where it listens to the talk of the sages there but does not practice those teachings itself]. The bull, whose mind is blind to [the distinction between] essence and non-essence, takes in everything that is heard, just as a bull indiscriminately takes in tasty grapes and oil-cakes as well. One who leaves aside what is sweet and enjoys the opposite [i.e., bitter things] is a camel, just as a camel grazes on neem and avoids even mangoes beside it. There are many other divisions of these two [i.e., superior and inferior listeners], such as the bee and the mule. They are to be known by their respective behaviors arising from their respective natures.”

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asāre saṁsāre viṣaya-viṣa-saṅgākula-dhiyaḥ

asāre saṁsāre viṣaya-viṣa-saṅgākula-dhiyaḥ
kṣaṇārdhaṁ kṣemārthaṁ pibata śuka-gāthātula-sudhām |
kim arthaṁ vyarthaṁ bho vrajata kupathe kutsita-kathe
parīkṣit-sākṣī yac-chravaṇa-gata-mukty-ukti-kathane ||
(Padma Purāṇa: Bhāgavata-māhātmya, 6.100)

“O all of you whose minds are bewildered by attachment to the poison of sensory experience in the insubstantial world of saṁsāra! For your own good, drink [even] for half a moment the incomparable nectar of Śuka’s narration. Bho! Why walk down the rough [alt., misdirected] road of odious blather in vain? Parīkṣit is the witness that hearing narration of this speech [i.e., of Śuka’s message] results in mukti.”

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bhāgyodayena bahu-janma-samarjitena sat-saṅgamaṁ ca labhate puruṣo yadā vai

bhāgyodayena bahu-janma-samarjitena sat-saṅgamaṁ ca labhate puruṣo yadā vai |
ajñāna-hetu-kṛta-moha-madāndhakāra-nāśanaṁ vidhāya hi tadodayate vivekaḥ ||
(Padma Purāṇa: Bhāgavata-māhātmya: 2.76)

“When a person attains association with a sādhu as a result of good fortune acquired over the course of many lives, then discernment (viveka) arises and dispels the darkness of bewilderment and pride caused by ignorance.”

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