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.”
ṛṣibhir bahvo loke panthānaḥ prakaṭī kṛtaḥ |
śrama-sādhyāś ca te sarve prāyaḥ svarga-phala-pradāḥ ||
vaikuṇṭha-sādhakaḥ panthāḥ sa tu gopyo hi vartate |
tasyopadeṣṭā puruṣaḥ prāyo bhāgyena labhyate ||
(Padma Purāṇa: Bhāgavata-māhātmya: 2.56–57)
“Many paths have been established in this world by ṛṣis, and they are all generally laborious and givers of the result known as Svarga. The path that leads to Vaikuṇṭha, however, is confidential, and a person who is a teacher of it is generally attained [only] by good fortune.”
deho’sthi-māṁsa-rudhire’bhimatiṁ tyaja tvaṁ
jāyā-sutādiṣu sadā mamatāṁ vimuñca |
paśyāniśaṁ jagad idaṁ kṣaṇa-bhaṅga-niṣṭhaṁ
vairāgya-rāga-rasiko bhava bhakti-niṣṭhaḥ ||
(Padma Purāṇa: Bhāgavata-māhātmya, 4.79)
“You should always give up identification with the body made of bones, flesh, and blood, and lay aside possessiveness over wife, sons, and so forth. Uninterruptedly see this world to be founded on transience. Be a relisher of rāga coupled with vairāgya and fixed in bhakti.”
