uktānukta-duruktānāṁ cintā yatra pravartate |
vākyaṁ tad vārttikaṁ prāhuḥ vārttika-jñā manīṣiṇaḥ ||
(Parāśara Purāṇa)
“Wise knowers of a vārttika say a vārttika (gloss) is a statement in which stated, unstated, and poorly stated thoughts [in a text] are brought forth.”
alpākṣaram asandigdhaṁ sāra-vat viśvato-mukham |
astobham anavadyaṁ ca sūtraṁ sūtra-vido viduḥ ||
(Vāyu Purāṇa; Skanda Purāṇa; Viṣṇu-dharmottara)
“Knowers of sūtras know a sūtra (aphorism) to be concise [i.e., of a minimum of letters], unambiguous, substantial [i.e., expressive of the essence of its subject-matter], comprehensive, without any pause [i.e., stoppages or insertions], and irreproachable [i.e., faultless].”
padacchedaḥ padārthoktir vigraho vākyayojanā |
ākṣepasya samādhānaṁ vyākhyānaṁ pañca-lakṣaṇam ||
(Parāśara Purāṇa: 18.17–18)
“(1) Word division (padaccheda) [i.e., separation and restroration of each word in the text to its fundamental form prior to the application of sandhi and other rules of composition], (2) stating the meaning of words (padārtha-ukti) [i.e., offering contextually appropriate synonyms, paraphrases, definitions, examples, and so forth, typically for the sake clarification], (3) analysis [of compounds] (vigraha) [i.e., explaining the meaning of compound words, typically by explaining the roles, relationships, and meanings of the individual words contained inside a compound word], (4) sentence construction (vākya-yojanā, alt., anvaya) [i.e., re-ordering the words in the text according to the rules of conventional syntax, and (5) resolution of concerns (ākṣepasya samādhānam) [i.e., anticipating doubts, questions, objections, and so forth that readers may have about the text and fostering explanations to resolve them] are the five characteristics of a commentary (vyākhyāna).”
niyamāt phalam āpnoti na śreyo niyamaṁ vinā ||
(Bhaviṣya Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 15.464, Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 13.510, 15.630)
“One attains the result on account of the vow [i.e., the resolution (saṅkalpa) to perform a given vrata or sevā]. Without the vow, no auspicious result comes about.”
aṅgāni vedāś catvāro mīmāṁsā nyāya-vistaraḥ |
purāṇaṁ dharma-śāstraṁ ca vidyā hy etāś caturdaśa ||
āyurvedo dhanur-vedo gāndharvaś caiva te trayaḥ |
artha-śāstraṁ caturthaṁ tu vidyā hy aṣṭādaśaiva tāḥ ||
(Viṣṇu Purāṇa: 3.6.28–29)
“The [six] aṅgas [of the Veda, viz., Śikṣā (pronunciation), Kalpa (ritual), Jyotiśa (astrology), Chanda (meter), Nirukti (etymology), and Vyākaraṇa (grammar)], the four Vedas [viz., Ṛg-veda, Sāma-veda, Yajur-veda and Atharva-veda], Mīmāṁsā [i.e., exegesis of the Veda], the extensive Nyāya (logic), the Purāṇas, and the dharma-śāstras (law)—these are the fourteen vidyās (sciences). Āyurveda (medicine), Dhanurveda [i.e., weaponry, alliance, warfare, and so forth], Gāndharvaveda [i.e., arts such as music, dance, and performance]—these three, and a fourth, Artha-śāstra [i.e., polity, ethics, and so forth]—[in sum] these are the eighteen vidyās.”
viṣṇu-bhaktam athāyātaṁ yo dṛṣṭvā sumukhaḥ priyaḥ |
praṇāmādi karoty eva vāsudeve yathā tathā |
sa vai bhakta iti jñeyaḥ sa punāti jagat trayam ||
(Liṅga Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.34)
“One who upon seeing a Viṣṇu-bhakta coming pleasingly with a bright face offers obeisance and so forth, as is done for Vāsudeva, certainly should be considered a bhakta. He purifies the three worlds.”
bhojanācchādanaṁ sarvaṁ yathā-śaktyā karoti yaḥ |
viṣṇu-bhaktasya satataṁ sa vai bhāgavataḥ smṛtaḥ ||
(Liṅga Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.36)
“One who according to one’s ability continuously provides all of a Viṣṇu-bhakta’s food and clothing is known to be a Bhāgavata.”
siddhir bhavati vā neti saṁśayo‘cyuta sevinām |
niḥsaṁśayas tu tad-bhakta-paricaryā-ratātmanām ||
(Varāha Purāṇa; cited in Caitanya-bhāgavata: 3.3.486, 3.6.97)
“Doubt may remain as to whether those who serve [only] Acyuta will attain perfection, but there is no doubt [that perfection will be attained] for those who have dedicated themselves to the service of his bhaktas.”
ye me bhakta-janāḥ pārtha na me bhaktāś ca te janāḥ |
mad-bhaktānāñ ca ye bhaktās te me bhakta-tamā matāḥ
(Ādi Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.133; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.218; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.11.28)
“O Arjuna, those persons who are bhaktas of me [i.e., who are focused only on me and neglect my bhaktas]—those persons are not my bhaktas [i.e., they are not my bhaktas in the full and proper sense]. Those who are bhaktas of my bhaktas are considered my best bhaktas [i.e., I consider those who have bhakti both for me and for my bhaktas to truly be my bhaktas].“
tāḍanaṁ bhartsanaṁ kāmī bhogyatvena yathā striyaḥ |
gṛhṇāti vaiṣṇavānāṁ ca tat-tad-grāhyaṁ tathā budhaiḥ ||
(Sanat-kumāra-saṁhitā: 112)
“As a debauchee considers slapping and threatening from a woman enjoyable, so the wise accept what has to be accepted from the Vaiṣṇavas [even if it be chastisement, etc.].”
