Purāṇas

dhyāyen nityaṁ maheśaṁ rajata-giri-nibhaṁ cāru-candrāvataṁsaṁ

dhyāyen nityaṁ maheśaṁ rajata-giri-nibhaṁ cāru-candrāvataṁsaṁ
ratnākalpojjvalāṅgaṁ paraśu-mṛga-varābhīti-hastaṁ prasannam |
padmāsīnaṁ samantāt stutam amara-gaṇair vyāghra-kṛtiṁ vasānaṁ
viśvādyaṁ viśva-bījaṁ nikhila-bhaya-haraṁ pañca-vaktraṁ trinetram ||
(Śiva Purāṇa: 1.20.52)

“Meditate always upon Maheśa (Śiva),
Resembling a silver mountain,
Beautifully crowned by the moon,
Body shining like a jewel,
An axe, a deer, [and the mudras of] blessing and fearlessness in his hands,
Satisfied,
Seated in lotus [posture],
Praised by immortals on all sides,
Wearing a garment made of tiger-skin,
The foremost being in the universe,
The cause of the universe,
The dispeller of all fear,
Of five faces and three eyes.”

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devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṁ pitṝṇāṁ
na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇī ca rājan |
sarvātmanā yaḥ śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ
gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya kartam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.5.41)

“O King, one who has forsaken one’s duties and taken shelter completely in the ultimate shelterer, Mukunda, is neither a servant of, nor a debtor to, the devas, the ṛṣis, [other] living beings, relatives, humanity, or ancestors.”

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aihikāmuṣmikī-cintā na ca kāryā kadācana

aihikāmuṣmikī-cintā na ca kāryā kadācana |
aihikaṁ tu sadā bhāvyaṁ pūrvācarita-karmaṇām ||
āmuṣmikaṁ tathā kṛṣṇaḥ svayam eva kariṣyati |
ato hi tat-kṛte tyājyaḥ prayatnaḥ sarvathā naraiḥ ||
(Sanat-kumāra-saṁhitā: 113–114)

“One should never worry about the here and now or the hereafter [i.e., about one’s future in this world or the next]. The here and now should always be considered the result of previously performed karma, and Kṛṣṇa himself will arrange the hereafter. Therefore, endeavor to do that [i.e., to effect a desirable afterlife] is to be given up completely by human beings [and instead one should endeavor only to serve and satisfy Kṛṣṇa].”

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ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlya-vivarjanam

ānukūlyasya saṅkalpaḥ prātikūlya-vivarjanam |
rakṣiṣyatīti viśvāso goptṛtve varaṇaṁ tathā ||
ātma-nikṣepa-kārpaṇye ṣaḍ-vidhā śaraṇāgatiḥ ||
(Vaiṣṇava Tantra; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.676; Bhakti Sandarbha: 173, 236; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.100; Gītā-bhūṣaṇa-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 18.66)

“A resolve of favorability, letting go of unfavorability, conviction that he [i.e., Bhagavān] will protect, accepting [his] guardianship, pledging oneself [to him], and humility [alt., wretchedness, neediness, heartache] are the six aspects of śaraṇāgati.”

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rasāyanamayī śītā paramānanda-dāyinī

rasāyanamayī śītā paramānanda-dāyinī |
nānandayati kaṁ nāma sādhu-saṅgati-candrikā ||
(Padma Purāṇa: 5.98.58)

“Being enriched with elixir [to cure the disease of saṁsāra], cooling [so as to relieve the three miseries], and yielding of the highest bliss [i.e., the bliss of prema], indeed who does the moonlight of association with a sādhu not delight?”

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tulayāma lavenāpi na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam

tulayāma lavenāpi na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam |
bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya martyānāṁ kim utāśiṣaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.18.13 and 4.30.34; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.284, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.228; Bhakti Sandarbha: 134, 247; Prīti Sandarbha: 31, 112)

[The sages at Naimiṣāraṇya to Sūta Gosvāmī and the Pracetās to Bhagavān:] “We cannot equate Svarga or non-repetition of birth, much less benedictions had by human beings, with even an instant of association with those who are attached to Bhagavān.”

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yaḥ snātaḥ śānti-sitayā sādhu-saṅgati-gaṅgayā

yaḥ snātaḥ śānti-sitayā sādhu-saṅgati-gaṅgayā |
kiṁ tasya dānaiḥ kiṁ tīrthaiḥ kiṁ tapobhiḥ kim adhvaraiḥ ||
(Padma Purāṇa: 5.100.5; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.257)

“For one who has bathed in the peaceful, bright Gaṅgā of association with a sādhu, what is the use of charity, tīrthas, austerities, or sacrifices? [There is no need for them at all.]”

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gaṅgādi-puṇya-tīrtheṣu yo naraḥ snātum icchati

gaṅgādi-puṇya-tīrtheṣu yo naraḥ snātum icchati |
yaḥ karoti satāṁ saṅgāṁ tayoḥ sat-saṅgamo varaḥ ||
(Padma Purāṇa: 5.98.78; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.256)

“Between a human being who desires to swim in purifying tīrthas such as the Gaṅgā and one who engages in association with sādhus, the one who associates with sādhus is superior.”

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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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hari-bhakti-parāṇāṁ tu saṅgināṁ saṅga-mātrataḥ

hari-bhakti-parāṇāṁ tu saṅgināṁ saṅga-mātrataḥ |
mucyate sarva-pāpebhyo mahā-pātakavān api ||
(Bṛhan Nāradīya Purāṇa: 1.36.61; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.252 Bhakti Sandarbha: 148)

“Even a great sinner is liberated from all sins just by the association of those who associate with those who are engaged in Hari-bhakti.”

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