Purāṇas

tāmra-pātre payaḥ-pānam ucchiṣṭa-ghṛta-bhojanam

tāmra-pātre payaḥ-pānam ucchiṣṭa-ghṛta-bhojanam |
dugdhaṁ lavaṇa-sārdhaṁ ca sadyo go-māṁsa-bhakṣaṇam ||
nārikelodakaṁ kāṁsye tāmra-pātre sthitaṁ madhu |
aikṣavaṁ tāmra-pātrasthaṁ surā-tulyaṁ na saṁśayaḥ ||
(Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa: Brahma-khaṇḍa, 27.22–23)

“Drinking milk in a copper vessel, eating remnant ghee, and milk with salt [all] immediately become [equivalent to] eating cow meat. Coconut water in a white copper [i.e., bell metal or brass] vessel, honey situated in copper vessel, and sugarcane products situated in a copper vessel are equivalent to wine. There is no doubt.”

Read on →

naratvaṁ durlabhaṁ loke vidyā tatra sudurlabhā

naratvaṁ durlabhaṁ loke vidyā tatra sudurlabhā |
kavitvaṁ durlabhaṁ tatra śaktis tatra sudurlabhā||
(Agni Purāṇa; cited in Sāhitya-darpaṇa: 1.2)

“In this world, human life is rare, and therein [i.e., among human beings] education is very rare. Therein [i.e., among the educated], being poetic is rare, and therein [i.e., among the poetic], prowess [in poetics] is very rare.”

Read on →

naratvaṁ durlabhaṁ loke vidyā tatra sudurlabhā

naratvaṁ durlabhaṁ loke vidyā tatra sudurlabhā |
śīlaṁ ca durlabhā tatra vinayas tatra sudurlabhaḥ||
(Agni Purāṇa)

“In this world, human life is rare, and therein [i.e., among human beings] education is very rare. Therein [i.e., among the educated], character is rare, and therein [i.e., among persons of good character], humility is very rare.”

Read on →

yat pṛthivyāṁ vrīhi-yavaṁ

yat pṛthivyāṁ vrīhi-yavaṁ hiraṇyaṁ paśavaḥ striyaḥ |
nālam ekasya tat sarvam iti matvā śamaṁ vrajet ||
(Hari-vaṁśa Purāṇa: 22.38; Mahābhārata: 5.63.11; cited in the Sārārtha-varṣiṇī-ṭīkā and Gītā-bhūṣaṇa-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 3.37)

“All the rice, barley, gold, animals, and women on earth are not sufficient for one [person]. Deliberate on this and take to equanimity.”

Read on →

pañcarātra-purāṇāni

pañcarātra-purāṇāni setihāsāni mānavāḥ |
ye vinindanti teṣāṁ vai vacanaṁ parivarjayet ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 12.420)

“Reject the statements of people who denigrate the Pañcarātras, Purāṇas, and Itihāsas.”

Read on →

yeṣāṁ viśveśvare viṣṇau

yeṣāṁ viśveśvare viṣṇau śive bhaktir na vidyate |
na teṣāṁ vacanaṁ grāhyaṁ dharma-nirṇaya-siddhaye ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 12.419)

“The statements of those who do not have bhakti to auspicious Viṣṇu, the Lord of Universe, [alt., to the Lord of the Universe, Viṣṇu, and Śiva] are not acceptable for the purpose of ascertaining dharma.”

Read on →

yeṣāṁ na kāraṇaṁ vedā

yeṣāṁ na kāraṇaṁ vedā na viprā na janārdanaḥ |
tantrāṇi dharma-śāstrāṇi teṣāṁ vākyaṁ vivarjayet ||
(Viṣṇu Rahasya; Kūrma Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 12.417)

“Reject the statements of the tantras and dharma-śāstra which do not have the authority of the Vedas, brāhmaṇas, and Janārdana.”

Read on →

itihāsa-purāṇa-jñāḥ

itihāsa-purāṇa-jñāḥ smṛti-siddhānta-vedinaḥ |
vāsudeva-priyā ye ca tad-uktaṁ vaidikaṁ bhavet ||
(Padma Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 12.416)

“The directive of one who is learned in the Itihāsas and Purāṇas, knowledgable in the siddhānta of the Smṛti, and dear to Vāsudeva shall be Vedic.”

Read on →

saṁspṛṣṭvā vaiṣṇavān viprān

saṁspṛṣṭvā vaiṣṇavān viprān viṣṇu-śāstra-viśāradān |
cīrṇa-vratān sadācārāṁs tad-uktaṁ yatnataś caret ||
(Kūrma Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 12.415)

“After inquiring from Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇas who are well-verses in Viṣṇu-śāstra, who have performed vratas [themselves], and who are of proper conduct (sadācāra), carefully follow their statements.”

Read on →

Scroll to Top