Skanda Purāṇa

vighnākulatve’pi mano-rati-paratā

vighnākulatve’pi mano-rati-paratā | …
yasya kṛcchra-gatasyāpi keśave ramate manaḥ |
na vicyutā ca bhaktir vai sa vai bhāgavato naraḥ ||
āpad-gatasya yasyeha bhakir avyabhicāriṇī |
nānyatra ramate cittaṁ sa vai bhāgavato naraḥ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.67–68)

“[A third degree of one-pointedness (ekāntitā) upon Śrī Bhagavān is described:] Being devoted with rati in the mind even while being disturbed by obstructions [is described in Skanda Purāṇa]: ‘A person whose mind rejoices in Keśava and whose bhakti does not digress even when one is beset with hardship is verily a Bhāgavata. A person beset with adversity here [in this world] whose bhakti is unwavering and whose mind does not rejoice elsewhere [i.e., apart from in Śrī Bhagavān] is verily a Bhāgavata.”

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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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yasya kānti-lava-spṛṣṭaṁ kāṁsyaṁ tāmra-mayas trapu

yasya kānti-lava-spṛṣṭaṁ kāṁsyaṁ tāmra-mayas trapu |
pāṣāṇādikam anyad vā sarvaṁ bhavati kāñcanam ||
cintāmaṇiḥ sa vijñeyo munibhiḥ siddha-sādhanaḥ |
(Skanda Purāṇa: Brahmottara-khaṇḍa)

“The effective means by the minute touch of the luster of which bell metal, copper, tin, stone, and so forth, as well as all else, becomes gold is known as a cintāmaṇi [lit., ‘thought-jewel’] by the sages.”

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bhūmau skhalita-pādānāṁ bhūmir evāvalambanam

bhūmau skhalita-pādānāṁ bhūmir evāvalambanam |
tvayi jātāparādhānāṁ tvam eva śaraṇaṁ prabho ||
(Skanda Purāṇa: 2.2.38.70; cited in Sādhanāmṛta-candrikā: 2.26)

“The ground is the only support for those whose feet have tripped on the ground. [Similarly,] You are the only shelter for those who have committed offense to you, O Master!”

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asāre khalu saṁsāre sāram etan nirūpitam

asāre khalu saṁsāre sāram etan nirūpitam |
samasta-loka-nāthasya śraddhayārādhanaṁ hareḥ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.209)

“In verily essenceless saṁsāra, this has been ascertained to be the essence: worship with śraddhā of Hari, the Lord of all the worlds.”

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mama śāstra-pravaktāraṁ mama śāstrānucintakam

mama śāstra-pravaktāraṁ mama śāstrānucintakam |
cintayāmi na sandeho naraṁ taṁ cātmavat sadā ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.375)

“[Bhagavān:] No doubt I always think of that person who teaches śāstra related to me and who reflects on śāstra related to me as my own.”

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sarvasvenāpi viprendra kartavyaḥ śāstra-saṅgrahaḥ

sarvasvenāpi viprendra kartavyaḥ śāstra-saṅgrahaḥ |
vaiṣṇavais tu mahā-bhaktyā tuṣṭy-arthaṁ cakra-pāṇinaḥ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.370)

“O best of brāhmaṇas, for the satisfaction of Bhagavān, collecting śāstras, even with the whole of one’s wealth, is to be done by Vaiṣṇavas with great bhakti.”

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