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.”
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.”
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].”
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.”
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!”
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.”
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.”
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.”
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].”
yā dṛṣṭā nikhilāgha-saṅgha-śamanī spṛṣṭā vapuḥ-pāvanī
rogāṇām abhivanditā nirasinī siktā’ntaka-trāsinī |
pratyāsatti-vidhāyinī bhagavataḥ kṛṣṇasya saṁropitā
nyastā tac-caraṇe vimukti-phaladā tasyai tulasyai namaḥ ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 9.104)
“Upon being seen, she destroys all sins. Upon being touched, she purifies the body. Upon being adored, she removes all diseases. Upon being sprinkled, she scares away death. Upon being cultivated, she bestows attachment to Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa, and upon being placed at his feet, she bears the fruit of the highest liberation [i.e., prema-bhakti]. I offer obeisance unto her, Tulasī.”
