Śrīmad Bhāgavatam – Page 54

nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād

nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād
bhavauṣadhāc chrotra-mano-’bhirāmāt |
ka uttamaśloka-guṇānuvādāt
pumān virajyeta vinā paśughnāt ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.1.4)

“Other than one who slaughters animals, what person could desist from narration of the qualities of he of highest praise [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa], which is sung continuously by those whose thirst [i.e., desire for objects of the senses] has been quenched [i.e., the liberated], which is the cure for material existence, and which is a delight to the ears and mind?”

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nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ

nigama-kalpa-taror galitaṁ phalaṁ
śuka-mukhād amṛta-drava-saṁyutam |
pibata bhāgavataṁ rasam ālayaṁ
muhur aho rasikā bhuvi bhāvukāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.1.3)

“O relishers of rasa! O aesthetes! Drink continuously and [even] beyond [the attainment of] liberation the rasa of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the fruit of the wish-fulfilling tree of the Vedas, which has fallen from the mouth of Śuka [i.e., Śukadeva Gosvāmī] and is constituted of liquid nectar.”

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āyur harati vai puṁsām udyann astaṁ ca yann asau

āyur harati vai puṁsām udyann astaṁ ca yann asau |
tasyarte yat kṣaṇo nīta uttamaḥ-śloka-vārttayā ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.3.17)

“Rising and setting, the revolving sun takes away the life of people, except those who spend their time talking about he of highest praise.”

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ye māṁ bhajanti dāmpatye tapasā vrata-caryayā

ye māṁ bhajanti dāmpatye tapasā vrata-caryayā |
kāmātmāno’pavargeśaṁ mohitā mama māyayā ||
māṁ prāpya māniny apavarga-sampadaṁ
vāñchanti ye sampada eva tat-patim |
te manda-bhāgā niraye’pi ye nṛṇāṁ
mātrātmakatvān nirayaḥ susaṅgamaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatan: 10.60.52–53; cited in Prīti Sandarbha: 16)

“[Śrī Kṛṣṇa to Rukmiṇī Devī:] The desirous who by means of austerity and performance of rites worship me, the master of apavarga [i.e., mokṣa, or, the bestower of prema-bhakti, the ultimate puruṣārtha beyond even mokṣa], for the sake of matrimony [i.e., to enjoy the pleasures of being married] are deluded by my māyā. O Mānini! Those who desire [material] wealth [even] after attaining [alt., propitiating] me, who am the master of that [i.e., of wealth] and the wealth of apavarga, are unfortunate, since that [i.e., wealth] is present even in hell [alt., in births in lower, hellish species and conditions], and hell is a good condition for [such] persons on account of [their] being fixated upon the elements [i.e., on enjoying pleasures of sense objects].”

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tad evaṁ śrīmat-prīter evāpavargatvena parama-bhagavad-anugraha-mayatvaṁ

tad evaṁ śrīmat-prīter evāpavargatvena parama-bhagavad-anugraha-mayatvaṁ śrī-bhāgavata-śravaṇa-phalatvaṁ puruṣārtheṣu tasyāḥ paramatva-sādhanāya darśitam |
(Prīti Sandarbha: 18)

“Thus, in this way, blessed prīti’s being the supreme favor of Bhagavān and the [ultimate] result of hearing Śrīmad Bhāgavatam on account of [its] being the final beatitude (apavarga) [i.e., mukti] has been shown for the sake of establishing its supremacy among the puruṣārthas.”

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tasmān nandātmajo’yaṁ te nārāyaṇa-samo guṇaiḥ

tasmān nandātmajo’yaṁ te nārāyaṇa-samo guṇaiḥ |
śriyā kīrtyānubhāvena gopāyasva samāhitaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.8.19)

[Gargācārya to Nanda Mahārāja:] “Therefore, O Nanda, attentively protect this son of yours who in qualities, beauty, glory, and influence is equal to Nārāyaṇa [alt., is he to whom Nārāyaṇa is equal in some, but not all, respects].”

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paṇḍitā bahavo rājan bahu-jñāḥ saṁśaya-cchidaḥ

paṇḍitā bahavo rājan bahu-jñāḥ saṁśaya-cchidaḥ |
sadasas patayo’py eke asantoṣāt patanty adhaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.15.21)

“O King! Many paṇḍitas who have vast knowledge and can cut away [others’] doubts, and even numerous assembly leaders [i.e., paṇḍitas of the highest rank], fall down because of dissatisfaction [i.e., the inability to be satisfied, that is, because of greed].”

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śreyasām iha sarveṣāṁ jñānaṁ niḥśreyasaṁ param

śreyasām iha sarveṣāṁ jñānaṁ niḥśreyasaṁ param |
sukhaṁ tarati duṣpāraṁ jñāna-naur vyasanārṇavam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.24.75)

“Of all beneficial means in this world, knowledge [i.e., knowledge of Bhagavān] is the supreme, ultimately beneficial means. One who boards the boat of knowledge easily crosses the difficult to traverse ocean of distress [i.e., saṁsāra].”

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sā hānis tan mahac chidraṁ sa mohaḥ sa ca vibhramaḥ

sā hānis tan mahac chidraṁ sa mohaḥ sa ca vibhramaḥ |
yan muhūrtaṁ kṣaṇaṁ vāpi vāsudevaṁ na kīrtayet ||
(Kātyāyana Saṁhitā; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.508; Bhakti Sandarbha: 115; Sarva-samvādinī on Bhagavat Sandarbha, Durgama-saṅgaminī to Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.247; Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.9.35)

“That moment or even instant in which Vāsudeva is not praised is a loss, a great fault, a delusion, and a fiasco.”

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tad eva ramyaṁ ruciraṁ navaṁ navaṁ

tad eva ramyaṁ ruciraṁ navaṁ navaṁ
tad eva śaśvan manaso mahotsavam |
tad eva śokārṇava-śoṣaṇaṁ nṛṇāṁ
yad uttamaḥśloka-yaśo’nugīyate ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 12.12.50; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha 269)

“Only that [speech] through which the glory of he of highest praise is continuously sung is pleasing, relishable, and ever-new, only that is a grand, eternal festival for the heart, and only that dries up the ocean of humanity’s lamentation.”

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