tāḍanaṁ bhartsanaṁ kāmī bhogyatvena yathā striyaḥ |
gṛhṇāti vaiṣṇavānāṁ ca tat-tad-grāhyaṁ tathā budhaiḥ ||
(Sanat-kumāra-saṁhitā: 112)
“As a debauchee considers slapping and threatening from a woman enjoyable, so the wise accept what has to be accepted from the Vaiṣṇavas [even if it be chastisement, etc.].”
rukṣākṣarā giraḥ śṛṇvan tathā bhāgavateritāḥ |
praṇāma-pūrvakaṁ kṣāntvā yo vaded vaiṣṇavo hi saḥ ||
(Liṅga Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.35)
“One who after hearing harsh words uttered by a Bhāgavata can tolerate that, offer obeisance, and speak [respectfully with that Bhāgavata] is certainly a Vaiṣṇava.”
na vayaṁ kavayo na tārkikā
na ca vedānta-nitānta-pāragāḥ |
na ca vādi-nivārakāḥ paraṁ
kapaṭābhīra-kiśora-kiṅkarāḥ ||
(Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya; cited in Padyāvalī: 72)
“We are neither poets, nor logicians, nor great adepts in Vedānta, nor refuters of disputants. Rather, we are servants of a crafty cowherd boy.”
yena sarvātmanā viṣṇu-bhaktyā bhāvo niveśitaḥ |
vaiṣṇaveṣu kṛtātmatvān mahābhāgavato hi saḥ ||
(Garuḍa Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.37)
“One by whom one’s being (bhāva) is completely absorbed in Viṣṇu-bhakti by virtue of being dedicated to the Vaiṣṇavas is certainly a Mahābhāgavata.”
kṛṣṇa-bhakta niṣkāma,— ataeva ‘śānta’ |
bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī sakali ‘aśānta’ ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.19.149)
“A devotee of Kṛṣṇa is free from desire and thus peaceful. Those who desire enjoyment, liberation, or supernatural power are not peaceful.”
ye caitanya-padāravinda-madhupāḥ sat-prema-bhūṣojjvalāḥ
śuddha-svarṇa-ruco dṛg-ambu-pulaka-svedaiḥ sad-aṅga-śriyaḥ |
sevopāyana-pāṇayaḥ smita-mukhāḥ śuklāmbarāḥ sad-varāḥ
śrīvāsādi-mahāśayān sukha-mayān dhyāyema tān pārṣadān ||
(Gaura-govindārcana-smaraṇa-paddhati: 1.53; cited in Sādhanāmṛta-candrikā: 2.13)
“Bees [lit., nectar-drinkers] in the lotus feet of Śrī Caitanya,
Radiant with the ornaments of true prema,
Their lusters pure gold,
Their fine figures adorned with tears, horripilation, and perspiration,
Their hands filled with service offerings,
Their faces smiling,
And their garments white—
We meditate upon them,
The best of the sādhus,
The great souls led by Śrīvāsa,
The joyful associates [of Śrī Gaurāṅga].”
tri-bhuvana-vibhava-hetave’py akuṇṭha-
smṛtir ajitātma-surādibhir vimṛgyāt |
na calati bhagavat-padāravindāl
lava-nimiṣārdham api yaḥ sa vaiṣṇavāgryaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 11.2.53; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.53; Bhakti Sandarbha: 14, 196, 198, 278)
“One of unchecked remembrance who does not even for the sake of dominion over the three worlds diverge for even half a blink of an eye or half of a sixth of that from Bhagavān’s lotus feet, which are to be sought after [even] by the suras and others whose self is Ajita [i.e., the Unconquerable One, viz., Bhagavān], is the foremost Vaiṣṇava.”
vaiṣṇavera guṇa-grāhī, nā dekhaye doṣa |
kāya-mano-vākye kare vaiṣṇava-santoṣa ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.8.62)
“He [i.e., Haridāsa Paṇḍita] appreciates the qualities of Vaiṣṇavas and overlooks their faults. With body, mind, and words he pleases the Vaiṣṇavas.”
saṁsāra-viṣa-vṛkṣasya dve phale hy amṛtopame |
mayi kṛṣṇe parā bhaktir mad-bhaktaiś ca samāgamaḥ ||
(Lakṣmī-Nārāyaṇa-saṁhitā: 3.56.72)
“On the poisonous tree of saṁsāra only two fruits are like nectar: pure bhakti to me, Kṛṣṇa, and association with my bhaktas.”
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?”
