Virtues

ghṛṣṭaṁ ghṛṣṭaṁ punar api punaś candanaṁ cāru-gandhaṁ

ghṛṣṭaṁ ghṛṣṭaṁ punar api punaś candanaṁ cāru-gandhaṁ
chinnaṁ chinnaṁ punar api punaḥ svādu caivekṣu-khaṇḍam |
dagdhaṁ dagdhaṁ punar api punaḥ kāścanaṁ kānta-varṇaṁ
prāṇānte’pi prakṛti-vikṛtir jāyate nottamānām ||
(Unknown source)

“Even when ground and ground,
Again and again,
Sandalwood has a beautiful fragrance.
Even when pressed and pressed,
Again and again,
Sugarcane has a sweet taste.
Even when smelted and smelted,
Again and again,
Gold has a beautiful color.
[Similarly,] Even at death
[alt., Even in the face of death],
No aberration in nature
Of the exalted arises.”

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Bhārata Sāvitrī

Bhārata Sāvitrī

Śrī Vedavyāsa’s final message to humanity in Mahābhārata.

Excerpted from the Svargārohana Parva, 5.47–51.

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yathā caturbhiḥ kanakaṁ parīkṣyate

yathā caturbhiḥ kanakaṁ parīkṣyate
nigharṣaṇa-cchedana-tāpa-tāḍanaiḥ |
tathā caturbhiḥ puruṣaḥ parīkṣyate
tyāgena śīlena guṇena karmaṇā ||
(Cāṇakya-nīti-darpaṇa)

“As gold is to be examined in four ways—by rubbing, cutting, heating, and hitting, so a person is to be examined in four respects: renunciation, character, qualities, and actions.”

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mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā

mahāntas te sama-cittāḥ praśāntā
vimanyavaḥ suhṛdaḥ sādhavo ye |
ye vā mayīśe kṛta-sauhṛdārthā
janeṣu dehambhara-vārtikeṣu ||
gṛheṣu jāyātmaja-rātimatsu
na prīti-yuktā yāvad-arthāś ca loke ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 5.5.2–3; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.17, 69; Bhakti Sandarbha: 186; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.82)

“Service to the mahats is said to be the door to mukti of various types, and attachment to those who are attached to women [is said to be] the door to darkness. The mahāntas [lit., ‘the great’] are they who are of equal mind, tranquil, free from anger, friendly, and virtuous, and alternately, they who (1) have made affection [i.e., prema] for me, Īśa, their aim, (2) [they] who are unpossessed of affinity for homes, wives, children, friends, and persons fixed upon affairs related to bodily maintenance, and (3) [they] who are possessed of only so much wealth [as is necessary] in this world.”

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titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām

titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām |
ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ ||
mayy ananyena bhāvena bhaktiṁ kurvanti ye dṛḍhām |
mat-kṛte tyakta-karmāṇas tyakta-svajana-bāndhavāḥ ||
mad-āśrayāḥ kathā mṛṣṭāḥ śṛṇvanti kathayanti ca |
tapanti vividhās tāpā naitān mad-gata-cetasaḥ ||
ta ete sādhavaḥ sādhvi sarva-saṅga-vivarjitāḥ |
saṅgas teṣv atha te prārthyaḥ saṅga-doṣa-harā hi te ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.25.21–24; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.81)

“[Bhagavān Kapila:] Those who are forbearing, compassionate, well-wishing of all embodied beings, without enemies, peaceful, and possessed of the adornment of good disposition are the sādhus. They who with unalloyed bhāva engage in resolute bhakti to me, they who have given up karmas and given up relatives and friends for me, they who hear and recount pure narrations about me, they of mind given over to me whom the various miseries do not trouble—O Sādhvī [i.e., O pure Mother], they are the sādhus, and [they] are completely free from all attachment. Therefore, attachment to them is to be desired by you, as they are removers of the fault of attachment.”

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yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā

yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ |
harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā
manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 5.18.12; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.561; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.1.29; Bhakti Sandarbha: 109; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.8.58, 2.22.76)

“[Prahlāda Mahārāja to Bhagavān Nṛsiṁha:] The suras along with all qualities reside in full within one who has unconditional bhakti to Bhagavān. How could a non-bhakta of Hari running outwards after the asat as a result of desire have the qualities of the mahats?”

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sarvasya hi parīkṣyante svabhāvā netare guṇāḥ

sarvasya hi parīkṣyante svabhāvā netare guṇāḥ |
atītya hi guṇān sarvān svabhāvo mūrdhni vartate ||
(Hitopadeśa: Mitra-lābha, 20)

“The natures (svabhāvas) of all are to be examined, and not, on the contrary, the qualities, since the nature (svabhāva) [of a person], surpassing all qualities, abides at the head [i.e., the svabhāva predominates in the thinking and behavior of person].”

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kāka-ceṣṭā bako dhyānaṁ śvāna-nidrā tathaiva ca

kāka-ceṣṭā bako dhyānaṁ śvāna-nidrā tathaiva ca |
svalpāhārī gṛha-tyāgī vidyārthī pañca-lakṣaṇaḥ ||
(Unknown source)

“The effort of a crow [i.e., making a perseverant endeavor], the concentration of a crane [i.e., patient and unwavering concentration focused on one’s major goal (the “big fish”) and not lesser matters (the “little fish” that are often seen around)], the sleep of a dog [i.e., falling asleep easily, sleeping for a short time, waking up quickly, and remaining alert even while asleep], being a light eater, and being a renouncer of the household [i.e., being content to live away from home and without all the comforts of home] are the five characteristics of a seeker of knowledge [i.e., a student].”

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vaiṣṇavera guṇa-grāhī, nā dekhaye doṣa

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.”

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vṛttaṁ yatnena saṁrakṣed vittam eti ca yāti ca

vṛttaṁ yatnena saṁrakṣed vittam eti ca yāti ca |
akṣīṇo vittataḥ kṣīṇo vṛttatas tu hato hataḥ ||
(Mahābhārata: 5.36.30)

“Carefully safeguard your conduct (vṛtta). Wealth (vitta) comes and goes. A loss of wealth is no loss, but ruination of [one’s] conduct is [utter] ruination.”

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