क्षणार्धेनापि तुलये न स्वर्गं नापुनर्भवम् ।
भगवत्सङ्गिसङ्गस्य मर्त्यानां किमुताशिषः ॥
kṣaṇārdhenāpi tulaye na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam |
bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya martyānāṁ kim utāśiṣaḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.24.57; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.285; Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.14; Bhakti Sandarbha: 189, 247; Prīti Sandarbha: 30)
“[Bhagavān Śiva to the Pracetas:] I equate neither Svarga nor non-repetition of birth, much less the benedictions had by human beings, with even half a moment of association with those who are attached to Bhagavān.”
Commentary
tvat-pāda-mūle praviṣṭasya kṛtānta-bhayābhāvaḥ kiyān ayaṁ lābho yatas tvad-bhakta-saṅga eva sakala-puruṣārtha-śreṇi-śirasi narīnartīty āha | bhagavatas tava saṅgināṁ saṅgasya kṣaṇārdhenāpi svargaṁ na tulaye samaṁ na gaṇayāmi na cāpunar-bhavaṁ mokṣam, martyānām āśiṣo rājyādyāḥ kim uta |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā)
“Since just association with your bhaktas dances continuously atop the heads of all puruṣārthas, how great is this attainment of the absence of fear from Yama for one who has come to the soles of your feet? Thus, he speaks [this verse]. I equate, that is, I consider equal, neither Svarga nor non-repetition of birth, that is, mokṣa, much less the benedictions had by human beings, such as [that of] a kingdom, with even half a moment of association with those who are attached to you, Bhagavān.”
bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya kṣaṇārdhenāpi svargaṁ na tulaye samaṁ na paśyāmi na vāpunar-bhavam |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 2.7.14)
“I equate, that is, I see to be equal, neither Svarga nor non-repetition of birth, with even half a moment of association with those who are attached to Bhagavān.”
bhagavat-sāṅgi-saṅgasya kṣaṇārdhenāpi svargaṁ na tulaye samaṁ na gaṇayāmi, na ca apunar bhavaṁ mokṣam api, martyānām āśiṣo rājyādyāḥ kim uta | ato bhagatad-bhakta-jana-saṅga eva sakala-puruṣārtha-śreṇī-śirasi narīnartīti bhāvaḥ |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.7.14)
“I equate, that is, I see to be equal, neither Svarga nor non-repetition of birth, that is, even mokṣa, much less the benedictions had by human beings, such as [that of] a kingdom, with even half a moment of association with those who are attached to Bhagavān. Therefore, association with bhaktas of Bhagavān verily dances continuously atop the heads of all puruṣārthas.”
śrī-bhagavat-prītyānyeṣām apavargāṇāṁ tiraskṛtis tat-kāraṇeṣu mahābhāgavata-saṅga-dvārāha—kṣaṇārdhenāpīti | ahaṁ tu na tulaye gaurava-lāghavātispaṣṭatvād iti bhāvaḥ |
(Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā)
“By prīti for Śrī Bhagavān, diminishment of other end states (apavargas) [i.e., forms of mokṣa] occurs; he describes [this] by means of [mention of] association with great bhāgavatas among causes thereof [i.e., of prīti for Śrī Bhagavān, meaning, association with great bhāgavatas is one cause of prīti for Śrī Bhagavān, and here diminishment of forms of mokṣa by not just prīti itself but also even by causes of prīti such as association with great bhaktas of Śrī Bhagavān is described]: kṣaṇārdhenāpi … [i.e., he speaks this verse]. [Bhagavān Śiva says:] ‘I, however, do not equate [equate Svarga or non-repetition of birth, much less the benedictions had by human beings, with even half a moment of association with those who are attached to Bhagavān] because of [their comparative] weight and lightness [i.e., their disparate degrees of value] being very clear.’ This is the purport [i.e., Bhagavān Śiva considers worldly attainments like a kingdom, Svarga, and even mokṣa to be unfit to be compared not only to prīti for Śrī Bhagavān but also unfit to be compared even to association with great bhaktas of Bhagavān, that is, to a primary cause of prīti for Śrī Bhagavān].”
sat-saṅgaṁ tu vāñched evety āha—kṣaṇārdheneti | bhagavat-saṅgināṁ saṅgasya kṣaṇārdhena, kim uta dvitrādi-kṣaṇena, kim utatarāṁ tat-phala-bhūtayā bhaktyā, kim utatamāṁ bhakti-phalena premṇeti kaimutyātiśayo dyotitaḥ | svargaṁ karma-phalam apunar-bhavaṁ mokṣaṁ jñāna-phalam api na tulaye, kim uta jñānam, kim utatarāṁ karma, kim utatamāṁ rājyādyā dṛṣṭā āśīṣaḥ |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“One should only, however, desire association with the sat. Thus, he says kṣaṇārdhenāpi … [i.e., he speaks this verse]. [I equate neither Svarga nor non-repetition of birth, much less the benedictions had by human beings] ‘With even half a moment of association with those who are attached to Bhagavān,’ much less with two, three, or more moments [of such association], even further less with the bhakti that is the manifest result of that [association, i.e., the sādhana-bhakti that is a result of that association], and least of all with prema, which is the result of [such sādhana-] bhakti. In this way, superiority [in a gradation] is indicated [by] a fortiori [reasoning] (kaimutya). I do not equate Svarga, a result of karma, or non-repetition of birth, that is, mokṣa, a result of jñāna, much less [mere] jñāna [itself], even less [mere] karma [itself], and least of all visible [i.e., worldly] benedictions such as a kingdom.”