तत इदं लभ्यते—परमतत्त्वसाक्षात्कारलक्षणं तज्ज्ञानमेव परमानन्दप्राप्तिः । सैव परमपुरुषार्थ इति । स्वात्माज्ञाननिवृत्तिः दुःखात्यन्तनिवृत्तिश्च निदाने तदज्ञाने गते सति स्वत एव सम्पद्यते । पूर्वस्याः परमतत्त्वस्वप्रकाशताभिव्यक्तिलक्षणमात्रात्मकत्वात्, उत्तरस्याश्च ध्वंसाभावरूपत्वादनश्वरत्वम् । उक्तं च पूर्वस्याः परमपुरुषार्थत्वं ‘धर्मस्य ह्य् अपवर्गस्य’ इत्यादिना, ‘तच्छ्रद्दधाना मुनयो’ … इत्यन्तेन, स्वतः सर्वदुःखनिवृत्तिश्च तत्रैवोक्ता—‘भिद्यते हृदयग्रन्थिः’ इत्यादिना ।
tata idaṁ labhyate—parama-tattva-sākṣātkāra-lakṣaṇaṁ taj-jñānam eva paramānanda-prāptiḥ | saiva parama-puruṣārtha iti | svātmājñāna-nivṛttiḥ duḥkhātyanta-nivṛttiś ca nidāne tad-ajñāne gate sati svata eva sampadyate | pūrvasyāḥ parama-tattva-svaprakāśatābhivyakti-lakṣaṇa-mātrātmakatvāt, uttarasyāś ca dhvaṁsābhāva-rūpatvād anaśvaratvam | uktaṁ ca pūrvasyāḥ parama-puruṣārthatvaṁ ‘dharmasya hy apavargasya’ ity-ādinā, ‘tac-chraddadhānā munayo’ … ity antena, svataḥ sarva-duḥkha-nivṛttiś ca tatraivoktā—‘bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ’ ity ādinā |
(Prīti Sandarbha: 1)
“Therefore, this is gathered: awareness of him [i.e., Bhagavān] in the form of direct perception (sākṣātkāra) of the Supreme Entity [i.e., direct perception of the Supreme Entity as Brahman, or as Bhagavān, as is discussed ahead] is alone the attainment of paramount bliss. This alone is the supreme puruṣārtha. When the cause, the absence of awareness of him, ceases, then the cessation of the absence of awareness of one’s own self (ātmā) and the absolute cessation of suffering occur automatically. The former’s [i.e., the cessation of the absence of awareness of him] being permanent is because of its being constituted in form solely of a manifestation of the Supreme Entity’s self-luminosity (sva-prakāśatā) [i.e., because the cessation of the absence of awareness of him only occurs as a result of a self-manifestation of the Supreme Entity and thus is effectively synonymous with it], and the latter’s [i.e., the cessation of the absence of awareness of one’s own self (ātmā) and one’s suffering in saṁsāra being permanent] is because of its having a form of non-existence after [its] destruction [i.e., because it ceases to exist entirely after being destroyed]. The former’s being the supreme puruṣārtha is stated in dharmasya hy apavargasya … [i.e., SB 1.2.9–11], and tac-chraddadhānā munayo … [i.e., SB 1.2.12], and the automatic cessation of all suffering is stated there in bhidyate hṛdaya-granthiḥ [i.e., SB 1.2.13].”