स्वल्पापि रुचिरेव स्याद्भक्तितत्त्वावबोधिका ।
युक्तिस्तु केवला नैव यदस्या अप्रतिष्ठता ॥
svalpāpi rucir eva syād bhakti-tattvāvabodhikā |
yuktis tu kevalā naiva yad asyā apratiṣṭhatā ||
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.1.45)
“Even just a little ruci [i.e., ‘taste’] shall be an illuminator of the nature of bhakti. Pure reasoning, however, is certainly not, because of its inconclusiveness.”
Commentary
atra bahirmukhān praty anyad apy ucyate ity āha—kiṁ ceti | rucir atra bhakti-tattva-pratipādaka-śabdeṣu śrīmad-bhāgavatādiṣu prācīna-saṁskāreṇottamatva-jñānam, saiva bhakti-tattvam evāvabodhayati—yathā-śabdaṁ śraddhāpayatīti, kevalā śuṣkā naiveti kintu tad-ruci-sahitā, ittham eva vakṣyate śāstre yuktau ca nipuṇeti |
(Durgama-saṅgamanī-ṭīkā; Bhakti-sāra-pradarśinī-ṭīkā)
“Now, something else is said to the averse. Thus, the author speaks this verse (kim api …). Ruci here means a sense, based on a prior saṁskāra, of pre-eminence in regard to Śrīmad Bhagavātam and so forth, that is, texts constituted of words explicative of the nature of bhakti [i.e., a sense that bhakti-śāstras above all else are to be focused on, learned, and followed]. That alone [i.e., ruci] illuminates the nature of bhakti; [that alone] causes attainment of śraddhā as per the word [i.e., śraddhā in bhakti as it is taught in śāstra]. Pure, that is, dry, reasoning does not [illuminate the nature of bhakti and cause the attainment of śraddhā], but that [i.e., reasoning] accompanied by ruci does. Thus, it will be said [in BRS 1.2.17], “Śāstre yuktau ca nipuṇa … [‘One who is expert in śāstra and reasoning, is of completely firm resolve, and has complete śraddhā is considered to be an uttama-adhikārī’].”