तस्माद्वैरानुबन्धेन निर्वैरेण भयेन वा ।
स्नेहात्कामेन वा युञ्ज्यात्कथञ्चिन्नेक्षते पृथक् ॥
tasmād vairānubandhena nirvaireṇa bhayena vā |
snehāt kāmena vā yuñjyāt kathañcin nekṣate pṛthak ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 7.1.25)
“[Nārada Ṛṣi to Yudhiṣṭhira Mahārāja:] Therefore, by constant enmity, by non-enmity, by fear, by affection, or by amorous desire, one can connect [the mind to Bhagavān] such that one does not see [anything] apart [from Bhagavān] by any means.”
Commentary
yasmād bhagavato nindādi-kṛta-vaiṣamyaṁ nāsti, tasmād yena kenāpy upāyena dhyāyatas tenaiva dhyānena nindādi-kṛta-pāpasyāpi nāśāt sāyujyaṁ yuktam ity āśayenāha—tasmād iti saptabhiḥ | nirvaireṇa nāsti vairaṁ kenāpi yasmin, tena bhakti-yogenety arthaḥ | yuñjyān mana iti śeṣaḥ | yasmād etair upāyaiḥ pṛthaṅ nekṣate |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā)
“Since Bhagavān has no bias [alt., feels no disturbance] (vaiṣamyam) created by criticism and the like [i.e., as a result of criticism or any other sort of action performed by jīvas in saṁsāra that is offensive towards him], immersion (sāyujya) into him and so forth [i.e., the attainment of various forms of mukti such as sāyujya] on account of the destruction even of the sin created by criticism [of him] and the like by the meditation [upon him] of a meditator by any sort of means is befitting. With this intention, Nārada speaks seven [verses beginning with this, i.e., 7.1.25–7.1.31]. ‘By non-enmity’ (nirvaireṇa) refers to bhakti-yoga within which there is no sort of enmity [towards Bhagavān]. This is the meaning. The remainder in regard to ‘one can connect’ is the mind [i.e., the sense is, ‘one can connect the mind’ to Bhagavān by means of constant enmity or any of the other means mentioned in the verse], since by these means one does not see [anything] apart [from Bhagavān].”
yasmād bhagavato nindādi-kṛtaṁ vaiṣamyaṁ nāsti, tasmād yena kenāpy upāyena ‘sakṛd yad-aṅga-pratimānta-rāhitā’ ity-ādivat tad-ābhāsam api dhyāyatas tad-āveśāt tatra vaireṇāpi dhyāyatas tad-āveśenaiva nindādi-kṛta-pāpasyāpi nāśāt tat-sāyujyādikaṁ yuktam ity āśayenāha tasmād ity-ādibhiḥ | … yuñjyād iti sneha-kāmādīnāṁ vidhātum aśakyatvāt sambhāvanāyām eva liṅ | vairānubandhādīnām ekatareṇāpi yuñjyād dhyāyec cet, tadā bhagavataḥ pṛthag nekṣate, tad-āviṣṭo bhavatīty arthaḥ | vairānubandho vaira-bhāvāvicchedaḥ | nirvairo vairābhāva-mātram audāsīnyam ucyate | tena kāmādi-rāhityam apy āyāti, vairādi-bhāva-rāhityam ity arthaḥ | tena vā vairādi-bhāva-rāhityena yuñjyāt, vihitatva-mātra-buddhyā dhyāyeta, dhyānopalakṣitaṁ bhakti-yogaṁ kuryād ity arthaḥ | snehaḥ kāmātiriktaḥ parasparam akṛtrimaḥ prema-viśeṣaḥ | sa tu sādhake tad-abhirucir eva ||
(Excerpted from Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā, Bhakti Sandarbha: 317)
“Since Bhagavān has no bias [alt., feels no disturbance] (vaiṣamyam) created by criticism and the like [i.e., as a result of criticism or any other sort of action performed by jīvas in saṁsāra that is offensive towards him], immersion (sāyujya) into him and so forth [i.e., the attainment of various forms of mukti such as sāyujya] on account of the destruction even of the sin created by criticism [of him] and the like by the absorption (āveśa) in him of a meditator [who meditates] even upon a semblance (ābhāsa) of him by some particular means—and in that regard indeed by the absorption (āveśa) in him of a meditator [who meditates on him] with even enmity [towards him]—is befitting, as per [the statement in SB 10.12.39], ‘Even a mental image of his [i.e., Bhagavān’s] figure, just once placed within [i.e., cognized in the mind], bestows a destination related to Bhagavān [i.e., some form of mokṣa].’ With this intention, Nārada speaks the following verses [i.e., 7.1.25–7.1.31]. … In regard to [the verb] yuñjāt, the liṅ [i.e., the optative mood] is only in the sense of possibility (sambhāvanā) [i.e., it is not in the injunctive sense] because of the impossibility to enjoin affection, amorous desire (kāma), and so forth. If one can connect [the mind], that is, meditate [on Bhagavān], even with one [of the aforementioned bhāvas] such as constant enmity, then one does not see [anything] other than Bhagavān, that is, one becomes absorbed in him. This is the meaning. ‘Constant enmity’ (vairānubandhaḥ) means an uninterrupted bhāva (affect) of enmity. ‘Non-enmity’ (nirvaira) refers to just the absence of enmity, that is, neutrality. By that, the absence of amorous desire (kāma) and so forth also comes [as the sense]. The absence of the bhāvas of enmity and so forth [i.e., the other bhāvas listed in the verse] is the meaning. Or, by that [i.e., by ‘non-enmity’ (nirvaira)], that is, by the absence of the bhāvas of enmity and so forth, one can connect [the mind to Bhagavān], that is, one can meditate [on him] with the mentality just of it being enjoined [to do so, i.e., one can mediate on him simply with the mentality that one is following an injunction without any other bhāva], that is, one can perform bhakti-yoga, which is indicated [in this context] by the act of meditation. This is the meaning. ‘Affection’ (sneha) refers to a particular type of genuine, mutual love (prema) [in relationship with Bhagavān] distinct from amorous desire (kāma). That, however, is only a special taste (abhiruci) for that in a sādhaka [i.e., in the case of a sādhaka, that is, one who does not have a specific rāga for Bhagavān and rather seeks to attain such a rāga, the word ‘affection’ (sneha) in the verse refers to a sādhaka’s taste for a rāga predominated by affection rather than to that affection itself].”