तुलयाम लवेनापि न स्वर्गं नापुनर्भवम् ।
भगवत्सङ्गिसङ्गस्य मर्त्यानां किमुताशिष: ॥
tulayāma lavenāpi na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam
bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya martyānāṁ kim utāśiṣaḥ
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.18.13 and 4.30.34; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.284, Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.228; Bhakti Sandarbha: 134, 247; Prīti Sandarbha: 31, 112)
[The sages at Naimiṣāraṇya to Sūta Gosvāmī and the Pracetās to Bhagavān:] “We cannot equate Svarga or non-repetition of birth, much less benedictions had by human beings, with even an instant of association with those who are attached to Bhagavān.”
Commentary
bhagavat-saṅgino viṣṇu-bhaktāḥ, teṣāṁ saṅgasya yo lavo’tyalpaḥ kālas tenāpi svargaṁ na tulayāma samaṁ na paśyāma, na cāpavargam | sambhāvanāyāṁ loṭ | martyānāṁ tucchā āśiṣo rājyādyā na tulyāmeti kim u vaktavayam |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.18.13)
“‘Those who are attached to Bhagavān’ (Bhagavat-saṅgi) refers to Viṣṇu-bhaktas. We can equate, that is, we can see to be equal, neither Svarga, nor liberation (apavarga), with even an ‘instant’ (lavaḥ), that is, a very short time, of association with them. The loṭ [i.e., the imperative mood in the verb tulayāma in the verse] is only in the sense of possibility (sambhāvanā) [i.e., it is not in the injunctive sense]. Much less need it be said, ‘We cannot equate [even an instant of that association] with the insignificant benedictions had by human beings, such as [that of] a kingdom.’”
nanu rājya-bhogān svargāpavargau ca vihāya kim idaṁ prārthyate tatrāhuḥ tulayāmeti | bhagavat-saṅgināṁ saṅgasya lavenāpi |
(Bhāvārtha-dīpikā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.30.34)
“[A question is raised:] ‘Well, leaving aside the enjoyments of a kingdom, Svarga, and liberation, is this prayed for [by you all]?’ To that, they say tulayāma … [i.e., they speak this verse]. With even an instant of association of those who are attached to Bhagavān [in the syntactical relation of the words, i.e., they pray for such association].”
bhagavat-saṅgino bhagavad-bhaktāḥ, teṣāṁ saṅgasya yo lavo’tyalpaḥ kālas tenāpi svargaṁ na tulayāma samaṁ na paśyāma na cāpunar-bhavaṁ mokṣam | martyānāṁ tūcchā āśiṣo rājyādyā na tulayāmeti kim uta vaktavyam | evaṁ phala-rūpāt svargād apavargād apy adhikatvena sat-saṅgasya parama-phalatvaṁ siddham |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 10.284)
“‘Those who are attached to Bhagavān’ (Bhagavat-saṅgi) refers to bhaktas of Bhagavān. We can equate, that is, we can see to be equal, neither Svarga, nor non-repetition of birth (apavarga), that is, mokṣa, with even an ‘instant’ (lavaḥ), that is, a very short time, of association with them. Much less need it be said, ‘We cannot equate [even an instant of that association] with the insignificant benedictions had by human beings, such as [that of] a kingdom.’ In this way, association with the sat’s being the supreme attainment on account of [its] being superior to the attainments of Svarga and even liberation is established.”
tulayāmeti taiḥ | tatra sambhāvanāyāṁ loḍ iti tulayituṁ sambhāvanām api na kurmaḥ | kim uta tulanāṁ kumra ity arthaḥ |
(Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.18.13)
“This verse (tulayāma …) is [to be understood] as per his [i.e., Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda’s commentary]. In this regard, that the loṭ [i.e., the imperative mood in the verb tulayāma in the verse] is only in the sense of possibility (sambhāvanā) [i.e., that it is not in the injunctive sense] means we cannot equate [even an instant of association with the bhaktas of Bhagavān with Svarga or mokṣa] in terms of possibility, much less do we [actually] equate [them]. This is the meaning.”
naitāvattvaṁ, kintv apāra-mahimatvam evety āhuḥ—tulayāmeti | yad vā na caivam asya gauṇatvam āśaṅkyaṁ yatas tulayāmeti | svargaḥ saṁsārika-bhoga-sukham
(Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.30.34)
“[The Pracetas say:] ‘No, it [i.e., the value of association with the sat] is not of such extent. Rather, it is verily of boundless greatness.’ Thus, they say tulayāma … [i.e., they speak this verse]. Alternately, [the Pracetas say:] ‘And its secondariness is not to thus be suspected since tulayāma …’ [i.e., they speak this verse]. Svarga refers to the pleasure of sāṁsārika enjoyments.”
tat-saṅgaś ca—tulayāma … ity uktyā nirguṇāvasthāto’py adhikatvāt parama-nirguṇa eva |
(Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 6.14.1–2, 11.25.24; Excerpt from Bhakti Sandarbha: 134)
“That association [i.e., the association of a mahat], furthermore, as per the statement [in SB 1.18.13, 4.30.33] tulayāma …, is verily supremely nirguṇa [i.e., the furthest beyond the three guṇas of prakṛti] because of [its] being superior even to the nirguṇa state [in general, i.e., its being superior even to mokṣa].”
bhagavati saṅga āsaktiḥ sa nityaṁ vidyate yasya tasya yaḥ saṅgas tasya lavenāpi svargādikaṁ na tulayāmeti | tat-praśaṁsayā svasya tat-samāna-vāsanatvaṁ darśitam | tac cānyeṣām api śikṣaṇāya jāyata iti tad etad atrodāhṛtam | etad upalakṣaṇatvena snigdhatvādikam api dṛśyam | atra ‘kṣaṇārdhenāpi tulaye na svargam’ ity ādikaṁ caturthasya padyam apy anusandheyam |
(Durgama-saṅgamanī-ṭīkā on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.228)
“We cannot equate Svarga and so on with even an instant of the association of those who are constantly possessed of attachment (saṅga) to Bhagavān. By [this] praise of that [association], one’s having an inclination (vāsanā) like theirs is shown. That [i.e., such praise], furthermore, arises for the purpose instructing others as well. Thus, this [expression] is cited here [to illustrate the limb of association with like-minded, bhaktas of Śrī Bhagavān]. Because of this [verse’s] being an indicator (upalakṣaṇa) [of additional qualities in ideal association beyond those mentioned in the verse itself], affectionateness and so on [i.e., and the sādhus one associates with being of superior stature] are also to be observed [i.e., to be understood to be indicated by this verse]. In this regard, the verse from the Fourth Canto [i.e., SB 4.24.57], ‘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,’ is also to be considered.”
tasmāt tādṛśa-sādhu-saṅga-mahānidher māhātmyam asmad-anubhava-gocarī-kṛtaṁ kiyad brūma ity āhuḥ | bhagavat-saṅgino bhaktās teṣāṁ saṅgasya yo lavo’tyalpaḥ kālas tena svargaṁ karma-phalam apunar-bhavaṁ mokṣaṁ ca jñāna-phalaṁ na tulayāma, martyānāṁ tucchā āśiṣo rājyādyāḥ kim uta vaktavyaṁ na tulayāmeti | yataḥ sādhu-saṅgena parama-durlabhāyā bhakter aṅkuro hy udbhavatīti bhāvaḥ | tatra bhakteḥ sādhanasyāpi sādhu-saṅgasya lavenāpi karma-jñānādeḥ phalaṁ sampūrṇam api na tulayāma, kim uta bahu-kāla-vyāpinā sādhu-saṅgena, kim utatarāṁ tat-phala-bhūtayā bhaktyā, kim utatamāṁ bhakti-phalena premneti ca kaimutyātiśayo dyotito bhavati | tathātra sambhāvanārthaka-loṭātolane sambhāvanām eva na kurmaḥ | na hi meruṇā sarṣapaṁ kaścit tulayatīti dyotyate | bahu-vacanena bahūnāṁ sammatyā naiṣo’rthaḥ kenacid apramāṇīkartuṁ śakyata iti vyajyāte | bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya ity anena—‘na tathāsya bhavet kleśo bandhaś cānya-prasaṅgataḥ | yoṣit-saṅgād yathā puṁsas tathā tat-saṅgi-saṅgataḥ ||’ iti yoṣit-saṅgād api yoṣit-saṅgināṁ saṅgo yathātinindya uktaḥ, tathaiva bhagavat-saṅgād api bhagavat-saṅgināṁ saṅgo’tivandyo’tipraśasyo’tyabhilaṣaṇīya iti bodhyate |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 1.18.13; Bhakti-sāra-pradarśinī-ṭīkā on Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.228)
“To some extent we will speak of the greatness of the great ocean of association with such sādhus that has been brought into the range of our experience. Thus, they speak [this verse]. We cannot equate Svarga, a result of karma, or non-repetition of birth, that is, mokṣa, a result of jñāna, with an ‘instant’ (lavaḥ), that is, a very short time, of association with they who are attached to Bhagavān, that is, [his] bhaktas. Much less need it be said, ‘We cannot equate [even an instant of that association] with the insignificant benedictions had by human beings, such as [that of] a kingdom,’ since the sprout of extremely rare to attain bhakti appears as a result of association with sādhus. This is the purport. In this regard, we cannot equate even the complete result of karma, jñāna, and so on with even an instant of the association with sādhus of [i.e., that occurs within] even the sādhana of bhakti, much less with [such] association with sādhus spanning a long time, even further less with the bhakti that is the manifest result of that [association, i.e., the sādhana-bhakti that results from that association], and least of all with prema, which the result of [such sādhana-] bhakti. In this way also, superiority [in a gradation] is indicated [by] a fortiori [reasoning] (kaimutya). Here [also] in this regard, as per the loṭ [i.e., the imperative mood in the verb tulayāma in the verse] indicative of possibility (sambhāvanā), we do not consider [even] the possibility of equation. In this way, it is indicated, ‘Certainly no one compares a mustard seed with [Mount] Meru.’ By the [usage of the] plural this meaning being unable to be disproven by any one because of the approval of many [of it] is suggested. By this [mention of] ‘the association of those who are attached to Bhagavān,’ it is conveyed that as the association of those who are attached to women is even more highly censurable than association with women as per [the statement in SB 3.31.35], ‘A man’s infatuation and bondage do not occur as a result of any other association the way they do as a result of association with women and association with those who are attached to them,’ so exactly association with those who are attached to Bhagavān is more venerable, more praiseworthy, and more desirable than association with Bhagavān.”
nanu māyayā spṛṣṭā ity uktyā māyā-jayārthaṁ sādhu-saṅga prārthayadhve cen mokṣam eva sākṣāt kiṁ na gṛhṇītety ata āhuḥ—tulayāmeti | ayam arthaḥ—yāvanto varaṇīyā varās te sarve svarga-mokṣāntaḥpātina evānubhūtāḥ, sādhu-saṅgasya tu svarga-mokṣābhyām paraḥsahasrādhikyam avagamyate, yataḥ sādhu-saṅge sati tvad-rūpa-guṇa-kathā-mādhuryāsvādo bhavet, sa ca svarga-sukhāt tvadīya-nirviśeṣa-svarūpa-brahma-sukhād api koṭi-koṭi-guṇādhiko ‘nāham vasāmi vaikuṇṭhe yogināṁ hṛdaye na ca | mad-bhaktā yatra gāyanti tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada ||’ ity-ādi tvad-uktyā sarva-sukha-dātus tavāpi parama-sukha-prada ity ata eva sādhu-saṅga eva vriyate iti |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 4.30.34)
“[A question is raised:] ‘Well, if in accord with the statement [of you all in the previous verse], ‘We are touched by māyā,’ you all pray for association with sādhus for the sake of conquering māyā, then why don’t you directly accept mokṣa itself [as a boon instead of praying for the means to attain mokṣa]?’ Thus, they say tulayāma … [i.e., they speak this verse in reply]. The meaning is this: all the [conventionally] desirable benedictions there are certainly are experienced within [attainment of the benedictions of] Svarga and mokṣa, whereas association with sādhus’ thousandfold superiority to Svarga and mokṣa is understood since when association with sādhus occurs, relishing of the sweetness (mādhurya) of discussion of your form and qualities shall occur, and that is crores and crores of times greater than the pleasure of Svarga and even the pleasure of your undifferentiated essential nature, that is, Brahman. As per your statement [in Padma Purāṇa], ‘I dwell neither in Vaikuṇṭha nor in the hearts of yogīs; where my bhaktas sing, there I remain, O Nārada,’ it [i.e., the association of sādhus, your bhaktas], is a cause of paramount pleasure even for you who are the giver of pleasure to all [alt., even for you who are the giver of all types of pleasure]. Therefore, association with sādhus alone is chosen [by us as a benediction to be prayed for].”