bhagavān iti śabdo’yaṁ tathā puruṣa ity api |
vartate nirupādhiś ca vāsudeve’khilātmani ||
(Padma Purāṇa; cited in Tattva Sandarbha 30)
“The words ‘Bhagavān‘ and ‘Puruṣa’ free from upādhis (limiting modifiers) refer to Vāsudeva, the Self of all.”
bhagavāṁs tāvad asādhāraṇa-svarūpaiśvarya-mādhuryas tattva-viśeṣaḥ | tatra svarūpaṁ paramānandaḥ, aiśvaryam asamordhvānanta-svābhāvika-prabhutā, mādhuryam asamordhvatayā sarva-manoharaṁ svābhāvika-rūpa-guṇa-līlādi-sauṣṭhavaṁ … |
(Vaiṣṇava-toṣaṇī-ṭīkā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 10.12.11)
“Bhagavān specifically is that particular entity (tattva) who possesses extraordinary nature (svarūpa), capability (aiśvarya), and mellifluousness (mādhurya). In this regard, his nature (svarūpa) is supreme blissfulness, his capability (aiśvarya) is unparalleled and unending natural mastery, and his mellifluousness (mādhurya) is the excellence of his natural figure, qualities, līlās, and so forth, which are captivating to all on account of being unparalleled.”
man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru |
mām evaiṣyasi satyaṁ te pratijāne priyo’si me ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 18.65)
“Be of mind fixed on me, [be] my bhakta, [be] my worshipper. Offer obeisance to me. You will come to me alone. Truly, I promise you this, for you are dear to me.”
sarva-guhyatamaṁ bhūyaḥ śṛṇu me paramaṁ vacaḥ |
iṣṭo’si me dṛḍham iti tato vakṣyāmi te hitam ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 18.64)
“Again hear my supreme advice, most confidential of all. You are exceedingly dear to me. Thus, I will speak of [the highest] good for you.”
sattvānurūpā sarvasya śraddhā bhavati bhārata |
śraddhāmayo’yaṁ puruṣo yo yac-chraddhaḥ sa eva saḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 17.3)
“The śraddhā of all beings corresponds to their disposition (sattva), O descendant of Bhārata. A person is made of śraddhā. One verily is the śraddhā one has.”
tasmāc chāstraṁ pramāṇaṁ te kāryākārya-vyavasthitau |
jñātvā śāstra-vidhānoktaṁ karma kartum ihārhasi ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 16.24)
“Therefore, śāstra is the pramāṇa [i.e., means of knowledge] in determining what is to be done and not to be done. By understanding the stated injunctions of the śāstra hereto [i.e., in regard to karma], you become fit to perform it.”
yaḥ śāstra-vidhim utsṛjya vartate kāma-cārataḥ |
na sa siddhim avāpnoti na sukhaṁ na parāṁ gatim ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 16.23)
“One who rejects the injunctions of śāstra and remains engaged in wilful behavior attains neither success, nor happiness, nor the supreme destination.”
api cet sudurācāro bhajate mām ananya-bhāk |
sādhur eva sa mantavyaḥ samyag vyavasito hi saḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 9.30)
“If even a person of extreme misconduct serves me exclusively, he should be regarded as a sādhu because he is rightly resolved.”
ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate |
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmyaham ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 9.22)
“I [personally] provide the acquisition and protection [of the bodily necessities] of those one-pointed, meditative, and ever-absorbed persons who worship me in full.”
cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa pramāthi balavad dṛḍham |
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye vāyor iva suduṣkaram ||
(Śrīmad Bhagavad-gītā: 6.34)
“O Kṛṣṇa, because the mind is restless, agitating, powerful, and obstinate, I consider controlling it, like [trying to control] the wind, extremely difficult.”
