वर्तितव्यं शमिच्छद्भिर्भक्तवन् न तु कृष्णवत् ।
इत्येवं भक्तिशास्त्राणां तात्पर्यस्य विनिर्णयः ॥
रामादिवद्वर्तितव्यं न क्वचिद्रावणादिवत् ।
इत्येष मुक्तिधर्मादिपराणां नय ईर्यते ॥
vartitavyaṁ śam-icchadbhir bhaktavan na tu kṛṣṇavat |
ity evaṁ bhakti-śāstrāṇāṁ tātparyasya vinirṇayaḥ ||
rāmādivad vartitavyaṁ na kvacid rāvaṇādivat |
ity eṣa mukti-dharmādi-parāṇāṁ naya īryate ||
(Ujjvala-nīlamaṇi: 3.24–5)
“The bhakti-śāstra is to be followed as a bhakta, and not rather as Kṛṣṇa, by those who desire auspiciousness. This is the proper determination of the intent of the bhakti-śāstras. ‘One should act like Rāma and others [i.e., those of high character], and never like Rāvaṇa and others [i.e., those of condemnable character].’ This is said to be the proper conduct of those who seek mukti, dharma, and so on [but it is not the guideline for those who follow bhakti-śāstra].”