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| Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Ṭhakura |
শ্রী গৌड़िয-কন্ঠহার
Gaudiya Kanṭhahāra:
13th Jewel
SĀDHANA-BHAKTI-TATTVA
The Practice of Divine Love
The Jeweled Necklace of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas
Being a compendium of quotations from revealed scriptures
concerning the truths about the cult of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu
Compiled under the authority and direction of
His Divine Grace
Bhaktisiddhānta Sāraswāti Goswāmī
Prabhupada
Translated and edited, with original Sanskrit and Bengali and Roman transliteration by
B. V. Mahāyogi, Michael Dolan
Without Śaraṇāgati There Can be no
Auspiciousness
१३.१४०
तावद् भयं द्रविण-देह-सुहृन्-निमित्तं
शोकः स्पृहा परिभवो विपुलश् च लोभः
तावन् ममेत्य् असद्-अवग्रह आर्ति-मूलं
यावन् न ते \ऽङ्घ्रिम् अभयं प्रवृणीत लोकः
13.140
tāvad bhayaṁ draviṇa-deha-suhṛn-nimittaṁ
śokaḥ spṛhā paribhavo vipulaś ca lobhaḥ
tāvan mamety asad-avagraha ārti-mūlaṁ
yāvan na te 'ṅghrim abhayaṁ pravṛṇīta lokaḥ
O my Lord, the people of the world are embarrassed by material anxieties they are always afraid. They always try to protect wealth, body, and friends. They are filled with lamentation and unlawful desires and paraphernalia; and they
avariciously base their undertakings on the perishable conceptions of "my" and "mine". As long as they do not take shelter of Your safe lotus feet, they are full of such anxieties.
(Bhāg. 3.9.6)
कार्पण्य-दोषोपहत-स्वभावः पृच्छामि त्वां धर्म-सम्मूढ-चेताः
यच् छ्रेयः स्यान् निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन् मे शिष्यस् ते ऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्
kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ
yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam
Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure due to weakness. In that condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple and soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.
(Bhagavadgītā 2.7)
१३.१४२
दैवी ह्य् एषा गुण-मयी मम माया दुरत्यया
माम् एव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायाम् एतां तरन्ति ते
13.142
daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te
This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of nature, is difficult to overcome, but those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.
(Bhagavad-gītā 7.14)
१३.१४३
येषां स एष भगवान् दययेद् अनन्तः
सर्वात्मनाश्रित-पदो यदि निर्व्यलीकम्
ते दुस्तरां अतितरन्ति च देव-मायां
नैषां ममाहम् इति धीः श्व-शृगाल-भक्ष्ये
13.143
yeṣāṁ sa eṣa bhagavān dayayed anantaḥ
sarvātmanāśrita-pado yadi nirvyalīkam
te dustarāṁ atitaranti ca deva-māyāṁ
naiṣāṁ mamāham iti dhīḥ śva-śṛgāla-bhakṣye
Anyone who is specifically favored by the Supreme Lord, due to unalloyed surrender to the service of the Lord, can overcome the insurmountable ocean of illusion and can understand the Lord. But those who are attached to the body,
which is meant to be eaten by dogs and jackals cannot do so.
(Bhāg. 2.7.42)
१३.१४४
अनन्याश् चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योग-क्षेमं वहाम्य् अहम्
13.144
ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham
But those who are always attached to Me, who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form to them I
carry what they have and preserve what they lack.
(Bhagavad-gītā 9.22)
१३.१४५
कृष्ण-भक्ति-सुधापानाद् देह-दैहिक-विस्मृतेः
तेशां भौतिक-देहेऽपि सच्-चिद्-आनन्द-रूपता
13.145
kṛṣṇa-bhakti-sudhāpānād deha-daihika-vismṛteḥ
teśāṁ bhautika-dehe'pi sac-cid-ānanda-rūpatā
Drinking the nectar of Kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa, the living being forgets the gross and subtle material bodies and becomes absorbed in transcendence. The body of such a devotee, although material, attains the qualities sat, cit, and ānanda, or eternity, knowledge, and bliss.
(Bṛhad- bhāgavatāmṛta 2.3.45)
১৩.১৪৬
শরণ লঞা করে কৃষ্ণে আত্ম-সমর্পণ
কৃষ্ণ তারে করে তত্-কালে আত্ম-সম
13.146
śaraṇa lañā kare kṛṣṇe ātma-samarpaṇa
kṛṣṇa tāre kare tat-kāle ātma-sama
When a devotee fully surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, offering his very self, at that time Kṛṣṇa accepts the devotee to be as good as His very self. (That is, the Lord accepts Him as one of his own personal associates.)
(Cc. Madhya 22.102)
১৩.১৪৭
প্রভু কহে,--"বৈষ্ণব-দেহ ঽপ্রাকৃতঽ কভু নয়
ঽপ্রাকৃতঽ দেহ ভক্তের ঽচিদ্-আনন্দ-ময়ঽ দীক্ষা-কালে ভক্ত করে আত্ম-সমর্পণ
সেই-কালে কৃষ্ণ তারে করে আত্ম-সম
সেই দেহ করে তার চিদ্-আনন্দ-ময় অপ্রাকৃত-দেহে তাঙ্র চরণ ভজয়
13.147
prabhu kahe,--"vaiṣṇava-deha 'prākṛta' kabhu naya
'aprākṛta' deha bhaktera 'cid-ānanda-maya' dīkṣā-kāle bhakta kare ātma-samarpaṇa
sei-kāle kṛṣṇa tāre kare ātma-sama
sei deha kare tāra cid-ānanda-maya aprākṛta-dehe tāṅra caraṇa bhajaya
Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "The body of a devotee is never material. It is considered transcendental, full of spiritual bliss. At the time of initiation, when a devotee fully surrenders unto the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa accepts him to be as good as Himself. When the devotee's body is thus transformed into spiritual existence, the devotee, in that transcendental body, renders service to the lotus feet of the Lord.
(Cc. Antya 4.191-193)
१३.१४८
दन्ते निधाय़ तृणकं पदय़ोर्-निपत्य़ कृत्बा च काकुशतम् एतद् अहं ब्रबीमि
हे साधबः सकलम् एब बिहाय़ दूराद्गौरङ्ग- चन्द्र-चरणे कुरुतानुरागम्
13.148
dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor-nipatya kṛtvā ca kākuśatam etad ahaṁ bravīmi
he sādhavaḥ sakalam eva vihāya dūrādgauraṅga- candra-caraṇe kurutānurāgam
Taking a straw in my teeth I fall at your feet hundreds of times and implore you with sweet words, saying, "O noble soul! Please throw out everything you have learned and cultivate attachment to the lotus feet of the moonlike Śrī Gaurāṅga.
(Caitanya-candrāmṛta 120)
Humility
१३.१४९
न प्रेम-गन्धो ऽस्ति दरापि मे हरे
क्रन्दामि सौभाग्य़-भरं प्रकाषितुम्
बंशी-बिलास्य़्-आनन-लोकनं बिना
बिभर्मि य़त् प्राण-पतङ्गकान् बृथा
13.149
na prema-gandho 'sti darāpi me hare
krandāmi saubhāgya-bharaṁ prakāṣitum
vaṁśī-vilāsy-ānana-lokanaṁ vinā
vibharmi yat prāṇa-pataṅgakān vṛthā
My dear friends, I have not the slightest tinge of love of Godhead within my heart. When you see me crying in separation, I am only making a false show of devotion. The proof that I have no love for Kṛṣṇa is the fact that while not seeing His beautiful face as He plays His flute I continue to maintain My fly like existence.
(Cc. Madhya 2.45)
The Value of Association With a Pure Devotee
१३.१५०
अत आत्यन्तिकं क्षेमं पृच्छामो भवतो ऽनघाः
संसारे ऽस्मिन् क्षणार्धो ऽपि सत्-सङ्गः शेवधिर् नृणाम्
13.150
ata ātyantikaṁ kṣemaṁ pṛcchāmo bhavato 'naghāḥ
saṁsāre 'smin kṣaṇārdho 'pi sat-saṅgaḥ śevadhir nṛṇām
O sinless ones! We therefore inquire from you about that which is supremely
auspicious for all living beings, for in this world association with saints even for
a half a moment is the most valuable treasure in human society. (Bhāg. 11.2.30)
१३.१५१
तुलयाम लवेनापि न स्वर्गं नापुनर्-भवम्
भगवत्-सङ्गि-सङ्गस्य मर्त्यानां किम् उताशिषः
13.151
tulayāma lavenāpi na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam
bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya martyānāṁ kim utāśiṣaḥ
Elevation to the heavenly planets and liberation from material existence cannot be compared to even a moment's association with a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. What then can be said of material benedictions, which are for those who are destined to die?
(Bhāg. 1.18.13)
१३.१५२
भयं द्वितीयाभिनिवेशतः स्याद् ईशाद् अपेतस्य
विपर्ययो ऽस्मृतिः तन्-माययातो बुध आभजेत् तं
भक्त्यैकयेशं गुरु-देवतात्मा
13.152
bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya
viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ tan-māyayāto budha ābhajet taṁ
bhaktyaikayeśaṁ guru-devatātmā
Fear arises when a living entity misidentifies himself as the material body because of absorption in the external, illusory energy of the Lord. When the living entity thus turns away from the Supreme Lord, he also forgets his own constitutional position as a servant of the Lord. This bewildering, fearful condition is effected by the potency for illusion, called māyā. Therefore, an intelligent person should engage unflinchingly in the unalloyed devotional
service of the Lord, under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, whom he
should accept as his worshipable deity and as his very life and soul.
(Bhāg. 11.2.37)
The Śrutis Identify the Worship of Devotees and Association with Saints as the Only Thing Worth Doing
१३.१५३
तस्माद्-आत्मज्ञं ह्य् अर्चयेद्-भूति-कामः
13.153
tasmād-ātmajñaṁ hy arcayed-bhūti-kāmaḥ
A person wishing to attain divine opulence should worship one who is ātmajña, self-realized. That is, he should worship a devotee of Śrī Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.1.10)
Sādhu-saṇga is the Only Way-
१३.१५४
रहूगणैतत् तपसा न याति
न चेज्यया निर्वपणाद् गृहाद् वा
न च्छन्दसा नैव जलाग्नि-सूर्यैर्
विना महत्-पाद-रजो-ऽभिषेकम्
13.154
rahūgaṇaitat tapasā na yāti
na cejyayā nirvapaṇād gṛhād vā
na cchandasā naiva jalāgni-sūryair
vinā mahat-pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam
My dear King Rahūgaṇa, unless one has the opportunity to smear his body with the dust of the lotus feet of great devotees, one cannot realize the Absolute Truth.
One cannot realize the Absolute Truth simply by observing celibacy, by worshiping the Deity, by taking sannyāsa, by perfectly following the rules of the gṛhastha āśrama, nor can one attain the truth by accepting severe penances and austerities, by studying the Vedas, nor by worshiping the gods of water and sun. Only by bathing in the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee is the Absolute Truth revealed.
(Bhāg. 5.12.12)
Those Who Have Few Pious Credits Cannot Get the Association of Great Souls
१३.१५५
दुरापा ह्य् अल्प-तपसः सेवा वैकुण्ठ-वर्त्मसु
यत्रोपगीयते नित्यं देव-देवो जनार्दनः
13.155
durāpā hy alpa-tapasaḥ sevā vaikuṇṭha-vartmasu
yatropagīyate nityaṁ deva-devo janārdanaḥ
Those whose austerity is meager can hardly obtain the service of the pure devotees, who are progressing on the path back to the kingdom of God, Vaikuṇṭha. Pure devotees engage one hundred percent in glorifying the Supreme Lord, who is the Lord of the demigods and the controller of all living entities.
(Bhāg. 3.7.20)
१३.१५६
नैषां मतिस् तावद् उरुक्रमाङ्घ्रिं
स्पृशत्य् अनर्थापगमो यद्-अर्थः
महीयसां पाद-रजो-ऽभिषेकं
निष्किञ्चनानां न वृणीत यावत्
13.156
naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ
spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ
mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekaṁ
niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat
Unless they smear upon their bodies the dust of the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava completely free from material contamination, persons very much inclined toward materialistic life cannot be attached to the lotus feet of the Lord. Only in this way can one be free from material contamination.
(Bhāg. 7.5.32)
A Devotee Has all Good Qualities; a Non-devotee
Has None
१३.१५७
यस्यास्ति भक्तिर् भगवत्य् अकिञ्चना
सर्वैर् गुणैस् तत्र समासते सुराः
हराव् अभक्तस्य कुतो महद्-गुणा
मनोरथेनासति धावतो बहिः
13.157
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ
harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā
manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ
All demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religious knowledge and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva.
On the other hand, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities
has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga, or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in serving the Lord's external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a person?
(Bhāg. 5.18.12)
From Sādhu-saṇga Comes Faith, Devotional
Attachment, and then Premabhakti
१३.१५८
सतां प्रसङ्गान् मम वीर्य-संविदो
भवन्ति हृत्-कर्ण-रसायनाः कथाः
तज्-जोषणाद् आश्व् अपवर्ग-वर्त्मनि
श्रद्धा रतिर् भक्तिर् अनुक्रमिष्यति
13.158
satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido
bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ
taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani
śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati
In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation. Thereafter he is freed, and his attraction is fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.
(Bhāg. 3.25.25)
With Humility and Hankering for Kṛṣṇa, a Devotee Prays as Follows
१३.१५९
न धनं न जनं न सुन्दरीं कवितां वा जगदीश कामये
मम जन्मनि जन्मनीश्वरे भवतद्-भक्तिर्-अहैतुकी त्वयि
13.159
na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatad-bhaktir-ahaitukī tvayi
O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers, nor do I care for the fame of a poet, or the poetically glorified position of impersonal liberation I only want Your causeless devotional service birth after birth.
(Śikṣāṣṭakam 4)
Thus ends the Thirteenth Jewel of the Gauḍīya
Kaṇṭhahāra, entitled Sādhanabhakti- tattva.
The Jeweled Necklace of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas
Being a compendium of quotations from revealed scriptures
concerning the truths about the cult of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu
Compiled under the authority and direction of
His Divine Grace
Bhaktisiddhānta Sāraswāti Goswāmī
Prabhupada
Translated and edited, with original Sanskrit and Bengali and Roman transliteration by
B. V. Mahāyogi, Michael Dolan
Without Śaraṇāgati There Can be no
Auspiciousness
१३.१४०
तावद् भयं द्रविण-देह-सुहृन्-निमित्तं
शोकः स्पृहा परिभवो विपुलश् च लोभः
तावन् ममेत्य् असद्-अवग्रह आर्ति-मूलं
यावन् न ते \ऽङ्घ्रिम् अभयं प्रवृणीत लोकः
13.140
tāvad bhayaṁ draviṇa-deha-suhṛn-nimittaṁ
śokaḥ spṛhā paribhavo vipulaś ca lobhaḥ
tāvan mamety asad-avagraha ārti-mūlaṁ
yāvan na te 'ṅghrim abhayaṁ pravṛṇīta lokaḥ
O my Lord, the people of the world are embarrassed by material anxieties they are always afraid. They always try to protect wealth, body, and friends. They are filled with lamentation and unlawful desires and paraphernalia; and they
avariciously base their undertakings on the perishable conceptions of "my" and "mine". As long as they do not take shelter of Your safe lotus feet, they are full of such anxieties.
(Bhāg. 3.9.6)
कार्पण्य-दोषोपहत-स्वभावः पृच्छामि त्वां धर्म-सम्मूढ-चेताः
यच् छ्रेयः स्यान् निश्चितं ब्रूहि तन् मे शिष्यस् ते ऽहं शाधि मां त्वां प्रपन्नम्
kārpaṇya-doṣopahata-svabhāvaḥ pṛcchāmi tvāṁ dharma-sammūḍha-cetāḥ
yac chreyaḥ syān niścitaṁ brūhi tan me śiṣyas te 'haṁ śādhi māṁ tvāṁ prapannam
Now I am confused about my duty and have lost all composure due to weakness. In that condition I am asking You to tell me clearly what is best for me. Now I am Your disciple and soul surrendered unto You. Please instruct me.
(Bhagavadgītā 2.7)
१३.१४२
दैवी ह्य् एषा गुण-मयी मम माया दुरत्यया
माम् एव ये प्रपद्यन्ते मायाम् एतां तरन्ति ते
13.142
daivī hy eṣā guṇa-mayī mama māyā duratyayā
mām eva ye prapadyante māyām etāṁ taranti te
This divine energy of Mine, consisting of the three modes of nature, is difficult to overcome, but those who have surrendered unto Me can easily cross beyond it.
(Bhagavad-gītā 7.14)
१३.१४३
येषां स एष भगवान् दययेद् अनन्तः
सर्वात्मनाश्रित-पदो यदि निर्व्यलीकम्
ते दुस्तरां अतितरन्ति च देव-मायां
नैषां ममाहम् इति धीः श्व-शृगाल-भक्ष्ये
13.143
yeṣāṁ sa eṣa bhagavān dayayed anantaḥ
sarvātmanāśrita-pado yadi nirvyalīkam
te dustarāṁ atitaranti ca deva-māyāṁ
naiṣāṁ mamāham iti dhīḥ śva-śṛgāla-bhakṣye
Anyone who is specifically favored by the Supreme Lord, due to unalloyed surrender to the service of the Lord, can overcome the insurmountable ocean of illusion and can understand the Lord. But those who are attached to the body,
which is meant to be eaten by dogs and jackals cannot do so.
(Bhāg. 2.7.42)
१३.१४४
अनन्याश् चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योग-क्षेमं वहाम्य् अहम्
13.144
ananyāś cintayanto māṁ ye janāḥ paryupāsate
teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānāṁ yoga-kṣemaṁ vahāmy aham
But those who are always attached to Me, who worship Me with devotion, meditating on My transcendental form to them I
carry what they have and preserve what they lack.
(Bhagavad-gītā 9.22)
१३.१४५
कृष्ण-भक्ति-सुधापानाद् देह-दैहिक-विस्मृतेः
तेशां भौतिक-देहेऽपि सच्-चिद्-आनन्द-रूपता
13.145
kṛṣṇa-bhakti-sudhāpānād deha-daihika-vismṛteḥ
teśāṁ bhautika-dehe'pi sac-cid-ānanda-rūpatā
Drinking the nectar of Kṛṣṇa-bhakti-rasa, the living being forgets the gross and subtle material bodies and becomes absorbed in transcendence. The body of such a devotee, although material, attains the qualities sat, cit, and ānanda, or eternity, knowledge, and bliss.
(Bṛhad- bhāgavatāmṛta 2.3.45)
১৩.১৪৬
শরণ লঞা করে কৃষ্ণে আত্ম-সমর্পণ
কৃষ্ণ তারে করে তত্-কালে আত্ম-সম
13.146
śaraṇa lañā kare kṛṣṇe ātma-samarpaṇa
kṛṣṇa tāre kare tat-kāle ātma-sama
When a devotee fully surrenders to Kṛṣṇa, offering his very self, at that time Kṛṣṇa accepts the devotee to be as good as His very self. (That is, the Lord accepts Him as one of his own personal associates.)
(Cc. Madhya 22.102)
১৩.১৪৭
প্রভু কহে,--"বৈষ্ণব-দেহ ঽপ্রাকৃতঽ কভু নয়
ঽপ্রাকৃতঽ দেহ ভক্তের ঽচিদ্-আনন্দ-ময়ঽ দীক্ষা-কালে ভক্ত করে আত্ম-সমর্পণ
সেই-কালে কৃষ্ণ তারে করে আত্ম-সম
সেই দেহ করে তার চিদ্-আনন্দ-ময় অপ্রাকৃত-দেহে তাঙ্র চরণ ভজয়
13.147
prabhu kahe,--"vaiṣṇava-deha 'prākṛta' kabhu naya
'aprākṛta' deha bhaktera 'cid-ānanda-maya' dīkṣā-kāle bhakta kare ātma-samarpaṇa
sei-kāle kṛṣṇa tāre kare ātma-sama
sei deha kare tāra cid-ānanda-maya aprākṛta-dehe tāṅra caraṇa bhajaya
Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "The body of a devotee is never material. It is considered transcendental, full of spiritual bliss. At the time of initiation, when a devotee fully surrenders unto the service of the Lord, Kṛṣṇa accepts him to be as good as Himself. When the devotee's body is thus transformed into spiritual existence, the devotee, in that transcendental body, renders service to the lotus feet of the Lord.
(Cc. Antya 4.191-193)
१३.१४८
दन्ते निधाय़ तृणकं पदय़ोर्-निपत्य़ कृत्बा च काकुशतम् एतद् अहं ब्रबीमि
हे साधबः सकलम् एब बिहाय़ दूराद्गौरङ्ग- चन्द्र-चरणे कुरुतानुरागम्
13.148
dante nidhāya tṛṇakaṁ padayor-nipatya kṛtvā ca kākuśatam etad ahaṁ bravīmi
he sādhavaḥ sakalam eva vihāya dūrādgauraṅga- candra-caraṇe kurutānurāgam
Taking a straw in my teeth I fall at your feet hundreds of times and implore you with sweet words, saying, "O noble soul! Please throw out everything you have learned and cultivate attachment to the lotus feet of the moonlike Śrī Gaurāṅga.
(Caitanya-candrāmṛta 120)
Humility
१३.१४९
न प्रेम-गन्धो ऽस्ति दरापि मे हरे
क्रन्दामि सौभाग्य़-भरं प्रकाषितुम्
बंशी-बिलास्य़्-आनन-लोकनं बिना
बिभर्मि य़त् प्राण-पतङ्गकान् बृथा
13.149
na prema-gandho 'sti darāpi me hare
krandāmi saubhāgya-bharaṁ prakāṣitum
vaṁśī-vilāsy-ānana-lokanaṁ vinā
vibharmi yat prāṇa-pataṅgakān vṛthā
My dear friends, I have not the slightest tinge of love of Godhead within my heart. When you see me crying in separation, I am only making a false show of devotion. The proof that I have no love for Kṛṣṇa is the fact that while not seeing His beautiful face as He plays His flute I continue to maintain My fly like existence.
(Cc. Madhya 2.45)
The Value of Association With a Pure Devotee
१३.१५०
अत आत्यन्तिकं क्षेमं पृच्छामो भवतो ऽनघाः
संसारे ऽस्मिन् क्षणार्धो ऽपि सत्-सङ्गः शेवधिर् नृणाम्
13.150
ata ātyantikaṁ kṣemaṁ pṛcchāmo bhavato 'naghāḥ
saṁsāre 'smin kṣaṇārdho 'pi sat-saṅgaḥ śevadhir nṛṇām
O sinless ones! We therefore inquire from you about that which is supremely
auspicious for all living beings, for in this world association with saints even for
a half a moment is the most valuable treasure in human society. (Bhāg. 11.2.30)
१३.१५१
तुलयाम लवेनापि न स्वर्गं नापुनर्-भवम्
भगवत्-सङ्गि-सङ्गस्य मर्त्यानां किम् उताशिषः
13.151
tulayāma lavenāpi na svargaṁ nāpunar-bhavam
bhagavat-saṅgi-saṅgasya martyānāṁ kim utāśiṣaḥ
Elevation to the heavenly planets and liberation from material existence cannot be compared to even a moment's association with a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa. What then can be said of material benedictions, which are for those who are destined to die?
(Bhāg. 1.18.13)
१३.१५२
भयं द्वितीयाभिनिवेशतः स्याद् ईशाद् अपेतस्य
विपर्ययो ऽस्मृतिः तन्-माययातो बुध आभजेत् तं
भक्त्यैकयेशं गुरु-देवतात्मा
13.152
bhayaṁ dvitīyābhiniveśataḥ syād īśād apetasya
viparyayo 'smṛtiḥ tan-māyayāto budha ābhajet taṁ
bhaktyaikayeśaṁ guru-devatātmā
Fear arises when a living entity misidentifies himself as the material body because of absorption in the external, illusory energy of the Lord. When the living entity thus turns away from the Supreme Lord, he also forgets his own constitutional position as a servant of the Lord. This bewildering, fearful condition is effected by the potency for illusion, called māyā. Therefore, an intelligent person should engage unflinchingly in the unalloyed devotional
service of the Lord, under the guidance of a bona fide spiritual master, whom he
should accept as his worshipable deity and as his very life and soul.
(Bhāg. 11.2.37)
The Śrutis Identify the Worship of Devotees and Association with Saints as the Only Thing Worth Doing
१३.१५३
तस्माद्-आत्मज्ञं ह्य् अर्चयेद्-भूति-कामः
13.153
tasmād-ātmajñaṁ hy arcayed-bhūti-kāmaḥ
A person wishing to attain divine opulence should worship one who is ātmajña, self-realized. That is, he should worship a devotee of Śrī Hari, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(Muṇḍaka Upaniṣad 3.1.10)
Sādhu-saṇga is the Only Way-
१३.१५४
रहूगणैतत् तपसा न याति
न चेज्यया निर्वपणाद् गृहाद् वा
न च्छन्दसा नैव जलाग्नि-सूर्यैर्
विना महत्-पाद-रजो-ऽभिषेकम्
13.154
rahūgaṇaitat tapasā na yāti
na cejyayā nirvapaṇād gṛhād vā
na cchandasā naiva jalāgni-sūryair
vinā mahat-pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekam
My dear King Rahūgaṇa, unless one has the opportunity to smear his body with the dust of the lotus feet of great devotees, one cannot realize the Absolute Truth.
One cannot realize the Absolute Truth simply by observing celibacy, by worshiping the Deity, by taking sannyāsa, by perfectly following the rules of the gṛhastha āśrama, nor can one attain the truth by accepting severe penances and austerities, by studying the Vedas, nor by worshiping the gods of water and sun. Only by bathing in the dust of the lotus feet of a pure devotee is the Absolute Truth revealed.
(Bhāg. 5.12.12)
Those Who Have Few Pious Credits Cannot Get the Association of Great Souls
१३.१५५
दुरापा ह्य् अल्प-तपसः सेवा वैकुण्ठ-वर्त्मसु
यत्रोपगीयते नित्यं देव-देवो जनार्दनः
13.155
durāpā hy alpa-tapasaḥ sevā vaikuṇṭha-vartmasu
yatropagīyate nityaṁ deva-devo janārdanaḥ
Those whose austerity is meager can hardly obtain the service of the pure devotees, who are progressing on the path back to the kingdom of God, Vaikuṇṭha. Pure devotees engage one hundred percent in glorifying the Supreme Lord, who is the Lord of the demigods and the controller of all living entities.
(Bhāg. 3.7.20)
१३.१५६
नैषां मतिस् तावद् उरुक्रमाङ्घ्रिं
स्पृशत्य् अनर्थापगमो यद्-अर्थः
महीयसां पाद-रजो-ऽभिषेकं
निष्किञ्चनानां न वृणीत यावत्
13.156
naiṣāṁ matis tāvad urukramāṅghriṁ
spṛśaty anarthāpagamo yad-arthaḥ
mahīyasāṁ pāda-rajo-'bhiṣekaṁ
niṣkiñcanānāṁ na vṛṇīta yāvat
Unless they smear upon their bodies the dust of the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava completely free from material contamination, persons very much inclined toward materialistic life cannot be attached to the lotus feet of the Lord. Only in this way can one be free from material contamination.
(Bhāg. 7.5.32)
A Devotee Has all Good Qualities; a Non-devotee
Has None
१३.१५७
यस्यास्ति भक्तिर् भगवत्य् अकिञ्चना
सर्वैर् गुणैस् तत्र समासते सुराः
हराव् अभक्तस्य कुतो महद्-गुणा
मनोरथेनासति धावतो बहिः
13.157
yasyāsti bhaktir bhagavaty akiñcanā
sarvair guṇais tatra samāsate surāḥ
harāv abhaktasya kuto mahad-guṇā
manorathenāsati dhāvato bahiḥ
All demigods and their exalted qualities, such as religious knowledge and renunciation, become manifest in the body of one who has developed unalloyed devotion for the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Vāsudeva.
On the other hand, a person devoid of devotional service and engaged in material activities
has no good qualities. Even if he is adept at the practice of mystic yoga, or the honest endeavor of maintaining his family and relatives, he must be driven by his own mental speculations and must engage in serving the Lord's external energy. How can there be any good qualities in such a person?
(Bhāg. 5.18.12)
From Sādhu-saṇga Comes Faith, Devotional
Attachment, and then Premabhakti
१३.१५८
सतां प्रसङ्गान् मम वीर्य-संविदो
भवन्ति हृत्-कर्ण-रसायनाः कथाः
तज्-जोषणाद् आश्व् अपवर्ग-वर्त्मनि
श्रद्धा रतिर् भक्तिर् अनुक्रमिष्यति
13.158
satāṁ prasaṅgān mama vīrya-saṁvido
bhavanti hṛt-karṇa-rasāyanāḥ kathāḥ
taj-joṣaṇād āśv apavarga-vartmani
śraddhā ratir bhaktir anukramiṣyati
In the association of pure devotees, discussion of the pastimes and activities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is very pleasing and satisfying to the ear and the heart. By cultivating such knowledge one gradually becomes advanced on the path of liberation. Thereafter he is freed, and his attraction is fixed. Then real devotion and devotional service begin.
(Bhāg. 3.25.25)
With Humility and Hankering for Kṛṣṇa, a Devotee Prays as Follows
१३.१५९
न धनं न जनं न सुन्दरीं कवितां वा जगदीश कामये
मम जन्मनि जन्मनीश्वरे भवतद्-भक्तिर्-अहैतुकी त्वयि
13.159
na dhanaṁ na janaṁ na sundarīṁ kavitāṁ vā jagadīśa kāmaye
mama janmani janmanīśvare bhavatad-bhaktir-ahaitukī tvayi
O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers, nor do I care for the fame of a poet, or the poetically glorified position of impersonal liberation I only want Your causeless devotional service birth after birth.
(Śikṣāṣṭakam 4)
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