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Bhakti Sandarbha 309 : Atma-nivedanam

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Anuccheda 309 Self-offering ( ātma-nivedanam ) अथ आत्मनिवेदनम्। तच्च देहादिशुद्धात्मपर्यन्तस्य सर्वतोभावेन तस्मिन्नेवार्पणम्। तत्कार्यं चात्मार्थचेष्टाशून्यत्वं तन्न्यस्तात्मसाधनसाध्यत्वं तदर्थैकचेष्टामयत्वं च। Now we will discuss ātma-nivedanam , self-offering or self-dedication. This limb of devotion entails offering one’s entire being to Bhagavān, beginning from the body up to the pure self. It is characterized by an absence of striving for one's own self, the offering of all one’s practices and attainments to Bhagavān, and concentration of one’s endeavors exclusively for Bhagavān. इदं ह्यात्मार्पणं गोविक्रयवतो विक्रीतस्य गोर्वर्तनार्थं विक्रीतवता चेष्टा न क्रियते। तस्य च श्रेयःसाधकस्तं क्रीतवान् एव स्यात्। स च गौस्तस्यैव कर्म कुर्यात्, न पुनर्विक्रीतवतोऽपीति। This self-surrender can be compared to selling a cow. Once a cow is sold, the seller makes no further effort to maintain the cow, the purchaser becomes solely responsible for the cow’s welfare and the cow works on

Bhakti Sandarbha 304-308 : Dasyam and Sakhyam

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The last two of the nine limbs of bhakti. Anuccheda 304 Dāsyam अथ दास्यम्। तच्च श्रीविष्णोर्दासंमन्यत्वम्। Now we will discuss dāsyam , or servitorship. This limb of devotion entails considering oneself a servant of Bhagavān Viṣṇu, as described below: जन्मान्तरसहस्रेषु यस्य स्यान्मतिरीदृशी। दासोऽहं वासुदेवस्य सर्वान् लोकान् समुद्धरेत्॥ इत्युक्तलक्षणम्। If after thousands of births a person develops the attitude of being a servant of Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa, he can deliver the entire world. अस्तु तावत् तद्भजनप्रयासः, केवलतादृशत्वाभिमानेनापि सिद्धिर्भवतीत्यभिप्रेत्यैवोत्तरत्र निर्देशश्च तस्य, यथोक्तं "जन्मान्तर" इत्येतत्पद्यस्यैवान्ते "किं पुनस्तद्गतप्राणाः पुरुषाः संयतेन्द्रियाः" इति। By this attitude alone one attains perfection, what to speak of the actual effort to serve Bhagavān. This point is brought out in this statement immediately following the above verse: "So what to speak of those whose very life is Bhagavān and whose senses have b

Bhakti Sandarbha 300-303 : Offenses in Deity Worship, Vandanam

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Radha Vrindavan Chandra Anuccheda 300 Offenses In Deity Worship एवं तादृशव्रतेष्वपि तत्तदुपासकानां स्वस्वेष्टदैवतव्रतं सुष्ठ्वेव विधेयमित्यागतम्। तथास्मिन् पादसेवार्चनमार्गे, यानैर्वा पादुकैर्वापि गमनं भगवद्गृहे इत्यादिना आगमोक्ता ये द्वात्रिंशदपराधाः, तथा "राजन्नभक्षणं चैवम्" इत्यादिना वाराहोक्ता ये च तत्सङ्ख्यकाः, तथा "मम शास्त्रं बहिष्कृत्य ह्यस्माकं यः प्रपद्यते" इत्यादिना, तदुक्ता ये चान्ये बहवस्ते सर्वे— It is thus understood that among all these vows, those that are specifically related to one’s own worshipful Bhagavān must be properly observed by the worshipers. On this path consisting of service to Bhagavān’s feet and worship of Bhagavān, one should avoid all offenses. This refers to the thirty-two offenses described in the Āgamas, such as the offense of entering a temple of Bhagavān wearing shoes or riding on a carriage. It also includes the thirty-two offenses described in the Varāha Purāṇa (116.5-36), beginning with eating the food

Bhakti Sandarbha 299 : Limbs of Arcana – Janmāṣṭamī, Kārttika vows, Ekādaśī, Bathing in Māgha

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This is the concluding anuccheda of the arcana section. Sri Jiva Prabhu gives a lengthy defense of Ekadasi, no doubt this extended discussion is an indication of controversies in Vrindavan, where the Radha Vallabha sampradaya considers honoring prasadam to be a higher principle than fasting. Jiva appears to have the shastras on his side. Anuccheda 299 Limbs of Arcana – Janmāṣṭamī, Kārttika vows, Ekādaśī, Bathing in Māgha 299.1 Janmāṣṭamī तदेतदर्चनं व्याख्यातम्। अस्याङ्गानि चागमादौ ज्ञेयानि। तथा श्रीकृष्णजन्माष्टमीकार्त्तिकव्रतैकादशीमाघ-स्नानादिकमत्रैवान्तर्भाव्यम्। In this way arcanam has been described. The various limbs of worship can be learnt from books, such as the Āgamas. Other devotional practices, such as the celebration of Kṛṣṇa’s birth, observance of vows during the month of Kārtika, fasting on Ekādaśī, and bathing during the month of Māgha, are to be included as parts of arcanam . तत्र जन्माष्टमी यथा विष्णुरहस्ये ब्रह्मनारदसंवादे— Among these, Kṛṣṇa