Chapter 9

Sri Sri Bhagavad-vacanamrtam - Words of Nectar from the Supreme Lord

9.1-2
        sri-krsnanghri-prapannanam, krsna-premaika-kanksinam
        sarvartty-ajnana-hrt sarva-, bhista-seva-sukha-pradam
        prana-sanjivanam saksad-, bhagavad-vacanamrtam
        sri-bhagavata-gitadi-, sastrac changrhyate 'tra hi

        Herein, collected from the Holy Scriptures headed by Srimad-Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita, are words of nectar directly from the lotus mouth of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is the nectar to vanquish all sorrow and darkness for the souls surrendered to the lotus feet of Sri Krsna, and also for those aspiring for exclusive love for Krsna. It nourishes the lives of the devotees, pleasing their hearts by fulfilling all their cherished desires for devotional service.

9.3
sri-bhagavatah prapanna-klesa-haritvam -
        tvam prapanno 'smi saranam, deva-devam janardanam
        iti yah saranam praptas, tam klesad uddharamy aham
              Sri Narasimhe

The Supreme Lord dispels the suffering of His surrendered soul -
        "I deliver from all suffering one who accepts My shelter, saying, 'O God of gods, O supreme refuge, I am surrendered unto You'."
                Sri Nrsimha Purana

9.4
tasya sakrd eva prapannaya sadabhaya-datrtvam -
        sakrd eva prapanno yas, tavasmiti ca yacate
        abhayam sarvada tasmai, dadamy etad vratam mama
              Sri Ramayane

If one seeks refuge in Him just once, He awards fearlessness to that person forever -
        "It is My pledge that if anyone just once sincerely petitions Me for shelter, saying 'I am Yours,' then I grant him courage for all time to come."
                  Sri Ramayana

9.5
sa ca sadhunam paritrana-kartta -
        paritranaya sadhunam, vinasaya ca duskrtam
        dharma-samsthapanarthaya, sambhavami yuge yuge
                Sri Gitayam 4.8

He is the savior of the saints -
        "I appear in every age to deliver the saintly devotees, to vanquish the sinful miscreants, and to firmly establish true religion."
            Srimad Bhagavad-gita (verses 5-31)
             
9.6
tasya prarthanurupa-phala-datrtvam -
        ye yatha mam prapadyante, tams tathaiva bhajamy aham
        mama vartmanuvartante, manusyah partha sarvasah
                tatraiva 4.11
He bestows whatever fruit He is petitioned for -
        "O Partha, however a person worships Me, I am correspondingly attainable by him. Certainly all men follow My path: they follow that path which is revealed by Me."

9.7
bahu-deva-yajinam sri-krsnetara-devata-prapattir-bhogabhisandhi-mulaiva -
        kamais tais tair hrta-jnanah, prapadyante 'nya-devatah
        tam tam niyamam asthaya, prakrtya niyatah svaya
              tatraiva 7.20

Motivation for sense gratification is the only reason that the worshippers of the many demigods surrender to those gods instead of to Lord Krsna -
        "Persons whose good sense is perverted by some material desire become preoccupied with that desire, and thus they adopt the appropriate rules and regulations to worship 'other gods'."

9.8
tat sarvesaresvaratvajnanam eva karminam bahu-deva-yajane karanam -
        aham hi sarva-yajnanam, bhokta ca prabhur eva ca
        na tu mam abhijananti, tattvenatas cyavanti te
              tatraiva 9.24

The elevationists worship 'many gods' due to their ignorance of Sri Krsna's position as the Supreme God of all gods -
        "I alone am the enjoyer and the Lord of all sacrifices. Those who worship the demigods, considering them to be independent of Me, are known as superficial worshippers (pratikopasaka). They do not understand My factual position, and thus due to their fallacious worship they deviate from the truth. When they worship as My expansions the demigods headed by the Sungod, they may ultimately gain an auspicious result."

9.9
tatra durmati-duskrti-mudhata-rupo maya-prabhava eva karanam -
        na mam duskrtino mudhah, prapadyante naradhamah
        mayayapahrtajnana, asuram bhavam asritah
            tatraiva 7.15

The cause of such stunted intelligence, evil propensities, and foolishness: the power of illusion (maya) -
        "Being merged in maya, foolish and fallen men dedicated to evil deeds resort to the demoniac mentality and do not surrender to Me."

9.10
dvandvatitah sukrtiman eva sri-krsna-bhajanadhikari -
        yesam tv anta-gatam papam, jananam punya-karmanam
        te dvandva-moha-nirmukta, bhajante mam drdha-vratah
                tatraiva 7.28

Only the virtuous soul who rejects both mundane happiness and unhappiness is qualified to worship Lord Krsna -
        "Those virtuous persons whose sins have been destroyed are liberated from illusory happiness and unhappiness, and they worship Me with firm resolve."

9.11
sri-krsna-prapattir eva maya-taranopayo nanyah -
        daivi hy esa gunamayi, mama maya duratyaya
        mam eva ye prapadyante, mayam etam taranti te
              tatraiva 7.14

Surrender to Sri Krsna is the only method of overcoming maya -
        "This trimodal deluding energy (maya) of Mine is practically insurmountable. Only those who surrender unto Me can overcome it."

9.12
sri-krsna-prapattir eva suddha-jnana-phalam ity anubhavitur mahatmanah
sudurllabhatvam -
        bahunam janmanam ante, jnanavan mam prapadyate
        vasudevah sarvam iti, sa mahatma sudurllabhah
              tatraiva 7.19

Absolute surrender unto the lotus feet of Sri Krsna is the purpose of knowledge (jnana) the great soul who realizes this truth is exceedingly rare -
        "Having passed through many lifetimes of assiduous spiritual practices, by the influence of sadhu-sanga, the association of saints, one attains to knowledge of My identity, and thus surrenders utterly unto Me. Thereafter, he reaches Me, and realizes that everything without exception is related to Vasudeva, and thus everything that be is of the nature of Vasudeva. Such a great soul is exceedingly rare."

9.13
labdha-cit-svarupasyaiva sri-krsne pare bhaktih, atah sa nirguna eva -
        brahma-bhutah prasannatma, na socati na kanksati
        samah sarvesu bhutesu, mad-bhaktim labhate param
              tatraiva 18.54

A person who has realized his constitutional spiritual nature engages in transcendental devotional service unto the lotus feet of Sri Krsna; therefore, such devotion is transcendental to the three modes of material nature -
        "By knowledge of the non-differentiated Absolute Truth, one can achieve self-satisfaction, freedom from lamentation and hankering, and perceive the equality in all beings. And above this, he engages in transcendental devotional service unto Me."

9.14
akhila-rasamrta-murtih sri-krsna eva jnani-gana-mrgya-turiya brahmano mulasrayah -
        brahmano hi pratisthaham, amrtasyavyayasya ca
        sasvatasya ca dharmasya, sukhasyaikantikasya ca
              tatraiva 14.27

Sri Krsna, the embodiment of the entire compass of divine mellows, is the absolute source of the undifferentiated Brahman that the liberationists desire to merge into as the fourth state of the soul -
        "Transcendental to the modes of nature as the Axiomatic Truth replete with the divine variegatedness of holy name, form, nature, associates, and pastimes, I alone am the mainstay and fountainhead of Brahman - the ultimate destination of the liberationists (jnanis).
        Immortality, immutability, eternality, the eternal sustenance of divine love, and the ultimate ecstasy of the divine mellows of Vrndavana (Vraja-rasa) - all these are supported by Me: the Transcendental, Variegated, Axiomatic Reality - Krsna."

9.15
aupanisat-purusasya sri-krsnasyaiva yogi-jana-mrgyam nikhila-cid-acin-niyantrtvam -         sarvasya caham hrdi sannivisto
        mattah smrtir jnanam apohanan ca
        vedais ca sarvair aham eva vedyo
        vedanta-krd veda-vid eva caham
          tatraiva 15.15

Encompassing the aggregate individuality and collectivity, the Absolute Autocracy over both the material and the spiritual planes is held by Sri Krsna alone, the Supreme Male Dominating Principle as corroborated in the Upanisads; and He is the objective sought after by the yogis -
        "I am situated as the Supreme Lord within the hearts of all souls. As a result of a soul's worldly deeds, his remembrance, knowledge, and forgetfulness arise from Me alone. Thus, I am not only Brahman, the Absolute Spirit that pervades the universe, but above that, I am the Supersoul present in the hearts of the living beings, who dispenses the results of their attempts. And even above My worshippable aspects of Brahman and Paramatma, I am the Guru of all souls, the eternal dispenser of their good fortune - I am Bhagavan, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to be known by all the Vedas; I am the creator and perfect knower of all the axiomatic conclusions of the Vedas (Vedanta)."

9.16
tad-visnoh paramam padam eva gantavyam, tac ca jnaninam anavrtti-karakam
yoginam adi-caitanya-svarupam karminan ca karma-phala-vidhayakam -
        tatah padam tat parimargitavyam, yasmin gata na nivartanti bhuyah
        tam eva cadyam purusam prapadye, yatah pravrttih prasrta purani
                  tatraiva 15.4

The desired goal is the supreme, divine lotus feet of Lord Visnu, who is the ordainer of ultimate emancipation for the liberationists (jnanis), the Supreme Lord of the meditationists (yogis), and the rewarder of the elevationists (karmis) -
        "Thus one should search out that supreme goal of no return - the lotus feet of Lord Visnu: 'I surrender unto Him, the Original Person from whom the perpetual material world has extended'."

9.17
avidya-nirmuktah sampurna-jna eva lila-purusottamam
sri-krsnam eva-nikhila-bhavair-bhajante -
        yo mam evam asammudho, janati purusottamam
        sa sarva-vid bhajati mam, sarva-bhavena bharata
              tatraiva 15.19

Those liberated from ignorance and endowed with full-fledged knowledge render service in all devotional mellows headed by consorthood (madhura-rasa), unto Sri Krsna, the Supreme Hero of divine pastimes (Lila-purusottama) -
        "O Bharata, one who is liberated from illusion, and thus knows Me alone as the Supreme Personality - such a full-fledged savant serves me in all respects (mellows)."

9.18
karma-jnana-dhyana-yoginam api (tat tad bhavam tyaktva) ye maccit-sakti-gata-sraddham-asritya bhajante ta eva sarva-sresthah -
        yoginam api sarvesam, mad-gatenantaratmana
        sraddhavan bhajate yo mam, sa me yuktatamo matah
              tatraiva 6.47

Of all yogis who follow the paths based on action, knowledge, and meditation (karma, jnana, dhyana), the topmost are those who (abandon their respective attitudes in order to) take refuge in their heart's faith in My personal potency (svarupa-sakti), and thus engage in my pure devotional service -
        "In My opinion, of all types of yogis, the most elevated of all is he who surrenders his heart to Me and serves Me in devotion with sincere, internal faith."

9.19
niravacchinna-prema-bhakti-yajino mat-parsada eva parama-sresthah -
        mayy-avesya mano ye mam, nitya-yukta upasate
        sraddhaya parayopetas, te me yuktatama matah
              tatraiva 12.2

My associates who serve Me in uninterrupted loving devotion are the most
superior -
        "Dedicating his whole life to devotional service with unalloyed faith, one who absorbs his heart in Me is definitely the highest of all devotees."

9.20
sri-krsne svayam-rupatvam sarvamsitvam sarvasrayatvam cid-vilasamayatvan ca -
        mattah parataram nanyat, kincid asti dhananjaya
        mayi sarvam idam protam, sutre mani-gana iva
              tatraiva 7.7

The original form of Godhead, Sri Krsna, is the origin of all incarnations, the ultimate refuge, and the enjoyer of dynamic divinity -
        "O Dhananjaya, there is none superior to Me. Everything that be is linked with Me in My Visnu form, like gems strung on a thread."

9.21
svayam-rupasya svarupa-sakti-pravarttanam asritya raga-bhajanam
eva parama-pandityam -
        aham sarvasya prabhavo, mattah sarvam pravarttate
        iti matva bhajante mam, budha bhava-samanvitah
              tatraiva 10.8

The ultimate sagacity is in Raga-bhajana, spontaneous devotion (headed by servitude unto Sri Radhika), under the impetus of the personal potency of the Original Lord who is beauty's own self -
        "Know Me as the source of everything that be, spiritual or material. Understanding this, the truly intelligent souls give their hearts to Me: they engage in My pure devotional service."
        (As soon as persons with the propensity for service in love [bhava-bhajana] realize the original form of Godhead [svayam-rupa] to be the fountainhead of all currents of worship and devotion, then, in the mellow of divine consorthood [madhura-rasa], they will necessarily feel deep loyalty to intimately follow the impetus of full-blown service, this impetus being the Lord's personal potency [svarupa-sakti] or the Female Embodiment of the acme in devotion [mahabhava-svarupa]. In this way, they attain to the servitude of Srimati Radharani [Sri Radha-dasya]. The purport is that the potency of Sri Krsna is also the Inauguratress of worship and devotion unto Him, and to engage in pure devotional service always in the shelter of such a conception in pure heart's devotion constitutes servitude to the Guru for the Gaudiya Vaisnavas, or Sri Radha-dasya in madhura-rasa.)

9.22
mad-arpita-prana mad-asritah parasparam sahayyena mad-alapanaprasada-ramanadi-sukham nityam eva labhante -
        mac-citta mad-gata-prana, bodhayantah parasparam
        kathayantas ca mam nityam, tusyanti ca ramanti ca
              tatraiva 10.9

My male or female servitors, who have dedicated their entire lives to Me and taken full shelter in Me, mutually assist one another in a manner befitting their respective internal devotional aptitudes. They eternally relish conversing about Me, the satisfaction of serving Me, and the nectar of devotion culminating in My divine consorthood -
        These are the symptoms of these exclusive devotees:
        "With heart and soul dedicated unto Me, they constantly exchange their devotional ecstasies while conversing about Me. By such hearing and chanting, in the stage of practice (sadhana) they enjoy the happiness of devotion; and in the stage of perfection (sadhya), that is, in the achievement of divine love (prema), they relish up to the mellow of My intimate relationship in divine consorthood, in the free spontaneity of Vraja."

9.23
bhava-sevaiva bhagavad-vasikarane samartha -
        patram puspam phalam toyam, yo me bhaktya prayacchati
        tad aham bhakty-upahrtam, asnami prayatatmanah
              tatraiva 9.26

Only loving service (bhava-seva) can subjugate the Supreme Lord -
        "Whatever the pure-hearted devotees lovingly offer unto Me, such as Tulasi leaf, flower, fruit, and water, I accept with heartfelt affection."

9.24
krsnaika-bhajana-silasya tat prabhavena vidhuyamanany abhadrani duracaravad
drstany api durabhisandhi-mulakavan na garhaniyany api ca svarupatas tad eka
bhajanasya paramadbhuta-mahatmyat sah sadhur eva -
        api cet suduracaro, bhajate mam ananya-bhak
        sadhur eva sa mantavyah, samyag vyavasito hi sah
              tatraiva 9.30

By the potency of the purging effect of devotion for Krsna, glaring inauspicious traits may arise in the character of a person who is exclusively devoted to the service of the Lord. Although such faults may seem to be abominable, they are not condemnable as born of evil motivations (as in a non-devotee). On the contrary, due to the natural, marvelous pristine glory of his exclusive devotion (ananya-bhajana), that devotee is to be known as a true saint -
        "If a person serves Me with heart exclusively devoted, even if his practices are abominable he is to be revered as a true saint (sadhu) because his life's resolve is perfect in all respects."

9.25
sodhana-prakriya-jata-mala-nihsaranasya, malina-vastunah
svabhavika-mala-vicchuranena saha na kadapy ekatvam.
tadrg bhaktah ksipram sudhyati, na kadapi nasyatiti paramasvasa-pradatvam -
        ksipram bhavati dharmatma, sasvac-chantim nigacchati
        kaunteya pratijanihi, na me bhaktah pranasyati
            tatraiva 9.31

The supreme assurance: the purging of dirt by a process of purification and the natural emanation of dirt from a contaminated thing can never be one. Such a devotee is swiftly purified - he is never lost -
        "O son of Kunti, it is My promise that a soul who adopts exclusive devotion unto Me will definitely never fail. Despite the initial purging and sudden appearance of his defects, such anomalies are rapidly dispelled by his continuous remembrance of Me in repentance for the impediments to his service. He becomes impeccably devout in the soul's natural constitutional behavior, and as a result of his devotion he attains supreme relief from the bondage of both sinfulness and piety."

9.26
gham-bhuta-visuddha-sattva-murtim asritya tamasa-prakrtayo 'pi
paramam gatim labhante -
        mam hi partha vyapasritya, ye 'pi syuh papa-yonayah
        striyo vaisyas tatha sudras, te 'pi yanti param gatim
              tatraiva 9.32

By taking shelter of Sri Krsna, the embodiment of unadulterated, concentrated pure goodness, even the most depraved reach the supreme destination -
        "O Partha, by expressly taking refuge in exclusive devotion for Me, even low-born barbarous peoples that subsist on cow's flesh, corrupt women such as prostitutes, and humans of lower order such as merchants and laborers - they all swiftly reach the supreme destination. Nothing can impede those who take shelter in devotion unto Me."

9.27
baddha-jivanam prakrti-yantritatvam isvarasyobhaya-niyamakatvan ca -
        isvarah sarva-bhutanam, hrd-dese arjuna tisthati
        bhramayan sarva-bhutani, yantrarudhani mayaya
              tatraiva 18.61
        
The conditioned souls are enslaved by material nature, but the Lord is the controller of both nature and the living beings -
        "O Arjuna, I am situated in the hearts of all souls as the Supersoul, the Lord and Master of all souls. For every endeavor of the living beings in this world, the Lord (My plenary expansion, the Supersoul) awards an appropriate result. As an object mounted on a wheel is caused to revolve, the living beings are caused to revolve in the universe by the almighty power of the Lord. Incited by Him, your destiny will naturally be effected according to your endeavors."

9.28
suddha-jivanam-anucaitanya-svarupatvat sa-sima-svatantratayah
sad-vyavaharena paresasraye para-santih -
        tam eva saranam gaccha, sarva-bhavena bharata
        tat prasadat param santim, sthanam prapsyasi sasvatam
                tatraiva 18.62

The pure spirit souls have finite independence due to their constitutional nature as atomic conscious entities; by proper utilization of that independence, they take shelter of the Supreme Lord and thus attain to the supreme peace -
        "O Bharata, surrender unto that Lord in all respects. By His grace you will attain to supreme peace and the eternal abode."

9.29
bhakta-bandhavasya bhagavatah parama-marmopadesah -
        sarva-guhyatamam bhuyah, srnu me paramam vacah
        isto 'si me drdham iti, tato vaksyami te hitam
            tatraiva 18.64

The most hidden of all hidden treasures of the Lord: the most affectionate advice of the devotee's dear friend -
        "I have revealed to you My hidden teaching of the non-differentiated Absolute, and My more hidden teaching of the Almighty Dominion. Now hear the most hidden of all hidden treasures concerning Me, the Sweet Absolute. Of all the teachings I have imparted within this Gita-sastra, this is topmost. You are most dear to Me, and thus I am explaining this for your best benefit."

9.30
parama-madhurya-murtteh kama-devasya kama-sevanusilanam eva niscitam sarvottama-phala-praptih -
        man mana bhava mad-bhakto, mad-yaji mam namaskuru
        mam evaisyasi satyam te, pratijane priyo 'si me
            tatraiva 18.65

Beyond all doubt, the highest attainment is to serve the (supramundane [aprakrta]) desires of the Sweet Absolute Cupid -
        "Be My devotee, give Me your heart. Do not think of Me as the karma-yogis, jnana-yogis, and dhyana-yogis do. Sacrifice your every endeavor for Me, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is my vow that without a doubt You will then achieve the servitude of My own Self, which is the embodiment of truth, sentience, and beauty. Because you are most dear to Me do I reveal this transcendental devotion to you."

9.31
nikhila-dharmadharma-vicara-parityagenadvaya jnana-svarupasya sri-vrajendranandanaika-vigrahasya pada-padma-
saranad eva sarvapac-chanti-purvaka sarva-sampat-praptih -
        sarva-dharman parityajya, mam ekam saranam vraja
        aham tvam sarva-papebhyo, moksayisyami ma sucah
              tatraiva 18.66

The only way to gain relief from all adversities, the only way to find the hidden treasure, is to abandon all consideration of religiosity or irreligiosity and surrender unto the lotus feet of the Absolute Reality the Beautiful Sri Krsnacandra, the divine son of King Nanda -
        "To impart knowledge of My all-comprehensive aspect, Brahman, as well as knowledge of My all-permeating aspect, Paramatma, whatever teachings I have given, based in general on: the duties of the socio-religious ranks of life, the duty of the mendicant, selflessness, internal and external sense-control, meditation, subservience to the dominion of the Almighty - now I ask you to summarily dismiss every one of those religiosities and surrender unto Me, the Personality of Godhead, Bhagavan. Then I shall deliver You from all sin of this worldly sojourn, as well as any sin incurred by giving up the aforementioned duties or religiosities. There will be no cause for you to lament that your life's mission is unfulfilled."

9.32
sri-harer eva sarva-sad-asaj-jagat-karanatvam -
        aham evasam evagre, nanyad yat sad-asat-param
        pascad aham yad etac ca, yo 'visisyeta so 'smy aham
            Srimad-Bhagavate 2.9.32

Sri Hari is the cause of all worlds, gross and subtle -
        "Prior to the creation of this universe, only I existed. The gross, the subtle, and even the indefinable non-differentiated Absolute, Brahman - nothing whatsoever existed separately from Me. After the creation, I exist as the aggregate entity; and after the cataclysm, only I shall remain."
            Srimad-Bhagavatam (verses 32-57)

9.33
nikhila-sambandhabhidheya-prayojanatmaka-veda-jnanam tasmad eva -
        jnanam me paramam-guhyam, yad-vijnana-samanvitam
        sa-rahasyam tad-angan ca, grhana gaditam maya
              tatraiva 2.9.30

The aggregate of knowledge propounded by the Vedas - relation, means, and end (sambandha, abhidheya, prayojana) - arises from Him alone -
        "To be merciful upon you do I teach you the most esoteric knowledge of Me, including - the realization of My nature and entourage (sambandha-tattva), the inconceivable mystery of loving devotion or prema-bhakti (prayojana-tattva), and its constituent part in the form of devotional practice or sadhana-bhakti (abhidheya-tattva). Now hear My message attentively, and accept what I impart to you."

9.34
sri-krsnatmaka-dharmamayam eva veda-jnanam tasmad brahmanadhigatam -
        kalena nasta pralaye, vaniyam veda-samjnita
        mayadau brahmane prokta, dharmo yasyam mad atmakah
                tatraiva 11.14.3

The teaching of eternal religion, nondifferent from Sri Krsna, is received from Sri Krsna by Lord Brahma -
        "The message of the Vedas is eternal religion, nondifferent from Me. When in the course of time those eternal teachings disappeared from view with the universal cataclysm, I imparted them to Lord Brahma at the dawning of a new creation."

9.35
paramananda-svarupa-sri-krsnaptir eva sarva-srestha-sukha-praptih -
        mayy arpitatmanah sabhya, nirapeksasya sarvatah
        mayatmana sukham yat tat, kutah syad visayatmanam
              tatraiva 11.14.12

The ultimate happiness is the attainment of the service of Sri Krsna, who is divine ecstasy personified -
        "My dear saints, where can the materialists find the happiness that I, the embodiment of divine ecstasy, bestow within the hearts of those who offer life and soul unto Me, and who have thus become indifferent to all else?"

9.36-37
karma-yogadi-labhyam phalam vanchati cet prapnoty eva krsna-bhaktah -
        yat karmabhir yat tapasa, jnana-vairagyatas ca yat
        yogena dana-dharmena, sreyobhir itarair api
        sarvam mad-bhakti-yogena, mad-bhakto labhate 'njasa
        svargapavargam mad-dhama, kathancid yadi vanchati
              tatraiva 11.20.32-33

When a devotee desires any object which is attainable by the practitioners of religiosity based on karma, jnana, and yoga, all his requirements are summarily achieved -
        "By engaging in devotional service, my devotee effortlessly attains anything and everything attainable in this world by virtuous practices such as duty, austerity, learning, detachment, meditation, charity, or religiosity. Even residence in Vaikunthaloka is his for the asking, to say nothing of the attainment of heaven or liberation."

9.38
aikantika diyamanam api kaivalyadikam na vanchanti -
        na kincit sadhavo dhira, bhakta hy ekantino mama
        vanchanty api maya dattam, kaivalyam apunar bhavam
              tatraiva 11.20.34

The exclusive devotees never aspire for liberation headed by emancipation in the Absolute, even if it is offered to them -
        "Even if I desire to award it to them, my sagacious, saintly, exclusive devotees will never accept the ultimate emancipation of oneness in Brahman."

9.39
kaivalyac-chreyah salokyadikam api necchanti -
        mat-sevaya pratitam te, salokyadi-catustayam
        necchanti sevaya purnah, kuto 'nyat kala-viplutam
              tatraiva 9.4.67

Nor do they aspire for even positive liberation, beginning with residence in the Lord's abode, which is infinitely superior to ultimate emancipation of oneness in Brahman -
        "When My dedicated pure devotee never accepts any of the four kinds of positive liberation (salokya, etc.) even if they avail themselves to him by dint of his service unto Me, then why will he ever wish for materialistic enjoyment and ultimate emancipation in Brahman (sayujya-mukti), which are very swiftly vanquished by the march of time? By sayujya-mukti, the soul's eternal status falls into the jaws of death. Thus, sense enjoyment and monistic liberation hold no permanence."

9.40
prabala bhaktir eva bhagavad-vasikarana-samartha, na hi yoga-jnanadayah -
        na sadhayati mam yogo, na sankhyam dharma uddhava
        na svadhyayas tapas tyago, yatha bhaktir mamorjita
              tatraiva 11.14.20

Only intense devotion can subjugate the Supreme Lord; meditation, knowledge, etc., cannot -
        "O Uddhava, pursuits such as eight-step yoga, knowledge of oneself as one with Brahman, brahminical religiosity and Vedic study, all kinds of austerity, selflessness in asceticism - none of these can bind Me as intense devotion does."

9.41
krsna-bhaktih svapakan api janma-dosat punati -
        bhaktyaham ekaya grahyah, sraddhayatma priyah satam
        bhaktih punati man-nistha, svapakan api sambhavat
              tatraiva 11.14.21

Krsna-bhakti delivers even barbarous outcasts from the contamination
of their low birth -
        "I, who am dear to the sadhus, can be reached only by devotion born of unalloyed faith. Even a dog-flesh-eating outcast who dedicates himself to exclusive devotion for Me is delivered from the influence of the wretched circumstances of his birth."

9.42
prabala bhaktir ajitendriyan api visaya-bhogad-uddharati -
        badhyamano 'pi mad-bhakto, visayair ajitendriyah
        prayah pragalbhaya bhaktya, visayair nabhibhuyate
              tatraiva 11.14.18

Intense devotion delivers even persons of uncontrolled senses from worldly enjoyment -
        "A person adopting the path of devotion may suffer the obstacle of his mind loitering somewhat in thoughts of mundanity, due to former habits of sensual dalliance. As he cultivates devotion, his service aptitude develops. And the more his boldness to serve increases, the more that materialistic devotee is gradually able to curb his attraction for the mundane. The only cause of failure for such aspirants is their lack of sincerity."

9.43-46
labdha-suddha-bhakti-bijasya nirvinnasyanubhuta-duhkhatmaka-
kama-svarupasyapi tat tyagasamarthya-garhana-silasya tatra niskapata-nistha-purvaka-yajita-bhakty-angasya bhaktasya sanair
bhagavan hrdayoditah san nikhilavidya tat karyani ca vidhvamsayanniravacchinna-nija-cinmaya-vilasa-dhamaivaviskaroti -
        jata-sraddho mat-kathasu, nirvinnah sarva-karmasu
        veda duhkhatmakan kaman, parityage 'py anisvarah
        tato bhajeta mam pritah, sraddhalur drdha-niscayah
        jusamanas ca tan kaman, duhkhodarkams ca garhayan
        proktena bhakti-yogena, bhajato ma 'sakrn muneh
        kama hrdaya nasyanti, sarve mayi hrdi sthite
        bhidyate hrdaya-granthis, chidyante sarva-samsayah
        ksiyante casya karmani, mayi drste 'khilatmani
              tatraiva 11.20.27-30

For one who receives the seed of devotion, who is selfless and penitent, denouncing his inability to abandon mundane enjoyment despite realizing it to be the embodiment of suffering, and who sincerely gives himself incessantly to all the practices of devotion - in the heart of such a devotee, the Supreme Lord ascends like the rising sun to annihilate all ignorance with its reactions, revealing His divine personality in all its pristine glory -
        "He who has imbibed heart's faith in the tidings of My name, nature, and pastimes; who has become indifferent to all kinds of fruitive work and its rewards; who has learnt that all forms of enjoyment of sensual passions ultimately transform into misery, yet he is unable to fully abandon such passions - such a faithful devotee, being determined that his shortcomings will be dispelled by the potency of devotion, gradually comes to abhor those evil passions that enslave him, knowing the havoc they wreak - and he serves Me with love: when his objective is pure and sincere, I give him My mercy.
        "In this way, the introspective devotee unceasingly absorbs himself in all the practices of devotional service as enunciated by Me. And I, who am situated in the heart of My devotee, strike at the root of all the material urges that infect his heart, reducing them to oblivion.
        "By bringing Me - the Soul of all souls - into his heart, no evil can remain there. Swiftly is the hard knot of mundane ego severed, all doubts are slashed, and all mundane action is exhausted for that earnestly aspiring devotee."

9.47
jnana-vairagyadinam kadacit suddha-bhakti-badhakatvam ato na bhakty-angatvam -         tasman mad-bhakti-yuktasya, yogino vai mad-atmanah
        na jnanam na ca vairagyam, prayah sreyo bhaved iha
              tatraiva 11.20.31

Since pursuits based on knowledge-cum-renunciation are sometimes agents of obstruction to pure devotion, they can never be integral parts of devotion -
        "The practice of dry gnosticism and stoic abnegation (jnana and vairagya) are unnecessary, and generally cannot be beneficial, for the faithful devotee who dedicates his heart and all his activities to the service of My lotus feet." (Even if jnana and vairagya are superficially employed in a preliminary stage, they are nonetheless not to be considered integral parts of pure devotion, which stands independently in her divine superexcellence.)

9.48
sraddhaya eva kevala-bhakty-adhikara-datrtvam na jatyadeh -
        kevalena hi bhavena, gopyo gavo naga mrgah
        ye 'nye mudha-dhiyo nagah, siddha mam iyur anjasa
                tatraiva 11.12.8

It is faith that qualifies one for exclusive devotion, not birth or any other worldly qualification -
        "O Uddhava, simply by their unalloyed hearts did the cowherd ladies, the cows of Vraja, the trees headed by the Yamalarjunas, the animals, the snakes headed by the evil Kaliya, and various objects of stultified intelligence headed by the shrubs and creepers of Vrndavana all attain perfection and swiftly reach Me." (Herein, sadhana-siddha Gopis and various other devotees who attained to perfection by pure devotional practice have been referred to.)

9.49
sastra-vihita-svadharma-tyagenapi bhagavad-bhajanam eva karttavyam -
        ajnayaiva gunan dosan, mayadistan api svakan
        dharman samtyajya yah sarvan, mam bhajet sa ca sattamah
                tatraiva 11.11.32

One must worship Lord Hari, even if it is necessary to abandon scripturally enjoined prescribed duties to do so -
        "In the Scriptures of Religion, I, the Supreme Lord, have instructed men of all statuses of life in their duties. Duly comprehending the purificatory virtue of executing those prescribed duties as well as the vice of neglecting them, one who abandons all allegiance to such dutifulness in order to engage in My devotional service is the best of honest men (sadhu)."

9.50-51
sarva-jivavataranam apy atma-svarupah svayam-rupo vraja-kisora
eva sakala-svarupa-vrtti-rasa-samahara-madhura-bhavena sruti-smrtivihita-pati-devatadi-nistha-parityagenaiva tat-krida-puttalakair iva
jivaih kama-rupanugatyena bhajaniyah. nikhila-klesa-dustasura-
samaja-pati-puttradi-bhayat sa raksisyaty eva -
        tasmat tvam uddhavotsrjya, codanam praticodanam
        pravrttin ca nivrttin ca, srotavyam srutam eva ca
        mam ekam eva saranam, atmanam sarva-dehinam
        yahi sarvatma-bhavena, maya sya hy akutobhayah
            tatraiva 11.12.14-15

The original form of the Lord is Vraja-kisora, the adolescent cowherd boy of Vrndavana, and He is the Soul of all souls and of all incarnations of God as well. Actually forsaking the Vedic and allied scriptural injunctions of allegiance to husband and venerable personages headed by the demigods, one should, as the soul's pursuit in divine consorthood - the natural aggregate of all devotional mellows - follow the path of aspiring for union with that transcendental cowherd exclusively for His transcendental pleasure, and serve Him in pure devotion like a play-doll in His hands. He unfailingly protects one from the fear of all tribulation, demons, society, husband, son and family -
        "O Uddhava, totally abandoning the precepts of religiosity incited by the Vedas and corroborated in the Smrti Scriptures, rejecting all injunctions and prohibitions, either well-known or yet to be known, take exclusive refuge in Me, the Soul of all beings - Sri Krsna, the Sweet Absolute. When you can do that with every mellow of your heart, you will be situated in My heart and thus not threatened from any quarter."

9.52
jivanam tyakta-bhukti-mukti-devatantarapti-sprhanam grhita-
sri-krsnanugatyamaya-jivananam eva nitya-svarupa-siddhis-tadantaranga-sri-rupanuga-bhajana-parikaratvan ca sampadyate -
        martyo yada tyakta-samasta-karma
        niveditatma vicikirsito me
        tadamrtatvam pratipadyamano
        mamatma-bhuyaya ca kalpate vai
          tatraiva 11.29.34

Utterly abandoning desire for worldly enjoyment or liberation, or the desire to become one of the demigods, the souls who embrace the service of Sri Krsna realize their eternal divine identity and attain confidential servitude to the Lord, gaining admission into the group of the followers of Srila Rupa Goswami -
        "When the mortal being gives up all worldly attempts, completely offers himself to Me, and acts exclusively according to My desire, he attains to the state of nectar, or positive immortality. He is then accepted: he becomes qualified to enjoy the acme of divine ecstasy, united with Me as My family member."

9.53
sva-priya-parikarena vina sri-bhagavato 'py atma-sattayam apy anabhilasah -
        naham atmanam asase, mad-bhaktaih sadhubhir vina
        sriyan catyantikim brahman, yesam gatir aham para
              tatraiva 9.4.64

Even the Supreme Lord does not wish to lead a life without the company of His beloved associates -
        "O best of the brahmanas, without the company of those sadhus for whom I alone am the only shelter, I desire neither the bliss of My own nature nor My eternal six opulences."

9.54
ananya-bhajanam eva sri-bhagavato bhaktanan ca parasparam tyagasahane karanam -
        ye daragara-putrapta-, pranan vittam imam param
        hitva mam saranam yatah, katham tams tyaktum utsahe
                tatraiva 9.4.65

In exclusive devotion, the Supreme Lord and His devotees cannot tolerate each other's separation -
        "They have left home, son, wife, relatives, wealth, life, this world, the next world - just to surrender to Me. How can I ever dream of leaving them?"

9.55
madhura-rasasyaiva sri-hari-vasikarane mukhyatvam
tatradhisthitasya darsanam eva sampurna-darsanam -
        mayi nirbandha-hrdayah, sadhavah sama-darsanah
        vase kurvanti mam bhaktya, sat-striyah sat-patim yatha
                tatraiva

Divine consorthood is the principle subduer of Sri Hari, and the vision of those who adopt it is perfect and complete -
        "As a chaste wife charms her virtuous husband, the sadhus of poised vision who adore Me with all their hearts similarly charm Me by the influence of their love."

9.56
sri-lila-purusottamasya svecchakrta-svasraya-vigrahagananugatyamaya-nija-nitya-vraja-vastava-mula-paricaya-prakase priti-tattvasyaiva-maulikatvat, nyayady asya tad asritatvam tad
adhinatvan ca, dvijasya hari-bhakta-vasyatvan ca prakasitam -
        aham bhakta-paradhino, hy asvatantra iva dvija
        sadhubhir-grasta-hrdayo, bhaktair-bhakta jana-priyah
              tatraiva 9.4.63

The Original Supreme Lord of divine pastimes - the son of the King of Vraja - is by nature submissive to his surrendered souls, by His own sweet will. In the manifestation of the Lord's eternal fundamental identity, it is revealed that because love is everything to Him, law is naturally dependent upon and thus subordinate to love, and a brahmana is subordinate to the devotee of the Lord -
        "O My dear brahmana, I am subordinate to My devotee, and therefore I am like one who has no independence. The sadhu devotees have captured My heart. And not to speak of My devotees, those who are devoted to My devotees are also dear to Me."

9.57
sri-krsna-prapannesu tyaktakhila-svajana-svadharmesu tat-padaika-ratesu tad-viraha-kataresu sri-bhagavato nija-nama-prema-parikara-vigraha-
lilarasa-pradanena paramatmiyavat paripalana-pratisruti-rupa paramasvasa-vani -
        tam aha bhagavan prestham, prapannarti-haro harih
        ye tyakta-loka-dharmas ca, mad arthe tan vibharmy aham
                tatraiva

For the devotees who have surrendered to the lotus feet of Sri Krsna, who have given up their families and prescribed duties for Him, and who within their deep absorption in His service feel brokenhearted by His separation, the Lord's message of supreme reassurance is His pledge as the most intimate family member to maintain the life of His devotee by giving His own name, affection, associates, body, and the ambrosia of His pastimes -
        The Supreme Lord Sri Hari, the vanquisher of the anguish of His surrendered souls, told His dearmost surrendered soul (Uddhava, the messenger):
        "I personally maintain those who have given up their prescribed duties and social obligations for Me."

iti sri-prapanna-jivanamrte
sri-bhagavad-vacanamrtam nama navamo 'dhyayah

thus ends the ninth chapter
Words of Nectar from the Supreme Lord
in
Life-Nectar of the Surrendered Souls
Positive and Progressive Immortality

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