Verse 2.2.197

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.197:

सदा प्रमाण-भूतानाम् अस्माकं महतां तथा ।
वाक्यानि व्यवहारश् च प्रमाणं खलु सर्वथा ॥ १९७ ॥

sadā pramāṇa-bhūtānām asmākaṃ mahatāṃ tathā |
vākyāni vyavahāraś ca pramāṇaṃ khalu sarvathā || 197 ||

sadā–eternally; pramāṇa-bhūtānām–embodiments of śāstric evidence; asmākam–our; mahatām–of the great teachers; tathā–so; vākyāni–statements; vyavahārāḥ–behavior; ca–also; pramāṇam–evidence; khalu–indeed; sarvathā–in all respects.

In order to confirm this subject matter, scriptures such as Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, words of great personalities such as Śrī Nārada and Prahlāda, and the conduct of great souls such as Śrī Śuka and Sanaka unfailingly give evidence to authoritatively establish the excellence of devotional service.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

Some posit the following opinion: “The eternally existing Brahman, who is one without a second, falsely appears to various living beings due to the designation of Māyā. But when this false appearance of differentiation is destroyed by knowledge of the self (tattva-jñāna), one perceives only the one Brahman. Thus, it can be said that when the illusion of the designation of being a jīva who has fallen from both the position of Brahman and liberation is obliterated, then in liberation, as before, the condensed happiness of the true nature of Brahman is realized.”

The proponents of mukti further believe: “In liberation, there is not even a trace of the mundane ego, and therefore the very person who experiences happiness does not exist. This absence of existence notwithstanding, because the state of liberation itself constitutes realization of the joy of one’s real identity, it nevertheless accords the most concentrated happiness. As salvationists achieve joy from liberation, those who are devoted to serving the Lord feel that Śrī Bhagavān, who is the embodiment of eternity, knowledge, and bliss, continually manifests in their hearts, giving them experience of the greatest intensity of happiness. As it is established that one also experiences the greatest intensity of happiness in liberation, one can understand that bhakti’s special glories are not superior to those of liberation.”

However, such a philosophical conclusion (siddhānta) cannot be logical.

In order to refute the inconsistent siddhānta of the proponents of liberation, the bhakti-śāstras speak eight verses beginning with sadā (197–204). They say, “We devotional scriptures such as Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam give evidence with the following words.

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam (1.7.10) states:

आत्मारामाश् च मुनयो निर्ग्रन्था अप्य् उरुक्रमे
कुर्वन्त्य् अहैतुकीं भक्तिम् इत्थम्-भूत-गुणो हरिः

ātmārāmāś ca munayo nirgranthā apy urukrame
kurvanty ahaitukīṃ bhaktim ittham-bhūta-guṇo hariḥ

‘Although self-satisfied sages are free from bondage (their knots of false ego having been severed, they are beyond rules and regulations) and have no material desires, nevertheless, they still become enchanted by the qualities of Śrī Hari, who is endowed with great prowess, and thus they serve the Lord with unalloyed devotion.’ This is because the qualities of Śrī Bhagavān are so powerful that everyone, both liberated and conditioned, is attracted to Him.

“Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (3.25.32) states: ‘bhaktiḥ siddher garīyasī–Among all types of perfections, bhakti should be regarded as the best.’

Here, the word siddhi signifies liberation. “Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (6.17.28) states:

नारायण-पराः सर्वे न कुतश्चन बिभ्यति
स्वर्गापवर्ग-नरकेष्व् अपि तुल्यार्थ-दर्शिनः

nārāyaṇa-parāḥ sarve na kutaścana bibhyati
svargāpavarga-narakeṣv api tulyārtha-darśinaḥ

Those who are wholly devoted to Nārāyaṇa never become overwhelmed by fear. To them, heaven, liberation, and hell are all equal.

“In praise of Śrī Bhagavān, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.87.21) states:

दुरवगमात्म-तत्त्व-निगमाय तवात्त-तनोश् चरित-महामृताब्धि-परिवर्त-परिश्रमणाः
न परिलषन्ति केचिद् अपवर्गम् अपीश्वर ते चरण-सरोज-हंस-कुल-सङ्ग-विसृष्ट-गृहाः

duravagamātma-tattva-nigamāya tavātta-tanoś carita-mahāmṛtābdhi-parivarta-pariśramaṇāḥ
na parilaṣanti kecid apavargam apīśvara te caraṇa-saroja-haṃsa-kula-saṅga-visṛṣṭa-gṛhāḥ

O omnipotent One! You have manifested Yourself before our eyes to reveal to us Your bhakti, which is so difficult to understand. Your foremost devotees, immersed in the ocean of the pure ambrosia of Your pastimes and tasting the nectar of Your lotus feet, have even forgotten their own bodies. What to speak of those great devotees, even those influenced by them to abandon their households and pursue devotional service have no desire for liberation.

“Moreover, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (5.14.44) states: ‘…mahatāṃ madhudviṭ-sevānurakta-manasām abhavo’pi phalguḥ–Liberation is completely insignificant for devotees absorbed in the service of Madhusūdana.’

“Thousands of such examples are available, as well as evidence in the form of the realizations of the great authorities of ancient times, such as Śrī Nārada, Śrī Prahlāda, and Śrī Hanumān.

Śrī Hanumān states (Śrī Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.49):

भव-बन्ध-च्छिदे तस्मै स्पृहयामि न मुक्तये
भवान् प्रभुर् अहम् दास इति यत्र विलुप्यते

bhava-bandha-cchide tasmai spṛhayāmi na muktaye
bhavān prabhur aham dāsa iti yatra vilupyate

O Lord, even though liberation cuts the bondage of material existence, I do not aspire for it. In that state, our relationship that You are the Lord and I am Your servant would be destroyed.

“Among the modern ācāryas, Śrī Śaṅkarācārya-pāda, the most exalted personality and foremost preceptor, is omniscient and expert in presenting scriptural exegesis. He has said: ‘muktā api līlayā vigrahaṃ kṛtvā bhagavantam bhajanti–To perform pastimes, liberated souls also accept bodies and thus engage in the loving service of Śrī Bhagavān.’

“In the Vedānta-darśana (sūtra 1.3.2), it is stated: ‘muktopasṛpyāt–the Supreme Brahman Śrī Hari is the worshipable object of liberated souls.’

“Even though Śrī Śuka, Śrī Sanaka, and others were absorbed in the Brahman conception of the Absolute Truth, it is evident that they developed a taste for glorifying the pastimes of Śrī Bhagavān. In fact, the superiority of bhakti over liberation should be regarded as conclusively proven by the examples of all the great ancient authorities, including Śrī Prahlāda and Śrī Hanumān, who rejected the liberation offered by Śrī Bhagavān.

“The scriptural conclusions and examples presented here have been established after refuting all evidence based on artha-vāda (exaggerated praise), imagination, etc. Thus in the original verse, the word khalu is used to indicate certainty. Therefore, due to the existence of these ageless and self-evident examples of proof, it would be inappropriate for us to search for more evidence.”