Glory of Satsangha (Uddhava Gita) w/ Śrīdhara Svāmin’s ṭīkā
BhP 11.2.30
ata ātyantikaṃ kṣemaṃ pṛcchāmo bhavato ’naghāḥ |
saṃsāre ’smin kṣaṇārdho ’pi sat-saṅgaḥ śevadhir nṛṇām || 30 ||
“O sinless ones, therefore we ask you about the supreme and final welfare. In this saṃsāra, even half a moment of association with the noble is a treasure for human beings.”
Śrīdhara Svāmin’s ṭīkā
he anaghā niravadyāḥ, bhavato yuṣmān ātyantikaṃ kṣemaṃ pṛcchāmaḥ. yataḥ kṣaṇārdha-kāla-bhavo ’pi sat-saṅgaḥ śevadhir nidhiḥ. nidhi-lābhe yathānando bhavati tathātra paramānanda ity arthaḥ.
Anaghāḥ means ‘faultless ones.’ We ask you about ātyantika-kṣema, the ultimate welfare. The reason is this: even sat-saṅga lasting only half a moment is a śevadhi, a treasure. Just as the obtaining of a treasure produces joy, here the joy is supreme bliss.
EXT: Here we see Obtaining Treasure : Obtaining Satsangha :: Finite Joy: Eternal Joy
The commentary makes the point very sharply: sat-saṅga is not merely beneficial company. It is treated as a nidhi, a spiritual treasure, because it opens the door to ātyantika-kṣema, final well-being.
BhP 11.11.25
sat-saṅga-labdhayā bhaktyā mayi māṃ sa upāsitā |
sa vai me darśitaṃ sadbhir añjasā vindate padam || 25 ||
By devotion obtained through sat-saṅga, he worships Me in Me. He indeed easily attains My abode, which has been shown by the saints.
Śrīdhara Svāmin’s ṭīkā
tat-saṅgena prakāreṇa mayi mat-sattva-labdhayā bhaktyā sa bhakto māṃ upāsitā dhyātā bhavati. sa ca dhyāna-śīlaḥ sadbhir darśitaṃ nirdiṣṭaṃ me padaṃ svarūpaṃ prāpnoti.
Through that kind of association with the saints, and through bhakti obtained in relation to Me, that devotee becomes one who worships Me, that is, one who meditates on Me. Being established in such contemplation, he attains My pada, My true nature, which has been shown and indicated by the saints.
EXT: A significant point here is Śrī Śrīdhara’s gloss of me padam as me padaṃ svarūpam.
BhP 11.11.48
prāyeṇa bhakti-yogena sat-saṅgena vinoddhava |
nopāyo vidyate sadhryaṅ prāyaṇaṃ hi satām aham || 48 ||
O Uddhava, apart from bhakti-yoga obtained through sat-saṅga, generally there is no proper means. For I am indeed the supreme refuge of the saints.
Śrīdhara Svāmin’s ṭīkā
jñāna-miśrād api bhakti-yogaḥ śreṣṭha ity āha - prāyeṇeti. sat-saṅgo bhakti-yogenaiva saṃsārato nistāropāyaḥ. hi yasmāt satām ahaṃ prāyaṇaṃ prakṛṣṭam ayanam āśrayaḥ.
To show that bhakti-yoga is superior even to paths mixed with jñāna, the Lord says ‘prāyeṇa.’ Through sat-saṅga, bhakti-yoga alone is the means for crossing saṃsāra. Why? Because I am the prāyaṇa of the saints, their supreme destination and refuge.
BhP 11.12.1
śrī-bhagavān uvāca |
na rodhayati māṃ yogo na sāṅkhyaṃ dharma eva ca |
na svādhyāyas tapas tyāgo neṣṭāpūrtaṃ na dakṣiṇā || 1 ||
śrī-bhagavān said: “Yoga does not bind Me, nor Sāṅkhya, nor dharma; not svādhyāya, austerity, renunciation, sacrifices, charitable works, or gifts.”
Śrīdhara Svāmin’s ṭīkā
dvādaśe sādhu-satsaṅga-mahimā varṇyate. na rodhayati na vaśīkaroti. yogaḥ aṣṭāṅgādiḥ. sāṅkhyaṃ tattva-vicāraḥ. dharmaḥ ahiṃsādiḥ. svādhyāyaḥ vedābhyāsaḥ. tapaḥ kṛcchrādi. tyāgaḥ saṃnyāsaḥ. iṣṭaṃ yajñādi. pūrtaṃ kūpārāmādi-nirmāṇam. dakṣiṇā dānam.
In the twelfth chapter, the greatness of association with saints is described. ‘Na rodhayati’ means ‘does not bring Me under control,’ or ‘does not win Me over.’ Yoga means the aṣṭāṅga-yoga and related disciplines. Sāṅkhya means inquiry into tattva. Dharma means ahiṃsā and such disciplines. Svādhyāya is Vedic recitation or study. Tapas is austerity such as kṛcchra. Tyāga is saṃnyāsa. Iṣṭa refers to yajña and related rites. Pūrta refers to works such as constructing wells and gardens. Dakṣiṇā means charitable giving.
EXT: Śrī Śrīdhara swāmi is not rejecting these disciplines absolutely. He is saying they do not “capture” Bhagavān in the same way as satsaṅga born bhakti.
BhP 11.12.2
vratāni yajñaś chandāṃsi tīrthāni niyamā yamāḥ |
yathāvarundhe sat-saṅgaḥ sarva-saṅgāpaho hi mām || 2 ||
Vows, sacrifices, Vedic mantras, sacred tīrthas, niyamas and yamas do not bind Me as sat-saṅga does, for sat-saṅga removes all other attachments.
Śrīdhara Svāmin’s ṭīkā
vratāni ekādaśy-upavāsādīni. yajño deva-pūjā. chandāṃsi rahasya-mantrāḥ. avarundhe vaśīkaroti. sarva-saṅgāpahaḥ sarva-viṣaya-saṅga-nivartakaḥ.
Vratāni are vows such as fasting on Ekādaśī. Yajña is worship of the deity. Chandāṃsi refers to sacred or secret mantras. ‘Avarundhe’ means ‘brings under control’ or ‘wins over.’ Satsaṅga removes all attachments, meaning it turns one away from attachment to all objects.
EXT: ritual, austerity, study, and discipline are valid, but satsaṅga has a special power because it removes sarva saṅga, all binding attachment.
BhP 11.12.3-4
gandharvāpsaraso nāgāḥ siddhāś cāraṇa-guhyakāḥ || 3 ||
vidyādharā manuṣyeṣu vaiśyāḥ śūdrāḥ striyo ’ntyajāḥ |
rajas-tamaḥ-prakṛtayas tasmiṃs tasmin yuge ’nagha || 4 ||
Indeed, through sat-saṅga, Daityas, Rākṣasas, animals, birds, Gandharvas, Apsarases, Nāgas, Siddhas, Cāraṇas, Guhyakas, Vidyādharas, and among human beings even Vaiśyas, Śūdras, women, outcastes, and those dominated by rajas and tamas, in every age, attained Me.
Śrīdhara Svāmin’s ṭīkā
daiteyāḥ prahlādādayaḥ. yātudhānā rākṣasāḥ. mṛgāḥ khagāś ca. gandharvādayo ’pi sat-saṅgena mat-prāptim āpuḥ.
Daiteyas means Prahlāda and others. Yātudhānas means Rākṣasas. Animals, birds, Gandharvas and the rest also attained Me through sat-saṅga.
EXT: Even those not qualified by birth, temperament, learning, or ritual eligibility can attain Bhagavān through satsaṅga. The point is not social leveling for its own sake, but the supremacy of bhakti arising from contact with saints.
Satsaṅga is called a treasure because it leads to ātyantika kṣema, ultimate welfare.
From satsaṅga arises bhakti.
Through that bhakti, one worships Bhagavān and attains His svarūpa or pada.
Other disciplines have value, but none “wins” Bhagavān as satsaṅga does, because satsaṅga removes all other binding attachments and establishes the seeker in bhakti.
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