Sri Priti-sandarbha Introduction tau santosayata santau srila-ripa-sanatanau daksindtyena bhattena punar etad vivicyate tasyadyarh granthané-lekham kranta-vyutkranta-khanditam paryalocyatha paryayari. kkstva likhatt jivakah Srila Gopala Bhatta Goswami, the great philosopher from the southern provinces who greatly pleased Stila Ripa Gosvami and Srila Santana Gosvami, left many valuable notes that defeat various philosophical misconceptions. Systematically arranging these notes, and considering their content, Jiva Gosvami vrites this book Anuccheda 1 Now the Priti-sandarbha will be written. The Supreme Truth, as He is revealed in the scriptures, was described in the first four sandarbhas. The worship of the Supreme Truth was described in the next, the fifth sandarbha. Those topics already explained, the true need of mankind will be now described. The need of mankind is to end suffering and attain happiness. When the Supreme Personality of Godhead is pleased, then one attains happiness and ends all sufferings. In the previous sandarbhas many passages from scripture were quoted to describe the nature of the Supreme Truth. There it was proved that the Supreme Truth is perfect with eternal, limitless, transcendental bliss. In Taittiriya Upanisad (2.8.1) it is said that the Prajipatis enjoy happiness thousands of times greater than the happiness of human beings, and the great souls who know the Supreme enjoy happiness hundreds of times greater still. In Taittiriya Upanisad (2.4.1) itis said that happiness is limitless and very extraordinary. In Taittisiya Upanisad (2.7.1) it is said that the Supreme is the source of all bliss experienced by the living entities,In the same way the Supreme is also the source of the sun's light and all other light also. When he ts ignorant of the Supreme Lord, the individual soul finds himself defeated by maya (material illusion). In that condition, his awareness of his, original form is taken away from him and he is covered by an external form created by maya. In this way he is imprisoned in the world of birth and death and shackled by a host of material sufferings. This was already explained in the Paranmatma-sandarbha. Therefore when one has direct knowledge of the Supreme Truth, one attains the greatest bliss. Attaining that bliss is the true goal of life When ignorance is dispelled, one understands his true spiritual nature. Then sufferings end. The first (understanding one's true spiritual nature) of these is attained when the Supreme Truth is directly manifest before one. The second (the end of sufferings) of these is attained when one attains his spiritual form, which never dies. Then one is situated in eternity. The first of these is the highest goal of life. It is described in these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (1.2.9-12): dharmasya hy apavargasya tac chraddadhana munayo ana-vairdgya-yuktaya pasyanty étmani cétmanart, bhaktya sruta-grhitaya “All occupational engagements are certainly meant for ultimate liberation, They should never be performed for material gain, Furthermore, according to sages, one who is engaged in the ultimate occupational service should never use material gain to cultivate sense gratification. "Life's desires should never be directed toward sense gratification. One should desire only a healthy life, or self-preservation, since a human being is meant for inquiry about the Absolute Truth. Nothing else should be the goal of one's works.* “Leamed transcendentalists who know the Absolute Truth call the nonOdual substance Brahman, Paramatma, or Bhagavan." “The seriously inquisitive student or sage, well equipped with knowledge and detachment, realizes that Absolute Truth by rendering devotional service in terms of what he has heard from the Vedanta-sruti."* The stage where all sufferings end is described in these words of Srimad- Bhagavatam (1.2.21): bhidyate hrdaya-granthih. “Thus the knot in the heart is pierced, and all misgivings are cut to pieces. The chain of fruitive actions is terminated when one sees the self as the master."* This is also described in these words of Sri Visnu Purina (6.5.59)nirastatisayahlada- sulkha-bhavaika-laksana bhesa ath bhagavat-praptir ekantatyantikt mata “Attaining the Supreme Lord is the medicine to cure the suffering soul. That medicine fills the taker with transcendental bliss." In the Taittiriya Upnaisad (2.4.1) it is said anandam brahmano vidvan na bibheti kutascana "A soul who knows the bliss that comes from the Supreme Brahman never fears." The word "mukti" (liberation) is defined as: “The state that comes after the shakcles of birth and death are cut". Srila Sita Gosvami describes liberation in these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.434): yadaivam etena viveka-hetina mayé-mayahankaranatma-bandhanam chittwicyutatmanubhavo ‘vatisthate tam ahur atyantikam anga samplavam “Cutting the bonds of false ego with the sword of knowledge, the soul sees the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead. My dear friend, then the soul's bondage in matter is completely destroyed." This verse means, "When the soul sees the infallible Supreme Personality of Godhead, that state is called liberation." The same explanation is given in these words of Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.10.6) muktir hitvanyatha-ripam svartipena vyavasthitih “Liberation is the permanent situation of the form of the living entity after he gives up the changeable gross and subtle material bodies."*