Agastya-samhita

Expressions researched:
"Agastya-samhita"

SB Canto 7

In regard to worshiping the Lord as a friend, the Agastya-saṁhitā states that a devotee engaged in performing devotional service by śravaṇam and kīrtanam sometimes wants to see the Lord personally.

SB 7.5.23-24, Purport:

Sakhyam. In regard to worshiping the Lord as a friend, the Agastya-saṁhitā states that a devotee engaged in performing devotional service by śravaṇam and kīrtanam sometimes wants to see the Lord personally, and for this purpose he resides in the temple.

CC Madhya-lila

The Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (17.11–12), in discussing the puraścaryā process, quotes the following verses from the Agastya-saṁhitā.

CC Madhya 15.108, Purport:

The Hari-bhakti-vilāsa (17.11–12), in discussing the puraścaryā process, quotes the following verses from the Agastya-saṁhitā:

pūjā traikālikī nityaṁ japas tarpaṇam eva ca

homo brāhmaṇa-bhuktiś ca puraścaraṇam ucyate

guror labdhasya mantrasya prasādena yathā-vidhi

pañcāṅgopāsanā-siddhyai puraś caitad vidhīyate

"'In the morning, afternoon and evening one should worship the Deity, chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, offer oblations, perform a fire sacrifice and feed the brāhmaṇas. These five activities constitute puraścaryā. To attain full success when taking initiation from the spiritual master, one should first perform these puraścaryā processes.'"

Nectar of Devotion

One may think that because he is surrendering unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead he will not be able to perform all of his other obligations. There is additional evidence in the Agastya-saṁhitā.

Nectar of Devotion 5:

One may think that because he is surrendering unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead he will not be able to perform all of his other obligations. But the Lord says repeatedly, "Don't hesitate. Don't consider that because you are giving up all other engagements there will be some flaw in your life. Don't think like that. I will give you all protection." That is the assurance of Lord Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad-gītā.

There is additional evidence in the Agastya-saṁhitā: "As the regulative principles of scripture are not required by a liberated person, so the ritualistic principles indicated in the Vedic supplements are also not required for a person duly engaged in the service of Lord Rāmacandra." In other words, the devotees of Lord Rāmacandra, or Kṛṣṇa, are already liberated persons and are not required to follow all the regulative principles mentioned in the ritualistic portions of the Vedic literature.

It is stated in the Tantra-śāstra, "If the smell of the garland which was offered to the Deity in the temple enters into a person's nostrils, immediately his bondage to sinful activities becomes cleared. A similar statement is in the Agastya-saṁhitā.

Nectar of Devotion 9:

It is stated in the Tantra-śāstra, "If the smell of the garland which was offered to the Deity in the temple enters into a person's nostrils, immediately his bondage to sinful activities becomes cleared. And even if one has no sinful activities, still, by smelling such remnants of flowers, one can advance from Māyāvādī (impersonalist) to devotee." There are several instances of this, a prime one being the advancement of the four Kumāras. They were impersonalist Māyāvādīs, but after smelling the remnants of flowers and incense in the temple, they turned to become devotees. From the above verse it appears that the Māyāvādīs, or impersonalists, are more or less contaminated. They are not pure.

It is confirmed in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, "One who has not washed off all reactions of sinful activities cannot be a pure devotee. A pure devotee has no more doubts about the supremacy of the Personality of Godhead, and thus he engages himself in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and devotional service." A similar statement is in the Agastya-saṁhitā: just to purify the impurities of our nostrils, we should try to smell the remnants of flowers offered to Kṛṣṇa in the temple.