Shri Vallabhacharya’s Secret Doctrine (सिद्धान्तरहस्यम् - Siddhāntarahasyam) is Shri Krishna’s direct response to the master’s concern about how divine souls can achieve their blissful Lord during this impure age of struggle, the Kali Yuga. Shri Krishna Himself established the foundations of the Path of Grace (Pushtimarg) on this auspicious night, when He appeared before Shri Vallabhacharya by the banks of the Yamuna River in the sacred town of Gokul. The secrets of soulful dedication and divine connection are revealed in the following eight verses.


śrāvaṇa-syāmale pakṣe ekādaśyāṁ mahā-niśi ।
sākṣād-bhagavatā proktaṁ tad-akṣaraśaḥ ucyate ॥ 1 ॥
श्रावण-स्यामले पक्षे एकादश्यां महा-निशि ।
साक्षाद्भगवता प्रोक्तं तदक्षरशः उच्यते ॥ १ ॥
śrāvaṇasyāmale pakṣe ekādaśyāṁ mahāniśi ।
sākṣādbhagavatā proktaṁ tadakṣaraśaḥ ucyate ॥ 1 ॥
श्रावणस्यामले पक्षे एकादश्यां महानिशि ।
साक्षाद्भगवता प्रोक्तं तदक्षरशः उच्यते ॥ १ ॥
In the dark fortnight (śyāmale pakṣe) of the month of Shravan (śrāvaṇa), on the eleventh night (ekādaśyāṁ), at midnight (mahā-niśi), the Lord Himself (sākṣād-bhagavatā) spoke. Those exact words (tad-akṣaraśaḥ) are being recited (ucyate).

brahma-sambandha karaṇāt-sarveṣāṁ deha-jīvayoḥ ।
sarva-doṣa-nivṛttir-hi doṣāḥ pañca-vidhāḥ smṛtāḥ ॥ 2 ॥
ब्रह्म-सम्बन्ध करणात्-सर्वेषां देह-जीवयोः ।
सर्व-दोष-निवृत्तिर्हि दोषाः पञ्च-विधाः स्मृताः ॥ २ ॥
brahmasambandha karaṇātsarveṣāṁ dehajīvayoḥ ।
sarvadoṣanivṛttirhi doṣāḥ pañcavidhāḥ smṛtāḥ ॥ 2 ॥
ब्रह्मसम्बन्ध करणात्सर्वेषां देहजीवयोः ।
सर्वदोषनिवृत्तिर्हि दोषाः पञ्चविधाः स्मृताः ॥ २ ॥
By establishing Brahma Sambandha (brahma-sambandha karaṇāt) for all beings, both physical and spiritual (sarveṣāṁ deha-jīvayoḥ), all impurities are completely removed (sarva-doṣa-nivṛttir-hi). Indeed, five categories of impurities are recognized (doṣāḥ pañca-vidhāḥ smṛtāḥ).

sahajā deśa-kālotthā loka-veda-nirūpitāḥ ।
saṁyoga-jāḥ sparśa-jāśca na mantavyāḥ kathañcana ॥ 3 ॥
सहजा देश-कालोत्था लोक-वेद-निरूपिताः ।
संयोग-जाः स्पर्श-जाश्च न मन्तव्याः कथंचन ॥ ३ ॥
sahajā deśakālotthā lokavedanirūpitāḥ ।
saṁyogajāḥ sparśajāśca na mantavyāḥ kathañcana ॥ 3 ॥
सहजा देशकालोत्था लोकवेदनिरूपिताः ।
संयोगजाः स्पर्शजाश्च न मन्तव्याः कथंचन ॥ ३ ॥
The five types of impurities (doṣāḥ), which arise naturally (sahajā) from time (deśa-kāla-utthā), place (deśa), or are recognized through worldly or Vedic knowledge (loka-veda-nirūpitāḥ), as well as those caused by association (saṁyoga-jāḥ) or contact (sparśa-jāśca), should never be considered binding (na mantavyāḥ kathañcana) after the establishment of Brahma Sambandha.

anyathā sarva-doṣāṇāṁ na nivṛttiḥ kathañcana ।
asamarpita-vastūnāṁ tasmād-varjana-mācaret ॥ 4 ॥
अन्यथा सर्व-दोषाणां न निवृत्तिः कथंचन ।
असमर्पित-वस्तूनां तस्माद्वर्जन-माचरेत् ॥ ४ ॥
anyathā sarvadoṣāṇāṁ na nivṛttiḥ kathañcana ।
asamarpitavastūnāṁ tasmādvarjanamācaret ॥ 4 ॥
अन्यथा सर्वदोषाणां न निवृत्तिः कथंचन ।
असमर्पितवस्तूनां तस्माद्वर्जनमाचरेत् ॥ ४ ॥
Otherwise (anyathā), the complete removal (sarva-doṣāṇāṁ na nivṛttiḥ) of all impurities is impossible (kathañcana). Therefore (tasmād), one should avoid (varjana-mācaret) objects that have not been offered (asamarpita-vastūnāṁ) to the Lord.

nivedibhiḥ samarpyaiva sarvaṁ kuryād-iti sthitiḥ ।
na mataṁ deva-devasyā sāmibhukta samarpāṇam ॥ 5 ॥
निवेदिभिः समर्प्यैव सर्वं कुर्यादिति स्थितिः ।
न मतं देव-देवस्य सामिभुक्त समर्पणम् ॥ ५ ॥
nivedibhiḥ samarpyaiva sarvaṁ kuryāditi sthitiḥ ।
na mataṁ devadevasya sāmibhukta samarpāṇam ॥ 5 ॥
निवेदिभिः समर्प्यैव सर्वं कुर्यादिति स्थितिः ।
न मतं देवदेवस्य सामिभुक्त समर्पणम् ॥ ५ ॥
Those initiated (nivedibhiḥ), should perform all actions (samarpyaiva sarvam kuryād) only after offering them (iti sthitiḥ). Offerings already consumed (sāmibhukta samarpāṇam) are not approved by the Lord of Lords (na matam deva-devasyā).

tasmād-ādau sarva-kārye sarva-vastu-samarpaṇam ।
datta-apahāra-vacanaṁ tathā ca sakalaṁ hareḥ ॥ 6 ॥
तस्माद्-आदौ सर्व-कार्ये सर्व-वस्तु-समर्पणम् ।
दत्त-अपहार-वचनं तथा च सकलं हरेः ॥ ६ ॥
tasmādādau sarvakārye sarvavastusamarpaṇam ।
dattāpahāravacanaṁ tathā ca sakalaṁ hareḥ ॥ 6 ॥
तस्मादादौ सर्वकार्ये सर्ववस्तुसमर्पणम् ।
दत्तापहारवचनं तथा च सकलं हरेः ॥ ६ ॥
Therefore (tasmād), at the beginning of every action (ādau sarva-kārye), everything should be offered (sarva-vastu-samarpaṇam) to Him. The doctrine (datta-apahāra-vacanaṁ) holds that everything belongs to the Lord (tathā ca sakalaṁ hareḥ) and cannot be reclaimed.

na grāhyam-iti vākyaṁ hi bhinna-mārga paraṁ matam ।
sevakānāṁ yathā loke vyavahāraḥ prasiddhayati ॥ 7 ॥
न ग्राह्यम्-इति वाक्यं हि भिन्न-मार्ग परं मतम् ।
सेवकानां यथा लोके व्यवहारः प्रसिद्धयति ॥ ७ ॥
na grāhyamiti vākyaṁ hi bhinnamārga paraṁ matam ।
sevakānāṁ yathā loke vyavahāraḥ prasiddhayati ॥ 7 ॥
न ग्राह्यमिति वाक्यं हि भिन्नमार्ग परं मतम् ।
सेवकानां यथा लोके व्यवहारः प्रसिद्धयति ॥ ७ ॥
The statement "it is not to be accepted" (na grāhyam-iti vākyaṁ) refers to a different doctrine and path (bhinna-mārga paraṁ matam). Just as the behavior of servants is well-known in the world (sevakānāṁ yathā loke vyavahāraḥ), so should the conduct of devotees be recognized (prasiddhayati).

tathā kāryaṁ samarpyaiva sarveṣāṁ brahmatā tataḥ ।
gaṅgātvaṁ sarva-doṣāṇāṁ guṇa-doṣādi-varṇanā ॥ 8 ॥
gaṅgātvena nirūpyā syāt-tad-vad-atrāpi caiva hi ॥ 8 1/2 ॥
तथा कार्यं समर्प्यैव सर्वेषां ब्रह्मता ततः ।
गंगात्वं सर्व-दोषाणां गुण-दोषादि- वर्णना ॥ ८ ॥
गंगात्वेन निरूप्या स्यात्-तद्वदत्रापि चैव हि ॥ ८ १/२ ॥
tathā kāryaṁ samarpyaiva sarveṣāṁ brahmatā tataḥ ।
gaṅgātvaṁ sarvadoṣāṇāṁ guṇadoṣādivarṇanā ॥ 8 ॥
gaṅgātvena nirūpyā syāttadvadatrāpi caiva hi ॥ 8 1/2 ॥
तथा कार्यं समर्प्यैव सर्वेषां ब्रह्मता ततः ।
गंगात्वं सर्वदोषाणां गुणदोषादिवर्णना ॥ ८ ॥
गंगात्वेन निरूप्या स्यात्तद्वदत्रापि चैव हि ॥ ८ १/२ ॥
Similarly (tathā), by offering all actions (kāryaṁ samarpyaiva), everything attains the divine essence (sarveṣāṁ brahmatā tataḥ). The impurities of all faults and the distinctions between virtues and flaws (guṇa-doṣādi-varṇanā) are likened to the sanctity of the Ganga (gaṅgātvaṁ sarva-doṣāṇāṁ). Just as everything merges and becomes sacred in the Ganga (gaṅgātvena nirūpyā syāt), so it is in the context of offerings as well (tad-vad-atrāpi caiva hi).

Thus ends the 'Siddhānta-rahasya' composed by Shri Vallabhacharya.