अथ श्रीभगवन्नामजपस्य स्मरणस्य च ।
श्रवणस्यापि माहात्म्यमीषद्भेदाद्विलिख्यते ॥
atha śrī-bhagavan-nāma-japasya smaraṇasya ca |
śravaṇasyāpi māhātmyam īṣad bhedād vilikhyate ||
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.472)
“Now [i.e., now that the greatness of chanting (kīrtana) of Śrī Bhagavān’s names has been described], the greatness of japa, as well as remembrance and hearing, of Śrī Bhagavān’s names is delineated because of a slight distinction [between these and chanting (kīrtana) of Śrī Bhagavān’s names].”
Commentary
evaṁ nāmnāṁ kīrtana-māhātmyaṁ likhitvā japādi-māhātmya-likhanam api pratijānīte—atheti | īṣad bhedāt kīrtanena saha japāder alpa-bhedād dhetor viśeṣeṇa likhyate | tatrāgre lekhyasya vācikopāṁśa-mānasika-bhedena trividhasya japasya madhye īṣad-oṣṭha-cālanena śanair uccāraṇa-rūpopāṁśu-japo’tra grāhyaḥ vācikasya kīrtanāntargatatvāt mānasikasya ca smaraṇātmakatvāt | kvacic ca nāmnaḥ smaraṇaṁ śanaiḥ śanair īṣad-uccāraṇaṁ jñeyam | tac cāgre janmāṣṭamī-vrata-vidhy-antara-kathane ‘hariṁ smaran’ ityādinā vyaktaṁ bhāvi |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“After in this way [i.e., in the previous section] describing the greatness of chanting (kīrtana) of the names [of Śrī Bhagavān], he introduces a description also of the greatness of japa and so forth [of Śrī Bhagavān’s names, i.e., of japa along with remembrance (smaraṇa) and hearing (śravaṇa) of Śrī Bhagavān’s names]: atha … [i.e., the author states this verse]. This is described in detail [i.e., delineated (vilikhyate)] because of a slight distinction, that is, because of a minor distinction between chanting (kīrtana) and japa and so on [i.e., as well as remembrance (smaraṇa) and hearing (śravaṇa)]. In this regard, among the three types of japa to be described ahead [in HBV 17.155–163] as per the divisions [known as] verbal (vācika), sotto voce (upāṁśu), and mental (mānasika), sotto voce (upāṁśa) japa, the form of which is pronunciation [of a word] softly with slight movement of the lips is to be understood here [as the intended sense of the word japa] because of verbal’s [i.e. vācika-japa’s] being included in chanting (kīrtana) and mental’s (mānasika-japa’s) being of the nature of remembrance (smaraṇa). Also, sometimes, remembrance (smaraṇa) of the name [of Śrī Bhagavān] is to be understood as slight pronunciation [of his name] very softly. This too will be clarified ahead in regard to [the mention of the phrase] ‘Remembering Hari’ (Hariṁ smaran) [found in HBV 15.443] in the discussion of an alternate procedure for [observance of] the rite (vrata) of Janmāṣṭamī [i.e., later it will also be explained in the DDT on HBV 15.443 that the practice of remembrance (smaraṇa) of Hari can also sometimes refer to the act of very softly chanting his names (smaran laghu laghu kīrtayan ity arthaḥ)].”