sal-lakṣaṇaṁ prema-bharasya kṛṣṇe
kaiścid rasajñair uta kathyate tat |
premṇo bhareṇaiva nijeṣṭa-nāma-
saṅkīrtanaṁ hi sphurati sphuṭārtyā ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.3.166)
“It [i.e., nāma-saṅkīrtana] is even said by some knowers of rasa to be the foremost characteristic of a profusion of prema for Kṛṣṇa, as saṅkīrtana of the names of one’s own Iṣṭa with pronounced heartache certainly manifests with a profusion of prema.”
tad eva manyate bhakteḥ phalaṁ tad-rasikair janaiḥ |
bhagavat-prema-sampattau sadaivāvyabhicārataḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.3.165)
“It [i.e., nāma-saṅkīrtana] itself is [also] considered the fruit of bhakti [i.e., of prema] by persons who are connoisseurs of it because of its being always unfailing in manifesting prema for Bhagavān.”
nāma-saṅkīrtanaṁ proktaṁ kṛṣṇasya prema-sampadi |
baliṣṭhaṁ sādhanaṁ śreṣṭhaṁ paramākarṣa-mantra-vat ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.3.164)
“Nāma-saṅkīrtana is said to be the most powerful and excellent sādhana for [attaining] the fortune of prema as it is like an extraordinary attraction mantra [i.e., as an extraordinary mantra can attract even very difficult to attain objects from afar and thereby cause acquisition of them, so nāma-saṅkīrtana can attract and bring about the attainment of Kṛṣṇa-prema].”
Ten verses in prayer for a dwelling near Śrī Govardhana
By Śrīmad Raghunātha Dāsa Gosvāmīpāda
prabhu kahe—ihā haite yāha vṛndāvana |
nirantara kara kṛṣṇa-nāma-saṅkīrtana ||
eka nāmābhāse tomāra pāpa-doṣa yābe |
āra nāma haite kṛṣṇa-caraṇa pāibe ||
(Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.25.198–199)
“Prabhu said [to Subuddhi Rāya], ‘Go from here to Vṛndāvana, and always engage in saṅkīrtana of Kṛṣṇa’s name. By one [instance of] nāmābhāsa, the plight of your pāpa will go away, and through the name you will attain Kṛṣṇa’s feet.’”
nāmāparādha-yuktānāṁ nāmāny eva haranty agham |
aviśrānti-prayuktāni tāny evārthakarāṇi ca ||
(Padma Purāṇa: 3.48.23 or 4.25.23; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.526; Bhakti Sandarbha: 265)
“The names [of Hari] certainly destroy the sins of those who have committed offense to the name; uttered incessantly, they are certainly effective.”
madhura-madhuram etan maṅgalaṁ maṅgalānāṁ
sakala-nigama-vallī-sat-phalaṁ cit-svarūpam |
sakṛd api parigītaṁ śraddhayā helayā vā
bhṛgu-vara nara-mātraṁ tārayet kṛṣṇa-nāma ||
(Skanda Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.451; Tattva Sandarbha: 15; Bhagavat Sandarbha: 35; Bhakti Sandarbha: 172)
“O best of the Bhṛgus, the name of Kṛṣṇa, the sweetest of the sweet, the most auspicious of the auspicious, the eternal [alt., true] spiritual fruit of the vine of all the Nigamas [i.e., Vedas], can deliver any human being when chanted even once, faithfully or negligently.”
nāmaikaṁ yasya vāci smaraṇa-patha-gataṁ śrotra-mūlaṁ gataṁ vā
śuddhaṁ vāśuddha-varṇaṁ vyavahita-rahitaṁ tārayaty eva satyam |
tac ced deha-draviṇa-janatā-lobha-pāṣaṇḍa-madhye
nikṣiptaṁ syān na phala-janakaṁ śīghram evātra vipra ||
(Padma Purāṇa: 3.48.24 or 4.25.24; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.527; Bhakti Sandarbha: 153, 265; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 3.3.60)
“Be it with proper or improper [pronunciation of] syllables, one name [of Bhagavān] without separation [alt., or even with separation of its syllables] which has entered one’s speech, path of remembrance, or the base of the ears certainly delivers [a living being]. This is certainly true. If that [i.e., the name of Bhagavān] should be cast down among those who are heretical out of greed related to the body, wealth, or people, [however,] O brāhmaṇa, it certainly does not become fruitful quickly here.”
