Sanātana Gosvāmī – Page 18

rāso hi tasya bhagavattva-viśeṣa-gopyaḥ

rāso hi tasya bhagavattva-viśeṣa-gopyaḥ
sarvasva-sāra-paripākamayo vyanakti |
utkṛṣṭata-mādhurīmāpara-sīma-niṣṭhāṁ
lakṣmyā manoratha-śatair api yo durāpaḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.150)

“Rāsa, the confidential, special feature of his Bhagavattva [i.e., Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s ‘Bhagavān-hood’] constituted of the complete perfection of the essence of his whole being which is difficult to attain [even] for Lakṣmī even with hundreds of yearnings divulges the culmination of the ultimate limit of the sweetness of his excellence.”

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rādhādyās tāḥ parama-bhagavatyas tu paty-ātmajādīn

rādhādyās tāḥ parama-bhagavatyas tu paty-ātmajādīn
lokān dharmān hriyam api parityajya bhāvaṁ tam āptāḥ |
yenājasraṁ madhura-kaṭukair vyākulās tad-vikārair
mugdhāḥ kiñcit taru-gatim itā nānusandhātum īśāḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.147)

“They, the supremely fortunate Rādhā and company, however, have completely relinquished [their] husbands, sons, and so forth, the worlds [i.e., the prospects of conventional weal in this life on Earth and future lives in other planes such as Svarga], duties, and even shyness and reached to that bhāva by which they become as a result of the pungent and sweet transformations thereof constantly unsettled, bewildered, possessed of the condition of trees [i.e., transfixed], and unable to understand anything.”

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na śrī-mukhenopaniṣan-mukhaiḥ kṛtaṁ

na śrī-mukhenopaniṣan-mukhaiḥ kṛtaṁ
yad veda-vākyair aparair vaco’mṛtaiḥ |
tat tasya bimbādhara-yoga-mātrataḥ
sā dāravī mohana-vaṁśikākarot ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.142)

“That which was not accomplished with his [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān’s] blessed mouth by means of the statements of the Vedas led by the Upaniṣads and other nectars of his speech [such as the Purāṇas] the enchanting little wooden flute has accomplished just by contact with his bimba lips.”

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kṛṣṇehitānām akhilottamaṁ yas

kṛṣṇehitānām akhilottamaṁ yas
tarkaiḥ prakarṣaṁ tanute sa dhanyaḥ |
teṣāṁ darākārṇana-mātrato yaḥ
syāt prema-pūrṇas tam ahaṁ namāmi ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.5.139)

“One who disseminates the supereminent among all of Kṛṣṇa’s activities with rationale is blessed [i.e., highly fortunate, or, highly praiseworthy]. To someone who can become filled with prema as a result just of hearing of them a little [i.e., without even requiring deliberation based on rationale], I offer obeisance [i.e., such a person is most worshipable].”

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sarveṣu mantra-vargeṣu śreṣṭhaṁ vaiṣṇavam ucyate

sarveṣu mantra-vargeṣu śreṣṭhaṁ vaiṣṇavam ucyate |
gāṇapatyeṣu śaiveṣu śākta-saureṣv abhīṣṭadam ||
vaiṣṇaveṣv api mantreṣu rāma-mantrāḥ phalādhikāḥ |
gāṇapaty-ādi-mantrebhyaḥ koṭi-koṭi-guṇādhikāḥ ||
vinaiva dīkṣāṁ viprendra puraścaryāṁ vinaiva hi |
vinaiva nyāsa-vidhinā japa-mātreṇa siddhidāḥ ||
(Agastya-saṁhitā; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 1.147–149; Bhakti Sandarbha: 284)

“Among all classes of mantras of Gāṇapatyas [i.e., worshippers of Gaṇeśa], Śaivas [i.e., worshippers of Śiva], Śāktas [i.e., worshippers of Śakti], and Sauras [i.e., worshippers of Sūrya], Vaiṣṇava [mantras] are said to be the best fulfillers of desires. O best of the brāhmaṇas, even among Vaiṣṇava mantras, Rāma-mantras have greater results, crores and crores of times greater, than the mantras of the Gāṇapatyas and others, and verily are bestowers of attainments (siddhis) just by means of chanting (japa) indeed without dīkṣā, indeed without puraścaryā, and indeed without the process of nyāsa.”

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yathā cintāmaṇiḥ śreṣṭho yathā gauś ca yathā satī

yathā cintāmaṇiḥ śreṣṭho yathā gauś ca yathā satī |
yathā dvijo yathā gaṅgā tathāsau mantra uttamaḥ ||
(Trailokya-sammohana-tantra; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 1.185)

“As a thought-jewel, a cow, a chaste wife, a twice-born, and the Gaṅgā are the best [among their respective classes], so this mantra [i.e., the eighteen-syllable Gopāla-mantra] is foremost [among mantras].”

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mantrās tu kṛṣṇa-devasya sākṣād bhagavato hareḥ

mantrās tu kṛṣṇa-devasya sākṣād bhagavato hareḥ |
sarvāvatāra-bījasya sarvato vīryavattamāḥ ||
tatrāpi bhagavattāṁ svāṁ tanvato gopa-līlayā |
tasya śreṣṭhatamā mantrās teṣv apy aṣṭādaśākṣaraḥ ||
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 1.155, 159)

“Mantras of Kṛṣṇadeva, that is, Bhagavān Hari himself, he who is the source of all avatāras, however, are the most potent of all. … Therein, furthermore, the mantras related to him spreading his own Bhagavattā [i.e., nature of Bhagavān] by means of [his] līlā as a cowherd are the best of all, and even among those, the eighteen-syllable [mantra, i.e., the Gopāla-mantra, is the very best of all].”

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sarveṣāṁ mantra-varyāṇāṁ śreṣṭho vaiṣṇava ucyate

sarveṣāṁ mantra-varyāṇāṁ śreṣṭho vaiṣṇava ucyate |
viśeṣāt kṛṣṇa-manavo bhoga-mokṣaika-sādhanam ||
yasya yasya ca mantrasya yo yo devas tathā punaḥ |
abhedāt tan-manūnāṁ ca devatā saiva bhāṣyate ||
kṛṣṇa eva paraṁ brahma sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ |
smṛti-mātreṇa teṣāṁ vai bhukti-mukti-phala-pradaḥ ||
(Bṛhad Gautamīya Tantra; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 1.156–158)

“Among all excellent mantras, the Vaiṣṇava [mantras] are said to be the best, and in particular Kṛṣṇa-mantras are the primary means of attaining enjoyment and mokṣa. Because of the non-difference between whichever deva and whichever mantra, the particular devatā of those mantras is also addressed [in the mantra, i.e., the mantra related to any particular deva is non-different from that deva, and thus whenever the mantra related to a particular deva is chanted, the deva of the mantra is directly addressed]. Kṛṣṇa is verily the Supreme Brahman, the embodiment of eternal being, consciousness, and bliss, and the bestower of the results of enjoyment and mukti upon them [i.e., upon the seekers of those objects] just by means of remembrance [i.e., just as a result of his being remembered by those seekers of enjoyment or mukti when they chant a mantra related to him].”

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prāṇa-prayāṇa-pātheyaṁ saṁsāra-vyādhi-bheṣajam

prāṇa-prayāṇa-pātheyaṁ saṁsāra-vyādhi-bheṣajam |
duḥkha-śoka-paritrāṇaṁ harir ity akṣara-dvayam ||
(Bhārata-vibhāga; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.423)

“The two syllables Ha-ri are the provisions for the departure of the prāṇa [from the body], the remedy for the disease of saṁsāra, and deliverance from suffering and sorrow.”

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śraddhayā helayā nāma raṭanti mama jantavaḥ

śraddhayā helayā nāma raṭanti mama jantavaḥ |
teṣāṁ nāma sadā pārtha vartate hṛdaye mama ||
na nāma sadṛśaṁ jñānaṁ na nāma sadṛśaṁ vratam |
na nāma sadṛśaṁ dhyānaṁ na nāma sadṛśaṁ phalam ||
na nāma sadṛśas tyāgo na nāma sadṛśaḥ śamaḥ |
na nāma sadṛśaṁ puṇyaṁ na nāma sadṛśī gatiḥ || …
nāmaiva paramā muktir nāmaiva paramā gatiḥ |
nāmaiva paramā śāntir nāmaiva paramā sthitiḥ ||
nāmaiva paramā bhaktir nāmaiva paramā matiḥ |
nāmaiva paramā prītir nāmaiva paramā smṛtiḥ ||
nāmaiva kāraṇaṁ jantor nāmaiva prabhur eva ca |
nāmaiva paramārādhyo nāmaiva paramo guruḥ ||
(Ādi Purāṇa: cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.464–469)

“[Bhagavān Śrī Kṛṣṇa:] O Pārtha, the names of those living beings who call out my name, respectfully or easily, always remain in my heart. There is no knowledge like my name. There is no rite like my name. There is no meditation like my name. There is no attainment like my name. There is no renunciation like my name. There is no equanimity like my name. There is no purity like my name. There is no shelter like my name. … My name alone is the greatest mukti. My name alone is the greatest shelter. My name alone is the greatest equanimity. My name alone is the greatest fixity. My name alone is the greatest bhakti. My name alone is the greatest awareness. My name alone is the greatest love. My name alone is the greatest remembrance. My name alone is the cause, and my name alone is the master, of the living being. My name alone is the greatest object of worship. My name alone is the greatest guru.”

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