Nāma-saṅkīrtana

kevalaṁ tat-padāmbhoja-sākṣād-īkṣāvaśiṣyate

kevalaṁ tat-padāmbhoja-sākṣād-īkṣāvaśiṣyate |
taj jape’rhati nāsaktiṁ kintu tan-nāma-kīrtane ||
śrīman-madana-gopāla-pādābjopāsanāt param |
nāma-saṅkīrtana-prāyād vāñchātīta-phala-pradāt ||
tal-līlā-sthala-pālīnāṁ śraddhā-sandarśanādaraiḥ |
sampādyamānān nitarāṁ kiñcin nāsty eva sādhanam ||
sañjāta-premakāc cāsmāc catur-varga-viḍambakāt |
tat-pādābja-vaśīkārād anyat sādhyaṁ na kiñcana ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.1.103–106)

“[Gopa Kumāra thinks:] Only direct vision of his [viz., Śrī Madana Gopāladeva’s] lotus feet remains [for this brāhmaṇa to attain]. Thus, he needs attachment not to japa but to kīrtana of his [viz., Śrī Madana Gopāla’s] names. There is certainly no means of accomplishment (sādhana) other than worship of Madana Gopāla’s beautiful lotus feet (1) in which saṅkīrtana of his names is abundant, (2) which is being practiced plentifully with conviction (śraddhā), direct observation (sandarśana), and adoration (ādara) of the places of their [i.e., those lotus feet’s] līlās, and (3) which is [thus] a complete bestower of results beyond [even one’s] desires. There is [also] no object to be accomplished (sādhya) other than this [viz., such worship of Madana Gopāla’s lotus feet], (1) by which prema becomes manifest in full, [since such worship is that] (2) which is a belittler of the catur-varga [viz., dharma, artha, kāma, and mokṣa], and [that] (3) which is a captivator of his lotus feet.”

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yatra yatra raghunātha-kīrtanaṁ

yatra yatra raghunātha-kīrtanaṁ
tatra tatra kṛta-mastakāñjalim |
vāṣpa-vāri-paripūrṇa-locanaṁ
mārutiṁ namata rākṣasāntakam||
(Unknown source)
“I bow to the son of the wind [viz., Hanumān], the destroyer of the rākṣasas, who is present with palms joined above the head and eyes filled with tears wherever there is kīrtana of Raghunātha.”

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nāradāham idaṁ manye tādṛśānāṁ yataḥ sthitiḥ

nāradāham idaṁ manye tādṛśānāṁ yataḥ sthitiḥ |
bhavet sa eva vaikuṇṭho loko nātra vicāraṇā ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.3.60)
“O Nārada, this I consider: wherever there is the presence of those who are such [i.e., who are bhaktas of Śrī Bhagavān as described earlier in BB 1.3.55–58], that itself shall be Vaikuṇṭha-loka. There is no [need of] deliberation in this regard [i.e., there is no doubt about it].”

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tadīya-nāmehita-gāna-tatparā

tadīya-nāmehita-gāna-tatparā
vicitra-veśāmbara-kānti-bhūṣitāḥ |
ramātisaubhagya-mada-prahārikā
javena kṛṣṇā-taṭam āśrayanta tāḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.6.53)

“Absorbed in singing his names and of his acts,
Adorned with extraordinary ornaments, garments, and embellishments,
And demolishing Ramā’s pride in her great beauty,
They swiftly converged on the bank of the Yamunā.”

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tāṁ nāradīyām anusṛtya śikṣāṁ

tāṁ nāradīyām anusṛtya śikṣāṁ
śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmāni nija-priyāṇi |
saṅkīrtayan susvaram atra līlās
tasya pragāyann anucintayaṁś ca ||
tādīya-līlā-sthala-jātam etad
vilokayan bhāva-daśe gato ye |
tayoḥ sva-citte karaṇena lajje
kathaṁ parasminn kathayāny ahaṁ te ||
sadā mahārtyā karuṇā-svarai rudan
nayāmi rātrīr divasāṁś ca kātaraḥ |
na vedmi yad yat sucirād anuṣṭhitaṁ
sukhāya vā tat tad utārti-sindhave ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.6.1–3)

“Following that instruction of Nārada, here [in Vraja] melodiously chanting names of Śrī Kṛṣṇa dear to myself, singing aloud of and meditating upon his līlās, and beholding the sites of his līlās, this bhāva and state which arose [in me]—I feel embarrassed [just] by thinking of them in my own heart. [So,] How can I describe them to someone else? Crying continuously in pitiful tones out of great distress (ārti), I spent nights and days disconcerted. I did not know whether all that I had practiced for so long would lead to joy or an ocean of distress.”

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na deśa-niyamo rājan na kāla-niyamas tathā

na deśa-niyamo rājan na kāla-niyamas tathā |
vidyate nātra sandeho viṣṇor nāmānukīrtane ||
kālo’sti dāne yajñe ca snāne kālo’sti saj-jape |
viṣṇu-saṅkīrtane kālo nāsty atra pṛthivī-tale ||
(Vaiṣṇava-cintāmaṇi; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.412–413)

“O King, there is no regulation in regard to place, and no regulation in regard to time with respect to continuous kīrtana of Viṣṇu’s name. There is no doubt in this regard. There is a [designation of propriety with respect to] time for charity and sacrifice, and there is a [designation of propriety with respect to] time for bathing and proper japa. There is no [designated proper or improper] time here on the surface of the earth for saṅkīrtana of Viṣṇu [i.e., Bhagavan-nāma-saṅkīrtana can be done at any time].”

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na deśa-kāla-niyamo na śaucāśauca-nirṇayaḥ

na deśa-kāla-niyamo na śaucāśauca-nirṇayaḥ |
paraṁ saṅkīrtanād eva rāma rāmeti mucyate ||
(Vaiśvānara-saṁhitā; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.411)

“There is no regulation in regard to place or time, and there is no consideration of pure or impure. One is liberated just by the saṅkīrtana of ‘Rāma, Rāma.’”

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