Nāma-saṅkīrtana
harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam
harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam |
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā ||
(Bṛhan-Nāradīya-purāṇa; cited in Bhakti Sandarbha: 273; Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 1.7.76, 1.17.21, 2.6.242)
“The name of Hari, the name of Hari—certainly the name of Hari alone—in the Age of Kali, there is certainly no, there is certainly no, there is certainly no way otherwise.”
punaḥ pulinam āgatya kalindyāḥ kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāḥ
punaḥ pulinam āgatya kalindyāḥ kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāḥ |
samavetā jaguḥ kṛṣṇaṁ tad-āgamana-kāṅkṣitāḥ ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 10.30.44)
“After coming back to the shore of the Kālindī, they who were absorbed in thought of Kṛṣṇa [i.e., the gopīs] assembled and sang about Kṛṣṇa, longing for his return.”
tad evaṁ kalau nāma-kīrtana-pracāra-prabhāveṇaiva
tad evaṁ kalau nāma-kīrtana-pracāra-prabhāveṇaiva parama-bhagavat-parāyaṇatva-siddhir darśitā | tatra pāṣaṇḍa-praveśena nāmāparādhino ye, teṣāṁ tu tad-bahirmukhatvam eva syād … |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 274)
“Thus, in this way, in [the Age of] Kali, attainment of superlative devotedness to Bhagavān solely by the influence of engagement in nāma-kīrtana has been shown. Only obliviousness (bahirmukhatva) of him [however] shall ensue for those who are offenders of the name because of an ingress of heresy therein [i.e., those who commit offense to the name because of fostering a heretical mentality contrary to Bhagavad-bhakti will only remain oblivious of Bhagavān even if they engage in nāma-kīrtana, or other practices of bhakti, as a result of their offenses].”
bahubhir militvā kīrtanaṁ saṅkīrtanam ity ucyate
bahubhir militvā kīrtanaṁ saṅkīrtanam ity ucyate | tat tu camatkāra-viśeṣa-poṣāt pūrvato’py adhikam iti jñeyam |
(Bhakti Sandarbha: 269)
“Kīrtana [performed] by many [who have] gathered together is called saṅkīrtana. This [i.e., saṅkīrtana] is to be known as superior even to the former [i.e., kīrtana] because of [its] fostering a special type of wondrousness.”
titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām
titikṣavaḥ kāruṇikāḥ suhṛdaḥ sarva-dehinām |
ajāta-śatravaḥ śāntāḥ sādhavaḥ sādhu-bhūṣaṇāḥ ||
mayy ananyena bhāvena bhaktiṁ kurvanti ye dṛḍhām |
mat-kṛte tyakta-karmāṇas tyakta-svajana-bāndhavāḥ ||
mad-āśrayāḥ kathā mṛṣṭāḥ śṛṇvanti kathayanti ca |
tapanti vividhās tāpā naitān mad-gata-cetasaḥ ||
ta ete sādhavaḥ sādhvi sarva-saṅga-vivarjitāḥ |
saṅgas teṣv atha te prārthyaḥ saṅga-doṣa-harā hi te ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 3.25.21–24; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 2.22.81)
“[Bhagavān Kapila:] Those who are forbearing, compassionate, well-wishing of all embodied beings, without enemies, peaceful, and possessed of the adornment of good disposition are the sādhus. They who with unalloyed bhāva engage in resolute bhakti to me, they who have given up karmas and given up relatives and friends for me, they who hear and recount pure narrations about me, they of mind given over to me whom the various miseries do not trouble—O Sādhvī [i.e., O pure Mother], they are the sādhus, and [they] are completely free from all attachment. Therefore, attachment to them is to be desired by you, as they are removers of the fault of attachment.”
mantratas tantrataś chidraṁ deśa-kālārha-vastutaḥ
mantratas tantrataś chidraṁ deśa-kālārha-vastutaḥ |
sarvaṁ karoti niśchidram anusaṅkīrtanaṁ tava ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 8.23.16; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.376; Bhakti Sandarbha: 97)
“Continuous saṅkīrtana of you makes flawless all flaws [in yajñas] related to mantras, procedure, place, time, eligibility, and ingredients.”
mama nāmāni loke’smin śraddhayā yas tu kīrtayet
sarvapārādha-bhañjanatvam
viṣṇu-yāmale śrī-bhagavad-uktau—
mama nāmāni loke’smin śraddhayā yas tu kīrtayet |
tasyāparādha-koṭīs tu kṣamāmy eva na saṁśayaḥ ||
(Viṣṇu-yāmala; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.375; Bhakti Sandarbha: 265; Krama-sandarbha-ṭikā on Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.1.11)
“The name of Śrī Bhagavān’s being a destroyer of all offenses [is described as follows] in a statement of Śrī Bhagavān in Viṣṇu-yāmala: ‘I certainly forgive even crores of offenses (aparādhas) of someone in this world who can chant my names with śraddhā. There is no doubt [about this].’”
aninduka ha-i ye sakṛt ‘kṛṣṇa’ bale
aninduka ha-i ye sakṛt ‘kṛṣṇa’ bale |
satya satya kṛṣṇa tāre uddhāriba hele ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata: 2.9.246)
“Truly truly Kṛṣṇa will deliver with ease anyone who, being a non-defamer, once chants, ‘Kṛṣṇa.’”
ābrahma-stambādi saba kṛṣṇera vaibhava
ābrahma-stambādi saba kṛṣṇera vaibhava |
‘nindā-mātra kṛṣṇa ruṣṭa’ kahe śāstra saba ||
anindaka ha-i ye sakṛt kṛṣṇa bale |
satya satya kṛṣṇa tāre uddhāriba hele ||
(Caitanya-bhāgavata: 2.20.147–148)
“From Brahmā to a clump of grass and so forth—everything is a manifestation of Kṛṣṇa. [Therefore,] All the śāstras say, ‘Kṛṣṇa becomes angry at any defamation at all.’ Truly, truly, Kṛṣṇa will easily deliver anyone who, being non-defaming, once chants, ‘Kṛṣṇa.’”