śrīman-nāma prabhos tasya śrī-mūrter apy ati-priyam |
jagad-dhitaṁ sukhopāsyaṁ sa-rasaṁ tat-samaṁ na hi ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.3.184)
“Prabhu’s splendid name, dearer to him than even his beautiful form, is beneficial for the world, easily worshipped, and full of rasa. Indeed it has no equal.”
śrī-caitanya-mukhodgīrṇā hare-kṛṣṇeti varṇakāḥ |
majjayanto jagat premṇi vijayantāṁ tad-āhvayāḥ ||
(Laghu Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.4)
“May these names made of the syllables Ha-re Kṛṣ-ṇa pronounced by Śrī Caitanya’s mouth inundate the world with prema and triumph completely!”
icchā-vaśāt pāpam upāsakānāṁ
kṣīyeta bhogonmukham apy amuṣmāt |
prārabdha-mātraṁ bhavatītareṣāṁ
karmāvaśiṣṭaṁ tad avaśya-bhogyam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.3.169)
“Even the sin which is about to be experienced [i.e., the prārabdha-karma] of upāsakas is destroyed by this [i.e., by nāma-saṅkīrtana] according to their will. For others, prārabdha [-karma] is the only remaining karma, since that is necessary to be experienced.”
ye sarva-nairapekṣyena rādhā-dāsyecchavaḥ param |
saṅkīrtayanti tan-nāma tādṛśa-priyatā-mayāḥ ||
anyeṣām iva teṣāṁ ca prāpyaṁ ced hṛn na tṛpyati |
aho nanda-yaśodāder na sahe tādṛśīṁ gatim ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.1.21–22)
“If the attainment of those who, without regard for all of this [i.e., all the aforementioned sādhyas and sādhanas of karmīs, jñānīs, and other bhaktas], desire only servitude to Rādhā and engage in saṅkīrtana of his name [i.e., the name of Kṛṣṇa, the relisher of the rāsa dance], filled with such fondness [i.e., the extraordinary prema of the gopīs, the recipients of the very essence of Bhagavān’s grace], is like that of others [i.e., is the same as that of the Yādavas, Pāṇḍavas, and so forth], then my heart is not satisfied. Aho! I cannot tolerate such a destination [being that meant] for Nanda, Yaśodā, and others [i.e., for the people of Vraja led by Nanda and Yaśodā, since an equal result for those who are great and those who are lesser is not befitting].”
vicitra-līlā-rasa-sāgarasya
prabhor vicitrāt sphuritāt prasādāt |
vicitra-saṅkīrtana-mādhurī sā
na tu sva-yatnād iti sādhu sidhyet ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.3.168)
“That variegated sweetness of saṅkīrtana can be truly attained [only] by the manifest, variegated grace of Prabhu [i.e., Bhagavān], the ocean of variegated līlā-rasa, and not, rather, by one’s own exertion.”
bhakti-prabhāveṇa vicāra-jātaiḥ
sañjāyamānena sadedṛśais tvam |
vighnātivighnān kila jeṣyasīha
sarvatra te hanta vayaṁ sahāyāḥ ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 2.3.173)
[Vaikuṇṭhā-vāsīs to Gopa Kumāra:] “By the power of bhakti, accumulated by varieties of such continuous deliberation, you will certainly conquer all obstacles, [even] the greatest obstacles. Hanta! In this, everywhere we are your supporters.”
te santaḥ sarva-bhūtānāṁ nirupādhika-bāndhavāḥ |
ye nṛsiṁha bhavan nāma gāyanty uccair mudānvitāḥ ||
(Nārasiṁha Purāṇa; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 11.352)
“[Prahlāda Mahārāja:] O Nṛsiṁha, those who, filled with joy, loudly sing your name are the sincere friends of all living beings.”
grāmya-kathā nā śunibe, grāmya-vārtā nā kahibe |
bhāla nā khāibe, āra bhāla nā paribe ||
amānī mānada kṛṣṇa-nāma sadā labe |
vraje rādhā-kṛṣṇa-sevā mānase karibe ||
(Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta: Antya-līlā, 6.236–7)
“Do not listen to village talk, and do not speak of village matters. Do not eat fancy food, and do not wear fancy clothes. [Remaining] Undesirous of honor and respectful [to others], always take Kṛṣṇa’s name and within your heart engage in service to Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in Vraja.”
ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahādāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam |
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam ||
(Padyāvalī: 22; cited in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: 3.20.12)
“Cleansing the mirror of the mind,
Extinguishing the raging forest fire of material existence,
Shining moonlight on the evening lotus of good fortune,
The life of the wife of knowledge,
Expanding the ocean of bliss,
The taste of full nectar at every moment,
Bathing the entire self—
Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtana is supremely triumphant!”
abhūd gehe gehe tumula-hari-saṅkīrtana-ravo
babhau dehe dehe vipula-pulakāśru-vyatikaraḥ |
api snehe snehe parama-madhurotkarṣa-padavī
davīyasyāmnāyād api jagati gaure’vatarati ||
(Caitanya-candrāmṛta: 114)
“From home to home, a tumult of Hari-saṅkīrtana arose; from body to body, horripilation, tears, and other transformations shone; and the supremely sweet and exalted path, which is filled with affection and extends far beyond even the Vedas, appeared in this world when Gaura descended.”
