एतन्निर्विद्यमानानामिच्छतामकुतोभयम् ।
योगिनां नृप निर्णीतं हरेर्नामानुकीर्तनम् ॥
etan nirvidyamānānām icchatām akuto-bhayam |
yogināṁ nṛpa nirṇītaṁ harer nāmānukīrtanam ||
(Śrīmad Bhāgavatam: 2.1.11; cited in Hari-bhakti-vilāsa: 11.414; Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu: 1.2.230; Bhakti Sandarbha: 115, 198, 265, 275)
“O King, this anukīrtana of Hari’s name, wherein there is no fear from anywhere, is enjoined for the indifferent, the desirous, and the yogīs.”
Commentary
śrī-bhāgavatasya parama-mahimānam uktvā tad-anantaraṁ śrī-bhāgavatam upakramamāṇa eva tasya nānāṅgavataḥ śrī-bhagavad-unmukhatayā tan-nāma-kīrtanam evopadiśati | tatrāpi sarveṣām eva parama-sādhanatvena parama-sādhyatvena copadiśati—etan nirvidyamānānām … | ṭīkā ca—sādhakānāṁ siddhānāṁ ca nātaḥ param anyac-chreyo’stīty āha—etad iti | icchatāṁ kāmināṁ tat-tat-phala-sādhanam etad eva | nirvidyamānānāṁ mumukṣūṇāṁ mokṣa-sādhanam etad eva | yogināṁ jñānināṁ phalaṁ caitad eva nirṇītam | nātra pramāṇaṁ vaktavyam ity arthaḥ || ity eṣā |
(Krama-sandarbha-ṭīkā; Bhakti Sandarbha: 265)
“Having stated the paramount greatness of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam [in SB 2.1.8–10], thereafter, just as he begins Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, Śrī Śuka enjoins specifically kīrtana of his [i.e., Śrī Bhagavān’s] name because of its being [especially] focused upon Śrī Bhagavān from among the various limbs it possesses [i.e., from among the various limbs of bhakti discussed in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam]. Furthermore, therein, he enjoins it [i.e., Bhagavan-nāma-kīrtana] as the supreme sādhana and as the supreme object (sādhya) verily for all [i.e., all living beings, be they sādhakas or siddhas]: etan nirvidyamānānām … [i.e., he speaks this verse]. Also, the commentary [of Śrī Śrīdhara Svāmīpāda] is as follows: ‘For sādhakas and for siddhas, there is no other good (śreyas) superior to this [i.e., to Bhagavan-nāma-kīrtana]. Thus, he [i.e., Śrī Śuka] speaks this verse (etad … ). This alone is [enjoined as] the means to all sorts of results for the desirous (icchatāṁ), that is, those possessed of kāma, this alone is [enjoined as] the means to mokṣa for the indifferent (nirvidyamānānāṁ), that is, those seeking mokṣa, and this alone is enjoined as the goal for the yogīs, that is, the jñānīs. In this regard, no [further] evidence (pramāṇa) needs to be stated. This is the meaning.’”
icchatāṁ kāmināṁ, nirvidyamānānāṁ mumukṣūṇāṁ, yogināṁ muktānāṁ caitad akuto-bhayaṁ na kutaścid api bhayaṁ yatra tad-rūpaṁ sādhanaṁ sādhyaṁ ca nirṇītam ity arthaḥ |
(Durgama-saṅgamanī-ṭīkā)
“For the desirous (icchatāṁ), that is, those possessed of kāma, for the indifferent (nirvidyamānānāṁ), that is, those seeking mokṣa, and for the yogīs, that is, the muktas, this [i.e., Bhagavan-nāma-kīrtana], wherein there is no fear from anywhere, is enjoined as the sādhana and the object (sādhya). This is the meaning.”
evaṁ sadā-sevyatvaṁ likhitvā sarva-sevyatvaṁ likhati—etad iti | icchatāṁ kāmināṁ tat-tat-phala-sādhanam etad eva | nirvidyamānānāṁ mumukṣūṇāṁ mokṣa-sādhanam etad eva | tatra tatra ca na kācid api vighnādi-śaṅkety āha—na kutaścid api bhayaṁ yasmin tat | yogināṁ jñānināṁ muktānāṁ vā phalaṁ caitad eva nirṇītam | nātra pramāṇaṁ vaktavyam ity arthaḥ | evaṁ sādhakānāṁ siddhānāṁ ca sevyatvaṁ darśitam |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā on Hari-bhakti-vilāsa)
“Thus having described the practicability at all times [of Bhagavan-nāma-kīrtana], the author describes the practicability for all [i.e., all classes of people, of Bhagavan-nāma-kīrtana]: etan … [i.e., he cites this verse]. This alone is [enjoined as] the means to all sorts of results for the desirous (icchatāṁ), that is, those possessed of kāma, this alone is [enjoined as] the means to mokṣa for the indifferent (nirvidyamānānāṁ), that is, those seeking mokṣa, and in neither case is there any sort of unease in the form of obstacles and so forth. Thus, he [i.e., Śrī Śuka] says [Bhagavan-nāma-kīrtana is] that wherein there is no fear from anywhere. Furthermore, this alone [i.e., Bhagavan-nāma-kīrtana] is enjoined as the goal for the yogīs, that is, the jñānīs, or, the muktas. In this regard, no [further] evidence (pramāṇa) needs to be stated. This is the meaning. Thus, the practicability [of Bhagavan-nāma-kīrtana] for sādhakas and for siddhas is shown.”
nanv atra śāstre bhaktir abhidheyety avagamyata eva | tatrāpi bhakty-aṅgeṣu madhye mahārāja-cakravartivat kim ekaṁ mukhyatvena nirṇīyate? tatrāha—nāmānukīrtanam iti | sarveṣu bhakty-aṅgeṣu madhye śravaṇa-kīrtana-smaraṇāni trīṇi mukhyāni—tasmād bhārata iti ślokenoktāni | teṣu triṣv api madhye kīrtanam, kīrtane’pi nāma-līlā-guṇādi-sambandhini tasmin nāma-kīrtanam, tatrāpy anukīrtanaṁ sva-bhakty-anurūpa-nāma-kīrtanaṁ nirantara-kīrtanaṁ vā | nirṇītaṁ pūrvācāryair api, na kevalaṁ mayaivādhunā nirṇīyata iti | tenātra pramāṇaṁ na praṣṭavyam iti bhāvaḥ | kīdṛśam? akutobhayam iti | kāla-deśa-pātropakaraṇādi-śuddhy-aśuddhi-gata-bhayābhāvasya kā vārtā? bhagavat-sevādikam asahamānā mlecchā api yatra naiva vipratipadyante iti bhāvaḥ | kiṁ ca, sādhakānāṁ siddhānāṁ ca nātaḥ param adhikaṁ śreyaḥ ity āha—nirvidyamānānām arthān mokṣa-paryanta-sarva-kāmebhya iti | icchatām iti arthāt tān eva kāmān iti ‘praviśa piṇḍīn’ itival labhyate | tataś ca nirvidyamānānām ekānta-bhaktānām icchatāṁ svarga-mokṣādi-kāminām, yoginām ātmārāmāṇāṁ ca etad eva nirṇītaṁ yathāyogyaṁ sādhanatvena phalatvena ceti bhāvaḥ |
(Sārārtha-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“[A question is raised:] ‘Well, here in the śāstra, bhakti is definitively understood to be the abhidheya [i.e., the principal direction of the śāstra, the means to attain the highest end]. Further in that regard, is one among the limbs of bhakti enjoined as principal like an emperor among great kings?’ To that, he [i.e., Śrī Śuka] says [i.e., answers]: nāma-anukīrtana. [This is to be understood as follows:] Among all the limbs of bhakti, three are principal: śravaṇa (hearing), kīrtana (praising), and smaraṇa (remembering) as stated in the verse tasmād bhārata … [i.e., SB 2.1.5, ‘O descendant of Bharata! The Self of all, Bhagavān, Īśvara, Hari, is to be heard about, to be praised, and to be remembered by one desirous of fearlessness’]. Among these three also, kīrtana [is principal], within kīrtana related to the names, līlās, qualities, and so forth [of Bhagavān] also [i.e., among the various types of kīrtana, viz., nāma-kīrtana, rūpa-kīrtana, guṇa-kīrtana, līlā-kīrtana, etc.], kīrtana of the name [is principal], and therein also anukīrtana, meaning, kīrtana of the name suitable to one’s own bhakti, or, continuous kīrtana [is principal]. [This is] ‘Enjoined’ (nirṇītam) by the previous ācāryas as well; it is not just enjoined now by me alone. Therefore, in this regard, no [further] evidence (pramāṇa) needs to be sought. This the purport. What is the nature [of this nāma-anukīrtana]? [It is] That wherein there is no from anywhere (akutobhayam). So, what to speak of the absence of fear based the purity and impurity of times, places, recipients, instruments, and so forth, [nāma-anukīrtana is that] in regard to which even mlecchas who are intolerant of worship and so forth of Bhagavān [i.e., ritual worship of deity forms of Bhagavān] never raise opposition. This is the purport.
“Furthermore, for sādhakas and for siddhas, there is no good (śreyas) superior to or greater than this [i.e., Bhagavan-nāma-kīrtana]. Thus, he [i.e., Śrī Śuka] says ‘those who are indifferent’ (nirvidyamānānām), meaning, [indifferent] to all desires including [the desire for] mokṣa. ‘For the desirous’ (icchatāṁ) means [desirous] of those very objects of desire [which were condemned in the aforesaid verses, SB 2.1.2–4, viz., the sensual pleasures of village life, etc.]. This is to be understood to be like [the classical expression] ‘enter, cakes‘ (praviśa piṇḍīn) [i.e., as in the classical example of elliptical language ‘enter, cakes‘ (praviśa piṇḍīn), the object ‘house’ is to be supplied and understood as the object of the verb ‘enter’ (praviśa) and the verb ‘eat’ is to be supplied and understood as the action to be performed in relation to the object ‘cakes’ (piṇḍīn) such that the expression ‘enter, cakes‘ (praviśa piṇḍīn) is readily understood to mean, ‘Enter the house and eat cakes,’ or, more loosely, ‘Come in the house and have something to eat’], so the objects in regard to which ‘the indifferent’ (nirvidyamānānām) are indifferent and ‘the desirous’ (icchatāṁ) are desirous are to be supplied and understood by the reader of the verse, and thus from the context and the understood intention of the speaker Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī the appropriate objects have been supplied in the aforesaid explanation]. Thus, for the indifferent, that is, for one-pointed bhaktas, for the desirous, that is, those desirous of Svarga, mokṣa, and so forth, and for the yogīs, that is, those who are satisfied within the self (ātmārāmas), this alone [i.e., nāma-anukīrtana] is enjoined as appropriate as the sādhana or as the object [i.e., sādhya]. This is the purport.”