श्रीमन्नाम प्रभोस्तस्य श्रीमूर्तेरप्यतिप्रियम् ।
जगद्धितं सुखोपास्यं सरसं तत्समं न हि ॥
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.”
Commentary
ataḥ śrī-bhagavan-nāma-saṅkīrtanam evāsmābhir nitarāṁ praśasyata ity āhuḥ—śrīmad iti | sarva-śobhā-sampatty-atiśaya-yuktaṁ sadā sarvatra sarveṣv eva nija-mahima-bhareṇa prakāśamānatvāt; ataḥ śrī-mūrter nija-vigrahād api sakāśāt tasya prabhoḥ śrī-vaikuṇṭheśvarasya bhagavato’tyanta-priyaṁ “na tathā me priyatamaḥ” ity ādau nija-śrī-mūrteḥ sakāśād apy anyeṣāṁ śreṣṭhatā-pratipādanāt, na tu kutrāpi nāmnaḥ sakāśāt śrīmattvam eva vivṛṇvanto’tipriyatve hetum āhuḥ—jagato hitam adhikāry-anapekṣayā kathañcit kenāpīndriyeṇa sevanata eva sarva-lokopakāritvāt; yataḥ sukhenopāsyaṁ sevyaṁ, jihvāgra-mātreṇaiva sevanāt | yataḥ sarasaṁ komalaṁ madhurākṣaramayatvāt sac-cid-ānanda-rasamayatvād vā | yadvā rasair aśeṣair eva saha varttamānaḥ śṛṅgārādi-nava-raseṣu bhakti-rase prema-rase ca tathā viraha-saṅgamayoś ca parisphuraṇāt | yadvā raso rāgas tat-sahitam avyabhicāritvenāvaśyam evāśu śrī-bhagavat-prema-sampādanāt | yadvā svasmin sva-sevakānāṁ sarveṣāṁ vā janānām anurāga-janakatvāt | yadvā raso vīrya-viśeṣaḥ parama-śaktimatvāt; yadvā guṇa-viśeṣaḥ akhila-dīna-jana-nistārakatvāt yadvā sukha-viśeṣaḥ ghana-sukhamayatvāt mādhurya-viśeṣo vā parama-madhuratvād iti dik | yathoktaṁ—madhura-madhura ity ādi | atas tasya nāmna eva samaṁ tat-tulyam anyat kiñcin nāstīti nirupamam ity arthaḥ |
(Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“Therefore, only saṅkīrtana of Śrī Bhagavān’s name is praised by us completely. The name is [“splendid” (śrīman), that is,] endowed with all splendor, fortune, and pre-eminence, as it is always and everywhere manifest to absolutely everyone with the abundance of its own greatness, and thus it is superlatively dear to Bhagavān, the Lord of Śrī Vaikuṇṭha, even in comparison to his beautiful form, that is, his own body, as he has described the superiority of others even in comparison to his own beautiful form in statements such as [SB 10.14.15], ‘No one is so dearmost to me … ’ (na tathā me priyatama), but nowhere at all [has he described any superiority in] splendidness in comparison to [that of] the name. Having given this description [of the name’s splendidness], the reasons for [the name’s] being most dear [to him] are stated: [the name is most dear] (1) because it is beneficial for the world, that is, without any dependence on a [particular] eligible person, it is [i.e., can be] served by any of the senses by any means and thus is beneficial to all; (2) [the name is most dear to him] because it is easily worshipped, that is, able to be served, as it is [i.e., can be] served just by the tip of the tongue; (3) [the name is most dear] because it is full of rasa (sarasa), that is, it is soft on account of being made up of sweet phonemes, or [it is such] on account of being constituted of the rasa of eternal being, consciousness, and bliss. Alternately, [it is sarasa] because it exists entirely within rasas, as it vibrates amid the nine rasas beginning with śṛṅgāra (amorous love), amid bhakti-rasa, amid prema-rasa, and so also amid separation and union. Alternately, [it is sarasa] in that it is endowed with rasa, meaning, rāga, that is, it is unwaveringly and thus indomitably endowed with rāga, as it quickly bestows prema for Śrī Bhagavān [upon one who chants it]. Alternately, [it is sarasa] because in those who are its own, that is, in its own servitors, or, in all people, it produces loving attachment (anurāga). Alternately, [it is sarasa in that] it is endowed with rasa, that is, special potency, as it is supremely powerful. Alternately, [it is sarasa in that] it is endowed with a special quality, as it is the deliverer of all lowly persons. Alternately, [it is sarasa in that] it is endowed with a special bliss, as it is constituted of intense bliss, or with a special sweetness, as it is supremely sweet. This is the direction [i.e., the description thus far gives some general indication of why the name is dear to Bhagavān for being sarasa], as it is said, ‘The sweetest of the sweet …’ (madhura-madhuram …). Therefore, there is nothing else that is equal to his name, that is, similar to it. Thus, it is incomparable. This is the meaning.”