शृण्वन्तु वैष्णवाः शास्त्रमिदं भागवतामृतम् ।
सुगोप्यं प्राह यत्प्रेम्णा जैमिनिर्जनमेजयम् ॥
śṛṇvantu vaiṣṇavāḥ śāstram idaṁ bhāgavatāmṛtam |
sugopyaṁ prāha yat premṇā jaiminir janamejayam ||
(Bṛhad Bhāgavatāmṛta: 1.1.12)
“May the Vaiṣṇavas hear this highly confidential śāstra, [entitled] Bhāgavatāmṛtam, which Jaimini spoke to Janamejaya out of prema.”
Commentary
ata idaṁ saṅgṛhyamāṇaṁ parama-sad-dharmaṁ śikṣayati parama-san-mārge pravartayatīti vā śāstraṁ bhāgavatāmṛtaṁ nāma | bhāgavatānāṁ bhagavad-bhakti-parāṇāṁ śāstrāṇāṁ parama-madhura-sāra-rūpatvāt evaṁ yathārtha-saṁjñam ity arthaḥ | etad agre vistareṇa vyaktaṁ bhāvi | ye vaiṣṇāvāḥ ta eva śṛṇvantu, anyeṣām atrānadhikārāt | viśeṣeṇāvaiṣṇavānāṁ śuṣka-cittānāṁ rasābhāvād etac-chravaṇe śraddhānutpatter mahāpātakam eva syād iti teṣām atra varjanaṁ kṛpayaiveti mantavyam | tatra yadyapi gṛhīta-śrī-viṣṇu-dīkṣakā eva vaiṣṇavā ucyante, yathoktaṁ padma-purāṇe—‘sāṅgaṁ sa-mudraṁ sa-nyāsaṁ sa-ṛṣi-cchanda-daivatam | sa-dīkṣā-vidhi sa-dhyānaṁ sa-yantraṁ dvādaśākṣaram || aṣṭākṣaram athānyaṁ vā ye mantraṁ samupāsate | jñeyās te vaiṣṇavā lokā viṣṇv-arcana-ratāḥ sadā ||’ iti tathāpy atra bhakti-rasikāḥ, tatrāpi śrī-nanda-kiśora-caraṇāravinda-makaranda-viṣayaka-lobha-viśeṣavanta eva grāhyāḥ prāyas teṣām evaitac-chravaṇe prīti-viśeṣotpatteḥ | … tatra ca premṇaiva bhagavati bhāgavatottame vā sva-śiṣye janamejaye, kiṁ vā bhakti-mārge yo’nurāgaḥ tenaiva kevalaṁ na tv anyena kenāpi hetunā sugopyatvād iti dik |
(Excerpt from the Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā)
“This [text which is] being compiled, which is a śāstra because it teaches the highest, true dharma or [is so because] it causes one to follow the highest, true path, is entitled Bhāgavatāmṛtam. Because of [its] being a form of the highest sweet essence of the Bhāgavatas, that is, the śāstras focused on bhakti to Bhagavān, such is an accurate title [for the text]. This is the meaning. This will be clarified with elaboration ahead. May only they who are Vaiṣṇavas hear [this text] because of the lack of eligibility (adhikāra) of others in this regard [i.e., in regard to this text]. In particular, because non-Vaiṣṇavas, those of dry heart, have a lack of taste (rasa) [for the text], verily a great sin shall occur as a result of the non-arising of respect (śraddhā) [on their part] in regard to hearing it. Thus, the exclusion of them in this regard [i.e. from hearing the text] is specifically out of compassion [for them]. Such is to be considered. In this regard, although specifically those who have accepted Śrī Viṣṇu-dīkṣā [i.e., dīkṣā into a Viṣṇu-mantra] are said to be Vaiṣṇavas, as is stated in Padma Purāṇa, ‘Those people who devote themselves to a mantra of twelve syllables, or eight syllables, or otherwise along with its supporting elements, mudrās, nyāsa, sage, meter, Daivata, dīkṣā procedure, meditation, and yantra, are Vaiṣṇavas ever devoted to worship of Viṣṇu,’ still here [i.e., in regard to this text entitled Bhāgavatāmṛtam], relishers (rasikas) of bhakti, and therein furthermore, specifically those possessed of a special form of intense desire (lobha) focused on the nectar of the lotus feet of the beautiful Adolescent of Nanda, are to be accepted [as the Vaiṣṇavas who should hear this text, that is, the bearers of eligibility (adhikārīs) for this text] because of the arising generally of only their special affinity (prīti) for hearing this [text]. …
“Furthermore in this regard, [Jaimini spoke this text] specifically ‘out of prema’ (premṇā) for Bhagavān, or, [out of prema] for his own disciple, the exalted bhāgavata Janamejaya, or [he spoke it] only specifically out of deep affinity (anurāga) for the path of bhakti, and not, rather, for any other reason, because of [its] being highly confidential. This is the direction.”