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Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)

by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329

The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.3.183, English translation, including commentary (Dig-darshini-tika): an important Vaishnava text dealing with the importance of devotional service. The Brihad-bhagavatamrita, although an indepent Sanskrit work, covers the essential teachings of the Shrimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata-purana). This is verse 2.3.183 contained in Chapter 3—Bhajana (loving service)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.3.183:

ध्यानं परोक्ष� युज्ये� � तु साक्षान् मह�-प्रभोः �
अपरोक्षे परोक्षेऽपि युक्तं सङ्कीर्तन� सद� � १८� �

Բ� 貹ǰṣe yujyeta na tu sākṣān -� |
a貹ǰṣe 貹ǰṣe'pi yukta� saṅīٲԲṃ || 183 ||

Բ–m徱ٲپDz; 貹ǰṣe–in absence; yujyeta–it may be proper; na–ndz; tu–bܳ; ṣāt–in direct presence; -�–of the great Lord; a貹ǰṣe–in the presence; 貹ǰṣe–in the absence; api–a; yuktamDZ; ṅkīٲԲ–congregational chanting; –aɲ.

It is appropriate to meditate on 󲹲 in His absence, not in His direct presence. ṅkīٲԲ, on the other hand, is always acceptable, whether the Lord is present personally or not.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

“Not only is seeing the Lord in Բ-yoga inferior to directly seeing the Lord, but it is universally seen that meditation is inferior to īٲԲ.� Concluding the discussion in a sweet manner, or madhureṇa samāpayet, the ղṇṭ associates speak two verses, beginning here with Բ, repeating the logic of their glorification of nāma-saṅīٲԲ�.

They say, “Meditation on the Lord is appropriate everywhere and at all times, but only when He is not visible; it is not appropriate in His direct presence. However, there is sound evidence in the experience of common practice that īٲԲ is suitable for every situation–in 󲹲’s direct presence or absence.�

The -貹ñ-ⲹ section of Śī-岵ٲ (10.33.7) [the five chapters that discuss Śrī ṛṣṇa amorous sports with the ᲹDZī] gives special evidence of this. At the time of , the DZī performed saṅīٲԲ� right in front of Śrī ṛṣṇa: �gāyantyas ta� taḍita iva tā megha-cakre vireju�–Surrounding Śrī ṛṣṇa and singing ‘ṛṣṇa, ṛṣṇa, ṛṣṇa,� all the DZī shone dazzlingly, like a garland comprised of streaks of lightening in a circle of clouds.�

It is also stated in the վṣṇ ʳܰṇa (5.13.52, and 56):

कृष्णः शरच्-चन्द्रमस� कौमुदी-कुमुदाकरम्
जग� गोपी-जनस् त्व् एक� कृष्�-ना� पुनः पुनः

kṛṣṇa� śarac-candramasa� kaumudī-kumudākaram
jagau gopī-janas tv eka� kṛṣṇa-nāma puna� puna�

Śrī ṛṣṇa began to sing the glories of the autumn moon, whose brilliance blossoms the lilies in the lake, while all the DZī repeatedly sang only the name, ‘ṛṣṇa, ṛṣṇa�. -geya� jagau kṛṣṇo yāvat tārāyata-dhvani� kṛṣṇeti kṛṣṇeti tāvat tā dvi-ṇa� Ჹ�

Śrī ṛṣṇa sang as loudly as possible all the songs appropriate for the -ī. Applauding Him and saying, ‘Well done, well done!� all the DZī began to sing the words ‘ṛṣṇa, ṛṣṇa� only, and twice as loud.

īٲԲ performed in Śrī ṛṣṇa’s absence is well-known everywhere. Instances in the Tenth Canto of Śī-岵ٲ include ҴDZīīٲ (The Song of the Gopīs), and Bhramara-īٲ (The Song to the Bumble-bee), which was sung at the time of Uddhava’s arrival in Vraja.

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