Text 12

The seventh verse of Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī’s Śrī Kṛṣṇa-nāmāṣṭaka describes the holy name as the embodiment of concentrated transcendental bliss and knowledge:

सूदिताश्रित-जनार्ति-राशये रम्य-चिद्-घन-सुख-स्वरूपिणे
नाम! गोकुल-महोत्सवाय ते कृष्ण! पूर्ण-वपुषे नमो नमः

sūditāśrita-janārti-rāśaye ramya-cid-ghana-sukha-svarūpiṇe
nāma! gokula-mahotsavāya te kṛṣṇa! pūrṇa-vapuṣe namo namaḥ

O destroyer of the numerous sufferings of those who have taken shelter of You, O embodiment of delightful transcendental bliss, O great festival for the residents of Gokula, O all-pervading one, O Kṛṣṇa-nāma, time and again I offer respects to You, who are replete with these qualities.

आश्रित जनेर सब आर्ति-नाश करि’
अति-रम्य चिद्घन स्वरूपे विहरि

āśrita janera saba ārti-nāśa kari’
ati-ramya cidghana svarūpe vihari

गोकुलेर महोत्सव कृष्ण पूर्न-रूप
हेन नामे नमि’ प्रेम पाइ अपरूप

gokulera mahotsava kṛṣṇa pūrna-rūpa
hena nāme nami’ prema pāi aparūpa

नाम-सङ्कीर्तने हय सर्वानर्थ नाश
सर्व शुभोदय कृष्णे प्रेमेर उल्लास

nāma-saṅkīrtane haya sarvānartha nāśa
sarva śubhodaya kṛṣṇe premera ullāsa

Commentary: Bhajana-rahasya-vṛtti:

“The name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa removes all kinds of distress and sorrow for those who have taken its shelter. He especially removes the Vrajavāsīs’ extreme pain of separation. Kṛṣṇa-nāma sports as Nanda-nandana Śrī Kṛṣṇa, the personification of supremely delightful, condensed, transcendental happiness. The holy name is the great festival of Nanda-Gokula and the very embodiment of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Himself. Please let Me (Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu) attain undivided love for śrī kṛṣṇa-nāma. Aho! All anarthas will be completely destroyed through nāma-saṅkīrtana, and all varieties of auspiciousness, as well as joyful love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa, will arise.”

A question may arise here. The holy name is able to destroy the thirty-two kinds of sevā-aparādha, but how can criticism of devotees and saintly persons (sādhu-nindā) and the other nine kinds of nāma-aparādha be destroyed? The answer is that they can also be destroyed by chanting harināma. Śrīman Mahāprabhu is speaking with this mood.