Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)
by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329
The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 1.7.129, 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 1.7.129 contained in Chapter 7—Purna (pinnacle of excellent devotees)—of Part one (prathama-khanda).
Verse 1.7.129
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 1.7.129:
कथञ्चन स्मारणम् एव तेषाम् अवेहि तज्-जीवन-दानम् एव ।
तेषां यतो विस्मरणं कदाचित् प्राणाधिकानां मरणाच् च निन्द्यम् ॥ १२९ ॥kathañcana smāraṇam eva teṣām avehi taj-jīvana-dānam eva |
teṣāṃ yato vismaraṇaṃ kadācit prāṇādhikānāṃ maraṇāc ca nindyam || 129 ||Somehow or other remembering one’s beloved is like the gift of life itself for loving devotees (premī bhaktas); the same as if one forgets that person who is dearer than life is even more despicable than death.
Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda
(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)
He explains in this verse beginning with kathañcana why the remembrance of the beloved both directly and indirectly is extremely favorable. Remembrance of beloved persons in every possible way is understandably like the gift of life (jīvana-dāna), because forgetfulness of that person who is dearer than life is more blameworthy and deplorable than even death. Thus, forgetfulness of that beloved person is more injurious than death. In other words, it is better to die than to forget the beloved, because forgetfulness (vismaraṇa) of beloved ones is extremely condemnable.