Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)
by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329
The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.1.216, 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 2.1.216 contained in Chapter 1—Vairagya (renunciation)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).
Verse 2.1.216
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.1.216:
भो गोप-नन्दन क्षेत्रम् इदं मम यथा प्रियम् ।
तथा श्री-मथुराथासौ जन्म-भूमिर् विशेषतः ॥ २१६ ॥bho gopa-nandana kṣetram idaṃ mama yathā priyam |
tathā śrī-mathurāthāsau janma-bhūmir viśeṣataḥ || 216 ||bhoḥ gopa-nandana–O son of a cowherd; kṣetram–holy abode; idam–this; mama–My; yathā–just as; priyam–dear; tathā–similarly; śrīmathurā–Śrī Mathurā; atha–so; asau–that; janma-bhūmiḥ–birthplace; viśeṣataḥ–especially.
“O Gopa-nandana, O cowherd boy, just as this holy abode is dear to Me, so is Śrī Mathurā. But since Śrī Mathurā is My birthplace, it is even more dear to me.
Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda
(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)
Śrī Jagannātha-deva speaks two verses, beginning here with bho gopa-nandana, with the intention of, first, dispelling any misconception that it is wrong to leave Śrī Puruṣottama-kṣetra to go to Śrī Vṛndāvana, and, second, of affirming that He finds it more pleasing to reside in Vraja-bhūmi than in Śrī Puruṣottama-kṣetra. The purport of the Lord’s using the address, ‘bho gopa-nandana–O cowherd boy’ is: “Since you are the son of a cowherder, it is more appropriate for you to reside in Vraja.” Here, the word idam indicates Śrī Puruṣottama-dhāma, the word atha means ‘rather,’ and the word asau refers to Mathurā. The word viśeṣataḥ signifies: “Mathurā is far superior or extraordinary.” Or, “Mathurā is dear to Me because it is