Verse 2.2.166

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.166:

ततो महा-पुराणानां महोपनिषदां तथा ।
माध्यस्थ्याद् आगमानां तु जयो जातो मम प्रियः ॥ १६६ ॥

tato mahā-purāṇānāṃ mahopaniṣadāṃ tathā |
mādhyasthyād āgamānāṃ tu jayo jāto mama priyaḥ || 166 ||

tataḥ–then; mahā–great; purāṇānām–of the Purāṇas; mahā–great; upaniṣadām–of the Upaniṣads; tathā–then; madhya-sthyāt–as mediators; āgamānām–of the Āgamas; tu–indeed; jayaḥ–victory; jātaḥ–took place; mama–for me; priyaḥ–pleasing.

Thereafter, those Mahā-Purāṇas and Mahā-Upaniṣads intervened to mediate in the debate, and after careful deliberation, they declared the Āgamas to be victorious. At that decision, I also became joyful.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

Śrī Gopa-kumāra says, “The reason for the departure of all those scriptures was that they wanted to maintain impartiality and avoid siding with any party. Then, by listening to the thoughts and arguments of both parties, they could come to a proper understanding. Ultimately, the Mahā-Purāṇas and Mahā-Upaniṣads, being selected as arbiters, awarded victory to the Āgamas. Because I was partisan to the chanting of Śrī Bhagavān’s mantra, I took great delight in this decision.”

In this regard, it is stated in Śrī Viṣṇu Purāṇa (1.6.40):

गत्वा गत्वा निवर्तन्ते चन्द्र-सूर्यादयो ग्रहाः
अद्यापि न निवर्तन्ते द्वादशाक्षर-चिन्तकाः

gatvā gatvā nivartante candra-sūryādayo grahāḥ
adyāpi na nivartante dvādaśākṣara-cintakāḥ

Planets such as the moon and the sun are repeatedly created and destroyed. However, those persons who meditate on the twelve-syllable mantra of Lord Viṣṇu have never, even to this day, had to return.

It is stated in the Padmanābhīya of the Śrī Padma Purāṇa:

जपेन देवता नित्यं स्तूयमाना प्रसीदति
प्रसन्ना विपुलान् भोगान् दद्यान् मुक्तिं च शाश्वतीम्

japena devatā nityaṃ stūyamānā prasīdati
prasannā vipulān bhogān dadyān muktiṃ ca śāśvatīm

When the presiding Deities of the mantras are praised by regular chanting of Their mantras, They become pleased. Not only do They award abundant sense enjoyment to those who chant, but They also bestow eternal liberation.

Why does the chanting of a mantra please Bhagavān? The Lord thinks, “Because this person is devoted only to chanting My mantra, he is very dear to Me.”