Verse 2.2.220

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.2.220:

स्व-भक्तानां तत्-तद्-विविध-मधुरानन्द-लहरी-सदा-सम्पत्त्य्-अर्थं बहुतर-विशेषं वितनुते ।
यथा स्वस्मिंस् तत्-तत्-प्रकृति-रहितेऽपि ध्रुवतरं तथा तेषां चित्राखिल-करण-वृत्त्य्-आदि-विभवम् ॥ २२० ॥

sva-bhaktānāṃ tat-tad-vividha-madhurānanda-laharī-sadā-sampatty-arthaṃ bahutara-viśeṣaṃ vitanute |
yathā svasmiṃs tat-tat-prakṛti-rahite'pi dhruvataraṃ tathā teṣāṃ citrākhila-karaṇa-vṛtty-ādi-vibhavam || 220 ||

sva-bhaktānām–of His devotees; tat-tat–of His various pastimes; vividha–various; madhura–sweetness; ānanda–of bliss; laharī–waves; sadā–eternally; sampatti–of bringing forth; artham–for the purpose; bahu-tara–manifold; viśeṣam–variegatedness; vitanute–manifests; yathā–as; svasmin–Himself; tat-tat-prakṛti–the various aspects of material nature; rahite–free from; api–even; dhruva-taram–very firmly established; tathā–so; teṣām–for them; citra–wonderful; akhila-karaṇa–of all the senses; vṛtti–functions (such as śravaṇa, kīrtana, etc.); ādi–beginning with; vibhavam–the development

Śrī Bhagavān, being naturally free of all material characteristics, is not limited by time, place, and so on, and so He manifests countless incarnations that are consummately eternal. Similarly, to give the experience of varieties of sweet waves of bliss to all His devotees, He manifests countless amazing features, such as the devotional processes of hearing and chanting.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

Gopa-kumāra might ask, “Why does Śrī Bhagavān reveal the ultimate limit of His mercy?” To address this, in this verse beginning with sva-bhaktānām, the bhakti-śāstras describe the intention of the Lord and use examples to show how He manifests Himself to His devotees.

They say, “Although the totally indescribable Śrī Bhagavān always has one form, still, not bound by time and place, He manifests diverse incarnations and reveals His special qualities. In the same way, to perpetually establish varieties of waves of bliss among His devotees, the Lord expands His many special features, such as hearing (śravaṇa), devotional chanting (kīrtana), and other processes of bhakti.

“The purport of this is that the devotees, being embodiments of eternity, knowledge, and bliss, are all one in kind, or eka-rūpa. But still, differences are seen among them because they possess countless distinctive personal attributes, such as maintaining special attachment for certain aspects of devotion, which include hearing, singing, remembering (smaraṇa), or offering obeisances (vandana). What is the nature of those distinctive attributes? They are perfectly eternal: beginningless and endless. The functions of the various devotees’ senses as well as the expanding and mystic capabilities of those sense functions are also eternal.” Here the word ādi, in reference to the many functions of the senses, indicates form, luster, transcendental sportive pastimes, and so on.

Gopa-kumāra might question, “As fire is naturally hot and can never be cool, how can something that is perpetually one in nature manifest an opposite nature of having multiple forms?”

The bhakti-śāstras explain this with an example, saying, “Being naturally free from various material attributes and not limited by time, place, and so on, Śrī Bhagavān manifests a multitude of special features that are supremely eternal. Alternatively, it may be understood that while the Lord in His form of the Supreme Brahman is devoid of variegated qualities, in His form of Supersoul (Paramātmā), He manifests the various incarnations and living beings that are His own fragmental portions (aṃśas). These are His various distinctive features.

“Similarly, Śrī Bhagavān creates a multiplicity of wonderfully sweet devotional activities for His devotees, such as hearing, chanting, seeing the Deity form, conversing, embracing, and other aspects of devotional service. Then, in every single aspect in each of these forms of bhakti, at every moment, and in ever-fresh distinctive forms, He manifests in the heart of every devotee.”

(For instance, just as the process of recitation, or kīrtana, manifested itself in Śrī Śukadeva’s heart and the act of hearing, or śravaṇa, became manifest in Śrī Parīkṣit’s, so the kalpa-latā, the desire vine, of loving affection assumes a variety of forms in the hearts of devotees. Unlimited diversity is found in the infinite divisions of bhakti.)

“As stated, because devotees are embodiments of knowledge, bliss, and eternity, they are always one in nature. However, Śrī Bhagavān desires that His devotees taste the unlimited sweetness of ecstatic moods (bhāvas)–happiness that is far superior to the happiness of Brahman realization–and so He manifests newer and newer varieties of happiness with the help of His special potency. Accordingly, the external and internal senses of the devotees manifest variegatedness and experience hundreds of varieties of great joy. Thus, it is established that oneness (abheda) is present in difference (bheda), and difference is present in oneness. It is also established that the happiness of liberation, or mokṣa-sukha, is paltry, and the happiness of devotion, or bhakti-sukha, is supremely excellent and unlimited.”