Verse 2.3.90-91

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.3.90-91:

एते हि मृत्यु-कालेऽपि जिह्वाग्रे श्रोत्र-वर्त्म वा ।
कथञ्चित् सकृद्-आप्तेन नामाभासेन च प्रभोः ॥ ९० ॥
भक्तान् कृत्स्न-भयात् पान्तस् तान्वन्तो भक्तिम् उज्ज्वलाम् ।
सर्वत्र विचरन्त्य् आत्मेच्छया भक्त्य्-एक-वल्लभाः ॥ ९१ ॥

ete hi mṛtyu-kāle'pi jihvāgre śrotra-vartma vā |
kathañcit sakṛd-āptena nāmābhāsena ca prabhoḥ || 90 ||
bhaktān kṛtsna-bhayāt pāntas tānvanto bhaktim ujjvalām |
sarvatra vicaranty ātmecchayā bhakty-eka-vallabhāḥ || 91 ||

ete–they; hi–certainly; mṛtyu-kāle–at the time of death; api–also; jihvā-agre–on the tip of the tongue; śrotra–of the ears; vartma–the path; vā–or; kathañcit–somehow; sakṛt–once; āptena–obtained; nāma–of the holy name; ābhāsena–by the reflection; ca–also; prabhoḥ–of the Lord; bhaktān–the devotees; kṛtsna–all; bhayāt–from fear; pāntaḥ–protecting; tanvantaḥ–spreading; bhaktim–devotional service; ujjvalām–glorious; sarvatra–everywhere; vicaranti–they roam; ātma-icchayā–by their own desire; bhakti–devotional service; eka–sole; vallabhāḥ–dear.

Śrī Gaṇeśa continued: The Vaikuṇṭha associates of Śrī Nārāyaṇa are ardent lovers of devotional service. Warding off dangers that impede devotion, they protect the devotees who, at the time of death, utter with their tongues or hear with their ears even a semblance of the holy name of Śrī Nārāyaṇa, the Master of Vaikuṇṭha. Under the guise of protecting those devotees who on their deathbed chant or hear the Lord’s holy name, they wander everywhere at will to spread pure devotion to Śrī Nārāyaṇa.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

Śrī Gopa-kumāra might wonder, “Why do the Vaikuṇṭha associates go to all those universes?”

In reply, Gaṇeśa narrates two verses, beginning here with ete. He says, “The Lord’s associates go there completely of their own accord.”

“What do they do after going to those universes?”

“They wander everywhere freely to protect all devotees from the fear of anything obstructing their bhakti. If someone chants even just the semblance of Lord Śrī Vaikuṇṭha-nātha’s holy name, or nāmābhāsa, they come to his rescue.”

“What is the meaning of nāmābhāsa?”

“Nāmābhāsa occurs when anyone just once utters with his tongue or hears with his ears the name of Śrī Vaikuṇṭha-nātha, even at the time of death, or jokingly (parihāsa), or disdainfully (avahelā). For the benefit of such souls, the Vaikuṇṭha pārṣadas move around spreading pure devotional service, or viśuddha-bhakti, because they are bhakti-eka-vallabha, meaning they are inspired by exclusive love for bhakti.”