Verse 2.3.147

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.3.147:

भक्तिः प्रकृष्टा स्मरणात्मिकास्मिन् सर्वेन्द्रियानाम् अधिपे विलोले ।
घोरे बलिष्ठे मनसि प्रयासैर् नीते वशं भाति विशोधिते या ॥ १४७ ॥

bhaktiḥ prakṛṣṭā smaraṇātmikāsmin sarvendriyānām adhipe vilole |
ghore baliṣṭhe manasi prayāsair nīte vaśaṃ bhāti viśodhite yā || 147 ||

bhaktiḥ–devotional service; prakṛṣṭā–superexcellent; smaraṇaātmikā–consisting of remembering; asmin–in this; sarvaindriyāṇām–of all the senses; adhipe–the king; vilole–tremulous; ghore–violent; baliṣṭhe–turbulent; manasi–the mind; prayāsaiḥ–with great endeavors; nīte–brought; vaśam–under control; bhāti–it is splendidly eminent; viśodhite–purified; yā–which.

(The nine Yogendras said:) Smaraṇa, on the other hand, is a function of the mind, which is the king of all the senses. The turbulent, volatile mind is not easily restrained or withdrawn from sense objects. Therefore, smaraṇa-bhakti, which is accomplished by a mind that is purified only after tremendous endeavor and diligence, is superior to kīrtana. Particularly, that which is accomplished by subjugation of the mind must be the most excellent. Who can doubt this?

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

Those Yogendras say, “Devotional service in the form of remembrance (smaraṇa) is the most excellent sādhana. The reason is that the mind, the ruler of all the senses, is very powerful, extremely restless, capable of quickly creating hundreds of terrible anarthas (undesirable experiences or habits), and most difficult to control. When, only after heroic effort, one purifies and controls the mind, smaraṇa-bhakti manifests there. Therefore, this is the best of all the limbs of devotional service.”

This is confirmed in the Bhikṣu-gītā, ‘The Song of the Renunciant,’ of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.23.47 and 45):

मनो-वशे’न्ये ह्य् अभवन् स्म देवा मनश् च नान्यस्य वशं समेति
भीष्मो हि देवः सहसः सहीयान् युञ्ज्याद् वशे तं स हि देव-देवः

mano-vaśe’nye hy abhavan sma devā manaś ca nānyasya vaśaṃ sameti
bhīṣmo hi devaḥ sahasaḥ sahīyān yuñjyād vaśe taṃ sa hi deva-devaḥ

All the senses are under the control of the mind; the mind is not under the control of any one of the senses. The mind is stronger than the strongest and is the most fearsome god. One who subjugates the mind is indeed the conqueror of the senses and worshipable even for the demigods.

दानं स्व-धर्मो नियमो यमश् च श्रुतं च कर्माणि च सद्-व्रतानि
सर्वे मनो-निग्रह-लक्षणान्ताः परो हि योगो मनसः समाधिः

dānaṃ sva-dharmo niyamo yamaś ca śrutaṃ ca karmāṇi ca sad-vratāni
sarve mano-nigraha-lakṣaṇāntāḥ paro hi yogo manasaḥ samādhiḥ

The topmost benefit that comes from giving charity, executing prescribed occupational duties, following rules and regulations, studying the Vedas, performing pious deeds, and observing purifying vows is that the mind becomes subdued and absorbed in Bhagavān. Therefore, conquering the mind is the topmost yoga.

They say, “How can anyone doubt the superexcellence of smaraṇa, which is accomplished by subjugation of the mind?”