Verse 2.3.148

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.3.148:

मन्यामहे कीर्तनम् एव सत्तमं लोलात्मकैक-स्व-हृदि स्फुरत् स्मृतेः ।
वाचि स्व-युक्ते मनसि श्रुतौ तथा दीव्यत् परान् अप्य् उपकुर्वद् आत्म्यवत् ॥ १४८ ॥

manyāmahe kīrtanam eva sattamaṃ lolātmakaika-sva-hṛdi sphurat smṛteḥ |
vāci sva-yukte manasi śrutau tathā dīvyat parān apy upakurvad ātmyavat || 148 ||

manyāmahe–in our opinion; kīrtanam–chanting; eva–indeed; sattamam–better; lola-ātmaka–with the flickering mind; eka–one; sva-hṛdi–in the heart; sphurat-smṛteḥ–than tremulous contemplation; vāci–in the voice; sva-yukte–connected with oneself; manasi–the mind; śrutau–the sense of hearing; tathā–also; dīvyat–illuminating; parān–others; api–also; upakurvat–satisfies; ātmya-vat–like oneself.

(Now the Vaikuṇṭha associates express their view.) However, in our opinion, kīrtana is superior to smaraṇa, which manifests only in one’s own heart via the restless mind. Kīrtana, on the other hand, manifests on the tongue and automatically connects with the mind. The sound of kīrtana then satisfies both one’s own sense of hearing and that of other listeners.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

Having described the opinions of others, the Vaikuṇṭha pārṣadas present their own opinion in this verse beginning with manyāmahe. They say “We believe that kīrtana, or singing the praises of the Lord, is indeed superior to the aspect of bhakti known as smaraṇa, or remembrance of the Lord. Smaraṇa manifests only in one of the senses–the restless mind–but kīrtana manifests on the tongue and dances there, and also spontaneously becomes conjoined with the mind and sports within it. Therefore, because it is the mind that connects the sense objects of all the senses in a subtle form–that is, without the mind there is no question of any sense perception–ultimately, the sound of kīrtana, bringing satisfaction to the sense of hearing, controls all the other senses as well, like its own servants.

“What more can we say about the glories of kīrtana? Automatically entering the ears, kīrtana benefits all its servants, meaning everyone who is listening. Smaraṇa, however, does not have this potency. Therefore, kīrtana is the only means capable of bringing the restless mind under control. In addition, the mind has no strength to remember the Lord in the absence of loud glorification. The confidential meaning of this is that kīrtana focuses the mind. Without kīrtana, the mind cannot be fixed by any other means, and if the mind is unsteady, one will not be able to perform smaraṇa properly.”

Here, what has been refuted is the idea that one can determine the superiority or inferiority of any object (like smaraṇa or kīrtana) based on whether it is obtained by one’s endeavor or without any endeavor.

In this connection, the Parāśara Smṛti (Viṣṇu Purāṇa 6.8.57) states:

यस्मिन् न्यस्त-मतिर् न याति नरकं स्वर्गो’पि यच्-चिन्तने
विघ्नो यत्र निवेशितात्म-मनसो ब्राह्मो’पि लोको’ल्पकः
मुक्तिं चेतसि यः स्थितो’मल-धियां पुंसां ददात्य् अव्ययः
किं चित्रं यद् अघः प्रयाति विलयं त्रत्राच्युते कीर्तिते

yasmin nyasta-matir na yāti narakaṃ svargo’pi yac-cintane
vighno yatra niveśitātma-manaso brāhmo’pi loko’lpakaḥ
muktiṃ cetasi yaḥ sthito’mala-dhiyāṃ puṃsāṃ dadāty avyayaḥ
kiṃ citraṃ yad aghaḥ prayāti vilayaṃ tratrācyute kīrtite

When one absorbs the mind in the infallible Supreme Lord, one is saved from hell, and even attains heaven and other excellent abodes. Furthermore, all types of obstacles are destroyed and Brahmaloka becomes insignificant. That imperishable Supreme Personality of Godhead resides in the consciousness of pure-hearted sādhakas and grants all their desires, including liberation. Therefore, how can anyone doubt that all sins are destroyed and all auspiciousness comes when Lord Acyuta’s names are chanted in nāma-kīrtana?

In this verse, the word agha, meaning ‘sin,’ indicates that even the sinful Ajāmila obtained liberation. Employing the logic of kaimutikanyāya (how much more?), it is established that the glories of kīrtana are greater than those of smaraṇa.

The Viṣṇu Purāṇa states:

ध्यायन् कृते यजन् यज्ञैस् त्रेतायां द्वापरे’र्चयन्
यद् आप्नोति तद् आप्नोति कलौ सङ्कीर्त्य केशवम्

dhyāyan kṛte yajan yajñais tretāyāṃ dvāpare’rcayan
yad āpnoti tad āpnoti kalau saṅkīrtya keśavam

Whatever result one obtains in Satya-yuga by meditation (dhyāna), in Tretā-yuga by sacrifice (yajña), in Dvāpara-yuga by Deity worship (arcana)–the results of all those practices are obtained effortlessly in Kali-yuga just by the kīrtana of the holy names of Bhagavān.

These statements conclusively establish that the benefits of meditation, sacrifice, worship, and so on are indeed included in kīrtana. Therefore, kīrtana is effulgently the most excellent practice.