Verse 2.3.156

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.3.156:

तत्-तत्-सङ्कीर्तनेनापि तथा स्याद् यदि शक्यते ।
सताम् अथ विविक्तेऽपि लज्जा स्यात् स्वैर-कीर्तने ॥ १५६ ॥

tat-tat-saṅkīrtanenāpi tathā syād yadi śakyate |
satām atha vivikte'pi lajjā syāt svaira-kīrtane || 156 ||

tat-tat-saṅkīrtanena–by glorifying the Lord for His unique form, qualities, pastimes, etc.; api–although; tathā–as He is; syāt–it may be; yadi–is; śakyate–it is possible; satām–for the devotees; atha–thus; vivikte–in solitude; api–however; lajjā–shy; syāt–he may be; svaira-kīrtane–in freely describing.

But although one can also attain happiness by performing kīrtana of one’s beloved object, still it is not possible to express all one’s sentiments through chanting out loud. Even if that were possible by endeavor, there are so many confidential moods that saintly devotees may feel shy to sing about, even in a secluded place.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

Śrī Gopa-kumāra might say, “According to the logic of nivedya duḥkhaṃ sukhino bhavanti, by describing one’s distress to a compassionate friend, the distress is removed and one becomes happy. Similarly, one experiences happiness by glorifying one’s desired object.” To address this, the Vaikuṇṭha pārṣadas speak this verse beginning with tat-tat.

They say, “It is true that peace is obtained by the saṅkīrtana of one’s dearmost Lord. However, saṅkīrtana is not capable of capturing or expressing all the moods of the mind. In other words, all the inner moods cannot be put into words, as the functions of the mind are unlimited. Vāk-śakti, or the power of speech, cannot accommodate the unlimited mind. Although these moods somehow come to be revealed, there are confidential moods pertaining to certain intimate subjects that many saintly devotees are shy to speak about even in private. Therefore, to experience their desired pleasure, these devotees meditate in their minds on all those moods. In this light, dhyāna is certainly esteemed.”