Verse 2.3.160

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.3.160:

सर्वेषां भगवन्-नाम्नां समानो महिमापि चेत् ।
तथापि स्व-प्रियेणाशु स्वार्थ-सिद्धिः सुखं भवेत् ॥ १६० ॥

sarveṣāṃ bhagavan-nāmnāṃ samāno mahimāpi cet |
tathāpi sva-priyeṇāśu svārtha-siddhiḥ sukhaṃ bhavet || 160 ||

sarveṣām–all; bhagavat–of the Lord; nāmnām–of the names; samānaḥ–equal; mahimā–in glory; api–indeed; cet–if; tathā api–however; sva-priyeṇa–by uttering the name of one’s beloved Deity; āśu–quickly; sva-artha–of one’s own internal objective; siddhiḥ–the fulfillment; sukham–easily; bhavet–can be.

Although all of Bhagavān’s names are equally glorious, the desired goal is obtained quickly and easily by chanting the names of the Lord that one cherishes the most.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

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

Śrī Gopa-kumāra might raise the doubt, “Some people do not accept any hierarchy in the glories of the names of Śrī Bhagavān. They consider all His names to be equally and unlimitedly glorious.”

The Vaikuṇṭha pārṣadas answer, “It is true that all the Lord’s names are equally glorious. However, one’s desired goal is obtained effortlessly and happily by chanting the names that are one’s favorites.” To explain this fact, they speak this verse beginning with sarveṣāṃ.

“Just as one cintāmaṇi (wish-fulfilling touchstone) can grant unlimited varieties of desires to its petitioner, similarly kīrtana performed according to variegated taste–in other words, with the name for which one has special taste–brings perfection. It is only because of their variegated tastes that devotees form either an attachment for or lack of fondness for a name of the Lord. Some devotees have taste for one name, some for two or three, and some devotees relish many. Indeed, it is possible to love all of Bhagavān’s names, but although each of His names possesses inconceivable and unlimited glories, still, distinctions are made.

“However, it is best to perform the kīrtana of the name that one finds most dear and charming. Therefore, Śrī Mahādeva, who likes the holy name of Śrī Rāma, says, ‘sahasra-nāmabhis tulyaṃ rāma-nāma varānane–One name of Rāma is equal to one thousand names of Viṣṇu.’

“The purport is: What is the need for many touchstones if one touchstone can fulfill all desires? Be that as it may, devotees do not become satisfied by just once uttering the name of Bhagavān that they find most dear and charming; they utter it repeatedly, never becoming satiated.”