Brihad Bhagavatamrita (commentary)
by Śrī Śrīmad Bhaktivedānta Nārāyana Gosvāmī Mahārāja | 2005 | 440,179 words | ISBN-13: 9781935428329
The Brihad-bhagavatamrita Verse 2.4.211, English translation, including commentary (Dig-darshini-tika): an important Vaishnava text dealing with the importance of devotional service. The Brihad-bhagavatamrita, although an indepent Sanskrit work, covers the essential teachings of the Shrimad Bhagavatam (Bhagavata-purana). This is verse 2.4.211 contained in Chapter 4—Vaikuntha (the spiritual world)—of Part two (prathama-khanda).
Verse 2.4.211
Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.4.211:
कुतस् तत्-स्मारके तास्या-धिष्ठाने मन्त्र-संस्कृते ।
सर्व-भक्ति-पदे पूज्य-माने दोषादि-तर्कनम् ॥ २११ ॥kutas tat-smārake tāsyā-dhiṣṭhāne mantra-saṃskṛte |
sarva-bhakti-pade pūjya-māne doṣādi-tarkanam || 211 ||kutaḥ–how is it possible; tat–of Bhagavān; smārake–to the Deity form which brings about remembrance; tasya–of Him; adhiṣṭhāne–in the process of consecration; mantra–by auspicious mantras; saṃskṛte–who is sanctified; sarva-bhakti–all the ninefold processes of devotional service exist; pade–at whose lotus feet; pūjyamāne–who is worshipped; doṣa–faults; ādi–and so forth; tarkaṇam–speculation.
How can there be any possibility of finding fault in worshiping the Deity, who directly reminds one of the Lord, in whom the Lord dwells, and who is consecrated by Vedic mantras? Especially, such Deities of the Lord are the shelter of all types of devotional service.
Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda
(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)
Śrī Nārada says, “Considering even grass and other insignificant objects to be Bhagavān brings perfection. If this is so, how can one think that there is any defect in worshiping the Deity, who is the seat of Bhagavān? One cannot conceive of any defects in the Deity because once the Deity is consecrated by mantras, āvāhana (invitation), and so on in the process of installation, and when one no longer considers Him to be wood, stone, or any other material element, the Deity manifests in the form of Bhagavān. There is no scope for false argument on this point. In the material world, jewels, mantras, medicinal herbs, and so on have inconceivable potencies. If the potency of mantras can sanctify wood or stone, then an intelligent person will not consider an installed Deity of the Lord to be material.
“In particular, because the Deities have shapes similar to that of Bhagavān, they remind one of the Lord and help stimulate the devotee’s meditation on Him. They allow the devotee to get direct darśana of Bhagavān’s beautiful major and minor limbs simultaneously, which inspires him with wonderful devotional sentiments without difficulty. The Deities are also the object of the nine practices of bhakti. By Their worship, one automatically accomplishes hearing (śravaṇa), chanting (kīrtana), remembering (smaraṇa), service (paricaryā), offering obeisances (vandana), and the rest.”