Verse 2.23.74

Bengali text, Devanagari and Unicode transliteration of verse 2.23.74:

প্রভু বলে,—“কৃষ্ণ-ভক্তি হৌক সবার কৃষ্ণ-নাম-গুণ বৈ না বলিহ আর” ॥ ৭৪ ॥

प्रभु बले,—“कृष्ण-भक्ति हौक सबार कृष्ण-नाम-गुण बै ना बलिह आर” ॥ ७४ ॥

prabhu bale,—“kṛṣṇa-bhakti hauka sabāra kṛṣṇa-nāma-guṇa bai nā baliha āra” || 74 ||

prabhu bale,—“krsna-bhakti hauka sabara krsna-nama-guna bai na baliha ara” (74)

English translation:

(74) The Lord said to them, “May you all attain devotional service to Kṛṣṇa. Do not speak about anything other than the names and qualities of Kṛṣṇa.”

Commentary: Gauḍīya-bhāṣya by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura:

When out of aversion to the service of the Supreme Lord the living entities become conditioned, then sense gratification becomes their only goal of life. Conditioned souls are fully absorbed in gratifying their senses. The speech of conditioned souls is confined to material names, forms, qualities, and activities suitable to their sense gratification.

Therefore, since the living entities have no opportunity to hear topics of Kṛṣṇa’s names, forms, qualities, and pastimes, they become entangled in scrutinizing other subject matters. Desiring eternal benefit for the living entities, Śrī Gaurasundara blessed them with the words, “May the propensity for serving Kṛṣṇa awaken in you.” He further prohibited them from engaging in the prajalpa of discussing names, forms, qualities, and

activities not related to Kṛṣṇa. In other words, He instructed them to always engage in congregational glorification of Hari. As soon as discussion of topics related to Hari diminishes, discussion of sense gratification becomes prominent. This results in inauspiciousness.