Gitavali, Namashtakam, Song 6
By Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
The Connoisseur of all Rasiks - Kamal Manjari Saptama Goswami Srila Sacchidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura
(1) vācya o vācaka—dui swarūp tomār
vācya—tava śrī-vigraha cid-ānandākār
O Lord, You manifest in two transcendental forms, known as vachya and vachaka. The vachya is Your Deity form, full of transcendental knowledge and bliss.
(2) vācaka swarūp tava ‘śrī-krishna-ādi’ nām
varna-rūpī sarva-jīva-ānanda-viśrām
The vachaka forms are Your holy names, such as Sri Krsna, etc. These transcendental sounds and syllables are the resting place of eternal bliss for all souls.
(3) ei dui swarūpe tava ananta prakāś
doyā kori’ deya jīve tomāra vilās
Your unlimited manifestations are found in these two forms. Taking pity and being very kind,They confer upon the fallen souls entrance to Your divine pastimes.
(4) kintu jāniyāchi nātha vācaka-swarūp
vācyāpekshā doyamoy ei aparūp
But I have clearly understood that Your vachaka form (Nam Sound & Syllables) to be more merciful than Your vachya (Deity) form, O Lord. How wonderful is this secret?
(5) nāma nāmī bheda nāi, vedera vacan
tabu nāma—nāmī ho’te adhika korun
It is the declaration of the Vedas that the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself are non-different. Yet still His holy names are more merciful than the Lord Himself.
**(6) krsne-aparādhi jadi nāme śraddhā kori’
prāna bhori’ dāke nām—‘rama, krsna, hari’
(7) aparādha dūre jāy, ānanda-sāgare
bhāse sei anāyāse rasera pāthāre**
If one is an offender to Lord Krsna or His Deity but respects His holy names and calls out His names with all his heart and soul, “Rama!”, “Krsna”, “Hari” etc. then all his or her offenses depart, and that person then swims without difficulty in the ocean of divine bliss and transcendental mellows.
(8) vigraha-swarūp vācye aparādha kori’
śuddha-nāmāśraye sei aparādhe tori’
A person may commit offenses to the vachya or the transcendental personality of the Lord; but if one accepts the shelter of the pure holy name, he or she crosses over all those offenses.
(9) bhaktivinoda māge śrī-rūpa-carane
vācaka-swarūp nāme rati anukshane
At the lotus feet of Srila Rupa Goswami, Thakura Bhaktivinoda begs for constant attachment and love for the vachaka, the sounds and syllables of the divine holy names of the Supreme Lord.
Srila Rupa Goswami’s Namashtakam Verse 6 is the Basis of this Song
vācyaṁ vācakam ityudeti bhavato
nāma-svarāpa-dvayam
pūrvasmāt param eva hanta
karuṇaṁ tatrāpi jānīmahe
yas tasmin vihitāparādha nivahah
prāṇī samantād bhaved
āsyenedam upāsya so’pi hi
sadānandāmbudhau majjati
“O Holy Name! We know that you have appeared as the transcendental form of Kṛṣṇa (vācya) and as the Sound and Syllables of His Holy Name (vācaka). But of the two I consider the Holy Name to be more merciful, for if one offends the form of the Lord one can be delivered from the reaction by approach the sound and syllables of His name and thus be immersed in an ocean of transcendental loving bliss!”
Same Thing is Established in Harinam Chintamani Chapter 15, Bhajana Pranali as follows:
archana-mārga o śravaṇa-kīrtanera adhikāra-bhede kriyā-bheda
“According to one’s qualification, a devotee chooses the one-pointed exclusive path of shravana kirtana or the path of deity worship.”
archana-mārgete gāḍhatar ruchi yāṅra |
śravaṇa-kīrtana-siddhi tāhāte tāṅhāra ||39||
“If one develops a very advanced and extremely deep relish for deity worship, only then one will get perfection in shravana and kirtana.”
nāme aikāntikī rati haibe yāṅhāra |
śravaṇa-kīrtana-smṛti kevala tāṅhāra ||40||
“On other hand, a more sincere sadhaka who has one one-pointed attachment to the holy names will exclusively focus on the remembrance of the Lord during shravana kirtana only.”
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura‘s commentary to HNC 15.39-40:
ekati archana pravrtti, ekati smarana kirtana pravritti. ubhayei samichina haileo smarana kirtana pravritti aikantika bhaktdigera madhye prabala. kirtanera vishesha labha ei je tahate shravana, smarana, o kirtan ei tina angerai anushilana haite thake.
“One is the path of Deity Worship. Other is the path of exclusive shravana kirtana. Both are effective. But the second path of shravana kirtana is what one-pointed focused devotees prefer much more over deity worship. The most special benefit of kirtana is that the cultivation of the three most principle practices of svarupa siddhi: hearing, remembering, and singing are attained in one practice.”