Gitavali, Namashtakam, Song 6
By Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
The Connoisseur of all Rasiks - Kamal Manjari Saptama Goswami Srila Sacchidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura
(1) vÄcya o vÄcakaādui swarÅ«p tomÄr
vÄcyaātava ÅrÄ«-vigraha cid-ÄnandÄkÄr
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) vÄcaka swarÅ«p tava āÅrÄ«-krishna-Ädiā nÄm
varna-rÅ«pÄ« sarva-jÄ«va-Änanda-viÅrÄm
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 swarÅ«pe tava ananta prakÄÅ
doyÄ koriā deya jÄ«ve tomÄra vilÄs
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 jÄniyÄchi nÄtha vÄcaka-swarÅ«p
vÄcyÄpekshÄ doyamoy ei aparÅ«p
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) nÄma nÄmÄ« bheda nÄi, vedera vacan
tabu nÄmaānÄmÄ« hoāte 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-aparÄdhi jadi nÄme ÅraddhÄ koriā
prÄna bhoriā dÄke nÄmāārama, krsna, hariā
(7) aparÄdha dÅ«re jÄy, Änanda-sÄgare
bhÄse sei anÄyÄse rasera pÄthÄre**
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, āRama!ā, āKrsnaā, āHariā 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-swarÅ«p vÄcye aparÄdha koriā
Åuddha-nÄmÄÅraye sei aparÄdhe toriā
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 mÄge ÅrÄ«-rÅ«pa-carane
vÄcaka-swarÅ«p nÄme 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 Goswamiās Namashtakam Verse 6 is the Basis of this Song
vÄcyaį¹ vÄcakam ityudeti bhavato
nÄma-svarÄpa-dvayam
pÅ«rvasmÄt param eva hanta
karuį¹aį¹ tatrÄpi jÄnÄ«mahe
yas tasmin vihitÄparÄdha nivahah
prÄį¹Ä« samantÄd bhaved
Äsyenedam upÄsya soāpi hi
sadÄnandÄmbudhau majjati
āO Holy Name! We know that you have appeared as the transcendental form of Kį¹į¹£į¹a (vÄcya) and as the Sound and Syllables of His Holy Name (vÄcaka). 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!ā
Same Thing is Established in Harinam Chintamani Chapter 15, Bhajana Pranali as follows:
archana-mÄrga o Åravaį¹a-kÄ«rtanera adhikÄra-bhede kriyÄ-bheda
āAccording to oneās qualification, a devotee chooses the one-pointed exclusive path of shravana kirtana or the path of deity worship.ā
archana-mÄrgete gÄįøhatar ruchi yÄį¹
ra |
Åravaį¹a-kÄ«rtana-siddhi tÄhÄte tÄį¹
hÄra ||39||
āIf one develops a very advanced and extremely deep relish for deity worship, only then one will get perfection in shravana and kirtana.ā
nÄme aikÄntikÄ« rati haibe yÄį¹
hÄra |
Åravaį¹a-kÄ«rtana-smį¹ti kevala tÄį¹
hÄra ||40||
āOn 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.ā
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakuraās 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.
āOne 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.ā
