FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 5.19.24

न यत्र वैकुण्ठकथासुधापगा न साधवो भागवतास्तदाश्रया: । न यत्र यज्ञेशमखा महोत्सवा: सुरेशलोकोऽपि न वै स सेव्यताम् ॥ २४ ॥
na yatra vaikuṇṭha-kathā-sudhāpagā
[na yatra vaikuntha-kathaa-sudhaapagaa]
na sādhavo bhāgavatās tadāśrayāḥ
[na saadhavo bhaagavataas tadaashrayaah]
na yatra yajñeśa-makhā mahotsavāḥ
[na yatra yajnesha-makhaa mahotsavaah]
sureśa-loko ’pi na vai sa sevyatām
[suresha-loko ’pi na vai sa sevyataam]
na — not yatra — where vaikuṇṭha-kathā-sudhā-āpagāḥ — the nectarean rivers of discussions about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is called Vaikuṇṭha, or one who drives away all anxiety na — nor sādhavaḥ — devotees bhāgavatāḥ — always engaged in the service of the Lord tat-āśrayāḥ — who are sheltered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead na — nor yatra — where yajña-īśa-makhāḥ — the performance of devotional service to the Lord of sacrifices mahā-utsavāḥ — which are actual festivals sureśa-lokaḥ — a place inhabited by the denizens of heaven api — although na — not vai — certainly saḥ — that sevyatām — be frequented.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
na yatra vaikuṇṭha-kathā-sudhāpagā
na
not
yatra
where
vaikuṇṭha-kathā-sudhā-āpagāḥ
the nectarean rivers of discussions about the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is called Vaikuṇṭha, or one who drives away all anxiety
na sādhavo bhāgavatās tadāśrayāḥ
na
nor
sādhavaḥ
devotees
bhāgavatāḥ
always engaged in the service of the Lord
tat-āśrayāḥ
who are sheltered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead
na yatra yajñeśa-makhā mahotsavāḥ
na
nor
yatra
where
yajña-īśa-makhāḥ
the performance of devotional service to the Lord of sacrifices
mahā-utsavāḥ
which are actual festivals
sureśa-loko ’pi na vai sa sevyatām
sureśa-lokaḥ
a place inhabited by the denizens of heaven
api
although
na
not
vai
certainly
saḥ
that
sevyatām
be frequented.
An intelligent person does not take interest in a place, even in the topmost planetary system, if the pure Ganges of topics concerning the Supreme Lord’s activities does not flow there, if there are not devotees engaged in service on the banks of such a river of piety, or if there are no festivals of saṅkīrtana-yajña to satisfy the Lord [especially since saṅkīrtana-yajña is recommended in this age].

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared in the land of Bhārata-varṣa, specifically in Bengal, in the district of Nadia, where Navadvīpa is situated. It is therefore to be concluded, as stated by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura, that within this universe, this earth is the best planet, and on this planet the land of Bhārata-varṣa is the best; in the land of Bhārata-varṣa, Bengal is still better, in Bengal the district of Nadia is still better, and in Nadia the best place is Navadvīpa because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared there to inaugurate the performance of the sacrifice of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. The śāstras recommend:

kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ

Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is always accompanied by His very confidential associates such as Śrī Nityānanda, Śrī Gadādhara and Śrī Advaita and by many devotees like Śrīvāsa. They are always engaged in chanting the name of the Lord and are always describing Lord Kṛṣṇa. Therefore this is the best among all the places in the universe. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has established its center in Māyāpur, the birthsite of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, to give men the great opportunity to go there and perform a constant festival of saṅkīrtana-yajña, as recommended herein ( yajñeśa-makhā mahotsavāḥ ) and to distribute prasāda to millions of hungry people hankering for spiritual emancipation. This is the mission of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Caitanya-bhāgavata confirms this as follows: “One should not desire to be elevated even to a place in the heavenly planetary systems if it has no propaganda to expand the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, no trace of Vaiṣṇavas, pure devotees of the Lord, and no festivals for spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It would be better to live perpetually cramped within the airtight bag of a mother’s womb, where one can at least remember the lotus feet of the Lord, than to live in a place where there is no opportunity to remember His lotus feet. I pray not to be allowed to take birth in such a condemned place.”

Similarly, in Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī says that since Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the inaugurator of the saṅkīrtana movement, anyone who performs saṅkīrtana to please the Lord is very, very glorious. Such a person has perfect intelligence, whereas others are in the ignorance of material existence. Of all the sacrifices mentioned in the Vedic literatures, the performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña is the best. Even the performance of one hundred aśvamedha sacrifices cannot compare to the sacrifice of saṅkīrtana. According to the author of Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, if one compares saṅkīrtana-yajña to other yajñas, he is a pāṣaṇḍī, an infidel, and is liable to be punished by Yamarāja. There are many Māyāvādīs who think that the performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña is a pious activity similar to the performance of the aśvamedha-yajña and other such pious functions, but this is a nāma-aparādha. Chanting of the holy name of Nārāyaṇa and chanting of other names are never equal, despite what Māyāvādīs think.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
Even Brahmaloka should not be accepted as a residence if there are no rivers of sweet topics about the Lord, no devotees who take shelter of those topics, and no great festivals or sacrifices of chanting the name of the Lord. The intelligent person concludes as follows. There should be rivers (āpagāḥ) of nectar of the Lord’s topics. The topics should be plentiful and tasty like rivers, not flowing meagerly like topics of the jñānīs and yogīs. There should be persons who depend on the Lord (bhāgavatāḥ), who take shelter of those rivers of topics (tad-āśrayāḥ) and not persons who depend on Paramātmā, who depend very little on those topics to gain their jñāna and siddhis. There should sacrifices dedicated to the Lord of sacrifices. Among all the different types of sacrifices belonging to sages like Āṅgirasa and Brhaspatisava, there are the sacrifices belonging to the Lord (īśa-makhāḥ). These are saṅkīrtaṇa sacrifices. The proof is yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtanaprāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ: in Kali-yuga the intelligent people worship the Lord by chanting. (SB 11.5.32) There should be great festivals with abundant chanting, singing, dancing, instrumental music, and worship of devotees. If these items are not present, even the planet of Brahmā should not be accepted as a shelter.
Intelligent people do not value any planet — however elevated — that lacks the flow of the Lord's stories, the company of devotees, and the festival of saṅkīrtana. Choose your environment by these criteria, not by status or comfort.
Reflection Questions
  • How does my current environment score on Lord-talk, devotee-company, and kīrtana?
  • Where in my life can I add or join a saṅkīrtana even in a small form?
📝 My note

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