FolioCorpusŚrīmad-Bhāgavatam

Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.32

श‍ृण्वतां गृणतां वीर्याण्युद्दामानि हरेर्मुहु: । यथा सुजातया भक्त्या शुद्ध्येन्नात्मा व्रतादिभि: ॥ ३२ ॥
śṛṇvatāṁ gṛṇatāṁ vīryāṇy
[shrinvataam grinataam veeryaany]
uddāmāni harer muhuḥ
[uddaamaani harer muhuh]
yathā sujātayā bhaktyā
[yathaa sujaatayaa bhaktyaa]
śuddhyen nātmā vratādibhiḥ
[shuddhyen naatmaa vrataadibhih]
Word-for-word
śṛṇvatām — of those hearing gṛṇatām — and chanting vīryāṇi — the wonderful activities uddāmāni — able to counteract sin hareḥ — of the Supreme Personality of Godhead muhuḥ — always yathā — as su-jātayā — easily brought forth bhaktyā — by devotional service śuddhyet — may be purified na — not ātmā — the heart and soul vrata-ādibhiḥ — by performing ritualistic ceremonies.
Blended reading (Sanskrit + English inline)
śṛṇvatāṁ gṛṇatāṁ vīryāṇy
śṛṇvatām
of those hearing
gṛṇatām
and chanting
vīryāṇi
the wonderful activities
uddāmāni harer muhuḥ
uddāmāni
able to counteract sin
hareḥ
of the Supreme Personality of Godhead
muhuḥ
always
yathā sujātayā bhaktyā
yathā
as
su-jātayā
easily brought forth
bhaktyā
by devotional service
śuddhyen nātmā vratādibhiḥ
śuddhyet
may be purified
na
not
ātmā
the heart and soul
vrata-ādibhiḥ
by performing ritualistic ceremonies.
One who constantly hears and chants the holy name of the Lord and hears and chants about His activities can very easily attain the platform of pure devotional service, which can cleanse the dirt from one’s heart. One cannot achieve such purification merely by observing vows and performing Vedic ritualistic ceremonies.
Purport

One may very easily practice chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord and thus become ecstatic in spiritual life. Padma Purāṇa states:

nāmāparādha-yuktānāṁ nāmāny eva haranty agham aviśrānti-prayuktāni tāny evārtha-karāṇi ca

Even if one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra offensively, one can avoid offenses by continuously chanting without deviation. One who becomes accustomed to this practice will always remain in a pure transcendental position, untouchable by sinful reactions. Śukadeva Gosvāmī especially requested King Parīkṣit to note this fact very carefully. There is no profit, however, in executing the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. By performing such activities one may go to the higher planetary systems, but as stated in Bhagavad-gītā (9.21) , kṣīṇe puṇye martya-lokaṁ viśanti: when the period of one’s enjoyment in the heavenly planets is terminated because of the limited extent of the results of one’s pious activities, one must return to earth. Thus there is no use in endeavoring to travel up and down in the universe. It is better to chant the holy name of the Lord so that one may become fully purified and eligible to return home, back to Godhead. That is the aim of life, and that is the perfection of life.

— A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Gauḍīya Ācāryas
Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura Gauḍīya
Translation
One who constantly hears and chants about the activities of the Lord, which can destroy sin, purifies his soul by that bhakti. One cannot achieve such purification merely by observing vows and performing Vedic ritualistic ceremonies. Even for devotees how chant with offense, bhakti becomes perfect. It is said: nāmāparādha-yuktānāṁ nāmāny eva haranty agham aviśrānti-prayuktāni tāny evārtha-karāṇi ca Even those who chant with offense destroy their sins. By continuous chanting they attain prema. In that state of bhakti the jīva becomes purified, what to speak of the mind. Though bhakti purified the jīva from the contamination of ignorance, atonements cannot achieve this result. Though by vows and atonements performed by the karmīs there is destruction of sinful reactions, the seed of sin, desire is not destroyed. The mind becomes only a little purified at that time. O King! It is true when you said “Atonement is like an elephant taking a bath.” The devotees destroy the root of sin by bhakti. They do not go to hell but attain the Lord. The karmīs however under the control of sinful and pious results go to hell and heaven again and again. This truth is indicated by this story.
Related lectures
Personal Guidance
Constant hearing and chanting of the Lord's name and pastimes cleanses the heart in a way austerity alone cannot. Devotional saturation, not just abstention, is the cleansing agent.
Reflection Questions
  • What is my daily intake of the Lord's name and stories?
  • What media am I displacing to make room for hari-kathā?
📝 My note

Source: vedabase.io

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