guṇa-śravaṇaṁ, yathā dvādaśe (12.3.15)—
yas tūttamaḥśloka-guṇānuvādaḥ
saṅgīyate’bhīkṣṇam amaṅgala-ghnaḥ |
tam eva nityaṁ śṛṇuyād abhīkṣṇaṁ
kṛṣṇe’malāṁ bhaktim abhīpsamānaḥ ||quoted · dvādaśe
The verse — decoded
L1citation
yas tūttamaḥśloka-guṇānuvādaḥ
yaḥthat [recounting] which — nom. sg. m., relative pronoun; correlative of tam in L3जो (पुरुष) — आगे 'तम्' का सम्बन्धी
tunow (marking the new topic, hearing His qualities) connective particleतो
uttamaḥśloka-guṇa-anuvādaḥthe retelling of the qualities of Uttamaḥśloka — the Lord whose fame is sung in the finest verses nom. sg. m., tatpuruṣa compound; subjectभगवान् उत्तमःश्लोक के गुणों का अनुवाद (बार-बार कीर्तन)
yaḥ — that which; uttamaḥśloka-guṇa-anuvādaḥ — the retelling of the qualities of the Lord of finest fame; tu — now.
yaḥ — जो; tu — तो; uttamaḥśloka-guṇa-anuvādaḥ — भगवान् उत्तमःश्लोक के गुणों का अनुवाद
Now, about hearing His qualities. There is a retelling of the qualities of Uttamaḥśloka. "Uttamaḥśloka" means the Lord who is praised in the very best verses. This line names the subject: that recounting of His glories, which the next lines will describe.
जो भगवान् उत्तमःश्लोक के गुणों का अनुवाद है —
Why cited: Heads the guṇa-śravaṇam section: scriptural proof that hearing the Lord's glories is the practice.
क्यों उद्धृत: यह वचन गुण-श्रवण प्रकरण का शीर्ष है — शास्त्र-प्रमाण कि भगवान् के गुणों का श्रवण ही साधन है।
L2citation
saṅgīyate’bhīkṣṇam amaṅgala-ghnaḥ |
saṅgīyateis sung, is voiced aloud 3rd sg. passive present; main verb of the relative clauseभली-भाँति गाया जाता है (कर्मवाच्य)
abhīkṣṇamagain and again, constantly adverbनिरन्तर
amaṅgala-ghnaḥand it destroys all that is inauspicious nom. sg. m., tatpuruṣa; predicate adjective of the anuvādaजो सब अमंगल का नाश करता है
saṅgīyate — is sung; abhīkṣṇam — again and again; amaṅgala-ghnaḥ — [being] the destroyer of inauspiciousness.
saṅgīyate — गाया जाता है; abhīkṣṇam — निरन्तर; amaṅgala-ghnaḥ — अमंगल का नाशक
This retelling is sung again and again. And it destroys everything inauspicious. So the recounting of His glories is both constant and purifying — it wipes out misfortune.
— और जो निरन्तर गाया जाता है तथा सब अमंगल का नाश करने वाला है,
Why cited: Describes the recounting of the Lord's glories as constant and as destroying all inauspiciousness.
क्यों उद्धृत: गुण-अनुवाद को निरन्तर चलने वाला और सब अमंगल का नाशक बतलाता है।
L3citation
tam eva nityaṁ śṛṇuyād abhīkṣṇaṁ
tamthat very [recounting] acc. sg. m.; correlative picking up yaḥ from L1उसी को
evaprecisely that, and nothing else restrictive particleही
nityamalways, every day adverbनित्य (सदा)
śṛṇuyātone should hear 3rd sg. optative; the injunctionसुनना चाहिए (विधि)
abhīkṣṇamagain and again adverbबार-बार
tam eva — that very one; nityam — always; abhīkṣṇam — again and again; śṛṇuyāt — one should hear.
tam — उसको; eva — ही; nityam — नित्य; śṛṇuyāt — सुने; abhīkṣṇam — बार-बार
One should hear that very recounting — that one, nothing else. Hear it always. Hear it again and again. The verse doubles the emphasis: daily, and repeatedly within the day.
उसी अनुवाद को नित्य और बार-बार सुनना चाहिए —
Why cited: The injunction: one should hear that very recounting always and repeatedly.
क्यों उद्धृत: यही विधि है — उसी अनुवाद को सदा और बार-बार सुनना चाहिए।
L4citation
kṛṣṇe’malāṁ bhaktim abhīpsamānaḥ ||
kṛṣṇefor Kṛṣṇa, directed toward Kṛṣṇa loc. sg.; object of the devotionकृष्ण में (जिस भक्ति का विषय)
amalāmspotless, pure acc. sg. f.; qualifies bhaktimनिर्मल
bhaktimdevotion acc. sg. f.; object of abhīpsamānaḥभक्ति को
abhīpsamānaḥone who longs for, who wants nom. sg. m., present middle participle; the person addressedजो भली-भाँति चाहता है (वही सुने)
kṛṣṇe — toward Kṛṣṇa; amalām bhaktim — pure devotion; abhīpsamānaḥ — one longing for [it].
kṛṣṇe — कृष्ण में; amalām — निर्मल; bhaktim — भक्ति को; abhīpsamānaḥ — चाहने वाला
Who should hear this way? The one who longs for pure devotion to Kṛṣṇa. "Pure" means spotless, free of any mixture. So: whoever wants unmixed love for Kṛṣṇa should keep hearing His glories, always and again and again.
कृष्ण में निर्मल भक्ति चाहने वाला (पुरुष यह श्रवण करे)।
Why cited: Names who should so hear, and the goal: one who wants pure devotion to Kṛṣṇa.
क्यों उद्धृत: बतलाता है कि किसे ऐसा सुनना है और लक्ष्य क्या है — जो कृष्ण में निर्मल भक्ति चाहता है।
Commentary — decoded
Jīva Gosvāmī
s1gloss
uttamaḥ-ślokānāṁ bhagavad-avatārāṇāṁ bhāgavatānāṁ ca guṇānuvādo mahadbhiḥ saṅgīyate |
uttamaḥ-ślokānāmof those of finest fame — the Lord praised in the best verses gen. pl.; unpacks uttamaḥśloka of the mūlaउत्तमःश्लोकों (भगवान् के रूपों) का
bhagavad-avatārāṇāmof the descents of the Lord, His avatāras gen. pl.; second referentभगवान् के अवतारों का
bhāgavatānāmand of the devotees, the Lord's own people gen. pl.; third referentभक्तों का
caand (linking the three: the Lord, His avatāras, and His devotees) connectiveऔर
guṇa-anuvādaḥthe retelling of [their] qualities nom. sg. m.; subjectगुणों का अनुवाद
mahadbhiḥby great souls instr. pl.; agent of the passive verbमहापुरुषों के द्वारा
saṅgīyateis sung 3rd sg. passive present; main verbगाया जाता है
uttamaḥ-ślokānām — of the Lord of finest fame; bhagavad-avatārāṇām — of His avatāras; bhāgavatānām ca — and of His devotees; guṇa-anuvādaḥ — the retelling of their qualities; mahadbhiḥ — by great souls; saṅgīyate — is sung.
uttamaḥ-ślokānām — उत्तमःश्लोकों का; bhagavad-avatārāṇām — अवतारों का; bhāgavatānām — भक्तों का; ca — और; guṇa-anuvādaḥ — गुणों का अनुवाद; mahadbhiḥ — महापुरुषों द्वारा; saṅgīyate — गाया जाता है
Jīva first widens the word "Uttamaḥśloka." The retelling of qualities is not only of the Lord Himself. It also covers His avatāras and His devotees, the bhāgavatas. So the object of praise is threefold: the Lord, His descents, and His devotees. And great souls are the ones who sing it.
उत्तमःश्लोक भगवान्, उनके अवतारों तथा भक्तों — इनके गुणों का अनुवाद महापुरुषों के द्वारा गाया जाता है।
s2gloss
tam eva nityaṁ pratyahaṁ tatrāpy abhīkṣṇaṁ śṛṇuyāt |
tam evathat very [retelling], and nothing else acc. sg. m.; picks up the mūla's tam evaउसी को
nityamalways — meaning: adverb, being glossedनित्य (जिसका अर्थ है)
pratyahamevery single day adverb; Jīva's gloss on nityamप्रतिदिन
tatra apiand even within that [daily hearing] locative + api; sets up the next wordउसमें भी
abhīkṣṇamagain and again adverb, being glossedबार-बार
śṛṇuyātone should hear 3rd sg. optativeसुने
tam eva — that very one; nityam — always, i.e.; pratyaham — every day; tatra api — and even in that; abhīkṣṇam — again and again; śṛṇuyāt — one should hear.
tam eva — उसी को; nityam — नित्य; pratyaham — प्रतिदिन; tatra api — उसमें भी; abhīkṣṇam — बार-बार; śṛṇuyāt — सुने
Jīva now decodes the two time-words of the mūla. "Always" (nityam) he glosses as "every day." Then "even within that" daily hearing, "again and again" (abhīkṣṇam). So there are two layers: hear it daily, and within each day, hear it repeatedly.
उसी को नित्य अर्थात् प्रतिदिन, और उसमें भी बार-बार सुने।
s3gloss
tatra tv atiśayenāgrahaṁ kuryād ity arthaḥ |
tatrain that [hearing] locativeवहाँ (उस श्रवण में)
tuand specifically, moreover connective particleतो
atiśayenawith the utmost intensity instr. sg. of mannerअत्यन्त अधिकता से
āgrahameagerness, insistent effort acc. sg. m.; object of kuryātआग्रह को
kuryātone should make, one should apply 3rd sg. optativeकरे
iti arthaḥ— that is the meaning closing gloss-formulaऐसा अर्थ है
tatra — in that hearing; tu — moreover; atiśayena — with utmost intensity; āgraham — eagerness; kuryāt — one should make; iti arthaḥ — that is the meaning.
tatra — वहाँ; tu — तो; atiśayena — अत्यन्त अधिकता से; āgraham — आग्रह; kuryāt — करे; iti arthaḥ — ऐसा अर्थ है
Jīva draws out what the double emphasis ("again and again") really asks for. In that hearing one should apply intense eagerness. Not casual listening — one should press for it with the utmost keenness. That, he says, is the point.
अर्थात् उस श्रवण में अत्यन्त अधिक आग्रह करे — यही तात्पर्य है।
s4avataranika
śravaṇasya tasya parama-phalam āha kṛṣṇa iti |
śravaṇasyaof that hearing gen. sg.; whose fruit is statedउस श्रवण का
tasyaof it gen. sg.; resumptive, agreeing with śravaṇasyaउसी का
parama-phalamthe highest fruit acc. sg. n.; object of āhaपरम फल को
āhahe [the author] states 3rd sg. perfectकहते हैं
kṛṣṇa itiwith the words "kṛṣṇe…" (the fourth line) pratīka, quoting the line's opening word'कृष्णे' इस (पाद) से
śravaṇasya tasya — of that hearing; parama-phalam — the highest fruit; āha — he states; kṛṣṇa iti — in the line beginning "kṛṣṇe."
śravaṇasya — श्रवण का; tasya — उसी का; parama-phalam — परम फल; āha — कहते हैं; kṛṣṇa iti — 'कृष्णे' इससे
Jīva now introduces the last line. He tells us its job: it states the highest fruit of this hearing. And he flags which line by its first word — the one starting "kṛṣṇe." So the fruit of constant, eager hearing is what line four will name.
उस श्रवण का परम फल 'कृष्णे' इस पाद से कहते हैं।
s5gloss
kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam ity ādi prasiddheḥ śrī-gopāla ity arthaḥ ||
kṛṣṇaḥ tu bhagavān svayam"Kṛṣṇa is the Lord Himself" — pratīka: the opening of the famous Bhāgavatam 1.3.28 verse'कृष्णस्तु भगवान् स्वयम्' (यह प्रसिद्ध वचन)
iti ādiand so on (the rest of that verse) abbreviation-markerइत्यादि
prasiddheḥbecause this is well established, being famous [from that verse] gen./abl. sg. of reason: 'because of its being well known'प्रसिद्ध होने के कारण
śrī-gopālaḥ[Kṛṣṇa here means] Śrī Gopāla, the cowherd Kṛṣṇa nom. sg. m.; the intended referentश्री गोपाल (यही अभिप्रेत है)
iti arthaḥ— that is the meaning closing gloss-formulaऐसा अर्थ है
kṛṣṇaḥ tu bhagavān svayam iti ādi — from "Kṛṣṇa is the Lord Himself," etc.; prasiddheḥ — because it is well established; śrī-gopālaḥ — [the meaning is] Śrī Gopāla; iti arthaḥ — that is the meaning.
kṛṣṇaḥ tu bhagavān svayam — 'कृष्णस्तु भगवान् स्वयम्'; iti ādi — इत्यादि; prasiddheḥ — प्रसिद्ध होने के कारण; śrī-gopālaḥ — श्री गोपाल; iti arthaḥ — ऐसा अर्थ है
Which "Kṛṣṇa" is meant in line four? Jīva pins it down. Because of the well-known verse "Kṛṣṇa is the Lord Himself" (and the rest), "Kṛṣṇa" here is Śrī Gopāla — the original cowherd Kṛṣṇa, not merely a partial form. So the pure devotion one longs for is devotion to Gopāla-Kṛṣṇa Himself.
'कृष्णस्तु भगवान् स्वयम्' इत्यादि वचन के प्रसिद्ध होने के कारण यहाँ 'कृष्ण' का अर्थ श्री गोपाल है।
Mukunda-dāsa Gosvāmī
s1gloss
nityaṁ pratyahaṁ tatrāpy abhīkṣṇaṁ pratikṣaṇam ||
nityam"always" means: adverb, being glossed
pratyahamevery day adverb; Mukunda's gloss on nityam
tatra apiand even within that locative + api
abhīkṣṇam"again and again" means: adverb, being glossed
pratikṣaṇamat every moment adverb; Mukunda's gloss on abhīkṣṇam
nityam — always, i.e. pratyaham — every day; tatra api — and even in that; abhīkṣṇam — again and again, i.e. pratikṣaṇam — at every moment.
Mukunda gives the same two-word decode, but sharpens the second. "Always" is "every day." And "again and again" is "at every moment" — pratikṣaṇam. So within each day, the hearing is meant to be moment by moment, ceaseless.
Viśvanātha Cakravartī
s1gloss
yo guṇānuvādaḥ saṅgīyate tam eva ||
yaḥ guṇa-anuvādaḥthat retelling of qualities which — nom. sg. m.; the relative subject from the mūlaजो गुणों का अनुवाद
saṅgīyateis sung 3rd sg. passive presentगाया जाता है
tam evathat very one [is what one should hear] acc. sg. m.; the correlative, supplying śṛṇuyātउसी को (सुने)
yaḥ guṇa-anuvādaḥ — which retelling of qualities; saṅgīyate — is sung; tam eva — that very one [one should hear].
yaḥ guṇa-anuvādaḥ — जो गुण-अनुवाद; saṅgīyate — गाया जाता है; tam eva — उसी को
Viśvanātha simply knits the relative to its correlative, so the sentence stands on its feet. The retelling of qualities that is sung — that very one is what one should hear. He is pointing out that "tam" in line three refers back to the "yaḥ… anuvādaḥ" of line one: hear precisely that sung recounting, nothing else.
जो गुण-अनुवाद गाया जाता है, उसी को (सुने)।