← Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1962)

Chapter 18: Maharaj Parikshit Cursed by a Brahmin Boy

Verse 19 of 48
SB 1.18.19

kutaḥ punar gṛṇato nāma tasya mahattamaikānta-parāyaṇasya yo 'nanta-śaktir bhagavān ananto mahad-guṇatvād yam anantam-āhuḥ

Synonyms

kutaḥwhat to say; punaḥagain; gṛṇataḥone who chants; nāmaholy Name; tasyahis; mahattamagreat devotees; ekāntaexclusive; parāyaṇasyaof one who is shelter of; yaḥHe who; anantais the unlimited; śaktiḥpotency; bhagavānthe Personality of Godhead; anantaḥimmeasurable; mahatgreat; guṇatvāton account of such attributes; yamwhom; anantamby the name; āhuḥis called.

Translation

What to say about those who under the direction of great devotees chant the holy name of the unlimited Who has unlimited potency. The Personality of Godhead being unlimited in potency and trascendental by attributes, is called the Ananta (unlimited).

Purport

The Dwijabandhu class of men or the less intelligent uncultured members born of higher castes, do put forward many arguments against the principle of lower caste man's becoming a Brahmin even in this life. They argue that birth in the family of Sudras or less than the Sudras, is made possible by one's previous sinful acts and therefore one has to complete the terms of disadvantages due to lower birth. And to answer these false logicians, Srimad Bhagwatam asserts that one who chants the holy name of the Lord under the direction of pure devotees can at once get free from the disadvantages due to lower caste birth. A pure devotee of the Lord does not commit any offence while chanting the holy name of the Lord. There are ten different kinds of offences in the matter of chanting the holy name of the Lord and to chant the holy name of the Lord under the direction of a pure devotee means offenceless chanting. Offenceless chanting of the holy name of the Lord is transcendental and, therefore, such chanting of the holy name can at once purify one from the effects of all kinds of previous sins. This offenceless chanting means that one has fully understood the transcendental nature of the holy name and thus surrendered unto the Lord. Transcendentally the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself is identical as Absolute. Such offenceless holy Name of the Lord is as powerful as the Lord. The Lord is all powerful Personality of Godhead and He has innumerable Names which are all non-different from Him and are equally powerful also. In the last word of the Bhagwat Geeta the Lord asserts that any one who surrenders fully unto Him, is protected from all sins by the Grace of the Lord. And His Name, and He Himself being identical the holy Name of the Lord can similarly protect the devotee from all effects of sins. The chanting of the holy name of the Lord on acconnt of His becoming equally powerful like the Lord, can undoubtedly deliver one from the disadvantages of lower caste birth. The Lord's unlimited power is extended on and on by unlimited expansion of devotee and incarnations and as such every devotee of the Lord and incarnation also can equally be surcharged with the unlimited potency of the Lord. The devotees thus being surcharged with the poteney of the Lord even by fractional parts, the disqualification due to lower birth for previous reaction of sinful acts, cannot stand in the way.

Verse 19 of 48
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