SB 1.18.19 (1965)
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
TEXT No. 19
- Kutah punar grinatah nama tasya
- Mahattama ekanta parayansya.
- Yo ananta shaktirbhagwan ananto
- Mahad gunatwat yam anantam ahu.
ENGLISH SYNONYMS
Kutah—what to say, Punar—again, Grinatah—one who chants, Nama—holy Name, Tasya—his, Mahattama—great devotees, Ekanta—exclusive, Parayanasya—of one who is shelter of, Yo—He who, Ananta—is the unlimited, Shakti—potency, Bhagawan—the Personality of Godhead, Ananto—immeasurable, Mahad—great, Gunatwat—on account of such attributes, Yam-whom, Ananta—by the name, Ahu—is 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 transcendental 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 anyone 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 account 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 potencey of the Lord even by fractional parts, the disqualification due to lower birth for previous reaction of sinful acts, cannot stand in the way.