Bhaja Govindam
Thinking about the glories of Bhagavan is blissful; Speaking it out is more blissful indeed!
Once when Sage Narada Maharishi was in Dwaraka, Bhagavan Sri Krishna’s father – Vasudeva enquired about Bhagavata Dharma. When this question was put, Sage Narada Maharshi felt waves of bliss and spake thus:
‘tvayA parama-kalyANah puNya-sravana kIrtanah; smArito bhagavAn adya devo nArAyaNo mama (Srimad Bhagavatam 11.2.13).
Dear Vasudeva! You have asked such a wonderful question which brought the Bhagavan Narayana to my mind! To answer your question, I shall be speaking out about the glories of Sri Vaasudeva! When one talks or sings of the glories of Sri Vasudeva it brings in immediate bliss and purity!
Sage Narada is in constant remembrance of Bhagavan. Many Mahaans like Sage Narada are in this state of constant memory of Bhagavan. But when they open their lotus lips to pour Bhagavat guna, they experience bliss of the highest order.
In our kitchen where we make prasadam for our Lord, we have a tap. The water connection always ensures that tap is filled with water. But unless the tap is opened, the people outside cannot see the water gushing out. Nor can they purify themselves with the water which flows out. Only when the tap is opened, they can feel the coolness of water, understand what was stored up in the tap for this long, and also get purified by the flow of the water.
Likewise, When a Mahatma is immersed in the divine thoughts of the Lord, others cannot even guess what is running inside this great soul. Only when he opens out to share his blissful experience can other get immensely benefited in form of bliss and purification!
When the listener is truly eager and sincere the bliss of sharing this by Mahaan becomes multi-fold, even more than just silent remembrance. When this blissful experience takes an expression of words, it enhances the bliss and also makes the deeper experience known to outer world.
Between two contemporary Mahatmas who were established in the same experience, we find one is more well known recognized and celebrated than the other, for one major reason. The one who is well known, spoke his experience out to others which was duly documented for generations to come while the other did not.
Thinking about the glories of Bhagavan is blissful; Speaking it out is spreads more bliss indeed!
(Excerpts from a recent lecture of Sri Sri Swamiji)