Verse 2.3.164

Sanskrit text, Unicode transliteration, Word-for-word and English translation of verse 2.3.164:

नाम-सङ्कीर्तनं प्रोक्तं कृष्णस्य प्रेम-सम्पदि ।
बलिष्ठं साधनं श्रेष्ठम् परमाकर्ष-मन्त्र-वत् ॥ १६४ ॥

nāma-saṅkīrtanaṃ proktaṃ kṛṣṇasya prema-sampadi |
baliṣṭhaṃ sādhanaṃ śreṣṭham paramākarṣa-mantra-vat || 164 ||

nāma-saṅkīrtanam–congregational chanting of the holy name; proktam–is said; kṛṣṇasya–of Śrī Kṛṣṇa; prema–of love; sampadi–in attaining the treasure; baliṣṭham–most powerful; sādhanam–practice; śreṣṭham–best; parama-ākarṣa–supremely magnetic; mantra-vat–like a mantra.

Nāma-saṅkīrtana is the best and most powerful method for obtaining the treasure of divine love for Śrī Kṛṣṇa because it is like a supremely magnetic mantra.

Commentary: Dig-darśinī-ṭīkā with Bhāvānuvāda

(By Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī himself including a deep purport of that commentary)

Therefore, it is stated in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (11.2.39):

शृण्वन् सु-भद्राणि रथाङ्ग-पाणेर् जन्मानि कर्माणि च यानि लोके
गीतानि नामानि तद्-अर्थकानि गायन् विलज्जो विचरेद् असङ्गः

śṛṇvan su-bhadrāṇi rathāṅga-pāṇer janmāni karmāṇi ca yāni loke
gītāni nāmāni tad-arthakāni gāyan vilajjo vicared asaṅgaḥ

Many auspicious stories of the birth and pastimes of Bhagavān Cakra-pāṇi (He who brandishes a chariot wheel) are famous in this world. The Lord has many such famous names, reminding one of His qualities and pastimes. Without desire or attachment, giving up shyness and hesitation, one should wander about, hearing and singing these names.

Having said this, the Vaikuṇṭha pārṣadas also explain the most excellent means to obtain the wealth of prema. In Śrīmad-

Bhāgavatam (11.2.40), Śrī Kavi, one of the nine Yogendras, tells King Nimi:

एवं-व्रतः स्व-प्रिय-नाम-कीर्त्या जातानुरागो द्रुत-चित्त उच्चैः
हसत्य् अथो रोदिति रौति गायत्य् उन्माद-वन् नृत्यति लोक-बाह्यः

evaṃ-vrataḥ sva-priya-nāma-kīrtyā jātānurāgo druta-citta uccaiḥ
hasaty atho roditi rauti gāyaty unmāda-van nṛtyati loka-bāhyaḥ

O King! One who avowedly dedicates himself to chanting the names of his beloved Lord experiences the sprout of love growing inside him. His heart melts, and becoming intoxicated, sometimes he laughs loudly and sometimes he weeps. Sometimes he calls out to Bhagavān in a loud voice, sometimes he sweetly sings of His qualities, and sometimes, experiencing Him, he dances. In this way, maddened by love of God, he wanders everywhere.

This is evidence that kīrtana, or singing one’s favorite names of Bhagavān, is the most excellent and powerful spiritual practice.