Verse Text
yathā –
ātmārāmān api gamayati tvad-guṇo gāna-goṣṭhīṁ
śūnyodyāne nayati vihagān apy alaṁ bhikṣu-caryām |
ity utkarṣaṁ kam api sa-camatkāram ākarṇya citraṁ
sevāyāṁ te sphuṭam aghahara śraddhayā gardhito ’smi ||30||
Translation
An example: O Kṛṣṇa! When Your qualities are sung in the assembly, even the ātmārāmas become attracted to listen, and the bird-like renunciates residing in lonely gardens take up the activity of begging to hear. Hearing about Your excellent, astonishing qualities, I have become distinctly greedy to serve You with faith.
Purport (Jiva Goswami)
The word vihagān can be taken as a metaphor for performers of austerities, who like birds (vihagān) residing in lonely gardens, are made to take up the practice of begging in the assembly where Your glories are sung, because they desire to hear about Your qualities. Or the word can be taken literally to mean “birds.” In that case, it can be a zealous statement of exaggeration, meaning “Even the birds residing in lonely gardens are made to take up the practice of begging to hear Your glories, such is the attraction of Your qualities.” This is similar to saying “In solitary places, even the stones cry, on hearing the stories of noble men who suffer.” (Uttara-carita, Raghunātha dāsa) That statement cannot be taken literally, and means “Hearts as hard as thunderbolts split, from hearing stories of suffering in lonely places.”
Purport (Nectar of Devotion)
One devotee says, “My dear Lord, Your transcendental qualities attract even the liberated souls and carry them to the assembly of devotees where Your glories are constantly chanted. Even great sages who are accustomed to living in solitary places are also attracted by the songs of Your glory. And, observing all Your transcendental qualities, I have also become attracted and have decided to dedicate my life to Your loving service.”