16.27
aho bata sva-paco ’to gariyan
yaj-jihvagre vartate nama tubhyam
tepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur arya
brahmanucur nama grnanti ye te
SYNONYMS
aho bata—how wonderful it is; sva-pacah—a dog-eater; atah—than the initiated brahmana; gariyan—more glorious; yat—of whom; jihva-agre—on the tip of the tongue; vartate—remains; nama—the holy name; tubhyam—of You, my Lord; tepuh—have performed; tapah—austerity; te—they; juhuvuh—have performed sacrifices; sasnuh—have bathed in all holy places; aryah—actually belonging to the Aryan race; brahma—all the Vedas; anucuh—have studied; nama—the holy name; grnanti—chant; ye—who; te—they “My dear Lord, anyone who always keeps Your holy name on his tongue is greater than an initiated brahmana.
Although he may be born in a family of dog-eaters and therefore, by material calculations, be the lowest of men, he is glorious nevertheless.
That is the wonderful power of chanting the holy name of the Lord.
One who chants the holy name is understood to have performed all kinds of austerities.
He has studied all the Vedas, he has performed all the great sacrifices mentioned in the Vedas, he has already taken his bath in all the holy places of pilgrimage, and it is he who is factually the Aryan.’ ”