So this is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy that you are becoming Krishna conscious. Otherwise, it is not so easy thing; very, very difficult. Kecit kevalaya bhaktya [SB 6.1.15]. So stick to this principle. Chant sri- Krishna -chaitanya prabhu nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. By their favor, by their mercy, we can chant Hare Krishna. And as soon as we chant Hare Krishna, we are vasudeva-parayanah. There is no more fear. That is required. So you stick to this principle, do not forget. We have already given our ways and instruction. So don't deviate from it. Then everything is perfect and your life is successful. (Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)
"Gaura! Gaura!" Not Kirtana?
"A person who is infested with offenses cannot chant the transcendental name of Krishna. Even millions of lives spent chanting namaparadha will not give Krishna-prema. But there is no consideration of offense in chanting the names of Gaura and Nityananda. If a jiva who is infested with anarthas chants the names of Gaura and Nityananda, recognizing Them to be the Supreme Personalities of Godhead, then his anarthas are cleared off. But if the names of Gaura and Nityananda are chanted in a spirit of enjoyment, thinking that Gaura and Nityananda are meant for filling my belly, or that I will be honored as a devotee by chanting Their names, or that Their names are to be enjoyed by my senses according to my speculation, then vocal utterance of "Gaura! Gaura!" will not be Gaura-nama kirtana, but an illusory name intended for supplying fuel for sense gratification. There was a gang that used to perform dacoity while calling out "Prana Gaura-Nityananda! Prana Gaura-Nityananda!"—but that is not actual chanting of the names of Gaura and Nityananda. " (Srila Prabhupadera Hari-kathamrita, Vol. 1, pp 24-25)
Jaya Sri Krishna Caitanya Prabhu Nityananda Sri Advaita Gadadhara Srivasadi Gaura-bhakta-vrinda
Before chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one must first take shelter of Gaura-Nitai, and Their principal associartes, by reciting the Panca-tattva mantra. This frees one from the reactions of his offenses while chanting Hare Krishna because Lord Caitanya is the most magnanimous incarnation of the Lord and His mercy is easily achieved.
Panca = Five; Tattva = Truths; "The Absolute Truth in five features".
Hare Krishna Maha-mantra
Srila Prabhupada once announced, "The chanting of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's name is more essential than the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra." (1) One smart devotee then inquired whether we should therefore chant rounds of the Panca-tattva mantra to which Srila Prabhupada replied, "No — because Lord Caitanya's instruction was to chant Hare Krishna." Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Lord Caitanya and the Vedas both recommend this process: hare krishna hare krishna
The sixteen words of the Hare Krishna mantra are especially meant for counteracting the contaminating influence of the age of Kali. After searching through all the Vedic literature, one cannot find a better method. Footnote (1) There are offenses to be considered in chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, but there are no such considerations in chanting the names of Gaura-Nityananda. Therefore, if one chants the Hare Krishna maha-mantra but his life is still full of sinful activities, it will be very difficult for him to achieve the platform of loving service to the Lord. But if in spite of being an offender one chants the holy names of Gaura-Nityananda, he is very quickly freed from the reactions to his offenses. Therefore, one should first approach Lord Caitanya and Nityananda, or worship Guru-Gauranga, and then come to the stage of worshiping Radha-Krishna. |
One should first take shelter of Gaura-Nityananda in order to reach, ultimately, Radha-Krishna. … It should be noted in this connection that the holy names of Lord Krishna and Gaurasundara are both identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one should not consider one name to be more potent than the other. Considering the position of the people of this age, however, the chanting of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s name is more essential than the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra because Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the most magnanimous incarnation and His mercy is very easily achieved. Therefore one must first take shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by chanting Sri-Krishna-Caitanya Prabhu Nityananda Sri Advaita Gadadhara Srivasadi Gaura Bhakta-Vrnda. (Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi 8.31 purport)
Jivera svarupa haya, nityera krsna dasa, the souls eternal realtionship is as eternal servant of Sri KRISHNA.
The fallen jiva who is ignorant of this relationship, (is) delivered from ignorance by the grace of the spiritual master and his representatives, (and so) chants the Name of Sri Krishna, whereby he is enabled to attain the only desirable object of his existence ie the love of Sri Krishna (PREMA) Therefore, Self knowledge is relationship (SAMBHANDA), taking the holy Names is the means (ABHIDEYA), and love of Krishna is the object of our endeavors (PRAYOJANA).
Prayojana. the desired object of focus of our efforts
Sambhanda. the relation between the self and the goal
Abhideya. the means of attainment of said goal
Krishna Prema. love of Krishna, the final goal
As made clear by our grandfather-acarya Srila Bhaktisiddhana Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada, and the wonderful Srila Haridasa Thakura Nama-acarya, advancement in love of Godhead by the sankirtana process has stages that reflect the purity of the chanting done by the aspirant followers. Indeed, proving this importance of purity, one is encouraged to hear only from pure chanters, and avoid hearing the holy Names from those who chant with offence, nama aparadha. The Dim Reflection, chanted at the mid-level clearing stage, nama abhasa, that holy Name has the mercy to deliver pure chanting to the follower, shuddha nama. But, one must voluntarily do ones own part, and learn and avoid the ten offences, described in part 2 preceding, which destroy the vine bearing the sweet grapes of prema-bhakti, devotional service performed in spiritual Self-identity and love, our goal.
Many of us come from the ranks of the yavanas, the nirvisesis and sunnavadis, ( impersonalists and voidists, ie buddhists and monists, scientists etc) and Christians also. At least the Muslims and Christians have faith in one God, though the degree of impersonalization of the Supreme Persoanlity of Godhead varies amongst these Kali-yuga meat-eaters and impersonalist cults. Srila Prabhupada came to defeat these ideas, as evidenced in our daily Guru pranama payers, " nirvisesa sunnyavadi pascatya-desa tarine" , he came to the western countries to deliver us from impersonalists and voidists. My point, is that it is not so easy for us unaccustomed to such refined religious process as taking of Pure (shuddha) Names of Godhead, as we have bad habits of mind since many births even, what to speak of lack of training up until we met Srila Prabhupada and sincerely took up his orders.
So, having studied these offenses and tried to avoid them, still we out of habit and sinful past we cannot avoid them. Whatever shall we do? Let us turn to our predeccesor acarya Srila Bhaktisiddhanta to see his advice given in The Holy Names booklet:
" It has already been stated that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu instructs the fallen jivas to follow the method of trnad api sunichena, etc ( humble and tolerant), (from Siksastakamof Mahaprabhu ) for attaining the eligibility of chanting the holy Name of Krishna. Those who have taken shelter at the holy feet of Sri Caitanya and Nityananada ... and have accepted Them as their Lords, shed tears out of love for Krishna on sincerely taking the pure Name in accordance with the above mentioned sloka, trnad api sunicena etc.
So this is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu's mercy that you are becoming Krishna conscious. Otherwise, it is not so easy thing; very, very difficult. Kecit kevalaya bhaktya [SB 6.1.15]. So stick to this principle. Chant sri- Krishna -chaitanya prabhu nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. By their favor, by their mercy, we can chant Hare Krishna. And as soon as we chant Hare Krishna, we are vasudeva-parayanah. There is no more fear. That is required. So you stick to this principle, do not forget. We have already given our ways and instruction. So don't deviate from it. Then everything is perfect and your life is successful. (Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada)
"For this reason, the worship of Sri Gauranga and Si Nityananda is more important and essential for the jiva in the fallen state than the worship of Krishna which is possible only in the free state. The novice is sure to commit offence due to want of spiritual training if he takes the holy Name like one liberated. But in worshipping Sri Gauranga and Nityananda, the two world teachers, in one takes himself to their holy feet even in the sinful state, but without the pretence of being free, him Sri Gauranga and Nityananda, Baladeva, free him from ignorance, avidya, whereby the jiva attains the knowledge of his own (spiritual ) self and of the relation that subsists between Sri Gauranga Nityananda and himself , (svarupabrahma). " SBSS Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Goswami Maharajah Thakura
Srila Prabhupada has given us the mantra for deliverance from offences.
Sri Sri Panca tattva mantra.
Sri Krsna Caitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita , Gadadhara, Srivasadi, Gaura bhakta vrnda.
Chant these Names always, out loud, or even quietly, or in the mind, and one will attain the holy Names in truth , despite ones current state of offenciveness.
To sum up, we are advised to 24 hours chant panca tattva mahamantra, while in the non-liberated stages, not just once or twice at the end of our round of Hare Krsna maha mantra. Otherwise, progress will be slow due to offences. Srila Prabhupada authorized us to chant Hare Krsna maha mantra, but we should be well forewarned of the dangers of offences committed while chanting and seek to remediate asap. Therefore we recite these ten offences daily in all of our spiritual masters temples. Failure to stop offences may result in the spiritual master undergoing spiritual sufferings due to absorbing the offences of our chanting ! This is poor service indeed on our parts.
Nrsmha Caitanya dasa, disciple of Radhanath Swami, in the year 2008, enlisted as one of his spies and gestapo in Srila Prabhupadas stolen temples, was so incensed at one brahmana who did this practice, taking constantly the Names of Caitanya and Nityananda, that he conspired to have the practising devotee thrown out of the very temple in Montreal that this devotee had donated ten of thousands of dollars and years of his life to acquire. This is an example of cultish insanity bred by the current ISKCON GBCs and so-called guru mis leaders, that brand new men think they have authority over their seniors. Such actions will surely meet with the destruction of the offenders. Such offences are very hard to eradicate, indeed Krsna does not forgive those who offend His sincere devotees. Their only means of salvation is then to beg the forgiveness of the offended devotee, and take to constant repetition with sincerity of the Names of Sri Caitanya, Nityananda. Due to politics created by usurpers of the spiritual master.s mission in the garb of Vaisnavas, to date this has not occurred.
Those who whipped Haridasa begged his forgiveness upon realizing his true character, but even though he forgave them, within a short time all were ruined along with their families. Let this be a lesson and dire warning to those who would hurt innocent Vaisnavas.
These stories are an example of offences which almost cannot be erdicated, therefore we should avoid the company of those who committ such offences and be always be vigilant lest we mistakenly commit the same offence. By practising trnad api sunichena, one can easily avoid the mentality that leads to self destruction due to offending the all-consuming unstoppable power of pure fully authorized offenceless devotees and the holy Names.
Comments
Hare Krsna Prabhu ji
Obesiances with all glories to Srila Prabhupada
This is indeed wonderful article…Thanks for nice service…
Radhe Radhe
YS - KanhaiyaDasAnudas
Question 1: Who should be staying in the maṭha (monastery)?
Answer: There is no necessity for those who are interested in physical yogic exercises to stay in our maṭhas, nor is there any necessity for those who conceive of themselves as dignified officers. Only bhaktas ought to stay in the maṭha.
If all those who are only interested in eating and in sensual pleasure, but who have taken shelter of the facility of the maṭha, were asked to leave, one after the other, it would reduce the expenses for the maṭha and minimize other worldly troubles.
All those who do not follow the principles and ideals of the maṭha, who lack humility, and who are not inclined to follow the path of bhakti under the guidance of śrī guru, should be sent home in all their pride and insubordination. Even if this reduced the numbers of our ranks, it would still be good. Whoever does not engage in hari bhajana and instead spends their time hankering for acquisition, adoration and recognition, money, and the association of the opposite sex, should not be allowed to stay in the maṭha, for they are inwardly opposed to the very purpose of the maṭha.
“I have stayed in the maṭha for a long time. I have done so much for the maṭha. I shall therefore eat the best prasādam and wear the best cloth. I should certainly be instated in a leading position and I should be respected highly. Indeed, I am entitled to a prominent share of the ownership and management of the maṭha.”
These attitudes, which are against bhakti, should be nipped at the bud. Such disturbing thoughts arise when one remains engaged in doubting, criticizing and talking about others.
“I am expert at so many things,” “I am very intelligent,” “I am such a good speaker,” “I am a very good singer” – we should never allow ourselves to be overwhelmed by these thoughts, for they are opposed to bhakti. We should be humbler than a blade of grass. Someone may attack us or criticize us, but even then it is better to tolerate it and engage in chanting the holy names. At those times, we should think, “today, the Supreme Lord has mercifully provided me an opportunity to become humbler than a blade of grass.” When someone engages in directly reviling us, we should see that the Supreme Lord has arranged for us to attain our true welfare.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that Sri Caitanya Prabhu has appeared in this world to deliver all the fallen souls. This birth as a human form is very rare. So why to waste your time in false ego and decorating yourselves uselessly. One may not gain anything out of it. Time once gone will never come back. Hence take shelter and drink the nectar of the Hari Krishna Mantra.
(1)
udilo aruna puraba-bhage,
dwija-mani gora amani jage,
bhakata-samuha loiya sathe,
gela nagara-braje
(2)
‘tathai tathai bajalo khol,
ghana ghana tahe jhajera rol,
preme dhala dhala sonara anga,
carane nupura baje
(3)
mukunda madhava yadava hari,
bolena bolo re vadana bhori’,
miche nida-base gelo re rati,
divasa sarira-saje
(4)
emana durlabha manava-deho,
paiya ki koro bhava na keho,
ebe na bhajile yasoda-suta,
sarame poribe laje
(5)
udita tapana hoile asta,
dina gelo boli’ hoibe byasta,
tabe keno ebe alasa hoy,
na bhaja hridoya-raje
(6)
jivana anitya janaha sar,
tahe nana-vidha vipada-bhar,
namasraya kori’ jatane tumi,
thakaha apana kaje
(7)
jivera kalyana-sadhana-kam,
jagate asi’ e madhura nam,
avidya-timira-tapana-rupe,
had-gagane biraje
(8)
krsna-nama-sudha koriya pan,
jurao bhakativinoda-pran,
nama bina kichu nahiko aro,
caudda-bhuvana-majhe
(2) and played the mridanga, and the cymbals chimed in time. Lord Gauranga’s shimmering golden features danced, and His footbells jingled.
(3) All the devotees chanted the names Mukunda, Madhava, Yadava and Hari, their mouths being filled with the vibrations. They would announce to the still sleeping people, "You spend your nights uselessly sleeping and your days decorating your bodies!
(4) You have achieved such a rare human body, but you do not care for this gift. You remain not serving the darling of Yasoda and slowly fall through your last moments to death.
(5) With every rising and setting of the sun, a day passes and is lost. Then, why do you remain idle and not serve the Lord of the heart?
(6) This temporary life is full of various miseries. Take shelter of the holy name as your only business.
(7) To penetrate the darkness of ignorance and bless everyone’s heart, the holy name has risen like the shining sun.
(8) Drink the pure nectar of the holy name. There is nothing but the name to be had in the fourteen worlds. It has filled the soul of Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura.
Listen:
Udilo Arun Purab Bhage – Sung by Srila Prabhupada
Udilo Arun Purab Bhage – Sung by HG Agnidev Prabhu
When someone heard the chanting of the holy name from the mouth of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and someone else heard this chanting from that second person, and someone again heard this chanting from the third person, everyone in all countries became a Vaiṣṇava through such disciplic succession. Thus everyone chanted the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and Hari, and they danced, cried and smiled.
PURPORT
The transcendental power or potency of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is herein explained. First, the holy name is vibrated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When someone hears from Him directly, he is purified. When another person hears from that person, he also is purified. In this way the purification process is advanced among pure devotees. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and no one can claim His potency. Nonetheless, if one is a pure devotee, hundreds and thousands of men can be purified by his vibration. This potency is within every living being, provided he chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra offenselessly and without material motives. When a pure devotee chants offenselessly, another person will become a Vaiṣṇava, and from him another Vaiṣṇava will emerge. This is the paramparā system.
[CC Madhya Līlā: 17.48-49]