Benefits of Gopala-mantra
Of the many Vishnu mantras giving liberation, the Gopala-mantra (Krishnamantra)
is the best because it invokes Krishna-prema upon its chanter and
reveals Krishna's Vrndavana.
By chanting the Gopala-mantra, the mantra-raja (king of mantras), one
propitiates Radha-Govinda in madhurya-rasa.
"Do execute penance while contemplating upon this mantra, and you will attain
to all perfection." (BS v. 25)
The Gopala-mantra has the power to gratify any desire the chanter may possess.
When Divya Sarasvati gave the Gopala-mantra to Lord Brahma, she told him it would
fulfill all his desires.
The Brhad-bhagavatamrta describes how the young cowherd boy Gopa-kumara
satisfied his desires one after another by continually chanting the ten-syllable Gopalamantra.
His chanting of the Gopala-mantra carried him throughout universe and placed him in
various positions of mastership. Finally it awarded him the perfection of Shri
Krishna's eternal loving embrace which he sought for so long.
Shrila Vyasadeva said:
"The ten-syllable Gopala-mantra is the highest mantra. This mantra stops
samsara, dispels sins and ignorance, gives victory in battles, fearlessness in
forests, and safety in floods. It gives wealth and all types of prosperity to the
devotees. The Gopala-mantra bestows strength, vigor, heroic valor, a beautiful
celestial body, and the eight mystic powers.
This mantra increases bhakti to the lotus feet of Shri Krishna. Narada Muni is
the rsi of the Gopala-mantra, which is chanted in the virat-chanda. Shri
Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja and the benefactor of the whole world, is
the mantra devata." (NP)
Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu achieved darsana of Krishna through chanting the
Gopala-mantra. He saw a gorgeous young boy standing in a three-fold bending
form playing on a flute. His hair was crested with a peacock feather, His belly
was marked with three lines, and His voice was sweet.
Overwhelmed in ecstatic love, Mahaprabhu ran after that mischievous boy who
disappeared within a forest bower. Collapsing on the ground, Mahaprabhu
began rolling about and crying out in intense separation, "O Krishna! Where
are You? Where are You?"
In Raga-vartma-candrika, Shrila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains that
as an item of bhajana, chanting the Gopala-mantra is bhava sambandhi, or
related to the desired feeling, and thus acts as a direct cause for attaining
the goal of Krishna-prema.
"A person of disciplined mind who chants the Gopala-mantra day and night
will definitely see the Lord in His gopa form." (Gautamiya-tantra)
Gopala-mantra and Chanting Hare Krishna
In summary, one sees that in Treta-yuga the Dandakaranya sages attained
sambandha-jnana and then realized their sthayi-bhava (permanent
devotional sentiment) by chanting the Gopala-mantra.
They reached the limit of this world, and in their next lives by the
arrangement of Yogamaya they took birth from the wombs of gopis in
Bhauma Vrndavana.
At this stage of svarupa siddhi there is no more need of chanting the
Gopala-mantra. By directly associating with Gopal Himself and His eternal
associates like the gopis, and by hearing and chanting about His pastimes
they attained vastu-siddhi, and entered Krishna's eternal pastimes in Goloka
Vrndavana.
The Gopala-mantra is needed in the stage of sadhana but not in the stage of
perfection.
Gopala-mantra and Kama-gayatri help the sadhaka to chant suddha-nama, the pure
name of Krishna.
Chanting these mantras brings sambandha-jnana, the feeling of a particular sentiment
or bhava, and finally manifests one's eternal svarupa.
All further purification, realizations, and refinement of sentiments will arise from
absorption in nama-sankirtana, which is done both in the stage of sadhana and forever
in the stage of perfection.
Realized souls will no longer chant Gopala-mantra, but they will continue to relish
nama-sankirtana. In Vraja Dhama even Radhika and Syama regularly perform ecstatic
nama-sankirtana.
Conditioned souls must chant nama-sankirtana along with Gopala-mantra, Gauragayatri,
Kama-gayatri, and all the other guru-given mantras. These additional
mantras quickly dissolve material attachments, and help one realize his spiritual
identity and relationship with Krishna (sambandha-jnana).
In Brhad-bhagavatamrta, Shrila Sanatana Gosvami concludes that nama-sankirtana is
the best and most powerful method for attaining vraja-prema of Radha and Krishna
because it powerfully draws Krishna toward the devotee.
While engaged in nama-sankirtana one should chant with deep feeling, full faith, firm
determination, and the realization that Radha-Syamasundara are personally present
in the maha-mantra with all Their transcendental beauty, qualities, and pastimes. Such
performance of nama-sankirtana will surely bring the desired result of Krishna-prema.
Lord Chaitanya and Gopala-mantra
"While visiting Gaya on pilgrimage, Lord Chaitanya met Isvara Puri in a secluded place
and asked for mantra-diksa. Isvara Puri replied, 'Why do You ask me for mantradiksa?
It is I who should surrender my life to You.'
Then Lord Chaitanya, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the siksaguru
of everyone, accepted initiation into the ten-syllable Gopala-mantra.
After circumambulating Isvara Puri, Lord Chaitanya said, 'Now I give My body
to you. Please cast your merciful glance upon Me, so i may drown in the ocean
of Krishna prema.’
Isvara Puri responded by tightly embracing the Lord. Overwhelmed with
ecstasy, they trembled and tears of love streamed from their eyes drenching
their bodies. In this way Lord Chaitanya who is Lord Hari with a golden
complexion, gave His mercy to Isvara puri during his stay in Gaya.
(L.ti Adi ch. 17)
Chapter Seven
Kama Gayatri
A disciple generally receives the Kama-gayatri from his spiritual master after having
advanced in spiritual knowledge and in chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. The
Gopala-mantra acts as a mula-mantra for doing puja and for chanting the Kamagayatri.
Being the sequel to the Gopala-mantra, the Kama-gayatri is the full
manifestation of that mantra, and the embodiment of the three Vedas.
Lord Krishna is worshiped by the Gayatri mantra, and the specific mantra by which He
is worshiped is called Kama-gayatri. The Kama-gayatri is composed of 24-1/2 syllables.
This Kama-gayatri is received from the spiritual master when the disciple is advanced
in chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare
Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
"In other words, this Kama-gayatri and samskara, or reformation of a perfect
brahmana, are offered by the spiritual master when he sees that his disciple is
advanced in spiritual knowledge. Even then, the Kama-gayatri is not uttered under certain
circumstances. In any case, the chanting of Hare Krishna is sufficient to elevate one to
the highest spiritual platform." (TLC ch. 31)
The Kama-gayatri refers to the Lord of prema, and it leads to full realization of the
transcendental pastimes of Gopijanavallabha. It is the best of all gayatris because it
reveals the most intimate joyful pastimes of Krishna, which are not revealed in any
other gayatri.
It is a meditation upon the Supreme Lord in His ultimate aspect as Krishna with a
specific name, form, qualities, and pastimes. Kama-gayatri, which represents the fifth
note of Krishna's flute, impels the devotee toward Krishna in Goloka with the
experience of madhurya-rasa. Krishna attracts all living entities with the eight notes
of His flute. The fifth note, which expresses Krishna's love, is especially for the
gopis.
In Jaiva Dharma, Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura quotes the Srsti-khanda of the Padma
Purana to explain the esoteric appearance of Kama-gayatri. He says that Gayatri first
appeared as the mother of the Vedas. Hearing how all the Upanisads once took birth
as vraja-gopis, Gayatri began executing intense devotional meditations.
Finally both Gayatri and the Gopala-tapani Upanisad took birth as gopis. After entering
Krishna's conjugal pastimes Gayatri assumed the form of Kama-gayatri, the topmost
of all Gayatris. Thus, the Kama-gayatri, which is eternal, manifests by a pastime.
History of Brahma's Enlightenment
When Garbhodakasayi Vishnu desired to recreate the universe, a divine golden
lotus flower grew from His navel, and Lord Brahma appeared from that lotus.
Therefore Brahma is known as atma-bhu or svayambhu (self-born).
Bewildered about his purpose, Lord Brahma entered the water below the lotus
flower upon which he was sitting. Hearing the word "tapa" (which means
austerities) vibrated twice, Brahma returned to his lotus flower seat and
performed penances.
“On coming out of the lotus, Brahma, being guided by the divine potency,
turned his mind to the act of creation under the impulse of previous
impressions. But he could see nothing but darkness in every direction."
(BS v. 23)
After sometime, Lord Shri Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
appeared to Brahma and spoke the four nutshell verses of the Shrimad
Bhagavatam (cited in SB 2.9.33-36), which present essential knowledge about
the Personality of Godhead.
Later Brahma received the Gopala-mantra from Divya Sarasvati, the eternal
consort of Lord Narayana.
uvaca puratas tasmai tasya divya sarasvati kama-krishnaya govinda he
gopi-jana ity api vallabhaya priya vahner mantram te dasyati priyam
"Then the goddess of learning Sarasvati, the divine consort of the Supreme
Lord, said thus to Brahma, who saw nothing but gloom in all directions, 'O
Brahma, this mantra, viz., klim krsnaya govindaya gopi-jana-vallabhaya svaha,
will assuredly fulfill your heart's desire." (BS v. 24)
Divya Sarasvati, distinct from Sarasvati, the wife of Lord Brahma, is a divine
spiritual goddess, an expansion of Radharani, Krishna's internal energy. She
advised Brahma to practice austerity for the fulfillment of his innermost
desire:
tapas tvam tapa etena, tava siddhir bhavisyati, "O Brahma, practice spiritual
association by means of this mantra. Then all your desires will be fulfilled."
(BS v. 25)
Lord Brahma became a Vaishnava upon receiving the Gopala-mantra. His
tapasya was chanting and meditating upon the Gopala-mantra. Shrila
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura translates the word tapasya as "spiritual
association."
By chanting the Gopala-mantra, which is non-different from Lord Krishna, Lord
Brahma's "austerity" awarded him the direct association of the Supreme Lord.
Brahma was an ideal disciple. Therefore upon receiving the mantra, he dutifully
chanted it with full faith, fixed concentration and without hesitation.
In the above mentioned verse (text 25), Divya Sarasvati uses the Sanskrit word
siddhi, which means "fulfillment." The Gopala-mantra can act in two ways:
(1) materially to satisfy desires such as Brahma's desire to create
(2) spiritually to satisfy the desire for pure love of God and Krishna's eternal
service in Vraja-dhama.
"Brahmaji was initiated into the Gopala-mantra and thus became a Vaishnava,
devotee of the Lord, before he was able to construct the huge universe."
(SB 2.9.6)
Brahma continued his penance of chanting the Gopala-mantra and of meditating upon a
vision of Krishna in Vraja, standing beside Shrimati Radhika, and playing His flute in
the company of thousands of beautiful gopis.
"Desiring to attain the mercy of Govinda, Brahma started practicing the cultural acts
to please Shri Krishna in Goloka. Brahma meditated like this:
'In the transcendental land of Goloka, which is made of wish-fulfilling gems, is a
thousand petaled lotus flower that blooms with millions of filaments. Shri Krishna,
the effulgent embodiment of divine loving ecstasy, is seated upon a golden throne in
the center of that lotus.
Pressing His flute to His lotus mouth, Krishna makes a most beautiful transcendental
sound. He is surrounded by His amorous gopis who are worshiping Him and singing His
glories. Their gopi associates, who are their respected personal expansions, assist the
gopis.
Krishna is also worshiped from outside by His external energy, maya, who is the
embodiment of the material qualities (three modes of nature)." (BS v. 26)
Here, Brahma-samhita says that Brahma was performing "cultural acts for
Krishna in Goloka." What were these cultural acts?
The acaryas explain that Lord Brahma was performing raganuga sadhana bhakti.
While envisioning himself to be a maidservant (manjari) of the gopis, Lord
Brahma was chanting the Gopala-mantra and performing "cultural acts"—the
sixty-four arts described in Brahma-samhita.
"The sixty-four activities in fine arts and crafts are the following:
(1) gita—art of singing, composing songs, and articulating different melodies,
notes, accents and meters.
(2) vadya—art of playing on the four types of musical instruments (wind,
strings, percussion, metallic cymbals).
(3) nrtya—art of dancing and moving the limbs in various symbolic expressions.
It includes dancing with different rhythms, songs and melodies.
(4) natya—art of writing theatrical dramas.
(5) alekhya—art of drawing, calligraphy and painting pictures. It includes all
forms from simple village arts up to the highest perfectional stage of masterful
painting.
(6) visesakacchedya—art of painting the face and body with various dots and
designs of colored unguents and cosmetics.
(7) tandula-kusuma-bali-vikara—art of preparing auspicious offerings for
worship with rice and flowers. It includes making paintings on the floor or
ground with liquid paste of rice flour.
(8) puspastarana—art of making comfortable resting places by spreading
flowers on the ground.
(9) dasana-vasanahga-raga—art of coloring teeth, clothing and bodily limbs with
cosmetics like saffron.
(10) mani-bhumika-karma—art of inlaying floors, courtyards and pathways with
colorful mosaics of precious jewels.
(11) sayya-racana—art of preparing different types of beds, complete with
carpets, cushions, pillows, cloth coverings and decorations like tassels.
(12) udaka-vadya—art of making music in water. The cupped palms splash
downward to produce the thumping sound of kettledrums, or the hand splashes
sideways back and forth to simulate cymbals. Sometimes this art is said to be
playing different pots filled with varying levels of water to produce melodious
tunes.
(13) udaka-ghata—art of splashing with water, and storing water in cisterns and
reservoirs.
(14) citra- yoga—art of trimming, decorating and hanging pictures.
(15) malya-grathana-vikalpa—art of stringing necklaces and weaving flower
garlands for various uses.
(16) sekharapida-yojana—art of setting a crown upon the head, including
turbans, and top-knots of flowers
(17) nepathya-yoga—art of putting on costumes in the dressing room for
theatrical performances. Includes scenic stage arrangements.
(18) kamapatra-bhahga—art of decorating the earlobe with flower or leafornaments,
and painting ornamental figures.
(19) sugandha-yukti—art of preparing and applying aromatics and perfumed
cosmetics of various kinds. Includes sprinkling sandalwood pulp and water to
produce a nice fragrance.
(20) bhusana-yojana—art of beautifying the body and limbs with specialized
types of ornaments and jewelry.
(21) indra-jala—art of presenting stage music, illusions and jugglery.
(22) kauchumdra-yoga—art of appearing in various disguises.
(23) hasta-laghava—art of sleight of hand.
(24) citra-sakapupa-bhaksya-vikara-kriya—art of preparing varieties of salad,
bread, cake and delicious food.
(25) panaka-rasa-ragasava-yojana—art of preparing nectar drinks and tinging
draughts with red color.
(26) suci-vaya-karrna—art of needleworks, weaving, embroidery and tailoring.
(27) sutra-krida—art of manipulating puppets with strings.
(28) vina-damuraka-vadya—art of playing on lute and small x-shaped drum.
(29) prahelika—art of making and solving riddles.
(29-a) pratimaia—art of reciting verse for verse as a trial for memory or skill.
(30) durvacaka-yoga—art of skillfully uttering tongue-twisters that are difficult
for others to repeat.
(31) pustaka-vacana—art of clearly and quickly reading and reciting books,
including techniques of chanting and intoning.
(32) adtikakhyayika-darsana—art of enacting short plays and anecdotes.
(33) kavya-samasya-purana—art of completing verses after hearing only three
lines. Includes solving crossword and various puzzles. This is usually played at
the risk of losing a stake or paying a penalty.
(34) pattika-vetra-bana-vikalpa—art of manufacturing armaments such as
shield, staffs, bows and arrows.
(35) tarku-karma—art of making thread with a spinning wheel.
(36) taksana—art of wood-cutting and carpentry.
(37) vastu-vidya—art of architecture and engineering.
(38) raupya-ratna-pariksa—art of testing the authenticity of silver and jewels.
(39) dhatu-vada—art of metallurgy and alchemy.
(40) mani-raga jnana—art of using dyes to alter the color of precious gemstones.
(41) akara jnana—art of mineralogy.
(42) vrksayur-veda-yoga—art of gardening and crossbreeding plants and trees for the
purpose of obtaining Ayur Vedic medicines.
(43) mesa-kukkuta-lavaka-yuddha-assidhi—art of training rams, cocks, and grouse to
fight for sport.
(44) suka-sarikd-prapalana (pralapana)—art of teaching male and female parrots to
speak and hold conversations with people.
(45) utsadana—art of skin care. Includes cleaning the skin with perfumed lotions, and
using ointments for healing.
(46) kesa-marjana-kausala—art of expertly arranging the hair, including coloring and
curling it in various ways.
(47) aksara-mustika-kathana—art of speaking silently with sign language.
(48) mlecchita-kutarka-vikalpa—art of fabricating languages spoken in the indistinct
ungrammatical manner of barbarians.
(49) desa-bhasa-jnana—art of knowing provincial dialects.
(50) puspa-sakatika-nirmiti-jnana—knowledge of building minature carts with flowers.
(51) yantra-matrka—science of drawing mystical diagrams for worship or for
projecting powers.
(52) dharana-matrka—art of preparing potent amulets worn for protection or other
purposes.
(53) samvacya—art of conversation. Sometimes called sampatyam—art of splitting
hard substances such as diamonds into smaller pieces
(54) manasi kavya-kriya—art of composing poetry within the mind.
(55) kriya-vikalpa—art of designing the performance of rites and ceremonial functions.
Also the art of good management, that of accomplishing many things at once.
Includes foretelling events by studying omens.
(56) chalitaka-yoga—art of playing tricks and practical jokes.
(57) abhidhana-kosa-cchando-jnana—art of use dictionaries, word-usage, poetic
meters, and lexicography.
(58) vastra-gopana—art of concealing the true nature of cloth, making it appear as
made of a different or superior texture. For example, one may make coarse cotton
appear as silk.
(59) dyuta-visesa—art of knowing specific forms of gambling.
(60) akarsa-krida—art of playing with magnet and magnetic phenomena. Includes
hypnotism and the power of attracting others.
(61) balaka-kridanaka—art of playing children's games.
(62) vainayiki vidya—art of enforcing discipline by employing mystical charms. Includes
understanding another's psychic movements in order to influence their mind and
induce them to act according to one's own wishes.
(63) vaijay vidya— art of gaining victory.
(64) vaitaliki vidya—knowledge of artfully reciting the glories of great personalities.
Includes knowing how to properly offer respects and compliments to others.
"All these arts manifesting their own eternal forms are ever visible in the region of
Goloka as the ingredients of rasa; and, in the mundane sphere, they have been
unstintedly exhibited in the pastimes of Vraja by the spiritual (cit) potency,
Yogamaya." (BS v.37)
Although Lord Brahma was thus meditating while chanting the Gopala-mantra,
Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura concludes that Brahma's devotion
was not pure unalloyed bhakti. How is this possible? Brahma's devotion was
gauna-bhakti, an indirect practice of devotional service that nourishes the
growth of pure devotion to the Lord.
Brahma's devotion to the Lord was mixed with his personal desire to create
the material world, therefore, it cannot be accepted as pure, unalloyed
devotional service.
Satisfied with Brahma's austerities, Lord Narayana manifested His personal
abode of Vaikuntha to him. From his lotus flower Brahma could see Lord
Narayana, His eternal associates, and all the variegatedness of the Vaikuntha
planets.
Feeling pleased with Brahma, Lord Narayana then shook hands with him to
confirm that Brahma was now qualified to create living beings. At this time,
Brahma received complete Vedic knowledge from Lord Narayana.
Shrila Prabhupada said that in the beginning stages of self-realization, Lord
Brahma was shown a transcendental vision of the Vaikuntha spheres by the
grace of Lord Narayana.
After a thousand celestial years of meditation upon the Gopala-mantra, Lord Brahma
was fortunate enough to hear the sweet sound of Govinda's transcendental flute and
attain perception of Krishna and His holy dhama.
The flute sound took the form of the Gayatri mantra.
atha venu-ninadasya trayi-murti'mayi gatih
sphuranti pravive sa su mukhabjani svayambhuvah
gayatrim gayatas tasmad adhigatya sarojajah
samskrtas cadi-gurund dvijatam agamat tatah
"Then Gayatri, mother of the Vedas, being made manifest, ie: imparted by the divine
sound of the flute of Shri Krishna, entered into the lotus mouth of Brahma, born
from himself, through his eight ear-holes.
The lotus-born Brahma, having received the Gayatri sprung from the flute-song of
Shri Krishna, attained the status of the twice-born, having been initiated by the
supreme primal preceptor, Godhead Himself." (BS v.27)
Lord Brahma was initiated directly by Lord Krishna through the sound of His flute.
At that time Gayatri entered Brahma's ears, and he became twice born. This verse
explains how Lord Brahma heard the divine sound of Krishna's flute through his eight
ear-holes.
The sound of Krishna's flute is the most blissful musical vibration in existence,
and hence the poetic Gayatri meter is present within it. The joyful sound of
Krishna's transcendental flute entered Brahma's heart and issued forth from
his lotus mouth.
Brahmaji attained the status of being twice born only after his initiation by the
Lord. Although born directly from Vishnu Himself, Brahma's exalted birth did
not automatically make him a brahmana. Therefore no one can claim brahminical
status simply on the basis of family lineage.
Through hearing Shri Krishna's flute song, Lord Brahma simultaneously received
the Brahma-gayatri, which gave him the status of a twice born brahmana, and
the Kama-gayatri.
Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that the Brahma-gayatri is a
Vedic rhythm that contains a brief meditation and prayer.
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