Nama-tattva
The Supreme Lord is the Root of all
Religion
17.1
dharma-mulam hi bhagavan sarva-vedamayo harih
smrtam ca tad-vidam rajan yena catma prasidati
The Supreme Person is the root of all dharma, the essence of all the Vedas,
and the meditation of all those great authorities who
know the truth about the
Supreme Lord, and whose opinions becomes scripture. This is evidence, O King,
and by accepting this religious principle, everyone will
attain the highest satis-
faction of the soul, mind, and body. (Bhag. 7.11.7)
Krsna is the Only Way
17.2
tapastu tapaih prapatastu parvata-datantu tirthani pathastu
cagaman
yajastu yagairvivadantu vadair harim vina naiva mrtim taranti
You may perform mountains of austerities, visit many holy
places, study
all the Vedas, and perform all kinds of Vedic sacrifices,
but without devotion to
Krsna, none of these things
can save you from death.
(Bhavartha Dipika 10.87.27)
Chanting the Holy Name is the Eternal
and Highest Dharma for all Souls
17.3
etavan eva loke 'smin pumsam dharmah parah smrtah
bhakti-yogo bhagavati tan-nama-grahanadibhih
It is recognized that the highest religious principle in
human society is de-
votional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead,
beginning with the
chanting of the holy name of the Lord, nama-sanakirtana. (Bhag.
6.3.22)
The Holy Name is the Essence of the
Srutis
17.4
nikhila-sruti-mauli rama-mala-dyuti nirajita-padapankajanta
ayi mukta-kulair upasyamanam paritas tvam harinama
samsrayami
O holy name, the tips of the toes of your lotus feet are
eternally worshiped
by the glowing effulgence of the Upanisads, the crest jewels of the Vedas. You
are eternally adored and chanted by great liberated souls
like Narada and
Sukadeva Gosvami. O Harinama,
clearing myself of all offenses, I take com-
plete shelter of You. (Srila Rupa Gosvami, Krsna-namastakam 1)
The Constitutional Nature of the Holy
Name
17.5
nama cintamanih krsnas caitanya-rasa-vigrahah
purnah-suddho nitya-mukto'bhinnatvan nama naminoh
The holy name of Krsna is a transcendental wish
fulfilling gem it be-
stows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Krsna Himself.
It is the personification
of divine mellow, the fountainhead of all pleasure. The
holy name of Krsna is
eternally liberated and spiritual. This is because the name of
Krsna and Krsna
Himself are nondifferent. (Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Purva-Vibhagaga
2.233)
17.6
ekam eva sac-cid-ananda-rasadi-rupam tattvam
dvidha-virbhutam
The Supreme Absolute Truth is one reality whose form is
eternal, fully
cognizant, and ecstatic. That Absolute reality who is the
origin of all rasa ap-
pears in two forms, as Krsna Himself and as the holy name
of Krsna. These two
forms are nondifferent manifestations of the same eternal
reality Krsna. (Sri-
Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu, Purva-Vibhaga 2.233, Jiva Gosvami's Durgama-
sargamani commentary)
The Vedas Sing the Glories of the Holy
Name
17.7
om asya jananto nama cid-viviktan mahante visno sumatim
bhajamahe
om tat sat
This mantra
means, "O Lord Visnu, Your name is conscious (cit) and -
self-effulgent (mahas) and
so even one with partial knowledge of the eter-
nal nature of Your name, and incomplete understanding of
the glory of proper
chanting, can attain knowledge of You merely by repeating the
syllables, be-
cause You, who are known by
the name liberates a person from fear and envy even if
alluded to.
(Bhagavata-Sandarbha 47)
17.7a
he vinro te tava nama cita cit-svarupam ata eva mahau
sva-prakasa-rupam
tasmat asya namna a inadapi janantau ha tu samyak
uccmra-mahatmayadi puruskarera.
tathapi vivaktan bruvarau kevalam tad-aksarabhyasa matram
kurvanah
sumantia tad-visayam vidyam bhajamahe prapnuyauh.
Ata eva bhayadvesadau sri
mhrteu aphurter iva smnketya-davapasya
muktidatvam sruyate.
O Visnu! Your holy name is of the nature of divine
consciousness it is
transcendental reality par-excellence. It is a manifestation of Your own divine
form, even if someone utters the holy name without knowing
the names complete
glories. To utter the name without being fully aware of its
glories means
namabhasa, or uttering the syllables of the holy name which are only the outer
reflection. Even in such a position we shall attain divine
knowledge of the Lord,
by such worship. Because this line contains the word
om it indicates that the
use of the word "sat"
means svata-siddau. Therefore the
divine form
upon one's having uttered the name (even when there is namabhasa because of
sanketya and
so forth), and thus one attains liberation from the postion of
and envy. (Bhagavata
Sandarbha 4)
The Glories of the Holy Name in the Smrti-sastras
17.8
vede ramayane caiva purane bharate tatha
adavante ca madhye ca harih sarvatrah giyate
Throughout the Vedas,
the Ramayara, the Puranas, and the Mahabharata,
from beginning to end, only the glories of the Supreme
Lord Hari are sung.
(Hari-vamsa)
The Holy Name Grants All Perfection in
Kali-yuga
17.9
kaler dosa-nidhe rajann
kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet
My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults,
there is still one
good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare
Krsna maha-mantra,
one can become free from material bondage and be promoted
to the transcen-
dental kingdom. (Bhag.
12.3.51)
17.10
krte yad dhyayato visnum tretayam yajato makhaih
dvapare paricaryayam kalau tad dhari-kirtanat
What was attained in Satya-yuga through meditation, in
Treta-yuga through
sacrifice, and in Dvapara-yuga through Deity worship is
realized in Kali-yuga
through hari-kirtana.
(Bhag. 12.3.52)
17.11
dhyayan krte yajan yajnais-tretayam dvapare 'rcayan
yadapnoti tadapnoti kalau sankirtya kesavam
Whatever results was attained in Satya-yuga by
meditation, in Treta-yuga
by yajna, and
in Dvapara-yuga by arcana, can only be attained in the Kali-yuga
by hari-nama-kirtana,
chanting the glories of Krsna, who is known as Kesava.
(Padma Purana, Uttara-khanda, 42nd Adhyaya)
17.12
kali-kale nama-rupe krsna-avatara
nama haite haya sarva-jagat-nistara
nama vinu kali-kale nahi ara dharma
sarva-mantra-sara nama, ei sastra-marma
In the age of Kali, Krsna advents
Himself in the form of the holy name. By
the holy name, the entire universe is delivered. There is
no other dharma in the
age of Kali. The holy name of Krsna is the essence of all
mantras and the pur-
port of all revealed scriptures. (Cc. Adi 17.22 and 7.74)
Sridhara Svami on Glories of the Holy
Name
17.13
amhah samhara dakhilam sakrdudayadeva sakala-lokasya
taraniriva timira-jaladhim jayati jagan-mangalam harer nama
Let the all-auspicious glories of the holy name, which
benedicts the entire
universe, be victorious. Just as when the sun rises, it
dispels the ocean of dark-
ness, in the same way, when the holy name has only
slightly risen within one's
heart, all one's sins are completely destroyed. (Padyavali 16, Sridhara Svami)
17.14
jnanamasti tulitam ca tulayam prema naiva tulitam tu tulayam
siddhir eva tulitatra tulayam krsna-nama tulitam na tulayam
Knowledge and yogic perfection can be compared to one
another, but prema
and krsna-nama
have no comparison to anything within this world. They can-
not be weighed on the scales of mundane consideration. (Padyavali 15, Sridhara
Svami)
Rupa Gosvami on the Glories of the Name
17.15
akrstih krta-cetasam sumahatam-muccatanam camhasam
acandalamamukaloka-sulabho vasyas ca moksasriyah
no diksam na ca daksinam na ca purascaryam managiksate
mantro'yam rasana sprg eva phalati sri krsna namatmakah
The holy name of Krsna is an attractive feature for many
saintly, liberal
people. It is the annihilator of all sinful reactions and is
so powerful that save
for the dumb who cannot chant it, it is readily,
available to everyone, including
the lowest type of man, the candala. The holy name of Krsna is controller of the
opulence of liberation, and it is identical with Sri Krsna.
Simply by touching the
holy name with one's tongue, immediate effects are
produced. Chanting the
holy name does not depend on initiation, pious activities,
or the purascarya
regulative principles generally observed before initiation. The
holy name does
not wait for all these activities. It is self-sufficient.
(Padyavali 29, Rupa Gosvami)
The Efficacy of Gayatri and the Holy Name
17.16
krsna-mantra haite habe samsara-mocana
krsna-nama haite pabe krsnera carana
Through the gayatri mantra one attains liberation from
material existence.
Through the holy name one
attains the lotus feet of Krsna. (Cc. Adi
7.73)
The Glories of Hari-katha
17.17
srutam-apy-aupanisadam dure hari-kathamrtat
yan na santi dravac-citta-kampasru-pulakadayah
The Upanisads
have ascertained nirvisesa brahma as
the subject of the
sruti,
whereas they only take a distant view of hari-katha.
This is because through
hearing and chanting about Brahman, one's heart is not moved,
tears do not
pour from the eyes, and the bodily hairs do not stand on
end. (Padyavali 39)
The Glories of the Holy Name Surpasses
that of Impersonal Brahman
17.18
yad brahma-saksat-krti-nisthayapi vinasamayati vina na
bhogaih
apaiti nama-sphuranena tatte prarabhda-karmeti virauti vedah
O holy name! The seeds from which sin sprouts within the
heart are not
burned to ashes by realization of Brahman or by constant meditation on eternal
consciousness. But, O holy name, as soon as You
appear on the tongue of a
sincere chanter, all the karmic
seeds of sin are burned to ashes. Thus all sinful
reactions, past, present and future are finished. This is
proclaimed by the Vedas.
(Krsna-namastakam, Rupa Gosvami 4)
Kirtana
of the Holy Name is Best of All
17.19
aghaccit-smaranam visnor-bahvayasena sadhyate
austhaspandana-matrena kirtanatu tato varam
The remembrance of Visnu certainly cuts sin to pieces,
but it is very diffi-
cult to attain perfection through remembering Visnu. Only
after great effort is
such remembrance possible. However, simply by moving the
lips, there is the
kirtana of the holy name of Visnu, and therefore kirtana is the topmost process
of devotional service. (Hari-bhakti-vilasa, 11.453)
The Holy Name Surpasses Worship and
Meditation
17.20
jayati jayati namananda-rupam murarer
viramita-nija-dharma-dhyana-pujadi-yatnam
kathamapi sakrdattam muktidam pranina yat
param-amrtam-ekam jivanam bhusanam me
All glories, all glories to the all-blissful holy name of
Sri Krsna, which causes
the devotee to give up all conventional religious duties,
meditation, and worship.
When somehow or other uttered
even once by a living entity the holy name awards
him liberation. The holy name of Krsna is the highest
nectar in my life and my only
treasure. (Bnhad-Bhagavatamrta 1.1.9)
17.21
yena janma sataih purvam vasudevah sanarcitah
tan-mukhe hari-namani sada tisthanti bharata
O descendant of Bharata, one who has previously worshiped
Lord Vasudeva
in hundreds of lifetimes can now chant the holy name
eternally. (Hari-bhakti-vilasa
11.454)
The Holy Name is not Regulated
by Time, Place, and Circumstance
17.22 and 23
na desa niyamo rajan na kala niyamas tatha
vidyate natra sandeho visnor-namanu-kirtane
kalo'sti dane yajne ca snane kalo' sti saj jape
visnu-sankirtane kalo nastyatra prthivitale
O king, there are no rules governing the time and place
wherein the holy
name of Visnu can be chanted. Of this there can be no
doubt. Charity and sac-
rifice are governed by various rules regarding time and
place, as are the taking
of one's bath and the silent uttering of different mantras. But the holy name of
Visnu can be chanted in sankirtana at any time in any place on
earth. (Hari-
bhakti-vilasa 11.412, 413)
17.24
na desa-niyamas tasmin na kala-niyamas-tatha
nocchisthadau nisedho 'sti sri harer-namni lubdhaka
O hunter, there are no restrictions on when or where the
holy name of Sri
Hari may be chanted and no
prohibitions regarding the uncleanness of the mouth
from which the holy name comes forth. (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 11.408)
17.25
etavatalam agha-nirharanaya pumsam
sankirtanam bhagavato guna-karma-namnam
vikrusya putram aghavan yad ajamilo 'pi
narayaneti mriyamana iyaya muktim
It should be understood that
one is easily relieved from all sinful reactions
by chanting the holy name of the Lord and chanting of
His qualities and activi-
ties. This is the only process recommended for relief from
sinful reactions. Even
if one chants the holy name of the Lord with improper
pronunciation, he gets
relief from material bondage if he chants without offenses.
Ajamila, for example,
was extremely sinful, but while dying he merely chanted
the holy name, and
although calling his son, he achieved complete liberation
because he re-
membered the name of Narayana. (Bhag. 6.3.24)
The Bhagavatam
on Loud Kirtana
17.26
namany anantasya hata-trapah pathan
guhyani bhadrani krtani ca smaran
gam paryatams tusta-mana gata-sprhah
kalam pratiksan vimado vimatsarah
[Narada Muni said] Thus I loudly chanted the holy name of
Krsna in kirtana,
not caring for any social formalities. Such chanting and
remembering of the holy name
benedicts everyone. In this way, I traveled across the earth,
fully satisfied, humble, and
non-envious. (Bhag.
1.6.26)
Loud Kirtana is the Best
17.27
japato hari namani sthane sata-gunadhikah
atmanan ca punaty-uccair-japan srotrn-punati ca
Compared to that person who is attached to chanting japa, the person who
performs loud chanting of the holy name of Sri Hari is one
hundred times bet-
ter. This is because the person who chants japa purifies
himself, whereas the
person who chants the holy name loudly in kirtana purifies himself, all those
who are with him, and everyone else who hear the holy
vibration.
(Sri Naradiya, Prahlada-vakya)
Loud Kirtana Benefits the Chanter of the
Holy Name and Those Who Hear it
17.28
pasu-paksi-kita-adi balite na pare
sunile se harinama ta'ra saba tare
japile se krsna-nama apani se tare
ucca-sankirtane para-upakara kare
ata eva ucca kari' kirtana karile
sata-guna phala haya sarva-sastre bole
The animals, birds, and insects cannot chant the holy
name, but by hearing
the holy name chanted they can benefit. Chanting the japa
of the holy name of
Krsna purifies oneself, but
the loud sankirtana of the holy name of
Krsna benefits
all living beings. Therefore, loudly chant the holy name
of Krsna in kirtana,
and you will get one hundred times the benefit of
chanting japa. This is the
verdict of all the sastras.
(C.Bhag.Adi 11.275-277)
Mahaprabhu Loudly Chanted the Holy Name
17.29
hare krsnety uccyaih sphurita-rasano namaganana-
krta-granthi sreni-subhaga-kati-sutrojjvalakarah
visalakso dirghargala-yugala-kheloncita-bhujah
sa caitanyah kim me punarapi drsoryasyati padam
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu loudly chants the Hare Krsna mantra,
dance upon His tongue, as His radiant lotus hand counts the
name by fingering
the beads on the beautiful knotted counting string tied
to His waist. His beauti-
ful lotus eyes stretch to His ears and His arms reach to
His knees. When will Sri
Caitanya Mahaprabhu again appear before my eyes?
(Caitanyanthakam 5, Rupa Gosvami)
The Opinion of Baladeva on the Form of
the Maha-mantra
17.30
hare krsneti mantra-pratika-grahanam.
Sodasa-namatmana dvatrimsa-daksarena
mantrenoccair-uccaritena
sphurita krta-nrtya rasana jihva yasya sah.
When the sixteen names and thirty-two syllables of the
Hare Krsna mantra
are loudly vibrated, Krsna Himself dances on ones tongue.
(Baladeva
Vidyabhnara, Stava-malm-vibhunara-bhanya)
Hare Krsna is the Maha-mantra for the Age of Kali
17.31-37
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
sodasaitani namani dvatrimsad varnakani hi
kalau yuge maha-mantrah sammato jivatarane
varjayitva tu namaitad durjanaih parikalpitam
chandobaddham susiddhanta viruddham nabhyaset padam
tarakam brahma-namaitad brahmana gurunadina
kalisantaranadyasu sruti-svadhigatam hareh
praptam sri brahma-sisyena sri naradena dhimata
namaitad-uttamam srauta-paramparyena brahmanah
utsrjyaitan-maha-mantram ye tvanyat kaepitam padam
mahanameti gayanti te sastra-guru langhanah
tattva-virodha-sanprktam tadrsam daurjanam matam
sravatha pariharyam syadatma-hitarthina sada
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
Hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama
rama hare hare: This sixteen-name, thirty-two syllable mantra is the maha-
mantra in
the age of Kali by which all living beings can be delivered. One should
never abandon chanting this maha-mantra and take to other so-called purificatory
processes which are practiced by rascals, or engage in chanting
other metrical
compositions of the name of Krsna that are against the pure
conclusions of the
scriptures, or are filled with rasabhasa. About this divinely spiritual maha-man-
tra,
which delivers one from material existence, the original guru, Lord Brahma,
has said, kali-santaranadi
srutite, "The srutis have
declared this mantra to be the
best means of deliverance in the age of Kali". Having
all heard this from Brahma,
the sons and disciples of Brahma, beginning with Narada,
all accepted the
Krsna maha-mantra and, having meditated on it, attained perfection.
(Ananta-Samhita)
The Upanisads on the Hare Krsna Maha-mantra
17.38-39
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
iti sodasakam namnam kali-kalmasa-nasanam
natah parataropayah sarva-vedesu drsyate
The sixteen names of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra-- hare krsna hare
krsna krsna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare
hare-- destroy all
the inauspiciousness of the age of Kali. This is the
conclusion of all the Vedas.
(Kali-santarara Upanisad)
The Puranas
on the Hare Krsna Maha-mantra
17.40
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
ratanti halaya vapi te krtartha na samsayah
Hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare: Whoever
chants this mantra,
even neglectfully, will attain the supreme goal of life.
Of this there is no doubt.
(Agni-Purana)
Chanting the Holy Name Qualifies One for
Deliverance
17.41
madhura-madhuram-etan-mangalam mangalanam
sakala-nigamavalli-sat-phalam cit-svarupam
sakrdapi parigitam sraddhaya helaya va
bhrguvara naramatram tarayet krsna nama
The holy name of Krsna is the sweetest of the sweet and
the most auspi-
cious of all auspicious things. It is the self-effulgent
and beautiful fruit of the
Vedic
desire tree. O best of the Bhrgus,
when the holy name is uttered once
without offense, either attentively or in attentively, it
immediately ensures the
deliverance of all human beings from the bondage of illusion. (Hari-bhakti-
vilasa 11.234,
Skanda Purana)
The Holy Name is to be Chanted in the Stage of
Practice and in Perfection
17.42
etan nirvidyamananam icchatam akuto-bhayam
yoginam nrpa nirnitam harer namanukirtanam
O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord
after the way of
the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way
of success for all, includ-
ing those who are free from all material desires, those
who are desirous of all
material enjoyment, and those who are self-satisfied by dint
of transcendental
knowledge. (Bhag.
2.1.11)
Things Unfavorable for Nama-kirtana
17.43
janmaisvarya-sruta-sribhir edhamana-madah puman
naivarhaty abhidhatum vai tvam akincana-gocaram
Those who are intoxicated by false ego on account of
their good birth,
wealth, learning, and beauty, cannot cry out Your name with
sincere feeling.
Only those who are materially
bereft can chant Your name in purity.
(Bhag. 1.8.26)
The Characteristics of the Principal and
Secondary Name
17.44
namnamakari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis
tatrapita niyamitah smarane na kalah
etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi
durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah
O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to the living
beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names
like Krsna and
Govinda. In these transcendental names You
have invested all Your transcen-
dental energies and there are no hard and fast rules for
chanting Your name. O
my Lord, out of kindness, You enable us to easily
approach You by chanting
Your holy names, but I am so
unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.
(Siksastaka 2)
The Secondary Names of God and Their
Symptoms
17.45
jada krtira paricaye nama yata
prakrtir gune gauna vedera sammata
srsti kartta paramatma brahma sthiti kara
jagat samharta pata yajnesvara hara
According to the Vedas, the secondary or inferior names
of the Supreme
Lord, Sri Krsna are those which are in connection with the material world.
For
example: "God," "Creator of the
Universe," "Paramatma," "Supersoul," "Brah-
man," " Maintainer of the Universe,"
"Destroyer of the Universe," "Savior,"
and "Lord of Sacrifice," and "He who takes
away," are some inferior or second-
ary names of Godhead. (Hari-nama-cintamari)
Fruits of the Principal and Secondary
Names of the Lord
17.46
ei rupa nama, karma-jnana-kanda-gata
punya moksa dana kare sastrera sammata
namera ye mukhya-phala krsna-prema-dhana
These inferior names of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Sri Krsna
are called upon by those who are on the paths of karma and jnana. According
to the scriptures, one who calls upon these names gets
piety and liberation. On
the other hand, the result of chanting the principal
names of the Lord [Govinda,
Gopala, Rama, Nandanandana,
Radhanatha, Hari, Yasomati-pranadhana,
Madana-mohana, Syamasundara,
Madhava, Gopinatha, Vrajogopa, Rakhala,
and Yadava] is krsna-prema.
In this way, the saintly attain love of Godhead by
chanting the principal names of Godhead [while those attached
to karma and
jnana get
mere piety and impersonal liberation by chanting inferior and second-
ary names because their conception of Godhead is also
secondary and inferior.]
(Hari-nama-cintamari)
The Principal Name
17.47
aghadamana-yasodanandanau nandasuno
kamala-nayana-gopicandra-vrndavanendrah
pranata-karuna-krsnav ity aneka-svarupe
tvai mama ratir uccair vardhatam namadheya
O killer of the demon Agha, O son of Yasoda, O son of
Nanda, O lotus-
eyed, O moon of the gopis, O Lord of Vnndmvana, O merciful
to the submissive,
O Krsna, You have manifest Yourself in innumerable forms out of Your infinite
mercy. Let my devotion to You go on increasing without any
impediment.(Krsna-
namstakam, Rupa Gosvami 5)
The Fruit of Offenselessly Uttering the
Principal Name
17.48
tunde tandavini ratim vitanute tundavali-labdhaye
karna-krodha-kadamvini ghatayate karnarbudebhyah sprham
cetah prangana-sangini vijayate sarvendriyanam krtim
no jane janita-kiyadbhir amrtaih krsneti varnadvayi
"I do not know how much nectar the two
syllables 'Krsn-ra' have produced.
When the holy name of Krsna
is chanted, it appears to dance within the mouth.
We then desire many, many
mouths. When that name enters the holes of the
ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy
name dances in the
courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind,
and therefore all
the senses become inert." (Vidagdha-Madhava 1.12)
The Sevenfold Results of Chanting the
Principal Name
17.49
ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha--davagni-nirvapanam
sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate sri-krsna-sankirtanam
Chanting the holy name of Krsna cleanses the mirror of
the heart an extin-
guishes the fire of misery in the ocean of birth and death.
At that time, real
auspiciousness begins for the soul. Just as the evening lotus blooms
in the moon's
cooling rays, the heart begins to blossom in the nectar of
the name, and at last
the soul awakens in full knowledge of its real inner
treasure a life of love with
Krsna in the highest mellows
of devotion. Again and again tasting nectar, the
soul dives and surfaces in the ever increasing ocean of
joy. In this way, all phases
of the self are fully satisfied and purified by bathing
in the nectarean mellows of
the holy name of Krsna. Therefore, let the sankirtana of the holy name be
victorious. (Siksastaka 1)
The Principal Result of Chanting the
Holy Name is Krsna-prema,
Not Dharma,
Artha,
17.50
bhaktistvayi sthiratara bhagavan yadi syad
daivena nah phalati divya-kisora-murtih
muktih svayam mukulitanjali sevate'sman
dharmartha-kama-gatayah samaya-pratiksah
O Lord when a devotee, by good fortune, develops
unflinching devotion
to Your transcendentally beautiful, youthful form, then
liberation herself waits
with folded hands to be his maidservant. And right behind
liberation, piety,
economic development, and sense enjoyment will wait for the
chance to serve.
(Krsna-karnamrta 107)
Nama-kirtana Fulfills
all Aspects of Bhajana
17.51
mantratas tantratas chidram desa-kalarha-vastutah
sarvam karoti nischidram anusankirtanam tava
[In the various kinds of Vedic sacrifice and worship
mentioned in the Vedas]
There may be discrepancies in
pronouncing the mantras and observing
the regulative
principles, paraphernalia, but when Your Lordship's holy name is
chanted,
everything becomes faultless. (Bhag. 8.23.16)
The Pure Name Arises Within the
Association of Devotees
17.52-53
mamaham iti dehadau hitvamithyartha-dhir matim
dhasye mano bhagavati suddham tat-kirtanadibhih
iti jata-sunirvedah ksana-sangena sadhusu
ganga-dvaram upeyaya mukta-sarvanubandhanah
{Ajamila said] Simply because I chanted the holy name of
the Lord in the
association of devotees, my heart is now becoming purified.
Therefore I shall
not fall victim again to the false lures of sense
gratification. Now that I am fixed
in the Absolute Truth, I shall not identify myself with
the body. I shall give up
the false conception of "I" and
"mine" and fix my mind on the lotus feet of
Krsna. Because of a moment's association with devotees [the
Visnudhtas],
Ajamila detached himself from
the material conception of life with -
Thus freed from all material
attraction, he immediately started for
(Bhag. 6.2.38-39)
17.54
sarvabhauma-sange tomara 'kalusa' haila ksaya
'kalmasa'
ghucile jiva 'krsna-nama' laya
Because of the association of [a devotee like]
Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya,
all your contamination is now vanquished. When a person's
heart is cleansed of
all contamination, he is able to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
(Cc. Madhya 15.276)
17.55
asadhu-sange bhai "krsna nama" nahi haya
"namaksara"
bahiraya bate nama kabhu naya
O brothers, the holy name of Krsna is never to be found
in the association
of those who are un-saintly. The external sound of the
holy name is never the
name proper. (Prema-vivarta)
The Holy Name Cannot
be Realized Through the Material Senses
17.56
atah sri krsna namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih
sevon-mukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuratyadah
Therefore the material senses cannot appreciate Krsna's
holy name, form,
qualities, and pastimes. When a conditioned soul is awakened to
Krsna con-
sciousness and renders service by using his tongue to chant the
Lord's holy
name and taste the remnants of the Lord's food, the tongue
is purified, and one
gradually comes to understand who Krsna really is. In other
words, the holy
name of Krsna can never be grasped by the material senses.
Only by rendering
devotional service, beginning with vibrating the Lord's glories
upon the tongue,
can one realize Krsna, for he will reveal Himself
directly to the sincere soul.
The formula for perfection in
chanting the
holy name. (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu
1.2.234)
17.57
trnad api sunicena taror api sahisnuna
amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih
One should chant the holy name of Krsna in a humble state
of mind, con-
sidering oneself to be lower than a blade of grass. One should
be more tolerant
than a tree, devoid of false prestige, and offer all
respect to others, without
expecting any respect in return. In this way, one should always
chant the holy
name of Krsna. (Siksastaka
3)
The Formula for the Favorable Culture of
the Holy Name
17.58
syat krsna-nama-caritadi-sitapy avidya-
pittopatapta-rasanasya na rocika nu
kintv adarad anudinam khalu saiva justa
svadvi kramad bhavati tad-gada-mula-hantri
The holy name, character, pastimes, and activities of
Krsna are all tran-
scendentally sweet like sugar candy. Although the tongue of one
afflicted by
the jaundice of ignorance cannot taste anything sweet, it
is wonderful that -
by carefully chanting these sweet names every day, a
natural relish awakens
within this tongue, and his disease is gradually destroyed
at the root.
(Upadesamrta 7)
Determination for Chanting the Holy Name
17.59
khanda khanda hai' deha yadi jaya prana
tabu ami vadane na chadi harinama
Even if you cut my body into pieces, I should not give up
chanting the holy
name. (C.Bhag. Adi
11.91)
Kirtana
of the Holy Name Gradually Awakens the Form,
Qualities, and
Pastimes of the Lord
17.60
krsna-nama dhare kata bala
visaya-vasananale mora citta sada jale
ravintapta maribhumi sama
karna-randhra patha diya, hrdi majhe pravesiya,
varisaya sudha anupama
hrdaya haite bale, jihvara agrete cale
sabda-rupe naca anuksana
kanthe mora bhange svara, anga kanpe thara thara,
sthira haite napare carana
cakse dhara, dehe gharma, pulikata saba carma,
vivarna haila kalevara
murccita haile mana, pralayera agamana,
bhave sarva-deha jara jara
kari'eta upadrava, citte vars sudhaadrava,
more dare premera sagare
kichu na bujhite dila, mora ta batula kaila,
mora citta vitta saba hare
lainu asraya yanra, henu vyavahara tan'ra
varnite napari ei sakala
krsna-nama icchamaya, yahe yahe sukhi haya
sei mora sukhera sambala
premera kalika nama, adbhuta rasera dhama
hena bala karaye prakasa
isat vikasi' punah, dekhaya nija rupa-guna
citta hari' laya krsna-pasa
purna vikasita haina, vraje more yaya laina,
dekhaya more svarupa-vilasa
more siddha-deha diya, krsna-pase rakhe giya,
ei dehera kare sarva-nasa
krsna-nama-cintamani, akhila rasera khani,
nitya-mukta, suddha, rasamaya
namera balai yata, saba la'ye hai hata
tabe mora sukhera udaya
My heart is just like a desert, hot with the rays of the
sun. This is my
internal mental condition. The desire for mortal things cannot
satisfy me be-
cause by nature they are death-producing. And not one or
two, but thousands
of such death-producing desires have taken shelter in my
mind. So, my subcon-
scious region is always burning. This is my condition. But
somehow, by
grace of the sadhu and
guru, the holy name of Krsna with its
infinite prospect
has entered through the holes of my ears and reached the
plane of my heart.
And there, with some peculiar
hope, with infinite, auspicious possibilities, it
touched my heart with a new kind of nectar.
New hope is
aroused by that sound. Then by force it comes form the
heart
towards the tongue. Not that by the endeavor of my tongue I
am producing that
sound no. What came from the heart of a saint through my
ear, entered my
heart, and that forcibly appeared on my tongue, and began
to dance.
That is the holy name proper. It descends from above. It
cannot be -
by the material tongue. It's
source is above. And through an agent of the
absolute it comes through the ear to the heart. From the heart
it gathers some
sympathy, then the holy name of Krsna forcibly appears upon
the tongue and
begins to dance. With great force it comes to the end of the
tongue, and that
sweet sound begins its dancing.
The real effects of the divine name have been described
here. If it is a real
and living name, the voice will be choked up, there will
be shivering in the
body, and the legs will be unable to stand. Sometimes
tears will flow in a -
on the body, and one's hairs will stand on end.
Sometimes changes of color
will be found in the body, and we will be unable to find
any trace of the mind or
consciousness.
We may fall in a swoon, the whole body and mind will
appear as if it is
being attacked, shivering, and influenced in different
ways.
Apparently it may seem that so many troubles are created
in the body and
the mind, but the real heart is overflowing with a
particular kind of strange,
sweet juice. Sometimes the devotee thinks, 'I am in an
ocean of nectar. My
whole existence is within an ocean of nectarean liquid. I
am beside myself. I
can't understand where I am. Where am I? What is this? What
is all about me?
It has almost made me mad. Am
I a madman? Where is my past experience,
my seriousness, my gravity, where are they? What am I? I
have been converted
wholesale by a foreign thing. I am a doll in the hands of a
great force, which is
also so affectionate to me. I can't ascertain how it is
possible that by my faith I
have entered this great, unknown environment, not
experienced before. And
at last I find that I am captivated. My entire being,
within and without, has been
captured by a particularly sweet force. I can't help being
prey to such a sweet
power. I can't give any proper description of this. I came
to take shelter of Him
and accept Him as my guardian; now at His hand I am being
dealt with in such
a merciless and despotic way.
Still, I feel that
everything is very pleasing , beyond my experience.
What
is this? I can't resist anymore. I am fully captured.
Let my fate go anywhere. I
can't come out. I am a captive in the hand of a sweet
friend; my whole indepen-
dence is gone. There is no way left to me but to surrender.
I am unable to
describe my real position.
I find that He's an autocrat. Whatever He likes, He will
do. Since it is not
possible for me to give any resistance, I must surrender. Let
me also cooperate
with whatever He is pleased to do. Otherwise I find that
the sweetness of the
name is condensed like a blossoming flower, and very
wonderful streams of
sweet current are flowing from it. The holy name contains
so many sweet
variegated forms of current within Him, and He is wonderfully expressing
Himself
in different ways. Sometimes He emanates a peculiar type
of color and figure,
and disappears.
So many charming aspects are shown as if to my eyes
within, and He forc-
ibly takes me to surrender at the foot of that altar. He
shows Himself in His full-
fledged form, in Vrndavana, in His Braja-lila, with Radharani, and He takes me
there. I find that I am in the midst of His peculiar, very
sweet and loving para-
phernalia. And He says, 'You see! I have so many wonderful
things. This is
your home. I am not merely imagination, but concrete
reality. You will find
here that the environment is very favorable and sweet. You
are to live here.' I
see there that He is dealing in different ways with His
associates, in different
rasas.
And I find that I have another body that has emerged from my previous
one, and that has a permanent place here in His service.
Such a new life I find here. And then I find ultimately
that all consider-
ation of my past life and experience has vanished. And it
is true: my real life is
here. This is proper, and that was a sham, that life has
vanished. Then I find
that chanting the holy name gives me new encouragement, a
new prospect, and
new hope. Whatever we want, whatever is our internal
demand, it is supplied
by the name. If we take the name, all our internal
hankerings will be fulfilled.
It is eternal, it is the
purest of the pure, and it is full of ecstasy.
Now I find I have been completely converted. How, my
innermost hanker-
ing is this: Let whatever is against this sweet name
vanish eternally from the
world. If anything is in opposition to this sweet life, let
it vanish, and if neces-
sary, I will give my life to make it disappear from the
world forever. Then
others will be able to enjoy it at their free will. No
hindrance should come to
that fulfillment of life. It has no other second. So,
everyone may come here,
and if necessary, I will sacrifice myself to finish any
opposition, so that all can
smoothly, peacefully, and without any danger, enjoy this
absolute, sweet, and
blissful life. (Saranagati,
Bhaktivinoda Thakura)
The Four Kinds of Namabhasa
17.61
sanketyam parihasyam va stobham helanam eva va
vaikuntha-nama-grahanam asesagha-haram viduh
One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately
freed from the
reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly, to
indicate something
else, (as in using the holy name to count drumbeats on a mrdanga, or to pace
oneself while running), jokingly, for musical entertainment,
or even neglect-
fully. This is accepted by all scholars of the scriptures.
(Bhag. 6.2.14)
The Results of Namabhasa
17.62
tam nirvyajam bhaja guna-nidhim pavanam pavananam
sraddha-sudhyan-matir-itiram-uttama-sloka-maulim
udyan anantah-karana-kuhare hanta yan-nama-bhanor-
abhaso'pi ksapayati mahapataka-dhvantadharam
[Vidura said to Drthrastra] My dear brother, O ocean of
good qualities,
just fix your mind on the lotus feet of Krsna, and worship
Him with great faith.
He is worshiped with poetic
hymns by great saints and scriptural authorities.
Krsna is the supreme savior
amongst all other saviors. In the same way that
even a slight glimpse of the sun's rays dissipates the
darkness of night, even a
dim dawning of the holy name of Krsna, will immediately
dissipate all the dark-
ness of ignorance and free one from even the blackest
contamination of sinful
-activity. (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,
Daksina Vibhaga, 1.103)
17.63
yad abhaso' pyudyan kavalita-bhavadhvanta-vibhavo
drsam tat tvandhanam api disati bhakti-pranayinim
janas-tasyodattam jagati bhagavan-nama-tarane
krti te nirvaktum ka iha mahimanam prabhavati
O divine sun of the holy name, even a slight reflection
of You can dispel
the darkest ignorance from the minds of those who are
sunk in worldliness and
grant the spiritual vision upon those who are spiritually
blind. Who, then, can
find the end of Your infinite glories? Who is there expert
enough to completely
sing the limits of Your greatness? [Just as the twilight
before the sunrise dispels
darkness and all kinds of fears and troubles, so the dim
reflection or the dawn-
ing of the holy name (namabhasa)
removes all sorts of evils or anarthas
arising
from forgetfulness of the true nature of the self and the
Supreme Lord. (Krsna-
namastakam,
Rupa Gosvami 3)
17.64
haridasa kahena,—"yaiche suryera udaya
udaya na haite arambhe tamera haya ksaya
caura-preta-raksasadira bhaya haya nasa
udaya haile dharma-karma-adi parakasa
aiche namodayarambhe papa-adira ksaya
udaya kaile krsna-pade haya premodaya
Haridasa Thakura said, "As the sun begins to rise,
even before being vis-
ible it dissipates the darkness of night. With the first
glimpse of sunlight, fear of
thieves, ghosts, and demons immediately disappears, and when
the sun is -
visible everything is manifest, and everyone begins
performing his religious
activities and regulative duties. Similarly, the faint dawning
of the holy name
(namabhasa) dissipates the
reactions of sinful life immediately. And when one
chants the holy name purely, the complete dawning of the
pure holy name takes
place, and one awakens to devotional service in krsna-prema
at the lotus feet of
Krsna. (Cc. Antya
3.183-86)
The Results of the Pure Holy Name and Namabhasa
17.65
namaikam yasya cihnam smarana-pathagatam srotra-mulam gatam va
suddham vasuddha-varnam vyavahitarahitam tarayaty eva satyam
tac ced deha-dravinajani-talobha-pakhanda-madhye
niksiptam syan na phala-janakam sighram evatra vipra
[Sanat-Kumara told Narada] If a person only once hears,
chants or re-
members the holy name of Krsna, he will certainly be
delivered from the ocean
of birth and death and attain liberation whether the
holy name is pronounced
properly or improperly, with correct or incorrect grammar, and
whether it is
properly joined or only vibrated in part. O brahmana, such are the glories of
the holy name. If one chants the syllables of the holy
name for personal benefit,
however, for material wealth and followers, or out of greed,
or in the assoc-
iation of atheists, such offensive chanting will not soon
produce the supreme goal
of life [krsna-prema].
(Padma Purana, Brahma-khanda, 25.24)
The Results of Namabhasa and Namaparadha
17.66
yatha nama-bhasabalenajamilo duracaro'pi vaikuntham
prapitas-tathaiva
smartadayah sadacarah sastrajna api bahuso nama grahino'pyarthavada-
kalpanadi-namaparadha-balena ghora-samsaram eva prapyante
Note: In Srimad
Bhagavatam 6.2.9-11, the Visnudutas say: "The
chanting of the holy name of Lord Krsna is the best process of
atone-
ment for a thief of gold or other valuables, for a
drunkard, for one who
betrays a friend or relative, for one who kills a brahmana or for one who
indulges in sex with the wife of his guru or another superior.
It is also the
best method of atonement for one who murders
women, the king or his father, for one who slaughters cows,
and for all
other sinful men. Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord
Krsna,
such sinful persons may attract the attention of the
Supreme Lord, who
therefore considers, 'Because this man has chanted My holy
name, My
duty is to give him protection.'
By following the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies or
undergoing atone-
ment, sinful men do not become as purified as by chanting
once the holy
name of Lord Hari. Although ritualistic atonement may free
one from
sinful reactions, it does not awaken devotional service,
unlike the chant-
ing of the Lord's names, which reminds one of the Lord's
fame, qualities,
attributes, pastimes, and paraphernalia."]
Commenting of this section of Srimad Bhagavatam ,
Sri Visvanatha
Cakravarti Thakura remarks as
follows on the different results attained
by namabhasa or
offenseless chanting as opposed to namapradha, or
offensive chanting.]
Although Ajamila was great
sinner, by chanting the holy name of Krsna in
namabhasa that is, offenselessly the ultimately attained Vaikuntha. But all
the good deeds of the smartas, their knowledge of the sastra, and even their
chanting of the holy name many times will not bring them to
the same end,
because they chant the holy name offensively. They may
continue chanting in
that way for many millions of year, but because of namaparadha, offenses to the
holy name, the holy name does not appear in their impure
hearts, and they do
not attain the goal. Rather, they simply suffer again and
again repeated birth
and death in the ghastly material world. (Bhag. 6.2.9-10, Sarartha-darsini com-
mentary)
The Proper
Mentality for Chanting Without Offense.
17.67
tad asma-saram hrdayam batedam
yad grhyamanair hari-nama-dheyaih
na vikriyetatha yada vikaro
netre jalam gatra-ruhesu harsah
Certainly that heart is steel-framed which, in spite of
one's chanting the
holy name with concentration, does not melt when ecstasy
takes place, tears do
not fill the eyes and the hairs do not stand on end. (Bhag. 2.3.24)
17.68
asrupulakaveva cit-tadravalingamityapi na sakyate vaktum;
yad uktam srimad rupa gosvami caranaih:
"nisargapicchila
svaste tad abhyasaparo pi ca
sattvabhasam vinapi syuh kvapyasru-pulakadayah"
(Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu 2.3.89)
...tatas ca bahir asu-pulakayoh satorapi
yaddha dayah na vikriyeya, tad
asmasarimiti vakyarthah tatasca hrdaya-vikriya
laksmananya-sadharanani
ksatinamagrahanasakty adinyeva jneyani... kanisthadhikarinam samat
saranastu saparadha-vittatvan-nama-grahana-bahulye'pi
tan-madhury-
anubhavabhave cittam naiva vikriyeta, tad vyanjakah ksatyadayo 'pi
na
bhavanti, tesam eva asup-pulakadimattve
'pyasma-sara-hrdayataya nindaisa.
kinca, tesam api
sahu-sangenanartha-vivrtti-nistharucyadibhumikarudhanam
kalena ciccadrave sati cittasyasma-saratvamapagacchatyeva. yesastu
cittadrave 'pi sati cittasyasmasaratatisthadeva, te tu
duscikitsya eva jneyah
[This is from Visvanatha
Cakravarti Thakura's commentary on Bhag.
2.3.24 quoted as 17.67]
In Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,
Rupa Gosvami analyzes the appearance of
the symptoms of divine ecstasy in non-devotees. He refers
to these symptoms
as sattvabhasa,
or a dim reflection of ecstasy. Sometimes it is seen that staunch
logicians, without any trace of devotional service and without
actually under-
standing the transcendental glories of the Lord, sit down to
hear the glories of
the Lord, they appear to be melting and shedding tears.
In this connection
there is a statement by a devotee who is addressing the
Lord as follows:
"My dear Mukunda, I cannot properly express the
glories of Your pas-
times. Even when non-devotees hear of Your
glorious pastimes they become
affected and shed tears and start to tremble." Rupa
Gosvami comments on
this by saying.] "Such non-devotees are not actually
melted; they are hard-
hearted. But the influence of the glories of the Lord is so
great that even the
non-devotees sometimes shed tears.
Sometimes it is found that a non-devotee who has
practically no taste for
Krsna and who follows no
rules or regulations can, by practice, make a show of
devotional symptoms, even crying in an assembly of devotees.
This shedding of
tears is not actually an ecstatic loving expression.
However, it is done simply by
practice and is only a dim reflection of true ecstatic
symptoms. For example
impersonalists may sometimes show symptoms of ecstasy while chanting
the
holy name Krsna, but this is not accepted as actual
ecstasy, but only a dim re-
flection (Sattvabhasa).
Note:Visvanatha Cakravarti
Thakura has very critically discussed
all these displays of ecstasy in connection with some
unscrupulous
neophyte's imitating the above symptoms for cheap appreciation.
Not
only Visvanatha Cakravarti but also Rupa Gosvami has
treated them
very critically.
Sometimes all the
above eight symptoms of ecstasy are imitated
by the mundane devotees, but the pseudo symptoms are at
once de-
tected when one see the pseudo-devotee addicted to so many
forbidden
things. Even though decorated with the signs of a devotee, a
person
addicted to smoking, drinking or illegitimate sex with women
cannot
have all the above mentioned ecstatic symptoms. But it is
seen that
sometimes these symptoms are willingly imitated, and for this
reason
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti
accuses the imitators of being stone-hearted.
They are sometimes even
affected by the reflection of such transcen-
dental symptoms, yet if they still do not give up the
forbidden habits,
then they are hopeless cases for transcendental
realization.
When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu met Srila Ramananda Raya of
Kavaur on the bank of the
toms, but because of the presence of some non-devotee
brahmanas who
were attendants of the Raya, the Lord suppressed these
symptoms.
So sometimes they are not visible even in the body of the
first-
class devotee for certain circumstantial reasons. In Bhakti-rasamrta-
sindhu (1.3.11)
Sri Rupa Gosvami explains that real, steady bhava
is
definitely displayed in the matter of cessation of material
desires (ksanti),
utilization (avyatha-kalatvam),
eagerness for glorifying the Lord con-
stantly (nama-gane sadm
ruci), attraction for living in the land of the
Lord (pritis tad-vasati sthale), complete detachment from material hap-
piness (virakti), and pridelessness (mana-shnyatm). One who has devel-
oped all these transcendental qualities is really
possessed by the bhava
stage, as distinguished from the stone-hearted imitator or
mundane devo-
tee.
The whole process
can be summarized as follows: The advanced
devotee who chants the holy name of the Lord in a perfectly
offenseless
manner and is friendly to everyone can actually relish the
transcenden-
tal taste of glorifying the Lord. And the result of such
realization is
reflected in the cessation of all material desires, etc., as
mentioned above.
The neophytes, due to their being in the lower stage of
devo-
tional service, are invariable envious, so much so that they
invent their
own ways and means of devotional regulations without
following the
acaryas.
As such, even if they make a show of constantly chanting the
holy name of the Lord, because they commit offenses to the
holy name,
they cannot relish the transcendental taste of the holy
name.
Therefore, the
show of tears in the eyes, trembling, perspiration
or unconsciousness, etc., is condemned. They can,
however, get in touch
with a pure devotee of the Lord and rectify their bad
habits; otherwise
they shall continue to be stone hearted and unfit for any
treatment. A
complete progressive march on the return home, back to
Godhead, will
depend on the instructions of the revealed scriptures
directed by a real-
ized devotee. (Bhag.
2.3.24, Sarartha-darsini commentary)
The Ten Offenses to the Holy Name
17.69-75
satam ninda namnah paramam aparadham vitanute
yatah khyatim kathamu sahate tad-vigaraham
sivasya sri visnorya iha guna-namadi sakalam
dhiya bhinnam pasyet sa khalu harinama-hitakarah
guroravajna sruti-sastra-nindanam tatharthavado hari-namni
kalpanam
namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhir na vidyate tasya yamair
hi suddhih
dharma-vrata-tyagahutadi-sarva-subha-kriya-samyamapi pramadah
asraddha-dhano vimukho'py-srnvati yas copadesah sivanamaparadhah
srutvapi nama-mahatmyam yah pritirahito 'dhamah
aham mamadiparamo namni so'py aparadha-krt
jate namaparadhe tu pramade tu kathancana
sada sankirtayan-nama tad eka sarano bhavet
namaparadha-yuktanam namanyeva harah-tyagham
avasranti-prayuktani tany evartha karani yat
(1) To blaspheme the devotees
who have dedicated their lives for propa-
gating the holy name of the Lord.
(2) To consider the names of
demigods like Lord Siva or Lord Brahma to be
equal to, or independent of, the name of Lord Krsna.
(3) To disobey the orders of
the spiritual master.
(4) To blaspheme the Vedic
literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic
version.
(5) To consider the glories
of chanting Hare Krsna as an exaggeration.
(6) To concoct
interpretations of the holy name of the Lord.
(7) To commit sinful
activities on the strength of chanting the holy name of
the Lord.
(8) To consider the chanting
of Hare Krsna to be on the same level as the
ritualistic karmic activities mentioned in the Vedas.
(9) To instruct the faithless
in the glories of the holy name.
(10) To not have complete
faith in the chanting of the holy names and thus
maintain material attachments. Even if in the beginning one
chants the
Hare Krsna mantra with offenses, one will become
free from such of-
fenses by chanting again and again [and faithfully serving
the pure devo-
tee]. (Padma
Purana, Brahma-Khanda, 25.15-18, 22-23)
The Principal Offense to the Holy Name
17.76
nascaryam etad yad asatsu sarvada mahad-vininda
kunapatma-vadisu
sersyam mahapurusa-pada-pamsubhir nirasta-tejahsu tad eva
sobhanam
It is not wonderful for persons who have accepted the
transient material
body as the self to engage always in deriding great souls.
Such envy on the part
of materialistic persons is not very good because that
is the way they fall down.
They are diminished by the
dust of the feet of great personalities. (Bhag.
4.4.13)
17.77
ye go-gardabhadaya iva visayesvevendriyani sada
carayanti ko bhagavan, ka
bhaktih ko gurur iti svapne 'pi na jananti, tesam eva
namabhasadir itya grhita-
hari-nam-nam-ajamiladinam iva niraparadhanam gurum vinapi bhavatye
oddharah. Harir-bhajaniya eva, bhajanam tat-prapakam eva
tadupadesta
gurur eva, gurupadista bhakta eva purve harim prapuriti
viveka-visesavatve
'pi "no
diksam na ca sat-kriyam na ca purascaryam managiksate.
Mantro'yam rasana sprga eva phalati sri krsna namatmakah" Iti (Padyavali
18 Ankadhrk Svamikrta-sloka)
pramana-drstya ajamiladi-drstantena ca kim
me guru-karanasramena nama-kirtana-adibhir eva me
bhagavat-praptir-
bhavin iti manyaman astu gurvavajna laksana-mahaparadha-deva
bhagavantam sati sri guru-caranasrita eva prapnotiti."
Those persons who are like
cows and asses, who wander about always engaged
in chasing the objects of the senses, who have no idea
even in dreams of what is
Bhagavan, what is bhakti, or what is guru, can all be
delivered if they chant the
holy name of Krsna offenselessly in namabhasa, as did Ajamila, even if they
have no association of devotees, or any contact with a
genuine spiritual master.
One may attain the worshipable object, Sri Hari, by
practicing the means
to worship him in pursuance of the instruction of the
guru. By carefully follow-
ing the orders of Sri guru, many devotees in the past
have attained Sri Hari. It
has , however, been said: "no diksam na ca satkriyam na ca purascaryam
managiksate. mantro 'yam
rasana-spag eva phalati sri krsna-namatmakah."
For one who knows
reality and the real nature of the Hare Krsna maha-
mantra
and actually realizes the fruit of taking the holy name upon the tongue
(sevon-mukhe hi jivadau), the holy name is not at all dependent upon diksa,
initiation, religious activities, the rules and regulations of
the scriptures, or
purificatory procedures. About this the scriptures have given many
different
examples as evidence. For instance, Ajamila without benefit of
a guru chanted
the holy name of Krsna in namabhasa and attained
liberation.
Seeing all these conclusions, a person might ask,
"Why should I go to such
great trouble to carefully follow the orders of the guru
while performing kirtana?
[if
by chanting neglectful, without regard for any rules and regulations or the
order of the guru, Ajamila attained perfection, why should
I work so hard? Let
me follow the example of Ajamila and neglectfully chant
the holy name, and so
attain liberation.]" Those who cultivate this sort of
mentality commit the great
offense of disregarding the orders of the gurudeva. As a result of this offense
they are cheated out of any hopes of attaining Bhagavan,
Sri Krsna. But if in
this birth or the next they beg pardon from gurudeva, take shelter of his lotus
feet and gain forgiveness for such a great offense, then
it may be possible for
them to attain the Lord. (Bhag. 6.2.9, Sarartha-darsini commentary)
Who Offends Devotees Does
not Chant the Real Name
17.78
hena vaisnavera ninda kare yai jana
sei paya duhkha-janma jivana-marana
vidya-kula-tapa-saba viphala tahara
vaisnava nindaye ye ye papi duracara
puja o tahara krsna na kare grahana
vaisnavera ninda kare ye papistha-jana
One who commits offenses against Vaisnavas attains only
misery, life after
life. His learning and austerity bears no fruit. Blasphemy
of Vaisnavas is the
worst kind of sinful behavior. One who engages in blasphemy
of Vaisnavas will
find that Krsna does not accept his worship. A person who
blasphemes Vaisnavas
is therefore the worst kind of sinner. (C.Bhag.
17.79
sulapani-sama yadi vaisnavere ninde
tathapiha nasa yaya, kahe sastra-vrnde
iha na maniyaye sujana-ninda kare
janme janme se papistha deva-dose mare
It is the conclusion of all the revealed scriptures that
one who blasphemes
a devotee is doomed. For such a person, everything is
torn to pieces by the
powerful trident of his sinful reactions. A sinful person who
disregards this
principle and insults great souls will suffer birth after birth
for his offense.
(C.Bhag. Madhya 22.54,56)
Vaisnava-aparadhis are Punished Forever
17.80
prabhu bale, vaisnava nindaye yei jana
kustharoga kon
apatatah sastri kichu haiyache matra
ara kata ache yama-yatanara patra
caurasi sahasra yama-yatana pratyekse
punah punah kari" bunje vaisnava-nindake
Mahaprabhu said, "It is written that one who
blasphemes the Vaisnavas
will suffer from leprosy, after which he will be punished
by the agents of Yamaraja
again and again, in thousands of births. (C.Bhag. Madhya 4.375-377)
Six Kinds of Vaisnava-aparadha
17.81
nindam kurvanti ye mudha vaisnavanam mahatmanam
patanti pitrbhih sardham maharaurava-samjnite
hanti nindati vai dvesthi vaisnavan-nabhi-nandati
krudhyate yati no harsam darsane patanani sat
A fool who blasphemes Vaisnavas goes to the worst kind of
hell along with
generations of his ancestors. One who kills a devotee, as well as
one who blas-
phemes devotees, or one who is envious of devotees, or one
who fails to offer
obeisances to Vaisnavas upon seeing them, or one who becomes
angered at a
Vaisnava, or who does not
become joyful upon seeing a Vaisnava these six
classes of men are all considered to be candidates for
falling down into hell.
(Skanda Purana)
Vaisnava-aparadhis Should Have Their Tongues Cut
Out
17.83
karnau pidhaya nirayad yad akalpa ise
dharmavitary asrnibhir nrbhir asyamane
chindyat prasahya rusatim asatim prabhus cej
jihvam asun api tato visrjet sa dharmah
[Sati said] If one hears an irresponsible person
blaspheme the guardian of
devotion (dharmavitarya
or dharma-raksaka), one should block
his ears and go
away if unable to punish him. But if one is able to kill,
then one should by force
cut out the blasphemer's tongue and kill the offender,
and after that one should
give up his own life. (Bhag.
4.4.17)
The Great Fault of Hearing Blasphemy of
Vaisnavas
17.84
"vaisnava
ninda sravane 'pi dosa uktah" (Bhag. 10.74.40)
nindam bhagavatah srnvan tat parasya janasya va
tato napaiti yah so 'pi yatyadha sukrtat cyutah
tato'pagamas casamarthasya eva; samarthena tu nindakajihva
chettavya;
tatrapy asamarthena svapranaparityago 'pi kartavyah
The Srimad
Bhagavatam says that it is a great fault to hear blasphemy of
Vaisnavas. It states: "He who does not leave the place
where devotees of the
Lord are
blasphemed, but continues to hear such blasphemy, is guilty of a great
sin. He is deprived of all his piety and falls down into
hell." It is enjoined that
one must leave the place of blasphemy. But that is for a
person who is not a
capable person. If capable one should cut
out the tongue of the blasphemer. If
unable to do that one should give up his life rather than
continue to hear such
blasphemy. (Bhakti
Sandarbha 265)
The Way to Overcome Vaisnava-aparadha
17.85
ye vaisnava-sthane aparadha haya yara
puna se ksamile a paradha ghuce
If one offends a Vaisnava, the only way to get free from
the offense is to go
back that Vaisnava and beg his forgiveness. (C.Bhag. Madhya 22.32)
17.86
kanta phute yei mukhe, sei mukhe yaya
paye kanta phutile ki kandhe bahiraya
Just as it takes a thorn to remove a thorn, the offense
committed by the
mouth [against a Vaisnava] must be cured with the mouth [by
begging forgiv-
eness]. (C.Bhag Antya
4.380)
The Second Offense to the Holy Name
17.87-88
sivah sakti-yutah sasvat tri-lingo guna-samvrtah
vaikarikas taijasas ca tamasas cety aham tridha
harir hi nirgunah saksat purusah prakrteh parah
sa sarva-drg upadrasta tam bhajan nirguno bhavet
Lord Siva is always associated with his sakti. He is invested with the three
modes of nature sattva,
rajas, and tamas and is the
presiding deity of the three
kinds of cosmic ego characterized by sattva, rajas, and tamas.
Lord Hari, on the
other hand, is unaffected by the three modes and hence
devoid of the attributes
of material nature. He is omniscient and is a witness to
everything. A person
who worships him becomes free from all material
qualities. (Bhag. 10.88.3,5)
The Third Offense to the Holy Name
17.89-80
rajas tamas ca sattvena sattvam copasamena ca
etat sarvam gurau bhaktya puruso hy anjasa jayet
yasya saksad bhagavati jnana-dipa-prade gurau
martyasad-dhih srutam tasya sarvam kunjara-saucavat
One must conquer the modes of passion and ignorance by
developing the
mode of goodness, and then one must become detached from
the mode of
goodness by promoting oneself to the platform of suddha-sattva. All this can be
automatically done if one engages in the service of the spiritual
master with
faith and devotion. In this way one can conquer the
influence of the modes of
nature. The spiritual master should be considered to be
directly the Supreme
Lord because he gives
transcendental knowledge for enlightenment. Consequently,
for one who maintains the material conception that the
spiritual master
is an ordinary human being, everything is frustrated.
His enlightenment and
His Vedic studies and
knowledge are like the bathing of an elephant.
(Bhag.
7.15.25,26)
The Fourth Offense to the Holy Name
17.91
sraddham bhagavate sastre 'nindam anyatra capi hi
One should have firm faith that he will achieve all
success in life by follow-
ing those scriptures that describe the glories of the
Supreme Personality of
Godhead,
Bhagavan. At the same time, one
should avoid blaspheming other
Vedic
scriptures. (Bhag. 11.3.26)
17.92
namah pramana-mulaya kavaye sastra-yonaye
pravrttaya nivrttaya nigamaya namo namah
We offer our obeisances again and again to You, who are the basis of all
authoritative evidence, who are the author and ultimate source of
the revealed
scriptures, and who have manifested Yourself in those Vedic
literature's -
sense gratification as well as in those encouraging
renunciation of the
material world. (Bhag. 10.16.44)
The Fifth Offense to the Holy Name
17.93
prayena veda tad idam na mahajano 'yam
devya vimohita-matir bata mayayalam
trayam jadi-krta-matir madhu-puspitayam
vaitanike mahati karmani yujyamanah
[If chanting the holy name is sufficient for liberation,
then why haven't the
Vedic sages stressed this in
their teachings?] Because they are bewildered by
the illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Yajnavalkya and
Jaimini and other compilers
of the religious scriptures cannot understand the
transcendental value of performing devotional service or chanting
the Hare
Krsna mantra. Because their minds are attracted to the ritualistic
ceremonies
mentioned in the Vedas especially the Yajur Veda, Sama Veda, and Rg
Veda--
their intelligence became dull. Thus they are busy
collecting the ingredients for
ritualistic ceremonies that yield only temporary benefits, such
as elevation to
Svargaloka
for material happiness. They are
not attracted to the sankirtana
movement; instead, they are interested in dharma, artha,
(Bhag. 6.3.25)
Other Processes of Purification are a Waste
of Time
17.94
prayascittani cirnani narayana-paranmukham
na nispunanti rajendra sura-kumbham ivapagah
My dear King, as a pot containing liquor cannot be
purified even if washed
in the waters of many rivers, non-devotees cannot be
purified by processes of
atonement even if they perform them very well. (Bhag. 6.1.18)
The Sixth Offense to the Holy Name
17.95-96
taj janma tani karmani tad ayus tan mano vacah
nrnam yena hi visvatma sevyate harir isvarah
kim janmabhis tribhir veha saukra-savitra-yajnikaih
karmabhir va trayi-proktaih pumso 'pi vibudhayusa
Narada said, "When a living entity is born to engage
in the devotional
service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the
supreme controller,
this birth, all his fruitive activities, his life-span,
his mind and his words are all
factually perfect. A civilized human being has three kinds of
births. The
birth is by a pure father and mother, and this birth is
called birth by semen.
next birth takes place when one is initiated by the
spiritual master and this birth
is called savitra.
The third birth, called yajnika, takes place when one is given
the opportunity to worship Lord Visnu. Despite the
opportunities of attaining
such births, even if one gets the life-span of a demigod,
if one does not actually
engage in the service of the Lord, everything is useless.
Similarly, one's activi-
ties may be mundane or spiritual, but they are useless if
they are not meant for
satisfying the Lord. (Bhag.
4.31.9-10)
Auspicious Activities Other than Chanting
the
Holy Name in Full Surrender are Useless
17.97
avismitam tam paripurna-kamam svenaiva labhena samam prasantam
vinopasarpaty aparam hi balisah sva-langulenatititarti sindhum
Free from all material conceptions of existence and never
wonderstruck
by anything, the Lord is always jubilant and fully
satisfied by His own spiritual
perfection's. He has no material designations, and therefore He is
steady and
unattached. That Supreme Personality of Godhead is the only
shelter of every-
one. Anyone desiring to be protected by others is
certainly a great fool who
desires to cross the sea by holding a dog's tail. (Bhag. 6.9.22)
The Seventh Offense to the Holy Name
17.98
manye dhanabhijana-rupa-tapah-srutaujas-
tejah-prabhava-bala-paurusa-buddhi-yogah
naradhanaya hi bhavanti parasya pumso
bhaktya tutosa bhagavan gaja-yutha-paya
[Prahlada Maharaja prayed to Lord Nrsimhadeva] One may
possess wealth,
an aristocratic family, beauty, austerity, education,
sensory expertise, luster, -
physical strength, diligence, intelligence, and mystic power,
but I think
even by all these qualifications one cannot satisfy the
Supreme
of Godhead. However, one can satisfy the Lord simply by
devotional service.
Gajendra did this , and thus the Lord was satisfied with him. [In other
words,
the real qualification to worship the Lord is faith.] (Bhag. 7.9.9)
The Eight Offense
to the Holy Name
17.99
kvacin nivartate 'bhadrat kvacic carati tat punah
prayascittam atho 'partham manye kunjara-saucavat
Sometimes one who is very alert so as not to commit
sinful acts is victim-
ized by sinful life again. I therefore consider this
process of repeated sinning
and atoning to be useless. It is like the bathing of an
elephant, for an elephant
cleanses itself by taking a full bath, but then throws dust
over its head and body
as soon as it returns to the land. (Bhag. 6.1.10)
The Ninth Offense to the Holy Name
17.100
tasmat sarvatmana rajan harih sarvatra sarvada
srotavyah kirtitavyas ca smartavyo bhagavan nrnam
O King, it is therefore essential that every human being
hear about, glorify,
and remember the Supreme Lord, the Personality of
Godhead, always and everywhere,
with all one's attention, committing heart, mind and soul
in dedication to the holy name.
(Bhag. 2.2.36)
The Tenth Offense to the Holy Name
17.101
yasyatma-buddhih kunape tri-dhatuke
sva-dhih kalatradisu bhauma ijya-dhih
yat-tirtha-buddhih salile na karhicij
janesv abhijnesu sa eva go-kharah
One who believes this body, which is composed of mucus,
bile, and air, is
the self, who thinks of his wife and children as his
bodily expansions, and who
considers the land of his birth worshipable, who visits the
holy places simply to
go swimming, without seeking shelter of the holy saints
who live there, is no
better than a cow or an ass. (Bhag. 10.84.13)
17.102
'krsna-nama' kare aparadhera vicara
krsna balile aparadhira na haya vikara
There are offenses to be consider
while chanting the Hare Krsna mantra.
Therefore, simply by chanting
Hare Krsna, one does not become ecstatic.
(Cc. Adi 8.24)
17.103
niraparadhe nama laile paya prema-dhana
Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most
important is to al-
ways chant the holy name of the Lord. If one does so,
avoiding the ten kinds of
offenses, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of
Godhead. (Cc. Antya 4.71)
17.104
bahu janma kare yadi sravana, kirtana
tabu ta' na paya krsna-pade prema-dhana
If one is infested with the ten offenses in the chanting
of the Hare Krsna
maha-mantra, despite his endeavor to chant the holy name for many births, he
will not get the love of Godhead which is the ultimate
goal of this
(Cc. Adi 8.16)
17.105
'eka'
krsna-name kare sarva-papa nasa
premera karana bhakti karena prakasa
anayase bhava-ksaya, krsnera sevana
eka krsna-namera phale pai eta dhana
Simply by chanting one name of Krsna [purely] all one's
sins are destroyed.
Thus bhakti, which is the
cause of krsna-prema, is manifest. (Cc.
Adi 8.26,28)
17.106
hena krsna-nama yadi laya bahu-bara
tabu yadi prema nahe, nahe asrudhara
tabe jani, aparadha tahate pracura
krsna-nama-bija tahe na kare ankura
If one chants the exalted holy name of the Lord again and
again and yet his
love for the Supreme Lord does not develop and tears do
not appear in his eyes,
it is evident that because of his offenses in chanting,
the seed of the holy name
of Krsna does not sprout. (Cc. Adi 8.29.30)
The Real Holy Name of Krsna Can Never
Awaken in Mayavadis
17.107
ataeva
'krsna-nama',
'krsna-svarupa'—duita 'samana'
'nama;
'vigraha', 'svarupa'—tina eka-rupa
tine 'bheda' nahi,—tina 'cid-ananda-rupa'
deha-dehira, nama-namira krsne nahi 'bheda'
jivera dharma—nama-deha-svarupe 'vibheda'
ataeva krsnera 'nama', 'deha', 'vilasa'
prakrtendriya-grahya nahe, haya sva-prakasa
[Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "Mayavadi
impersonalists are great of-
fenders unto Lord Krsna; therefore they simply utter the
words Brahman, atma,
and Caitanya.] The holy name of Krsna is not manifest in
their mouths because
they are offenders to Krsna, who is non-different from His
name. The Lord's
holy name, His form, and His personality are all one and
the same. There is no
difference between them. Since all of them are absolute, they
are transcenden-
tally blissful. There s no difference between Krsna's body
and Himself or be-
tween His name and Himself. As far as the conditioned soul
is concerned,
everything is different. One's name is different from the body,
from one's origi-
nal form and so on. (Cc.
Madhya 17.130-132,134)
Through Chanting the Holy Name of Krsna and
Dancing One Gains Life.
17.108-109
gita-nrtyani kurvita dvija-devadi tustaye
na jivanaya yunjita viprah papabhiya kvacit
kvacit kadacid api jivanaya nijavrttyartham na yunjita
na kuryat: tatra hetuh papadbhiya, tatha sati papam
syadityarthah
A twice born, dvija, should sing and dance for the
satisfaction of the Lord.
But he should do not do so
for his livelihood fearing sinful reaction.
Commentary: Kvacit never; jivanaya for his own maintenance; he
should never do so. The reason stated in papabhiya. The meaning is if
he does so he will be implicated in sins. (Hari-bhakti-vilasa 8.265 and
Srila Sanatana Gosvami's
commentary)
17.110
dhana-sisyadibhir-dvarair yam bhaktir upapadyate
viduratvad uttamatahanya tasyas ca nangata
If one relies on one's disciples or wealth to attain bhakti, his devotional
practice will certainly become slackened. One cannot claim
that one is engaged
in devotional service simply on the basis of engaging
one's money or disciples in
bhakti.
To rely on money and disciples to perform devotional service in one's
place is not considered to be a branch of pure devotion. (Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu,
Purva-Vibhaga 2.259)
One who Eagerly
Dedicates Mind, Body, and Soul in Krsna-bhakti
Experiences the Topmost Mercy and
Auspiciousness
17.111
etavaj janma-saphalyam dehinam iha dehisu
pranair arthair dhiya vaca sreya-acaranam sada
[The Lord said] That a person should sacrifice his life,
wealth, intellect,
and speech for doing what is beneficial to others, is the
farthest limit of the
usefulness of embodied beings for their fellow creatures. (Bhag. 10.22.35)
17.112
praninam upakaraya yathaiveha paratra ca
karmana manasa vaca tad eva matiman vadet
Through one's work, mind, and words one should act in
such a way that it
will bring benefit to all living beings such is the
behavior of the
(Visnu Purana 3.12.45)
The Qualification for Being Jagad-guru
17.113
apane acare keha, na kare pracara
pracara karena keha, na karena acara
'acara',
'pracara',—namera karaha 'dui' karya
tumi—sarva-guru, tumi jagatera arya
Some practice, but do not preach; some preach but do not
practice you
both practice the chanting of the holy name and preach it
as well. Because you
practice what you preach, you are the jagad-guru, the guru of
the entire -
for you are the most advanced devotee in the world. (Cc. Antya 4.102-103)
Gaurasundara's Followers Preach the Holy
Name.
By Doing so, They Attain the Eternal
Association of the Lord,
who is the
Father of the Sankirtana Movement.
17.114
yare dekha, tare kaha 'krsna' upadesa
amara ajnaya guru hana
kabhu na vadhibe tomara visaya-taranga
punarapi ei thani pabe mora sanga
Instruct whoever you meet in the science of Krsna. Teach
them the in-
structions of Krsna in Bhagavad-gita,
and the teachings about Krsna in Srimad
Bhagavatam. In this way, on my order, become a guru and liberate everyone in
the land. If you follow this instruction, the waves of
materialism within this
world will not affect you. Indeed, if you follow my order,
you will soon attain
my association. (Cc.
Madhya 7.128-129)
Those who Have Taken Birth in the
Should Show Mercy to Others by Eagerly
Preaching
the Glories of
the Holy Name of Sri Krsna
17.115
bharata bhumite haila manunya janma ya'ra
janma smrthaka kari' kara para-upakara
One who has taken his birth as a human being in the
make his live successful and work for the benefit of all
other people by preach-
ing nama-sankirtana, the chanting of the holy name of
Krsna. (Cc. Adi 9.41)
Thus ends the Seventeenth
Jewel of Gaudiya-Kanthahara, entitled
Nama-tattva.
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