Tag Archive for: NamaSankirtana

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Krishna Nama Gives All

Mahanidhi Madan Gopal Das

Just before my merciful mentor left this world to enter Sri Radha’s eternal seva, we discussed the merits of different bhakti sadhana practices. Throughout that most wonderful and unforgettable Harikatha, he repeatedly stressed and proclaimed, with the firm conviction of a 101 years practice: “HARI NAMA WILL DO ALL THINGS! You need to chant Krishna nama and you will get everything—EVERYTHING!!!” Jai Gurudeva!

With lightning speed, he then quoted the following slokas to support his conclusion, and strengthen my faith and conviction in Sri Hari Nama-sankirtana. We hope these slokas will inspire everyone, and ignite their enthusiasm to chant more and more and more.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

The last verse of the 18,000 in the Srimad Bhagavatam (12.13.23) says:

nāma-saṅkīrtanaṁ yasya, sarva-pāpa praṇāśanam
“Nama-sankirtana destroys all sins.”

Throughout the Caitanya-caritamrta, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu personally teaches about the power and benefit of Sri Hari Nama-sankirtana.

bhakti-sādhana-śreṣṭha prabhu upadeśa nāma-saṅkīrtana
Mahaprabhu said, “Nama-sankirtana is the best bhakti practice. (Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.6.241)

kale kalera dharma krishna nama-sankirtana
Mahaprabhu said, “Krishna nama sankirtana is the dharma for the age of Kali.” (Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.11.98)

kṛṣṇa-sevā vaiṣṇava-sevana
nirantara kara kṛṣṇa-nāma-saṅkīrtana

Mahaprabhu said, “Serve Sri Krishna and the Vaisnavas and constantly chant Krishna Nama-sankirtana.” (Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.15.104)

vaiṣṇava-sevā, nāma-saṅkīrtana
dui kara, śīghra pābe śrī-kṛṣṇa-caraṇa

Mahaprabhu said, “By serving Vaisnavas and doing Nama-sankirtana, you will very quickly attain the lotus feet of Bhagavan Sri Krishna.” (Chaitanya Charitamrita 2. 16.70)

bhāgavata karaha vicāra, pābe sūtra-śrutira artha-sāra
nirantara kara kṛṣṇa-nāma-saṅkīrtana, helāya mukti pābe prema-dhana

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, “By studying the Srimad Bhagavatam you will understand the essence of Sruti and Vedanta Sutra. And by constantly chanting Krishna Nama-sankirtana, you will attain liberation and the wealth of Krishna prema! (Chaitanya Charitamrita 2. 25.153-154)

nava vidhi bhakti sarva-śreṣṭha nāma-saṅkīrtana
niraparādhe nāma laile pāya prema-dhana

Mahaprabhu said, “Nama-sankirtana is the best form of sadhana bhakti. Chanting without offense gives the treasure of Krishna prema.” (Chaitanya Charitamrita 2.4.71)

During the final days of His Puri lila, Sri Caitanyadeva plunged into the ocean of separation from His Prana-pati Vrajendranandana. Deep in the night, hidden inside the latern lit cave of the Gambhira, Mahaprabhu savored the sweet bliss of madhurya-rasa (rasa-asvadane) in the sanga of Damodara Svarupa and Ramananda.

Wrapped in a magical melody of joy, lamentation, anger, humility, anxiety, grief, intense eagerness and satisfaction, Mahaprabhu mercifully spoke the essence of Krishna consciousness. While sighing in bliss, overwhelmed in mahabhava, His molten heart pulsing with compassion, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said:

nāma-saṅkīrtana haite sarvānartha-nāśa
sarva-śubhodaya, kṛṣṇa-premera ullāsa

“Nama-sankirtana destroys all anarthas, brings the rising of all good fortune, and thrills one with Krishna prema.” (Chaitanya Charitamrita 3.20.11)

saṅkīrtana haite pāpa-saṁsāra-nāśana
citta-śuddhi, sarva-bhakti-sādhana-udgama

Mahaprabhu cried, “Hari Nama-sankirtana destroys sins and samsara. It cleanses the heart and manifests all types of bhakti sadhana.” (Chaitanya Charitamrita 3.20.13)

kṛṣṇa-premodgama, premāmṛta-āsvādana
kṛṣṇa-prāpti, sevāmṛta-samudre majjana

“By Nama-sankirtana, Krishna prema will appear in the heart. One will taste the nectar of Krishna’s love; attain Krishna, and submerge in the nectar ocean of Krishna’s eternal seva.” (Chaitanya Charitamrita 3.20.14)

khāite śuite yathā tathā nāma laya
kāla-deśa-niyama nāhi, sarva siddhi haya

Sri Gauranga said, “For chanting Krishna nama there are no rules regarding time and place. If one chants Krishna nama even while eating or sleeping, one will attain all perfection i.e. Radha-Krishna nitya prema seva in the kunjas of Vrndavana.” (Chaitanya Charitamrita 3.20.14)

Sri Krishna nama sankirtana ki jai! Jai Jai Sri Radhe!

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BHAKTI: 100 % SUCCESS FORMULA

Mahanidhi Swami

 

If a devotee can think, feel, act and become one with Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s success formula, he/she will NEVER COMMIT NAMA APARADHA, and very soon attain Krishna prema.

Raising His beautiful golden arms into the sky, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu loudly declared, “Everyone please hear me! String the following verse on the thread of the Divine Name and wear it on your neck for continuous remembrance, ūrdhva-bāhu kari’ kahoṅ, śuna sarva-loka, nāma-sūtre gāṅthi’ para, kaṇṭhe ei śloka

“And if you take Krishna Nama in this way, I guarantee that pure love for Sri Krishna’s lotus feet will manifest in your heart, ei-mata hañā yei, kṛṣṇa-nāma laya, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caraṇe tāṅra, prema upajaya.” (Cc. 1.17.32; Cc. 3.20.26)

BHAKTI 100 % SUCCESS FORMULA:

Mahaprabhu continued, “One can constantly chant Krishna’s Divine Name, if in all respects one thinks, ‘I am more lowly and helpless than a blade of grass’, while always remaining as tolerant as a tree, free from pride and respectful to one and all.” (Cc. 1.17.31; 3.20.21)

tṛṇād api su-nīcena, taror iva sahiṣṇunā, amāninā māna-dena, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

 

TEN OFFENSES AGAINST KRISHNA’S DIVINE NAMES

In Padma Purana (Brahma-khanda cp.25), Sanat-kumara described the ten offenses (nama-aparadhas) to Narada Muni:

  1. The greatest offense [parama aparadha] is to criticize the devotee/saints who broadcast Krishna’s Divine Name. How can the Divine Name ever tolerate such a thing?

satāṁ nindā nāmnaḥ paramam aparādhaṁ vitanute

yataḥ khyātiṁ yātaṁ katham u sahate tad vigarhām

 

  1. It is an offense to think there is any difference between the names, qualities, etc. of Sri Vishnu and Shivaji. Such a person gets no benefit from chanting.

śivasya śrī viṣṇor ya iha guṇa nāmādi sakalaṁ

dhiyā bhinnaṁ paśyet sa khalu hari nāmāhita karaḥ

Comments: Sri Vishnu and Shivaji in his transcendental Sada Shiva form are both vishnu-tattva. Brhad-bhagavatamrta (1.2.31) says, “Sadashiva is directly Narayana as the vilasa or svamsha of svayam-rupa Sri Krishna. Sadashiva dwells in Shiva-loka (Vaikuntha).” However, Bhagavan Sri Krishna is the para-devata, and supreme aradhya-deva for all Gaudiya Vaisnavas.

  1. To disrespect the Guru, guror avajñā.

Comments: This includes all gurus and the guru principle itself. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti says (tika: SB 6.2.9-10), “This is the worst Nama aparadha!”

  1. To criticise the revealed Vedic scriptures, śruti śāstra nindana.
  2. To consider the glories of the Divine Name to be exaggerated, tatha ārtha vādo.
  3. To concoct or give imaginary meanings to the Divine Name, hari nāmni kalpanam.
  4. To deliberately commit sin on the strength of the Divine Name. Such a sinful offender cannot be purified by following any rules, nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa buddhir, na vidyate tasya yamair hi śuddhiḥ
  5. It is complete madness [pramada] to consider the performance of ordinary religious duties, vows, renunciation, sacrifices, and all other auspicious pious works to be equal to chanting Hari-nama, dharma vrata tyāga hūtādi sarva, śubha kriyā sāmyam api pramādaḥ.
  6. It is an offense to instruct a faithless person; one averse to God; or one who is unwilling to listen [to the glories of Bhagavan or His Name].

aśraddadhāne vimukhe’py aśṛṇvati, yaś copadeśaḥ śiva nāmāparādhaḥ

  1. One is offensive and considered low and fallen if even after hearing the glories of Nama, one still has no love for the Divine Name, and remains in the illusion of “me and mine”.

śrutvāpi nāma māhātmye yaḥ prīti rahito’dhamaḥ, ahaṁ mamādi paramo nāmni so’py aparādha kṛt

 

Comments: In his tika to Hari Bhakti Vilasa, Sri Sanatana Goswami adds that, (aham mam adi) also means being proud of one’s chanting. As in one saying, “O, did you know that I am chanting one lac a day!”

Prema-bhakti candrika (115) says, one should attain perfection in secret; always be humble and keep secret one’s realizations [or attainments] gupate sadhibe siddhi sadhana dainye sada.

(adapted, Sri Advaita Dasji) Namacharya Thakura Haridasji ki jai!

Hare Krishna maha-mantra ki jai! Jaya Jaya Sri Radhe!