WELCOME TO SRILA PRABHUPADA'S HARE KRISHNA SOCIETY
HARE KRSNA HARE KRSNA KRSNA KRSNA HARE HARE HARE RAMA HARE RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE
| Articles | Our Temples | Our Activities | Links | Contact Us |
|
Glories & Pitfalls of Chanting the Holy Names part 4  Hare Krsna Prabhus- Obeisances All glories to Prabhupada This is the last in the series of quotes about chanting--I do hope some of you out there will receive some benefit from this endeavor. Hari bol Damaghosa das ---------------------------------
HOW TO DEVELOP OFFENSELESS CHANTING
SB 6.3.24 P Yamaraja Instructs His Messengers 52185/530501 The chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra is recommended even for persons who commit offenses, because if they continue chanting they will gradually chant offenselessly. By chanting the Hare Krsna mantra without offenses, one increases his love for Krsna. As stated by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, prema pum-artho mahan: one's main concern should be to increase one's attachment to the Supreme Personality of Godhead and to increase one's love for Him. Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura also quotes this verse from the Padma Purana: namaparadha-yuktanam namany eva haranty agham avisranti-prayuktani tany evartha-karani ca
Even if in the beginning one chants the Hare Krsna mantra with offenses, one will become free from such offenses by chanting again and again. Papa-ksayas ca bhavati smaratam tam ahar-nisam: one becomes free from all sinful reactions if one chants day and night, following the recommendation of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
SB 7.5.23-24 P Prahlada Maharaja, the Saintly Son of Hir 59910/530501 There is no way to atone for any of these offenses. It is therefore recommended that an offender at the feet of the holy name continue to chant the holy name twenty-four hours a day. Constant chanting of the holy name will make one free of offenses, and then he will gradually be elevated to the transcendental platform on which he can chant the pure holy name and thus become a lover of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is recommended that even if one commits offenses, one should continue chanting the holy name. In other words, the chanting of the holy name makes one offenseless. In the book Nama-kaumudi it is recommended that if one is an offender at the lotus feet of a Vaisnava, he should submit to that Vaisnava and be excused; similarly, if one is an offender in chanting the holy name, he should submit to the holy name and thus be freed from his offenses. One should be very humble and meek to offer one's desires and chant prayers composed in glorification of the holy name, such as ayi mukta-kulair upasya manam and nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad. One should chant such prayers to become free from offenses at the lotus feet of the holy name. NoD 12 Further Aspects of Transcendental Service Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended that everyone chant the Hare Krsna mantra just to cleanse the dust from the heart. If the dust of the heart is cleansed away, then one can actually understand the importance of the holy name. For persons who are not inclined to clean the dust from their hearts and who want to keep things as they are, it is not possible to derive the transcendental result of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. One should, therefore, be encouraged to develop his service attitude toward the Lord, because this will help him to chant without any offense. And so under the guidance of a spiritual master,the disciple is trained simultaneously to render service and at the same time chant the Hare Krsna mantra. As soon as one develops his spontaneous service attitude, he can immediately understand the transcendental nature of the holy names of the maha-mantra. TLK Vs 30 Perfect Knowledge Through Surrender 180576/530501 In this verse Devahuti shows us the process for understanding transcendental subject matters. It is not by challenge but by submission. The entire bhakti process is a process of submission. That is also Caitanya Mahaprabhu's teaching:
trnad api sunicena taror iva sahisnuna amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih
(Siksastaka 3) If one is interested in advancing in chanting Hare Krsna, Caitanya Mahaprabhu advises that one be humbler than the grass and more tolerant than the trees. One should not be very proud of his intelligence but should give all respect to others. In this way, one can chant Hare Krsna offenselessly.
NoD 12 Further Aspects of Transcendental Servic 174748/530501 In the Padma Purana also it is stated, "The chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra is present only on the lips of a person who has for many births worshiped Vasudeva." It is further said in the Padma Purana, "There is no difference between the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself. As such, the holy name is as perfect as the Lord Himself in fullness, purity and eternity. The holy name is not a material sound vibration, nor has it any material contamination." The holy name cannot, therefore, be chanted offenselessly by one who has failed to purify his senses. In other words, materialistic senses cannot properly chant the holy names of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. But by adopting this chanting process, one is given a chance to actually purify himself, so that he may very soon chant offenselessly. Caitanya Mahaprabhu has recommended that everyone chant the Hare Krsna mantra just to cleanse the dust from the heart. If the dust of the heart is cleansed away, then one can actually understand the importance of the holy name. For persons who are not inclined to clean the dust from their hearts and who want to keep things as they are, it is not possible to derive the transcendental result of chanting the Hare Krsna mantra. One should, therefore, be encouraged to develop his service attitude toward the Lord, because this will help him to chant without any offense. And so, under the guidance of a spiritual master, the disciple is trained to render service and at the same time chant the Hare Krsna mantra. As soon as one develops his spontaneous service attitude, he can immediately understand the transcendental nature of the holy names of the maha-mantra.
WHAT FOLLOWS ARE THE TWO PRAYERS PRABHUPADA MENTIONED ONE SHOULD RECITE TO FREE ON FROM THESE OFFENSES TO THE HOLY NAMES.
Antya 4.71 Sanatana Gosvami Visits the Lord at Jagannatha
nikhila-sruti-mauli-ratna-mala- dyuti-nirajita-pada-pankajanta ayi mukta-kulair upasyamanam paritas tvam hari-nama samsrayami
"O Hari-nama! The tips of the toes of Your lotus feet are constantly being worshiped by the glowing radiance emanating from the string of gems known as the Upanisads, the crown jewels of all the Vedas. You are eternally adored by liberated souls such as Narada and Sukadeva. O Hari-nama! I take complete shelter of You." Similarly, Srila Sanatana Gosvami has praised the chanting of the holy name as follows in his Brhad-bhagavatamrta (Chapter One, verse 9):
jayati jayati namananda-rupam murarer viramita-nija-dharma-dhyana-pujadi-yatnam kathamapi sakrd-attam muktidam praninam yat paramam 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. It is my very life and my only treasure." In Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.1.11) Sukadeva Gosvami says:
etan nirvidyamananam icchatam akuto-bhayam yoginam nrpa nirnitam harer namanukirtanam
"O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including 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." Similarly, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has said in His Siksastaka(3):
trnad api sunicena
taror iva sahisnuna amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harih
"One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly."
nivrtta-tarsair upagiyamanad bhavausadhac chrotra-mano-'bhiramat ka uttamasloka-gunanuvadat puman virajyeta vina pasughnat
TRANSLATION
Glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is performed in the parampara system; that is, it is conveyed from spiritual master to disciple. Such glorification is relished by those no longer interested in the false, temporary glorification of this cosmic manifestation. Descriptions of the Lord are the right medicine for the conditioned soul undergoing repeated birth and death. Therefore, who will cease hearing such glorification of the Lord except a butcher or one who is killing his own self? |
This website is best viewed in resolution: 1024 x 768 or higher
The Krishna Consciousness Movement, The Nama
Hatta Mission of California™, 2009
Links
provided are for information only, The Hare Krishna Society does not
necessarily endorse all the contents and statements in those links.
Readers are encouraged to read the original unrevised versions of Srila
Prabhupada's books
BBT images and written materials from Srila Prabhupada's books are copyrighted by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. All rights reserved. All such materials are published pursuant to Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, Fair Use Exception