Gadi das: I offer my humbled respects to all the devotees of the Lord…may there be no offences made to anyones feet through the course of my statements. I know where and how I was born, and I have no illusions about my lack of qualifications. Yet there is always need to speak, even a fool can sometimes say something useful.
To say the someone loves Krsna, in a casual or sentimental sense can be misleading, and cause profound misunderstandings in the mind of the innocent just beginning their auspicious bhakti journey.
To say that a certain kirtaneer “loves Krsna”, must be backed by factual symptoms clearly outlined by a pure line of disciplic succession whom were and are certified lovers of Krsna, by dint of having the real symptoms.
The real symptoms are given in several of His Divine Grace’s books and several of the writings of the previous acarya’s , or,( teachers by example). True love for Krsna creates certain symptoms…a constant yearning to be with Him, a constant need to talk about, and write about Him, a profound inability to relate to ones day to day life, a sort of madness, and simultaneous detachment from the so called valuable trinkets of this world. Love for Krsna in not a cheap or casual affair. Krsna is not so easy. He must be won over. Persuaded, as it were, to reveal Himself by pure genuine humility, and surrender.
Pure devotion is pure devotion. Single pointed love. It is free from the distractions and pitfalls for profit, adoration and distinction. It is discovered in the deepest and most private regions of the heart. When the heart becomes melted and soft through the sincere chanting of Krsna Nam, that region is discovered. This love dispensed by Hari Nam prabhu is not controlled by anything or anyone. It is controlled only by its own unique force. It has absolutely no constraints such as social boundaries, reputation, or attachment to any useless thing in this material world. It is pure… the topmost limit of success for the jiva….it is worth giving everything up to get. The price, although always high… must be met. If you are not willing to pay the complete price,(which is never negotiable, ) then don’t expect to receive the promised ecstatic transcendent transformations of pure love exposed by our perfect line of teachers.
The chanting of the holy names in kirtan is good from any angle considered, and from practically any source available. There does not even have to be any understanding at all…” even a child can take part, or even a dog can take part…” But for maximum effect, “one should hear from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord, chanting from the lips of a non-devotee should be avoided as much as milk touched by the lips of a serpent causes poisonous effect”. So there is some cartion given from hearing from sources outside our amazing Sampradaya…..on the other hand, one can say, and with Sri Gauranga’s support that “there are no hard and fast rules for chanting the Holy Names.” But this statement of Lord Caitanya my very well be referring to meter, rhythms melody, types of instruments, time and place, individually, or collectively, etc. But the warning concerning the source of the chanting is always there, and should be followed “as much as possible” to avoid complications in your progress in spiritual life.
Srila Bhaktivinode even warns from another angle…. That predjudice born of superstition can blind one in another way, blocking ones ability to see and appreciate someone who may not be dressed in a certain way, wear tilak the same, or forgot to that day, singing different unfamiliar melodies, or a host of other differences, causing a rejection of that person who just might be chanting sudhanam… speaking wonderfully, etc etc…One may walk away, and even find fault with that person where no fault exists.
One has to be very sharp with his or hers intrinsic instincts, to make accurate decisions regarding who and who not to hear from.
All in all it is a pretty tricky business, especially out in the preaching field, where one might find oneself presiding over an audience of mayavads and hedonists.
So a basic and solid foundation of Krsna Consciousness should be formed, so as to be flexible, charming, yet convincing enough that people will know where your at, and retain respect for your solid commitment to guru and Krsna. The trick is the charming part…which Srila Prabhupada employed so many times to win over the hearts of so many, with so many varied backrounds and beliefs. You can fish for the big fish, but if we get pulled overboard, you just look all wet.
As stated in the Srimad Bhagavatam, the only religios principle in this age of Kali, is Hari Nam Sankirtana. So in this regard anyone chanting the holy names of Krsna should be respected….they are pious religious followers of Lord Caitanya, even though they may not be conscious of it ….and then we have the personal actions of Lord Caitanya of how he would refuse access to certain persons form entering His kirtan because of envy or some other undesirable quality.…
“When will tears of love flow from my eyes like torrents of rain”
That will happen only when some very hard and non-negotiable rule is followed….compete surrender of everything that is you, and everything that is yours… saranagati…. This does not mean you just turn everything over to the temple president…oh no…In fact, it doesn’t mean that at all. It means, as Srila Bhaktivinode says in his eloquent Gopinath prayers: “Everything is yours, body, mind, possessions, I surrender everything to you… now I only have You to help me.”
So it depends on your personal goal. If your goal is only to be a little happy, (with the emphasis on “little”), in this world, then Nam Bhas, (not pure chanting), will do that and can give one liberation even to the Vaikuntha planets, while putting Krsna prema on the back burner.
But if your not willing to settle for that, and you want to pick the ripest fruit at the top of the Bhakti tree, pure love for Krsna, then you must let your greed for that goal, (pure chanting) take you there. “I know no one but Krsna as my lord and He will always remain so, even if he handles me roughly in His embrace, or makes me brokenhearted by not being present before me… He is completely free to do anything and everything, but He will remain my worshipful Lord unconditionally.”
So, in summary, all chanting is good, the most pious of pious deeds, but this elevator stops at many floors… Should we not only be satisfied to step out onto the top floor to meet our true Friend of all friends?
Should not we only be satisfied with what would make our Guru satisfied. Would it not make sense to surprise him and accept the true gift he is actually giving?
No greater gift can be had than pleasing the spiritual master….”attachment to His lotus feet fulfills all desires”.
With great determination, hope and spiritual greed, let us go forth with that one thought…. That we will find true repose and happiness by chanting the Holy Names like he did and does….
harinama harinama harinama eva kevalam kalau nastyeva nastyeva nastyeva gatir anyatha.
Be careful out there….be smart and don’t get confused….Thanks as always for your kind attention…
your insignificant servant, always on call… Gadi das,
murarisevaka.com.