{"id":10347,"date":"2012-03-01T10:49:22","date_gmt":"2012-03-01T09:49:22","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=10347"},"modified":"2012-03-01T10:49:22","modified_gmt":"2012-03-01T09:49:22","slug":"sacinandana-swami-appreciate-what-you-have","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/?p=10347","title":{"rendered":"Sacinandana Swami – Appreciate what you have"},"content":{"rendered":"

Live From Sri Mayapur Candrodaya Mandir!
\nDate: February 24th , 2012
\nTopic: Maharaj Nimi Meets the Nine Yogendras
\nVerse: SB 11.2.40
\nSpeaker: HH Sacinandan Swami
\n ____________________________________________ <\/p>\n

Hare Krishna dear devotees. We are reading today a verse which Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu called the essence of the Bhagavatam. Because there is little time i will go line by line.<\/p>\n

evam-vratah sva-priya-nama-kirtya jatanurago druta-citta uccaih hasaty atho roditi rauti gayaty unmada-van nrtyati loka-bahyah<\/p>\n

TRANSLATION: By chanting the holy name of the Supreme Lord, one comes to the stage of love of Godhead. Then the devotee is fixed in his vow as an eternal servant of the Lord, and he gradually becomes very much attached to a particular name and form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. As his heart melts with ecstatic love, he laughs very loudly or cries or shouts. Sometimes he sings and dances like a madman, for he is indifferent to public opinion.<\/p>\n

PURPORT: In this verse, pure love of God is being described. Srila Sridhara Svami has described this spiritual situation as samprapta-prema-laksana-bhakti-yogasya samsara-dharmatitam gatim, or the perfectional stage of life in which one’s devotional service to the Supreme Lord is enriched by ecstatic love. At that time, one’s spiritual duties are entirely beyond the scope of worldly affairs.<\/p>\n

In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 7.78), there is the following statement by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu: dhairya dharite nari, hailama unmatta hasi, kandi, naci, gai, yaiche mada-matta “While chanting the holy name of the Lord in pure ecstasy, I lose myself, and thus I laugh, cry, dance and sing just like a madman.” Caitanya Mahaprabhu immediately approached His spiritual master to ask him why He had apparently become mad by chanting the holy name of Krsna. His guru replied: krsna-nama-maha-mantrera ei ta ‘ svabhava yei jape, tara krsne upajaye bhava “It is the nature of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra that anyone who chants it immediately develops his loving ecstasy for Krsna.” (Cc. Adi 7.83) In this connection Srila Prabhupada has commented, “These symptoms are very prominently manifest in the body of a pure devotee. Sometimes when our students of the Krsna consciousness movement chant and dance, even in India people are astonished to see how these foreigners have learned to chant and dance in this ecstatic fashion. As explained by Caitanya Mahaprabhu, however, actually this is not due to practice, for without extra endeavor these symptoms become manifest in anyone who sincerely chants the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.” Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura has warned us in this regard about the ungodly sahajiyas who imitate the pastimes of the Supreme Lord in an unauthorized way, neglecting the standard injunctions of Vedic scriptures, foolishly trying to take the position of Krsna as Purusottama, and thus making a cheap farce of the exalted pastimes of the Lord. Their so-called ecstatic symptoms like crying, shivering and falling on the ground are not to be confused with the advanced features of devotional service described by Sridhara Svami as samprapta-prema-laksana-bhakti-yoga. Srila Prabhupada comments in this regard, “One who has attained this bhava stage is no longer under the clutches of the illusory energy.” Similarly, Krsnadasa Kaviraja states: pancama purusartha-premanandamrta-sindhu moksadi ananda yara nahe eka bindu “For a devotee who has actually developed bhava [love of Godhead], the pleasure derived from dharma, artha, kama and moksa appears like a drop in the presence of the sea.” (Cc. Adi 7.85) As already stated in the previous verse of this chapter, gayan vilajjo vicared asangah: one exhibits the ecstatic symptoms of love of Godhead when he is asanga, free from all attachment to material sense gratification. The word loka-bahyah in this verse indicates that a pure devotee on the platform of prema, love of Godhead, is not at all concerned with ridicule, praise, respect or criticism from ordinary people in the bodily concept of life. Krsna is the Absolute Truth, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and when He reveals Himself to a surrendered servant, all doubt and speculation about the nature of the Absolute are vanquished forever. In this connection Sripada Madhvacarya has quoted a verse from the Varaha Purana: kecid unmada-vad bhakta bahya-linga-pradarsakah kecid antara-bhaktah syuh kecic caivobhayatmakah mukha-prasadad dardhyac ca bhaktir jneya na canyatah “Some devotees of the Lord exhibit external symptoms, acting like madmen, others are introspective devotees, and still others partake of both natures. It is by one’s steadfastness and by the merciful vibrations emanating from one’s mouth that one’s devotion can be judged, not otherwise.”<\/p>\n

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has given a very nice example to illustrate ecstatic laughing and other symptoms of love of Godhead: ‘Oh, that thief Krsna, the son of Yasoda, has entered the house to steal the fresh butter. Grab Him! Keep Him away!’ Hearing these menacing words spoken by the elderly gopi Jarati, Krsna immediately prepares to leave the house. The devotee to whom this transcendental pastime is revealed laughs in ecstasy. But suddenly he can no longer see Krsna. He then cries in great lamentation, ‘Oh! I achieved the greatest fortune in the world, and now it has suddenly slipped from my hands!’ Thus the devotee cries loudly, ‘So my Lord! Where are You? Give me Your answer!’ The Lord answers, ‘My dear devotee, I heard your loud complaint, and so I have again come before you.’ Upon seeing Lord Krsna again, the devotee begins to sing, ‘Today my life has become perfect.’ Thus overwhelmed with transcendental bliss, he begins to dance like a madman.”<\/p>\n

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura also notes that the word druta-cittah or “with a melted heart,” indicates that one’s heart, melted by the fire of anxiety to see the Lord, becomes like Jambunadi, a river of roseapple juice. The acarya further points out, nama-kirtanasya sarvotkarsam: the present and previous verse clearly distinguish the exalted position of sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23], chanting and hearing the name and glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Caitanya Mahaprabhu also emphasized this by quoting: harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha [Cc. Adi 17.21] “In this age of Kali there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative for spiritual progress but the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord.” In his purports to Caitanya-caritamrta (Adi 7.76), Srila Prabhupada has given an elaborate explanation of this verse. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura recommends that we study the following verse in this connection: parivadatu jano yatha tatha va nanu mukharo na vayam vicarayamah hari-rasa-madira-madati-matta bhuvi viluthamo natamo nirvisamah “Let the garrulous populace say whatever they like; we shall pay them no regard. Thoroughly maddened by the ecstasy of the intoxicating beverage of love for Krsna, we shall enjoy life running about, rolling on the ground and dancing in ecstasy.” (Padyavali 73) [End of Srila Prabhupada’s purport to SB 11.2.40]\n

HH Sacinandana Swami: Hare Krishna It is so nice to see all of you. Really it is a dream to see an ocean of devotees with hands upraised chanting the names. This is really very nice. You should sit were I am sitting then you can see. Very nice!<\/p>\n

This verse is a conflict resolution of an inner conflict. Caitanya Mahaprabhu had been initiated and as He was playing the role of a sadhaka who was awakening to the stages of love of God by a practice He was doing. As He was playing this role he noticed something. After He had received His initiation mantra from His exalted Guru Maharaj, Isvarai Puri, there were obvious changes in Him. This is how Mahaprabhu in His role plays this lila. He was surprised. He said, “What kind of mantra have you given Me?”And He thought, “This chanting has covered all My spiritual knowledge. I am covered. It seems it doesn’t work. I saw that I have become mad. This is certainly not normal by chanting the holy name.”<\/p>\n

So I admitted all this to my spiritual master, “My dear spiritual master,” Just imagine this in a modern context. “My dear Lord what kind of mantra have you given Me? I have become mad simply by chanting this maha mantra. I dance, I laugh, I cry.” When Isvara Puri heard this, this serious enquiry it is said he smiled and he felt great satisfaction that, “Wow Here is someone who has really understood.” I shouldn’t say someone. “My exalted disciple has certainly understood. It is all okay. No problem. It is the nature of the Hare Krishna maha mantra that anyone who chants it immediately develops this loving ecstasy for Krishna.”<\/p>\n

Then he described what this loving ecstasy for Krishna is and encouraged Lord Caitanya in two things – two very essential instructions which hold true to us also. He said, “My dear child,” In Sanskrit you would say vatsa – like a calf who is dependent on the mother. “My dear child continue dancing, chanting and performing sankirtana in the association of devotees.’ This is the first part of his instruction. “Continue doing this in the association of devotees. Perform Your sankirtana there.”<\/p>\n

Then the second instruction: “Furthermore in addition to this individual chanting – this chanting in the association of devotees go out and preach the value of chanting krsna-nama for by this process you will be able to deliver all fallen souls.” Now we know as an ideal disciple Gauranga Mahaprabhu followed these two instructions. He did sankirtan in the association of devotees one kilometre from here down the road in Srivasa-angam there the sankirtan was performed. During the night I heard once from six o’clock in the evening to six o’clock in the morning it was a nocturnal sankirtana. They did this sankirtan strictly in the association of devotees. Outsiders were not permitted even if they were their own family members, they were not allowed if they were not allowed if they were not in tune, if they were outsiders. Even austere people who had yogic qualifications were not allowed. It was simply a bhakti event.<\/p>\n

The second instruction here : Furthermore go out and preach the value of chanting krsna nama for by this process You will be able to deliver all fallen souls. Secondly Mahaprabhu started the sankirtan movement. It spilled out of that limited confinement – confinement is not a good word, but limited association of strictly bhaktas but it went all out. It went all out on the streets and everywhere and we all know this wave of Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s preaching would later sweep all through India. Gaura Nitai even influenced Tukarama – the great sankirtan saint of Maharastra. And He had a profound effect all over the world. It formed parts of Islam even which later developed Sufi branches. This chanting of God’s name really went all over the world. He followed the second instruction very well.<\/p>\n

In the attempt of the Mayapur devotees to do kirtan mela these two instructions which Mahaprabhu had then passed on to all His followers is also there in the mind. First we chant here in this temple room. I really hope you will all come more and more in bigger quantities as you arrive from foreign countries and we build like a very bhakti intensive atmosphere were you really connect with the Lord. It is really a total bhakti event for bhaktas, for those who follow the path of bhakti or Vaisnavas. It is really for us to strengthen our call, to do this call of chanting or to reap this event of chanting which Prabhupada calls like the result.<\/p>\n

He says, “Simply by addressing the energy of the Supreme Lord as Hare,” Who is the energy of the Supreme Lord? Radharani. You are all Vaisnavas You know this. Outsiders don’t know. Very good. “Simply by addressing the energy of the Supreme Lord as Hare and the Lord Himself as Krishna this very soon situates the Lord within the heart of the devotee. That is the idea of chanting.” With devotees chanting this is the result you are looking for. This is the aim – your sankalpa. Concentrate – I want a relationship with Krishna in my heart.<\/p>\n

In many places in Prabhupada’s writing he repeats this. He says in a lecture in Gen\u00e8ve, Switzerland, “Chanting Hare Krishna means to keep Krishna on the throne of your heart.” Hare Krishna. It is clearly a devotional occurrence. This event of Krishna appearing in the heart can best happen when you chant in the association of devotees and you really give your best that now it is your time with Krishna. You are now with Krishna. Be here exactly at this moment when you chant and connect with the essence of this chanting – very important.<\/p>\n

Most of us are chanting absent minded. Most of us including myself are spaced out. You need to become spaced in. Hare Krishna. New word – spaced in! You need to go inside your heart and have a relationship with Krishna. Relationship starts in the heart – you have a heart to heart relationship – we say in English. It is something inner which has to do with you. Then Hare Krishna-you go out. Then you chanting have power. You chanting of Hare Krishna will touch others hearts. People will say, “I never felt like this. This experience I have not had in eating, sleeping, mating and defending. It is a new experience. I want more of this. Where can we have it?” We can have it in the heart.<\/p>\n

“In the Hare Krishna movement I did not know that they have this item. They can give this ecstatic feeling! Wow! Let me join!” This is the idea. Chant in the close association of devotees, give your best, don’t be absent minded, be present minded. Come to the kirtan. Sit down. When you feel ecstatic and an urge to dance get up and dance, but not dance for the pleasure of the others so that you are celebrated as the wildest dancer next to Michael Jackson. NO! Dance for the pleasure of Krishna. It is a heart to heart relationship. Then you are progressing – very good, very good. This is very good.<\/p>\n

“So my dear child, continue dancing, chanting and performing sankirtan in association of devotees. Furthermore go out and preach the value of chanting krsna-nama for by this process You will be able to deliver all fallen souls.” Then Gauranga Mahaprabhu continues His report of what went on after the initiation, what went on when He asked His spiritual master about all these delicate matters. He said, “Saying this, my spiritual master taught Me a verse from Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is the essence of all the Bhagavatam’s instructions. Therefore he recited this verse again and again.” What it means is that He was sitting there with exalted Isvara Puri and he couldn’t finish by just chanting it one time. He had to do it many times. Let’s at least do it twice. It seems to be important.<\/p>\n

evam-vratah sva-priya-nama-kirtya jatanurago druta-citta uccaih hasaty atho roditi rauti gayaty unmada-van nrtyati loka-bahyah [SB 11.2.40]\n

Translation: When a person is actually advanced and takes pleasure in chanting the holy name of the Lord who is very dear to him he is agitated and loudly chants the holy name. He also laughs, he cries, he becomes agitated and chants just like a madman not caring for outsiders.<\/p>\n

In other words he becomes clearly overwhelmed. You may ask yourself because you are on the path of chanting what does this mean that I become a mad man? Many of you are exalted souls who may have come from the spiritual world but some of you are like me who am from the material world and you think, “Mad? I don’t want to be mad. I was mad. I want to become sane and serious, sannyasi – with dignity I want to carry myself. No madness please!” It is not like madness from this world. Please don’t think that this verse means what the word means. Because this is important i will ask you in the later part of the lecture to become a madman and a mad woman. Don’t worry it will be all authorised. You should know what does this mean – these exalted feelings. It is not for imitating but we need to know what is the meaning of all this. It is a very nice meaning which you will like.<\/p>\n

Srila Visvanatha Cakravati Thakura has given a very nice example to illustrate what is ecstatic love and other symptoms. We will have a little orchestra for this verse. This is not so normal. [Tamboori Plays] “Will the thief Krishna, the son of Yasoda, has entered the house to steal the fresh butter. Catch Him. Keep Him away.” Hearing these menacing words spoken by the elderly gopi, Jarati Krishna immediately prepares to leave the house. The devotee to whom this transcendental pastime is revealed laughs in ecstasy but suddenly he can no longer see Krishna. He then cries in lamentation, “Oh. I achieved the greatest fortune in the world and now it has suddenly slipped from my hands. Thus a devotee cries loudly, “Oh my Lord! Where are You? Give me Your answer.”<\/p>\n

The Lord then answers, “My dear devotee I heard your loud complaint and so i have again come before you. Upon seeing Lord Krishna again the devotee begins to sing, “Today my life has become perfect.” Thus overwhelmed with transcendental bliss he begins to dance like a madman. Hare Krishna.<\/p>\n

When we hear these ecstatic descriptions it is clearly not something for us to imitate. What comes before the symptoms is an inner realisation. If you don’t have this I repeat – what comes before the symptoms must always be an inner realisation. Otherwise people who don’t have this are called… Yes you know everything. But when do these symptoms come? They come if you connect with the chanting in the association of devotees and when you really give it your best. Your best endeavour in chanting means you must avoid pramada – pramada also means madness. Here the picture turns. What we mean as madness, that which we should not do which is bad, which we want to throw out – that is inattention.<\/p>\n

When we criticise madness or craziness we mean inattention while chanting. When we say we want madness we mean loving ecstasy which comes in steps and steps and steps when you apply yourself to the chanting and give your best. My dear devotees there is something you must know from yoga. We are also doing yoga. Our yoga is called bhakti yoga. Yoga means connection. Yoga is a process which connects you with the divine in a very general way. Different yoga paths have different understanding of what the divine is. The result or the aim of all yoga practices whether it if hatha yoga, jnana yoga, karma yoga and especially bhakti yoga. The essence of any path – that means also us here, the Hare Krishnas – is full absorption in the object of one’s mediation to the extent that everything else disappears or we become non aware of anything external to that object. This is a scholarly description based on many slokas but we have condensed it. T<\/p>\n

This is now very important. Please listen. To become absorbed in Krishna that is the essence of our chanting, of our path. That means we need to switch off our material absorption and then switch on our serious attempt to pay our full attention to the maha mantra again and again – yato yato niscalati [Bg 6.26] Wherever the mind goes – and the mind will go. It is the end of years and years of Taro regime over you. He will protest. If I would tell you how Hitler was protesting against any attempt to remove him from the rule of Germany. Let us not even remember today! The mind will protest, “You are moving in the way.” The ego will scream, “No I don’t want to chant. If i have to chant then let me chant the wrong way, not the right way.” Hare Krishna. You know better than everybody. You are trying. You are sincere.<\/p>\n

Mahaprabhu was very serious about bringing this chanting to the people. I want to bring you to one particular very nice scene. It was the day before He took sannyasa. He took sannyasa on the 14th January more than 500 years ago. Before he could do this and leave Navadvip for good, before He could leave all those who were dear to Him, before He could leave His wife Visnupriya, who was 16 years and His aging mother Saci whom He loved so dearly He went to the banks of the River Ganga one last time.<\/p>\n

People were asking when they saw Gauranga sitting, “Is this the god of love. He looks so beautiful with His golden complexion and His blackish hair. Is this the god of love?” Someone said, “No, no, no. The god of love agitates the heart but when we look at the Gauranga our heart becomes suffused, very calm.” They all came, even those who had previously spoken ill of Him because they couldn’t understand. All came on that particular evening He sits there, effulgent amongst the inner circle of His devotees. Everyone comes and reverentially puts sandalwood and garlands. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu knows tomorrow no more sandal wood, no more garlands – tomorrow leaving. Leaving! Going! Dying the social death!<\/p>\n

An exchange happens. Whenever someone came Gauranga Mahaprabhu gave them a garland from His own. Constant garlands came but Mahaprabhu gave away garlands. As He gave away He would say, “Krishna… Sing the glories of Krishna.” The people all looked at Him. There was no distraction. It is described they looked as if with one single pair of eyes. It means everyone was absorbed in one direction. They looked at Gauranga. Then Lord Krishna Caitanya who had the full attention of the many people and many devatas and rsis amongst them spoke to them without loud speaker! He is God. He can reach everyone in the heart. He is there in the heart. He spoke to them – direct communication, “Bolo krsna bhajo krsna gao krsna nama, krsna bina ka keho kiccha na bhaviyan (?) Glorify Krishna.” This is what He instructs, “Worship Krishna and chant the name of Krishna. Do not think of anything other than Krishna.” [Audience repeat.]\n

Then He said [Caitanya Bhagavat, Madhyalila 28th chapter], “No one must sleep any longer. No eating any longer, no waking any longer. Normal but,” I want to grab your attention. This all will go on. I am just expressing it so that you listen! “Whether you are sleeping chant Krishna’s name, whether you are eating chant His name, whether you are waking chant His name. Day and night think of Krishna.” Whether you are sleeping, eating or waking – day and night think of Krishna and chant His name.<\/p>\n

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura comments on this because it is interesting. This now goes into the area of full absorption. We eat and we speak with our mouth. These are very prominent activities. This mouth which is constantly doing this should go Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare\/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Normal people when they sleep it is sex dreams. Not you. I am speaking of ordinary people – or other dreams, anxiety dreams. They are so anxious, “Oh my God what did he say? Oh No! I am hanged.” Fear dreams.<\/p>\n

Devotees because they always chant he says when you sleeping to continue. And it does. If you go to the therapy hall and chant for a long time – maximum time, more than eight hours. The ordinary karmis work eight hours a day. You should really do this. This is your practice. This is your property. Then when you will do this it will be there in there evening and in the night. It will come automatically.<\/p>\n

In Germany it is very cold. I just came from Sarajevo, Germany. There were two metre, thirty, high snow. It was something else. We could not even have our preaching programs in the place where we wanted because they were snowed in but the city gave us the cultural hall to do the preaching programs in. People were dying. They were not prepared for this.<\/p>\n

Chant long periods. People will give their lives to be here. They spend their time fighting with the material energy working for an income – these poor conditioned souls. You can spend your time to get love of Godhead but most of you are not here. You are there outside talking, talking, talking, eating various possible new tastes in the food shops and doing everything you do. Be here! People will give their lives to be in your situation. You have the unique opportunity but you are not using it. When you chant where is your mind? Ask this – is your mind one time with one mantra? Where is it? Is it connected? Your are not here!<\/p>\n

Someone needs to say. We need to be reminded this is a unique opportunity. We can chant in the association of devotees and we can chant properly. We can chant with attention. We can chant with a relationship that Krishna comes in the heart. Then slowly it will come. All the things will come. We don’t need to look outside. Frome just this chanting what we all desire so much was the reason why we joined the Hare Krishna movement to experience God consciousness. All this will come from chanting.<\/p>\n

Bhakisiddhanta Sarasvati said after giving this instruction Lord Caitanya said, [Bengali] “Now go home. You don’t need to hear anything further.” Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura said, “For one who has heard the kirtan inaugurated by Gaura there is no instruction to stop remembering the topics of Krishna or to give up chanting the names of Krishna 24hrs every day.” No instruction! Lord Caitanya has given the instruction – think of Krishna, chant 24hrs a day. That has not been cut. It has not been revoked. No decision has been made. He said there is no instruction to stop remembering the topics of Krishna or to give up chanting the names of Krishna 24hrs everyday even while eating, sleeping or waking. This is a serious practice.<\/p>\n

Hare Krishna. I have said what I wanted to say. It is not easy. All of you are much more advanced. All of you are exalted. We have exalted god brothers here who are applying themselves for more than forty years to the process. You are an exalted audience. Please forgive me. I just wanted to make something because you will forget most of what I said. I have made statistical investigations about the way lectures are remembered in our movement. Very little is remembered – scientific research from Germany has been done! [Laughter]\n

I want you to just remember two points: This is a serious business. You have to apply yourself to the process. And I want to invite you obliviously to test my words the words of the sastra by really reforming your chanting or going into your chanting and using the opportunity while you are in Mayapur to chant in the association of devotees because from there you have a good starting point. Thank you very much. We have ten more minutes for questions. Please ask well considered questions. There are not a whole lot of opportunity. I will just look around. Our young devotees have questions in the beginning.<\/p>\n

Dravida Prabhu: My question is this. We learn from Jiva Goswamis sandarbas that the paribhasa sutra of the Bhagavatam is: ete camsa-kalah pumsah, krsnas tu bhagavan svayam [SB 1.3.28] And yet here we find in the Caitanya-caritamrta Lord Caitanya explains that Isvara Puri says: evam-vratah sva-priya-nama-kirtya [SB 11.2.40] What is the relationship between those two.<\/p>\n

HH Sacinandana Swami: Yes. A paribhasa sutra that is what Srila Jiva Goswami refers to in the sandarbas – it is a verse which explains the theme of a literary work. That is ete camsa-kalah pumsah, Krishna is the source of all. That is the theme. Here in this work Krishna will be glorified. He is the centre. That is the theme.<\/p>\n

There is classical music and sometimes one piece lasts two hours. And there is one theme in it. Very simple, very concrete. Everything of the work can be understood when you understand the theme in music. Why is the composition going here and there? Why it goes to this subject. See it in relationship to its theme and then you will understand it musically. So you may ask why the Bhagavatam is speaking about the cosmos at times. Why is the Bhagavatam talking about the life of devotees sometimes? It is all because it makes the point – Krishna, Krishna, Krishna! Everything comes from Krishna. He is therefore to be worshipped.<\/p>\n

How this worship is going to be done is told here. Therefore it is related. It is in one essence package. This Krishna who is the essence of the Bhagavatam is essentially worshipped through the chanting of the holy name. That appears again in the very last verse – the concluding verse of the whole Bhagavatam. Again it is said that the chanting of Krishna’s name is the highest process in this age. Very important. When you want to come to the core of our Vaisnava practice. Do the two things: read the Bhagavatam and chant Hare Krishna. This is also when you follow Mahaprabhu’s instructions – this really what He says.<\/p>\n

HH Lokanath Maharaj: In the commentaries of each word of the maha mantra Hare has one meaning – please make me free from all the material bonds. Like that you go through sixteen names sevan yajnam kuru (?) make me fit for devotional service. Like that each word has a meaning in the commentary acaryas give. So as we chant Hare Krishna from beginning to finish sixteen thoughts are there, sixteen ideas are there, sixteen prayers are there. So how do we manage when we are chanting quite fast contemplating on these thoughts?<\/p>\n

HH Sacinandana Swami: A very practical man! Thank you for this. And thank you Dravida Prabhu for your excellent question. I just wanted to say i was diverted in another thought. I wanted to say scripture always has to give us the goal – sambanda and then it has to mention a process how to reach the goal. Otherwise it is not scripture. It is not practical. This is the goal – Krishna, Krishna, Krishna and this is how to reach it – one package.<\/p>\n

So Lokanath Maharaj is referring to the different meditations which are done by experienced sadakas on the different names of Radha and Krishna within the Hare Krishna mantra. And how to do this? So many ideas – please free me from… please give Your confidential knowledge by Your confidential devotee
\n– and then how to do it? Many different acaryas have given different meanings according to their own sweet realisations which came to them in their exalted states of the practice of chanting. These things come, they flow into your heart as one comes to this advanced level.<\/p>\n

I want to give an example. Theres is mantra mayi upasana and svarasika upasana. Bhaktivinoda explains there is two types of worship. One, concentrating on a mantra which describes Krishna and then the other a flow of remembrances of Krishna start to come. So in the same way when you chant it is good to concentrate you mind and not make it busy with other meditations. You just concentrate and you fix yourself in one inner mood ie. My dear Radha, my dear Krishna please engage me in Your service. You can do that before you chant or you can remember yourself or you can look at the Deity and make a connection – please engage me in Your service. Or as Prabhupada has also said in a sutra, three words – Please accept me. The same meaning. Please accept me or engage me in Your service. Same meaning. As you do this, as you connect, as you space in.<\/p>\n

Please be there for the kirtan mela. Come in good numbers. Tell your friends. If someone is unwilling carry him into the temple room. It is good for them. [Laughter] I am joking! Thank You Hare Krishna. [Applause] [To receive Mayapurlive lectures by email, write to mayapurlive@pamho.net] Listen or download at http:\/\/www.mayapurtvarchives.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Sacinandana Swami<\/strong><\/p>\n

Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura also notes that the word druta-cittah or “with a melted heart,” indicates that one’s heart, melted by the fire of anxiety to see the Lord, becomes like Jambunadi, a river of roseapple juice. The acarya further points out, nama-kirtanasya sarvotkarsam: the present and previous verse clearly distinguish the exalted position of sravanam kirtanam visnoh [SB 7.5.23], chanting and hearing the name and glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[75],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10347","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-classes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10347","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10347"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10347\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10347"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10347"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.dandavats.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10347"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}