Ontology of the holy name continued...

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Ṭhakura

শ্রী গৌड़िয-কন্ঠহার

Gaudiya Kanṭhahāra:

The Jeweled Necklace of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas

17th Jewel

NĀMA-TATTVA

The Ontology of the Holy Name

Being a compendium of quotations from revealed scriptures

concerning the truths about the cult of Chaitanya Mahāprabhu

Compiled under the authority and direction of

His Divine Grace

Bhaktisiddhānta Sāraswāti Goswāmī

Prabhupada

Translated and edited, with original Sanskrit and Bengali and Roman transliteration by

B. V. Mahāyogi, Michael Dolan

NĀMA-TATTVA

The Bhāgavatam on Loud Kīrtana

१७.२६

नामान्य् अनन्तस्य हत-त्रपः पठन्

गुह्यानि भद्राणि कृतानि च स्मरन्

गां पर्यटंस् तुष्ट-मना गत-स्पृहः 

कालं प्रतीक्षन् विम् अदो विमत्सरः

17.26

nāmāny anantasya hata-trapaḥ paṭhan

guhyāni bhadrāṇi kṛtāni ca smaran

gāṁ paryaṭaṁs tuṣṭa-manā gata-spṛhaḥ 

kālaṁ pratīkṣan vim ado vimatsaraḥ

[Nārada Muni said] Thus I loudly chanted the holy name of Kṛṣṇa in kīrtana, not caring for any social formalities. Such chanting and remembering of the holy name bless everyone. In this way, I traveled across the earth, fully satisfied, humble, and non-envious. 

(Bhāg.1.6.26)

Loud Kīrtana is the Best

१७.२७

जपतो हरि नामानि स्थाने शत-गुणाधिकह् 

आत्मानञ् च पुनात्य्-उच्चैर्- जपन् श्रोतृन्-पुनाति च

17.27

japato hari nāmāni sthāne śata-guṇādhikah 

ātmānañ ca punāty-uccair- japan śrotṛn-punāti ca

Compared to that person who is attached to chanting japa, the person who performs loud chanting of the holy name of Śrī

Hari is one hundred times better. This is because the person who chants japa purifies himself, whereas the

person who chants the holy name loudly in kīrtana purifies himself, all those  who are with him, and everyone else who hear the holy vibration. 

(Śrī Nāradīya, Prahlāda-vākya)

Loud Kīrtana Benefits the Chanter of the Holy
Name and Those Who Hear it

১৭.২৮

পশু-পক্ষী-কীট-আদি বলিতে না পারে শুনিলে সে হরিনাম তাঽর সব তরে 

জপিলে সে কৃষ্ণ-নাম আপনি সে তরে উচ্চ-সঙ্কীর্তনে পর-উপকার করে 

অত এৱ উচ্চ করিঽ কীর্তন করিলে শত-গুণ ফল হয সর্ৱ-শাস্ত্রে বোলে

17.28

paśu-pakṣī-kīṭa-ādi balite nā pāre śunile se harināma tā'ra saba tare 

japile se kṛṣṇa-nāma āpani se tare ucca-saṅkīrtane para-upakāra kare 

ata eva ucca kari' kīrtana karile śata-guṇa phala haya sarva-śāstre 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 Kṛṣṇa purifies oneself, but the loud saṅkīrtana of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa benefits all living beings. Therefore, loudly chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa in kīrtana, and you will get one hundred times the benefit of chanting japa. This is the verdict of all the śāstras. 

(Cb. Ādi 11.275-277)

Mahāprabhu Loudly Chanted the Holy Name

१७.२९

हरे कृष्णेत्य् उच्च्यैः स्फुरित-रसनो नामगणनाकृत-

ग्रन्थि श्रेणी-सुभग-कटि-सूत्रोज्ज्वलकरः विशालाक्षो 

दीर्घार्गल-युगल-खेलोञ्चित-भुजः स चैतन्यः 

किं मे पुनरपि दृशोर्यास्यति मदम्

17.29

hare kṛṣṇety uccyaiḥ sphurita-rasano nāmagaṇanākṛta-

granthi śreṇī-subhaga-kaṭi-sūtrojjvalakaraḥ viśālākṣo 

dīrghārgala-yugala-kheloñcita-bhujaḥ sa caitanyaḥ 

kiṁ me punarapi dṛśoryāsyati madam

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu loudly chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, which 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 beautiful

lotus eyes stretch to His ears and His arms reach to His knees. When will Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu again appear before my eyes? 

(Caitanyāñṭhakam 5, Rūpa Gosvāmī)

The Opinion of Baladeva on the Form of the Mahā-mantra

१७.३०

हरे कृष्णेति मन्त्र-प्रतीक-ग्रहणं. षोडश-नामात्मना द्वात्रींश-दक्सरेण मन्त्रेणोच्चैर्-उच्चारितेन स्फुरिता

कृत-नृत्या रसना जिह्वा यस्य सह्.

17.30

hare kṛṣṇeti mantra-pratīka-grahaṇaṁ. Soḍaśa-nāmātmanā dvātrīṁśa-daksareṇa mantreṇoccair-uccāritena sphuritā

kṛta-nṛtyā rasanā jihvā yasya sah.

When the sixteen names and thirty-two syllables of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra are

loudly vibrated, Kṛṣṇa Himself dances on ones tongue. 

(Baladeva Vidyābḥuṣana Stava-mālā-vibhūṣaṇa-bhāśya)

Hare Kṛṣṇa is the Mahā-mantra for the Age of Kali

१७.३१-३७

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे 

षोडशैतानि नामानि द्वात्रिंशद् वर्णकानि हि कलौ युगे महा-मन्त्रः सम्मतो जीवतारणे वर्जयित्वा 

तु नामैतद् दुर्जनैः परिकल्पितम् छन्दोबद्धं सुसिद्धान्त विरुद्धं नाभ्यसेत् पदम्

तारकं ब्रह्म-नामैतद् ब्रह्मणा गुरुणादिना

कलिसन्तरणाद्यासु श्रुति-स्वधिगतं हरेः प्राप्तं श्री ब्रह्म-शिष्येण श्री नारदेन धीमता

नामैतद्-उत्तमं श्रौत-पारम्पर्येण ब्रह्मणः

उत्सृज्यैतन्-महा-मन्त्रं ये त्वन्यत् कएपितं पदम्

महानामेति गायन्ति ते शास्त्र-गुरु लण्घनः तत्त्व-विरोध-सओपृक्तं तादृशं दौर्जनं मतम्

स्रवथा परिहार्यं स्यादात्म-हितार्थिना सदा 

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे

17.31-37

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare ṣoḍaśaitāni nāmāni dvātriṁśad varṇakāni hi kalau yuge mahā-mantraḥ sammato jīvatāraṇe varjayitvā tu nāmaitad durjanaiḥ parikalpitam chandobaddhaṁ susiddhānta viruddhaṁ nābhyaset padam tārakaṁ brahma-nāmaitad brahmaṇā guruṇādinā

kalisantaraṇādyāsu śruti-svadhigataṁ hareḥ prāptaṁ śrī brahma-śiṣyeṇa śrī nāradena dhīmatā

nāmaitad-uttamaṁ śrauta-pāramparyeṇa brahmaṇaḥ utsṛjyaitan-mahā-mantraṁ ye tvanyat kaepitaṁ padam

mahānāmeti gāyanti te śāstra-guru laṇghanaḥ tattva-virodha-saopṛktaṁ tādṛśaṁ daurjanaṁ matam

sravathā parihāryaṁ syādātma-hitārthinā sadā 

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

Hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare, 

hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare: 

This sixteen-name, thirty-two syllable mantra is the mahāmantra in the age of Kali by which all living beings can be delivered. One should never abandon chanting this mahā-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 Kṛṣṇa that are against the pure conclusions of the scriptures, or are filled with rasābhāsa. 

About this divinely spiritual mahā-mantra, which delivers one from material existence, the original guru, Lord Brahmā, has said, kali-santaraṛādi śrutite, "The śrutis have declared this mantra to be the best means of deliverance in the age of Kali". Having all heard this from Brahmā, the sons and disciples of Brahmā, beginning with Nārada, all accepted the Hare

Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra and, having meditated on it, attained perfection. 

(Ananta- Saṁhitā)

The Upaniṣads on the Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahā-mantra

१७.३८-३९

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे

इति सोडशकं नाम्नां कलि-कल्मष-नाशनम् नातः परतरोपायः सर्व-वेदेषु दृष्यते

17.38-39

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare

iti soḍaśakaṁ nāmnāṁ kali-kalmaṣa-nāśanam nātaḥ parataropāyaḥ sarva-vedeṣu dṛṣyate

The sixteen names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā- mantra: hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare, hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare destroy all the inauspiciousness of the age of Kali. This is the conclusion of all the Vedas.

(Kali-santaraṛa Upaniṣad)

The Purāṇas on the Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahā-mantra

१७.४०

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे रटन्ति हलया वापि ते कृतार्था न संशयः

17.40

hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare raṭanti halayā vāpi te kṛtārthā na saṁśayaḥ 

Hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare: Whoever chants this mantra, even neglectfully, will attain the supreme goal of life. Of this there is no doubt.

(Agni-Purāṇa)

Chanting the Holy Name Qualifies One for Deliverance

१७.४१

मधुर-मधुरम्-एतन्-मङ्गलं मङ्गलानां

सकल-निगमवल्ली-सत्-फलं चित्-स्वरूपम् 

सकृदपि परिगीतं श्रद्धया हेलया वा 

भृगुवर नरमात्रं तारयेत् कृष्ण नाम

17.41

madhura-madhuram-etan-maṅgalaṁ maṅgalānāṁ

sakala-nigamavallī-sat-phalaṁ cit-svarūpam 

sakṛdapi parigītaṁ śraddhayā helayā vā 

bhṛguvara naramātraṁ tārayet kṛṣṇa nāma 

The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is the sweetest of the sweet and the most auspicious of

all auspicious things. It is the self-effulgent and beautiful fruit of the Vedic

desire tree. O best of the Bhṛgus, 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-bhaktivilāsa 11.234, Skanda Purāṇa)

The Holy Name is to be Chanted in the Stage of Practice and in Perfection

१७.४२

एतन् निर्विद्यमानानाम् इच्छताम् अकुतो-भयम् 

योगिनां नृप निर्णीतं हरेर् नामानुकीर्तनम्

17.42

etan nirvidyamānānām icchatām akuto-bhayam 

yogināṁ nṛpa nirṇītaṁ harer nāmānukīrtanam

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, 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. 

(Bhāg. 2.1.11)

Things Unfavorable for Nāma-kīrtana

१७.४३

जन्मैश्वर्य-श्रुत-श्रीभिर् एधमान-मदः पुमान्

नैवार्हत्य् अभिधातुं वै त्वाम् अकिञ्चन- गोचरम्

17.43

janmaiśvarya-śruta-śrībhir edhamāna-madaḥ pumān

naivārhaty abhidhātuṁ vai tvām akiñcana- 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. (Bhāg. 1.8.26)

The Characteristics of the Principal and Secondary Name

१७.४४

नाम्नाम् अकारि बहुधा निज-सर्व-शक्तिस्

तत्रापिता नियमितः स्मरणे न कालः 

एतादृषि तव कृपा भगवन् ममापि 

दुर्दैवम् ईदृशम् इहाजनि नानुरागः

17.44

nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis

tatrāpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ 

etādṛṣi tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi 

durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ

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 Kṛṣṇa and

Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your

transcendental 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. (Sikṣāṣṭaka 2)