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श्री प्रपन्न-जीबनामृतम्

Śrī Prapanna-Jīvanāmṛtam

por
His Divine Grace

Jagat-Guru

Bhakti Rakṣaka Śrīdhara deva Goswāmī

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por B.V. Mahāyogi

traducida por Teresa Loret de Mola, Tapanandini D.D.Śrī Śāstra-Vacanāmṛtam continuación...

Prapanna-Jivanāmṛtam

द्वितियो ऽध्याय

Dvitiyo ‘dhyāya

Capítulo Segundo

श्री शास्त्र-वचनामृतम्

Śrī Śāstra-Vacanāmṛtam

El Néctar de las Escrituras Sagradas

परिपूर्ण-कामो हरिर् एवाश्रयणीयो ‘न्यद्द्-हेयम्—

अविस्मितं तं परिपूर्ण-कामं, स्वेनैव लाभेन समं प्रशान्तम्

विनोपसर्पत्य् अपरं हि बालिशः, श्व-लान्गुलेनातितितर्त्ति सिन्धुम् [२२]

भा ६/९/२२

paripūrṇa-kāmo harir evāśrayaṇīyo ‘nyadd-heyam—

avismitaṁ taṁ paripūrṇa-kāmaṁ, svenaiva lābhena samaṁ praśāntam

vinopasarpaty aparaṁ hi bāliśaḥ, śva-lāngulenātititartti sindhum [22]

bhā 6/9/22

No hay necesidad de otros dioses—Kṛṣṇa satisface completamente todos los deseos; entonces, el refugio completo en el todo auto-satisfecho Hari es la mejor de las sendas.

Ya que Kṛṣṇa es totalmente auto-satisfecho en Sí mismo y satisface a todos los demás por completo, sólo un tonto abandona a Kṛṣṇa para tomar refugio de algún otro dios. Desear obtener algo de los dioses es como agarrarse a la cola de un perro para cruzar el Océano: el resultado no logrará la expectativa.

हरेर् एव सर्व्वोद्धारित्वम्—

किरात-हूणान्ध्र-पुलिन्द-पुक्कशा

आभीर-शुह्मा यवनाः खशादयः

शुध्यन्ति तस्मै प्रभवैष्णवे नमः [२३]

harer eva sarvvoddhāritvam—

kirāta-hūṇāndhra-pulinda-pukkaśā

ābhīra-śuhmā yavanāḥ khaśādayaḥ

śudhyanti tasmai prabhavaiṣṇave namaḥ [23]

bhā 2/4/18

La verdadera liberación es a través de Śrī Hari para todas las almas rendidas, sin tomar en cuenta la raza, el credo, o el origen social.

Todos, pecadores o no, sin importar su nacimiento son liberados por la gracia del Guru y de Śrī Kṛṣṇa, esto incluye a los pueblos Kirata, los Hunos, los Andhra y Pulindas, la gente Pulkasa, los Abhira, las razas llamadas Sumbha (Kanka), Yavana, y Khasa. Todas las castas y los descastados, las razas de las naciones, las tribus, los Occidentales y Orientales, y las clases sociales, son perfectamente purificadas por Él, al tomar refugio en los devotos rendidos a Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

De esto no hay duda. Yo ofrezco mis reverencias respetuosas a ese Viṣṇu.

 (23)

अथात आनन्द-दुघं पदामुजं

हंसाः श्रयेरन्न् अरविन्द-लोचन

सुखं उन् विश्वेश्वर योग-कर्म्मभिस्

तन् माययामी विहता न मानिनः [२४]

भा ११/२९/३

hari-caraṇāśritā eva sāra-grāhiṇo ‘hyathā karma-yogādbhir ātma-ghātitvam—

athāta ānanda-dughaṁ padāmujaṁ

haṁsāḥ śrayerann aravinda-locana

sukhaṁ un viśveśvara yoga-karmmabhis

tan māyayāmī vihatā na māninaḥ [24]

bhā 11/29/3

Aquellos en la senda de Śaraṇāgati entienden la esencia de la realidad. Esas almas rendidas que han tomado el refugio de los pies de loto de Śrī Hari conocen el significado interno de la verdad. Otros que buscan la felicidad a través de la senda del karma o el yoga y demás están en camino del suicidio espiritual.

Oh Kṛṣṇa de los ojos de loto: las almas que son como cisnes toman refugio a tus pies de loto, los cuales otorgan toda la felicidad. Aquellos que se vuelven del camino de la rendición para seguir el yoga y el karma son desviados por el poder de māyā.

Bha: 11/29/3

श्री-कृष्ण-चरण-शरणागतेः परम-साध्यत्वम्—

न नाक-पृष्ठं न च सर्व्व-भौमं

न परमेष्ठ्यं न रसाधिपत्यम्

न योग-सिद्धीर् अपुनर्-भवम् वा

वञ्छन्ति यत् पाद-रजः प्रपन्नाः [२५]

भा. १०/१६/३७

śrī-kṛṣṇa-caraṇa-śaraṇāgateḥ parama-sādhyatvam—

na nāka-pṛṣṭhaṃ na ca sarvva-bhaumaṁ

na parameṣṭhyaṁ na rasādhipatyam

na yoga-siddhīr apunar-bhavam vā

vañchanti yat pāda-rajaḥ prapannāḥ [25]

bhā. 10/16/37

Śaraṇāgati total a los pies de loto de Śrī Kṛṣṇa es el logro más elevado.

Quienes se han rendido totalmente a tus pies sagrados no tienen interés en ninguna otra cosa. Aquellos que están rendidos a Kṛṣṇa no están interesados en el cielo, No están interesados en los poderes místicos, la liberación del nacimiento y muerte, o en alcanzar la posición de Brahmā, el creador del universo. No quieren dominar la tierra. Están totalmente satisfechos de ser almas rendidas. 

हरि-प्रपन्नानाम् अन्य-निस्तार-सामर्थ्यम्-आत्मारामाणाम् हरि-पद-प्रपत्तिश् च

यत् पाद-संश्रयाः सूत, मुनयः प्रशमायनाः

सद्यः पुनन्त्य् उपस्पृष्टाः, स्वर्धुन्य्-आपो ‘नुसेवयाः [२६]

भा. १/१/१५

hari-prapannānām anya-nistāra-sāmarthyam-ātmārāmāṇām hari-pada-prapattiś ca

yat pāda-saṁśrayāḥ sūta, munayaḥ praśamāyanāḥ

sadyaḥ punanty upaspṛṣṭāḥ, svardhuny-āpo ‘nusevayāḥ [26]

bhā. 1/1/15

Incluso aquellos auto-realizados y auto-satisfechos toman refugio en Hari. Esas almas rendidas pueden liberar a otros del nacimiento y la muerte.

Mientras que el Ganges purifica únicamente a aquellos que se sumergen completamente en sus aguas, la mera proximidad con un alma rendida pacífica garantiza la completa liberación de todos los males.(26)

Bha: 1/1/15

श्री-कृष्णैक-शरण नैव विधि-किङ्कराः--

देवर्षि-भूताप्त-नृणां पितृनाङ्

न किङ्करो नायम् ऋणि च राजन्

सर्व्वात्मना य शरणं शरण्यं

गतो मुकुन्दं परिहृत्य कर्त्तम् [२७]

भा. ११/५/४१

śrī-kṛṣṇaika-śaraṇa naiva vidhi-kiṅkarāḥ--

devarṣi-bhūtāpta-nṛṇāṃ pitṛnāṅ

na kiṅkaro nāyam ṛṇi ca rājan

sarvvātmanā ya śaraṇaṁ śaraṇyaṁ

gato mukundaṁ parihṛtya karttam [27]

bhā. 11/5/41

Las almas rendidas no están sujetas a reglas de las escrituras (viddhi): Quienes se han rendido a Mukunda (O “Él quien otorga eso que hace que la liberación se vea fea”) no tienen deudas u obligaciones.

Automáticamente están libres de consideraciones del dharma, deberes a los dioses, santos, entidades vivientes, miembros de la familia, sociedad humana, y ancestros, instrucciones śāstric  y sacerdotes, al seguir la senda de śaraṇāgati.

Ya no le debe nada a nadie.

A través de rendirse al alma Suprema todos los otros deberes son protegidos, Al igual que todas las obligaciones de las escrituras o de otra índole, son automáticamente satisfechas a través de la rendición a Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

तद् अनुगृहीता वेद-धर्म्मातीता एव—

यदा यस्यानुगृह्णाति, भगवान् आत्म-भावितः

स जहाति मतिं लोके, वेदे च परिनिश्ठिताम् [२८]

भा. ४/२९/४५

tad anugṛhītā veda-dharmmātītā eva—

yadā yasyānugṛhṇāti, bhagavān ātma-bhāvitaḥ

sa jahāti matiṁ loke, vede ca pariniśṭhitām [28]

bhā. 4/29/45

Aquellos que están rendidos a Śrī Kṛṣṇa y han recibido Su misericordia trascienden el dharma Védico.

Las almas rendidas viven en la tierra de la misericordia, la belleza, el encanto y el afecto; el plano de la rendición absoluta, o del “Morir para Vivir”. Ese es el plano más elevado de nuestra vida. Nada menos que la rendición total es requerido ahí. Y Kṛṣṇa declara, “Si te entregas por completo a Mí. Entonces yo me entregaré por completo a ti”. El dharma Védico no tiene sitio en esa morada divina. La misericordia está disponible al alma rendida. Ellos siempre lo mantienen en su corazón a través de la dedicación.

 Esas almas rendidas ya no tienen necesidad de la religiosidad Védica y abandonan ese dharma ritual. Progreso significa eliminación y aceptación de lo nuevo. Entonces, cuando hay una disputa entre la postura relativa y la absoluta, lo relativo ha de dejarse a un lado, y ha de aceptarse lo absoluto. Lo absoluto y lo relativo tienen dos distintas clases de interés. Y nosotros hallamos más importancia en el interés absoluto. Tenemos que ser sinceros hacia nuestro propio credo.

 La forma es necesaria para ayudarme de manera general a mantener mi posición presente. Al mismo tiempo, mi concepción del ideal más elevado me guiará siempre hacia el avance, ir hacia adelante, y en todo lo que haga, he de seguir ese modelo mayor, ese ideal mayor. La vida espiritual es progresiva, no estancada. El ideal lo es todo. El ideal más elevado en un hombre es su joya más importante. Nuestra gema más preciada es nuestro ideal.

Muchas cosas son recomendadas en las escrituras, pero están ahí para promoverme hacia la verdad de manera indirecta (sva-dharme nidhanam sreya ). [Bg 3.35] Se recomienda hasta cierto punto para bien de nuestros amigos cercanos, que debemos abandonar nuestro ideal. Pero en el Bhagavad-Gita, la instrucción final de Kṛṣṇa es sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja: “Si es para mantener el ideal más elevado, tienes que abandonar a tus amigos. Ríndete a Mí, soy el verdadero propósito de las escrituras”. Los idealistas más elevados hacen a un lado el país, a la familia, a los amigos, y todo lo demás, pero no se puede abandonar su ideal.

In the Bhagavad-gita, [3.35] Kṛṣṇa dice, "Es mejor morir llevando a cabo el propio deber que intentar realizar el deber de otro." Ese es un nivel de entendimiento: la consideración relativa. La consideración absoluta también está dada en el Bhagavad-gita: sarva dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Krsna dice, "Abandona todo. Ven directamente a Mí."

Esta es la manera revolucionaria. Eso es absoluto. Y esto es relativo: “Apégate a tu propio clan. No los abandones”. Esa es la concepción nacional. Hay una conciencia de nación y una Consciencia de Dios; la consciencia de sociedad y la consciencia de Dios. La consciencia de Dios es absoluta.

Si la consciencia de sociedad entorpece el desarrollo de la consciencia de Dios, ha de dejarse atrás. Esto se confirma en el Srimad-Bhagavatam (5.5.18):

gurur na sa syat sva jano na sa syat

pita na sa syaj janani na sa syat

daivam na tat syan na patis ca sa syan

na mocayed yah samupeta mrtyum

Incluso un maestro espiritual, un pariente, un padre, un esposo o un semi-dios que no puede salvarnos del nacimiento y muerte repetidos ha de ser abandonado de inmediato.”

Qué decir de las cosas ordinarias, incluyendo el guru, han de ser abandonados. Uno puedo incluso tener que dejar al propio guía espiritual, como en el caso de Bali Mahārāja, o a los parientes, como en el caso de Vibhisana. En el caso de Prahlāda, su padre tuvo que ser abandonado, y en el caso de Bharata Mahārāja, fue su madre. En el caso de Khatvanga Mahārāja, quien dejó a los semidioses, y en el caso de las yajna patnis (las esposas de los brahmanes) quienes dejaron a sus esposos para ocuparse en alcanzar a la Personalidad Absoluta.

Necesitamos a la sociedad sólo para ayudarnos. Si nuestra afinidad hacia la sociedad nos subyuga, entonces tenemos que abandonar, y debemos seguir en marcha.

Hay la consideración absoluta y la relativa, Cuando estas entran en disputa, lo relativo ha de abandonarse y lo absoluto tiene que ser aceptado.

Si mi voz interna, mi consciencia espiritual decide que ciertas compañías no pueden ayudarme de verdad, entonces me veré en la penosa necesidad de dejarles, y de correr hacia mi destino, hacia donde me guíe mi consciencia espiritual.

Cualquier otro rumbo es hipocresía, y probará mi verdadero progreso.

Si somos sinceros en nuestro intento, entonces nadie en el mundo podrá ponernos a prueba o embaucarnos; sólo podemos engañarnos a nosotros mismos (na hi kalyana-krt kascid durgatim tata gacchati ) [Bg. 6.40].

Tenemos que ser veraces con nosotros mismos, y veraces hacia el Señor Supremo. Tenemos que ser sinceros. (28)

bha: 4/29/45

श्री कृष्णस्वरुपमेवा परमाश्रयापादाम्—

दशमे दशमं लाक्ष्यमाश्रिताश्रयाविग्रहम् ।

श्री कृष्णाख्यं पारं धाम जगद्धाम नमामि तात।।२९।।

भावार्थ दिपिका भा: १०/१/१

śrī kṛṣṇasvarupamevā paramāśrayāpādām—

daśame daśamaṁ lākṣyamāśritāśrayāvigraham |

śrī kṛṣṇākhyaṁ pāraṁ dhāma jagaddhāma namāmi tāta||29||

bhāvārtha dipikā bhā: 10/1/1

Śrī Kṛṣṇa, La Hermosa Realidad, es el emporio de toda rasa y el Refugio Supremo.

El 10º  Canto del Bhāgavata establece a Śrī Kṛṣṇa y su morada divina como el hogar de las almas rendidas, Yo me inclino ante Kṛṣṇa y Su morada suprema como el refugio de refugios y centro del Universo. Kṛṣṇa representa la belleza y su capacidad armonizante lo desbanca todo. No hay nada que Él no pueda armonizar; todos los enemigos se vuelven amigos en esa armonía. El Señor es el centro de la armonía más elevada. Él es el más dulce. Él es nuestro Maestro. Y es el amor divino de todos nosotros. (29)

Bhavartha-Dipika, Bha:10/1/1

श्रीमन्-महाप्रभो॒ पदाश्रय-माहात्म्यम्—

ध्येयं सादा पारिभव-घ्नम्-अभिष्टदोहं

तिर्थास्पदं शिव-विरिञ्चि-नुतं शरणयम् ।

भृतयार्त्ति-हं प्रणतपाल भवाब्धि-पोतं

वन्दे महापुरुष ते चरणरविन्दम् [३०]

śrīman-mahāprabho: padāśraya-māhātmyam—

dhyeyaṁ sādā pāribhava-ghnam-abhiṣṭadohaṁ

tirthāspadaṁ śiva-viriñci-nutaṁ śaraṇayam |

bhṛtayārtti-haṁ praṇatapāla bhavābdhi-potaṁ

vande mahāpuruṣa te caraṇaravindam [30]

Las glorias de la rendición ante los pies de loto de Sri Caitanya quien es el refugio supremo:

Mahāprabhu, el Volcán Dorado de Amor Divino, el Mismísimo Kṛṣṇa llevando a cabo sus lilas como mahābhagavata.

“Oh Mahāprabhu, Tus pies de loto son el objeto máximo de meditación, pues ellos no únicamente destruyen el dolor de la existencia material, sino que otorgan la satisfacción más grande al alma que se refugia en ellos. Tus pies de loto purifican incluso a todas las personas santas y todos los sitios sagrados. El Señor Śiva y el Señor Brahma aspiran a tomar refugio bajo Tus pies de loto. Oh Mahāprabhu, Tú das refugio a todos los que simplemente se inclinan ante Ti. Eres el alivio de todas las miserias de tus sirvientes rendidos. En el bote grande de Tus pies de loto, podemos cruzar sobre este océano de miserias materiales. Oh Mahāprabhu, Me inclino ante Tus pies de loto”.

“Después de mencionar la encarnación de Dios para la Era de Kalī, el Śrīmad Bhāgavatam de pronto empieza esta canción en honor al gran Yuga-avatār, Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Con una gran voz el Bhāgavatam ha llegado a cantar las glorias de esa guía para Kalī-yuga. Esto sigue al verso que insinúa al Avatār de Kalī-yuga. Kṛṣṇa-varṇam significa quien siempre describe a Kṛṣṇa, quien siempre tiene en sus labios las palabras, “Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa”. Otro significado de esta expresión es “Quien es el Mismísimo Kṛṣṇa, pero cuyo lustre no es negro”. Si profundizamos, hallaremos que escondido bajo Su lustre dorado está el cuerpo negruzco de Kṛṣṇa”.

“Con Su propia parafernalia ha venido a este plano, y el servicio a Él es únicamente a través del saṅkīrtana, el sonido divino cantado en conjunto. Por esos síntomas podemos reconocer Su posición divina.

“Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu es una encarnación oculta; Viene disfrazado. Tal Avatār es adorado por los intelectos divinos. De este modo, el Śrīmad Bhāgavatam describe primero esta personalidad extraordinaria y poco común. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, de forma mística y luego proclama Su nobleza y grandeza.

El Śrīmad Bhāgavatam explica, “Esa misma personalidad que viene como Rāmachandra y Kṛṣṇa ha aparecido de nuevo. Ha venido a dirigirte hacia la satisfacción verdadera de la vida. Está extrayendo el néctar más dulce de arriba para bien de todos. Sólo medita en Él y todos tus problemas se terminarán. Él el agente que purifica todos los sitios sagrados de peregrinaje y quien con su toque santifica a las personas, a Través de Su saṅkīrtana, por Su extracción de las cosas más elevadas que hace descender desde el plano altísimo.

E incluso Brahma y Śiva, confundidos por Su noble don, comenzaron a alabarlo. Ellos aspiran ansiosamente rendidos, a tomar refugio a Sus pies de loto. Los dolores de todos los que lo sirven será removido y las necesidades internas serán satisfechas.

Y él cuidará de aquellos que tomen refugio en Él; a ellos se les dará refugio y toda cosa que puedan necesitar. Es este mundo en donde rige la mortandad, en donde experimentamos continuamente los cambios indeseables de nacimiento y muerte repetidos, en esta área en donde nadie quiere vivir, un gran bote llega por nosotros y nos lleva adentro y nos transportará lejos desde esta posición desagradable. Caigamos ante los pes de esa gran personalidad que ha llegado a darnos el néctar máximo”.

“El Śrīmad Bhāgavatam continúa:

त्यक्त्वा सुदुस्त्यज-सुरेप्सित-राज्य-लक्ष्मीं

धर्मिष्ठ आर्य-वछसा यद् अगाद् अरण्यम्

माया-मृगम् दयितयेप्सितम् अन्वधावद्

वन्दे महा-पुरुष ते छरणारविन्दम्

tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīṁ

dharmiṣṭha ārya-vachasā yad agād araṇyam

māyā-mṛgam dayitayepsitam anvadhāvad

vande mahā-puruṣa te charaṇāravindam

Śrīmad Bhāgavatam  11.5.34

“Oh Señor Supremo, dejaste a la diosa de la fortuna y Su gran opulencia, la cual es muy difícil de abandonar, y que es buscada incluso por los dioses. Para establecer perfectamente los principios de la religión, Te fuiste al bosque para honrar la maldición del brahmán. Para liberar a las almas pecadoras que persiguen los placeres ilusorios, Vas en su búsqueda y les otorgas Tu servicio devocional. Al mismo tiempo, Estas ocupado en la búsqueda de Ti mismo, en la búsqueda de Śrī Kṛṣṇa: La Hermosa Realidad”.

“Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura ha extraído el significado interno de este verso y lo ha aplicado al caso de Caitanya Mahāprabhu:  Tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīm significa “Dejó su prosperidad imperial, la cual es difícil de abandonar. Generalmente hallamos esto en el caso del Señor Rāmachandra, aunque parezca que este verso se aplica al señor Rāmachandra, quien abandonó su reino para  para realizar los deberes diseñados por Su padre, también se aplica al caso del Señor Chaitanya Mahāprabhu.

Tyaktvā sudustyaja-surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīm significa que abandonó su prosperidad imperial la cual es difícil de abandonar. Generalmente hallamos esto en el caso del Señor Rāmachandra, pero Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura dice que surepsita-rājya-lakṣmīm significa que la valiosa compañía devocional de Viṣṇu Priyā Devī.

Eso puede aparentar no ser una gran cosa material, pero la dedicación que Viṣṇu Priyā muestra en Su corazón a Śrīmad Mahāprabhu es más grande que cualquier estándar imperial. Y Él ha tenido que dejarla atrás. Tal estándar de sacrificio y servicio nunca se halla ni siquiera entre la gran sociedad de los dioses. En aras del bienestar público, tuvo que ignorar la actitud de servicio afectuoso de  Viṣṇu Priyā”.

“Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sintió gran dolor por la separación Kṛṣṇa que ardía como un fuego y que fue expresado como  Śikṣāṣṭakam. Esto se explica en el Prema-dhāma-deva-stotram (54):

श्री-स्वरूप-राय-सङ्ग-गम्भिरान्त्य-लीलनं

द्वादशाब्द-वह्नि-गर्भ-विप्रलम्भ-शीलनम्

राधिकाधिरूढ-भाव-कान्ति-कृष्ण-कुञ्जरं

प्रेम-धाम-देवम् एव नौमि गौर-सुन्दरम्

śrī-svarūpa-rāya-saṅga-gambhirāntya-līlanaṁ

dvādaśābda-vahni-garbha-vipralambha-śīlanam

rādhikādhirūḍha-bhāva-kānti-kṛṣṇa-kuñjaraṁ

prema-dhāma-devam eva naumi gaura-sundaram

“Sumergido profundamente en la realidad de Su propia belleza y dulzura, Kṛṣṇa roba el humor de Radharani y vestido Él mismo con el brillante lustre de ella, aparece como Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Durante los últimos doce años de Sus pasatiempos manifiestos, estuvo profundamente absorto en el humor de unión en separación, y compartió los sentimientos íntimos de Su corazón con Sus devotos más confidenciales. En la agonía de separación de Kṛṣṇa, erupciones volcánicas de éxtasis fluían desde Su corazón, y Sus enseñanzas, conocidas como el Śikṣāṣṭakam, aparecieron de Sus labios como arroyos de lava dorada. Yo caigo a los pies de Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu, el volcán dorado del amor divino”.

“Estaba vomitando el fuego de la dolorosa separación de Kṛṣṇa en la forma del Śikṣāṣṭakam. Por ello,  Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu  es comparado a un volcán dorado y el Śikṣāṣṭakam se compara a la lava divina.

Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu nos ha enseñado que la separación es el principio máximo en la divinidad. Justamente como la concepción de éxtasis más intensa es la asociación con Kṛṣṇa, la concepción más intensa de dolor es la separación de Kṛṣṇa. Y sin embargo el dolor que se siente por la separación de Kṛṣṇa es mucho más intenso que el éxtasis que se siente con Su asociación. Śrīmad Mahāprabhu dice, “¿No puedes entender la situación dolorosa en la que te encuentras?

Tus sentidos han de haberse destruido, de otro modo ya habrías muerto de dolor por la separación de Kṛṣṇa. Es inconcebible. Le pertenecemos a Él por completo. Él es todo para nosotros, pero no podemos verlo. Somos forzados a estar separados de Él. ¿Cómo podemos tolerar esto?” Y Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākura dijo en una ocasión, “Y no puedo tolerar más la separación de Kṛṣṇa, puedo continuar solamente dos o tres días más y entonces habré de abandonar este cuerpo”.

Amar a Kṛṣṇa quiere decir que tendremos que “morir para vivir”. Al principio el amor divino es como lava, muerte, pero en realidad es néctar.  Muchas personas en este mundo ordinario también se frustran en el amor. Algunas veces enloquecen y cometen suicidio porque no pueden tolerar el dolor. Pero el dolor que llega con la separación de Kṛṣṇa, aunque es comparado con la lava, no es perjudicial como la lava. Kavirāj Goswāmī explica:

বাহ্যে ৱিষ-জ্ৱালা হয, ভিতরে আনন্দ-ময,

কৃষ্ণ-প্রেমার অদ্ভুত ছরিত

bāhye viṣa-jvālā haya, bhitare ānanda-maya,

kṛṣṇa-premāra adbhuta charita

“La característica maravillosa del amor divino de Kṛṣṇa es que a pesar de que externamente, actúa como una lava ardiente, internamente es como dulce néctar que llena el corazón de gran gozo”.

“A pesar de que de que sentía gran dolor por la separación de Kṛṣṇa, aun así, en Su corazón, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu experimentaba el gozo extático más profundo. Los síntomas extáticos manifestados por Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu nunca se han hallado en la historia del mundo o expresado siquiera en ninguna escritura. En Él, hallamos la concepción máxima de la realidad última. Esto se explica en mi Prema-dhāma-deva-stotram (66):

आत्म-सिद्ध-सावलील-पूर्ण-सौख्य-लक्षणं

स्वानुभाव-मत्त-नृत्य-कीर्तनात्म-वण्टनम्

अद्वयैक-लक्ष्य-पूर्ण-तत्त्व-तत्-परात्परं

प्रेम-धाम-देवम् एव नौमि गौर-सुन्दरम्

ātma-siddha-sāvalīla-pūrṇa-saukhya-lakṣaṇaṁ

svānubhāva-matta-nṛtya-kīrtanātma-vaṇṭanam

advayaika-lakṣya-pūrṇa-tattva-tat-parātparaṁ

prema-dhāma-devam eva naumi gaura-sundaram

“Esta es la conclusión que conquista todo. La concepción suprema de la realidad última también ha de ser una forma suprema de ānanda, éxtasis. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu es Kṛṣṇa, extasiándose a Sí mismo, saboreando Su propia dulzura y bailando en gozo extático. Su propio Santo Nombre es la causa de Su éxtasis, expresado como danza, y el Santo Nombre es el efecto de Su éxtasis, expresado como canto. La causa es el efecto. El dínamo está creando energía extática la cual le hace bailar, y Su canto distribuye ese éxtasis a otros”.

 (30)

Bha: 11/5/33

श्री-चैतन्य-चरण-शरणे चिद्-एक-रस-विलास-लाभः॒—

संसारा-सिन्धु-तरणे हृदयं यदि स्यात् ।

सङ्किर्त्तनामृत-रसे रमते मानश्चेत्

प्रेमाम्बुधौ विहाराणे यदि चित्त-वृत्तिश्

चैतान्य-चन्द्र-चरणे शरणं प्रयतू॥३२॥

चैतन्य-चन्दामृत ८/९३

śrī-caitanya-caraṇa-śaraṇe cid-eka-rasa-vilāsa-lābhaḥ:—

saṁsārā-sindhu-taraṇe hṛdayaṁ yadi syāt |

saṅkirttanāmṛta-rase ramate mānaścet

premāmbudhau vihārāṇe yadi citta-vṛttiś

caitānya-candra-caraṇe śaraṇaṁ prayatū||32||

Caitanya-candāmṛta 8/93

El alma que está rendida a Srii Caitanya se sumerge y  surgen en el océano de rāsa.

Si, dentro de tu corazón, deseas cruzar el océano del saṁsāra y saborear el rasik amṛta del saṅkīrtana; si quieres abandonar el océano del nacimiento y muerto y retozar en el océano de prema, entonces ríndete a los pies de loto de Śrī Caitanya Candra. (31)

Caitanya-Candramṛta 8/93

षड्विधा शरणागतिः

आनुकुल्यसय सङ्कल्पः प्रातिकुल्य-विवर्ज्जनम्।

रक्षिष्यतिति विश्वासो गोपतृत्वे वारणं तथा

आतमनिक्षेपकार्पण्ये षड्विधा शरणगति: ।।३२।।

वैष्णवतन्त्र

ṣaḍvidhā śaraṇāgatiḥ

ānukulyasaya saṅkalpaḥ prātikulya-vivarjjanam|

rakṣiṣyatiti viśvāso gopatṛtve vāraṇaṁ tathā

ātamanikṣepakārpaṇye ṣaḍvidhā śaraṇagati: ||32||

vaiṣṇavatantra

Los seis pasos de śaraṇāgati

“Aceptar todo lo favorable, rechazar todo lo perjudicial, fe en la protección de Kṛṣṇa, y aceptarlo a Él como guardián, rendición total a Kṛṣṇa, y humildad, son los seis pasos de śaraṇāgati.” (32)

Vaisnava-Tantra

सा च कायामानोवाख्यै: साध्या--

तवास्मिति वदन् वाचा तथैव मनसा विदन्।

तात् स्थानामाश्रीतस्तन्वा मोदते शरणागातः ।।३३।।

वैष्णवतन्त्र

sā ca kāyā-māno-vākhyaiḥ: sādhyā--

tavāsmiti vadan vācā tathaiva manasā vidan|

tāt sthānāmāśrītastanvā modate śaraṇāgātaḥ ||33||

vaiṣṇavatantra

Śaraṇāgati ha de practicarse de pensamiento, palabra y obra.

A través de la palabra uno dice, “Soy tuyo”, al igual que en pensamiento, Y a través de los actos se toma un sitio en la morada divina, hallando gozo y refugio en la tierra sagrada de rendición. (33)

Vaisnava-Tantra

इति श्री-प्रपन्न-जीवनीमृते

श्री-शास्त्र-वच्नामृतं नाम द्वितीयो ‘ध्यायः

iti śrī-prapanna-jīvanīmṛte

śrī-śāstra-vacnāmṛtaṁ nāma dvitīyo ‘dhyāyaḥ

Y así termina el segundo capítulo del śrī-prapanna-jīvanīmṛta llamado śāstra-vacanāmṛta, el amrita de śāstric dichos o, el  "tónico divino de la palabra sagrada." 

स्री कृष्ण चैतन्य प्रभु नित्यानन्द श्री अद्वैत गदाधर श्रीवासदि गौर भक्त वृण्द

srī kṛṣṇa caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvāsadi gaura bhakta vṛṇda

What is Humility?

Prapanna-Jivanāmṛtam

तृतियोऽध्यायः

CHAPTER III

श्री भक्त वचनामृतम्

Śrī Bhakta-vacanāmṛtam

Soul-tonic:

 Words from the bhaktas

अनुकुल्यस्य सङ्कल्पः

तत्रा सम्पत्ति-चतुष्टयं परमानुकूलम्

tatrā sampatti-catuṣṭayaṁ paramānukūlam:

तृणादपि सुनीचेन तरोरिव सहिष्णुना ।

अमानिना मानदेन कीर्त्तनीयः सदा हरिः ॥

tṛṇād api sunīchena taror iva sahiṣṇunā

amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

“Never seek position or prestige from any quarter. At the same time, give honour to one and all according to your understanding.”  (3)

These Four Jewels are the treasure and the most favourable things:

“One who always takes the holy name of Hari must be:

1. Humbler than the grass

2. Tolerant as a tree.

3. Respectful to all

4. Free from ego.

In his book, Golden Volcano of Divine Love, Śrīdhara Mahārāja comments as follows:

We should mainly couch ourselves in this mood: 

we should think of ourselves as the meanest of the mean. Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur has given his analysis of the meaning of this verse as follows: even a blade of grass has its value, but we do not even have as much value as a blade of grass. 

We have no positive value. It is one thing if a man is not educated, but a madman is worse than uneducated. He can think—but only abnormally. 

Therefore, Śrīla Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur says, “I have some consciousness, some intelligence, but it is all misdirected. A blade of grass has no misdirection. When trampled upon, it has no tendency to spring back in the opposite direction. A blade of grass can be blown here and there by a storm, or by the external environment, but I will always be reluctant to go in a particular direction. If the waves of the environment want to take me in a particular direction, I’ll try to oppose them. If you really consider my value, my position is lower than a blade of grass because I “have an opposing tendency.”

When we want to bring ourselves in a closer relationship with the infinite goodness, we should think, “I have no value. Rather, my value is negative. It is my tendency to oppose the Lord’s grace. If Kṛṣṇa wants to grace me, I try to resist. I am constituted of such an element that I commit spiritual suicide. Kṛṣṇa comes to grace me, but I oppose Him: the energy that is within me tries for suicide. This is my position, but a blade of grass won’t oppose anyone. I have such a nasty position.” We must realise that we are in such a predicament. With this concern we may accept the goodness of the Absolute Truth in the form of His Holy Name.

We should not think that the path will be very smooth; so many troubles may come from outside. When the devotees go to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in the street, many people come and shout, “Hey, you monkeys! Red-faced monkeys!” So many forms of hindrances and opposition will come and try to affect us, to dissuade us from this path, but we must practise forbearance like that of a tree. 

Why has the “Why has the example of a tree been given? It has been analysed in this way: if no one pours any water on a tree, it does not protest, “Oh! Give me water!” If anyone comes to disturb the tree, snatching its leaves, cutting its branches, or even chopping it down, a tree remains silent; it gives no opposition. We should try to see how insult, poverty, punishment, or other unfavourable dealings are necessary to purify us, and with minimal punishment we shall be released from material existence.

Through Kṛṣṇa consciousness we have connected with the highest object of life, the highest fulfilment of life—what price are we ready to pay for that? It is inconceivable. Whatever little demands may be “exacted from us, we must accept with a smiling face, considering the highest goal. If we are really confident, if we have faith in our bright future, then we can gladly pay what little price nature wants to take from us.

Gaura Kishor Dās Babaji

Once, Śrīla Gaura Kiśor Dās Bābājī Mahārāj, the Spiritual Master of Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur, was going through the town of Nabadwīp begging a little rice from different houses. The village people sometimes attack or insult devotees, and as he was going to his quarters they did not spare even such an exalted soul. Some boys were pelting him with stones and throwing dirt at him, and he remarked, “Kṛṣṇa, You are cruelly dealing with me! I shall complain to Your mother Yaśodā about You."

That was his outlook, and in that way he harmonised everything. We should learn to see Kṛṣṇa in anything that comes to disturb or attack us. In philosophical calculation, of course, without God’s will nothing can happen. But in a concrete way, a devotee sees, “O Kṛṣṇa! You are backing these children, You are disturbing me, and I shall teach You a lesson. I know how to deal with You. I shall complain to Mother Yaśodā, and she will chastise You.”

The advanced devotees are established in the consciousness that Kṛṣṇa is behind everything, and they take everything in that way. This attitude is our beacon light, for it will guide us to adjust ourselves with those things that are apparently unfavourable to us. A sweet adjustment is found there, and so we are advised to be more tolerant than a tree. We may not give any opposition; still, opposition will come to disturb us. And we must forbear.

And we must show our respect to others. Prestige is the greatest and most subtle enemy of the devotee of Kṛṣṇa. Pride is the worst enemy for the devotee of Kṛṣṇa.  And pride ultimately takes one to the conclusion of the māyāvadīs, the monists. They say, “So ’ham: I am!” Not, “Dāso ’ham: I am subordinate”, but “I am of the Supreme Element; I am That: I am He”, eliminating from their consideration the fact that we are tiny and suffering in misery. All these practical things are ignored by the māyāvadīs, the impersonalists, but position, or ego (pratiṣṭhā), is our worst enemy. In this verse, we are advised to deal with prestige and position in a special way.

“Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu says, “You must not desire respect from anyone or even from the environment itself; at the same time, you must give prestige to everyone and everything in the environment according to its position. Show respect, but don’t desire any respect from outside.” We must be very particular about this, for pride is our hidden enemy, our worst enemy. If we can somehow avoid or conquer this enemy, we will be able to enter into the slave area of Kṛṣṇa and join those who have given their lives wholesale in sacrifice to Him. The general meaning of this verse is, “Never seek position or prestige from any quarter. At the same time, give honour to one and all according to your understanding.”

Humility must be adjusted or modified in its practical application. Once, when a Hare Kṛṣṇa Temple was attacked, a gun was used by the devotees to defend the Temple. Later there was a complaint among the local people. They said, “Oh, they are humble? They are tolerant? Why have they crossed the advice of Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu to be humbler than a blade of grass and more tolerant than a tree? They can’t be devotees!”

 So many complaints were coming to me, but I defended them by saying, “No, they have done rightly. The instruction to be humbler than a blade of grass means one should be humble to the devotee, not to a madman.”

The general class of men are ignorant. They are mad. They do not know what is good or bad, so their consideration has no value. Who is qualified to judge whether a devotee is offering respect to all and not expecting any for himself? Who will judge whether he is really humble and tolerant—madmen? Ignorant people? Have they any sense to judge who is humble, who is tolerant, and who is respectful to others? There must be a standard by which to judge humility. We are interested in the criterion given by higher thinkers, not the consideration of the ignorant masses.

Of course, anyone may deceive the “ordinary public with superficial humility. But a show of humility is not real humility. It must come from the heart, and it must have a real purpose. Everything—humility, tolerance, and pridelessness—must be considered by the judgement of a standard, normal person, not by the ignorant who are like elephants, tigers, and jackals. Should they be allowed to judge what is humility, what is audacity and impertinence? Of course not. Should a devotee think, “The Deity and the Temple is about to be molested, but I shall stand by and do nothing. I should be humble and tolerant. A dog is entering the Temple; I should show him respect?” No. This is not real humility.

We must have a normal conception of reality. We must not allow these anomalies to continue in the name of offering respects to others. We must not think that we may allow anyone to harm the devotees or “molest the Temple, that we shall allow the dog to enter the Temple, and by doing this we are humble and tolerant, we are showing all respects to others. We are not interested only in the physical meaning of the scriptures, but the real meaning.

That I am humble means that I am the slave of the slave of a Vaiṣṇava. With that consciousness we must proceed. If anyone comes to molest my master, I should first sacrifice myself, thinking, “Because I am of the least importance, my sacrifice is no loss; I must sacrifice myself to maintain the dignity of my Guru, the devotees, and my Lord and His family.”

We must always understand what is to be honoured. We offer our respects to the highest truth, the Lord of Lords; our dealings should be in consonance with that. If we always keep the highest conception of relativity within us, we will see “that we are the lowest. If there is danger to our guardians, we shall sacrifice ourselves. All of this should be taken into account when trying to understand the meaning of humility, not physical imitation—but genuine humility; it is a question of practical realisation. Fame and honour must be given to the Lord and His devotees, not to anyone else.

In the higher stages of devotion, of course, humility may have to be adjusted in another way for the paramahaṁsa bābājīs, the topmost swanlike saints who have given up all connection with this material world. But in the preaching stage, the second class devotee must accept things differently. As our Guru Mahārāj said, “Had I been in the role of a bābājī, a non-assertive, reclusive saint, I would have walked away from the place without offering any opposition. 

But when we are preaching and have taken the responsibility of leading so many souls to the domain of the Lord, our adjustment must be made accordingly.” Generally, we may be indifferent to those who are personally inimical to us, but when we preach on behalf of the Lord in an organised way, our duty changes: we cannot be indifferent to antagonists.

It is mentioned in the scriptures by Jīva Goswāmī that according to one’s own particular status, these things should be taken into consideration and the necessary things should be done. He has given his decision that if the devotee has a position of power, if he is a king, and if someone repeatedly blasphemes a real Vaiṣṇava, or saintly person, then the king should enforce corporal punishment by banishing the offender from his state or by cutting out his tongue (Vaiṣṇava nindaka jihvā hāta). That is not the duty for ordinary persons; if they act in such a way, there will be “a riot. We should not be eager to inflict physical punishment upon anyone.

Hanumān is a Vaiṣṇava, but he is seen to destroy so many lives. The same is true of Arjuna and so many other devotees. Even Kṛṣṇa and Rāmachandra are also seen to kill so many demons in war. Simply a physical show of meekness does not constitute the real meaning of humility. When there is an insult to the Guru or the Vaiṣṇavas, a devotee will oppose the blasphemers according to his might.

Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur, in one of his songs, says that we should not only tolerate the evil-doings of others and a disturbing environment, but we should do good to those by whom we are being tortured. The example is given of a tree. One who is cutting the tree gets shade and comfort from the tree even while cutting it down. In conclusion, he says that humility, mercy, respect for others, and renunciation of name and fame, are the four qualifications for chanting the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa.

We are the meanest of the mean. We should always be conscious that we are beggars. We should think, “Although I am a beggar, I’ve come to beg for the highest thing; let no disturbance dissuade me from my attempt.” At the same time, our attitude toward the environment should be respectful.

In this way, by becoming educated in the Kṛṣṇa conception of divinity, everyone should be given respect according to his position. It is the guiding instruction in the worship of the Holy Name (Nām-bhajan) that we must take the position of the slave of the slave of the slave of the Lord. 

If you want to chant the Name of Kṛṣṇa, then don’t waste your energy with the trifling things of this world. Don’t allow your attention to be disturbed by tiny acquisitions like prestige or gain which is relative to money or physical comfort. Remember, you are trying for the greatest thing, and all other things are very small in comparison to Kṛṣṇa consciousness. So, don’t waste your energy and valuable time. Be economical. You have the chance to achieve the highest goal of life.

Śrī Bhakta-vacanāmṛtam Soul-tonic: Words from the bhaktas

Prapanna-Jivanāmṛtam

तृतियोऽध्यायः

CHAPTER III

श्री भक्त वचनामृतम्

Śrī Bhakta-vacanāmṛtam

Soul-tonic:

 Words from the bhaktas
Acceptance of what is favorable

अनुकुल्यस्य सङ्कल्पः

Ānukūlyasya Saṅkalpaḥ

Accepting what is favourable to dedication...

कृष्णकार्ष्णग-साद-भक्ति-प्रपन्नत्वानुकुलके

कृत्यत्व-निश्चयश्चानुकुल्यसङ्कल्प उच्यते

kṛṣṇa-kārṣṇaga-sad-bhakti-, prapannatvānukūlyate

kṛtyatva-niścayaś-canu-, kūlya-saṅkalpa ucyate [1]

The spirit of "accepting whatever is favourable to kṛṣṇa-bhakti," is as follows: One should do whatever is helpful for the service of Śrī Kṛṣṇa and His devotees and whatever advances complete surrender. (1)

श्रीकृष्णसङ्किर्त्तनमेव तत्पदाश्रितानां परमानुकुलाम्-

चेतोदरपणमार्ज्जनं भवमहादावाग्निनिर्व्वमणं

श्रेयःकैरवचन्द्रिकाविताराणं विध्यावधुजिवनम्

आनन्दाम्बुधिवर्द्धनं प्रतिपदं पुणार्मृतास्वादनं

सर्व्वात्मस्नपनं परं विजयते श्रीकृष्णसङ्किर्त्तनम् ।।२।।

श्री श्री भगवतश्चैतन्यचन्द्रस्

Śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkirttanam eva ta-tpadāśritānāṁ paramānukulām-

Ceto-darapaṇa-mārjjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvvamaṇaṁ

śreyaḥ-kairava-candri-kāvitārāṇaṁ vidhyā-vadhu-jivanam

ānandām-budhi-varddhanaṁ pratipadaṁ puṇārmṛtās-vādanaṁ

sarvvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkirttanam ||2||

śrī śrī bhagavataś caitanya-candras

Of all things favorable to kṛṣṇa-bhakti the chanting of the holy name, (Śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkirttanam) is the best.

“The Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa

cleanses the mirror of the heart

and extinguishes the fire of misery

in the forest of birth and death.

“As the evening lotus blooms

in the moon’s cooling rays,

the heart begins to blossom

in the nectar of the Name.”

“And at last the soul awakens

to its real inner treasure

—a life of love with Kṛṣṇa.

“Again and again tasting nectar,

the soul dives and surfaces in

the ever-increasing ocean

of ecstatic joy.

“All phases of the self

of which we may conceive

are fully satisfied and purified,

and at last conquered by

the all-auspicious influence

of the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa.

All glories to the vibration of the holy name

 in śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkirttanam ”

(2)

Śrī Caitanyacandra

In his book,  The Golden Volcano of Divine Love,”  Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj explains: 

“Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu is the pioneer of Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtan. He said, “I have come to inaugurate the chanting of the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa, and that Name will reach every nook and corner of the universe (pṛthivīte āchhe yata nagarādi-grāma, sarvatra prachāra haibe Mora Nāma).”

What is the meaning of saṅkīrtan?

“Samyak means ‘full’, and kīrtan means ‘chanting’. Together, these two words form the word saṅkīrtan, which generally means ‘congregational chanting of the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa.’ But samyak means full not only in quantity but also in quality. Full quantity means extensive in number: congregational. Full quality means complete praise. Complete praise can only mean the glorification of Kṛṣṇa, and not any other gods.

So saṅkīrtan means complete kīrtan, a song in praise of the complete whole, the Absolute Truth; anything else is only a partial representation and therefore defective to a certain extent. Therefore, Kṛṣṇa should be praised. His glories should be chanted, for He is everything. He is the master, the dispenser of both good and bad, the Absolute Controller of everything. Everything is due to Him. The fulfilment of all life is reached in Him alone. ”

Just as a “horse may have reins to check his movements, but if let loose will run freely, praise which is unchecked by any mundane purpose will run straight towards the Supreme Cause, Kṛṣṇa.

The word śrī means Lakṣmī Devī: Kṛṣṇa’s potency. This means that in saṅkīrtan, Kṛṣṇa is worshipped along with His potency, for Kṛṣṇa’s potency is included within Him.

Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu says that Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtan should thrive throughout the world; it should be victorious without any hindrance (paraṁ vijayate Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam). It should be a spontaneous, unchecked, and natural flow. It should be exclusive, independent, and without reservation. And this praise of Kṛṣṇa should be congregationally chanted—that vibration is beneficial for the whole world. Only by surrender and pure devotion can we take to Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtan.”

What are the different stages through which we will pass while chanting the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa? The first stage is that it cleanses the mirror of the mind. If the mirror of the mental system is covered with dust, we cannot see things clearly, and scriptural advice cannot be properly reflected there. What are the different kinds of dust covering the mirror of the mind? Our infinite, fleeting, and organised desires are considered dust, and our hearts and minds are covered with layers and layers of this dust. Therefore we cannot see things properly; they cannot properly reflect in our mind because it is covered with the infinite ordinary desires of this mundane world (bhukti-mukti-siddhi-kāmī—sakali ‘aśānta’).

So the first effect of Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtan is the cleansing of the mind. The Vedic social system (varnāśrama-dharma) has been formed for this purpose. If we discharge our social duties perfectly, without any attraction for the consequences, we achieve purification of our consciousness—but the first installment of Nām-saṅkīrtan gives us the end result of varnāśram-dharma: purification of the heart and mind. Then we can understand Vedic advice properly.

The next effect of chanting the Holy Name is that it extinguishes the fire of material existence in the forest of repeated birth and death. We are forced to come into creation and again die. The mundane wave catches the soul which mingles with that vibration in different stages. That is stopped by the second effect of Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtan, and we become liberated.

With the first stride, the intelligence is purified. With the second stride, the Holy Name effects liberation “from the great conflagration of threefold miseries. The threefold miseries are ādhyātmik: miseries within the body and mind, such as disease and mental anxiety; ādhibhautik: miseries from our neighbours: man, beasts, insects, and so many other living beings; and ādhidaivik: natural catastrophes like famine, flood, and earthquake. We have to suffer from these three kinds of miseries which burn in our heart like fire. But everything is extinguished forever by the second stride of Nām-saṅkīrtan which gives us relief.

The next stage is śreyaḥ-kairava-chandrikā-vitaraṇam: the Holy Name bestows upon us the supreme goal of life. After doing away with these two negative engagements, our positive engagement begins and ultimately takes us to reality, to the real truth, which is eternal, auspicious, “and beautiful. It takes us to that auspiciousness which is above this world of difficulty, and in a general way we achieve the supreme goal, the highest auspiciousness, the greatest good from chanting the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa. If we analyse this scrutinisingly, we find that in this stage, the Holy Name takes us to an intimate personal relationship with Kṛṣṇa which includes neutrality, servitude, friendship, and filial affection (śānta, dāsya, sakhya, and vātsalya rasa). Śreyaḥ covers the grace of Nityānanda Prabhu, for it is by His grace that we may be allowed to worship Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa in Vṛndāvan (Nitāiyer karuṇā habe Vraje Rādhā Kṛṣṇa pābe).

The next stage is vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam. The Holy Name prepares us for the wholesale surrender to Kṛṣṇa that is found in conjugal love (madhura-rasa), where the devotees surrender themselves infinitely at the disposal of Kṛṣṇa.”

“The next stage is ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. When we come to the proper level while chanting the Name of Kṛṣṇa, we find the transcendental ocean that is above all sorts of experience. The Name comes to assert Himself over us according to the degree of our surrender, and when our surrender is complete, we feel a new type of ecstatic joy; we experience an infinite ocean of joy which is not static, but always dynamic. There we find new life and a new type of blissfulness. It never becomes stale or static, but at every moment gives us a taste of the infinite ocean of ecstasy.

The last effect is that our entire existence is purified. This kind of enjoyment does not pollute—it purifies. Enjoyment means exploitation. Mundane enjoyment creates a reaction“tion and pollution attacks the enjoyer, but here, because Kṛṣṇa is the aggressor, the result is purification. All enjoyment that comes from the centre, from the autocratic desire of Kṛṣṇa, purifies us completely.

In this verse, the words sarvātma-snapanam mean that all different phases of the self which may be conceived are fully satisfied and purified at once by chanting the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa. And there is another meaning of sarvātma-snapanam. If we praise Kṛṣṇa congregationally, we will be purified according to our capacity. Both the singer and the audience as well as anyone who comes in connection with the transcendental sound will be purified. Snapanam means ‘purifying’. That vibration purifies everyone and everything that comes in touch with it.

So Mahāprabhu says, “Go on with saṅkīrtan, the congregational chanting of the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa.” Of “course, saṅkīrtan must be genuine, so association with saints is necessary. It is not an empirical attempt. We are attempting to have a connection with the higher, unconditioned realm which can descend to help us here. We must have that connection with higher reality, for that is all-important. The Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa is not mere physical sound; it is not lip-deep only, but it has a greater and higher aspect (Nāmākṣara bāhirāya baṭe tabu Nāma kabhu naya). It is all spiritual. We are in the marginal plane of existence, so some higher connection is necessary in order that the wave will descend from that higher realm and come to us and spread its influence outside as well.

Wherever it goes, the saṅkīrtan of the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa will produce these sevenfold results. This is the purport of Mahāprabhu’s first verse. The first effect is that the Holy Name cleanses the soul which “s attacked by the dirt of desires from the mundane world. By the second effect it gives mukti, liberation, perfect independence from material forces. The third effect brings real fortune: the opening of the soul’s treasure. The innate resources of the soul are gradually awakened by the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa. Here, Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu includes the other forms of relationship with the Personal Absolute. In describing the next step, He takes the mood of conjugal devotion, where one is absolutely disposed for Kṛṣṇa’s enjoyment, unconditionally surrendering everything for His maximum pleasure.

The next effect is the tasting of His ecstatic association. In Vṛndāvan, the realm of Kṛṣṇa, one who can chant the Name of Kṛṣṇa properly will express himself with a peculiar sort of ego:

तुण्डे ताण्डविनी रतिं वितनुते तुण्डावली-लब्धये

कर्ण-क्रोड-कडम्बिनी घटयते कर्णार्बुदेभ्यः स्पृहाम्

छेतः-प्राङ्गण-सङ्गिनी विजयते सर्वेन्द्रियाणां कृतिं

नो जाने जनिता कियद्भिर् अमृतैः कृष्णेति वर्ण-द्वयी

tuṇḍe tāṇḍavinī ratiṁ vitanute tuṇḍāvalī-labdhaye

karṇa-kroḍa-kaḍambinī ghaṭayate karṇārbudebhyaḥ spṛhām

chetaḥ-prāṅgaṇa-saṅginī vijayate sarvendriyāṇāṁ kṛtiṁ

no jāne janitā kiyadbhir amṛtaiḥ kṛṣṇeti varṇa-dvayī

“When the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa appears on the lips of a devotee, it begins madly dancing. Then the Name takes over and handles him as if the person to whom the lips belong loses all control over his lips, and the devotee says, ‘With one mouth, how much can I gather the ecstasy of the Holy Name? I need millions of mouths to taste its unlimited sweetness. I’ll never feel any satisfaction by chanting with only one mouth.’”

When the sound ‘Kṛṣṇa’ enters the ear, he feels that transcendental sound awakens in his heart. “What are two ears?” he thinks. “This is the greatest injustice of the creator—I need millions of ears! Then, if I could hear the sweet Name of Kṛṣṇa, my heart might be a little satisfied. I want millions and millions of ears to hear the sweet Name of Kṛṣṇa.” This is the temperament of a devotee when his attention is drawn towards the Holy Name. Then he faints; he loses himself, merging in an ocean of ecstasy and joy. And in great disappointment he says, “I failed to understand the quality and quantity of the substance of Kṛṣṇa’s Name. I am perplexed. What sort of honey sweetness does this Name contain?” In this way, the chanter of the Name wonders.

This has been taught to us by Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, who said, “Properly chant the Holy Name, the sound representation of absolute sweetness.” That sweetness is also to be found in the flute-song of the Lord. The sound of Kṛṣṇa’s flute has the great mystic power of capturing and pleasing everyone and everything. Upon hearing the sound of Kṛṣṇa’s flute, the Yamunā’s current is paralysed. The sweet sound of Kṛṣṇa’s flute attracts the trees, the birds, and the beasts. Everything is astounded by contacting the sweet vibration from Kṛṣṇa’s flute.

Sound vibration can work miracles; sound has the highest capturing potency. Sound can make or mar. It can do anything; it has such intrinsic capacity. It comes from the subtlemost plane, beyond the ether. That universal sound is absolute sweetness and goodness. How much power is there—how it can capture us! Like a blade of grass, we may be played by the current of that sweet ”

“sound in such a way that we cannot even trace out our own personality. We may lose ourselves there, but we do not die; the soul is eternal. Diving, up and down, we are played by the current of the sweet sound. We are less qualified than a straw, a blade of grass, and the Kṛṣṇa sound is so big and so sweet that it can play us in any way it likes. We cannot begin to conceive how much power is in the Name, the sound which is identical with absolute goodness and sweetness.

Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu says, “Don’t neglect the sound which is one and the same with Kṛṣṇa.” Absolute sweetness and goodness—everything is there within the Holy Name. And the Holy Name is representing itself to us in a very cheap way: nothing is required to purchase it—no money, no physical energy. All these things are unnecessary. What is required? Sincerity.”

“One who simply takes this divine sound sincerely will be so enriched that no one will be able to conceive of so much goodness and development. And anyone may have it very cheaply, but one must chant sincerely with his whole heart. Of course, wholehearted sincerity presupposes going to a proper agent, a saint, and getting the Holy Name from him.

Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtan is praised by Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, the inaugurator of the saṅkīrtan movement who came as Rādhā-Govinda combined. His advice is most valuable and necessary to tell us that with a sincere spirit we must come to join this Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtan, the most purifying transcendental sound, which effects liberation, gives all fulfilment, and grants us such a positive attainment that we lose ourselves in the ocean of joy and inconceivable sweetness.”

“This is Śrīman Mahāprabhu’s grace, and He proclaims, “Let Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtan be expanded into this mortal world, that it may benefit everyone infinitely, for this is the highest and greatest benefit for the whole world. It is all-comprehensive. It releases us from all sorts of troubles, establishing us in the highest position of attainment.”

And in this present degraded Age of Kali, only Nām-saṅkīrtan can help us. Of course, Nām-saṅkīrtan is “beneficial in all ages, but it is especially recommended in Kali-yuga, because in this age all other attempts will be opposed by many forces. Nām-saṅkīrtan cannot be opposed by the troubles and waves of this material world, so one must adopt it. If we exclusively give ourselves to this, we will gain the highest fulfilment of life. There is no necessity of any other campaign, for they are all defective and partial. But the most universal, captivating, and beneficial thing is Nām-“saṅkīrtan, which takes us to the highest goal. That alone can satisfy everyone.

All souls that are now disconnected from Kṛṣṇa may be helped in this way. No other movement is necessary. Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu tells us, “Exclusively devote yourself to this. It is all-embracing and all-fulfilling. And you can achieve it with the least trouble and least energy. Let it flourish in this Kali-yuga—let it flourish for the welfare of the whole universe, to re-establish all souls in their normal position.”

In the last verse of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam the conclusion of the book is given as follows:

नाम-सङ्कीर्तनं यस्य सर्व-पाप-प्रणाशनम्

प्रणामो दुःख-शमनस् तं नमामि हरिं परम्

nāma-saṅkīrtanaṁ yasya sarva-pāpa-praṇāśanam

praṇāmo duḥkha-śamanas taṁ namāmi hariṁ param

“enjoyment and liberation are also included as anomalies, sinful activities. Why is liberation considered sinful? Because it is an abnormal condition; our natural function is to serve Kṛṣṇa, but we do not do that in salvation. Mere salvation does not include service to Kṛṣṇa, so that is an abnormal position and therefore it is also a sin. To ignore our natural duty and stand aloof cannot but be sinful.”

The concluding verse of the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam says, “Kṛṣṇa’s Holy Name can relieve us from all undesirable sinfulness, all filthy characteristics, and all miseries. Let us all bow down to Him.” Uttering this verse, the Śrīmad Bhāgavatam stops; that great treatise becomes silent. The last word in the Bhāgavatam is Nām-saṅkīrtan. The Bhāgavatam has given such great “importance to chanting the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa, and Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu developed it from there. The last publication of the compiler of Vedic literatures, Śrīla Vyāsadev, took theism to that stage, and gave it to the public announcing, “Chant the Name of Kṛṣṇa! Do this; nothing more is necessary. Take this!” This is the very conclusion of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam, the greatest spiritual gift of Vyāsadev: “Chant the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa and begin your life in this dark age with the most broad and wide theistic conception.”

We may consider ourselves fortunate that we have come to the verge of this most generous and useful thought, that we have come close enough to touch it, to accept it, and float ourselves in its waves according to our capacity. After passing through so many conceptions and “the charm of different prospects, we have left them all behind and have come to the shore of the ocean of Nām-saṅkīrtan. Now we may throw our bodies in this ocean and begin to swim in the waves of Nām-saṅkīrtan, the nectar of the nectarean, by the grace of our Guru and the mercy of the Vaiṣṇavas.

It is their property, and we are their slaves. We have such audacity to throw our body into this ocean of Nām-saṅkīrtan and swim in that nectarean ocean! Swimming in Rādhā Kuṇḍa, the highest conception of spiritual attainment, can also be found in the highest form of Nām-saṅkīrtan. This verse represents the positive side of the unlimited ocean of Śrī Kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtan. The next verse explains the negative possibilities.”

“Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur has given his Sanskrit commentary on the Śikṣāṣṭakam, as well as his Bengali translation, and his is a most original presentation. Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur Prabhupād has also given his commentary on the Śikṣāṣṭakam. They should be carefully studied in order to understand these points more completely. In these talks, however, I am simply coming out with whatever I feel in my heart. Whatever comes to my mind on these verses, I am expressing, and that is the outcome of what I have collected from Śrīla Bhakti Siddhānta Saraswatī Ṭhākur, ”

“Bhakti Vinod Ṭhākur, Rūpa Goswāmī, Sanātan Goswāmī, Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu, and all the predecessor Āchāryas. By their grace that is gathered in my storehouse, and I am trying to give the gist of these things.”

Excerpt From: Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj. “The Golden Volcano of Divine Love.” Edited by Bhakti Sudhir Goswāmī and Bhakti Vidhan Mahāyogi and published by Guardian of Devotion Press.