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Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Romance Hindu XVIII La Incredible y Triste Historia de un Amor Prohibido Por los Dioses:

Mahābharata
Una versión de
Michael Dolan, B.V. Mahāyogi

Romance Hindu XVIII
La Incredible y Triste Historia de un Amor Prohibido Por los Dioses:
Nala y Damayanti





Aterrorizada y avergonzada Damayanti huyó a la sombra del bosque. Allí encontró una senda que serpenteaba hasta el otro lado del lago, en donde no había flores, sino únicamente zarzas y espinas. Sus pies descalzos sangraban al pisar la senda rocosa.
“¿Por qué estoy tan maldita? ¿Estarán los dioses tan enojados conmigo? ¿Cuál es mi pecado? Recién conozco a estos hombres cuando son masacrados por elefantes enloquecidos. Pero mi maldita vida fue salvada para que pase más tiempo en sufrimiento. Nadie muere antes de tiempo, dicen. Y sin embargo, ni siendo niña hice algo tan pecaminoso que pudiera causar esta terrible reacción. He de haber ofendido a los dioses en mi swayambvara. Los rechacé por Nala. Tal vez si hubiera escogido a un dios por esposo, no me hallaría en este bosque terrible. Pero cómo podría haber escogido de otro modo. Nala es mi destino”.
Y así, lamentándose de su destino, Damayanti siguió caminando hasta el atardecer. Y conforme avanzaba llegó hasta donde el camino se elevaba un poco, pudo ver, brillando a la distancia las torres de piedra de la ciudad de Suvahu el rey buscador de la verdad de los Chedis. Al fin.
“¿A dónde ha ido ella?”  El enano mágico
Brihadaswa dijo, “Tarde en la noche, Jivala pasaba por los establos, pudo ver que la luz parpadeante de una vela a través de la ventana. Se aproximó y escuchó el sonido quejos de un laúd, acompañado de una voz baja y ronca. El enano cantaba.
Curioso, Jivala se aproximó a la ventana. Pudo ver que el enano tocaba un curioso instrumento musical. Cuando escuchaba, pudo oír la canción de Vahuka que cantaba una balada triste y original acerca de un rey que perdió su imperio. “Qué canción tan extraña,” pensó el rey.  Atravesó las puertas de los establos y entró calladamente, pero cuando se acercaba, el enano dejó de cantar y bajó su laúd.
“Vahuka” dijo Jivala. “No te detengas. Sólo he venido a barrer los establos. Debo confesar, que nos has sorprendido a todos. Nunca pensé que pudieras ganar la carrera al rey de Aydhya. Y todos los invitados de la corte están satisfechos. Los brahmanes ahí  reunidos nunca habían probado comida tan sabrosa. Tu festín fue un éxito. Y todos hablan acerca de la carrera de caballos, te has hecho de una gran reputación aquí en Ayodhya, mi pequeño enano querido. Y ahora resulta que tocas el laúd. Siento interrumpirte, señor. Por favor continúa tu canción”.

Y Vahuka el enano miró a su amigo Jivala. Tomó de nuevo su laúd. Dijo, “Muy bien, mi señor. No soy un gran cantante. Pero mi canción cuenta una historia antigua. Tal vez la has escuchado antes. Y cantó a Jivala la extraña balada de un reino lejano, en donde gobernaba un rey grande y noble. Que estaba casado con una hermosa princesa, que lo había elegido de entre los dioses.
Reinó pacíficamente durante doce años, pero un día, el rey rompió un ekadasi, y cayó bajo la influencia de un demonio, Kali. Poseído por el demonio jugó a los dados y perdió su reino. Exiliado en el bosque, abandonó a su mujer, fue mordido por el príncipe serpiente, y se convirtió en un enano feo, destinado a entrenar caballos.
Cuando terminó Jivala estaba asombrado. “¿Qué significaría?” pensó. “¿Estaba Vahuka contando su vida en una canción? ¿Estaba maldito o poseído por algún demonio extraño?”
“Es una canción extraña”, dijo. “Y tan triste, ¿tú la compusiste?”.
Vahuka sonrió. “Como todas las baladas tristes, esta cuenta una historia increíble, y sin embargo me recuerda a alguien y la melodía no tiene mérito”.
“Pero tú has viajado por muchos sitios”, dijo Jivala, sospechando que Vahuka no estaba contando toda la historia. “¿Has conocido alguna vez a alguien como este rey que apostó su imperio a los dados?”
“Esas cosas sólo ocurren en las baladas, amigo mío”, dijo el misterioso enano. Sonrió ampliamente, mostrando sus dientes rotos entre su barba negra como el carbón y deslizó el plectro de marfil entre las cuerdas y puso a un lado su laúd. “Me da gusto que la gente disfrutara del festín. ¿Qué desea su señoría para el desayuno?
“Es una balada tan triste. Ha de haber algo de verdad en ella”, dijo Jivala quien estaba parado en la puerta del establo, apoyado en su escoba.
“Bueno, de acuerdo a los poetas, las canciones más dulces cantan las cosas más tristes”.
“Sí, pero la canción parece personal para ti. ¿Qué sucede con el enano?”
“Oh las viejas baladas están llenas de enanos y dragones, Nagas, yakshas y rakshasas. No debes tomártelo muy en serio. Seguramente fue compuesta por poetas para asustar a los niños para que vayan temprano a la cama. Hay muchas canciones así”.
“¿Conoces alguna otra?” dijo Jivala.
“Oh, está bien. Si quieres”. Dijo el enano. Levantó su laúd y tomó el plectro de entre las cuerdas. Una vez más empezó a tocar y cantar:
क्व नु सा क्षुत्पिपासार्ता श्रान्ता शेते तपस्विनी
स्मरन्ती तस्य मन्दस्य कं वा साद्योपतिष्ठति

kva nu sā kṣutpipāsārtā śrāntā śete tapasvinī |
smarantī tasya mandasya kaṃ vā sādyopatiṣṭhati ||

“¿En dónde está ella, desgastada y cansada?  En dónde está, hambrienta y sedienta y desgarrada por la penitencia. ¿En dónde descansa?
¿Recuerda al tonto que la abandonó? ¿A quién sirve ahora? ¿A dónde ha ido?
Y Jivala dijo, “¿Tal vez tú eres el esposo de la señora?”
La canción habla de un hombre que perdió el sentido. La mujer es impecable. Pero el tonto la deja, poseído por un fantasma. Y vaga, atormentado por el sufrimiento.
El desgraciado hizo falsas promesas. No puede descansar ni de día ni de noche. Y entonces por las noches, la recuerda, cantando esta canción, ‘Oh ¿a dónde ha ido?’ ¿quieres escucharla toda?”
Tócala” dijo Jivala-
Y retomando el tema, Vahuka cantó,
Tras vagar por todo el mundo, el miserable no podía dormir en la noche.
Poseído por Kali, su mente se consume de miedo.
Meditar y cantar este verso con pena, le da un poco de alivio.
Oh a dónde, oh a dónde se ha ido mi señora; la dejó como un ladrón.
Abandonada en el bosque oscuro, en el bosque solitario y aterrador.
¿Oh a dónde, oh a dónde ha ido mi señora? ¿Vive? ¿O ha muerto?
Muerta al amor que alguna vez nos tuvimos, ¿perdida como presa de las bestias?
Oh a dónde ha ido. ¿Por dónde vaga?


Su señor se ha ido.



Bhava-tattva: definitions

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Saraswati Ṭhakura

শ্রী গৌड़िয-কন্ঠহার

Gaudiya Kanṭhahāra:

The Jeweled Necklace of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas
18th Jewel

NĀMA-TATTVA

The Ontology of  Bhāva, Divine Love

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

The Definition of Bhāva

१८.१
शुद्ध-सत्त्व-विशेषात्मा प्रेम सूर्यांशु- साम्यभाक्
रुचिभिश्-चित्तत्मा सृण्यकृद्-असौ भाव उच्यते

18.1
śuddha-sattva-viśeṣātmā prema sūryāṁśu- sāmyabhāk
rucibhiś-cittatmā sṛṇyakṛd-asau bhāva ucyate 

As bhakti develops beyond the stage of ruci, and the heart, mind, and intellect are softened by divine love, one comes to the stage known as bhāva-bhakti. This transcendental stage is beyond the modes of material nature, and is saturated
with the qualities of śuddha-sattva: transcendental goodness. At that time one's heart becomes illuminated like the sun, for bhāva- bhakti is like a ray of premabhakti.

(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.3.1) 

Tuesday, March 29, 2016

Śridhara Mahārāja on the 10 offences to the holy name



Since going through the Gaudiya-Kanthahara on Nama-tattva, I thought the readers would profit by hearing the mature version of Śrīdhara Mahārāja explaining the  glories and ten offences to the holy name. 

This is an excerpt from:

The Search
For
Śrī Kṛṣṇa
 
Reality The Beautiful
 
 
His Divine Grace
Śrīla Bhakti Rakṣak
Śrīdhar Dev-Goswami Mahārāj



Excerpt From: Swami B.R. Sridhar. “The Search For Śrī Krishna.” iBooks. 











Before chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, we must first chant the Pañcha-tattva mantra:

শ্রী কৃষ্ণ ছৈতন্য প্রভু নিত্যানন্দ
শ্রী অদ্ৱৈত গদাধর শ্রীৱাসাদি গৌর-ভক্ত-ৱৃন্দ

śrī kṛṣṇa chaitanya prabhu nityānanda
śrī advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi gaura-bhakta-vṛnda

The Pañcha-tattva, or five features of the Absolute Truth, came to give the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra to the fallen devotees of this age, so they are the general representation of Guru for us. They help us to enter into the domain of Kṛṣṇa and also the plane of Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu.
After chanting the Pañcha-tattva mantra, we should count on the beads of the japa-mālā and chant the mahā-mantra:

हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे
हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

While counting beads and chanting the holy name, the beads should be placed inside a cloth bag, and the index finger, which is generally considered inauspicious, should not touch the beads, but should remain outside the bag. Generally we use the thumb and middle finger to count. One should chant sixteen rounds, as recommended by Bhaktivedanta Swāmī Mahārāj, but if there is any emergency, he must chant at least four rounds; the mālā should not be kept fasting.

In the process of counting, we begin from the bigger beads and go towards the smaller, and again return in the same line. The giant bead in the center is called Mount Sumeru. We must not cross over that.

This harināma mahā-mantra is found in the Upaniṣads, as well as in the Agni Purāṇa and the Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa. In the Kalisantaraṇa Upaniṣad, it is recommended as the highest mantra, and scholars have mentioned this mantra as a means of address only; no appeal should be attached to that.

This Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is the yuga dharma nāma, or the process of God realization especially meant for the present age, Kali-yuga. We find the mahā-mantra mentioned everywhere in the Purāṇas. This mantra can be chanted silently, mentally, and aloud. It has been given to us by Mahāprabhu as the general recommendation for the fallen souls. He has given it for all, whether they are qualified or unqualified. The only condition for receiving it is śraddhā, faith.

It is mentioned in the Padma Purāṇa that there are ten kinds of offenses we must try to avoid in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. There are“There are also four kinds of nāmābhāsa, or apathetic chanting, which will not give us entrance into the domain of mercy. Mere liberation will be effected by that kind of invocation.



These two improper kinds of chanting stem from our tendencies for exploitation and renunciation. We must chant the name with the spirit of service and avoid the ten offenses.

The First Offense is to abuse the devotees who are the agents of spreading the greatness and nobility of the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa. If we abuse and dishonor His agents, then the name is dissatisfied. Only the devotees of Kṛṣṇa are real saints, because they are after eternal life. Those persons who worship demigods for temporary gain are not considered saints. They may be neglected, for they are not devotees. Saint means Vaiṣṇava, or devotee. All others, such as the worshipers of demigods, are not considered saints. We avoid them. A saint is one who has no ambition in his life but to have a connection of loving service with the Supreme Lord. Only those who are agents of eternal truth, absolute good, are to be considered saintly. We should not abuse such saintly persons.


The Second Offense concerns how we should treat the demigods, including Śiva, Śakti, the Sun-god, and others. They are not to be considered equal to or greater than Viṣṇu, or Kṛṣṇa. They are under Him, and they are all inferior to Him. They are given engagements by the Supreme Lord, Kṛṣṇa, and they have to discharge their duties according  “and they have to discharge their duties according to His order. They are never equal or superior to Kṛṣṇa.

The Third Offense is to consider the Guru a human being. Although so many human symptoms may be found in him, still, according to our sincerity to meet Godhead, the Lord descends and represents Himself in the Guru to satisfy our hunger for the truth. We must see him as the agent of the Lord. It has been advised to us in a general way not to think of the Guru as a mortal being, because if our attempt to attain the Absolute is sincere, then He will also come to us to deliver us. God is omniscient, so through a particular agent who acts as His representative, He comes here to accept us and take us up to the higher plane. We are ordered by the advice of the scriptures to see the Guru as the representative of the Absolute, because none can give us Kṛṣṇa but He Himself.
God’s presence should be perceived in our Gurudeva. We should see that God has come to give Himself to us. Generally we find mortal signs in “in the body of the spiritual master, but we must transcend that. The Ganges water may be filthy in external appearance, but still the dirty Ganges water can purify us by its touch. To our material senses the Deity seems to be wood, stone, or earth, but that is our polluted vision. Kṛṣṇa is there, and sometimes He is seen to walk and to talk with devotees of a higher order. We must not think that He is made of material stuff. When we go and stand before the Deity, we should not think that we can see Him, but that He is seeing us. He is in the subjective plane; I am His object.
He is mercifully seeing us to purify us. In this way our vision must be adjusted. Kṛṣṇa was killed by a hunter; the atheists will interpret that it was an ordinary incident, but it is not so. Sītā was stolen by Rāvaṇa. This is all external, all illusory. The real truth is above, in the transcendental realm. So, we are requested by the expert transcendentalists and by the śāstra to see that our Gurudeva is above these mortal signs. Kṛṣṇa says:

āchāryaṁ māṁ vijānīyān
“nāvanmanyeta karhichit
na martya-buddhyāsūyeta
sarva-deva-mayo guruḥ

“I Myself am the āchārya. Do not think that the Guru is an ordinary man. I myself reside within the heart of Gurudeva with all My parts and parcels, for the benefit of the disciple.”

The Fourth Offense is śāstra nindā: blaspheming the śāstra, the scriptures. Of course this means those scriptures which are concerned with praising ”

“the greatness and nobility of Kṛṣṇa, not others. We must not abuse those scriptures that instruct us about God and His devotees, and teach us the eternal good.


The Fifth Offense is to interpret the holy name of Kṛṣṇa with the help of the dictionary and grammar, to find diverse meanings in the words of the name. The sound is transcendental. The dictionary, grammar, and any other books of mundane knowledge cannot limit or qualify the holy name. Above the material sound of the name is the transcendental sound within (śabda-brahma). The name itself is the Supreme Person incarnate by His own free will. He is inseparable from His name and fully present in His sound form.

The vaikuṇṭha śabda, transcendental sound, is different from the mundane sound that can be produced by the tongue and lips. In homeopathic medicine, all the globules are apparently the same, but the potency within is all-important. It is something like that. The ordinary sound of the name, and the sound vibrated by a pure devotee come from different planes. The difference is in the potency within. The holy name descends from the spiritual world and  “and comes to express itself by dancing on the tongue. The transcendental sound of the holy name is inseparably connected with the person whom it represents.

The Sixth Offense is to consider the glories of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa to be a concoction.


The Seventh Offense is to sin on the strength of the holy name. The scriptures declare that one name is sufficient to clear all the sins one can commit, so if we go on indulging, committing many sins with the idea that we will chant one name to cleanse the sin, it will be an offense to the name, and not the name proper. We cannot try to utilize Him for our service; He is above all this māyā.

The real name will not appear there. We must not think, “I can do anything and everything, and the name will purify me.” It is written in the scriptures that if you go on with this spirit it will be suicidal.


The Eighth Offense is to think that chanting the holy name is another pious activity like penance, pilgrimage, giving in charity, service to the country, and so on. If we think lightly of the holy name in this way, then we commit an offense, because the holy name is absolute and these other processes have only a partial, relative position. Other processes are partial; they award some success in this mundane world, but the name can give the Lord Himself. So, no other process of purification can hold the same position as chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. It is supreme and none can come close to it.


The Ninth Offense is to give the name to those who do not deserve it, who have no faith in chanting the name. If you press them to chant the holy name, a bad reaction will come to you. Also, without getting “ any inspiration, we should not make disciples and give harināma initiation. We will commit offense against the name if we make a business or trade with name-giving. If we give the name to anyone and everyone, out of greed for becoming a Guru, then it will be an offense. Without sanction from above, if one runs to become a Guru to get name and fame with some mundane purpose, then it is a great offense.


The tenth offense is to be too much addicted to a particular thing, or to have too much affinity towards the body and bodily wealth. When a boat is anchored, rowing will simply move the boat around the anchor. The anchor must be taken up, and then the boat can move forward. So, we must not anchor “ourselves down with a particular thing. We must be open. The name will create some transformation within the mental system, and we must be open and unprejudiced enough to go where the name will send us. If we carefully try to avoid that transformation and stick to our present life, that is an offense against the name: to invite Him, and then ignore Him.

We must not accept the name as a foreign thing: He is our friend. We should be quite at home with Him. We are going to attain a very soothing and friendly connection by the realization of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, which is all-good, all-beautiful, and all-charming. By chanting the holy name we will attain our most desirable end of life and go back to God, back to home, and not to any foreign country.

We must take the name in a friendly, affectionate way. The name is the only object of our love. He is our friend, and not any anti-party. So, the name will take us home — not to any foreign land. That is our sweet home, and He is our sweet guardian. With this spirit, we shall  “we shall go on chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa.

These are the ten offenses to be avoided in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra: Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare, Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare.”



April Index for Gaudiya Kantahara: Updates



শ্রী গৌड़िয-কন্ঠহার

Gaudiya Kanṭhahāra:

The Jeweled Necklace of the Gaudiya Vaishnavas

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

Table of Contents



1st Jewel:

Guru-tattva: On the nature of guru http://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2015/12/gaudiya-kanthahara-gaudiya-kantha-hara.html

2nd Jewel:

Bhagavat-tattva: On the nature of the Bhagavad Purana or Śrīmad Bhagavatam and its excellence as the summum bonus of all scriptural evidence.

 http://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2015/12/the-bhagavata.html

3rd Jewel:

Vaishnava-tattva 

On the nature and qualities of the true devotees of Kṛṣṇa

http://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2015/12/third-jewel-of-gaudiya-kanthahara.html

4th Jewel: 

Gaura-tattva: On the nature of the avatar of Śrī Chaitanya Mahāprabhu

6th Jewel: 

Advaita-tattva: On the nature of Śrī Advaita

http://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2015/12/sixth-jewel-adwaita-tattva.html


7th Jewel: 

Kṛṣṇa-Tattva: The Ontology of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Reality the Beautiful.

http://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2016/01/krishna-tattva-complete.html

8th Jewel: Shakti-tattva The Ontology of Divine Energy

http://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2016/01/ontology-of-energy-8th-jewel.html

9th Jewel: Bhagavad-rasa-tattva

The Ontology of rasa, or the humours and mellows of divine love, according to scriptural authorities

http://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2016/02/bhagavad-rasa-tattva.html

10th Jewel: Jiva-tattva the qualities and ontology of the atma and its relationship to the Paramatma according to the different sampradayashttp://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2016/02/the-ontology-of-soul.html

11th Jewel: Acintya-Bhedābheda-tattva http://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2016/02/oneness-ontology-of-being.html


13th Jewel: Sādhana-bhakti-tattva: http://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2016/02/ontology-of-sadhana-bhakti-complete.html




14th Jewel: Varṇa-dharma-tattva: http://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2016/02/14th-jewel-complete-topmost-human-beings.html

15th Jewel: Āśram-dharma tattva: http://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2016/03/gaudiya-kanthahara-15th-jewe-ashram.html

16th Jewel: Śradd-tattva under construction 

17th Jewel: http://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2016/03/gaudiya-kanthahara-17th-jewel-nama.html

18th Jewel: http://mexpostfact.blogspot.com/2016/03/18th-jewel-prayojana-tattva-ontology-of.html


Gauḍiya Kaṇṭhahara 17th Jewel: Nāma-tattva

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

The Supreme Lord Krishna, Bhagavān, is the Root of all Religion

१७.१
धर्म-मूलं हि भगवान् सर्व-वेदमयो हरिः
स्मृतं च तद्-विदां राजन् येन चात्मा प्रसीदति

17.1
dharma-mūlaṁ hi bhagavān sarva-vedamayo hariḥ
smṛtaṁ ca tad-vidāṁ rājan yena cātmā prasīdati 

The Supreme Person is the root of all dharma, the essence of all the Vedas, and
the meditation of all those great authorities who know the truth about the
Supreme Lord, and whose opinions becomes scripture. This is evidence, O King,
and by accepting this religious principle, everyone will attain the highest
satisfaction of the soul, mind, and body. 
(Bhāg. 7.11.7)

Kṛṣṇa is the Way, the Truth, and the Light.

१७.२
तपस्तु तापैः प्रपतस्तु पर्वता-दटन्तु तीर्थनि पठस्तु चागमान्
यजस्तु यागैर्विवदन्तु वादैर् हरिं विना नैव मृतिं तरन्ति

17.2
tapastu tāpaiḥ prapatastu parvatā-daṭantu tīrthani paṭhastu cāgamān
yajastu yāgairvivadantu vādair hariṁ vinā naiva mṛtiṁ taranti

You may perform mountains of austerities, visit many holy places, study all the
Vedas, and perform all kinds of Vedic sacrifices, but without devotion to Kṛṣṇa,
none of these things can save you from death. 
(Bhāvārtha Dīpikā 10.87.27)



Chanting the Holy Name is the Eternal and Highest Dharma for all Souls

१७३

एताबान् एब लोके ऽस्मिन् पुंसां धर्मः परः स्मृतः
भक्ति-य़ोगो भगबति तन्-नाम-ग्रहणादिभिः
17.3

etāvān eva loke 'smin puṁsāṁ dharmaḥ paraḥ smṛtaḥ
bhakti-yogo bhagavati tan-nāma-grahaṇādibhiḥ 


It is recognized that the highest religious principle in human society is devotional service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, beginning with the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, nāma- saṅkīrtana. 



The Holy Name is the Essence of the Śrutis

१७.४
निखिल-श्रुति-मौलि रम-माला-द्युति नीराजित- पादपओकजान्त
अयि मुक्त-कुलैर् उपास्यमानं परितस् त्वां हरिनाम संश्रयामि
17.4
nikhila-śruti-mauli rama-mālā-dyuti nīrājita- pādapaokajānta
ayi mukta-kulair upāsyamānaṁ paritas tvāṁ harināma saṁśrayāmi

O holy name, the tips of the toes of your lotus feet are eternally worshiped by the glowing effulgence of the Upaniṣads, the crest jewels of the Vedas. You are eternally adored and chanted by great liberated souls like Nārada and Śukadeva
Gosvāmī. O Harināma, clearing myself of all offenses, I take complete shelter
of You.
(Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Kṛṣṇa- nāmāṣṭakam 1)


The Constitutional Nature of the Holy Name

१७.५
नाम चिन्तामणिः कृष्णश् चैतन्य-रस-विग्रहः
पूर्णह्-शुद्धो नित्य-मुक्तो ऽभिन्नत्वान् नाम नामिणोः
17.5
nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ
pūrṇah-śuddho nitya-mukto 'bhinnatvān nāma nāmiṇoḥ

The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is a transcendental wish fulfilling gem it bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Kṛṣṇa Himself. It is the personification of divine mellow, the fountainhead of all pleasure. The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is eternally liberated and spiritual. This is because the name of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa Himself are non different
(Śrī Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Pūrva-Vibhāgaga 2.233)



NĀMA-TATTVA


The Efficacy of Gāyatrī and the Holy Name

১৭.১৬
কৃষ্ণ-মন্ত্র হৈতে হবে সংসার-মোচন 
কৃষ্ণ-নাম হৈতে পাবে কৃষ্ণের চরণ

17.16
kṛṣṇa-mantra haite habe saṁsāra-mocana 
kṛṣṇa-nāma haite pābe kṛṣṇera caraṇa

Through the gāyatrī mantra one attains liberation from material existence.

Through the holy name one attains the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. (Cc. Ādi 7.73)



The Glories of Hari-kathā


१७.१७
श्रुतम्-अप्य्-औपनिषदं दूरे हरि-कथामृतात् 
यन् न सन्ति द्रवच्-चित्त- कम्पाश्रु- पुलकादयः
17.17
śrutam-apy-aupaniṣadaṁ dūre hari-kathāmṛtāt 
yan na santi dravac-citta- kampāśru- pulakādayaḥ

The Upaniṣads have ascertained nirviśeña brahma as the subject of the śruti, whereas they only take a distant view of hari- kathā. This is because through hearing and chanting about Brahman, one's heart is not moved, tears do not
pour from the eyes, and the bodily hairs do not stand on end. 

(Padyāvalī 39)

The Glories of the Holy Name Surpasses that ofImpersonal Brahman




१७.१८

यद् ब्रह्म-साक्षात्-कृति-निष्ठयापि 
विनाशमायाति विना न भोगैः
अपैति नाम-स्फुरणेन तत्ते 
प्रारभ्द-कर्मेति विरौति वेदः



17.18
yad brahma-sākṣāt-kṛti-niṣṭhayāpi 
vināśamāyāti vinā na bhogaiḥ
apaiti nāma-sphuraṇena tatte 
prārabhda-karmeti virauti vedaḥ

O holy name! The seeds from which sin sprouts within the heart are not burned to ashes by realization of Brahman or by constant meditation on eternal consciousness. But, O holy name, as soon as You appear on the tongue of a sincere chanter, all the karmic seeds of sin are burned to ashes. Thus all sinful reactions, past, present and future are finished. 
This is proclaimed by the Vedas.

(Kṛṣṇa-nāmāṣṭakam, Rūpa Gosvāmī 4) 

Kīrtana of the Holy Name is Best of All

१७.१९
अघच्चित्-स्मरणम् विष्णोर्- बह्वायासेन साध्यते
औष्ठस्पन्दन-मात्रेण कीर्तनतु ततो वरम्



17.19
aghaccit-smaraṇam viṣṇor- bahvāyāsena sādhyate
auṣṭhaspandana-mātreṇa kīrtanatu tato varam 



The remembrance of Viṣṇu certainly cuts sin to pieces, but it is very difficult to attain perfection through remembering Viṣṇu. Only after great effort is such remembrance possible. However, simply by moving the lips, there is the kīrtana
of the holy name of Viṣṇu, and therefore kīrtana is the topmost process of devotional service. 
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, 11.453) 

The Holy Name Surpasses Worship and Meditation




१७.२०

जयति जयति नामानन्द-रूपं मुरारेर् विरमित-निज-धर्म-ध्यान-पूजादि-यत्नम् कथमपि सकृदात्तं मुक्तिदं प्राणिना यत् परम्-अमृतम्-एकं जीवनं भूषणं मे



17.20
jayati jayati nāmānanda-rūpaṁ murārer viramita-nija-dharma-dhyāna-pūjādi-yatnam kathamapi sakṛdāttaṁ muktidaṁ prāṇinā yat param-amṛtam-ekaṁ jīvanaṁ bhūṣaṇaṁ me 



All glories, all glories to the all-blissful holy name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, which causes the devotee to give up all conventional religious duties, meditation, and worship.



When somehow or other uttered even once by a living entity the holy name awards him liberation. The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is the highest nectar in my life and my only treasure. 




(Bṛhad-Bhāgavātmṛta 1.1.9)


१७.२१
येन जन्म शतैः पूर्वं वासुदेवः सनर्चितः 
तन्-मुखे हरि-नामानि सदा तिष्ठन्ति भारत
17.21
yena janma śataiḥ pūrvaṁ vāsudevaḥ sanarcitaḥ 
tan-mukhe hari-nāmāni sadā tiṣṭhanti bhārata

O descendant of Bhārata, one who has previously worshiped Lord Vāsudeva in hundreds of lifetimes can now chant the holy name eternally. 



(Hari-bhaktivilāsa 11.454)


The Holy Name is not Regulated by Time, Place, and Circumstance

१७.२२.२३
न देश नियमो राजन् न काल नियमस् तथा विद्यते नात्र सन्देहो विष्णोर्-नामानु-कीर्तने कालोऽस्ति दाने यज्ञे च स्नाने कालोऽ स्ति सज् जपे विष्णु-सङ्कीर्तने कालो नास्त्यत्र पृठिवीतले



17.22 and 23
na deśa niyamo rājan na kāla niyamas tathā vidyate nātra sandeho viṣṇor-nāmānu-kīrtane kālo'sti dāne yajñe ca snāne kālo' sti saj jape viṣṇu-saṅkīrtane kālo nāstyatra pṛṭhivītale

O king, there are no rules governing the time and place wherein the holy name of Viṣṇu can be chanted. 
Of this there can be no doubt. Charity and sacrifice
are governed by various rules regarding time and place, as are the taking of one's bath and the silent uttering of different mantras. But the holy name of Viṣṇu can be chanted in saṅkīrtana at any time in any place on earth. 
(Haribhakti-vilāsa 11.412, 413)

१७.२४
न देश-नियमस् तस्मिन् न काल-नियमस्-तथा 
नोच्छिष्ठादौ निषेधो ऽस्ति श्री हरेर्-नाम्नि लुब्धक



17.24
na deśa-niyamas tasmin na kāla-niyamas-tathā nocchiṣṭhādau niṣedho 'sti śrī harer-nāmni lubdhaka



O hunter, there are no restrictions on when or where the holy name of Śrī Hari may be chanted and no prohibitions regarding the uncleanness of the mouth from which the holy name comes forth. 

(Hari- bhakti-vilāsa 11.408)
१७.२५
एतावतालम् अघ-निर्हरणाय पुंसां सङ्कीर्तनं भगवतो गुण-कर्म-नाम्नाम् विक्रुश्य पुत्रम् अघवान् यद् अजामिलो ऽपि नारायणेति म्रियमाण इयाय मुक्तिम्



17.25
etāvatālam agha-nirharaṇāya puṁsāṁ saṅkīrtanaṁ bhagavato guṇa-karma-nāmnām vikruśya putram aghavān yad ajāmilo 'pi nārāyaṇeti mriyamāṇa iyāya muktim

It should be understood that one is easily relieved from all sinful reactions by chanting the holy name of the Lord and chanting of His qualities and activities.

This is the only process recommended for relief from sinful reactions. Even if one chants the holy name of the Lord with improper pronunciation, he gets relief from material bondage if he chants without offences. 
Ajāmila, for example, was extremely sinful, but while dying he merely chanted the holy name, and although calling his son, he achieved complete liberation because he remembered the name of Nārāyaṇa.

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)



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

The Secondary Names of God and Their
Symptoms

১৭.৪৫
জডা কৃতির পরিচযে নাম যত প্রকৃতির্ গুণে গৌণ ৱেদের সম্মত সৃষ্টি কর্ত্তা পরমাত্মা ব্রহ্ম স্থিতি কর জগৎ সংহর্তা পাতা যজ্ঞেশ্ৱর হর

17.45
jaḍā kṛtira paricaye nāma yata prakṛtir guṇe gauṇa vedera sammata sṛṣṭi karttā paramātmā brahma sthiti kara jagat saṁhartā pātā yajñeśvara hara

According to the Vedas, the secondary or inferior names of the Supreme Lord, Śrī Kṛṣṇa are those which are in connection with the material world. For example: "God," "Creator of the Universe," "Paramātmā," "Supersoul,"
"Brahman," " Maintainer of the Universe," "Destroyer of the Universe," "Savior," and "Lord of Sacrifice," and "He who takes away," are some inferior or secondary names of Godhead. 

(Hari-nāma- cintāmaṇi)

Fruits of the Principal and Secondary Names of the Lord

১৭.৪৬
এই রূপ নাম, কর্ম-জ্ঞান-কাণ্ড-গত পুন্য মোক্ষ দান করে শাস্ত্রের সম্মত নামের যে মুখ্য-ফল কৃষ্ণ-প্রেম-ধন তার মুখ্য নামে মাত্র লভে সাধুগণ
17.46
ei rūpa nāma, karma-jñāna-kāṇḍa-gata punya mokṣa dāna kare śāstrera sammata nāmera ye mukhya-phala kṛṣṇa-prema-dhana tāra mukhya nāme mātra labhe sādhugaṇa 

These inferior names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Śrī Kṛṣṇa are called upon by those who are on the paths of karma and jñāna. According to the scriptures, one who calls upon these names gets piety and liberation. 

On the other hand, the result of chanting the principal names of the Lord [Govinda, Gopāla, Rāma, Nandanandana, Rādhānātha, Hari, Yaśomati-prānadhana, Madana-mohana, Śyāmasundara, Mādhava, Gopīnātha, Vrajogopa, Rakhala,
and Yadava] is kṛṣṇa-prema. In this way, the saintly attain love of Godhead by chanting the principal names of Godhead [while those attached to karma and jñāna get mere piety and impersonal liberation by chanting inferior and secondary names because their conception of Godhead is also secondary and inferior.] 
(Hari-nāma-cintāmaṇi) 

The Principal Name

१७.४७
अघदमन-यशोदानन्दनौ नन्दसूनो कमल-नयन-गोपीचन्द्र-वृन्दावनेन्द्राः प्रणत-करुण-कृष्णाव् इत्य् अनेक-स्वरूपे
त्वै मम रतिर् उच्चैर् वर्धतां नामधेय
17.47
aghadamana-yaśodānandanau nandasūno kamala-nayana-gopīcandra-vṛndāvanendrāḥ praṇata-karuṇa-kṛṣṇāv ity aneka-svarūpe tvai mama ratir uccair vardhatāṁ nāmadheya

O killer of the demon Agha, O son of Yaśoda, O son of Nanda, O lotus-eyed, O moon of the gopīs, O Lord of Vṇndṁvana, O merciful to the submissive, O Kṛṣṇa, You have manifest Yourself in innumerable forms out of Your infinite mercy. Let my devotion to You go on increasing without any impediment.

(Kṛṣṇa-nāmāṣṭakam, Rūpa Gosvāmī 5)


The Fruit of Offenselessly Uttering the Principal
Name

१७.४८
तुण्डे ताण्डविनी रतिं वितनुते तुण्डावली- लब्धये
कर्ण-क्रोढ-कडम्विनी घटयते कर्णार्बुदेभ्यः स्पृहाम् चेतः प्राङ्गण-सङ्गिनी विजयते सर्वेन्द्रियाणां कृतिं नो जाने जनिता-कियद्भिर् अमृतैः कृष्णेति वर्णद्वयि

17.48
tuṇḍe tāṇḍavinī ratiṁ vitanute tuṇḍāvalī- labdhaye
karṇa-kroḍha-kaḍamvinī ghaṭayate karṇārbudebhyaḥ spṛhām cetaḥ prāṅgaṇa-saṅginī vijayate sarvendriyāṇāṁ kṛtiṁ no jāne janitā-kiyadbhir amṛtaiḥ kṛṣṇeti varṇadvayi

"I do not know how much nectar the two syllables 'Kṛṣ-ṇa' have produced. When the holy name of Krsna is chanted, it appears to dance within the mouth.

We then desire many, many mouths. When that name enters the holes of the ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind, and therefore all
the senses become inert." 
(Vidagdha-Mādhava1.12)

The Sevenfold Results of Chanting the Principal
Name-

१७.४९
चेतो-दर्पण-मार्जनं भव-महा--दावाग्नि- निर्वापणम्
श्रेयः-कैरव-चन्द्रिका-वितरणं विद्या-वधु- जीवनम्
आनन्दाम्बुधि-वर्धनं प्रति-पदं पूर्णामृतास्वादनं
सर्वात्म-स्नपनं परं विजयते श्री-कृष्ण- सङ्कीर्तनम्
17.49
ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā--dāvāgni- nirvāpaṇam
śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhu- jīvanam
ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
sarvātma-snapanaṁ paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa- saṅkīrtanam

Chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa cleanses the mirror of the heart an extinguishes the fire of misery in the ocean of birth and death. At that time, real auspiciousness begins for the soul. Just as the evening lotus blooms in the moon's cooling rays, the heart begins to blossom in the nectar of the name, andat last the soul awakens in full knowledge of its real inner treasure a life of love with Kṛṣṇa in the highest mellows of devotion. 
Again and again tasting nectar, the soul dives and surfaces in the ever increasing ocean of joy. In this way, all phases of the self are fully satisfied and purified by bathing in the nectarean
mellows of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, let the saṅkīrtana of the holy name be victorious. 
(Śikṣāṣṭaka 1)

The Principal Result of Chanting the Holy Name is Kṛṣṇa-prema: Not Dharma, Artha, Kāma or Mokṣa.

१७.५०
भक्तिस्त्वयि स्थिरतरा भगवन् यदि स्याद् 
दैवेन नः फलति दिव्य-किशोर-मूर्तिः 
मुक्तिः स्वयं मुकुलिताञ्जलि सेवतेऽस्मान् 
धर्मार्थ-काम-गतयः समय-प्रतीक्षाः

17.50
bhaktistvayi sthiratarā bhagavan yadi syād 
daivena naḥ phalati divya-kiśora-mūrtiḥ 
muktiḥ svayaṁ mukulitāñjali sevate'smān 
dharmārtha-kāma-gatayaḥ samaya-pratīkṣāḥ

O Lord when a devotee, by good fortune, develops unflinching devotion to Your transcendentally beautiful, youthful form, then liberation herself waits with folded hands to be his maidservant. And right behind liberation, piety, economic development, and sense enjoyment will wait for the chance to serve. 
(Kṛṣṇakarṇāmṛta 107)

Nāma-kīrtana Fulfills all Aspects of Bhajana

१७.५१
मन्त्रतस् तन्त्रतश् छिद्रं देश-कालार्ह- वस्तुतः
सर्वं करोति निश्छिद्रम् अनुसङ्कीर्तनं तव
17.51
mantratas tantrataś chidraṁ deśa-kālārha- vastutaḥ
sarvaṁ karoti niśchidram anusaṅkīrtanaṁ tava 

[In the various kinds of Vedic sacrifice and worship mentioned in the Vedas] There may be discrepancies in pronouncing the mantras and observing the regulative principles, paraphernalia, but when Your Lordship's holy name is chanted, everything becomes faultless. 
(Bhāg. 8.23.16)

The Pure Name Arises Within the Association of
Devotees

१७.५२-५३
ममाहम् इति देहादौ हित्वामिथ्यार्थ-धीर् मतिम्
धास्ये मनो भगवति शुद्धं तत्- कीर्तनादिभिः
इति जात-सुनिर्वेदः क्षण-सङ्गेन साधुषु 
गङ्गा-द्वारम् उपेयाय मुक्त- सर्वानुबन्धनः
17.52-53
mamāham iti dehādau hitvāmithyārtha-dhīr matim
dhāsye mano bhagavati śuddhaṁ tat- kīrtanādibhiḥ
iti jāta-sunirvedaḥ kṣaṇa-saṅgena sādhuṣu 
gaṅgā-dvāram upeyāya mukta- sarvānubandhanaḥ


{Ajāmila said] Simply because I chanted the holy name of the Lord in the association of devotees, my heart is now becoming purified. Therefore I shall not fall victim again to the false lures of sense gratification. Now that I am fixed
in the Absolute Truth, I shall not identify myself with the body. I shall give up the false conception of "I" and "mine" and fix my mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. 
Because of a moment's association with devotees [the Viṣṇudḥutas], Ajāmila detached himself from the material conception of life with determination. Thus freed from all material attraction, he immediately started for Hardwar. 

(Bhāg. 6.2.38-39)
১৭.৫৪
সার্ৱভৌম-সঙ্গে তোমার ঽকলুষঽ হৈল ক্ষয
ঽকল্মষঽ ঘুচিলে জীৱ ঽকৃষ্ণ-নামঽ লয
17.54
sārvabhauma-saṅge tomāra 'kaluṣa' haila kṣaya
'kalmaṣa' ghucile jīva 'kṛṣṇa-nāma' laya 

Because of the association of [a devotee like] Sarvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya, all your contamination is now vanquished. When a person's heart is cleansed of all contamination, he is able to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. 
(Cc. Madhya 15.276)
১৭.৫৫
অসাধু-সঙ্গে ভাই "কৃষ্ণ নাম" নাহি হয
"নামাক্ষর" বাহিরায বটে নাম কভু নয
17.55
asādhu-saṅge bhāi "kṛṣṇa nāma" nāhi haya
"nāmākṣara" bāhirāya baṭe nāma kabhu naya
O brothers, the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is never to be found in the association of those who are un-saintly. The external sound of the holy name is never the name proper. 
(Prema-vivarta)
The Holy Name Cannot be Realized Through the
Material Senses
१७.५६
अतः श्री कृष्ण नामादि न भवेद् ग्राह्यम् इन्द्रियैः
सेवोन्-मुखे हि जिह्वादौ स्वयम् एव स्फुरत्यदः
17.56
ataḥ śrī kṛṣṇa nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ
sevon-mukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuratyadaḥ
Therefore the material senses cannot appreciate Kṛṣṇa's holy name, form, qualities, and pastimes. When a conditioned soul is awakened to Kṛṣṇa consciousness and renders service by using his tongue to chant the Lord's holy
name and taste the remnants of the Lord's food, the tongue is purified, and one gradually comes to understand who Kṛṣṇa really is. 

In other words, the holy name of Kṛṣṇa can never be grasped by the material senses. Only by rendering devotional service, beginning with vibrating the Lord's glories upon the tongue,
can one realize Kṛṣṇa, for he will reveal Himself directly to the sincere soul. The formula for perfection in chanting the holy name. 
(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 1.2.234)
१७.५७
तृणाद् अपि सुनीचेन तरोर् अपि सहिष्णुना 
अमानिना मानदेन कीर्तनीयः सदा हरिः
17.57
tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā 
amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ 

One should chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa in a humble state of mind, considering oneself to be lower than a blade of grass. One should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of false prestige, and offer all respect to others, without expecting any respect in return. In this way, one should always chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. 
(Śikṣāṣṭaka 3)
The Formula for the Favorable Culture of the Holy Name

१७.५८
स्यात् कृष्ण-नाम-चरितादि-सिताप्य्-अविद्या
पित्तोपतप्त- रसनस्य न रोचिका नु
किन्त्व् आदराद् अनुदिनं खलु सैव जुष्टा 
स्वाद्वी क्रमाद् भवति तद्-गद-मूल-हन्त्री
17.58
syāt kṛṣṇa-nāma-caritādi-sitāpy-avidyā
pittopatapta- rasanasya na rocikā nu
kintv ādarād anudinaṁ khalu saiva juṣṭā 
svādvī kramād bhavati tad-gada-mūla-hantrī

The holy name, character, pastimes, and activities of Kṛṣṇa are all transcendentally sweet like sugar candy. Although the tongue of one afflicted by the jaundice of ignorance cannot taste anything sweet, it is wonderful that simply by carefully chanting these sweet names every day, a natural relish
awakens within this tongue, and his disease is gradually destroyed at the root.
(Upadeśāmṛta 7)
Determination for Chanting the Holy Name

১৭.৫৯
খণ্ড খণ্ড হৈঽ দেহ যদি জয প্রাণ 
তবু আমি ৱদনে না ছাডি হরিনাম
17.59
khaṇḍa khaṇḍa hai' deha yadi jaya prāṇa 
tabu āmi vadane nā chāḍi harināma

Even if you cut my body into pieces, I should not give up chanting the holy name. 
(Cb. Ādi 11.91)

Kīrtana of the Holy Name Gradually Awakens the Form,
Qualities, and Pastimes of the Lord

১৭.৬০
কৃষ্ণ-নাম ধরে কত বল
ৱিষয-ৱাসনানলে মোর চিত্ত সদা জলে রৱিন্তপ্ত মরিভূমি সম
কর্ণ-রন্ধ্র পথ দিযা, হৃদি মাঝে প্রৱেশিযা, ৱরিষয সুধা অনুপম
হৃদয হৈতে বলে, জিহ্ৱার অগ্রেতে চলে শব্দ-রূপে নাচ অনুক্ষণ
কণ্ঠে মোর ভঙ্গে স্ৱর, অঙ্গ কাঞ্পে থর থর,
স্থির হৈতে নাপারে চরণ
চক্ষে ধারা, দেহে ঘর্ম, পুলিকত সব চর্ম, ৱিৱর্ণ হৈল কলেৱর
মূর্চ্চিত হৈলে মন, প্রলযের আগমন, ভাৱে সর্ৱ-দেহ জর জর
করিঽেত উপদ্রৱ, চিত্তে ৱর্ষ্ সুধাঅদ্রৱ, মোরে ডারে প্রেমের সাগরে
কিছু না বুঝিতে দিল, মোর ত বাতুল কৈল, মোর চিত্ত ৱিত্ত সব হরে
লৈনু আশ্রয যাঞ্র, হেনু ৱ্যৱহার তাঞ্ঽর
ৱর্ণিতে নাপারি এই সকল
কৃষ্ণ-নাম ইচ্ছাময, যাহে যাহে সুখী হয সেই মোর সুখের সম্বল
প্রেমের কালিকা নাম, অদ্ভুত রসের ধাম হেন বল করযে প্রকাশ
ঈশৎ ৱিকশিঽ পুনঃ, দেখায নিজ রূপ-গুণ চিত্ত হরিঽ লয কৃষ্ণ-পাশ
পূর্ণ ৱিকশিত হৈঞা, ৱ্রজে মোরে যায লৈঞা, দেখায মোরে স্ৱরূপ-ৱিলাস
মোরে সিদ্ধ-দেহ দিযা, কৃষ্ণ-পাশে রাখে গিযা, এই দেহের করে সর্ৱ-নাশ
কৃষ্ণ-নাম-চিন্তামণি, অখিল রসের খনি, নিত্য-মুক্ত, শুদ্ধ, রসময
নামের বালাই যত, সব লঽযে হৈ হত তবে মোর সুখের উদয

17.60
kṛṣṇa-nāma dhare kata bala
viṣaya-vāsanānale mora citta sadā jale ravintapta maribhūmi sama
karṇa-randhra patha diyā, hṛdi mājhe praveśiyā, variṣaya sudhā anupama
hṛdaya haite bale, jihvāra agrete cale śabda-rūpe nāca anukṣaṇa
kaṇṭhe mora bhaṅge svara, aṅga kāñpe thara thara,
sthira haite nāpāre caraṇa
cakṣe dhārā, dehe gharma, pulikata saba carma, vivarṇa haila kalevara
mūrccita haile mana, pralayera āgamana, bhāve sarva-deha jara jara
kari'eta upadrava, citte varṣ sudhāadrava, more ḍāre premera sāgare
kichu nā bujhite dila, mora ta bātula kaila, mora citta vitta saba hare
lainu āśraya yāñra, henu vyavahāra tāñ'ra
varṇite nāpāri ei sakala
kṛṣṇa-nāma icchāmaya, yāhe yāhe sukhī haya sei mora sukhera sambala
premera kālikā nāma, adbhuta rasera dhāma hena bala karaye prakāśa
īśat vikaśi' punaḥ, dekhāya nija rūpa-guṇa citta hari' laya kṛṣṇa-pāśa
pūrṇa vikaśita haiñā, vraje more yāya laiñā, dekhāya more svarūpa-vilāsa
more siddha-deha diyā, kṛṣṇa-pāśe rākhe giyā, ei dehera kare sarva-nāśa
kṛṣṇa-nāma-cintāmaṇi, akhila rasera khani, nitya-mukta, śuddha, rasamaya
nāmera bālāi yata, saba la'ye hai hata tabe mora sukhera udaya

My heart is just like a desert, hot with the rays of the sun. This is my internal mental condition. The desire for mortal things cannot satisfy me because by nature they are death-producing. 

And not one or two, but thousands of such death-producing desires have taken shelter in my mind. So, my subconscious region is always burning. This is my condition. 

But somehow, by the grace of the sādhu and guru, the holy name of Kṛṣṇa with its infinite prospect has entered through the holes of my ears and reached the plane of my heart. 

And there, with some peculiar hope, with infinite, auspicious possibilities, it touched my heart with a new kind of nectar.
New hope is aroused by that sound. 

Then by force it comes form the heart towards the tongue. Not that by the endeavor of my tongue I am producing that
sound: no. 

What came from the heart of a saint through my ear, entered my heart, and that forcibly appeared on my tongue, and began to dance.

That is the holy name proper. It descends from above. It cannot be produced by the material tongue. It's source is above. And through an agent of the absolute it comes through the ear to the heart. From the heart it gathers some sympathy, then the holy name of Kṛṣṇa forcibly appears upon the tongue and begins to dance. 

With great force it comes to the end of the tongue, and that sweet sound begins its dancing. The real effects of the divine name have been described here. If it is a real and living name, the voice will be choked up, there will be shivering in the body, and the legs will be unable to stand. 

Sometimes tears will flow in a current on the body, and one's hairs will stand on end. Sometimes changes of color will be
found in the body, and we will be unable to find any trace of the mind or consciousness.


We may fall in a swoon, the whole body and mind will appear as if it is being attacked, shivering, and influenced in different ways. Apparently it may seem that so many troubles are
created in the body and the mind, but the real heart is overflowing with a particular kind of strange, sweet
juice. 

Sometimes the devotee thinks, 'I am in an ocean of nectar. My whole existence is within an ocean of nectarean liquid. I
am beside myself. I can't understand where I am. Where am I? What is this? What is all about me? It has almost made me mad. Am I a madman? Where is my past experience, my
seriousness, my gravity, where are they? What am
I? I have been converted wholesale by a foreign thing. I am a doll in the hands of a great force, which is also so affectionate to me. I can't ascertain how it is possible that by my faith I have entered this great, unknown environment, not experienced before. 

And at last I find that I am captivated. My entire being, within and without, has been captured by a particularly sweet force. I can't help being prey to such a sweet power. I can't give any proper description of this. I came to take shelter of Him
and accep Him as my guardian; now at His hand I am being dealt with in such a merciless and despotic way.

Still, I feel that everything is very pleasing , beyond my experience. What is this? I can't resist anymore. I am fully captured. Let my fate go anywhere. I can't come out. I am a captive in the hand of a sweet friend; my whole independence is gone. There is no way left to me but to surrender. I am unable to describe my real position.
I find that He's an autocrat. Whatever He likes, He will do. 

Since it is not possible for me to give any resistance, I must surrender. Let me also cooperate with whatever He is pleased to do. Otherwise I find that the sweetness of the
name is condensed like a blossoming flower, and very wonderful streams of sweet current are flowing from it. The holy name contains so many sweet variegated forms of current within Him, and He is wonderfully expressing
Himself in different ways. 

Sometimes He emanates a peculiar type of color and figure, and disappears. So many charming aspects are shown as if to my eyes within, and He forcibly takes me to surrender at the foot of that altar. He shows Himself in His full-fledged
form, in Vṛndāvana, in His Braja-līlā, with Rādhārāṇī, and He takes me there. 

I find that I am in the midst of His peculiar, very sweet and loving paraphernalia. And He says, 'You see! I have so many wonderful things. This is your home. I am not merely imagination, but concrete reality. You will find here
that the environment is very favorable and sweet. 

You are to live here.' I see there that He is dealing in different ways with His associates, in different rasas.
And I find that I have another body that has emerged from my previous one, and that has a permanent place here in His service. Such a new life I find here. 

And then I find ultimately that all consideration of my past life and experience has vanished. And it is true: my real life is here. This is proper, and that was a sham, that life has vanished. Then I find that chanting the holy name gives me new encouragement, a new prospect, and new
hope. Whatever we want, whatever is our internal demand, it is supplied by the name. 

If we take the name, all our internal hankerings will be fulfilled. It is eternal, it is the purest of the pure, and it is full of ecstasy. Now I find I have been completely converted. How, my innermost hankering is this: Let whatever is against this sweet name vanish eternally from the world. If anything is in opposition to this sweet life, let it vanish, and if necessary, I will give my life to make it disappear from the world forever. 

Then others will be able to enjoy it at their free will. No hindrance should come to that fulfilment of life. It has no other second. So, everyone may come here, and if necessary, I will sacrifice myself to finish any opposition, so that all can smoothly, peacefully, and without any danger, enjoy this absolute, sweet, and blissful life.
(Śaraṇāgati, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura) 

The Four Kinds of Nāmābhāsa


१७.६१

साङ्केत्यं पारिहास्यं वा स्तोभं हेलनम् एव वा
वैकुण्ठ-नाम-ग्रहणम् अशेषाघ-हरं विदुः

17.61

sāṅketyaṁ pārihāsyaṁ vā stobhaṁ helanam eva vā
vaikuṇṭha-nāma-grahaṇam aśeṣāgha-haraṁ viduḥ

One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly, to indicate something else, (as in using the holy name to count drumbeats on a mṛdaṇga, or to pace
oneself while running), jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully. This is accepted by all scholars of the scriptures. 
(Bhāg. 6.2.14)

The Results of Nāmābhāsa


१७.६२

तं निर्व्याजं भज गुण-निधिं पावनं पावनानां
श्रद्धा-शुध्यन्-मतिर्-इतिराम्-उत्तम-श्लोक- मौलिम्
उद्यन् अनन्तः-करण-कुहरे हन्त यन्-नाम- भानोराभासोऽपि क्षपयति महापातक-ध्वान्तधाराम्

17.62

taṁ nirvyājaṁ bhaja guṇa-nidhiṁ pāvanaṁ pāvanānāṁ
śraddhā-śudhyan-matir-itirām-uttama-śloka- maulim
udyan anantaḥ-karaṇa-kuhare hanta yan-nāma- bhānorābhāso'pi kṣapayati mahāpātaka-dhvāntadhārām

[Vidura said to Drthrastra] My dear brother, O ocean of good qualities, just fix your mind on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and worship Him with great faith. He is worshiped with poetic hymns by great saints and scriptural authorities. Kṛṣṇa is
the supreme savior amongst all other saviors. In the same way that even a slight glimpse of the sun's rays dissipates the darkness of night, even a dim dawning of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, will immediately dissipate all the darkness of ignorance and free one from even the blackest contamination of sinful activity. 
(Bhaktirasāmṛta-sindhu, Dakṣina Vibhāga, 1.103)

१७.६३
यद् आभासोऽ प्युद्यन् कवलित-भवध्वान्त- विभवो
दृशं तत् त्वान्धानाम् अपि दिशति भक्ति- प्रणयिनीम्
जनस्-तस्योदात्तं जगति भगवन्-नाम-तरणे कृती ते निर्वक्तुं क इह महिमानं प्रभवति
17.63
yad ābhāso' pyudyan kavalita-bhavadhvānta- vibhavo
dṛśaṁ tat tvāndhānām api diśati bhakti- praṇayinīm
janas-tasyodāttaṁ jagati bhagavan-nāma-taraṇe kṛtī te nirvaktuṁ ka iha mahimānaṁ prabhavati 

O divine sun of the holy name, even a slight reflection of You can dispel the darkest ignorance from the minds of those who are sunk in worldliness and grant the spiritual vision upon those who are spiritually blind. Who, then, can
find the end of Your infinite glories? Who is there expert enough to completely sing the limits of Your greatness? [Just as the twilight before the sunrise dispels darkness and all kinds of fears and troubles, so the dim reflection or the
dawning of the holy name (nāmābhāsa) removes all sorts of evils or anārthas arising from forgetfulness of the true nature of the self and the Supreme Lord.
(Kṛṣṇa-nāmāṣṭakam, Rūpa Gosvāmī 3)
১৭.৬৪
হরিদাস কহেন,-"যৈছে সূর্যের উদয উদয না হৈতে আরম্ভে তমের হয ক্ষয চৌর-প্রেত-রাক্ষসাদির ভয হয নাশ উদয হৈলে ধর্ম-কর্ম-আদি পরকাশ ঐছে নামোদযারম্ভে পাপ-আদির ক্শয উদয কৈলে কৃষ্ণ-পদে হয প্রেমোদয

17.64
haridāsa kahena,-"yaiche sūryera udaya udaya nā haite ārambhe tamera haya kṣaya caura-preta-rākṣasādira bhaya haya nāśa udaya haile dharma-karma-ādi parakāśa aiche nāmodayārambhe pāpa-ādira kśaya udaya kaile kṛṣṇa-pade haya premodaya 

Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, "As the sun begins to rise, even before being visible it dissipates the darkness of night. With the first glimpse of sunlight, fear of thieves, ghosts, and demons immediately disappears, and when the sun is
actually visible everything is manifest, and everyone begins performing his religious activities and regulative duties. Similarly, the faint dawning of the holy name (nāmābhāsa) dissipates the reactions of sinful life immediately. And when
one chants the holy name purely, the complete dawning of the pure holy name takes place, and one awakens to devotional service in kṛṣṇa-prema at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. 

(Cc. Antya 3.183-86)

The Results of the Pure Holy Name andNāmābhāsa

१७.६५
नामैकं यस्य चिह्नं स्मरण-पथगतं श्रोत्र-मूलं गतं वा शुद्धं वाशुद्ध-वर्णं व्यवहितरहितं तारयत्य् एव सत्यम् तच् चेद् देह-द्रविनजनि-तालोभ-पाखण्ड- मध्ये निक्षिप्तं स्यान् न फल-जनकं शीघ्रम् एवात्र विप्र

17.65
nāmaikaṁ yasya cihnaṁ smaraṇa-pathagataṁ śrotra-mūlaṁ gataṁ vā śuddhaṁ vāśuddha-varṇaṁ vyavahitarahitaṁ tārayaty eva satyam tac ced deha-dravinajani-tālobha-pākhaṇḍa- madhye nikṣiptaṁ syān na phala-janakaṁ śīghram evātra vipra

[The Sanat-Kumara told Nārada]  If a person only once hears, chants or remembers the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, he will certainly be delivered from the ocean of birth and death and attain liberation whether the holy name is pronounced properly or improperly, with correct or incorrect grammar, and whether it is properly joined or only vibrated in part. O brāhmaṇa, such are the glories of the holy name. If one chants the syllables of the holy name for personal benefit,
however, for material wealth and followers, or out of greed, or in the association of atheists, such offensive chanting will not soon produce the supreme goal of life [kṛṣṇa-prema]. 

(Padma Purāṇa, Brahma- khaṇḍa, 25.24)

The Results of Nāmābhāsa and Nāmāparādha

१७.६६
यथा नामा-भासबलेनाजामिलो दुराचारोऽपि वैकुण्ठं प्रापितस्-तथैव स्मार्तादायाः सदाचाराः शास्त्रज्ञा अपि बहुशो नाम ग्राहिणोऽप्यर्थवादकल्पनादि- नामापराध-बलेन घोर-संसारम् एव प्राप्यन्ते
17.66
yathā nāmā-bhāsabalenājāmilo durācāro'pi vaikuṇṭhaṁ prāpitas-tathaiva smārtādāyāḥ sadācārāḥ śāstrajñā api bahuśo nāma grāhiṇo'pyarthavādakalpanādi- nāmāparādha-balena ghora-saṁsāram eva prāpyante

Note: In Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 6.2.9-11, the Viṣṇudutas say: "The chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa is the best process of atonement for a thief of gold or other valuables, for a drunkard, for one who betrays a friend or relative, for
one who kills a brāhmaṇa or for one who indulges in sex with the wife of his guru or another superior.

It is also the best method of atonement for one who murders women, the king or his father, for one who slaughters cows, and for all other sinful men. Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, such sinful persons may attract the
attention of the Supreme Lord, who therefore considers, 'Because this man has chanted My holy name, My duty is to give him protection.' By following the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies or undergoing atonement, sinful men do not become as purified as by chanting once the holy name of Lord Hari. 

Although ritualistic atonement may free one from sinful reactions, it does not awaken devotional service, unlike the chanting of the Lord's names, which reminds one of the Lord's fame, qualities, attributes, pastimes, and
paraphernalia."] Commenting of this section of Śrīmad
Bhāgavatam , Śrī Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura remarks as follows on the different results attained by nāmābhāsa or offenseless chanting as opposed to nāmāpradha, or offensive chanting.]

Although Ajāmila was great sinner, by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa in nāmābhāsa that is, offenselessly the ultimately attained Vaikuṛṭha. But all the good deeds of the smārtas, their knowledge of the śāstra, and even their
chanting of the holy name many times will not bring them to the same end, because they chant the holy name offensively. They may continue chanting in that way for many millions of year, but because of nāmāparādha, offenses to the
holy name, the holy name does not appear in their impure hearts, and they do not attain the goal. Rather, they simply suffer again and again repeated birth and death in the ghastly material world. 
(Bhāg. 6.2.9-10, Sārārtha-darśinī commentary)

The Proper Mentality for Chanting WithoutOffense.


१७.६७
तद् अश्म-सारं हृदयं बतेदं यद् गृह्यमाणैर् हरि-नाम-धेयैः
 न विक्रियेताथ यदा विकारो
नेत्रे जलं गात्र-रुहेषु हर्षः

17.67
tad aśma-sāraṁ hṛdayaṁ batedaṁ yad gṛhyamāṇair hari-nāma-dheyaiḥ na vikriyetātha yadā vikāro
netre jalaṁ gātra-ruheṣu harṣaḥ

Certainly that heart is steel-framed which, in spite of one's chanting the holy name with concentration, does not melt when ecstasy takes place, tears do not fill the eyes and the hairs do not stand on end. 
(Bhāg. 2.3.24)
१७.६८
अश्रुपुलकावेव चित्-तद्रवलिङ्गमित्यपि न शक्यते वक्तुम्॑
यद् उक्तं श्रीमद् रूप गोस्वामि चरणैः॒ "निसर्गपिच्छिल स्वास्ते तद् अभ्यासपरो पि च सत्त्वाभासं विनापि स्युः क्वाप्यश्रु- पुलकादयः"

...ततश् च बहिर् अशु-पुलकयोः सतोरपि यद्ध दयः न विक्रियेय, तद्
अश्मसारिमिति वाक्यार्थः ततश्च हृदय-विक्रिया लक्ष्मणान्य-साधारणानि क्षातिनामग्रहणासक्त्य् आदीन्येव ज्ञेयानि... कनिष्ठाधिकारिणां समत्
सराणास्तु सापराध-वित्तत्वान्-नाम-ग्रहण- बाहुल्येऽपि तन्-माधुर्यानुभवाभावे
चित्तं नैव विक्रियेत, तद् व्यञ्जकाः क्षात्यादयो
ऽपि न भवन्ति,
तेषाम् एव अशुप्-पुलकादिमत्त्वे ऽप्यश्म-सार- हृदयतया निन्दैषा. किञ्च,
तेषाम् अपि साहु-सङ्गेनानर्थ-विवृत्ति- निष्ठारुच्यादिभुमिकारूढानां कालेन चिच्चद्रवे सति चित्तस्याश्म- सारत्वमपगच्छत्येव. येशास्तु चित्तद्रवे ऽपि सति
चित्तस्याश्मसारतातिष्ठदेव, ते तु दुश्चिकित्स्या एव ज्ञेयाः

17.68
aśrupulakāveva cit-tadravaliṅgamityapi na śakyate vaktum;
yad uktaṁ śrīmad rūpa gosvāmi caraṇaiḥ: "nisargapicchila svāste tad abhyāsaparo pi ca sattvābhāsaṁ vināpi syuḥ kvāpyaśru- pulakādayaḥ"

(Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu 2.3.89)
...tataś ca bahir aśu-pulakayoḥ satorapi yaddha dayaḥ na vikriyeya, tad
aśmasārimiti vākyārthaḥ tataśca hṛdaya-vikriyā lakṣmaṇānya-sādhāraṇāni kṣātināmagrahaṇāsakty ādīnyeva jñeyāni... kaniṣṭhādhikāriṇāṁ samat
sarāṇāstu sāparādha-vittatvān-nāma-grahaṇa- bāhulye'pi tan-mādhuryānubhavābhāve
cittaṁ naiva vikriyeta, tad vyañjakāḥ kṣātyādayo
'pi na bhavanti,
teṣām eva aśup-pulakādimattve 'pyaśma-sāra- hṛdayatayā nindaiṣā. kiñca,
teṣām api sāhu-saṅgenānartha-vivṛtti- niṣṭhārucyādibhumikārūḍhānāṁ kālena ciccadrave sati cittasyāśma- sāratvamapagacchatyeva. yeśāstu cittadrave 'pi sati
cittasyāśmasāratātiṣṭhadeva, te tu duścikitsyā eva jñeyāḥ

[This is from Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura's commentary on Bhāg. 2.3.24 quoted as 17.67]

In Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu, Rūpa Gosvāmī analyzes the appearance of the symptoms of divine ecstasy in non-devotees. He refers to these symptoms as sattvābhāsa, or a dim reflection of ecstasy. Sometimes it is seen that staunch
logicians, without any trace of devotional service and without actually understanding the transcendental glories of the
Lord, sit down to hear the glories of the Lord, they appear to be melting and shedding tears. In this connection there is a statement by a devotee who is addressing the Lord as
follows:

"My dear Mukunda, I cannot properly express the glories of Your pastimes. Even when non-devotees hear of Your glorious pastimes they become affected and shed tears and start to tremble." Rūpa Gosvāmī comments on this by
saying.] "Such non-devotees are not actually melted; they are hard-hearted. But the influence of the glories of the Lord is so great that even the non-devotees sometimes shed tears.

Sometimes it is found that a non-devotee who has practically no taste for Kṛṣṇa and who follows no rules or regulations can, by practice, make a show of devotional symptoms, even crying in an assembly of devotees. This shedding of
tears is not actually an ecstatic loving expression. However, it is done simply by practice and is only a dim reflection of true ecstatic symptoms. For example impersonalists may sometimes show symptoms of ecstasy while chanting the
holy name Kṛṣṇa, but this is not accepted as actual ecstasy, but only a dim reflection (Sattvābhāsa).

Note:Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has very critically discussed all these displays of ecstasy in connection with some unscrupulous neophyte's imitating the above symptoms for cheap appreciation. Not only Viśvanātha Cakravartī but also Rūpa Gosvāmī has treated them very critically. Sometimes all the above eight symptoms of ecstasy are imitated by the mundane devotees, but the pseudo symptoms are at once detected when one see the pseudodevotee addicted to so many forbidden things. Even though decorated with the signs of a devotee, a person addicted to smoking, drinking or illegitimate sex
with women cannot have all the above mentioned ecstatic symptoms. But it is seen that sometimes these symptoms are willingly imitated, and for this reason Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī accuses the imitators of being stone-hearted. They are sometimes even affected by the reflection of such transcendental symptoms, yet if they still do not give up the forbidden habits, then they are hopeless cases for transcendental realisation.

When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu met Śrīla Rāmānanda Rāya of Kavaur on the bank of the Godāvarī, the Lord developed all these symptoms, but because of the presence of some non-devotee brāhmaṇas who were attendants of the Rāya, the Lord suppressed these symptoms.

So sometimes they are not visible even in the body of the first-class devotee for certain circumstantial reasons. In Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.3.11) Śrī Rūpa Gosvāmī explains that real, steady bhāva is definitely displayed in the matter of
cessation of material desires, utilisation, eagerness for glorifying the Lord constantly, attraction for living in
the land of the Lord, complete detachment from
material happiness, and pridelessness. One who has developed all these transcendental qualities is really possessed by the bhāva stage, as distinguished from the stone-hearted imitator or mundane devotee.


The whole process can be summarized as follows: The advanced devotee who chants the holy name of the Lord in a perfectly offenseless manner and is friendly to everyone can actually relish the transcendental taste of glorifying the
Lord. And the result of such realization is reflected in the cessation of all material desires, etc., as mentioned above. 

The neophytes, due to their being in the lower stage of devotional service, are invariable envious, so much so that they invent their own ways and means of devotional regulations without following the ācāryas. As such, even if they make a show of constantly chanting the holy name of the Lord, because they commit offenses to the holy name, they cannot relish the transcendental taste of the holy
name.

Therefore, the show of tears in the eyes, trembling, perspiration or unconsciousness, etc., is condemned. They can, however, get in touch with a pure devotee of the Lord and rectify their bad habits; otherwise they shall continue to be stone hearted and unfit for any treatment. A complete progressive march on the return home, back to Godhead, will depend on the instructions of the revealed scriptures directed by a realized devotee. 


(Bhāg. 2.3.24, Sārārthadarśinī commentary)

The Ten Offences to the Holy Name

१७.६९-७५
सतां निन्दा नाम्नः परमम् अपराधम् वितनुते
यतः ख्यातिं कथमु सहते तद्-विगरहाम् शिवस्य श्री विष्णोर्य इह गुण-नामादि सकलं धिया भिन्नं पश्येत् स खलु हरिनामा- हितकरः गुरोरवज्ञा श्रुति-शास्त्र-निन्दनं तथार्थवादो हरि-नाम्नि कल्पनम्
नाम्नो बलाद् यस्य हि पाप-बुद्धिर् न विद्यते तस्य यमैर् हि शुद्धिः
धर्म-व्रत-त्यागहुतादि-सर्व-शुभ-क्रिया- साम्यमपि प्रमादः
अश्रद्ध-धानो विमुखोऽप्य्-शृण्वति यश् चोपदेशः शिवनामापराधः
श्रुत्वापि नाम-महात्म्यं यः प्रीतिरहितो ऽधमः अहं ममादिपरमो नाम्नि सोऽप्य् अपराध-कृत् जाते नामापराधे तु प्रमादे तु कथञ्चन सदा सङ्कीर्तयन्-नाम तद् एक शरणो भवेत् नामापराध-युक्तानां नामान्येव हरह्- त्यघम्
अवश्रान्ति-प्रयुक्तानि तान्य् एवार्थ कराणि यत्

17.69-75
satāṁ nindā nāmnaḥ paramam aparādham vitanute
yataḥ khyātiṁ kathamu sahate tad-vigarahām śivasya śrī viṣṇorya iha guṇa-nāmādi sakalaṁ dhiyā bhinnaṁ paśyet sa khalu harināmā- hitakaraḥ guroravajñā śruti-śāstra-nindanaṁ tathārthavādo hari-nāmni kalpanam
nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir na vidyate tasya yamair hi śuddhiḥ
dharma-vrata-tyāgahutādi-sarva-śubha-kriyā- sāmyamapi pramādaḥ
aśraddha-dhāno vimukho'py-śṛṇvati yaś copadeśaḥ śivanāmāparādhaḥ
śrutvāpi nāma-mahātmyaṁ yaḥ prītirahito 'dhamaḥ ahaṁ mamādiparamo nāmni so'py aparādha-kṛt jāte nāmāparādhe tu pramāde tu kathañcana sadā saṅkīrtayan-nāma tad eka śaraṇo bhavet nāmāparādha-yuktānāṁ nāmānyeva harah- tyagham
avaśrānti-prayuktāni tāny evārtha karāṇi yat 

The ten offences to the holy name are as follows:


(1) To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating
the holy name of the Lord.

(2) To consider the names of demigods like Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā to be equal to, or independent of, the name of Lord
Kṛṣṇa.

(3) To disobey the orders of the spiritual master. 

(4) To blaspheme the Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic
version.

(5) To consider the glories of chanting Hare
Kṛṣṇa as an exaggeration.

(6) To concoct interpretations of the holy name of the Lord.

(7) To commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy name of the
Lord.

(8) To consider the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa to be on the same level as the
ritualistic karmic activities mentioned in the
Vedas.

(9) To instruct the faithless in the glories of the holy name.

(10) To not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy names and thus
maintain material attachments. Even if in the beginning one chants the Hare
Kṛṣṇa mantra with offenses, one will become free from such offenses by
chanting again and again [and faithfully serving the pure devotee]. 

(Parma Purāṇa, Brahma-Khaṇḍa, 25.15-18, 22-23)


First Offense to the Holy name: Offending Saints who take the name

१७.७६
नाश्चर्यम् एतद् यद् असत्सु सर्वदा महद्- विनिन्दा कुणपात्म-वादिषु
सेर्ष्यं महापूरुष-पाद-पांसुभिर् निरस्त- तेजःसु तद् एव शोभनम्

17.76
nāścaryam etad yad asatsu sarvadā mahad- vinindā kuṇapātma-vādiṣu
serṣyaṁ mahāpūruṣa-pāda-pāṁsubhir nirasta- tejaḥsu tad eva śobhanam

It is not wonderful for persons who have accepted the transient material body as
the self to engage always in deriding great souls. Such envy on the part of
materialistic persons is not very good because that is the way they fall down.
They are diminished by the dust of the feet of great personalities. (Bhāg. 4.4.13)

७.७७
ये गो-गर्दभादय इव विषयेस्वेवेन्द्रियाणि सदा चारयन्ति को भगवान्, का
भक्तिः को गुरुर् इति स्वप्ने \ऽपि न जानन्ति, तेषाम् एव नामाभासादिर् ईत्या गृहीतहरि-
नाम्-नाम्-अजामिलादीनाम् इव निरपराधानां गुरुं विनापि भवत्ये
ओद्धारः. हरिर्-भजनीय एव, भजनं तत्- प्रापकम् एव तदुपदेष्टा गुरुर्
एव, गुरुपदिष्टा भक्ता एव पूर्वे हरिं प्रापुरिति विवेक-विशेषवत्वे \ऽपि \"नो
दीक्षां न च सत्-क्रियां न च पुरश्चर्यां मनागीक्षते. ंन्त्रो\ऽयं रसना
स्पृग एव फलति श्री कृष्ण नामात्मकः\" ईति

17.77
ye go-gardabhādaya iva viṣayesvevendriyāṇi sadā cārayanti ko bhagavān, kā
bhaktiḥ ko gurur iti svapne 'pi na jānanti, teṣām eva nāmābhāsādir ītyā gṛhītahari-
nām-nām-ajāmilādīnām iva niraparādhānāṁ guruṁ vināpi bhavatye
oddhāraḥ. Harir-bhajanīya eva, bhajanaṁ tat- prāpakam eva tadupadeṣṭā gurur
eva, gurupadiṣṭā bhaktā eva pūrve hariṁ prāpuriti viveka-viśeṣavatve 'pi "no
dīkṣāṁ na ca sat-kriyāṁ na ca puraścaryāṁ manāgīkṣate. Mantro'yaṁ rasanā
spṛga eva phalati śrī kṛṣṇa nāmātmakaḥ" Iti

(Padyāvalī 18 Akadhṛk Svāmikṛta-śloka) 

प्रमाण-दृष्ट्या अजामिलादि-
दृष्टान्तेन च किं मे गुरुकरणश्रमेण
नाम-कीर्तन-आदिभिर् एव मे भगवत्-प्राप्तिर्- भाविन् ईति
मन्यमान् अस्तु गुर्ववज्ञा लक्षण- महापराधा-देव भगवन्तं सति श्री गुरु-चरणाश्रित एव प्राप्नोतीति."

pramāṇa-dṛṣṭyā ajāmilādi-
dṛṣṭāntena ca kiṁ me gurukaraṇaśrameṇa
nāma-kīrtana-ādibhir eva me bhagavat-prāptir- bhāvin īti
manyamān astu gurvavajñā lakṣaṇa- mahāparādhā-deva bhagavantaṁ sati śrī guru-caraṇāśrita eva prāpnotīti."


Those persons who are like cows and asses, who wander about always engaged
in chasing the objects of the senses, who have no idea even in dreams of what is
Bhagavān, what is bhakti, or what is guru, can all be delivered if they chant the
holy name of Kṛṣṇa offenselessly in nāmābhāsa, as did Ajāmila, even if they
have no association of devotees, or any contact with a genuine spiritual master.
One may attain the worshipable object, Śrī Hari, by practicing the means to
worship him in pursuance of the instruction of the guru. By carefully following
the orders of Sri guru, many devotees in the past have attained Śrī Hari. It has ,
however, been said: "no dīkṣāṁ na ca satkriyāṁ na ca puraścaryāṁ manāgīkṣate. mantro 'yaṁ rasanā-spag eva phalati śrī kṛṣṇa-nāmātmakaḥ."

For one who knows reality and the real nature of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra
and actually realizes the fruit of taking the holy name upon the tongue
(sevon-mukhe hi jivādau), the holy name is not at all dependent upon dīkṣā,
initiation, religious activities, the rules and regulations of the scriptures, or
purificatory procedures. About this the scriptures have given many different
examples as evidence. For instance, Ajāmila without benefit of a guru chanted
the holy name of Kṛṣṇa in nāmābhāsa and attained liberation.
Seeing all these conclusions, a person might ask, "Why should I go to such
great trouble to carefully follow the orders of the guru while performing
kīrtana?

 [if by chanting neglectful, without regard
for any rules and regulations or the order of the guru, Ajāmila attained perfection, why should I work so
hard? Let me follow the example of Ajāmila and neglectfully chant the holy
name, and so attain liberation.]" 

Those who cultivate this sort of mentality
commit the great offense of disregarding the orders of the gurudeva. As a result
of this offense they are cheated out of any hopes of attaining Bhagavān, Śrī
Kṛṣṇa. But if in this birth or the next they beg pardon from gurudeva, take
shelter of his lotus feet and gain forgiveness for such a great offense, then it
may be possible for them to attain the Lord. 
(Bhāg. 6.2.9, Sārārtha-darśinī commentary)
Whoever Offends Devotees Does not Chant the Real
Name

প্রমাণ-দৃষ্ট্যা অজামিলাদি-
দৃষ্টান্তেন চ কিং মে গুরুকরণশ্রমেণ
নাম-কীর্তন-আদিভির্ এৱ মে ভগৱত্-প্রাপ্তির্- ভাৱিন্ ঈতি
মন্যমান্ অস্তু গুর্ৱৱজ্ঞা লক্ষণ- মহাপরাধা-দেৱ ভগৱন্তং সতি শ্রী গুরু-চরণাশ্রিত এৱ প্রাপ্নোতীতি."

17.78
hena vaiṣṇavera nindā kare yai jana
sei pāya duḥkha-janma jīvana-maraṇa
vidyā-kula-tapa-saba viphala tāhāra vaiṣṇava nindaye ye ye
 pāpī durācāra pūjā o tāhāra kṛṣṇa nā kare grahaṇa vaiṣṇavera nindā kare ye pāpiṣṭha-jana


One who commits offenses against Vaiṣṇavas attains only misery, life after life.
His learning and austerity bears no fruit. Blasphemy of Vaiṣṇavas is the worst
kind of sinful behavior. One who engages in blasphemy of Vaiṣṇavas will find
that Kṛṣṇa does not accept his worship. A person who blasphemes Vaiṣṇavas is
therefore the worst kind of sinner. 

(Cb. Madhya 4.360)
১৭.৭৯
শূলপাণি-সম যদি ৱৈষ্ণৱেরে নিন্দে তথাপিহ নাশ যায, 
কহে শাস্ত্র-ৱৃণ্দে ইহা না মানিযাযে সুজন-নিন্দা করে জন্মে জন্মে সে পাপিষ্ঠ দেৱ-দোষে মরে

17.79
śūlapāṇi-sama yadi vaiṣṇavere ninde tathāpiha nāśa yāya, 
kahe śāstra-vṛṇde ihā nā māniyāye sujana-nindā 
kare janme janme se pāpiṣṭha deva-doṣe mare

It is the conclusion of all the revealed scriptures that one who blasphemes a
vaiṣṇava is doomed. For such a person, everything is torn to pieces by the
powerful trident of his sinful reactions. A sinful person who disregards this
principle and insults great souls will suffer birth after birth for his offence. 
(Cb. Madhya 22.54,56)

Vaiṣṇava-aparādhis are Punished Forever

১৭.৮০
প্রভু বলে, ৱৈষ্ণৱ নিন্দযে যেই জন কুষ্ঠরোগ কোন্ তার শাতিযে লিখন
আপাততঃ শাস্ত্রি কিছু হৈযাছে মাত্র আর কত আছে যম-যাতনার 
পাত্র চৌরাশী সহস্র যম-যাতনা প্রত্যেক্সে
পুনঃ পুনঃ করি" বূঞ্জে ৱৈষ্ণৱ-নিন্দকে

17.80
prabhu bale, vaiṣṇava nindaye yei jana kuṣṭharoga kon tāra śātiye likhana
 āpātataḥ śāstri kichu haiyāche mātra āra kata āche yama-yātanāra 
pātra caurāśī sahasra yama-yātanā pratyekse
punaḥ punaḥ kari" būñje vaiṣṇava-nindake 

Mahāprabhu said, "It is written that one who blasphemes the Vaiṣṇavas will
suffer from leprosy, after which he will be punished by the agents of Yamarāja
again and again, in thousands of births. (Cb. Madhya 4.375-377)

Six Kinds of Vaiṣṇava-aparādha

१७.८१
निन्दां कुर्वन्ति ये मूधा वैष्णवानां महात्मनाम्
पतन्ति पितृभिः सार्धं महारौरव-संज्ञिते 
हन्ति निन्दति वै द्वेष्ठि वैष्णवान्-नाभि- नन्दति
क्रुध्यते याति नो हर्षं दर्शने पतनानि षट्
17.81
nindāṁ kurvanti ye mūdhā vaiṣṇavānāṁ mahātmanām
patanti pitṛbhiḥ sārdhaṁ mahāraurava-saṁjñite 
hanti nindati vai dveṣṭhi vaiṣṇavān-nābhi- nandati
krudhyate yāti no harṣaṁ darśane patanāni ṣaṭ 

A fool who blasphemes Vaiṣṇavas goes to the worst kind of hell along with
generations of his ancestors. One who kills a devotee, as well as one who
blasphemes devotees, or one who is envious of devotees, or one who fails to offer
obeisances to Vaiṣṇavas upon seeing them, or one who becomes angered at a
Vaiṣṇava, or who does not become joyful upon seeing a Vaiṣṇava these six
classes of men are all considered to be candidates for falling down into hell.
(Skanda Purāṇa)

Vaiṣṇava-aparādhis Should Have Their Tongues Cut Out

१७.८३
कर्णौ पिधाय निरयाद् यद् अकल्प ईशे
धर्मावितर्य् असृणिभिर् नृभिर् अस्यमाने
छिन्द्यात् प्रसह्य रुशतीम् असतीं प्रभुश्
चेज् जिह्वाम् असून् अपि ततो विसृजेत् स धर्मः

17.83
karṇau pidhāya nirayād yad akalpa īśedharmāvitary asṛṇibhir nṛbhir asyamāne chindyāt prasahya ruśatīm asatīṁ prabhuś cej jihvām asūn api tato visṛjet sa dharmaḥ


[Sati said] If one hears an irresponsible person blaspheme the guardian of
devotion (dharmāvitarya or dharma-rakṣaka), one should block his ears and go
away if unable to punish him. But if one is able to kill, then one should by force
cut out the blasphemer's tongue and kill the offender, and after that one should
give up his own life. (Bhāg. 4.4.17)


The Great Fault of Hearing Blasphemy of Vaiṣṇavas

१७.८४
"वैष्णव निन्दा श्रवने ऽपि दोष उक्तः" (भग.१०.७४.४०)
निन्दां भगवतः शृण्वन् तत् परस्य जनस्य वा ततो नापैति यः
 सो ऽपि यात्यध सुकृतात् च्युतः ततोऽपगमश् चासमर्थस्य 
एव॑ समर्थेन तु निन्दकजिह्वा छेत्तव्या॑ तत्राप्य् 
असमर्थेन स्वप्राणपरित्यागो ऽपि कर्तव्यः

17.84
"vaiṣṇava nindā śravane 'pi doṣa uktaḥ" (Bhāg.
10.74.40)
nindāṁ bhagavataḥ śṛṇvan tat parasya janasya vā tato nāpaiti yaḥ so 'pi yātyadha sukṛtāt cyutaḥ tato'pagamaś cāsamarthasya eva; samarthena tu nindakajihvā chettavyā; tatrāpy asamarthena svaprāṇaparityāgo 'pi
kartavyaḥ


The Śrīmad Bhāgavatam says that it is a great fault to hear blasphemy of
Vaiṣṇavas. It states: "He who does not leave the place where devotees of the
Lord are blasphemed, but continues to hear such blasphemy, is guilty of a great
sin. He is deprived of all his piety and falls down into hell." It is enjoined that
one must leave the place of blasphemy. But that is for a person who is not a
capable person. If capable one should cut out the tongue of the blasphemer. If
unable to do that one should give up his life rather than continue to hear such blasphemy. 
(Bhakti Sandarbha 265)

The Way to Overcome Vaiṣṇava-aparādha


১৭.৮৫
যে ৱৈষ্ণৱ-স্থানে অপরাধ হয যার পুন সে ক্ষমিলে অ পরাধ ঘুচে তার
17.85
ye vaiṣṇava-sthāne aparādha haya yāra puna se kṣamile a parādha ghuce tāra


If one offends a Vaiṣṇava, the only way to get free from the offense is to go back to
that Vaiṣṇava and beg his forgiveness. 
(Cb. Madhya 22.32)
১৭.৮৬
কাঞ্টা ফুটে যেই মুখে, সেই মুখে যায পাযে কাঞ্টা ফুটিলে কি কান্ধে বাহিরায
17.86
kāñṭā phuṭe yei mukhe, sei mukhe yāya pāye kāñṭā phuṭile ki kāndhe bāhirāya

Just as it takes a thorn to remove a thorn, the offense committed by the mouth
[against a Vaiṣṇava] must be cured with the mouth [by begging forgiveness].

(Cb. Antya 4.380)

The Second Offense to the Holy Name: Worshipping other gods

१७.८७-८८
शिवः शक्ति-युतः शश्वत् त्रि-लिङ्गो गुण-संवृतः वैकारिकस् तैजसश् च तामसश् चेत्य् अहं त्रिधा हरिर् हि निर्गुणः साक्षात् पुरुषः प्रकृतेः परः स सर्व-दृग् उपद्रष्टा तं भजन् निर्गुणो भवेत्

17.87-88
śivaḥ śakti-yutaḥ śaśvat tri-liṅgo guṇa-saṁvṛtaḥ vaikārikas taijasaś ca tāmasaś cety ahaṁ tridhā harir hi nirguṇaḥ sākṣāt puruṣaḥ prakṛteḥ paraḥ sa sarva-dṛg upadraṣṭā taṁ bhajan nirguṇo bhavet

Lord Śiva is always associated with his śakti. He is invested with the three
modes of nature sattva, rajas, and tamas and is the presiding deity of the three
kinds of cosmic ego characterized by sattva, rajas, and tamas. Lord Hari, on the
other hand, is unaffected by the three modes and hence devoid of the attributes
of material nature. He is omniscient and is a witness to everything. A person
who worships him becomes free from all material qualities. 
(Bhāg. 10.88.3,5)


The Third Offense to the Holy Name: 

To disobey the orders of the spiritual master. 

१७.८९-८०
रजस् तमश् च सत्त्वेन सत्त्वं चोपशमेन च एतत् सर्वं गुरौ भक्त्या पुरुषो ह्य् अञ्जसा जयेत् यस्य साक्षाद् भगवति ज्ञान-दीप-प्रदे गुरौ मर्त्यासद्-धीः श्रुतं तस्य सर्वं कुञ्जर- शौचवत्
17.89-80
rajas tamaś ca sattvena sattvaṁ copaśamena ca etat sarvaṁ gurau bhaktyā puruṣo hy añjasā jayet yasya sākṣād bhagavati jñāna-dīpa-prade gurau martyāsad-dhīḥ śrutaṁ tasya sarvaṁ kuñjara- śaucavat


One must conquer the modes of passion and ignorance by developing the mode
of goodness, and then one must become detached from the mode of goodness by
promoting oneself to the platform of śuddha- sattva. All this can be
automatically done if one engages in the service of the spiritual master with
faith and devotion. In this way one can conquer the influence of the modes of nature. 

The spiritual master should be considered to be directly the Supreme
Lord because he gives transcendental knowledge for enlightenment.
Consequently, for one who maintains the material conception that the spiritual
master is an ordinary human being, everything is frustrated. His enlightenment
and His Vedic studies and knowledge are like the bathing of an elephant.
 (Bhāg. 7.15.25,26)

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

Offences to the holy name, continued...

The Fourth Offense to the Holy Name: To blaspheme the Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic Version

१७.९१
श्रद्धां भागवते शास्त्रे ऽनिन्दाम् अन्यत्र चापि हि
17.91
śraddhāṁ bhāgavate śāstre 'nindām anyatra cāpi hi

One should have firm faith that he will achieve all success in life by following
those scriptures that describe the glories of the Supreme Personality of
Godhead, Bhagavān. At the same time, one should avoid blaspheming other
Vedic scriptures. 
(Bhāg. 11.3.26)
१७.९२
नमः प्रमाण-मूलाय कवये शास्त्र-योनये प्रवृत्ताय निवृत्ताय निगमाय नमो नमः
17.92
namaḥ pramāṇa-mūlāya kavaye śāstra-yonaye pravṛttāya nivṛttāya nigamāya namo namaḥ

We offer our obeisances again and again to You, who are the basis of all authoritative evidence, who are the author and ultimate source of the revealed scriptures, and who have manifested Yourself in those Vedic literature's
encouraging sense gratification as well as in those encouraging renunciation of the material world. 
(Bhāg. 10.16.44) 


The Fifth Offense to the Holy Name: 

To consider the glories of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa as an exaggeration.

१७.९३
प्रायेण वेद तद् इदं न महाजनो ऽयं देव्या 
विमोहित-मतिर् बत माययालम् त्रयां जडी-कृत-मतिर् 
मधु-पुष्पितायां वैतानिके महति कर्मणि युज्यमानः
17.93
prāyeṇa veda tad idaṁ na mahājano 'yaṁ devyā 
vimohita-matir bata māyayālam trayāṁ jaḍī-kṛta-matir 
madhu-puṣpitāyāṁ vaitānike mahati karmaṇi yujyamānaḥ

[If chanting the holy name is sufficient for liberation, then why haven't the
Vedic sages stressed this in their teachings?] Because they are bewildered by the
illusory energy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Yajñavalkya and Jaimini and other compilers of the religious scriptures cannot understand the transcendental value of performing devotional service or chanting the Hare
Kṛṣṇa mantra. 

Because their minds are attracted to the ritualistic ceremonies mentioned in the Vedas especially the Yajur Veda, Sṁma Veda, and Ṛg Veda their intelligence became dull. Thus they are busy collecting the ingredients for
ritualistic ceremonies that yield only temporary benefits, such as elevation to Svargaloka for material happiness. They are not attracted to the saṅkīrtana movement; instead, they are interested in dharma, artha, kāma and mokṣa.
(Bhāg. 6.3.25)

Other Processes of Purification are a Waste of Time

१७.९४
प्रायश्चित्तानि चीर्णानि नारायण-पराङ्मुखम्
न निष्पुनन्ति राजेन्द्र सुरा-कुम्भम् इवापगाः
17.94
prāyaścittāni cīrṇāni nārāyaṇa-parāṅmukham
na niṣpunanti rājendra surā-kumbham ivāpagāḥ 

My dear King, as a pot containing liquor cannot be purified even if washed in the waters of many rivers, non-devotees cannot be purified by processes of atonement even if they perform them very well. 
(Bhāg. 6.1.18)

The Sixth Offense to the Holy Name: 

To concoct interpretations of the holy name of the Lord.

१७.९५-९६

तज् जन्म तानि कर्माणि तद् आयुस् तन् मनो वचः 
नृणां येन हि विश्वात्मा सेव्यते हरिर् ईश्वरः
किं जन्मभिस् त्रिभिर् वेह शौक्र-सावित्र- याज्ञिकैः
कर्मभिर् वा त्रयी-प्रोक्तैः पुंसो ऽपि विबुधायुषा

17.95-96

taj janma tāni karmāṇi tad āyus tan mano vacaḥ 
nṛṇāṁ yena hi viśvātmā sevyate harir īśvaraḥ
kiṁ janmabhis tribhir veha śaukra-sāvitra- yājñikaiḥ
karmabhir vā trayī-proktaiḥ puṁso 'pi vibudhāyuṣā

Nārada said, "When a living entity is born to engage in the devotional service of
the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is the supreme controller, this birth,
all his fruitive activities, his life-span, his mind and his words are all factually perfect. 

A civilized human being has three kinds
of births. The first birth is by a pure father and mother, and this birth is called birth by semen. The next birth
takes place when one is initiated by the spiritual master and this birth is called
savitra.

The third birth, called yajnika, takes place when one is given the
opportunity to worship Lord Viṣṇu. Despite the opportunities of attaining such
births, even if one gets the life-span of a demigod, if one does not actually
engage in the service of the Lord, everything is useless.

Similarly, one's activities
may be mundane or spiritual, but they are useless if they are not meant for
satisfying the Lord. (Bhāg. 4.31.9-10) 

Auspicious Activities Other than Chanting the Holy Name in Full Surrender are Useless

१७.९७
अविस्मितं तं परिपूर्ण-कामं स्वेनैव लाभेन समं प्रशान्तम्
विनोपसर्पत्य् अपरं हि बालिशः श्व- लाङ्गुलेनातितितर्ति सिन्धुम्
17.97
avismitaṁ taṁ paripūrṇa-kāmaṁ svenaiva lābhena samaṁ praśāntam
vinopasarpaty aparaṁ hi bāliśaḥ śva- lāṅgulenātititarti sindhum

Free from all material conceptions of existence and never wonderstruck by
anything, the Lord is always jubilant and fully satisfied by His own spiritual
perfection's. He has no material designations, and therefore He is steady and
unattached. That Supreme Personality of Godhead is the only shelter of
everyone. Anyone desiring to be protected by others is certainly a great fool who
desires to cross the sea by holding a dog's tail. 
(Bhāg. 6.9.22)

The Seventh Offense to the Holy Name: To commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy name of the Lord.

१७.९८
मन्ये धनाभिजन-रूप-तपः-श्रुतौजस्- तेजः-प्रभाव-बल-पौरुष-बुद्धि-योगाः नाराधनाय हि भवन्ति परस्य पुंसो भक्त्या तुतोष भगवान् गज-यूथ-पाय
17.98
manye dhanābhijana-rūpa-tapaḥ-śrutaujas- tejaḥ-prabhāva-bala-pauruṣa-buddhi-yogāḥ nārādhanāya hi bhavanti parasya puṁso bhaktyā tutoṣa bhagavān gaja-yūtha-pāya 

[Prahlāda Mahārāja prayed to Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva] One may possess wealth, an aristocratic family, beauty, austerity, education, sensory expertise, buster, influence, physical strength, diligence, intelligence, and mystic power, but I
think that even by all these qualifications one cannot satisfy the Supreme Personality of Godhead. However, one can satisfy the Lord simply by devotional service. 

Gajendra did this , and thus the Lord was satisfied with him. [In other
words, the real qualification to worship the Lord is faith.] 
(Bhāg. 7.9.9)

The Eight Offense to the Holy Name: 

To consider the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa to be on the same level as the  ritualistic and karmic activities mentioned in the Vedas.

१७.९९
क्वचिन् निवर्तते ऽभद्रात् क्वचिच् चरति तत् पुनः प्रायश्चित्तम् अथो ऽपार्थं मन्ये कुञ्जर- शौचवत्
17.99
kvacin nivartate 'bhadrāt kvacic carati tat punaḥ prāyaścittam atho 'pārthaṁ manye kuñjara- śaucavat

Sometimes one who is very alert so as not to commit sinful acts is victimised by sinful life again. I therefore consider this process of repeated sinning and atoning to be useless. It is like the bathing of an elephant, for an elephant
cleanses itself by taking a full bath, but then throws dust over its head and body as soon as it returns to the land. 
(Bhāg. 6.1.10) 

The Ninth Offense to the Holy Name: To instruct the faithless in the glories of the holy name.

१७.१००
तस्मात् सर्वात्मना राजन् हरिः सर्वत्र सर्वदा श्रोतव्यः कीर्तितव्यश् च स्मर्तव्यो भगवान् नृणाम्
17.100
tasmāt sarvātmanā rājan hariḥ sarvatra sarvadā śrotavyaḥ kīrtitavyaś ca smartavyo bhagavān nṛṇām

O King, it is therefore essential that every human being hear about, glorify, and remember the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, always and everywhere, with all one's attention, committing heart, mind and soul in dedication to the holy name. (Bhāg. 2.2.36) 

The Tenth Offense to the Holy Name: To not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy names and thus maintain material attachments.  

१७.१०१
यस्यात्म-बुद्धिः कुणपे त्रि-धातुके स्व-धीः कलत्रादिषु भौम इज्य-धीः यत्-तीर्थ-बुद्धिः सलिले न कर्हिचिज् जनेष्व् अभिज्ञेषु स एव गो-खरः
17.101
yasyātma-buddhiḥ kuṇape tri-dhātuke sva-dhīḥ kalatrādiṣu bhauma ijya-dhīḥ yat-tīrtha-buddhiḥ salile na karhicij janeṣv abhijñeṣu sa eva go-kharaḥ

One who believes this body, which is composed of mucus, bile, and air, is the self, who thinks of his wife and children as his bodily expansions, and who considers the land of his birth worshipable, who visits the holy places simply to
go swimming, without seeking shelter of the holy saints who live there, is no better than a cow or an ass. 
(Bhāg. 10.84.13)
১৭.১০২
ঽকৃষ্ণ-নামঽ করে অপরাধের ৱিচার কৃষ্ণ বলিলে অপরাধীর না হয ৱিকার
17.102
'kṛṣṇa-nāma' kare aparādhera vicāra kṛṣṇa balile aparādhīra nā haya vikāra

There are offenses to be consider while chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.
Therefore, simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, one does not become ecstatic. 
(Cc. Ādi 8.24)

১৭.১০৩
তার মধ্যে সর্ৱ-শ্রেষ্ঠ নাম-সঙ্কীর্তন নিরপরাধে নাম লৈলে পায প্রেম-ধন
17.103
tāra madhye sarva-śreṣṭha nāma-saṅkīrtana niraparādhe nāma laile pāya prema-dhana

Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most important is to always
chant the holy name of the Lord. If one does so, avoiding the ten kinds of
offenses, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead. 
(Cc. Antya 4.71)

১৭.১০৪
বহু জন্ম করে যদি শ্রৱণ, কীর্তন তবু তঽ না পায কৃষ্ণ-পদে প্রেম-ধন
17.104
bahu janma kare yadi śravaṇa, kīrtana tabu ta' nā pāya kṛṣṇa-pade prema-dhana 

If one is infested with the ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahāmantra, despite his endeavor to chant the holy name for many births, he will not get the love of Godhead which is the ultimate goal of this chanting. 
(Cc. Ādi 8.16)
১৭.১০৫
ঽেকঽ কৃষ্ণ-নামে করে সর্ৱ-পাপ নাশ প্রেমের কারণ 
ভক্তি করেন প্রকাশ অনাযাসে ভৱ-ক্ষয, 
কৃষ্ণের সেৱন এক কৃষ্ণ-নামের ফলে পাই এত দন

17.105
'eka' kṛṣṇa-nāme kare sarva-pāpa nāśa premera kāraṇa 
bhakti karena prakāśa anāyāse bhava-kṣaya, 
kṛṣṇera sevana eka kṛṣṇa-nāmera phale pāi eta dana

Simply by chanting one name of Kṛṣṇa [purely] all one's sins are destroyed.
Thus bhakti, which is the cause of kṛṣṇa-prema, is manifest. 
(Cc. Ādi 8.26,28)
১৭.১০৬
হেন কৃষ্ণ-নাম যদি লয বহু-বার
তবু যদি প্রেম নহে, নহে অশ্রুধার তবে জানি, 
অপরাধ তাহাতে প্রচুর কৃষ্ণ-নাম-বীজ তাহে না করে অকুর
17.106
hena kṛṣṇa-nāma yadi laya bahu-bāra
tabu yadi prema nahe, nahe aśrudhāra tabe jāni, 
aparādha tāhāte pracura kṛṣṇa-nāma-bīja tāhe nā kare akura

If one chants the exalted holy name of the Lord again and again and yet his love
for the Supreme Lord does not develop and tears do not appear in his eyes, it is
evident that because of his offenses in chanting, the seed of the holy name of
Kṛṣṇa does not sprout. 
(Cc. Ādi 8.29.30) 


The Real Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa Can Never Awaken in Māyāvadis

১৭.১০৭
অতএৱ তার মুখে না আইসে কৃষ্ণ-নাম
ঽকৃষ্ণ-নামঽ, ঽকৃষ্ণ-স্ৱরূপঽ-দুইত ঽসমানঽ
ঽনাম; ঽৱিগ্রহঽ, ঽস্ৱরূপঽ-তিন এক-রূপ তিনে ঽভেদঽ নাহি,-তিন ঽচিদ্-আনন্দ-রূপঽ
দেহ-দেহীর, নাম-নামীর কৃষ্ণে নাহি ঽভেদঽ জীৱের ধর্ম-নাম-দেহ-স্ৱরূপে 
ঽৱিভেদঽ অতএৱ কৃষ্ণের ঽনামঽ, ঽদেহঽ, ঽৱিলাসঽ প্রাকৃতেন্দ্রিয-গ্রাহ্য নহে, হয স্ৱ-প্রকাশ

17.107
ataeva tāra mukhe nā āise kṛṣṇa-nāma
'kṛṣṇa-nāma', 'kṛṣṇa-svarūpa'-duita 'samāna'
'nāma; 'vigraha', 'svarūpa'-tina eka-rūpa tine 'bheda' nāhi,-tina 'cid-ānanda-rūpa'
deha-dehīra, nāma-nāmīra kṛṣṇe nāhi 'bheda' jīvera dharma-nāma-deha-svarūpe 
'vibheda' ataeva kṛṣṇera 'nāma', 'deha', 'vilāsa' prākṛtendriya-grāhya nahe, haya sva-prakāśa 

[Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "Māyāvādī impersonalists are great offenders
unto Lord Kṛṣṇa; therefore they simply utter the words Brahman, ātmā, and
Caitanya.] The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is not manifest in their mouths because the
are offenders to Kṛṣṇa, who is nondifferenct from His name. 

The Lord's holy
name, His form, and His personality are all one and the same. There is no
difference between them. Since all of them are absolute, they are
transcendentally blissful. There s no difference between Kṛṣṇa's body and
Himself or between His name and Himself. As far as the conditioned soul is
concerned, everything is different. One's name is different from the body, from
one's original form and so on. 
(Cc. Madhya 17.130-132,134)

Through Chanting the Holy Name of Kṛṣṇa and Dancing One Gains Life.

१७.१०८-१०९
गीत-नृत्यानि कुर्वीत द्विज-देवादि तुष्टये
न जीवनाय युञ्जीत विप्रः पापभिया क्वचित् क्वचित् कदाचिद् अपि जीवनाय निजवृत्त्यर्थं न युञ्जीत
न कुर्यात्॒ तत्र हेतुः पापाद्भिया, तथा सति पापं स्यादित्यर्थः

17.108-109
gīta-nṛtyāni kurvīta dvija-devādi tuṣṭaye
na jīvanāya yuñjīta vipraḥ pāpabhiyā kvacit kvacit kadācid api jīvanāya nijavṛttyarthaṁ na yuñjīta
na kuryāt: tatra hetuḥ pāpādbhiyā, tathā sati pāpaṁ syādityarthaḥ

A twice born, dvija, should sing and dance for the satisfaction of the Lord. But he should do not do so for his livelihood fearing sinful reaction. Commentary: Kvacit never; jīvanāya for his own maintenance; he should never
do so. The reason stated in pṁpabhiya. The meaning is if he does so he will be implicated in sins. 
(Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 8.265 and Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī's commentary)

१७.११०
धन-शिष्यादिभिर्-द्वारैर् यां भक्तिर् उपपाद्यते
विदूरत्वाद् उत्तमताहान्य तस्याश् च नाङ्गता
17.110
dhana-śiṣyādibhir-dvārair yāṁ bhaktir upapādyate
vidūratvād uttamatāhānya tasyāś ca nāṅgatā


If one relies on one's disciples or wealth to attain bhakti, his devotional practice
will certainly become slackened. One cannot claim that one is engaged in
devotional service simply on the basis of engaging one's money or disciples in
bhakti. 

To rely on money and disciples to perform devotional service in one's
place is not considered to be a branch of pure devotion. 

(Bhakti-rasāmṛtasindhu, Pūrva-Vibhāga 2.259)

One who Eagerly Dedicates Mind, Body, and Soul in Kṛṣṇa-bhakti Experiences the Topmost Mercy and Auspiciousness-

१७.१११
एतावज् जन्म-साफल्यं देहिनाम् इह देहिषु प्राणैर् अर्थैर् धिया वाचा श्रेय-आचरणं सदा
17.111
etāvaj janma-sāphalyaṁ dehinām iha dehiṣu prāṇair arthair dhiyā vācā śreya-ācaraṇaṁ sadā 

[The Lord said] That a person should sacrifice his life, wealth, intellect, and
speech for doing what is beneficial to others, is the farthest limit of the
usefulness of embodied beings for their fellow creatures. 
(Bhāg. 10.22.35)
१७.११२
प्राणिनाम् उपकाराय यथैवेह परत्र च
कर्मणा मनसा वाचा तद् एव मतिमान् वदेत्
17.112
prāṇinām upakārāya yathaiveha paratra ca
karmaṇā manasā vācā tad eva matimān vadet 

Through one's work, mind, and words one should act in such a way that it will
bring benefit to all living beings such is the behavior of the intelligent. 
(Viṣṇu Purāṇa 3.12.45)

The Qualification for Being Jagad-guru

১৭.১১৩
আপনে আচরে কেহ, না করে প্রচার প্রচার, করেন কেহ, না করেন আচার
ঽাচারঽ, ঽপ্রচারঽ,-নামের করহ ঽদুইঽ কার্য তুমি-সর্ৱ-গুরু, তুমি জগতের আর্য

17.113
āpane ācare keha, nā kare pracāra pracāra, karena keha, nā karena ācāra
'ācāra', 'pracāra',-nāmera karaha 'dui' kārya tumi-sarva-guru, tumi jagatera ārya

Some practice, but do not preach; some preach but do not practice you both
practice the chanting of the holy name and preach it as well. Because you
practice what you preach, you are the jagad-guru, the guru of the entire
universe, for you are the most advanced devotee in the world. 
(Cc. Antya 4.102-103)

Gaurasundara's Followers Preach the Holy Name. By Doing so, They Attain the Eternal Association of the Lord, who is the Father of the Saṅkīrtana Movement.

১৭.১১৪
যারে দেখ, তারে কহ ঽকৃষ্ণঽ উপদেশ 
আমার আজ্ঞায গুরু হঞা তারঽ এই দেশ 
কভু না ৱাধিবে তোমার ৱিষয-তরঙ্গ 
পুনরপি এই ঠাঞি পাবে মোর সঙ্গ
17.114
yāre dekha, tāre kaha 'kṛṣṇa' upadeśa 
āmāra ājñāya guru hañā tāra' ei deśa 
kabhu nā vādhibe tomāra viṣaya-taraṅga 
punarapi ei ṭhāñi pābe mora saṅga

Instruct whoever you meet in the science of Kṛṣṇa. Teach them the instructions of Kṛṣṇa in Bhagavad-gītā, and the teachings about Kṛṣṇa in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way, on my order, become a guru and liberate everyone in the land. If you follow this instruction, the waves of materialism within this world will not affect you. Indeed, if you follow my order, you will soon attain my association. 
(Cc. Madhya 7.128-129)

Those who Have Taken Birth in the Land of India Should Show Mercy to Others by Eagerly
Preaching the Glories of the Holy Name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa


১৭.১১৫
ভারত ভূমিতে হৈল মনুঞ্য জন্ম যান্\ঽর জন্ম স্মৃথক করি কর পর-উপকার
17.115
bhārata bhūmite haila manuñya janma yā'ra janma sṁrthaka kari' kara para-upakāra

One who has taken his birth as a human being in the land of India should make his live successful and work for the benefit of all other people by preaching nāma-saṅkīrtana, the chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. 
(Cc. Ādi 9.41)

Thus ends the Seventeenth Jewel of Gauḍīya- Kaṇṭhahāra, entitled Nāmatattva.