Sri Sri Prema-Vivarta

By Sri Jagadananda Pandit

© 2015 Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

All rights reserved by the Successor President-Acharya

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, Nabadwip, West Bengal, India

Published in March 2015, this book has been prepared at the express request of Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj. It is His Divine Grace’s desire that Srila Jagadananda Pandit’s bright and concise instructions guide devotees in their practice and preaching.

This electronic version is prepared in 2025 as part of service to His Divine Grace Om Vishnupad Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj.

Web address: www.scsmathinternational.com

Email: info@scsmathinternational.com

CONTENTS

In Praise of Sri Sri Prema-vivarta

(1) Invocation of Auspiciousness

(2) The Composition of This Book

(3) First Obeisances

(4) Gaura’s Greatness

(5) Transformations of Ecstasy in Service

(6) The Journey of the Soul

(7) The Name is for Everyone

(8) Give up Deceit

(9) Proper Renunciation

(10) Caste and Class

(11) The Light of Nabadwip

(12) Glories of the Vaishnavs

(13) Eagerness to see Sri Gaura

(14) Contradictory Transformations

(15) Morning Pastimes in Nabadwip

(16) What is Love?

(17) Different Practices for Different Devotees

(18) Sri Ekadasi

(19) A Collection of Hidden Truths about the Name

(20) The Glories of the Name

The Ten Offences to the Holy Name

The Logo of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math’s Mission

Headquarters

of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Books and Publications of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

In Praise of Sri Sri Prema-vivarta

Compiled from the talks of

Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj

Srila Jagadananda Pandit collected his notes on Sriman Mahaprabhu’s pastimes and teachings and presented them in the form of a book called Sri Prema-vivarta. This book was published by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur and is full of Gaudiya siddhanta.

Student: Some people say Prema-vivarta was written by Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, not Jagadananda Pandit.

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: If we can understand that Srimad Bhagavatam is the highest development of theism and the teachings of Sri Chaitanyadev are the highest, full-fledged form of that theism, then anything that correlates with them has value and cannot but be true. Some claim that Sri Brahma-samhita was written by Sri Chaitanyadev. Srila Jiva Goswami has shown that there really was a Brahma-samhita with one hundred chapters and that the Brahma-samhita given by Sri Chaitanyadev is one chapter from that book. Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur, however, also wrote, “We do not find any book by Sri Chaitanyadev Himself anywhere. If Sri Brahma-samhita comes from Him, then we are very proud and satisfied that He has left us at least one book.” We may see Sri Prema-vivarta in this way.

There are many things mentioned in Sri Prema-vivarta that greatly help Gaudiya Math’s propaganda. A particular opposition camp of Gaudiya Math says that Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur has written Sri Prema-vivarta in the name of Jagadananda Pandit because the book supports Gaudiya Math’s position very well. For example, a section of sahajiyas say that there is no ekadasi in Puri. They say that when Mahaprabhu lived in Puri, He did not follow ekadasi because in Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita He is always found to be taking maha-prasad. They say that in Puri even on ekadasi we should not fast because there is always maha-prasad present, and there maha-prasad cannot be refused. It is, however, clearly stated in Jagadananda Pandit’s Sri Prema-vivarta that when Mahaprabhu was offered maha-prasad on ekadasi, He touched it to His head, kept it respectfully nearby, performed kirtan the whole day and night, and then took the prasad the next morning. Many similar points that are very helpful for the preaching of Gaudiya Math are found in Sri Prema-vivarta.

Student: Was Jagadananda Pandit in the mood of Satyabhama or was he an incarnation of Satyabhama?

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: He was an incarnation of Satyabhama. Satyabhama’s mood is known as vamya-bhava, opposition. She is very sentimental. She apparently opposes the Lord and behaves insistently. Ostentatiously, she opposes the Lord, but from the heart she has no opposition to Him, only loving emotions. Jagadananda Pandit sometimes played with the Lord in a way that might seem sinful. He was full of sentiments, but he has the highest qualification of having the greatest attraction to Mahaprabhu.

Once, Jagadananda Pandit asked Mahaprabhu for permission to go to Vrindavan. Mahaprabhu granted him permission but gave him instructions to follow while he was there.

mathura gele sanatana-sangei rahiba

mathurara svami sabera charana vandiba

dure rahi’ bhakti kariha sange na rahiba

tan-sabara achara-chesta la-ite nariba

sanatana-sange kariha vana darasana

sanatanera sanga na chhadiba eka-ksana

sighra asiha, tahan na rahiha chira-kala

govardhane na chadiha dekhite ‘gopala’

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita: Antya-lila, 13.36–39)

“You may go to Vrindavan, but do not remain there for a long time and do not climb on top of Govardhan to see Madhavendra Puri’s Gopal. Offer respect to the Vraja-vasis, but do not imitate their practices. And as long as you are there, stay under the guidance of Sanatan.”

Student: Why did the Lord tell Jagadananda Pandit not to come too close to the Vraja-vasis?

Srila Sridhar Maharaj: Although the Lord was advising Jagadananda, these instructions are really for us. They are to warn us that the Vraja-vasis may not be scrupulous about following physical practices, and that we should not imitate their external behaviour. Also, in Vraja at that time, everyone was not a follower of Chaitanyadev. They were followers of Nimbarka Acharya, Vishnu Swami, and others. Furthermore, it was a period of the Mohammedan rule. Under those circumstances, Mahaprabhu did not want Jagadananda’s sentiments to be publicly exposed in Vraja Mandal. Sanatan Goswami was the most sober and respected follower of Mahaprabhu there, and he could deal with things in the locality well. Jagadananda was very intolerant of anyone who did not follow Mahaprabhu. He had many eccentricities, and he could create havoc. Mahaprabhu thought, “He quarrels even with Me here. He won’t care for anyone there. For his own interest, he may create quarrel there. So, he should always be under the guidance of Sanatan. Sanatan is a sober man and knows how to deal with the people in that place. He is My trusted leader there. Jagadananda must remain under his guidance and should not mix closely with the Vraja-vasis. Because of his intolerance, he may quarrel with them.” Mahaprabhu knew Jagadananda was very sentimental, and He did not want that Jagadananda would go there and freely display intense sentiments for Him. Still, Jagadananda did so.

One day, while Jagadananda Pandit was cooking, Sanatan Goswami came to visit him just as he was placing a cooking pot on the oven. Sanatan Goswami was wearing a turban made of red cloth. Jagadananda Prabhu was delighted to see the red cloth and said, “That must be Mahaprabhu’s cloth! Did He give it to you?”

Sanatan Goswami replied, “No, no. I received this cloth from another sannyasi, Mukunda Saraswati, who stays in this area.”

Jagadananda said, “Oh! Is it? You are the leading follower of Mahaprabhu but you wear on your head the cloth of another sannyasi!”

Jagadananda rushed toward Sanatan to strike Sanatan with the cooking pot in his hand. “Who can tolerate this?” he exclaimed.

“Yes, Panditji!” Sanatan Goswami joined his palms, “I have now found the jewel I have been searching for. I wanted to see your exclusive love for Mahaprabhu, and today, by Mahaprabhu’s grace, I have seen it. I wore this turban only with the hope that I would see your exclusive devotion to Mahaprabhu and the extreme intolerance produced by your love. Seeing the intensity of your love for Mahaprabhu, my life is fulfilled. I am very fortunate.”

Jagadananda was nonplussed by Sanatan’s words and felt that his excitement was quite abrupt and awkward. He felt shy and fell silent. Then he said, “No, no, no. I am mistaken. But who can tolerate this? You are one of the main followers of Mahaprabhu, but you have such respect for another sannyasi, a mayavadi, that you wear his cloth on your head as a turban? I cannot tolerate this, but please forgive me for coming to strike you.”

On another occasion, when Sanatan Goswami came to Puri, he asked for Jagadananda’s advice as to whether he should remain there with Mahaprabhu or return to Vrindavan. Jagadananda advised him to return to Vrindavan, and later Sriman Mahaprabhu heard that Jagadananda had given this advice to Sanatan Goswami, who was his senior. Mahaprabhu chastised Jagadananda and then praised Sanatan Goswami, but Sanatan Goswami replied to Mahaprabhu, “Oh, this is my misfortune. You are feeding me so much bitterness coated with praise. Jagadananda’s fortune is higher. You blame him and punish him with ill words—that means that You think of him as Your own, but You keep me at a respectful distance. This shows his good fortune and my bad fortune. It is my bad fate that You praise me and keep me at a respectful distance. That You punish Jagadananda shows that You favour him, and that he is Your own. You are actually treating him most affectionately.”

Through Sanatan’s glorification, we can understand the exalted position of Jagadananda Pandit and his intimate relationship with Mahaprabhu.

In another instance, Jagadananda Pandit carried a large clay pot full of sandalwood oil from Bengal to Puri, a distance of more than three hundred miles. He came to Govinda, Mahaprabhu’s personal servant, and modestly offered it, “With great trouble, I have carried this pot full of sandalwood oil here for Mahaprabhu. May the Lord graciously accept it. Please keep it here. You can massage Mahaprabhu’s head with this oil; it has a cooling effect. Sometimes the Lord cannot sleep, and sometimes He speaks deliriously. This oil will help Him greatly at those times. I have taken the oil from Sivananda Sen, and it is pure. Please keep it here and use it for the Lord.”

Mahaprabhu overheard Jagadananda saying this to Govinda.

“What is this?” He asked.

“Jagadananda Pandit has brought a full pot of sandalwood oil for You, and his request is that You smear it on Your head now and then so that You will sleep soundly and remain in good health,” Govinda said.

“No, no, no. Sandalwood oil is very fragrant. What will people say about Me? I am a sannyasi. If I smear this oil on My head and go to see Jagannath, the public will smell it and say, ‘Such luxury for a sannyasi? Does He also keep a woman with Him?’ I cannot use this oil at all. I will get a bad name.”

Then, Mahaprabhu turned to Jagadananda, “Would that please you? I advise you to take the oil to the Temple of Jagannath. There it can be burned in the lamps, and Jagannath will enjoy its scent. In that way, your labour of carrying the oil here will be successful. You will be greatly benefitted by offering the oil in that way.”

“Remove the oil from My room,” Mahaprabhu said to Govinda.

Hearing this, Jagadananda took the pot of oil from Govinda, came in front of Mahaprabhu, and smashed it on the floor. The oil spilled everywhere, and Jagadananda ran straight to his room. He locked the door from the inside and did not come out for three days. When Mahaprabhu heard that Jagadananda had been fasting for three days, He could not contain Himself, and He personally went to Jagadananda’s door.

“O Jagadananda! What is the matter? Arise and open the door! Today, I shall take prasadam prepared by your hands. I will not take prasadam from anyone else. I am going now, but at noon time I will return to take lunch here, prepared by you.”

Jagadananda thought, “Oh, Mahaprabhu will accept my cooking today!” He got out of bed and began to cook. Mahaprabhu came with Govinda to take prasadam, and He remarked, “Oh! All the dishes are very, very sweet today. Perhaps your cooking with a hot temper has made them extra sweet.”

After eating, Mahaprabhu stood and said, “Now you eat. Before I leave, I want to see you eat.”

Jagadananda replied, “Oh no, no, no. My Lord, You go and take rest. I shall take later. Certainly I will eat.”

Mahaprabhu said, “Govinda, stay here. Once Jagadananda has eaten, come and inform Me.” Finally, Jagadananda took prasadam.

Jagadananda Pandit has a very sentimental character like that of Satyabhama. He cannot give up his tendency of being reactionary towards Mahaprabhu. He is abhimanyu, very sensitive about subtle things, and known for his prema-vivarta, peculiar characteristics of the reactions produced by his divine love. They are of a peculiar type and are described in the science of divine love. Like Satyabhama, he has vamya-bhava, which is the nature of the highest class of heroines (nayikas). They instantly refuse whatever is offered to them by their lover (nayaka). In the science of love, we are told that this nature is the most valuable: it increases the lover’s earnestness.

Radharani’s nature is also of that type: always in opposition (nirantara vamya). This spirit of opposition is a peculiar thing, and the experts in rasa say that it is the highest mood because it enhances the intensity of the other side. This mood is found in Jagadananda and Satyabhama.

After Krishna went to Mathura, His Vrindavan-lila continued underground, that is, outside of ordinary vision. During that time, parts (amsas) of the gopis went to Dvaraka. Satyabhama appeared from a portion of Radharani’s lustre and Rukmini from Chandravali’s. Chandravali is more judicious, Radharani is more sentimental. Sentiment has the upper hand in Vrindavan: it is above judiciousness in matters of love. In Dvaraka, however, judiciousness gets the upper hand, and sentimentalism goes into the lower position. So, Satyabhama (Radharani’s connection, or shadow) is considered of lower value there, and the judiciousness and cleverness of Chandravali (Rukmini) comes into the first rank. The mood that has its highest glory in Vrindavan cannot play fully in Dvaraka. It goes into a secondary position there. These are the peculiarities in the lila.

yatha yatha gaura-padaravinde

vindeta bhaktim krta-punya-rasih

tatha tathotsarpati hrdy akasmad

radha-padambhoja-sudhamburasih

(Sri Chaitanya-chandramrita: 88)

As much as one engages in the service of Gaura-lila, automatically one finds oneself within the inner development of the service of Sri Radhika in Vraja-lila. One’s service begins here and reaches there. Automatically, spontaneously, one will be led there to the service of the highest value and quality. So, begin properly with Gaura-lila, begin with Nityananda and Gaura-Gadadhar, and then find yourself in the midst of Vrindavan-lila. Unknowingly, you will find, “I have attained a good position in Vrindavan-lila.”

• • •

(1) Invocation of Auspiciousness

radha-krsna-pranaya-vikrtir hladini-saktir asmad

ekatmanav api bhuvi pura deha-bhedam gatau tau

chaitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam chaikyam aptam

radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalitam naumi krsna-svarupam

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita: Adi-lila, 1.5)

Although Sri Radha and Sri Krishna are by nature one, through the hladini-sakti, a transformation of Their love, They exist eternally in separate forms. Now, They have manifested in one combined form as Sri Chaitanya. I bow to Him, Krishna Himself adorned with the heart and halo of Sri Radha.

The nature of Sri Radha and Sri Krishna (Sri-Radha-Krsna-tattva) 

akhanda-advaya-jnana sarva-tattva-sara

sei tattve danda-paranama bara bara [1]

I bow again and again to the indivisible, nondual Absolute, the essence of all truths.

sei tattva kabhu dui radha-krsna-rupe

kabhu eka paratpara chaitanya-svarupe [2]

The Absolute is sometimes two, as Radha and Krishna, and sometimes one, as Sri Chaitanya, the Supreme Being.

tattva-vastu eka sada advitiya bhaya

vastu vastu-sakti majhe kichhu bheda nai [3]

The Absolute is eternally one without a second, and there is no difference between the Absolute and the Absolute’s energy.

bheda nai bate, kintu sada bheda taya

“bhedabheda avichintya” sarva-vede gaya [4]

Truly, there is no difference between them, yet there is always a difference between them. All the Vedas glorify this “inconceivable difference and nondifference”.

vastu-sakti chit-svarupa bhavete sandhini

kriyate hladini tai tribhava-dharini [5]

The Absolute’s energy is spirit by nature, existence in form, and pleasure in action. The Absolute’s energy thus possesses three aspects.

vastu-sakti-dvare vastu deya parichaya

vastu-sakti kriya-yoge sarva siddha haya [6]

The Absolute reveals Himself through His energy; everything is effected by the action of the Absolute’s energy.

akhanda vastute bhava kriya nitya haya

sakti saktiman vastu tabu prthak naya [7]

Feeling and action happen constantly within the indivisible Absolute. The Absolute is energy and the possessor of all energy. Still, the Absolute is not differentiated.

hladini vastuke diya duiti svarupa

vraje radha-krsna-lila karaya aparupa [8]

The hladini-sakti separates the Absolute into two and makes Radha and Krishna’s Pastimes in Vraja sublime.

radha-krsna-pranayera vikrti hladini

avichintya sakti radha-krsna-unmadini [9]

The hladini-sakti is a transformation of Radha and Krishna’s love, an inconceivable energy that delights Radha and Krishna.

aghatana ghataite dhare mahasakti

nirvikare kariyachhe vikara anurakti [10]

The hladini-sakti has immense power to make the impossible possible: she has made transformations of love within the non-transformable Absolute.

The Absolute is incomprehensible to speculators; realisation is dependent on Krishna’s grace

ebe eka uthila apurva purva-paksa

tarkika na bujhe yadi chinte varsa laksa [11]

Now, an unprecedented proposition has arisen that speculators do not understand, even if they think about it for hundreds of thousands of years.

krsna yare krpa kare sei matra jane

laksa-varsa chinti’ taha na bujhibe ane [12]

Only those whom Krishna blesses understand it. Others will not understand it, even after thinking about it for hundreds of thousands of years.

radha-krsna-pranayera vikara hladini

pranayera pare janme chitta-unmadini [13]

The hladini-sakti, a transformation of Radha and Krishna’s love, manifests after Radha and Krishna’s love and delights Their hearts.

radha-krsna dui hale haya ta’ pranaya

pranaya ha-ile tabe vikara ghataya [14]

When Radha and Krishna become two, love manifests, and when love manifests, transformations occur.

dui deha habara age vikara na chhila

tabe eka-rupa dui kemane haila [15]

Before Radha and Krishna assumed two bodies, there were no transformations. So, how did one form become two?

hladini ha-ite haya dui deha bheda

kotha va hladini chhila haila prabheda [16]

One form separated into two because of the hladini-sakti. But where was the hladini-sakti when they separated?

ei prasnera eka-matra achhe ta’ uttara

desa-kalatita krsna-tattva nirantara [17]

The only answer to this question is that Krishna, by nature, is eternally transcendental to time and space.

There is no consideration of time and space in divinity

prakrtira madhye dekha kalera prabhava

bhuta-bhavisyatera buddhi tahara svabhava [18]

Within material existence, you see the influence of time; awareness of past and future are natural within material existence.

aprakrta-tattve bhuta bhavisyat nai

nitya-vartamana tatha balihari yai [19]

In divinity, however, there is no past or future; there is only the eternal present, which is indescribable.

vanmanera agochara aprakrta-tattva

varnite aise dosa ei matra satya [20]

Divinity is beyond thought and description. Describing it leads to error. This alone is the truth.

aprakrta-tattve kabhu dosa nahi pai

achintya-saktite saba samadhana bhai [21]

We never find faults in divinity. Brother, everything is harmonised by the Absolute’s inconceivable energy.

purvapara hena katha kabhu nahi taya

sarvada nutana saba anande mataya [22]

There is never any sense of before and after in the Absolute. Everything is ever-new and overflows with joy.

ataeva tattve ye akhanda-khanda-bhava

sama-kale dekhi seo tattvera svabhava [23]

Thus, the states of being divided and undivided, which we see within the Absolute simultaneously, are both part of the Absolute’s nature.

viruddha-dharmasraya tattva ascharya tara guna

janme nai hladini tabu kriyate nipuna [24]

The Absolute has contradictory natures. This is one of the Absolute’s astonishing qualities: without having manifest, the hladini-sakti still acts expertly.

janmibara purve radha-krsne dui kare

duhe premera vikara haye nije janma dhare [25]

Prior to her manifestation, she makes Radha and Krishna two, and then manifests herself as the transformations of love between Them.

nitya-vartamana tattva kala-dosa-hina

kala-dosa-vichara prakrte samichina [26]

The eternally present Absolute is free from the fault of time. Consideration of time applies only to material existence.

sri-advaya-tattva ara radha-krsna-tattva

sama-kala satya nitya ara suddha sattva [27]

The nondual Absolute and Radha-Krishna are simultaneously existent, eternal, and spiritual.

Sri Radha and Sri Krishna are Sri Chaitanya

ataeva radha-krsna dui eka hana

adhuna prakata mora chaitanya gosana [28]

Thus, the two, Radha and Krishna, have now become one and manifest as my Lord, Sri Chaitanya.

“adhuna” balite kala-bheda nahi kara

aprakrte kala-bheda nahi taha smara [29]

I said, “now”, but do not make a temporal distinction. Remember that there are no such distinctions in divinity.

“radha-krsna chhila, bhela chaitanya gosani”

e balile kala-dosa satya-vastu harai [30]

“Radha and Krishna existed, and then became Lord Chaitanya”—if you say this, you make a temporal distinction and misunderstand the Absolute.

‘ekatma’ sabdete yadi sri-chaitanya mana

radha-krsne habe bhai adhunika jnana [31]

Brother, if you consider that the word ekatma means Sri Chaitanya and that He will become Radha and Krishna, then you make a temporal distinction between Them.

“agre radha-krsna kiba sachira nandana”

e vichare vrtha kala na kara kartana [32]

“Who was first: Radha and Krishna or Sri Chaitanya?” Do not waste your time analysing this.

baliyachhi aprakrte saba vartamana

chaitanye krsnete tarke hao savadhana [33]

I have already said that everything within divinity exists in the present, so be cautious about arguing over Sri Chaitanya and Sri Krishna.

sama-kala nitya-kala dui tattva satya

akhanda advaya lila tattvera mahattva [34]

Sri Chaitanya and Sri Krishna exist simultaneously and eternally, and Their indivisible, nondual Pastimes are Their glory.

pranaya-vikara-sakti sei ahladini

dui tattve sama-kala rakhe ei jani [35]

We understand that the transformation of Their love, the hladini-sakti, simultaneously maintains Them both.

sei ta’ chaitanya ebe prapancha-prakate

sankirtana kari’ bule ganga-sindhu-tate [36]

Sri Chaitanya is now manifest in the material world. He walks along the shore of the Ganga and the ocean performing sankirtan.

krsna-lilara adhika ei sri-chaitanya-lila

pranaya-vikara yate utkata haila [37]

Sri Chaitanya’s pastimes are more than Sri Krishna’s pastimes: the transformations of love within them are the most intense.

utkata ha-iya krsne radha-bhava-dyuti

makhaila prema-bhare ahladini sati [38]

Intensifying, the chaste hladini-sakti lovingly enveloped Krishna with the heart and halo of Radha.

vrajera adhika sukha navadvipa-dhame

paila purata krsna asi’ nija kame [39]

Then Golden Krishna appeared to fulfil His desires, and felt more joy in Nabadwip Dham than He does in Vraja.

Sri Chaitanya’s nature (sri-chaitanyera svarupa)

chaitanya-murati krsnera apurva-svarupa

krsna-murti chaitanyera svarupa aparupa [40]

Sri Chaitanya is an extraordinary form of Sri Krishna, and Sri Krishna is a wonderful form of Sri Chaitanya.

hladinira dui saja parama madhura

madhu haite madhu, taha haite sumadhura [41]

Both of these arrangements of the hladini-sakti are supremely sweet. They are sweeter than sweetness, and even sweeter still.

sumadhura svarupa krsnera chaitanya-murati

nirantara kari tate dandavan-nati [42]

Eternally, I bow to the embodiment of the supreme sweetness, Sri Krishna’s form as Sri Chaitanya.

yadi bala ‘ekatma’ sabde brahma nirvikara

yaha haite radha-krsna-svarupa sakara [43]

You may say that ekatma means nondifferentiated Brahma, from which Radha and Krishna assumed forms.

e siddhanta haite nare slokera abhase

sei dui eka atma chaitanya-prakase [44]

Such a conclusion, however, cannot be the intended meaning of the verse. The two, Radha and Krishna, are one entity (atma) as Sri Chaitanya.

Brahma is Sri Chaitanya’s bodily lustre

chaitanya nahena kabhu brahma nirvikara

ananda-vikara-purna visuddha sakara [45]

Sri Chaitanya is never nondifferentiated Brahma. He has a spiritual form and is filled with transformations of ecstasy.

brahma tara sri-angera jyoti nirvisesa

brahmera pratistha krsna-chaitanya-visesa [46]

Sri Krishna Chaitanya Himself is the origin of Brahma; Brahma is the nondifferentiated lustre of His divine form.

ataeva ‘ekatma’ sabdete sri-chaitanya

bujhena pandita-gana svarupadi dhanya [47]

Thus, Svarup Damodar and other renowned scholars understand ekatma to mean Sri Chaitanya.

sei ta’ ‘ekatma’-tattve kara paranama

radha-krsna-seva pabe, siddha habe kama [48]

Bow down to that ekatma (‘one being’). You will attain Radha and Krishna’s service, and all your desires will be fulfilled.

The Supersoul is Sri Chaitanya’s expansion

yadi bala ‘ekatma’ sabde haya paramatma

yaha ha-ite radha-krsna haya dui atma [49]

You may say that ekatma (‘one being’) means the Supersoul, from which Radha and Krishna have become two beings.

slokera abhase taha kabhu nahe siddha

“chaitanyakhya”-sabde haya bada-i viruddha [50]

That can never be the intended meaning of the verse, however, because the word Chaitanyakhya (‘known as ‘Chaitanya’’) is completely contradictory to this.

mula-tattva sri-chaitanya-svarupa janiba

tahara amsa paramatma sarvada bujhiba [51]

Understand that Sri Chaitanya is the original truth, and that the Supersoul is His eternal expansion.

radha-krsna-aikya sei ‘ekatma’-svarupa

sri-chaitanya mora prana-natha aparupa [52]

The combination of Radha and Krishna, the form of that ekatma (‘one being’), is Sri Chaitanya, the sublime Lord of my heart.

radha-pada-dasi ami radha-pada-dasi

radha-dyuti-suvalita rupa bhalavasi [53]

I am a maidservant of Radha’s feet. I am a maidservant of Radha’s feet, and I love the form of the Lord that is adorned with Her halo.

paratpara sachi-suta tahara charane

danda-paranama mora ananya-sarane [54]

The son of Sachi is the Supreme Being, and I bow at His feet. He is my sole shelter.

• • •

(2) The Composition of This Book

chaitanyera rupa guna sada pade mane

parana kandaya, deha phanpaya saghane [1]

Sri Chaitanya’s form and qualities always come to my mind, and thus my heart cries, and my body constantly swells.

kandite kandite mane haila udaya

lekhani dhariya likhi chhadi’ laja bhaya [2]

As I cry, I hold a pen and write what comes to mind, leaving aside my shame and fear.

namete ‘pandita’ matra, ghate kichhu nai

chaitanyera lila tabu likhibare chai [3]

I am a pandit in name only. There is nothing in my pot. Still, I want to write about Sri Chaitanya’s pastimes.

Svarup Gosani and Pandit Jagadananda

gosani svarupa bale, “ki likha pandita”

ami bali, “likhi tai yahate pirita [4]

Svarup Damodar asked me, “O Pandit, what are you writing?” I replied, “I am writing about whom I love.

chaitanyera lila-katha yaha pade mane

likhiya rakhiba ami ati sangopane” [5]

“I am very confidentially writing down whatever comes to my mind about Sri Chaitanya’s pastimes.”

svarupa balena, “tabe likha prabhura charita

yaha padi’ jagatera habe bada hita” [6]

Svarup Damodar said, “Then write about the pastimes of the Lord that the world will be greatly benefitted by reading about.”

ami bali, “jagatera hita nahi jani

yaha yaha bhala lage tai likhe ani” [7]

I replied, “I don’t know what is beneficial for the world. I just write whatever I like.”

svarupa chhadila more batula baliya

eka basi’ likhi ami prabhu dheyaiya [8]

Svarup left, considering me mad. Sitting alone, I write, meditating on the Lord.

dekhichhi aneka lila thaki’ prabhu-sange

kichhu kichhu likhi tai nija mano-range [9]

I saw many pastimes while living with the Lord, and I write about some of them, as is pleasing to my mind.

mana kande, prana kande, kande duti ankhi

yakhana yaha mane pade takhana taha likhi [10]

My mind cries, my heart cries, my eyes cry, and whenever something comes to mind, I write it down.

Sriman Mahaprabhu and the author

prabhu more hasya kari’ kaila eka-dina

“dvarakara patesvari tumi ta’ pravina [11]

One day, the Lord smiled at me and said, “You are the renowned queen of Dvaraka.

ami ta’ bhikhari ati, more seva kena

kata sata sannyasi paibe ama hena” [12]

“I am a poor beggar. Why do you serve Me? You will find hundreds of sannyasis like Me.”

muni bali, “rekhe dao tomara chhalana

radha-pada-dasi ami, o katha balo na [13]

I said, “Stop Your tricks. I am a maidservant of Radha’s feet. Do not speak that way.

amara radhara varna kariyachha churi

vraje laye yaba ami tomaya chora dhari’ [14]

“You stole the complexion of my Radha, You thief! I am going to catch You and bring You back to Vraja.

ami chai radha-pada, tumi phela theli’

dvaraka pathao more, ei tomara keli [15]

“I want Radha’s feet, but You want to push me aside and send me to Dvaraka. This is Your play.

tomara sannyasi-giri ami bhala jani

modera vanchiya radha sevibe apani” [16]

“I understand perfectly Your act as a sannyasi. You want to trick us and serve Radha Yourself.”

The author’s lament in remembrance of the Lord’s childhood pastimes

aha se chaitanya-pada, bhajanera sampada,

kotha ebe gela ama chhadi’

amake pheliya gela, mrtyu mora na haila,

soke ami yai gadagadi [17]

Oh! Sri Chaitanya’s feet are the wealth of devotion. Where have they gone, leaving me alone? They have thrown me away and left, but I have not died. I simply wallow in lamentation.

eka-dina sisu-kale, du-janete pathasale,

kondale karinu hatahati

mayapure ganga-tire, padiya duhkhera bhare,

kandilama eka-dina rati [18]

One day, in our childhood, we fought hand to hand in a quarrel at school. I became filled with sadness and cried all day and night on the bank of the Ganga in Mayapur.

sadaya ha-iya natha, na ha-ite parabhata,

gadadharera sangete asiya

dakena, “jagadananda!, abhimana bada manda,

katha balo vakrata chhadiya” [19]

Compassionately, the Lord came to me before dawn with Gadadhar and called out, “Jagadananda! Pride is very bad. Be straightforward and speak to Me.”

prabhura vadana heri’, abhimana dura kari’,

jijnasilama, “eta ratre kena

nadiyara kada bhumi, chali’ kasta paile tumi,

mo lagi’ tomara kasta hena” [20]

Seeing the Lord’s face, I gave up my pride and asked, “Why have You taken such trouble and walked here, across the hard ground of Nadia, so late at night? Have You taken such trouble for me?”

prabhu bale, “chala chala, nisi avasana bhela,

grhe giya karaha bhojana

tava duhkha jani’ mane, chhilama ami anasane,

sayya chhadi’ bhumite sayana [21]

The Lord replied, “Let’s go! Let’s go! The night has ended. Come to My house and eat. Knowing you were sad, I also fasted. I left My bed and laid on the ground.

hena-kale gadadhara, aila amara ghara,

duhe ainu tomara tallase

bhala haila mana gela, ebe nija grhe chala,

kali khela kariba ullase” [22]

“Gadadhar came to My room, and then we came here to search for you. It is good that your pride is gone. Now let’s go to My house, and tomorrow we will play together happily.”

gadai-charana dhari’, uthilama dhiri dhiri,

prabhu-ajna thelite na pari

prabhura grhete giya, kichhu khai jala piya,

suilama danda dui chari [23]

I grasped Gadai’s feet and slowly got up. I could not disobey the Lord’s order. I went to His home, ate something, drank some water, and then rested for an hour or so.

prate sachi-jagannatha, more dila dudha-bhata

prabhu sange padite pathaya

padiya suniya tabe, ailama grhe yabe

prabhu mora grhe asi’ khaya [24]

In the morning, Sachi and Jagannath gave me some milk and rice and sent me to school with the Lord. When I came home after studying, the Lord came over and ate with me.

kondalera pare prema, haya yena suddha hema,

prabhu bale, “ei lagi’, tumi rago, ami ragi,

paraspara prema-vrddhi bhela” [25]

Love after a quarrel is like pure gold. I was so happy within my heart, and the Lord said, “Both you and I became angry out of love, and now our love for one another has increased.”

The author’s love for Sri Chaitanya

e hena gaurangachanda, na bhajile paramada,

bhajile parama sukha haya

dayara thakura tenha, tanke ki bhulibe keha,

eta daya dase vitaraya [26]

If you do not serve Gaurangachand, then you are crazy. If you serve Him, you will feel the greatest joy. He is the Deity of mercy. How could anyone forget Him? He bestows such mercy upon His servants.

chaitanya amara prabhu, chaitanye na chhadi kabhu,

sei mora pranera isvara

ye “chaitanya” bali’ dake, uthe kola dii take,

sei mora pranera sodara [27]

Chaitanya is my master. I shall never leave Him—He is the Lord of my heart. I arise and embrace anyone who calls out, “Chaitanya!” They are a brother dear to my heart.

“ha chaitanya prana-dhana”, na balila yei jana,

mukha tara na dekhi nayane

chaitanye bhulila yeba, yadio se devi deva,

kuprabhata tara darasane [28]

I do not look at the face of anyone who does not call out, “O Chaitanya, my wealth and life!” Seeing anyone who has forgotten Chaitanya, even if they are a god or goddess, spoils my morning.

chaitanye chhadiya anya, sannyasire kare manya,

tare yasti kariba prahara

chhadiya chaitanya-katha, anya itihasa vrtha,

bale yei mukhe aguna tara [29]

I will beat with a stick anyone who leaves Chaitanya and honours another sannyasi. I will throw fire into the mouth of anyone who leaves aside discussions about Chaitanya and speaks about irrelevant, meaningless subjects.

chaitanyera yahe sukha, tahe yadi ghate duhkha,

chira duhkha bhoga hau mora

se yadi svasukha tyaje, yati-dharma kabhu bhaje,

ami tahe duhkhete vibhora [30]

If what pleases Chaitanya makes me sad, then let me endure such sadness forever. But, when He gives up His own happiness and follows the duties of a renunciant, I am overwhelmed with sadness.

The nature of Sri Gaura and Sri Gadadhar

eka-dina prabhu mora khelite khelite

chalila alaka-tire nibida vanete [31]

One day, while playing with Me, the Lord went into the dense forest on the bank of the Alaka.

ami ara gadadhara achhilama sange

bakulera gachhe suka paksi dhare range [32]

Gadadhar and I were with Him. The Lord playfully caught a parrot in a bakul tree.

suke dhari’ bale, “tui vyasera nandana

radha-krsna bali’ kara ananda vardhana” [33]

Holding the parrot, He said, “You are the son of Vyasa. Please delight us by speaking about Radha and Krishna.”

suka taha nahi bale, bale, “gaurahari”

prabhu tare dure phele kopa chhala kari’ [34]

The parrot did not do this. Instead, it called out, “Gaurahari!” Feigning anger, the Lord threw the parrot away.

tabu suka “gaura gaura” baliya nachaya

sukera kirtane haya premera udaya [35]

Still, the parrot continued chanting, “Gaura! Gaura!” and danced, and his kirtan gave rise to feelings of divine love.

prabhu bale, “ore suka e ye vrndavana

radha-krsna bala hetha sunuka sarva-jana” [36]

The Lord said, “O parrot! This is Vrindavan. Speak about Radha and Krishna so that everyone may hear.”

suka bale, “vrndavana navadvipa haila

radha-krsna gaurahari-rupe dekha dila [37]

The parrot said, “Vrindavan has become Nabadwip, and Radha and Krishna have revealed Themselves as Gaurahari.

ami suka ei vane gaura-nama gai

tumi mora krsna, radha ei ye gadai [38]

“I am a parrot, and I chant the Name of Gaura in this forest. You are my Krishna, and Gadai is my Radha.

gadai-gauranga mora pranera isvara

ana kichhu mukhe na aise atahpara” [39]

“Gadai and Gauranga are the Lords of my heart. Thus, nothing else comes from my mouth.”

prabhu bale, “ami radha-krsna-upasaka

anya nama sunile amara haya soka” [40]

The Lord said, “I am a worshipper of Radha and Krishna, and if I hear anyone else’s name, I become upset.”

eta bali’ gadaiyera hatati dhariya

mayapure phire aila sukere chhadiya [41]

Saying this, the Lord took Gadai’s hand and went back to Mayapur, leaving the parrot behind.

suke bale, “gao tumi yaha lage bhala

amara bhajana ami kari chira-kala” [42]

The parrot said, “You may sing whatever You like, but I will continue my worship forever.”

madhura chaitanya-lila jage yara mane

mora dandavat bhai tanhara charane [43]

Brother, I bow at the feet of anyone in whose heart the sweet pastimes of Sri Chaitanya arise.

Sri Nabadwip and Vrindava

gadai gaurange muni “radha-syama” jani

sola-krosa “navadvipe” “vrndavana” mani [44]

I know that Gadai and Gauranga are Radha and Shyam, and that the thirty-two miles of Nabadwip are Vrindavan.

yasoda-nandane ara sachira nandane

ye jana prthak dekhe se na mare kene [45]

Why do those who see a distinction between the son of Yasoda and the son of Sachi not die?

navadvipe na paile yei vrndavana

vrtha se tarkika kena dharaya jivana [46]

Why do speculators who do not find Vrindavan within Nabadwip continue their meaningless lives?

Without service to Gaura, service to Radha-Krishna is useless

gaura-nama gaura-dhama gauranga-charita

ye bhaje tate mora akaitava prita [47]

I sincerely love those who worship Gaura’s Name, Gaura’s abode, and Gaura’s pastimes.

gaura-rupa gaura-nama, gaura-lila gaura-dhama,

ye na bhaje gaudete janmiya

radha-krsna-nama-rupa-, dhama-lila aparupa,

kabhu nahi sparse tara hiya [48]

Radha and Krishna’s extraordinary Names, forms, abode, and pastimes never touch the hearts of those who take birth in Gauda but do not worship Gaura’s form, Gaura’s Name, Gaura’s pastimes, and Gaura’s abode.

• • •

(3) First Obeisances

yara amse satyabhama dvarakaya dhama

se radha-charane mora asankhya pranama [1]

I bow innumerable times at the feet of Radha, whose expansion in Dvaraka is Satyabhama.

sri-nanda-nandana ebe sri-krsna-chaitanya

gadadhare sange ani’ nadiya kaila dhanya [2]

The son of Nanda is now Sri Krishna Chaitanya. Bringing Gadadhar with Him, He has blessed Nadia.

gadadhare lana sri-purusottama aila

gadai-gauranga-rupe gudha-lila kaila [3]

tota-gopinatha-seva gadadhare dila [4]

He took Gadadhar and came to Sri Purusottam Ksetra. As Gauranga with Gadai, He performed confidential pastimes, and He gave Gadadhar the service of Tota Gopinath.

more dila giridhari-seva sindhu-tate

gaudiya-bhakata saba amara nikate [5]

The Lord gave me the service of Giridhari on the shore of the ocean, and kept all the devotees from Gauda with me.

damodara svarupa amara pranera samana

sri-krsna-chaitanya yara deha-mana-prana [6]

Svarup Damodar is my heart, and Sri Krishna Chaitanya is his body, heart, and mind.

nami prana-gaura-pade sastange padiya

e ‘prema-vivarta’ likhi bhakta-ajna paya [7]

I prostrate myself at the feet of my beloved Gaura and write this Prema-vivarta, having received the order of the devotees.

• • •

(4) Gaura’s Greatness

Gaura’s dancing is eternal

bhai-re bhaja mora pranera gauranga

gaura vina vrtha saba jivanera ranga [1]

O brother! Serve the Gauranga of my heart. Without Gaura, all of life’s pleasures are meaningless.

navadvipa-mayapure sachira angane

gaura nache nitya nitai-advaitera sane [2]

Gaura dances with Nitai and Advaita eternally in Sachi’s courtyard in Mayapur within Nabadwip.

srivasa-angane nache gaya rasa-bhare

ye dekhila eka-bara ara na pasare [3]

Filled with ecstasy, He dances and sings in Srivas’s courtyard. Anyone who sees this once never forgets it.

amara hrdaye nata ankita ha-iya

nirantara achhe mora prana kandaiya [4]

His dancing is imprinted in my heart. It remains there forever and makes my heart cry.

jagannatha-mandirete nrtya dekhi yabe

ananta bhavera dheu mane uthe tabe [5]

When I see His dancing in the Temple of Jagannath, waves of innumerable emotions swell within my heart.

ara ki dekhiba prabhura jahnavi-puline

sunrtya-kirtana-lila e chhara jivane [6]

Will I ever see the Lord’s pastimes of kirtan and wondrous dancing on the banks of the Ganga again in this wretched life?

All gods and goddesses are servants of Sri Gauranga

nistha kari’ bhaja bhai gauranga-charana

anya deva-devi kabhu na kara bhajana [7]

Brother, worship Gaura’s feet sincerely: never worship other gods or goddesses.

gaurangera dasa bali’ sarva-deve jana

krsna haite gaurake kabhu na janibe ana [8]

Know that all gods are servants of Gauranga, and never consider Gaura different from Krishna.

nija gurudeve jana gaura-krpa-patra

gauranga-parsade jana gaura-deha-gatra [9]

Know your Gurudev to be a recipient of Gaura’s mercy, and know Gaura’s associates to be limbs of Gaura’s body.

gaura-vairi rasa-posta ei matra jana

sakale gauranga-dasa e kathati mana [10]

Know that the enemies of Gaura are simply nourishers of rasa—everyone is a servant of Gauranga. Accept this truth.

Attachment to Gaura’s service

para-ninda para-charchcha na kara kakhana

drdha-bhave ekante bhaja sri-gaura-charana [11]

Never criticise or gossip about others; serve Sri Gaura’s feet resolutely and exclusively.

gaura ye sikhala nama sei nama gao

anya saba nama-mahatmya sei name pao [12]

Chant the Name that Gaura taught and by doing so get the benefit of chanting all other Names.

gaura vina guru nai e bhava-samsare

sarala gauranga-bhakti sikhao sabare [13]

There is no Guru in this world other than Gaura. Teach everyone sincere devotion to Gauranga.

kutinati chhada, mana karaha sarala

gaura-bhaja loka-raksa ekatre nisphala [14]

Give up deceit and make your mind sincere. Serving Gaura and serving society at the same time is useless.

haya gora bhaja, naya loka bhaja bhai

eka-patre dui kabhu na rahe eka thani [15]

Brother, either serve Gora or serve society. The two never remain in one place together.

jagai bale, “yadi eka-nistha na haibe

dui naye nadi-parera durdasa labhibe” [16]

Jagai says, “If you do not become single-minded, the plight of crossing a river in two boats will befall you.”

• • •

(5) Transformations of Ecstasy in Service

premera vaichitya-gata, premera vivarta yata,

mora mane nache nirantara

kalaha gaurera sane, kari ami dine dine,

“kundale jagai” nama mora [1]

The pangs and transformations of love constantly dance within my heart. I quarrel with Gaura every day, and thus I am known as angry Jagai.

gelama vraja dekhibare, rahi sanatanera ghare,

kalaha karinu tara sane

rakta-vastra sannyasira, sire bandhi’ aila dhira,

bhatera handi marite kainu mane [2]

I went to see Vraja, and while staying at Sanatan’s place, I quarrelled with him. When he tied a sannyasi’s red cloth on his head and calmly came before me, I decided to beat him with a rice pot.

sanatanera vinaya dekhe, chhadi’ tare eka pake,

lajjaya basinu eka dhare

gaura mora yata jane, amaya pathaya vrndavane,

maja dekhe thaki’ nije dure [3]

When I saw Sanatan’s humility, I left him alone and shamefully sat to one side. My Gaura knows everything: He sent me to Vrindavan and observed the result from afar.

bhala tara hauka sukha, mora hauka chira duhkha,

tara sukhe habe mora sukha

ami kandi ratra-dine, gaura-vichchheda bhavi’ mane,

gaura hase dekhi’ kanda mukha [4]

Good! He can be happy, and I can be sad forever. His happiness will be my happiness. Night and day I cry, feeling separation from Gaura, but Gaura laughs seeing my crying face.

sei ta’ kapata-nyasi, tara lila bhalavasi,

madhu-makha kathaguli tara

ye bhava vrajete bheve, punah sei bhava ebe,

bujheo na bujhi ara bara [5]

He is a deceitful sannyasi, but I love His pastimes. His words are full of nectar. The Lord is now feeling the same mood that He felt in Vraja. Although I understand this, sometimes I do not.

chandanadi taila ani’, banka banka katha suni’,

taila-bhanda bhangilama bale

mana kari’ nijasane, suna rainu anasane,

se mana bhangila nana chhale [6]

I brought some sandalwood oil for Him, but after hearing His stubborn remarks, I smashed the pot of oil. Angrily, I lay on my bed fasting, but He pacified my anger with various pleas.

amare karaya paka, anna-vyanjana abona saka,

bale, “krodhera paka bada mista”

badaya amara rosa, tate tara santosa,

tara prasannata mora ista [7]

He had me cook rice, vegetables, and wild spinach. He said, “Your angry cooking is very sweet.” He increased my anger and so was pleased. His satisfaction is my desire.

jijnasila sanatana, yaite kainu vrndavana,

tate more rakhe boka kari’

balya buddhi dekhi’ tara, chitte haya chamatkara,

ami tara pada-padma dhari’ [8]

Once, Sanatan asked me for advice, and I told him to go to Vrindavan. The Lord deemed me a fool for this. Seeing His childish mentality, I was amazed at heart, and I grasped His lotus feet.

vrndavana yaite chai, tate ajna nahi pai,

nana chhala kare mora sane

yakhana kondala haya, navadvipe yete kaya,

sei tara krpa jani mane [9]

I wanted to go to Vrindavan, but I did not receive His permission: He gave me various excuses. When we quarrelled, however, He told me to go to Nabadwip, and I accepted that as His mercy.

matr-ajna chhala kari’, achhena vaikunthapuri,

nija-dhama chhadiya ekhana

tate pathaya nija-pure, yahake se krpa kare,

yena gopera goloka-darsana [10]

He left His home, and on the pretext of His mother’s order, He is now in Jagannath Puri. He sends those whom He blesses to His abode, where they can behold Goloka as the cowherd men did.*

* Srimad Bhagavatam (10.28) describes that Nanda Maharaj was once captured by the attendants of Varuna while bathing in the River Yamuna. After Krishna rescued Nanda Maharaj from Varuna’s abode, Nanda Maharaj described both Varuna’s majesty and Varuna’s reverence for Krishna to the cowherd men, who under the cover of Yogamaya were amazed that Krishna was the Supreme Lord. They then wondered whether Krishna would ever show them His abode in the spiritual world. Knowing that the cowherd men were unaware of their own supreme fortune of already being in the expansion of His personal abode on earth, Gokula, Krishna fulfilled their desire. He briefly removed them from Gokula, showed them that Goloka, His abode in the spiritual world, is above both Brahmaloka and Vaikuntha, and then revealed Himself in Goloka being worshipped by the personified Vedas. As the cowherd men rejoiced in astonishment, Krishna effortlessly returned them to Gokula.

ei bhave gaura-seva, kari ami ratra-diva,

gaura-ganera ei ta’ svabhava

gaura-gadadhara-pada, amara ta’ sampada,

damodara jnane ei bhava [11]

In this way, I serve Gaura night and day. This is the nature of Gaura’s associates. The feet of Gaura and Gadadhar are my wealth. Svarup Damodar understands this mood.

• • •

(6) The Journey of the Soul

The soul and Krishna

chit-kana jiva, krsna chinmaya bhaskara

nitya-krsna dekhi’ krsne karena adara [1]

The soul is a spiritual spark, and Krishna is the spiritual sun. Seeing eternal Krishna, the soul adores Him.

The soul bound by Maya

krsna-bahirmukha hana bhoga vanchha kare

nikatastha maya tare japatiya dhare [2]

When souls become averse to Krishna and desire enjoyment, nearby Maya seizes them.

pisachi paile yena mati-chchhanna haya

maya-grasta jivera haya se bhava udaya [3]

When someone is possessed by a ghost, they become bewildered. The same condition overtakes souls bound by Maya.

“ami siddha krsna-dasa” ei katha bhule

mayara naphara hana chira-dina bule [4]

“I am actually a servant of Krishna,” forgetting about this, souls become slaves of Maya and wander indefinitely.

kabhu raja kabhu praja kabhu vipra sudra

kabhu duhkhi kabhu sukhi kabhu kita ksudra [5]

They are sometimes kings, and sometimes subjects; sometimes brahmans, and sometimes sudras; sometimes sad, sometimes happy, and sometimes insignificant ants.

kabhu svarge, kabhu martye, narake va kabhu

kabhu deva, kabhu daitya, kabhu dasa prabhu [6]

They are sometimes in heaven, sometimes on earth, and sometimes in hell; sometimes gods, and sometimes demons; sometimes servants, and sometimes masters.

Liberation through the association of the sadhu

ei-rupe samsara bhramite kona jana

sadhu-sange nija-tattva avagata hana [7]

While wandering throughout the material world in this way, some souls become aware of their true nature by associating with the sadhus.

nija-tattva jani’ ara samsara na chaya

“kena va bhajinu maya” kare haya haya [8]

Understanding their true nature, they no longer desire to live in the material world, and lament, “Why have I been serving Maya?”

kende bale, “ohe krsna ami tava dasa

tomara charana chhadi’ haila sarva-nasa” [9]

Crying, they say, “O Krishna! I am Your servant, but I have left Your feet and become utterly ruined.”

krpa kari’ krsna tare chhadana samsara

kakuti kariya krsne yadi dake eka-bara [10]

Krishna mercifully frees souls from material existence if they even once earnestly call out to Him.

mayake pichhane rakhi’ krsna-pane chaya

bhajite bhajite krsna-pada-padma paya [11]

Leaving Maya behind, souls hanker for Krishna, and by continuously serving Krishna, they reach His lotus feet.

krsna tare dena nija chich-chhaktira bala

maya akarsana chhade ha-iya durbala [12]

Krishna gives them His spiritual power, and Maya, becoming powerless, stops attracting them.

sadhu-sange krsna-nama—ei matra chai

samsara jinite ara kona vastu nai [13]

I want only to chant the Name of Krishna in the association of the sadhus—there is no other way to conquer the material world.

sakala bharasa chhadi’ gora-pade asa

kariya basiya achhe jagai gorara dasa [14]

Giving up all other prospects, Gora’s servant Jagai is sitting hopefully at Gora’s feet.

• • •

(7) The Name is for Everyone

The Name does not appear in bad association

asadhu-sange bhai krsna-nama nahi haya

namaksara bahiraya bate tabu nama kabhu naya [1]

Brother, the Name of Krishna never appears in bad association: the letters of the Name may appear, but the Name never does.

kabhu namabhasa haya, sada nama-aparadha

e saba janibe bhai krsna-bhaktira badha [2]

Sometimes a semblance of the Name appears, but offences to the Name always do. Know both of these, brother, to be obstacles to devotion to Krishna.

The process to serve the Name

yadi karibe krsna-nama sadhu-sanga kara

bhukti-mukti-siddhi-vanchha dure parihara [3]

If you want to chant the Name of Krishna, then associate with sadhus and leave behind the desires for enjoyment, liberation, and supernatural power.

“dasa-aparadha” tyaja mana apamana

anasaktye visaya bhunja ara laha krsna-nama [4]

Give up the ten offences, honour and dishonour, accept whatever material things you need with detachment, and chant the Name of Krishna.

krsna-bhaktira anukula saba karaha svikara

krsna-bhaktira pratikula saba kara parihara [5]

Accept everything favourable to devotion to Krishna, and reject everything unfavourable to devotion to Krishna.

jnana-yoga-chesta chhada ara karma-sanga

markata-vairagya tyaja yate deha-ranga [6]

Give up attachment to material activity and endeavours based on knowledge and yoga. Avoid ‘monkey renunciation’, in which there is only bodily enjoyment.

krsna amaya pale rakhe jana sarva-kala

atma-nivedana-dainye ghuchao janjala [7]

Always know, “Krishna protects and maintains me.” Put an end to your troubles through self-surrender and humility.

sadhu paoya kasta bada jivera janiya

sadhu-bhakta-rupe krsna aila nadiya [8]

Understanding that it is very difficult for a soul to find a sadhu, Krishna has come to Nadia in the form of a pure devotee.

gora-pada asraya karaha buddhiman

gora vai sadhu guru achhe ke va ana [9]

O intelligent soul, take shelter at Gora’s feet. What other sadhu or guru is there besides Gora?

The duty of a renunciant

vairagi bhai gramya-katha na sunibe kane

gramya-varta na kahibe yabe milibe ane [10]

Brother, renunciants should neither listen to village talk nor discuss village news when they meet with others.

svapaneo na kara bhai stri-sambhasana

grhe stri chhadiya bhai asiyachha vana [11]

Brother, do not converse with women, even in your dreams. You have left women at home and come to the forest.

yadi chaha pranaya rakhite gaurangera sane

chhota haridasera katha thake yena mane [12]

If you want to maintain your love for Gauranga, then remember the story of Chhota Haridas.

bhala na khaibe ara bhala na paribe

hrdayete radha-krsna sarvada sevibe [13]

Do not eat fancy food, do not wear fancy clothes. Always serve Radha and Krishna in your heart.

bada haridasera nyaya krsna-nama balibe vadane

asta-kala radha-krsna sevibe kunja-vane [14]

Loudly chant the Name of Krishna like Haridas Thakur, and serve Radha and Krishna in the groves of Vraja twenty-four hours a day.

Instructions for householders and renunciants

grhastha vairagi duhe bale gora-raya

“dekha bhai nama vina yena dina nahi yaya” [15]

Gora Ray says to both householders and renunciants, “Brothers, see to it that a day does not pass without chanting the Name.”

bahu-anga sadhane bhai nahi prayojana

krsna-namasraye suddha karaha jivana [16]

Brother, there is no need to perform many practices: purify your life in the shelter of Krishna’s Name.

baddha jive krpa kari’ krsna haila nama

kali-jive daya kari’ krsna haila gaura-dhama [17]

Being merciful to the conditioned souls, Krishna appeared as His Name, and being compassionate to the souls of Kali-yuga, He appeared as Gaura.

ekanta-sarala-bhave bhaja gaura-jana

tabe ta’ paibe bhai sri-krsna-charana [18]

Serve Gaura’s devotees with perfect sincerity, and then, brother, you will reach Sri Krishna’s feet.

gaura-jana sanga kara gauranga baliya

‘hare krsna’ nama bala nachiya nachiya [19]

Chant ‘Gauranga’ and associate with Gaura’s devotees. Chant ‘Hare Krishna’ and dance.

achire paibe bhai nama-prema-dhana

yaha bilaite prabhura nade agamana [20]

Brother, soon you will attain the Name and the wealth of divine love, which the Lord has come to Nadia to distribute.

prabhura kundale jaga kende kende bale

nama bhaja nama gao bhakata sakale [21]

Crying, the Lord’s angry Jaga says, “O devotees! Serve the Name and chant the Name!”

• • •

(8) Give up Deceit

Serving Gora with a sincere heart

gora bhaja, gora bhaja, gora bhaja bhai

gora vina e jagate guru ara nai [1]

Serve Gora! Serve Gora! Serve Gora! Brother, there is no Guru in this world other than Gora.

yadi bhajibe gora sarala kara nija mana

kutinati chhadi’ bhaja gorara charana [2]

If you want to serve Gora, make your heart sincere. Give up deceit and serve Gora’s feet.

manera katha gora jane phanki kemane dibe

sarala hale gorara siksa bujhiya la-ibe [3]

Gora knows your thoughts, so how will you cheat Him? When you are sincere, you will understand Gora’s teachings.

anera mana rakhite giya apanake dibe phanki

manera katha jane gora kemane hrdaya dhaki [4]

If you go to satisfy the minds of others, you will only cheat yourself. Gora knows your thoughts, so how will you hide your heart from Him?

gora bale, “amara mata karaha charita

amara ajna palana kara chaha yadi hita” [5]

Gora says, “Behave like Me and follow My instructions if you want good fortune.”

Deceitful service

“gorara ami, gorara ami” mukhe balile nahi chale

gorara achara, gorara vichara la-ile phala phale [6]

Just saying, “I am Gora’s! I am Gora’s!” does not do. Only when you follow Gora’s practices and Gora’s conception will you get the proper result.

loka dekhana gora bhaja tilaka matra dhari’

gopanete atyachara gora dhare churi [7]

You show the world you serve Gora simply by wearing tilak but secretly you misbehave. Gora will catch you, you thief!

adhah-patana habe bhai kaile kutinati

nama-aparadhe tomara bhajana habe mati [8]

Brother, if you act deceitfully, you will fall down. Because of offences to the Name, your service will be ruined.

nama lana ye kare papa haya aparadha

era mata bhakti ara achhe kiba badha? [9]

Those who chant the Name and sin commit offence. What greater obstacle is there than such ‘devotion’?

nama karite kasta nai nama sahaja dhana

ostha-spanda-matre haya namera kirtana

tahao na haya yadi haya namera smarana [10]

The Name is everyone’s natural wealth, and chanting the Name is not difficult: simply by moving your lips you can chant the Name. If you cannot do even that, then you can remember the Name.

tunda-bandhe chita-bhramse sravana tabu haya

sarva-papa ksaye jivera mukhya phalodaya [11]

Even the mute and the deranged can still hear the Name, and this alone destroys all sins and gives rise to the true fortune of the soul.

bahu-janma archchanete ei phala dhare

krsna-nama nirantara tunde nrtya kare [12]

Many lifetimes of Deity worship bear this result: the Name of Krishna constantly dances in your mouth.

karma-jnana-yogadira sei sakti nahe

vidhi-bhanga-dose phala-hina sastre kahe [13]

The scriptures say that worldly action, knowledge, yoga, and so on, do not have such power, and that when the rules for practising them are broken, they bear no fruit at all.

se saba chhada bhai nama kara sara

ati alpa-dine tabe jinibe samsara [14]

Brother, leave them all behind and accept the Name as all-in-all. Then you will conquer this material world very soon.

Kavi Karnapur

dhanya kavi karnapura sva-grama-nivasi

namera mahima kichhu rakhila prakasi’ [15]

The glorious Kavi Karnapur is a resident of my village. He revealed and recorded some of the Name’s glories.

gaura yare krpa kare, visve sei dhanya

sapta-varse vayase haila mahakavi manya [16]

Those whom Gaura blesses become glorious throughout the world, and Kavi Karnapur was honoured as a great poet when he was only seven years old.

dhanya sivananda kavi-karnapura-pita

more balye sikhaila bhagavata-gita [17]

The glorious Sivananda Sen, Kavi Karnapur’s father, taught me Srimad Bhagavatam and Bhagavad-gita in my youth.

nadiya la-iya more rakhe prabhu-pade

sivananda trata mora sampade vipade [18]

Sivananda brought me to Nadia and kept me at the feet of the Lord. He is my saviour, in good fortune and in bad.

tara ghare bhoga randhi’ paka-siksa haila

bhala paka kari’ sri-gauranga-seva kaila [19]

I learned to cook and prepare offerings in his home, and by cooking well, I served Sri Gauranga.

jagai bale, “sadhu-sange dina yaya yara

sei matra namasraya kare nirantara” [20]

Jagai says, “Only those whose days pass in the association of sadhus take shelter of the Name constantly.”

• • •

(9) Proper Renunciation

There are two types of renunciation: false and proper

eka-dina jijnasilena gosani sanatana

“’yukta vairagya’ kare bale prabhu karuna varnana [1]

One day, Sanatan Goswami asked, “What is proper renunciation? O Lord, please explain it.

mayavadi bale, ‘saba kaka-vistha-sama

visaya janile nyasi haya sarvottama’ [2]

“Mayavadis say, ‘The sannyasis who consider everything material to be crow’s stool are the best of men.’

vaisnavera ki kartavya janite ichchha kari

krpa kari’ ajna kara ajna sire dhari” [3]

“I want to know the duties of a Vaishnav. Please instruct me, I will hold Your instructions on my head.”

prabhu bale, “vairagya haya dui ta prakara

‘phalgu’-‘yukta’ bhede ami sikhainu bara bara [4]

The Lord said, “There are two types of renunciation: false and proper. I have taught the difference between them many times.

False renunciation (phalgu-vairagya)

karmi jnani yabe kare nirveda asraya

tara chitte phalgu-vairagya paya dustasaya [5]

“When materialists and speculators resort to apathy (towards the world), the wickedness of false renunciation arises in their minds.

samsarete tuchchha-buddhi asiya takhana

jada-viparita dharme kare pravartana [6]

“They develop the mentality that the material world is trifling and begin to oppose material nature.

krsna-seva sadhu-seva atma-rasasvada

jada-viparita dharme paya nitanta avasada [7]

“Service to Krishna and the sadhus is relishable to the soul. By simply opposing material nature, you end up completely disheartened.

phalgu-vairagira mana sada suska rasa-hina

nama-rupa-guna-lila na haya samichina [8]

“The mind of a false renunciant is always dry and dissatisfied. It is unfit for the Lord’s Name, form, qualities, and pastimes.

Proper renunciation (yukta-vairagya)

yukta-vairagira bhakti haya ta’ sulabha

krsna-bhakti-puta visaya tara ghate saba [9]

“A proper renunciant easily attains devotion: everything they do is purified by devotion to Krishna.

prakrtira jada-dharma tara chitta chhade anayase

chit-asraye maje sighra aprakrta bhakti-rase [10]

“Their heart easily gives up the dull nature of matter and, sheltered in transcendental existence, quickly begins to relish the joy of supramundane devotion.

bhakti-yoge sri-krsnera prasannata paya

‘na me bhaktah pranasyati’, pratijna janaya [11]

“They attain the favour of Sri Krishna through the practice of devotion and then proclaim Krishna’s promise: ‘Na Me bhaktah pranasyati: My devotee is never vanquished.’

prasanna haiya krsna yare krpa kare

sei jana dhanya ei samsara-bhitare [12]

“Those whom Krishna is pleased with and blesses are truly fortunate within this world.

golokera parama bhava tara chitte sphure

gokule goloka paya maya pade dure [13]

“The supreme mood of Goloka appears in their hearts, they attain Goloka in Gokula, and Maya falls away from them.

Avoiding dry renunciation is our duty

ore bhai suska-vairagya ebe dura kara

yukta-vairagya ani’ sada hrdayete dhara [14]

“O brother, from now on, avoid dry renunciation. Bring proper renunciation into your heart and keep it there forever.

visaya chhadiya bhai kotha yabe bala

vane yabe, sekhane visaya-janjala [15]

“Brother, tell Me, after abandoning worldly affairs, where will you go? You will go to the forest, and there also you will find worldly troubles.

peta tomara sange yabe, dehera raksane

kata letha habe taha bhebe dekha mane [16]

“Your belly will go with you; think about how difficult it will be to maintain your body there.

akarane jivanera sighra habe ksaya

marile kemane ara maya karbe jaya [17]

“Unnecessarily, your life will end quickly, and if you die, how will you conquer Maya?

yadio na mara tabu ha-ibe durbala

jnana-nasa ha-ile kotha jnanera sambala [18]

“Even if you do not die, you will still become weak, and if you lose your knowledge as a result, what benefit will you get from it?

So, proper renunciation is our duty

ghare basi’ sada kala krsna-nama lana

yatha-yogya-visaya bhunja, anasakta hana [19]

“Stay at home and always chant the Name of Krishna. As appropriate, interact with the world, remaining detached.

“yatha-yogya” ei sabda dutira marmartha bujhe laha

kapatartha lana yena deharami na ha [20]

“Understand the two purports of the phrase ‘as appropriate’ so that you do not accept the false meaning and become a sensualist.

suddha-bhaktira anukula kara angikara

suddha-bhaktira pratikula kara asvikara [21]

“Accept everything favourable to pure devotion, and reject everything unfavourable to pure devotion.

marmartha chhadiya yeba sabda artha kare

rasera vase deharami kapata marga dhare [22]

“Those who reject this purport and misinterpret the phrase are sensualists controlled by pleasures; they follow the path of deceit.

bhala khaya, bhala pare, kare bahu dhanarjana

yosit-sange rata hana phire ratra-dina

bhala sayya attalika khonje arvachina [23]

“They eat fancy food, wear fancy clothes, and accumulate immense wealth. Attached to the company of women, such fools roam about night and day searching for a mansion with a fancy bed.

deha-yatrara upayogi nitanta prayojana

visaya svikara kari’ kara dehera raksana [24]

“Instead of all this, maintain the body by accepting things that are suitable and actually necessary for its preservation.

sattvika sevana kara asaba varjana

sarva-bhute daya kari’ kara uchcha sankirtana [25]

“Eat food in the mode of goodness and reject intoxicants. Be kind to all beings and loudly chant the Name.

deva-seva chhala kari’ visaya nahi kara

visayete raga-dvesa sada parihara [26]

“Do not engage in worldly affairs on the pretence of Deity worship, and always avoid attachment and aversion to worldly matters.

para-himsa kapatata anya sane vaira

kabhu nahi kara bhai yadi mora vakya dhara [27]

“Never behave enviously, deceitfully, or inimically with others, brother, if you want to follow My advice.

nirjana sudrdha bhakti kara alochana

krsna-sevara sambandhe dina karaha yapana [28]

“Discuss resolute devotion in seclusion, and spend your days engaged in the service of Krishna.

matha mandira dalana badira na kara prayasa

artha thake kara bhai yemana abhilasa [29]

“Do not endeavour to make monasteries, temples, or big houses, but if you have wealth, brother, then you can make them, as you desire.

artha nai tabe matra sattvika seva kara

jala-tulasi diya giridharike vakse dhara [30]

“If you do not have wealth, then simply perform pure worship. Offer water and Tulasi to Giridhari and hold Him to your chest.

bhavete kandiya bala, “ami ta’ tomara

tava pada-padma chitte rahuka amara” [31]

“Crying with love, pray, ‘I am Yours. Let Your lotus feet remain in my heart.’

vaisnave adara kara prasadadi diya

artha nai dainya-vakye tosa minati kariya [32]

“Honour the Vaisnavas with prasad and other remnants. If you have no wealth, then submissively satisfy them with humble words.

parijana parikara krsna-dasa-dasi

atma-sama palane ha-ibe mista-bhasi [33]

“Consider your friends and relatives servants of Krishna, care for them as well as you care for yourself, and speak to them sweetly.

smarana-kirtana-seva sarva-bhute daya

ei ta’ karibe yukta vairagi ha-iya [34]

“Remember, glorify, and serve the Lord, and be kind to all beings. Do all this as a proper renunciant.

krsna yadi nahi deya parijana-parikara

athava diya ta laya sarva sukhera akara [35]

“Krishna may not give you friends and relatives, or He may give them and then take them away. Accept all such conditions as a source of joy.

soka-moha chhada bhai nama kara nirantara”

jagai bale, “e-bhava gaurera sane mora kondala vistara” [36]

“Brother, leave behind all lamentation and bewilderment, and always chant the Name.” Jagai says, “I have had many quarrels with Gaura about this.”

• • •

(10) Caste and Class

Class and qualification for devotion

sraddha haile nara-matra namera adhikari

jati-kulera tarka tarkira na chale bhari-bhuri [1]

Every human being—if they have faith—is qualified to chant the Name. The arguments and brashness of speculators about caste and class do not count for anything.

brahmanera sat-kula na haya bhajanera yogya

sraddhavan nicha-jati nahe bhajane ayogya [2]

Birth in a family of brahmans does not make one fit for devotion, neither is not a lowborn person who has faith unfit for devotion.

Non-devotees are proud of their class

samsarera dasa-karme jati-kulera adhipatya

krsna-jane jati-kulera na achhe mahatmya [3]

Caste and class are important in worldly religious ceremonies but are of no importance to devotees of Krishna.

jati-kulera abhimane ahankari jana

bhaktike vidvesa kari’ yaya naraka-bhavana [4]

Egotists who are proud of their caste and class oppose devotion and go to hell.

na mane vaisnava-bhakta, na mane dharmadharma

ahankare kare sada akarma-vikarma [5]

They neither respect Vaishnav devotees nor do they have any regard for religion or irreligion. Out of pride, they always remain idle or commit sins.

A devotee cobbler is superior to a non-devotee brahman

muchi hana krsna bhaje krsna-krpa paya

suchi hana bhakti-hina krsna-krpa nahi taya [6]

Remaining a cobbler, a soul who serves Krishna gets Krishna’s mercy, and a soul who is virtuous but devoid of devotion does not get Krishna’s mercy.

dvadasa gunete vipra alankrta hana

krsna-bhakti vina yaya narake chaliya [7]

A brahman ornamented with the twelve qualities but devoid of devotion to Krishna goes to hell.

krsna-bhakti yatha, tatha sarva-guna-gana

apana ichchhaya dehe vaise anuksana [8]

All qualities are present wherever devotion to Krishna is present; by their own desire, they always reside in the body of a devotee.

mrta-dehe alankara haya ghrnaspada

abhaktera japa tapa bahya se sampada [9]

Ornaments on a dead body are revolting; a non-devotee’s chanting and austerity are comparable to such external ‘wealth’.

Attachment and aversion to the mundane must be given up

bhaja bhai eka-mane sachira nandana

jati-kulera abhimana habe visarjana [10]

Brother, single-mindedly serve the son of Sachi. Then you will give up your pride in your caste and class.

abhimana chhadile bhai chhadibe visaya

visaya chhadile suddha habe tomara asaya [11]

Brother, when you give up your pride, you will give up the world, and when you give up the world, your heart will become pure.

visaya haite anuraga lao uthaiya

krsna-padambuje rage deha lagaiya [12]

Withdraw your affection from the world and dedicate it to the lotus feet of Krishna.

hao tumi sat-kulina tahe kiba ksati

kulera abhimana chhadi’ hao dina-mati [13]

You may be high-class; what is the harm in that? Just give up your pride in your class and be humble.

The Lord’s mercy upon the prideless, humble souls

dinere adhika daya kare bhagavan

abhimana dainya nahi rahe eka-sthana [14]

The Lord bestows greater mercy upon the humble; pride and humility cannot co-exist.

abhimana narakera patha, taha yatne tyaja

dainye radha-govindera pada-padme maja [15]

Pride is the path to hell. Carefully avoid it, and humbly immerse yourself in the lotus feet of Radha and Govinda.

Giving up pride is dependent on Nityananda’s mercy

aha! prabhu nityananda kabe karibe daya

abhimana chhadana more dibe pada-chhaya [16]

Ah! When will Nityananda Prabhu be merciful to me? When will He force me to leave my pride and give me the shade of His feet?

• • •

(11) The Light of Nabadwip

Sri Nabadwip and Vrindavan are nondifferent

brahmande dharani dhanya, dharaya gauda-ksauni dhanya

gaude navadvipa dhanya dvyasta-krosa jagat manya [1]

Within the universe, the earth is glorious; on the earth, the land of Gauda is glorious; and within Gauda, Sri Nabadwip is glorious. Its thirty-two miles are revered by the entire world.

madhye srotasvati dhanya bhagirathi vegavati

tahate milechhe asi’ sri-yamuna sarasvati [2]

Within Nabadwip, the swift River Ganges is glorious; the Yamuna and Saraswati have come and united with her.

tara purva-tire saksat goloka mayapura

tathaya sri-sachi-grhe sobhe gauranga-thakura [3]

On the east bank of the Ganges is Goloka Mayapur itself, and there, Lord Gauranga shines in the home of Sri Sachi.

ye thakura dvaparera sesa vrndavane vane

maharasa-krida kaila radhikadi gopi sane [4]

parakiya maharasa golokera nitya-dhana

anila vrajera saha nanda-yasoda-nandana [5]

sei thakura abara nijera yoga-mayapura

prapanche anila gaude rasasvada suchatura [6]

As the son of Nanda and Yasoda, the Lord performed the rasa-lila with Radhika and the gopis in the forest of Vrindavan at the end of the Dvapar-yuga. He brought Goloka’s eternal wealth—the rasa-lila in paramour love—with Vraja to this earth, and now this Lord, the connoisseur of rasa, has again brought His abode of Yogamayapur to the earth in Gauda.

The reason for Gaura’s appearance

sri-krsna-lilaya vanchha-traya na haila purana

sri-gaura-lilaya purna kaila se sukha sadhana [7]

During His pastimes as Sri Krishna, the Lord had three unfulfilled desires, and during His pastimes as Sri Gaura, He fulfilled them.

“more pranaya kari’ radha paya kiba sukha

mora madhurya-asvadane radhara kata ye kautuka [8]

“What sort of happiness does Radha feel by loving Me? How great is Radha’s delight in tasting My sweetness?

amara anubhave radhaya saukhya ki prakara

nayaka hana nahi bujhi e sukhera sara [9]

“What sort of joy does Radha feel in Her experience of Me? Being Her beloved, I do not understand the essence of this happiness.

ataeva radhara bhava-kanti lana gaura haba

krsna-madhuryadi bhakta-bhave asvada paiba” [10]

“So, I will take Radha’s heart and halo and become Gaura. I will relish Krishna’s sweetness in the mood of a devotee.”

eta bhavi’ krsna nija-dhama lana gauda-dese

navadvipe prakatila svayam ananda-avese [11]

Thinking in this way, Krishna took His abode to the land of Gauda and, overwhelmed with joy, manifested Himself in Nabadwip.

Serving Gaura is the way to serve Krishna

ore bhai saba chhadi’ vaisa navadvipa-pure

gaurangera asta-kala bhaja, duhkha yabe dure [12]

O brother, give up everything and stay in Nabadwip. Serve Gauranga throughout the eight periods of the day and your sadness will go away.

asta-kale asta-parakara krsna-lila-sara

gaurodita bhave bhaja, pabe prema chamatkara [13]

In the mood revealed by Gaura, worship the eight modes of Krishna’s super-excellent pastimes during the eight periods of the day and you will attain astonishing divine love.

krsna bhajibare yara ekanta achhe mana

gaudera asta-kale bhaja krsna-rasa-dhana [14]

Those who sincerely want to serve Krishna should serve Gaura, whose wealth is devotion to Krishna, during the eight periods of the day in Gauda.

gaura-bhava nahi jane ye krsna bhajite chaya

aprakrta krsna-tattva tara kabhu nahi bhaya [15]

Those who want to serve Krishna but do not understand Gaura’s mood will never perceive Krishna’s divine nature.

An acharya is not restricted by socio-religious principles

kiba varni, kibasrami, kiba varnasrama-hina

krsna-tattva vetta yei, sei acharya pravina [16]

Anyone who knows Krishna’s nature is an expert acharya, whether they belong to a religious and social order or not.

By accepting a false guru, everything is lost

asala katha chhede bhai varne ye kare adara

asad-guru kari’ tara vinasta purvapara [17]

Brother, the past and future of those who reject truth, revere social status, and accept a false guru are ruined.

• • •

(12) Glories of the Vaishnavs

Devotion to Krishna and holy places

jalamaya tirtha mrtsilamaya murti

bahu-kale deya jiva-hrde dharma sphurti [1]

Holy waters and earthen Deities gradually reveal dharma in the hearts of souls.

krsna-bhakta dekhi’ dure yaya sarvanartha

krsna-bhakti samudita haya paramartha [2]

But simply by seeing a devotee of Krishna, all obstacles go away and the supreme wealth—devotion to Krishna—arises in full.

The result of association with sadhus

samsara bhramite bhava-ksayonmukha yabe

sadhu-sanga-samghatana bhagya-krame habe [3]

When the souls’ wandering throughout the material world comes to an end, then, according to their fortune, they attain the association of the sadhus.

sadhu-sanga-phale krsne sarvesvaresvare

bhavodaya haya bhai jivera antare [4]

Brother, as a result of this association with the sadhus, devotion to Krishna, the Lord of all Lords, appears within their hearts.

The beginner or neophyte devotee

sei ta’ prakrta bhakta diksita ha-iya

krsnarchana kare vidhi-margete vasiya [5]

These beginner devotees become initiated and worship Krishna according to the regulated path.

uttama madhyama bhakta na kare vichara

suddha-bhakte samadara na haya tahara [6]

They cannot judge who is an advanced or intermediate devotee and do not appreciate pure devotees.

The intermediate devotee

krsne prema, bhakte maitri, mudhe krpa ara

suddha-bhakta-dvesi upeksa yanhara [7]

tihon ta’ prakrta bhakti-sadhaka madhyama

ati sighra krsna-bale ha-ibe uttama [8]

Those who have love for Krishna, friendship with devotees, compassion for the ignorant, and disregard for those who are inimical to pure devotees are intermediate practitioners of devotion. By Krishna’s grace, they very quickly become advanced devotees.

The advanced devotee

sarva-bhute sri-krsnera bhava sandarsana

bhagavane sarva-bhute karena darsana [9]

satru-mitra-visayete nahi raga-dvesa

tihon bhagavatottama ei gaura-upadesa [10]

Those who see the presence of Krishna in all beings, see all beings within Krishna, and have no attachment or aversion to enemies, friends, or the world are advanced devotees. These are Gaura’s teachings.

How the advanced devotee accepts material things

visaya indriya-dvare kariya svikara

raga-dvesa-hina bhakti jivane yanhara [11]

samasta jagat dekhi’ visnu-maya-maya

bhagavata-ganottama sei mahasaya [12]

Those great souls who accept material things through their senses but live a life of devotion free from attachment and aversion, and who see the entire world as a manifestation of Lord Vishnu’s energy, are advanced amongst the devotees of the Lord.

How they control the work of their senses

dehendriya-prana-mana-buddhi-yukta-sabe

janma nasa ksudha trsna bhaya upadrave [13]

anitya samsara-dharme hana moha-hina

krsna smari’ kala kate bhakta samichina [14]

Although they have a body, senses, a life-force, a mind, and intelligence, wise devotees remain unaffected by birth, death, hunger, thirst, fear, and disturbances, as well as the temporary nature of this world. They spend their time remembering Krishna.

Their worldly activities are only for the maintenance of their body—not for selfish enjoyment

yanra chitte nirantara yasoda-nandana

deha-yatra-matra kama-karmera grahana [15]

Devotees in whose heart Krishna is always present accept engagement in worldly actions only to maintain their bodies.

kama-karma-bija-rupa vasana tanhara

chitte nahi janme ei bhakti-tattva-sara [16]

Material desire—the seed of worldly actions—does not arise in their hearts. This is the essence of devotion.

The surrendered soul has no conception of the body being the self

jnana-karma-varnasrama dehera svabhava

tahe sanga-dvara haya ‘aham-mama’-bhava [17]

Knowledge, action, and social duties are attributes of the body, and the conceptions of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ arise through attachment to them.

deha-sattve ‘aham-mama’-bhava nahi yanra

hari-priya-jana tihon, karaha vichara [18]

Consider those who have no conception of ‘I’ or ‘mine’ in relation to their body to be dear to the Lord.

Equality towards all beings

vitta-sattve tahe chhadi’ sva-para-bhavana

‘tumi’ ‘ami’-sattva-bhede mitrari-kalpana [19]

sarva-bhute sama-buddhi santa yei jana

bhagavatottama bali’ tanhara ganana [20]

Peaceful souls who reject the conceptions of ‘mine’ and ‘other’s’ regarding property, reject distinctions between themself and others, reject the conceptions of friends and enemies, and are equal towards all beings, are advanced devotees.

krsna-pada-padme sei sura-mrgya dhana

bhuvana-vaibhava lagi’ na chhade ye jana [21]

krsna-pada-smrti nimesardha nahi tyaje

vaisnava-agrani tihon paranande maje [22]

Those who do not leave Krishna’s lotus feet—the wealth sought by the wise—for the sake of worldly opulence, and do not forget Krishna’s feet for even half a second, are advanced devotees and are immersed in divine ecstasy.

The devotee is free from the three miseries

krsna-pada-sakha-nakha-mani-chandrikaya

nirasta sakala tapa yanhara hiyaya [23]

se kena visaya-surya-tapa anvesibe

hrdaya sitala tara sarvada rahibe [24]

Why would the soul from whose heart all miseries have been driven away by the moonlight from the jewel-like toenails of Krishna’s feet seek the misery produced by the sun of mundanity? Such a soul’s heart always remains tranquil.

Other qualities of the advanced devotee

ye bendhechhe prema-chhande krsnanghri-kamala

nahi chhade hari tara hrdaya sarala [25]

The Lord never leaves the sincere hearts of those who have bound His lotus feet with the rope of divine love.

avaseo yadi mukhe sphure krsna-nama

bhagavatottama sei, purna sarva kama [26]

If even involuntarily the Name of Krishna appears in one’s mouth, this person is an advanced devotee, and all their desires are fulfilled.

svadharmera guna-dosa bujhiya ye jana

sarva dharma chhadi’ bhaje krsnera charana [27]

sei ta’ uttama bhakta, keha tara sama

na achhe jagate ara bhagavatottama [28]

Those who understand the qualities and faults of social duties, subsequently leave aside all such duties, and serve the feet of Krishna are advanced devotees. Throughout the world, there are no advanced devotees equal to them.

krsnera svarupa ara namera svarupa

bhaktera svarupa ara bhaktira svarupa [29]

janiya bhajana kare yei mahajana

tara tulya nahi keha vaisnava sujana [30]

There are no sincere devotees comparable to the great souls who engage in service understanding the true nature of Krishna, the true nature of the Name, the true nature of devotees, and the true nature of devotion.

svarupa na jane tabu ananya-bhavete

sri-krsne saksat bhaje nama-svarupete [31]

tihon bhaktottama bali’ janibere bhai

ei ajna diyachhena chaitanya gosani [32]

Brother, know even those who do not understand these truths but exclusively and directly serve Krishna in the form of His Name to be advanced devotees. Lord Chaitanya has given this instruction.

• • •

(13) Eagerness to see Sri Gaura

gauranga tomara, charana chhadiya,

chalinu sri-vrndavane

purva-lila tava, dekhiba baliya,

haila amara mane [1]

O Gauranga! I left Your feet and went to Vrindavan. Thinking I would see Your previous pastimes, I decided to go there.

kena sei bhava, ha-ila amara,

ekhana kandiya mari

tomare na dekhi’, prana chhadi’ yaya,

na jani ebe ki kari [2]

Why did I think that? Now I am crying and dying. Not seeing You, my heart is leaving me. I do not know what to do now.

o ranga charana, mama prana dhana,

samudra-balite rakhi’

ki dekhite ainu, nija matha khainu,

udu udu prana-pakhi [3]

Your reddish feet are my life and wealth, but I left them on the sand beside the ocean; what have I come to see here? I indulged my mind, and now the bird of my heart is anxious to fly away.

yata chali’ yai, mana nahi chale,

tabu yai jeda kari’

premera vivarta, amare nachaya,

na bujhiya ami mari [4]

Although I go on, my heart does not. Still, I go on stubbornly …Transformations of love make me dance, but, not understanding them, I am dying.

gaurangera ranga, bujhite narinu,

padinu duhkha-sagare

ami chai yaha, nahi pai taha,

mana ye kemana kare [5]

Failing to understand Gauranga’s pastimes, I have fallen into an ocean of sorrow. I do not get what I want; what is my heart going to do now?

gaurangera tare, prana dite yai,

na haya marana tabu

mariba baliya, padiya samudre,

khai matra habudubu [6]

I go to give my life to Gauranga, but I do not die. I decide to die and jump into the ocean, but I only flounder in the water.

se chandra-vadana, dekhibara lobhe,

sighra uthi sindhu-tate

punah nahi dekhi’, prana udi’ yaya,

chali punah tota-vate [7]

Anxious to see His moon-like face, I quickly return to the shore. Again, not seeing Him, my heart flies up, and I run back down the path to the garden.

gopinath-angane, dekhi’ gora-mukha,

padi achetana hana

pandita gosani, more lana rakhe,

dekhi punah samjna pana [8]

Seeing Gora’s face in the courtyard of Gopinath, I fell unconscious. Gadadhar Pandit took care of me, and then I saw that I was conscious again.

gaura gadadhara, basiya dujane,

balena amara katha

amani kandiya, yai gadagadi,

na vichari yatha tatha [9]

Gaura and Gadadhar were sitting and speaking about me, and all of a sudden, I began to cry and roll on the ground, unaware of where I was.

ksaneka viraha, sahite na pari,

gaura mora hrde nache

marite na deya, vanchile kondala,

kise mora prana vanche [10]

I cannot tolerate a moment of separation as Gaura dances in my heart. He does not let me die, but when I live, we quarrel. How does my life go on?

hena avasthaya, gaura-pada chhadi’,

mora vrndavane asa

e buddhi haila, kena nahi jani,

iha-para-loka-nasa [11]

In this condition, I left Gaura’s feet and came to Vrindavan. I do not know what made me do this, but now my present and future are ruined.

ajna lainu yaite, ajna na palile,

tate haya aparadha

gorachanda-mukha, na dekhiya mari,

saba dike mora badha [12]

I took permission to go, and if I don’t do so accordingly, I will commit an offence. But not seeing Gorachand’s face, I am dying; there are obstacles all around me!

gora-prema yara, sankata tahara,

prana lana tanatani

gadadhara-gane, ei ta’ durdasa,

sabe kare kanakani [13]

Those who have love for Gora undergo distress: that love pulls their hearts in opposite directions simultaneously. Everyone whispers that this is the miserable state of Gadadhar’s associates.

• • •

(14) Contradictory Transformations

Seeing Vrindavan by seeing Nabadwip

bhai-re

vrndavane yaoya ara halo na [1]

O brother, I could not continue to Vrindavan.

gora-mukha na dekhiya gora-rupa dheyaiya

patha bhuli’ yai anya desa

sekhana ha-ite phiri’ punah yai dhiri dhiri

punah asi’ dekhi se pradesa [2]

I had not seen Gora’s face and so was meditating on His form; I lost the way and went in the wrong direction. I turned back and slowly went on. When I came back, I saw I was in the same place!

ei-rupe kata dine yaba ami vrndavane

na jani ki habe dasa mora

vrksa-tale basi’ basi’ kati ami ahar-nisi

kabhu mora nidra ase ghora [3]

In this way, for many days I thought I would go to Vrindavan, but I did not know what would become of me. I passed days and nights sitting under trees, and sometimes I slept heavily.

svapne bahu dure giya sindhu-tate pravesiya

dekhi gorara apurva nartana

gadadhara nache sange bhakta-gana nache range

gaya gita amrta varsana [4]

In a dream, I walked a long way and arrived at the shore of the ocean, where I saw Gora’s wonderful dancing. Gadadhar and the devotees joyfully danced with Him, and they sang songs, which were like showers of nectar.

nrtya-gita-avasane gora mora hata tane

bale, “tumi krodhe chhadi’ gele

amara ki dosa bala tava chitta suchanchala

vraje gele ama hetha phele [5]

When they finished dancing and singing, Gora took my hand and said, “You left in anger. Tell Me, what was My fault? Your heart is so fickle: you left Me here and went to Vraja!

aisa alingana kari tava vakse vaksa dhari’

chhando muni chittera vikara

madhyahne kariya paka deha more anna saka

ksun-nivrtti hauk amara [6]

“Come! Let Me embrace you, let Me hold your chest to Mine, then My anxiety will go away. Cook at midday and give Me some rice and spinach so that My hunger will also be relieved.

chhadiya jagadanande mora mana niranande

bhojanadi la-ila kata dina

ki bujhiya gele tumi duhkhete padinu ami

jaga more sada daya-hina [7]

“O Jagadananda, after you left, I ate and slept for many days with an unhappy heart. Why did you leave Me? I slumped into sadness: Jaga is always merciless to Me.

sighra vraja nirakhiya aisa tumi sukhi hana

more deha sakanna vyanjana

tabe ta’ vanchiba ami tate sukhi habe tumi

krodhe more na chhada kakhana” [8]

“Quickly see Vraja, come back happy, and offer Me some rice, spinach, and vegetables. Then I will be able to live, and you will also be happy. Never leave Me out of anger again.”

nidra bhangi’ dekhi ami bahu-dura vraja-bhumi

nikatete jahnavi-puline

aha! navadvipa-dhama nitya-gaura-lila-grama

vraja-sara ati samichina [9]

I suddenly awoke and saw that I was on the bank of the Ganges, far away from the land of Vraja. Oh! Nabadwip Dham! The eternal abode of Gaura’s pastimes! The perfect essence of Vraja!

anandete mayapure pravesinu antahpure

nami ami ai-mata-pada

gaurangera katha bali’ sighra ailama chali’

dekhi navadvipa-susampada [10]

Overjoyed to be in Mayapur, I entered the inner apartment of the Lord’s house and bowed at the feet of Mother Sachi. I explained what Gauranga had told me, quickly came out, and saw the divine opulence of Nabadwip.

bhavilama vrndavana karilama darasana

ara kena yau dura desa

gaura darasana kari’ saba duhkha parihari’

chhadi’ diba virahaja-klesa [11]

I felt that I had already seen Vrindavan, so why should I now go to that faraway land? Instead, I will go to meet Gaura, give up all my sadness, and leave behind the sorrow of separation.

• • •

(15) Morning Pastimes in Nabadwip

yakhana yaha mane pade gauranga-charita

taha likhi, ha-ileo krama-viparita [1]

I write whatever comes to my mind about Gauranga’s pastimes, whenever it does, even if it is out of sequence.

Gauranga’s prasad

sachi ai eka-dina bada yatna kari’

gora-avasista-patra more dila dhari’ [2]

One day, Mother Sachi very affectionately gave me the plate of Gora’s remnants.

ami khailama yena amrtasvadana

gauranga-prasada pana ahladita mana [3]

I was delighted to receive Gauranga’s prasad, and as I ate it, I felt as though I was tasting nectar.

kabhu ki kariba ami se bhuri bhojana

abona achyuta saka, aiyera randhana [4]

mocha ghanta, kachu-saka tahe phula-badi

manachaki, nimba-patola, ara dadhi-badi [5]

Will I ever eat such delicious food again? Mother Sachi made wild spinach, banana flower, taro with balls of fried dal, ground taro, patol with neem leaves, and patties of fried dal in yoghurt.

Visiting the village of Gadigachha

bhojane ananda-mati, chalilama hamsa-gati,

nitai-gauranga-gana-sange

ganga-tire tire yai, gadigachha grama pai,

hari-nama-ganera prasange [6]

Joyful after eating, I walked like a swan in the company of Nitai, Gauranga, and Their associates. Walking along the banks of the Ganges and chanting the Lord’s Name, we arrived in the village of Gadigachha.

govinda mrdanga vaya, vasu-ghosa nama gaya,

nache gadadhara vakresvara

haribola rava suni’, chari-dike hulu-dhvani,

gora-preme sabe matoyara [7]

Govinda Ghos played mridanga, Vasudev Ghosh chanted the Name, and Gadadhar and Vakresvar danced. Hearing the sound of ‘Hari bol!’ and cheering in all directions, everyone became mad with love for Gora.

nacha gana nahi jani, tabu nachi urdhva-pani,

gauranga nachaya ange pasi’

sura-tala-bodha nai, tabu nachi, tabu gai,

ki jani ki jane gaura-sasi [8]

I do not know how to dance or sing. Still, I dance—with my arms upraised! Gauranga enters my body and makes me do so. I do not have any sense of rhythm or tune. Still, I dance! Still, I sing! I do not know what my moon-like Gaura thinks.

The cowherd boys’ service there

gadigachha grame asi’, gopa-palli majhe pasi’,

gora bale, “suna bhakta-gana

daha-kule vicharana, aji modera vicharana,

vrksa-mule kariba sayana [9]

We came to the village of Gadigachha and entered a neighbourhood of cowherds. Gora said, “Devotees, listen! Today we will walk around the bank of this lake, and then we will rest under this tree.

ei vata-vrksa-tale, gabhi achhe kutuhale,

gopa-saha kariba vihara”

bahu gopa-gana aila, dadhi, chhana, nani dila,

patha-srama na rahila ara [10]

“There are happy cows under this banyan tree. Let us go and play with the cowherd boys!” Many cowherd boys then came over and offered us yoghurt, curd, and butter, and our tiredness from walking was gone.

nrsimhanandera sange, pradyumna aila range,

purusottamacharya milila

mrdangera vadya-rave, grha chhadi’ aila sabe,

hari-dhvani gagane uthila [11]

Pradyumna joyfully came over with Nrsimhananda, and Purusottam Acharya joined us there. Hearing the sound of the mridanga, everyone left their homes and came over, and the sound of ‘Hari’ resounded in the sky.

The cowherd boy Bhima

bhima-name gopa eka parama udara

agrasara hana bale, “sunaha gohara [12]

A very cordial cowherd boy named Bhima came forward and said, “Dear sir, please listen.

amara janani syama goyalini dhanya

ganga-nagarera sadhu goyalara kanya [13]

“My mother Shyama is a pious milkmaid and a daughter of a virtuous milkman from Ganga Nagar.

sachi aike ma baliya sada kare seva

se samparke tumi amara matula ha-iba [14]

“She calls Sachi ‘Mother’ and always serves her. So, You are my uncle.

chala mama mora ghare chala dala lana

sri-krsna-kirtana kara anandita hana [15]

“Dear Uncle, let’s go to my house! Come with Your party and happily chant the Name of Sri Krishna.

dadhi-dugdha yaha kichhu rakhiyachhe ma

saba khaoyaiba ara tipe diba pa” [16]

“I will feed You all the yoghurt and milk my mother has in store and massage Your feet.”

Gauranga’s visiting Bhima’s house and eating condensed milk

nachhoda ha-iya yabe sakale dharila

gopa-preme gora gopa-grhete chalila [17]

When Bhima became insistent and requested this of everyone, Gora went to his home out of love for the cowherd boys.

syama goyalini tabe ulu-dhvani diya

sakalake goyala-ghare dile basaiya [18]

The milkmaid Shyama cheered and seated everyone in her cowshed.

syama bale, “pandita dada, kemana achhena ma?”

“bhala bhala” bali’ gora nachaila ga [19]

Syama asked, “Learned elder brother, how is Mother?” Gora replied, “She is well, she is well,” and began to dance.

kala-pata pati’ syama deya dadhi-ksira

bhakta-gana lana nimai bhojane base dhira [20]

Shyama laid out banana leaves and served yoghurt and condensed milk. Nimai and the devotees respectfully sat down to eat.

Gora’s lake

bhojana samapi’ chale sei dahera tire

hari-guna-gana sabe kare dhire dhire [21]

After everyone finished eating, they strolled over to the edge of the lake, chanting the glories of the Lord.

ramadasa gopa asi’ kare nivedana

“dahera jala pana nahi kare gabhi-gana [22]

A cowherd boy named Ramadas came over and said, “Our cows do not drink water from this lake.

The crocodile in the lake

nakra eka bhayankara bedaya dahera jale

jala na khaiya gabhi dake hamba bola” [23]

“A fearsome crocodile comes out of this lake, and our cows moo because they cannot drink the water.”

taha suni’ gora kare sri-nama-kirtana

kirtane akrsta haila nakra tata ksana [24]

When Gora heard this, He chanted the Name, and the crocodile immediately became attracted to the chanting.

Not a crocodile but a child god

sighra kari’ uthiya aila gora-paya

pada-sparse deva-sisu paridrsya haya [25]

The crocodile quickly got out of the water and came over to Gora’s feet. Upon touching them, the crocodile turned into a child god.

kandi’ sei deva-sisu karena stavana

nija duhkha-katha bale ara karaya rodana [26]

Crying, the child god prayed to the Lord. He recounted the tale of his sorrow and wept.

The child god describes his past in the body of a crocodile

deva-sisu bale, “prabhu durvasara sape

nakra-rupe bhrami ami, sarva-loka kanpe [27]

The child god said, “O Lord! Cursed by Durvasa Muni, I have been wandering in the form of a crocodile, making everyone tremble.

kamyavane muni-vara sutiya achhila

chanchalata kari’ tara jata kati nila [28]

“Once, when the great sage was resting in Kamyavan, I mischievously cut off his dreadlocks.

krodhe muni kahe, ‘tumi pana nakra-rupa

chari yuga thaka karma-phala-anurupa’ [29]

“The sage angrily said, ‘Take the form of a crocodile and suffer the results of your actions for four ages.’

tabe kandilama ami minati kariya

daya kari’ muni more kahila dakiya [30]

“I cried and prayed to the sage, and he graciously called me over and spoke to me.

‘ore deva-sisu yabe sri-nanda-nandana

navadvipe ha-ibena sachi-prana-dhana [31]

tanhara kirtane tomara sapa-ksaya habe

divya deha peye tabe tripistapa yabe’ [32]

“’O child god! When the son of Sri Nanda becomes the life and wealth of Sachi in Nabadwip, you will be freed from my curse by His chanting; you will get a heavenly body and go to the abode of the gods.’

The child god’s prayers

jaya jaya sachi-suta patita-pavana

dina-hina agatira gati mahajana [33]

“Glory to the son of Sachi, the saviour of the fallen, the Supreme Soul, the shelter of the humble, lowly, and shelterless!

chaudda bhuvane ghose sukirti tomara

ama hena adhamere karile uddhara [34]

“Your glories resound throughout the fourteen worlds! You have saved a soul as fallen as myself!

ei navadvipa-dhama sarva-dhama-sara

ekhane ha-ile kali-pavanavatara [35]

“You have descended here, in Nabadwip Dham, the best of all abodes, as the saviour for the Age of Kali.

kali-jiva uddharibe diya hari-nama

asiyachha, mahaprabhu tomake pranama [36]

“You will deliver the souls of Kali-yuga by giving the Name of the Lord. You have come, O Mahaprabhu! I bow to You.

chari yuga achhi ami nakra-rupa dhari’

ebe uddharile tumi patita-pavana hari [37]

“I have spent four ages in the form of a crocodile. O Lord! O saviour of the fallen! Now You have delivered me.

tava mukhe hari-nama parama madhura

sthavarasthavara jiva tarile prachura [38]

“From Your mouth, the Name of the Lord is extremely sweet, and You have delivered innumerable souls, both moving and inert.

ajna deo yai ami tripistapa yatha

mata pita dekhi’ sukha paiba sarvatha” [39]

“Give me permission, and I will return to the abode of the gods. Seeing my mother and father there, I will be completely happy.”

The child god obtains his original form and returns home

eta bali’ pranamiya deva-sisu yaya

kirtanera rola tabe uthe punaraya [40]

Having said this, the child god bowed and left, and the sound of the kirtan arose again.

madhyahna haila dekhi’ sarva bhakta-gana

prabhu-sange mayapura karila gamana [41]

Seeing that it was midday, all the devotees went back to Mayapur with the Lord.

mahaprabhura ei lila ye kare sravana

brahma-sapa-mukta haya sei mahajana [42]

The great souls who hear this pastime of Mahaprabhu become free from brahmans’ curses.

The result of seeing Gora’s lake

sei ha-ite ‘gora-daha’ nama parachara

kaliya-dahera nyaya haila tahara [43]

Since then, the lake has become widely known as ‘Gora Daha’, like Kaliya Daha in Vraja.

sei ‘daha’ darsane sparsane papa-ksaya

krsna-bhakti labha haya sarva-vede kaya [44]

All the Vedas say that sins are removed and devotion to Krishna is attained by seeing or touching this lake.

sei gopa-gana dekha mahapremanande

gaurange karila hetha mama bali’ skandhe [45]

The cowherd boys saw this pastime here, and with the joy of intense divine love, they called Gauranga ‘uncle’ and held Him on their shoulders.

sakale dekhila prabhura purvahna-vihara

tanhi madhye dekhe rama-krsna-lila-sara [46]

Everyone saw the Lord’s morning pastimes, and within them, they saw the essence of Balaram and Krishna’s pastimes.

dekhe govardhana tatha manasa-jahnavi-puline

krsna-go-charana-lila ati samichina [47]

They actually saw Govardhan and Krishna’s cowherding pastimes there on the bank of the Manasa Ganga.

gopa-gana janila ye nimani-charita

sri-nanda-nandana-lila nija samihita [48]

The cowherd boys understood that the pastimes of Nimai are the pastimes of their dear Krishna, the son of Sri Nanda.

• • •

(16) What is Love?

Sri Raghunath Goswami’s question

eka-dina raghunatha svarupe jijnase

“ki vastu piriti, more sikhao abhase [1]

One day, Raghunath Das asked Svarup Damodar, “What is love? Please teach me, give me some hint about it.

vidyapati chandi-dasa ye priti varnila

se priti bujhite mora sakti na haila [2]

“I cannot understand the love that Vidyapati and Chandi Das described.

tanhadera vakye bahye bujhe ye piriti

se kevala stri-purusera pranayera riti [3]

“The love that I understand from their words is externally just the love between a man and a woman.

se kemane paramartha-madhye ganya haya

prakrta kamake kena aprakrta kaya [4]

“How is that love accepted as spiritual? And why is mundane lust called divine?

mahaprabhu tomara sange sei saba gana

karena sarvada, tara na pai sandhana [5]

“Mahaprabhu always sings their songs with you, but I do not understand them.

prabhu tava haste more karila samarpana

ajna kaila, ‘sikhao ebe nigudha tattva-dhana’ [6]

“The Lord has put me in your hands and instructed you, ‘Now teach him the treasure of the hidden truths.’

What is the nature of love?

krpa kari’ priti-tattva more deha bujhaiya

krtartha haiba muni samsaya tyajiya” [7]

“Please help me understand the nature of love, then I will be fulfilled and leave behind all doubts.”

The answer

svarupa balila, “bhai raghunatha-dasa

nibhrte tomare tattva kariba prakasa [8]

Svarup said, “Dear brother, Raghunath Das! Confidentially, I will reveal this truth to you.

ami kiba ramananda athava pandita

keha na bujhibe tattva prabhura udita [9]

“Neither I, Ramananda, Gadadhar Pandit nor anyone else will ever understand the love that the Lord has revealed.

tabe yadi gaurachandra jihvaya basiya

balaibe nija-tattva sakrpa ha-iya [10]

takhani janibe haila susatya prakasa

suniya ananda pabe raghunatha-dasa [11]

“Still, if Gaurachandra mercifully takes control of my tongue and makes me speak about His love, then you will know that the highest truth has been revealed to you, and when you hear it, Raghunath Das, you will be overjoyed!

chandi-dasa vidyapati, karnamrta rayera giti,

e-saba amulya sastra jana

e-sabe nahika kama, e-saba premera dhama,

aprakrta tahate vidhana [12]

“Know that Sri Krishna-karnamrita and the songs of Chandi Das, Vidyapati, and Ramananda Ray are invaluable scriptures. There is no lust in them—they are repositories of love, divine by nature.

stri-purusa-vivarana, ye kichhu tanhi varnana,

se saba upama matra sara

prakrta-kama-varnana, tahe krsna-adarsana,

aprakrta karaha vichara [13]

“All the descriptions of men and women within them are nothing but analogies. Krishna is never present within descriptions of mundane lust, so consider those descriptions to be divine.

ki purusa, kiba nari, e-tattva bujhite nari,

jada-dehe kare rasa-ranga

se guru krsnera bhane, suddha-rati nahi jane,

tahara bhajana maya-ranga [14]

“If anyone—be it a man or a woman—takes pleasure in their material body, they can never understand this love. A ‘guru’ who pretends to be Krishna does not understand pure love, and his ‘worship’ is a trick of Maya.

Love for Krishna

krsna-prema sunirmala, yena suddha ganga-jala,

sei prema amrtera sindhu

nirmala se anuraga, nahi tahe jada-daga,

sukla-vastra sunya-masi-bindu [15]

“Love for Krishna is perfectly pure, like the pure Ganges water; it is an ocean of nectar. Within such pure love, there is not even a trace of mundanity. It is like a white cloth that does not have a single drop of ink.

suddha-prema sukha-sindhu, pai tara eka bindu,

sei bindu jagat dubaya

jada-dehe kari’ priti, kevala kamera riti,

suddha deha na haya udaya [16]

“Pure love is an ocean of joy. If you get just one drop of it, this drop can flood the whole world. Loving your material body is merely a form of lust; your divine body can never be revealed like that.

dure suddha prema-bandha, kapata premete andha,

sei preme krsna nahi paya

tabe ye kare krandana, sva-saubhagya prakhyapana,

kare iha, janiha nischaya [17]

“Those who are blinded by insincere love are far from pure love. No one can get Krishna with such ‘love’. Even if they shed tears, know for certain that they are only making a show of their ‘fortune’.

krsna-prema yara haya, tara vibhava chinmaya,

anubhava dehete prakasa

sattvikadi vyabhichari, chinmaya svarupa dhari’,

chit-svarupe karaye vilasa [18]

“The feelings of those who have love for Krishna are spiritual. Their gestures, ecstasies, and emotions, having spiritual forms, manifest and play within their spiritual bodies.

dhanya sei lilasuka, krsna tare haye sammukha,

dila vrajera aprakrta rasa

chhadila e-deha-ranga, prakrtalambana-bhanga,

tahe krsna parama santosa [19]

“Lilasuka is most fortunate because Krishna personally came before him and revealed the divine rasas of Vraja to him when he gave up bodily pleasures and broke away from all material paraphernalia. It pleased Krishna very much.

vidyapati chandi-dasa, chhadi’ purva rasabhasa,

aprakrta-rasa-labha kaila

purve chhila tuchchha rasa, taha chhadi’ prema-vasa,

hana, krsna-bhajana labhila [20]

“Vidyapati and Chandi Das rejected the tainted rasas of the past and attained divine rasa. They left behind the gross pleasures that existed previously, became captivated by divine love, and attained service to Krishna.

tuchchha rase matoyara, na paya krsna-rasa-sara,

nahe vamsi-vadanalambana

jada dehe saja saja, mathaya tara pade vaja,

prana-kitera karaye dharana [21]

“Those who are intoxicated by gross pleasures do not attain the essence of devotion to Krishna, and Krishna the Flute Player does not become the object of their love. Let lightning strike the heads of those who indulge their bodies! They live the life of an insect!

sei tuchchha rasa tyaji’, sri-nanda-nandana bhaji’,

dekhe krsna sri-vamsi-vadana

nije gopi-deha paya, vraja-vane vege yaya,

purva sanga karaya tyajana [22]

“When souls leave behind gross pleasures, serve Krishna, and see Him playing the flute, they attain the bodies of gopis and run to Vrindavan, leaving behind all their previous attachments.

Mahaprabhu’s verse in confirmation

‘na prema-gandho ‘sti darapi me harau

krandami saubhagya-bharam prakasitum

vamsi-vilasy-anana-lokanam vina

bibharmi yat prana-patangakan vrtha’ [23]

“’I do not have even a trace of love for Krishna. Still, I cry to show that I have a great fortune. Without a glimpse of the face of that Flute Player, I carry on My meaningless, insect-like life.’

No one understands love except the gopis of Vraja

piriti piriti, piriti bale,

piriti bujhila ke?

ye jana piriti, bujhite pare,

vraja-gopi haya se [24]

“People say, ‘Love, love, love’, but who has understood love? Souls who can actually understand love become gopis in Vraja.

piriti baliya, tinati ankhara,

vidita bhuvana-majhe

yahate pasila, sei se majila,

ki tara kalanka-laje [25]

“Everybody in this world knows these three syllables pi, ri, and ti (in the word piriti, love). Souls in whom they have entered become overwhelmed. They are beyond reproach or shame.

vraja-gopi hana, chid-deha smariya,

jadera sambandha chhade

visaye asraye, suddha-alambana,

parakiya-rasa bade [26]

“Becoming gopis in Vraja and meditating with their spiritual bodies, they give up all material connection. Paramour love develops when its objects—the lover and the beloved—are pure.

vraja vina kothao nahi parakiya-bhava

vaikuntha-laksmite tara sada asadbhava [27]

“Paramour love does not exist anywhere except Vraja. It is forever incompatible with Laksmi Devi in Vaikuntha.

The love of the imitationists

samsare yateka, purusa, ramani,

alambana-dose sada

rakta-mamsa-dehe, aropa karite,

naraki haya sarvada [28]

“The men and women of this world are always the wrong objects for such love. By attributing that love to bodies of flesh and blood, souls become perpetual sinners.

ataeva tara, sahaja sadhane,

krsna-krpa yabe paya

jada-deha-gandha, chhadiya se saba,

chid-ananda-rase dhaya [29]

“So, when souls attain Krishna’s mercy through natural practice, they avoid even subtle connection with the material body and run towards joyful, spiritual rasa.

Ray Ramananda’s love

prakrta sahaja, sri-krsna-bhajana,

kare ramananda raya

suvaidha sadhane, e jada dehete,

suyukta vairagya bhaya [30]

“Ramananda Ray’s service to Krishna is genuine and natural. He is perfectly regulated in his practice, and perfect renunciation shines in his physical body.

visuddha dehete, vraje krsna bhaje,

mahaprabhu-krpa pana

natakabhinaye, deva-dasi-siksa,

sanga-dosa-sunya hana [31]

“Having received Mahaprabhu’s mercy, he serves Krishna in Vraja in his pure body. He teaches Lord Jagannath’s maidservants to perform plays, but he is free from any inappropriate association with them.

Who is qualified to learn about love?

ramananda vina, tahe adhikara,

keha nahi paya ara

para-stri-darsana, sparsana, sevana,

buddhi hrde achhe yara

piriti siksaya, janibe nischaya,

nahi tara adhikara [32]

“No one has this qualification except Ramananda. Know for certain that anyone who desires at heart to see, touch, or serve another’s wife is never qualified to learn about love.

Developing love is impossible with the man–woman consciousness

kabhu e samsare, stri-pum-vyavahare,

na haya piriti-dhana

charma-sukha yata, anitya niyata,

nahe nitya samghatana [33]

“The wealth of love never exists in the affairs of men and women in this world. Carnal pleasures are always temporary and have no connection with eternity.

gopi-bhava dhari’, chid-dharma achari’,

piriti sadhibe yei

stri-pum-vyavahara, nahika tahara,

bhitare gopini sei [34]

“Those who embrace the gopis’ mood and cultivate love by acting according to their spiritual natures are never involved in the affairs of men and women; they are gopis internally.

bahire sajjana, dharma-acharana,

amarana vaidhachara

antarete gopi, chitte krsna seve,

kevala piriti tara [35]

“Externally, as sadhus, they behave virtuously and adhere to regulations until death. Internally, as gopis, they serve Krishna within their hearts: their love is only for Him.

‘yah kaumara-harah’, ityadi kavita,

kevala upama-sthala

nayaka-nayika, chit-svarupa hana,

krsna bhaje sunirmala [36]

“Verses such as yah kaumara-harah* are simply analogies. Understanding that the lover and the beloved in these verses are spiritual, souls should serve Krishna purely.

*yah kaumara-harah sa eva hi varas ta eva chaitra-ksapas

te chonmilita-malati-surabhayah praudhah kadambanilah

sa chaivasmi tathapi tatra surata-vyapara-lila-vidhau

reva-rodhasi vetasi-taru-tale chetah samutkanthat

“He is the paramour who has stolen My youth, these are the same moonlit spring nights filled with the fragrance of blooming jasmine and sweet breezes blowing from the kadamba forest, and I am the same lover. Still, My heart is yearning for Our trysts on the bank of the Reva beneath that vetasi tree.”

(Sri Chaitanya-charitamrita: Madhya-lila, 1.58)

Attributing this love to the mundane is hellish; it is a deception produced by Kali

keha yadi bale iha aropa chintaya

para-purusete krsna-bhajana upaya [37]

chaitanya ajnaya ami e-katha na mani

jadete e-rupa buddhi naraka bali’ mani [38]

“If someone says that ascribing love to another man is a way to serve Krishna, then, on Sri Chaitanya’s order, I do not accept their statement. I consider such a mundane conception to be hellish.

jada-dehe chid-aropa, sanga tuchchha ati

tahe krsna-bhava ana, samuha durmati [39]

“Attributing spirit to the material body is a very crude attachment, and associating love for Krishna with the material body is completely wicked.

kalira chhalana ei janiha nischaya

ihate vaisnava-dharma adhah-pathe yaya [40]

“Know for certain that such thinking is a deception produced by Kali and it causes the degradation of the Vaishnav religion.

sukrti purusa matra upama bujhiya

sviya aprakrta-dehe krsna bhaje giya [41]

“Only fortunate souls understand the analogies in the scriptures and serve Krishna in their divine bodies.

chandi-dasa vidyapati adi mahajana

purva-buddhi dure rakhi’ karila bhajana [42]

“Chandi Das, Vidyapati, and the other great souls left their previous conceptions and practised devotion.

se sabara sesa vakya chinmayi piriti

achhe tabu nahi bujhe duskrtira riti [43]

“The final statement of all these great souls is that spiritual love does exist, but sinners never understand it.

raghunatha e visaye karaha vichara

toma hena bhakta pracharibe sad-achara [44]

“O Raghunath, consider this matter. Devotees such as yourself should preach proper practice and behaviour.

e visaya eka-bara prabhuke janana

chitta drdha kari’ lao, drdha kara hiya” [45]

“You should ask the Lord about it, and make your mind and heart resolute.”

tabe raghunatha srimat prabhu-pade giya

thare thore jijnasila vinita ha-iya [46]

Raghunath then went to the holy feet of the Lord and humbly asked Him about the matter indirectly.

prabhu tare ajna dila amara sammukhe

raghunatha ajna peye bhaje mana-sukhe [47]

The Lord instructed Raghunath in front of me. He received the Lord’s instructions and then happily engaged in service.

Sriman Mahaprabhu’s instructions to Sri Raghunath

“gramya katha na sunibe, gramya varta na kahibe

bhala na khaibe, ara bhala na paribe [48]

“Do not listen to village talks or discuss village matters. Do not eat fancy food or wear fancy clothes.

amani, manada hana krsna-nama sada labe

vraje radha-krsna-seva manase karibe” [49]

“Be prideless and respectful, always chant Krishna’s Name, and, within your heart, serve Radha and Krishna in Vraja.”

ei ajna pana raghu bujhila takhana

piriti na haya kabhu jadete sadhana [50]

When Raghunath received these instructions, he understood that divine love never develops through material practices.

manasete siddha-deha kariya bhavana

sei dehe radhanathera karibe sevana [51]

Meditate on your spiritual body in your heart, and use that body to serve the Lord of Radha.

amani manada bhave akinchana hana

vrksa hena sahisnuta apane kariya [52]

Be prideless, respectful, humble, and tolerant like a tree.

bahya-dehe krsna-nama sarva-kala gaya

antar-dehe thake radha-krsnera sevaya [53]

In your external body, always chant the Name of Krishna, and in your internal body, serve Radha and Krishna.

bhala khaoya, bhala para parityaga kari’

prana-vrtti dvara jada-deha-yatra dhari’ [54]

Give up fancy food and fancy clothes, and maintain your material body with the necessities for life.

The monkey renunciant

ei jada-dehe radha-krsna buddhyaropa

markata vairagi kare sarva-dharma lopa [55]

A monkey renunciant attributes the conception of Radha and Krishna to the material body and disregards all principles.

prabhu baliyachhena, “markata vairagi se jana

vairagira praya thaki’ kare prakrti-sambhasana” [56]

The Lord has said, “Those who act like renunciants but converse with women are monkey renunciants.”

The pure renunciant

visuddha vairagi kare nama sankirtana

magiya khaiya kare jivana-yapana [57]

Pure renunciants chant the Name and sustain themselves on begging.

vairagi ha-iya yeba kare parapeksa

karya-siddhi nahe, krsna kare upeksa [58]

Those who become renunciants but depend on others do not become successful, and Krishna ignores them.

vairagi ha-iya kare jihvara lalasa

paramartha yaya, ara haya rasera vasa [59]

Those who become renunciants but indulge the cravings of their tongues stray from spiritual life and become controlled by material tastes.

vairagi karibe sada nama-sankirtana

saka-patra-phala-mule udara bharana [60]

Renunciants should always chant the Name and fill their bellies with leaves, vegetables, fruits, and roots.

jihvara lalase yei samaje bedaya

sisnodara-parayana krsna nahi paya [61]

Those who roam the society indulging the cravings of their tongues become slaves of their genitals and stomaches and do not attain Krishna.

• • •

(17) Different Practices for Different Devotees

ara dine sri-svarupa raghunathe kaya

“tomare nigudha kichhu kahiba nischaya” [1]

Another day, Svarup said to Raghunath, “I will explain something confidential to you.

Religion without devotion is simply deception

ye varnete janma yara ye asrame sthiti

tat-tad-dharme deha-yatra ei suddha niti [2]

“Maintaining the body according to the duties of the class in which one is born and the order in which one is situated is the proper conduct.

ei-mate deha-yatra nirvaha kariya

nirantara krsna bhaje ekanta ha-iya [3]

sei se subodha, sudharmika, suvaisnava

bhajana-vihina-dharma kevala kaitava [4]

“Those who maintain the body in this way and always sincerely serve Krishna, are truly wise, religious, and devoted. Religion without devotion, however, is simply deception.

krsna nahi bhaje, kare dharma-acharana

adhah-pathe yaya tara manava-jivana [5]

“The human life of those who practise religion but do not serve Krishna is ruined.

grhi, brahmachari, vanaprastha va sannyasi

krsna-bhakti-sunya asambhasya diva-nisi [6]

“Do not mix, day or night, with householders, students, retired householders, or renunciants who are devoid of devotion to Krishna.

Acquiring knowledge of the soul’s relationship with the Lord and practising proper renunciation

sakalei karibena yukta-vairagya-asraya

krsna bhajibena bujhi’ sambandha nischaya [7]

“Everyone should practise proper renunciation and serve Krishna with a clear understanding of their relationship with Him.

sambandha-nirnaye haya alambana bodha

suddha-alambana haile haya premera prabodha [8]

“By understanding that relationship, its object (the Lord) is realised, and when this proper object is realised, divine love awakens.

preme krsna bhaje sei bapera thakura

prema-sunya jiva kevala chhanchera kukura [9]

“Souls who serve Krishna with love are worshippable, even to their own fathers, but souls devoid of divine love are no better than toy dogs.

krsna-bhakti achhe yara vaisnava se jana

grha chhadi’ bhiksa kare, na kare bhajana

vaisnava baliya tare na kara ganana [10]

“Those who have devotion to Krishna are Vaishnavs. Do not consider someone who gives up their home and begs but does not serve Krishna to be a Vaishnav.

anya deva-nirmalyadi na kara grahana

karma-kande kabhu na manibe nimantrana [11]

“Do not accept the remnants of other gods, and never accept invitations to sacrifices performed for worldly gain.

The practices of householder and renounced devotees

grhi grha-tyagi bhede vaisnava-vichara

dunhe bhakti-adhikari prthak achara [12]

“There are two types of Vaishnavs: householders and renunciants. Both are qualified for devotion, but their practices are different.

duhara chahiye yukta-vairagya vidhana

sujnana, subhakti dunhara sama-parimana [13]

“Both are required to practise proper renunciation, and in terms of pure knowledge and pure devotion, they are equal.

The duties of householder devotees

grhastha-vaisnava sada sva-dharme arjibe

atithyadi seva yatha-sadhya acharibe [14]

“Householder devotees should always earn their living according to their social duty, and they should serve guests and others to the best of their ability.

vaidha-patni sahavase nahe bhakti hani

sarsapa sutaila vyavahare nahi dosa mani [15]

“Living with a lawful wife is not harmful to devotion, and I do not see anything bad about using mustard oil.

dadhi dugdha smarta-upacharita amisa

yukta-vairagira haya grahane niramisa [16]

“Milk and yoghurt prepared according to smarta regulations are non-vegetarian, but they become vegetarian when they are accepted by proper renunciants.

grhastha-vaisnava sada namaparadha rakhi’ dure

anukulya laya, pratikulya tyaga kare [17]

“Householder devotees always avoid offences to the Name, accept the favourable, and reject the unfavourable.

aikantika namasraya tahara mahima

grhastha vaisnavera nahi mahatmyera sima [18]

“Sincerely taking shelter of the Name is a householder’s glory. The glories of householder devotees have no end.

para-himsa tyaga, para-upakare rata

sarva-bhute daya grhira ei-matra vrata [19]

“The householder’s only duty is to avoid envy, help others, and be compassionate to all beings.

The duties of renounced devotees who have given up household life

vairagi vaisnava prana-vrtti angikari’

asanchaya stri-sambhasana-sunya, bhaje hari [20]

“Renounced devotees serve the Lord, accept the necessities for life, do not accumulate wealth, and do not converse with women.

ei-rupa achara-bhede sakala vaisnava

krsna bhaji’ paya krsnera aprakrta vaibhava [21]

“In this way, according to different practices, all devotees serve Krishna and realise His divine glory.

Vaisnavas are not deceitful

grhi ha-uka tyagi ha-uka bhakte bheda nai

bheda kaile kumbhipaka narakete yai [22]

“There is no difference between devotees—be they householders or renunciants. If someone makes distinctions between them, they go to the hell of boiling oil.

mula katha, kutinati vyavahara yara

vaisnava-kulete sei maha-kulangara [23]

“The main point is that those who behave deceitfully are a great disgrace to the society of Vaishnavs.

sarala bhavete gathi’ nija vyavahara

jivane marane krsna-bhakti jani sara [24]

“Everyone should behave sincerely and consider devotion to Krishna to be all-in-all, in life and death.

kutinati kapatata sathya kutilata

na chhadiya hari bhaje, tara dina gela vrtha [25]

“Those who serve the Lord but do not give up deceit, duplicity, dishonesty, and insincerity pass their days in vain.

sei saba bhagavata kadartha kariya

indriya charana bule prakrti bhulaiya [26]

“They distort the meaning of Srimad Bhagavatam and roam about enjoying their senses and seducing women.

Srimad Bhagavatam, 10.33.36

anugrahaya bhaktanam manusam deham asritah

bhajate tadrsih krida yah srutva tat-paro bhavet [27]

“’To bestow mercy upon His devotees, Krishna assumes a human-like form and manifests His pastimes. Those who hear about these pastimes become devoted to Krishna.’

lampata papistha apanake krsna mani’

krsna-lila anukrti kare dharma-hani [28]

“Lewd sinners consider themselves Krishna, imitate Krishna’s pastimes, and desecrate religion.

A pure devotee’s service to Radha and Krishna

suddha-bhakta bhakta-bhave chit-svarupa hana

vraje radha-krsna seve sakhi-bhava lana [29]

“Pure devotees attain their spiritual devotee form and serve Radha and Krishna in Vraja in the mood of a sakhi.

krsna-bhave tat-para haya ye pamara

kumbhipaka prapta haya maranera para [30]

“Fools who impersonate Krishna go to the hell of boiling oil after death.

Confidential devotion exists within the heart—not the body 

antaranga bhakti mane, dehe kichhu naya

kutinati bale mudha acharana haya [31]

“Confidential devotion is in the heart, not the body, but fools deceitfully imitate it.

sei saba asat-sanga dure parihari’

krsna bhaje suddha-bhakta siddha-deha dhari’ [32]

“Avoiding all such forms of bad association, pure devotees serve Krishna with their spiritual bodies.

Krishna is the only male; everyone else is female

bhakta-saba prakrti haiya maje krsna-paya

purusa ekale krsna, dasa mahasaya” [33]

“All devotees are female and revel at Krishna’s feet. Krishna is the only male, O Das Mahasay.”

raghunatha dasa tabe vinita ha-iya

svarupere nivedana kare du’hata judiya [34]

Raghunath Das joined his palms and humbly spoke to Svarup.

“bala prabhu, achhe eka jijnasya amara

sva-dharma-vihina-bhakti sarva-bhakti-sara [35]

“Prabhu, I have a question. Devotion that is free from social duty is the best of all forms of devotion.

Householders and social duty

tabe kena grhastha thakibe svadharmete

svadharma chhadiya bhakti pare ta’ karite” [36]

“So why should householders remain engaged in their social duty when they can give it up and practise devotion?”

svarupa bale, “suna, bhai, ihate ye marma

baliba tomake ami suddha-bhakti dharma [37]

Svarup replied, “Brother, listen! I will explain to you the religion of pure devotion, which is the essence of this matter.

svadharme jivana-yatra sahaje ghataya

para-dharme kasta achhe, svabhavika naya [38]

“Your livelihood is easily maintained by following your own social duty; it is difficult to follow someone else’s duty because it is unnatural.

svadharme bhaktira anukula yaha haya

tai bhaktiman jana grahana karaya [39]

yaha yakhana bhakti-pratikula hana yaya

taha tyaga karile ta’ suddha-bhakti paya [40]

“When devotees, in the midst their social duties, accept everything that is favourable to devotion and avoid everything that is unfavourable to devotion, then they attain pure devotion.

ataeva svadharma-nistha chitta ha-ite tyaji’

bhakti-nistha karilei sadhu-dharma bhaji’ [41]

“So, only if they remove attachment to their social duties from their hearts and develop attachment to devotion do they follow the duty of a sadhu.

svadharma-tyagera nama nistha-parihara

niyamagraha dura haile haya vaisnava achara [42]

“Renouncing one’s social duty means giving up attachment to it. When excessive attachment to the rules for social duty withdraws, devotional practice begins.

The rule is: remember Krishna and the prohibition is: do not forget Krishna 

nirantara krsna-smrti mula-vidhi bhai

sri-krsna-vismrti yahe nisedha mula tai” [43]

“Brother, constant remembrance of Krishna is the fundamental rule, and forgetfulness of Krishna is the fundamental prohibition.”

tabe raghunatha bale, “katha eka ara

ajna haya suni yahe vaisnava-vichara [44]

Raghunath said, “There is one more thing. If you allow me, I would like to hear further explanation about Vaishnavs.

The family of the Lord and social duty

sri-achyuta-gotra bali’ vaisnava-nirdesa

ihara tatparya kiba, ithe ki visesa” [45]

“Vaishnavs are described as the family of the Lord. What does it mean and what is it about?”

svarupa bale, “grhi, tyagi ubhaye sarvatha

ei gotre adhikari nahika anyatha [46]

Svarup said, “Both householders and renunciants are, in all respects, members of this family and no other.

sri-achyuta-gotre thake suddha-bhakta yata

svadharma-nisthaya kabhu nahi haya rata [47]

“All pure devotees belong to the family of the Lord and never become attached to any social duty.

samsarera gotra tyaji’ krsna-gotra bhaje

sei nitya-gotra tara yei vaise vraje [48]

“They give up their worldly families and serve Krishna’s family. Those who reside in Vraja are part of that eternal family.

keha va svadehe vaise vraja-gopi hana

keha va aropa-siddha-manase laiya [49]

“Some reside in their spiritual body as Vraja-gopis, and others practise aropa-siddha [see 17.57] within their minds.

Beginners, practitioners, and experts

pravarta, sadhaka, siddha—tina ye prakara

bujhite parile bujhi bhakti-dharma-sara [50]

“If you can understand the three classes of devotees—beginners, practitioners, and experts—then you can understand the essence of devotional practice.

‘kanisthadhikari’ haya ‘pravarte’ ganana

‘madhyamadhikari’ ‘sadhaka’ bhakta mahajana [51]

“A kanistha adhikari is considered a beginner. A madhyam adhikari is a practitioner, a devotee, and a great soul.

‘uttamadhikari’ haya ‘siddha’ mahasaya

hrdaye svadharma-nistha kabhu na karaya [52]

“An uttam adhikari is a worshippable expert who is never attached to any social duty at heart.

madhyamadhikari ara uttamadhikari

sakale achyuta-gotra dekhaha vichari’” [53]

“Consider both practitioners and experts to be part of the family of the Lord.”

Ascription

raghunatha bale, “ebe aropa bujhiba

tatparya bujhiya saba sandeha tyajiba” [54]

Raghunath said, “I now wish to understand ascription (aropa). By understanding its significance, I will give up all my doubts.”

damodara bale, “suna aropa-sandhana

ihate chahiye bhakti-svarupera jnana [55]

Damodar said, “Hear now about ascription. To understand it, you need to understand the nature of devotion itself.

The three types of Vaishnav devotion

trividha vaisnavi bhakti karaha vichara

(1) ‘aropa-siddha’, (2) ‘sanga-siddha’, (3) ‘svarupa-siddha’ ara [56]

“You should know that there are three types of Vaishnav devotion: aropa-siddha, sanga-siddha, and svarup-siddha.

(1) Devotion expressed through ascription is for the beginner

aropa-siddhara katha baliba prathame

susthira ha-iya bujha chittera samyame [57]

“First, I will explain aropa-siddha. Focus and understand it with a controlled mind.

baddha bahirmukha jiva visayi pradhana

jada-sanga-matra kari’ kare avasthana [58]

“Conditioned souls who are averse to the Lord are mostly materialists and associate only with material things.

jada-sukha jada-duhkha niyata tahara

prakrta samsarga vina kichhu nahi ara [59]

“They are constantly engrossed in material happiness and sadness, and have no experience of anything other than matter.

aprakrta bali’ kichhu nahi paya jnana

aprakrta-tattva mane nahi paya sthana [60]

“They know nothing about spirit, and there is no place for spiritual truth in their hearts.

nije aprakrta vastu tahao na jane

araksita sisu yena sadai ajnane [61]

“They do not even know that they are spiritual beings. Like uneducated children, they always remain in ignorance.

kona bhagye kona janme sukrtira phale

sraddhara udaya haya hrdaya-kamale [62]

“By some good fortune, in some birth, as a result of sukriti, faith arises in the lotuses of their hearts.

prathama sandhane sune, ‘ami krsna-dasa’

e samsara haite uddhare kare asa [63]

“At first, in the course of their search, they hear, ‘I am a servant of Krishna,’ and then they aspire to be delivered from the material world.

Worshipping Krishna

guru bale, ‘suna, vachha, kara krsnarchana’

krsnarchane tabe tara ichchha-sangathana [64]

“Their Guru says to them, ‘Listen! My child, you should worship Krishna,’ and they then become eager to worship Krishna.

krsna ye aprakrta prabhu, ei matra sune

krsna-svarupa aprakrta taha nahi jane [65]

“They simply hear that Krishna is spiritual and that He is the Lord, but they do not understand Krishna’s spiritual nature.

nija chatur-dike yaha kare darasane

tanhi madhye ista yaha bujhi dekha mane [66]

“They understand that everything they see around them belongs to the Lord.

ista-dravye ista-murtira karaya pujana

ei sthale haya tara aropa-chintana [67]

“They then worship the Lord’s form with the Lord’s paraphernalia. At this stage, they practise ascription (aropa).

manusya-murati eka kariya gathana

gandha-puspa-dhupa-dipe karaye archana [68]

“They make a human-like form of the Lord and worship Him with fragrances, flowers, incense, and lamps.

aropa-buddhye bhave saba aprakrta dhana

aropa chintiya kabhu aprakrtapana [69]

“By understanding ascription, they consider that everything is spiritual property, and by practising ascription, they sometimes perceive spiritual reality.

ihate ye karmarpana aropera sthala

arope kramasah bhakti-tattve paya bala [70]

“Offering one’s actions to the Lord in this way is the practice of ascription, and through it, the soul gradually develops devotional strength.

ei ta’ aropa-siddha bhaktira laksana

kanisthadhikarira haya ei samarchana [71]

“These are the characteristics of aropa-siddha devotion. Beginners perform worship in this way.

Worshipping the Deity with realisation

tattvati bujhiya yabe sri-murti pujaya

tabe madhyama adhikara haya ta’ udaya [72]

“When beginners worship the Deity and come to understand the Lord’s nature, they rise to the intermediate stage.

uttamadhikarira aropera nahi sthana

manase aprakrta tattvera paya ta’ sandhana [73]

“Experts do not practise ascription: they directly perceive spiritual reality within their hearts.

premera udaya haya prema-chakse heri’

pranesvara bhaje purva-aropa dura kari’ [74]

“Divine love arises in them, and they begin to see with the eyes of that love. They serve the Lord of their hearts and give up their previous practice of ascription.

bhakti svabhavatah nahe hena karmarpane

aropa-siddha bhakti-madhye haya ta’ ganane [75]

“In its true nature, devotion is not the same as offering your actions. Still, ascription is considered a type of devotion.

(1) The key principle of ascription

aropa-siddhara eka mula-tattva ei

jada-vastu jada-karma bhakti-bhave lai [76]

“The key principle within ascription is to use material objects and actions in a devotional way.

jada-vastu, jada-karma-madhye ghrnya yaha

arpaneo bhakti nahi haya kabhu taha [77]

“Offering the Lord objectionable material objects and actions, however, is never devotion.

upadeya ista bali’ karmarpana kare

‘aropa-siddha bhakti’ bali’ baliba tahare [78]

“I consider offering the Lord actions that are pleasing to Him to be aropa-siddha devotion.

mayavade archananga aropa-laksana

bhaktivade svarupa-siddha bhaktira darsana [79]

“According to the illusionist principles, worshipping the Lord is a form of ascription, but according to devotional principles, it is also seen as a type of self-manifest [see 17.83] devotion.

(2) Devotion expressed as associated qualities

ebe suna, ‘sanga-siddha bhakti’ yei rupa

suddha-jnana suvairagya sanga-siddhara svarupa [80]

“Now hear about sanga-siddha devotion. Pure knowledge and proper renunciation are, in essence, sanga-siddha devotion.

yatha bhakti tatha yukta-vairagya suddha-jnana

sahacharye sanga-siddha bujhaha sandhana [81]

“Wherever there is devotion, there is pure knowledge and proper renunciation. You should understand the nature of sanga-siddha devotion based on this principle.

dainya daya sahisnuta bhakti-sahachara

sanga-siddha-bhakti-anga jana atahpara [82]

“Humility, compassion, and tolerance also accompany devotion. Now you know what the limbs of sanga-siddha devotion are.

(3) Self-manifest devotion

saksat bhaktira karya yahate nischaya

‘svarupa-siddha bhakti’ra kriya tahai haya [83]

“An act of svarup-siddha (self-manifest) devotion is an act of actual devotion.

sravana-kirtana-adi nava-vidha bhajana

svarupa-siddha bhakti bali’ tan-nama-kirtana [84]

“The nine types of service—hearing, chanting, and so on—are known as svarup-siddha devotion.

krsnete saksat tahadera mukhya-gati

aropa-siddha, sanga-siddhara gauna-bhave sthiti [85]

“The main focus of these practices is Krishna Himself, and aropa-siddha and sanga-siddha devotion is present within them secondarily.

svatah-siddha atma-vrtti suddha-bhakti sara

baddha-jive mano-vrtte udaya tahara [86]

krsnonmukha jada-dehe tahara vistrti

e jagate bhakti-devira ei-rupa sthiti [87]

“The actual natural propensity of the soul is pure devotion. It arises in the mind of a conditioned soul and expands into inclination towards Krishna within their material body. This is how the goddess of devotion exists in this world.

The three functions of the three types of devotion

sei bhakti ‘svarupa-siddha’ saksat kriya yatha

‘sanga-siddha’ sahachara sahaye sarvatha [88]

“An act of devotion itself is svarup-siddha devotion. Sanga-siddha devotion assists and accompanies svarup-siddha devotion everywhere.

‘aropa-siddha’ haya yatha prakrta vastu kriya

aprakrta bhave sadhe prakrta nasiya” [89]

“Aropa-siddha devotion is practised in connection with material objects and actions. When practised with the realisation of spirit, it conquers material nature.”

svarupera upadese, bujhe raghunatha

piriti-svarupa-tattva jagaiyera satha [90]

Through Svarup’s instruction, Raghunath, along with Jagai, understood what love actually is.

• • •

(18) Sri Ekadasi

eka-dina gaurahari, sri-gundicha parihari’,

‘jagannatha-vallabhe’ vasila

suddha ekadasi dine, krsna-nama-sankirtane,

divasa rajani kataila [1]

One day, Gaurahari left the Gundicha Temple and sat in the Jagannath Vallabha garden. It was a pure ekadasi, and the Lord spent the whole day and night chanting the Name of Krishna.

sange svarupa-damodara, ramananda vakresvara,

ara yata ksetra-vasi-gana

prabhu bale, “ekamane, krsna-nama-sankirtane,

nidrahara kariye varjana [2]

Svarup Damodar, Ramananda Ray, Vakresvar Pandit, and the other devotees residing in Sri Ksetra were there with Him. The Lord said, “Single-mindedly chant the Name of Krishna and avoid sleeping and eating.

keha kara sankhya-nama, keha danda-paranama,

keha bala rama-krsna-katha”

yatha tatha padi’ sabe, ‘govinda’ ‘govinda’ rave,

mahapreme pramatta sarvatha [3]

“Some of you should chant japa, some of you should offer obeisances, and some of you should speak about Balaram and Krishna.” Bowing wherever they were, everyone chanted, “Govinda! Govinda!” and became completely intoxicated with intense divine love.

hena kale gopinatha, padichha sarvabhauma satha,

gundicha-prasada lana aila

anna-vyanjana, pitha, pana, paramanna, dadhi, chhana,

mahaprabhu-agrete dharila [4]

At that time, Gopinath Acharya, Tulasi Padichha, and Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya brought prasad from the Gundicha Temple. They placed rice, vegetables, pancakes, sherbet, sweet rice, yoghurt, and curd before Mahaprabhu.

prabhura ajnaya sabe, dandavat padi’ tabe,

mahaprasada vandiya vandiya

triyama rajani sabe, mahapreme magna-bhave,

akaitave name kataiya [5]

On the Lord’s order, everyone bowed down and offered prayers to the maha-prasad. Then they spent the entire night earnestly chanting the Name, immersed in intense divine love.

prabhu-ajna sire dhari’, pratah-snana sabe kari’,

mahaprasada sevaya parana

kari’ hrsta chitta sabe, prabhura charane tabe,

kara-yode kare nivedana [6]

Holding the Lord’s order on their heads, everyone bathed in the morning and then broke their fast by honouring the maha-prasad. With joyful hearts and joined palms, the devotees then made an appeal at the feet of the Lord.

Sri Ekadasi in Sri Ksetra

“sarva-vrata-siromani, sri-hari-vasare jani,

nirahare kari jagarana

jagannatha-prasadanna, ksetre sarva-kale manya,

pailei kariye bhaksana [7]

“We know that the crown jewel of all rites is to stay awake all night without food or water on the day of the Lord. We also know that in Sri Ksetra, Jagannath’s prasad should be honoured at all times and should be eaten whenever it is received.

e sankate ksetra-vase, mane haya bada trase,

spasta ajna kariye prarthana

sarva-veda ajna tava, yaha mane brahma siva,

taha diya ghuchao yatana” [8]

“We live in Sri Ksetra and are very afraid because of this dilemma, so we pray that You give us a clear instruction. All the Vedas are Your instructions, and Brahma and Siva follow them. Please put an end to our confusion by instructing us.”

Sriman Mahaprabhu’s conclusion

prabhu bale, “bhakti-ange, ekadasi-mana-bhange,

sarva-nasa upasthita haya

prasada-pujana kari’, para-dine paile tari,

tithi para-dine nahi raya [9]

The Lord said, “Ekadasi is one of the limbs of devotion; failing to observe it leads to total ruination. If you worship the prasad and take it the following day, you will cross over this dilemma because the period of ekadasi always ends the next day.

sri-hari-vasara-dine, krsna-nama-rasa-pane,

trpta haya vaisnava sujana

anya rasa nahi laya, anya katha nahi kaya,

sarva-bhoga karaye varjana [10]

“On the day of the Lord, pure devotees are satisfied by drinking the nectar of Krishna’s Name. They do not partake of any other nectar or speak about anything else. They avoid all forms of enjoyment.

prasada bhojana nitya, suddha vaisnavera krtya,

aprasada na kare bhaksana

suddha ekadasi yabe, nirahara thake tabe,

paranete prasada bhojana [11]

“Taking prasad is a daily activity of pure devotees; they do not eat anything that is not prasad. On a pure ekadasi, however, they fast and take prasad the following day, to break their fast.

anukalpa-sthana-matra, niranna prasada-patra,

vaisnavake janiha nischita

avaisnava jana yara, prasada-chhalete tara,

bhoge haya diva-nisi rata

papa-purusera sange, annahara kare range,

nahi mane hari-vasara-vrata [12]

“Devotees should know for certain that non-grain prasad (anukalpa) is the only supplement acceptable on ekadasi. Non-devotees enjoy day and night using prasad as an excuse. In the company of other sinners, they eat grains and ignore all rites observed on the days of the Lord.

bhakti-anga sadachara, bhaktira sammana kara,

bhakti-devi-krpa-labha habe

avaisnava-sanga chhada, ekadasi-vrata dhara,

nama-vrate ekadasi tabe [13]

“Everyone should devoutly honour and properly perform the practices of devotion, then they will attain Bhakti Devi’s grace. So, reject the association of non-devotees and follow the ekadasi rite. If you spend this day chanting the Holy Name, then your observance of ekadasi will be successful.

prasada-sevana ara sri-hari-vasare

virodha na kare kabhu bujhaha antare [14]

“Understand within your heart that honouring prasad and honouring the day of the Lord never conflict one another.

eka anga mane, ara anya ange dvesa

ye kare nirbodha sei, janaha visesa [15]

“Those who follow one practice of devotion but disregard the others are foolish. Know this for certain.

ye angera yei desa-kala-vidhi-vrata

tahate ekanta-bhave hao bhakti-rata [16]

“Sincerely devote yourself to each practice according to its place, time, rules, and rites.

sarva angera adhipati vrajendra-nandana

yahe tenha tusta taha karaha palana [17]

“Krishna is the enjoyer of all devotional practices, so follow that which pleases Him.

ekadasi-dine nidrahara visarjana

anya dine prasada nirmalya susevana” [18]

“On the day of ekadasi, give up sleep and food, and on the following day, you can serve and honour prasad and the other remnants of the Lord’s food fully.”

suniya vaisnava saba, anande govinda-rava,

dandavat padilena tabe

svarupadi ramananda, pailena mahananda,

‘udiya’ ‘gaudiya’ bhakta sabe [19]

Hearing this, all the devotees joyfully chanted, “Govinda!” and offered their full obeisances. Svarup Damodar, Ramananda Ray, and all other devotees from both Odisha and Gauda were overjoyed.

ohe bhai!

gauranga amara prana-dhana

akaitave bhaja tanre, yabe tabe bhava-pare,

sitala haibe tanu-mana [20]

Brother! Gauranga is my life and wealth. Serve Him sincerely, then you will cross the ocean of material existence and your body and mind will become tranquil.

Serving the Name and following ekadasi are one

sri-nama-bhajana ara ekadasi-vrata

eka-tattva nitya jani’ hao tahe rata [21]

Knowing service to the Name and the ekadasi rite to be eternally one, practise them both.

• • •

(19) A Collection of
Hidden Truths about the Name

ekada gaurangachanda chandraloka paiya

samudrera tire aila bhakta-vrnda lana [1]

Once, Gaurangachand, shining like the moon, brought the devotees to the bank of the ocean.

hari-dasa-samajera upakanthe basi’

sarva vaisnavera prati bale gaura-sasi [2]

Sitting in the midst of the assembly of devotees, moon-like Gaura spoke to everyone.

The Holy Name is the best and only practice 

“suna he bhakata-vrnda kali-kale dharma

sri-krsna-kirtana vina ara nahi karma [3]

“O devotees, hear about the religion in the Age of Kali: there is no duty other than chanting the Name of Sri Krishna.

karma-jnana-yoga-dhyana durbala sadhana

aprakrta sampatti labhera nahe krama [4]

“The practices of piety, knowledge, yoga, and meditation are powerless; they are not the methods to attain transcendental wealth.

dharma, vrata, tyaga, homa sakalai prakrta

aprakrta-tattva labhe nahi kare hita [5]

“Virtue, rites, renunciation, and fire sacrifices are all mundane. They do not help anyone attain supramundane wealth.

krsna-nama uchcharane, smarane, sravane

aprakrta-siddhi haya, bale sruti-gane [6]

“The scriptures say that you will attain transcendental perfection by uttering, remembering, and hearing the Name of Krishna.

sri-nama-rahasya sarva-sastrete dekhiba

nama-uchcharana-matra chit-sukha labhiba [7]

“You will find hidden truths about the Holy Name mentioned in all scriptures. You can feel spiritual joy simply by uttering the Name.”

Hidden truths about the Name (Padma Purana, Svarga-khanda, Chapter 18)

‘sri-saunaka uvacha—

namochcharana-mahatmyam sruyate mahad-adbhutam

yad uchcharana-matrena naro yayat param padam

tad vadasvadhuna suta vidhanam nama-kirtane

Sri Saunaka said, “We have heard that the glories of uttering the Name are greatly astounding. Just by uttering the Name, the soul attains the supreme abode. So, please describe now the rules for chanting the Name.”

sri-suta uvacha—

srnu saunaka vaksyami samvadam moksa-sadhanam

naradah prstavan purvam kumaram tad vadami te

Sri Suta said, “Saunaka, listen to me. I will recount to you a conversation about the path to liberation: I will relate to you what Narad previously enquired about from Sanat Kumar.

ekada yamuna-tire nivistam santa-manasam

sanat-kumaram paprachchha narado rachitanjalih

srutva nana-vidhan dharman dharma-vyatikarams tatha

“Once, having heard about the various types of religion and the violations against religion, Narad, with joined palms, enquired from the peaceful-hearted Sanat Kumar, who was seated on the bank of the Yamuna.”

sri-narada uvacha—

yo ‘sau bhagavata prokto dharma-vyatikaro nrnam

katham tasya vinasah syad uchyatam bhagavat-priya’

Sri Narad said, “O favourite of the Lord, please tell me how the violations against religion made by the soul that you have described may be counteracted?”

ei patalera artha kichhu visesa kariya

bali svarupa ramananda suna mana diya [8]

“I will explain the meaning of these verses in detail. O Svarup and Ramananda, listen attentively.

What is chanting the Name? ‘Utterance’

‘uchcharana’-sabde bujha sri-nama-kirtana

‘kare’ va ‘malaya’ sankhya kare bhakta-gana [9]

“The word ‘utterance’ means chanting the Name. Devotees count their chanting either on their hands or on a set of beads.

sankhya chhadi’ asankhya nama kabhu kabhu haya

‘uchcharana’-sabde e-saba janaha nischaya [10]

“Sometimes they stop counting and chant the Name without counting. No doubt, the word ‘utterance’ refers to both types of chanting.

Japa and kirtan

laghuchchare ‘japa’ haya, uchchare ‘kirtana’

smarana-kirtane saba haya ta’ ganana [11]

ki prakare nama kaile sukirtana haya

sri-nama-kirtane taha vidhana nischaya [12]

“Soft utterance is called japa, and loud utterance is called kirtan. Both are considered ways to practise remembrance and chanting. No matter how you take the Name, it is the sublime way to glorify the Lord, so chanting the Lord’s Names is certainly the proper method of worshipping Him.

Chanting everywhere and always is our duty

sri-nama-kirtana haya jivera nitya-dharma

jagate vaikunthe jivera ei mukhya karma [13]

“Chanting the Name is the eternal duty of the soul: it is the primary activity of the soul both in this world and in the spiritual world.

maya-baddha jivera ei moksa sadhana haya

mukta-jivera pakse taha sadhyavadhi raya [14]

“Chanting the Name is the means to attain liberation for the conditioned souls, and it is the eternal engagement of the liberated souls.

Non-devotional pious activities should be given up

dharma-sastra-ukta bhakti-hina dharma yata

bhakty-uddesa vina ara yata prakara vrata [15]

bhakty-utthita viraga vyatita yata tyaga

bhakti-pratikula yajna prakrta vibhaga [16]

ei saba subha-karma sambandha vichare

bhakti-anukula bali’ sastrete prachare [17]

kali-kale sei saba jada-dharma haila

bhakti-anukulya tyaji’ dharma nasta bhela [18]

“Non-devotional duties mentioned in the religious scriptures, rites that do not have any devotional purpose, renunciation that is not an expression of detachment produced by devotion, and mundane, non-devotional sacrifices—the scriptures say that all these pious activities are favourable to devotion because they have some connection with the Lord. In the Age of Kali, however, they have all become material activities. Losing their favourableness to devotion, they have all become corrupted.

ataeva kali-kale nama-sankirtana

vina ara dharma nai suna bhakta-gana [19]

“So, in the Age of Kali, there is no religion other than chanting the Name. O devotees, listen!

se dharmera vyatikara yahai dekhibe

tahai varjibe yatne bhaktira prabhave [20]

“With the strength of devotion, carefully try to avoid everything that you find opposes this religion.

srnu narada govinda-priya govinda-dharma-vit

yat prstam loka-nirmukti-karanam tamasah param’

“Sri Sanat Kumar said, ’Listen, O Narad, favourite of Govinda, expert in the service of Govinda! You have asked about the cause of becoming liberated from this world and overcoming ignorance.’

tumi ta’ narada sri-govinda-dharma-vetta

govindera priya, maya-bandhanera chhetta [21]

loka-nirmuktira hetu jijnasa tomara

tava prasnottare jiva habe tamah para [22]

“‘O Narad, you are an expert in the service of Sri Govinda. You are dear to Govinda, and you cut away the soul’s bondage within illusion. You have asked about the cause of liberation from this world. Souls will overcome ignorance through the answer to your question.’

kalite sakala dharmadharma tamomaya

nama-dharma vina jivera samsara nahe ksaya [23]

“In the Age of Kali, all forms of religion and irreligion are filled with ignorance. Without chanting the Name, the soul’s entanglement in this world cannot be destroyed.

Therefore, the Name destroys all sins 

‘sarvachara-vivarjitah satha-dhiyo vratya jagad-vanchakah

dambhahankrti-pana-paisunya-parah papas cha ye nisthurah

ye chanye dhana-dara-putra-niratah sarve ‘dhamas te ‘pi hi

sri-govinda-padaravinda-saranah suddha bhavanti dvija’

“Sri Sanat Kumar said, ‘O brahman, persons who are devoid of all virtues, deceitful, uncultured, fraudulent, arrogant, egotistical, addicted to intoxicants, sinful, malicious, cruel-natured, and grossly infatuated with son, wife, wealth, and so forth—even such extremely fallen persons are purified by surrendering to the lotus feet of Sri Govinda.’

sri-govinda-padaravinda sarana ye laya

tara sarva-papa name nischaya haya ksaya [24]

“The Name certainly destroys all the sins of those who take shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Govinda.

krsna-nama laye kande, nija dosa bale

ati sighra tara papa yaya bhakti-bale [25]

“The sins of those who chant Krishna’s Name, crying and repenting for their faults, are very quickly driven away by the power of devotion.

Pious atonements do not destroy material desire

karma-jnana-prayaschitte tara kiba phala

se phala durbala ati, tara nahi bala [26]

“What are the results of atonements made through piety or knowledge? The results are extremely weak; they have no power at all.

eka krsna-name papira yata papa-ksaya

bahu janme sei papi karite naraya [27]

“But a sinner cannot commit over the course of many births as many sins as one Name of Krishna can destroy.

hena papa smarta-sastre na achhe varnana

eka krsna-name yaha na haya khandana [28]

“There is no sin mentioned in the smarta scriptures that one Name of Krishna does not counteract.

tabe kena smarta-loka prayaschitta kare

sukrti-abhave tara karme mati hare [29]

“So why do the followers of the smarta scriptures perform rites of atonement for their sins (instead of chanting the Name)? Because they lack spiritual fortune and their karma deludes their intelligence.

karma-prayaschitte kabhu vasana na yaya

jnana-prayaschitte sodhe vasana hiyaya [30]

“Atonement made by performing pious activities does not remove material desires, and atonement made through knowledge does counteract material desires within the heart.

Devotion destroys ignorance, the root of material desire

punah kichhu-dine se vasana haya sthula

bhaktite avidya yaya vasanara mula [31]

“After some time, however, those material desires swell in the heart again. Only devotion removes ignorance, the root cause of material desire.

ye jana govinda-pade la-iya sarana

nama laya kaku-bhare karaya rodana [32]

tara pakse sri-mukhera vakya sumadhura

jivera mangala, gitaya dekhaha prachura [33]

“The words from the divine mouth of Sri Govinda are supremely sweet to the souls who take shelter at His feet, chant His Name, and cry out to Him in prayer. You will find many of His words, spoken for the benefit of all souls, in Sri Gita.

Sri Gita:

‘sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja

aham tvam sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma suchah

“‘Abandon all duties and surrender exclusively unto Me. I will liberate you from all sin. Do not despair.’

api chet suduracharo bhajate mam ananya-bhak

sadhur eva sa mantavyah samyag vyavasito hi sah

“‘If even a very sinful person serves Me exclusively with devotion, he should be regarded as saintly, for his resolve is perfect.’

ksipram bhavati dharmatma sasvach-chhantim nigachchhati

kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati’

“‘He swiftly becomes a person of virtuous practices and attains constant peace. O son of Kunti, declare to the world that My devotee is never vanquished!’

ataeva karmanga prayaschittadi parihari’

buddhiman jana bhaje pranesvara hari [34]

“So, the intelligent souls give up atoning for their sins through worldly rites, and serve Hari, the Lord of their hearts.

Thus, the Name’s effect

‘tam api devakaram karunakaram

sthavara-jangama-muktikaram param

aticharanty aparadha-para jana

ya iha tan vapati dhruva-nama hi’

“Sri Sanat Kumar said, ‘The eternal Name—the source of divinity, the fountain of mercy, the supreme giver of liberation to both moving and inert beings—certainly removes the sins of the offenders who go against Him.’

krsna-nama dayamaya krsna-tejo-maya

sthavara-jangama-mukti-data sunischaya [35]

“The Name of Krishna is compassionate, filled with Krishna’s power, and certainly the giver of liberation to all moving and inert beings.

nama-aparadhi tahe kare aparadha

atichara asi’ nama-dharme kare badha [36]

“Offenders of the Name commit offences against Him, and such violations check their chanting of the Name.

sei maha-aparadhira dosa, name haya ksaya

nama vina jiva-bandhu jagate na haya [37]

“The Name, however, destroys the sins of even such great offenders. Other than the Name, the soul has no friend in this world.

sri-narada uvacha—

‘ke te ‘paradha viprendra namno bhagavatah krta

vinighnanti nrnam krtyam prakrtam hy anayanti cha’

“Narad said, ‘O best of the brahmans, what are the offences against the Lord’s Name that destroy the soul’s chanting of the Name and drag the mundane into it?’

Offences to the Name

ohe guru sanat-kumara krpa kari’ bala

name aparadha yata prakara sakala [38]

nama-rupa mahakrtya jivera nischaya

sei krtya yahe sadhakera nasta haya [39]

“O Gurudev, Sanat Kumar, chanting the Name is certainly the foremost duty of the soul. Mercifully tell me about the offences to the Name that destroy the practitioner’s performance of this duty.

namake prakrta kari’ sadhana karana

samanya prakrta phale deya phelaiya [40]

“Offences make the Name assume a material form and make practitioners squander their practice on trivial mundane ends.

sri-sanat-kumara uvacha—

‘satam ninda namnah param aparadham vitanute

yatah khyatim yatam katham u sahate tad-vigarham

sivasya sri-visnor ya iha guna-namadi-sakalam

dhiya bhinnam pasyet sa khalu hari-namahita-karah’

“Sri Sanat Kumar said, ‘(1) Criticising sadhus is the worst offence to the Name. How can the Name tolerate condemnation of those who spread the Name’s glories? (2a) Those who see differences between Vishnu, the embodiment of auspiciousness, and any of His Names, qualities, and so forth, are certainly offenders of the Name. (2b) Those who see any distinction between any of Siva’s names or qualities and those of Vishnu are also offenders of the Name.’

Liberation from the offences to the Name

dasati namaparadha bhinna bhinna kari’

bujhiya la-ile nama-aparadhe tari [41]

“If one by one you understand the ten offences to the Name, you will be able to overcome them.

ei sloke dui aparadhera vichara

kariya karaha suddha namera achara [42]

“First study the two offences mentioned in these verses and purely chant the Name.

(1) Criticising sadhus

ekanta namete asraya achhe yanra

sadhu-pada-vachya tenha tarena samsara [43]

“Those whose sole shelter is the Name should be known as sadhus. They liberate the world.

jada-karma-jnana-chesta chhadi’ sei jana

suddha-bhakti-bhave nama karena uchcharana [44]

“They reject all endeavours based on mundane action and knowledge, and chant the Name with pure devotion.

namera prachara eka tanha haite haya

tanra ninda krsna-nama kabhu na sahaya [45]

“The Name of Krishna is preached by them alone, and the Name never tolerates their criticism.

se sadhura ninda, tante, laghu-buddhi yara

bada aparadha name nischaya tahara [46]

“Those who criticise such sadhus or consider them insignificant certainly make a big offence to the Name.

yatne ei aparadha kariya varjana

sei sadhu-sanga-bale karaha bhajana [47]

“Carefully avoid this offence and engage in service taking advantage of such sadhus’ association.

(2a) The Name and the possessor of the Name are one

mangala-svarupa visnu para-tattva hari

aprakrta svarupete sri-vraja-vihari [48]

“Vishnu—the embodiment of auspiciousness, the Absolute, the Supreme Lord—in His supramundane form, is Krishna, the enjoyer of Vraja.

tanra nama-rupa-guna-lila aprakrta

tanhara svarupa haite bhinna nahe tattva [49]

“His Name, form, qualities, and pastimes are supramundane. None of them are separate from Him.

nama nami eka tattva aprakrta dharma

e jada-jagate tara nahi achhe marma [50]

“The Name and the possessor of the Name are one; such is the nature of the supramundane. There is no understanding of this, however, in the material world.

ei suddha-jnana-labha bhakti-bale haya

tarke bahu dura iha janiha nischaya [51]

“You can realise this pure conception only through devotion. Know for certain that it is far beyond argument.

nija suddha-sadhana, ara sadhu-guru-bala

duiyera samyoge labhi’ e tattva-mangala [52]

“You will realise this auspicious truth by the combination of two things: your pure practice, and the power of Sri Guru and the sadhus.

ei tattva-siddhi yata dina nahi haya

tata-dina prakrta-buddhi kabhu na chhadaya [53]

tata-dina nama kari’ na pai svarupa

namabhasa-matra haya bhajana-virupa [54]

“Until and unless you have not realised this truth, you will never leave mundane consciousness: you will chant the Name but never get the pure Name—you will chant only namabhas, and your service will remain imperfect.

bahu yatne labha bhai svarupera siddhi

suddha-namochchare pabe param-pada-buddhi [55]

yatnasaha nirantara namabhase hari

namete svarupa-siddhi dibe krpa kari’ [56]

“Brother, try hard to realise this truth. By chanting the Name purely, you will attain consciousness of the highest plane. When you carefully and constantly chant namabhas, the Lord will mercifully grant you realisation of this truth through His Name.

(2b) Krishna is the Lord of all; Siva and the other gods are His partial forms

sarvesvara krsna, tahe janibe nischaya

sivadi devata tanra amsa-rupa haya [57]

“Krishna is the Lord of all. you should know for certain that Siva and the other gods are His partial forms.

sei sei devera namadi guna-rupa

krsna-sakti-datta siddha janaha svarupa [58]

“Know that the gods’ names, forms, qualities, and so on, are given and produced by Krishna’s energy.

e-rupa janile siva-visnute abhede

janmibe svarupa-buddhi gaya sarva-vede [59]

“All the scriptures sing that if you understand that Siva and Vishnu are nondifferent in this sense, then you will know the truth.

bheda-buddhi aparadha yatnete tyajibe

guru-krpa-bale tabe sri-nama bhajibe [60]

“Carefully avoid the offence of considering Vishnu and Siva different, and then, by the mercy of Sri Guru, you will be able to serve the Name.

‘guror avajna sruti-sastra-nindanam

tatharthavado hari-namni kalpanam

namno balad yasya hi papa-buddhir

na vidyate tasya yamair hi suddhih’

“Sri Sanat Kumar said, ‘Those who (3) disrespect Sri Guru, (4) criticise the scriptures, (5) consider the Name’s glories exaggerated praise, (6) consider the Name imaginary, or (7) sin relying on the purifying power of the Name, cannot be purified by any counteractive practices (astanga-yoga, pious activities, brahmanical qualities, Lord Yama’s punishment, etc.).’

(3) Disrespecting your captain, Sri Guru

krpa kari’ yei jana hari dekhaila

hari-nama-parichaya karaiya dila [61]

sei mora karnadhara guru mahasaya

tanhare avajna kaile namaparadha haya [62]

“He who has mercifully revealed the Lord to Me and introduced Me to His Name is My captain, My worshippable Guru. If I disrespect him, I offend the Name.

‘hina-jati panditya-rahita mantra-hina’

namera gurute hena buddhi arvachina [63]

“Those who consider the Guru who reveals the Name to be low-class, uneducated, or uninitiated are foolish.

(4) Disrespecting the scriptures

yei sruti-sastra namera brahmatva dekhaya

apara mahatmya namera jagate janaya [64]

tare anadara kari’ karmadi prasamse

sruti-ninda bali’ tare sarva-sastre bhase [65]

“The scriptures reveal the transcendental nature of the Name and proclaim His unlimited glories throughout this world. Disrespecting them and praising non-devotional activities is criticism of the scriptures. All scriptures say so.

(5) Considering the Name imaginary

nama nitya-dhana sada chinmaya agadha

tahate kalpana-buddhi guru aparadha [66]

“The Name, which is eternal, spiritual, and unfathomable, is your eternal wealth. To consider the Name imaginary is a heavy offence.

(6) Desiring to sin on the power of the Name

nama-bale papa-buddhi hrdaye yahara

satata udaya haya, sei ta’ asara [67]

“Those who within their hearts desire to sin counting on the power of the Name are wretched.

(7) Considering the glories of the Name exaggeration

rochanartha phala-sruti karma-marge satya

bhakti-marge nama-phala sarva-kale nitya [68]

“The benefits of the path of action, which the scriptures describe for the purpose of attraction, are real, but the benefits of chanting the Name on the path of devotion are always eternal.

aprakrta namera mahatmya sima-hina

tate yara ‘arthavada’ sei arvachina [69]

“There is no end to the supramundane glories of the Name. Those who consider them exaggeration are immature and foolish.

By avoiding these offences, you will attain the grace of the Name

ei pancha aparadha varjibe yatane

tabe ta’ namera krpa labhibe sadhane [70]

“Carefully avoid these five offences, then you will attain the Name’s grace through your practice.

‘dharma-vrata-tyaga-hutadi-sarva-

subha-kriya-samyam api pramadah

asraddadhane vimukhe ‘py asrnvati

yas chopadesah siva-namaparadhah’

“Sri Sanat Kumar said, ‘(8) Disregarding the Name by considering pious activities, such as social duties, rites, austerities, and sacrifices, equal to chanting the Name, (9) and instructing the faithless, the averse, or those who do not want to hear about the Name, are offences to the all-auspicious Name.’

(8) All pious activities are mundane

varnasrama-maya-dharma dharma-sastre yata

darsa-paurnamasi-adi tamo-maya-vrata [71]

dandi mundi sannyasadi tyagera prakara

nitya naimittika homa-adira vyapara [72]

astanga-sad-anga-yoga-adi subha-karma

sakalai prakrta-tattva, ei satya marma [73]

“The duties of your social roles and classes, the tamasik rites on the new moon and the full moon, daily and periodic sacrifices, the eightfold or sixfold paths of yoga, and the austerities of carrying a staff, shaving your head, and giving up all your possessions—all these and other pious activities prescribed in the religious scriptures are mundane. This is the fundamental truth.

upaya-rupete tara upeya sadhaya

na sadhile jada vai kichhu ara naya [74]

“These practices may be performed as a means to attain the goal (of devotion), but if they are not performed for that purpose, they are nothing but material.

The Name is the means and the goal

nama kintu aprakrta chinmaya vyapara

sadhane upaya-tattva sadhye upeya-sara [75]

“Chanting the Name, however, is a supramundane, spiritual matter. In the practising stage, the Name is the means, and in the perfected stage, the Name is the primary engagement.

ataeva nama-tattva visuddha chinmaya

jadopaya karma saha samya kabhu naya [76]

“So, the Name, which is pure and spiritual, is never equal to any mundane means or actions.

The Name is not equal to mundane action or knowledge 

karma-jnana saha name samya-buddhi yatha

nama-aparadha gurutara ghate tatha [77]

“If you think that the Name is equal to any mundane activity or knowledge, you commit a very heavy offence against the Name.

(9) Instructing the faithless about the Name 

name yara visvasa na janmila bhagyabhave

take nama upadesi’ aparadha pabe [78]

“Instructing about the Name those who, lacking good fortune, have no faith in the Name is an offence.

ei dui aparadha sad-guru-krpaya

bahu yatne chhadi’ bhai nama-dhana paya [79]

“Brother, by the grace of Sri Guru, very carefully avoid these two offences and attain the wealth of the Name.

‘srutvapi nama-mahatmyam yah priti-rahito ‘dhamah

aham-mamadi-paramo namni so ‘py aparadha-krt’

“Sri Sanat Kumar said, ‘(10) Fallen souls who, even after hearing the glories of the Name, have no love for the Name and remain engrossed in the conceptions of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ are offenders to the Name.’

(10)

namera mahatmya saba suni’ sastra haite

tabu tahe rati yara naila kona-mate [80]

ahamta-mamata-buddhi dehete kariya

labha-puja-pratisthate rahila majiya [81]

pape rata hana papa chhadite na pare

name yatna kari’ chesta karibare nare [82]

sadhu-sange mati nahe asadhu visaye

sukha paya viveka vairagya chhadaiye [83]

ei ta’ namaparadha ghatana tahara

name ruchi nahi paya krsnera samsara [84]

“Those who hear the glories of the Name from all the scriptures but still do not have any love for the Name; who consider the body to be ‘I’ and ‘mine’; take interest in gain, adoration, and position; sin and cannot stop it; cannot even try to carefully chant the Name; have no attachment to the association of sadhus; take pleasure in sinful matters; and avoid renunciation and good judgement—they offend the Name and do not get any taste for the Name or Krishna’s family.

ei dasa aparadha namaparadha haya

nama-dharme badha deya sumangala-ksaya [85]

“These are the ten offences to the Name; they obstruct chanting of the Name and destroy spiritual fortune.

‘sarvaparadha-krd api muchyate hari-samsrayah

harer apy aparadhan yah kuryad dvipada-pamsanah

namasrayah kadachit syat taraty esa sa namatah

namno hi sarva-suhrdo hy aparadhat pataty adhah’

“Sri Sanat Kumar said, ‘All kinds of offenders are delivered by taking shelter of the Lord, and two-legged animals who offend even the Lord are delivered by the Lord’s Name when they take shelter of the Name. The Name is certainly the true friend of every soul, but you will certainly fall down by offending the Name.’

papa tapa aparadha jivera yata haya

sri-hari-samsraye saba sadya haya ksaya [86]

“Taking shelter of the Lord immediately destroys all the soul’s sins, sorrows, and offences.

Leave Kali’s family and join Krishna’s family

kalira samsara chhadi’ krsnera samsara

akaitave kare yei aparadha nahi tara [87]

“Those who leave Kali’s family and sincerely live as members of Krishna’s family commit no offences.

Sincere self-surrender at the time of initiation destroys all sin 

purva yata papadi bahu janme kare

hari-diksa-matre sei saba pape tare [88]

“Simply taking initiation into the Lord’s service destroys all the sins and offences that you committed in all your previous births.

akaitave kare yabe atma-nivedana

krsna tara purva papa karena khandana [89]

“When you sincerely surrender yourself, Krishna cuts away all your previous sins.

prayaschitta karibare tara nahi haya

diksa-matra papa-ksaya sarva-sastre kaya [90]

“You do not need to make any atonement: all the scriptures say that just by taking initiation all sins are destroyed.

niskapate haryasraya kare yei jana

sarva aparadha tara vinasta takhana [91]

ara papa-tape kabhu ruchi nahi haya

punya papa dure yaya, maya kare jaya [92]

“When you sincerely take shelter of the Lord, all your offences are destroyed, you never again have any taste for sin and suffering, your piety and sins disappear, and you conquer the illusory environment.

Offences to service

tabe tara kabhu haya seva-aparadha

sei aparadhe haya bhakti-kriya-badha [93]

sadhu-sange kare krsna-namera asraya

namasraye seva-aparadha nasta haya [94]

“After surrendering at initiation, you still sometimes commit offences to devotional service, and such offences obstruct your practice of devotion. But if you take shelter of the Name of Krishna in the association of the sadhus, the Name’s shelter will destroy all such offences.

nama-krpa haile jiva sarva-suddhi paya

krsnera nikata giya kare suddha-sevara asraya [95]

“When souls receive the mercy of the Name, they become completely pure, reach Krishna, and render pure service.

Offences to the Name must always be avoided

kintu yadi nama-aparadha tara haya

tabe punah adhahpata ha-ibe nischaya [96]

“If, however, you offend the Name, you will certainly fall down again.

sarva-jiva-bandhu nama, tanra aparadha

kona-krame ksaya nahe praptye haya badha [97]

“The Name is the friend of every soul, but offences against Him obstruct the soul’s progress and cannot be counteracted by any means.

nama aparadha tyaga bahu yatne kari’

labhe jiva sarva-siddhi prapta haya hari [98]

“Only by very carefully avoiding the offences to the Name does the soul attain all perfection and reach the Lord.

‘evam naradah sankarena krpaya mahyam muninam param

proktam nama sukhavaham bhagavato varjyam sada yatnatah

ye jnatvapi na varjayanti sahasa namaparadhan dasa

kruddha mataram apy abhojana-parah khidyanti te balavat’

“Sri Sanat Kumar said, ‘O Narad, in this way Siva mercifully spoke to me and the great sages about the Name of the Lord, the source of all happiness. Those who understand these ten offences to the Name—which must always be carefully avoided—but still do not immediately avoid them are like children who become angry with their mothers, refuse to eat, and then suffer.’

ami purve sivaloke sankara-sannidhane

nama-aparadha-katha jijnasilama mune [99]

“O sage, previously, in Sivaloka, I asked Sankar about the offences to the Name.

bahu-muni-gana madhye sambhu krpa kari’

amaya upadesa kare kailasa upari [100]

“There, on Mount Kailash, in the midst of many sages, Sambhu mercifully instructed me.

bhagavanera nama sarva-jiva-sukhavaha

tate aparadha sarva-amangala-vaha [101]

“The Name of the Lord is the source of all happiness for the soul, and offences to the Name are the source of all inauspiciousness.

mangala labhite yara ichchha achhe mane

sada nama-aparadha varjibe yatane [102]

“Those who desire auspiciousness must always carefully avoid the offences to the Name.

sadhu-guru-sannidhane bahu dainya dhari’

dasa aparadha-tattva labe siksa kari’ [103]

“With great humility, you should learn the ten offences from Sri Guru and the sadhus.

aparadhaguli yatne janiya tyajibe

satvare sri-hari-name prema upajibe [104]

“Having carefully understood the offences, you should avoid them. Then you will quickly develop divine love by chanting the Lord’s Name.

nama peye aparadha varjana na kare

sahasa tahare dasa aparadha dhare [105]

“The ten offences immediately seize those who receive the Name but do not try to avoid them.

Chanting the Name without avoiding the offences is foolishness 

aparadha bujhiya ye varjane udasina

tara duhkha nirantara sei arvachina [106]

“Those who understand the offences but do not bother to avoid them are foolish and suffer forever.

maye krodha kari’ balaka na kare bhojana

supathya abhave sada klesera bhajana [107]

“Children who do not eat out of anger at their mothers always end up suffering without nourishment.

sei-rupa aparadha varjana na kari’

nama kare mudha nija siva parihari’ [108]

“Like such angry children, fools who chant the Name but do not avoid the offences throw away their own good fortune.”

‘aparadha-vimukto hi namni japtam sadachara

namnaiva tava devarse sarvam setsyati nanyatha’

“Sri Sanat Kumar said, ‘Be free from the offences and always chant the Name. O sage amongst the gods, you will attain everything only through the Name, not otherwise.’

sanat kumara bale, ‘ohe devarsi-pravara

niraparadhe nama japa sadai achara [109]

nama vina anya pantha nahi prayojana

namete sakala siddhi pabe tapo-dhana’ [110]

“Sanat Kumar said, ‘O best of the sages amongst the gods, always chant the Name without offence. There is no need for any path other than the Name. O Narad, You will attain all perfection through the Name.’

‘sri-narada uvacha—

sanat-kumara priya sahasanam

viveka-vairagya-vivarjitanam

deha-priyarthatmya-parayananam

uktaparadhah prabhavanti no katham’

“Sri Narad said, ‘Dear Sanat Kumar, we are unruly, devoid of good judgement and renunciation, and engrossed in our bodies, companions, and wealth. How will we stop committing the offences you have described?’

ohe sanat-kumara tumi siddha haridasa

anayase karile nama-rahasya-prakasa [111]

“Narad said, ‘O Sanat Kumar, you are a perfect servant of the Lord, and you have clearly revealed the hidden truths about the Name.

How practitioners can avoid the offences to the Name

sadhaka amara amadera bada bhaya

aparadha tyage yatna ki-rupete haya [112]

“’We are practitioners, and we are very afraid. How should we try to avoid the offences?

visaya modera bandhu tahara sahase

karibe sakala karma baddha maya-pase [113]

“’Material things are our friends, and they audaciously bind all our actions in maya’s ropes.

viveka-vairagya-sunya deha priya-jana

artha-svarupe mora sada parayana [114]

“’We have no good judgement or renunciation, and we are always engrossed in our bodies, companions, and wealth.

ki-rupe sadhaka-mane aparadha dasa

nahi upajibe taha karaha prakasa [115]

“’Please explain how the ten offences can be stopped from arising in the minds of practitioners like us.’

‘sri-sanat-kumara uvacha—

jate namaparadhe tu pramade vai kathanchana

sada sankirtayan nama tad-eka-sarano bhavet

namaparadha-yuktanam namany eva haranty agham

avisranta-prayuktani tany evarthakarani hi’

“Sri Sanat Kumar said, “If someone offends the Name, out of negligence or otherwise, they must constantly chant the Name and take shelter of the Name exclusively. Only the Name destroys the sins of those who chant the Name with offences. When chanted constantly, the Name is certainly effective.”’

namete saranapatti yei ksane haya

takhanai namaparadhera sadya haya ksaya [116]

“Your offences to the Name are destroyed immediately the moment you surrender to the Name.

tathapi pramade yadi uthe aparadha

tahateo bhaktite haiya pade badha [117]

“Still, if you happen to commit offences out of negligence (or being overwhelmed by your material tendencies), then those offences will obstruct your practice of devotion.

aparadha pramadete haibe yakhana

nama-sankirtana tabe karibe anuksana [118]

namete saranagati sudrdha karibe

anuksana nama-bale aparadha yabe [119]

“When offences occur out of negligence, you must chant the Name at every moment and surrender to the Name with firm resolve. By chanting the Name at every moment, your offences will go away.

The Name is the only means

namei namaparadha haibeka ksaya

aparadha nasite ara karao sakti naya [120]

“Only the Name destroys offences against the Name; nothing else has the power to do so.

e visaye mula-tattva bali he tomaya

bujhaha narada tumi vede yaha gaya [121]

“I am telling you the fundamental truth about chanting the Name, which the scriptures proclaim. O Narad, try to understand it.

‘namaikam yasya vachi smarana-patha-gatam srotra-mulam gatam va

suddham vasuddha-varnam vyavahita-rahitam tarayaty eva satyam

tach ched deha-dravina-janata-lobha-pasanda-madhye

niksiptam syan na phala-janakam sighram evatra vipra’

“Sri Sanat Kumar said, ‘When unconcealed, the Name certainly delivers anyone who once calls, remembers, or hears Him, regardless of whether they utter the Name correctly or incorrectly. But, O brahman, if the Name is used for the body, wealth, prestige, greed, or evil, it does not produce any quick results.’

yara mukhe uchcharita eka krsna-nama

yahara smarana-pathe eka nama guna-dhama [122]

yara srotra-mule taha pravesa karibe

vyavahita-rahita haile takhanai taribe [123]

“When unconcealed, Krishna’s Name, the abode of all qualities, immediately delivers anyone within whose mouth He is once uttered, within whose remembrance He once arises, and within whose ears He once enters.

‘vyavahita’ ei sabde dui artha haya

aksarera vyavadhane nama achchhadaya [124]

avidyara achchhadane prakrta prakasa

nama nami eka-bhave avidya-vinasa [125]

“The word ‘concealed’ has two meanings: (1) the Name is hidden by the separations between the Name’s syllables, and (2) the Name appears in a mundane form to the soul covered over by ignorance. Considering the Name and the possessor of the Name to be one destroys this ignorance.

vyavahita-rahita haile suddha-namodaya

varna-suddhasuddhi-krame dosa nahi haya [126]

“When the pure Name appears unconcealed, there is no consideration of faults pertaining to proper and improper pronunciation of the Name’s letters.

aprakrta name krsna sarva-sakti dila

kalakala sauchasaucha name na rahila [127]

“Krishna has put all His power in His supramundane Name, and there is no consideration of the proper time or cleanliness in chanting His Name.

sarva-kala sarvavasthaya suddha nama kara

sarva subhodaya habe sarvasubha hara [128]

“Chant the pure Name at all times and in all circumstances: you will attain all good fortune, and all your misfortune will be removed.

Give up mundane attachment and chant the Name

emata apurva-nama sanga-yukta yatha

sighra subha-phala-data na haya sarvatha [129]

“When chanted with mundane attachment, however, the supramundane Name never, under any circumstances, gives auspicious results quickly.

deha, dhana, jana, lobha, pasanda-sanga-krame

vyavahita janme, jiva pade maha-bhrame [130]

“As a result of one’s greed, attachment to their body, wealth, companions, and association of sinful persons, the Name becomes concealed, and the soul falls into a terrible predicament.

ataeva sakalera agre sanga tyaji’

ananya-sarana lana nama-matra bhaji [131]

“So, first of all, give up mundane attachment, sincerely surrender, and serve the Name exclusively.

nama-krpa-bale habe pramada-rahita

aparadha dure yabe, ha-ibeka hita [132]

“By the Name’s grace, you will become free from negligence. Then your offences will go away, and you will attain good fortune.

aparadha-mukta hana laya krsna-nama

prema asi’ nama-saha karibe visrama [133]

“Be free from offences and chant the Name of Krishna. Then divine love will come with the Name and reside within your heart.

aparadhira nama-laksana kaitava nischaya

se sanga yatane chhadi’ kara namasraya [134]

“Know for certain that the characteristic of an offender of the Name is insincerity. Carefully avoid the association of such offenders and take shelter of the Name.

‘idam rahasyam paramam pura narada sankarat

srutam sarvasubha-haram aparadha-nivarakam

vidur visnv abhidhanam ye hy aparadha-para narah

tesam api bhaven muktih pathanad eva narada’

“Sri Sanat Kumar concluded, ‘O Narad, previously I heard from Lord Sankar these supreme, hidden truths, which destroy all inauspiciousness and ward off the offences to the Name. O Narad, even offensive souls who understand the Name of Vishnu will certainly attain liberation by chanting the Name.’

sanat-kumara bale, ‘ohe devarsi-pravara

purve sri-sankara more hana dayapara [135]

sri-nama-rahasya sarva-asubha nasana

aparadha-nivaraka kaila vijnapana [136]

“Sanat Kumar said, ‘O best of the sages amongst the gods, previously Lord Sankar mercifully taught me these hidden truths about the Name, which destroy all inauspiciousness and ward off the offences.

aparadha-para jana visnu-nama jani’

patha karilei mukti labhe iha mani’ [137]

“‘If offensive souls understand and chant the Name of Vishnu, they will attain liberation. That is My faith.’

Preaching this collection of hidden truths about the Name

ohe svarupa rama-raya e nama-rahasya-

patala yatane prachara karibe avasya [138]

“O Svarup and Rama Ray, you must carefully preach these hidden truths about the Name.

kalite jivera nahi anya pratikara

nama-rahasyete para ha-ibe samsara [139]

“There is no other remedy for the soul in the Age of Kali. Through these hidden truths about the Name, the soul can cross over the material world.

purve muni ‘siksastake’ ye tattva kahila

ebe vyasa-vakye taha punah dekhaila [140]

“I have shown you again, now in the words of Vyasa, the truths that I previously described in My ‘Siksastakam’.

yatane rahasya-patala pracharibe sabe

sarva-ksana alochiya nama labe tabe [141]

“You both must carefully preach this collection of hidden truths. Always discuss it and chant the Name.

Serving the Name under the guidance of Namacharya Haridas Thakur

prthivira siromani chhila hari-dasa

ei nama-rahasya saba karila prakasa [142]

“Haridas was the crown jewel of this world. He revealed all these hidden truths about the Name.

pracharila acharila ei nama-dharma

namera acharya haridasa, jana marma [143]

“Haridas practised and preached the chanting of the Name; he was the Acharya of the Name. Understand what it means.

haridasera anugata ha-iya sri-nama

bhajibe ye jana sei nitya-siddha-kama” [144]

“Those who follow Haridas and serve the Name attain eternal perfection.”

• • •

(20) The Glories of the Name

eka-dina krsna-dasa kasi-misrera ghare

apana gauchhari kichhu kahila prabhure [1]

One day, at the house of Kasi Misra, Krishnadas expressed some of his personal feelings to the Lord:

“ajna haya suni krsna-namera mahima

ye mahimara brahma siva nahi jane sima” [2]

“Please let me hear the glories of the Name of Krishna, the glories that even Brahma and Siva do not know the end of.”

prabhu bale, “krsna-namera mahima apara

krsna nije nahi jane, ki janiba jiva chhara [3]

The Lord replied, “The glories of the Name of Krishna are unlimited. Even Krishna Himself does not know them. So, what can I understand? I am just a fallen soul.

sastre yaha suniyachhi kahiba tomare

visvasa kariya suna yabe bhava-pare [4]

“I can tell you what I have heard from the scriptures. Listen with faith, and you will cross over material existence.

sarva-papa-prasamaka sarva-vyadhi-nasa

sarva-duhkha-vinasana kali-badha-hrasa [5]

naraki-uddhara ara prarabdha-khandana

sarva-aparadha-ksaya name sarva-ksana [6]

“The Name always destroys all sin, cures all disease, relieves all misery, clears away the obstacles made by Kali, delivers the residents of hell, cuts away active karma, and removes all offences.

sarva-sat-karmera purti namera vilasa

sarva-vedadhika nama-suryera prakasa [7]

“Making all pious works successful is a pastime of the Name, and the appearance of the sun-like Name is superior to studying all the scriptures.

sarva-tirthera adhika nama sarva-sastra kaya

sakala sat-karmadhikya namete udaya [8]

“All the scriptures say that chanting the Name is superior to visiting all the holy places and superior to performing all pious works.

sarvartha-pradata nama, sarva-saktimaya

jagat-ananda-kari namera dharma haya [9]

“The Name is all-powerful, grants all desired ends, and naturally makes the world joyful.

nama lana jagad-vandya haya sarva-jana

agatira gati nama patita-pavana [10]

“Everyone who chants the Name becomes worshippable throughout the world. The Name is the shelter of the shelterless, the saviour of the fallen.

sarvatra sarvada sevya sarva-mukti-data

vaikuntha-prapaka nama hari-priti-data [11]

“The Name should be served everywhere and always. The Name gives all types of liberation, entrance into the spiritual world, and love for the Lord.

nama svayam purusartha bhakty-anga-pradhana

sruti-smrti-sastre achhe bahuta pramana [12]

“The Name Himself is the goal of human life and the foremost practice of devotion. There is much evidence of this in the scriptures.

The Name destroys all sin

sarva-papa nasa kara namera eka-dharma

prathame tahai sapramana suna marma [13]

“Destroying all sin is one quality of the Name. Hear first the significance of this based on evidence from the scriptures.

papi ajamila dekha vivasa haiya

hari-nama uchcharila ‘narayana’ baliya [14]

koti koti janme papa kariyachhe yata

se sakala ha-ite mukta ha-ila samprata [15]

“Consider the sinner Ajamil. In despair, he uttered the Name of the Lord ‘Narayan’, and he immediately became free from all the sins he had committed over the course of millions of births.

‘ayam hi krta-nirveso janma-koty-amhasam api

yad vyajahara vivaso nama svasty-ayanam hareh’ [16]

“‘Ajamil has atoned for ten million births of sins because he has desperately called out the auspicious Name of the Lord.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 6.2.7)

stri-raja-go-brahmana-ghati madya-rata

guru-patni-gami mitra-drohi chaurya-vrata [17]

e sabera papa ara anya papa-chaya

hari-nama uchcharane saba pariskrta haya [18]

“Uttering the Name of the Lord counteracts the sins of a drunkard, a thief, a traitor, an adulterer with an elder’s wife, a murderer of a woman, king, cow, or brahman, as well as all other sins.

papa suniskrta haile krsne haya mati

ei-rupe name jivera haya ta’ sad-gati [19]

“When the soul’s sins are counteracted, the soul becomes devoted to Krishna. In this way, through the Name, the soul attains good fortune.

‘stenah sura-po mitra-dhrug brahma-ha guru-talpa-gah

stri-raja-pitr-go-hanta ye cha patakino ‘pare [20]

sarvesam apy aghavatam idam eva suniskrtam

nama-vyaharanam visnor yatas tad-visaya matih’ [21]

“‘Chanting the Name of Vishnu is the best means of atonement for a thief, a drunkard, a traitor, an adulterer with an elder’s wife, a murderer of a brahman, woman, king, father, or cow, and all other sorts of sinners because the Lord becomes attentive to (the protection of) those who chant His Name.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 6.2.9–10)

Rites are useless in comparison to the Name

chandrayana-vrata adi sastrokta prakare

papa ha-ite papike nahi se-rupa nistare [22]

krsna-nama eka-bara uchcharita yabe

sarva-papa ha-ite papi mukta haya tabe [23]

“Sinners who once chant the Name of Krishna are freed from all sins. Rites mentioned in the scriptures, such as the chandrayan-vrata, do not liberate sinners in this way.

‘na niskrtair uditair brahma-vadibhis

tatha visuddhyaty aghavan vratadibhih

yatha harer nama-padair udahrtais

tad uttamahsloka-gunopalambhakam’ [24]

“‘Rites and other means of atonement prescribed by the sages do not purify a sinner to the extent that chanting the Name of the Lord does because chanting the Name produces remembrance of the Lord’s qualities.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 6.2.11)

sanketa va parihasa stobha hela kari’

namabhase kabhu yadi bale ‘krsna’ ‘hari’ [25]

asesa-pataka tara dure yaya tabe

sri-vaikunthe nita haya yamadutera parabhave [26]

“If a soul ever chants ‘Krishna’ or ‘Hari’ indirectly, jokingly, mnemonically, or neglectfully, by this semblance of the Name (namabhasa), their innumerable sins disappear, they overstep the attendants of Yamaraj and are taken to Vaikuntha.

‘sanketyam parihasyam va stobham helanam eva va

vaikuntha-nama-grahanam asesagha-haram viduh’ [27]

“‘Be it indirectly, jokingly, mnemonically, or neglectfully, the wise know that chanting the Name of the Lord removes innumerable sins.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 6.2.14)

padi’ khasi’ bhagna dasta dagdha va ahata

ha-iya vivase bale, ‘ami hainu hata’ [28]

‘krsna’ ‘hari’ ‘narayana’ nama mukhe dake

yatana kakhana asraya na kare tahake [29]

“The punishment of Yamaraj never afflicts those who desperately call aloud ‘Krishna’, ‘Hari’, or ‘Narayan’ when they feel as though they are dying after having fallen, slipped, been injured, bitten, beaten, or burnt.

‘patitah skhalito bhagnah sandastas tapta ahatah

harir ity avasenaha puman narhati yatanah’ [30]

“‘Having fallen, slipped, been injured, bitten, burnt, or beaten, souls who desperately call out ‘Hari’ never suffer the punishment of Yamaraj.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 6.2.15)

Chanting the Name knowingly or unknowingly

ajnane va jnane krsna-nama-sankirtane

sarva-papa bhasma haya, yatha kastha agny-arpane [31]

“Like a piece of wood placed in a fire, all sins are reduced to ashes by chanting the Name of Krishna knowingly or unknowingly.

‘ajnanad athava jnanad uttamahsloka-nama yat

sankirtitam agham pumso dahed edho yathanalah’ [32]

“‘All sins are burnt up, like dry grass in fire, by chanting the Name of the Lord knowingly or unknowingly.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 6.2.18)

Destruction of all active and inactive sin

vartamana papa ara purva-janmarjita

bhavisyate habe yaha se sakala hata [33]

anayase habe krsna-nama-sankirtane

nama vina bandhu nahi jivera jivane [34]

“Chanting the Name of Krishna easily destroys the reactions to present sins, sins from previous births, and sins that will take effect in the future. The soul has no friend in life other than the Name.

‘vartamanas tu yat papam yad bhutam yad bhavisyati

tat sarvam nirdahaty asu govinda-kirtananalah’ [35]

“‘The fire of chanting Govinda’s Name quickly burns away all sins of the past, present, and future.’

(Laghu-bhagavata)

Liberation of the spiteful

mahi-tale sajjanera prati papachare

nama-kirtanete mukti labhe sarva nare [36]

“Even those who abuse the virtuous people of this world attain liberation by chanting the Name.

sada droha-paro yas tu sajjananam mahi-tale

jayate pavano dhanyo harer namanukirtanat [37]

“‘Even those who constantly abuse the virtuous people of this world become purified and fortunate by chanting the Name of the Lord.’

(Laghu-bhagavata)

Millions of atonements do not compare to chanting the Name

sastre koti koti prayaschitta achhe kahe

kintu krsna-kirtanera tulya keha nahe [38]

“The scriptures say that there are millions of atonements, but none of them are comparable to chanting the Name of Krishna.

‘vasanti yani kotis tu pavanani mahi-tale

na tani tat-tulyam yanti krsna-namanukirtane’ [39]

“‘The millions of atonements that exist in this world never compare with chanting the Name of Krishna.’

(Kurma-purana)

Those who chant the Name have no sin

hari-nama yata papa nirharana kare

tata papa papi kabhu karite na pare [40]

“A sinner can never commit as many sins as the Lord’s Name can remove.

‘namno ‘sya yavati saktih papa-nirharane hareh

tavat kartum na saknoti patakam pataki janah’ [41]

“‘A sinner cannot commit as many sins as the Name of the Lord has the power to remove.’

(Brihad-visnu-purana)

mano-vak-kaya-ja papa tata nahi haya

kalite govinda-name nahi haya ksaya [42]

“There are no sins committed in thought, word, or deed in the Age of Kali that chanting the Name of Govinda does not destroy.

‘tan nasti karmajam loke vag-jam manasam eva va

yan na ksapayate papam kalau govinda-kirtanam’ [43]

“‘There are no sins committed in thought, word, or deed in the Age of Kali that chanting the Name of Govinda does not destroy.’

(Skanda-purana)

The Name cures all disease

name sarva-vyadhi-dhvamsa sarva-sastre gaya

ogo sthanesvari bhakta balihe tomaya [44]

“All the scriptures sing that the Name cures all diseases. O devotee of Sthanesvari! I am speaking to you.

satya satya bali, ‘laha visvasa kariya

‘achyutananda’ ‘govinda’ ei nama uchchariya [45]

kandiya kandiya daka sri-madhusudana

sarva-roga nasa kare sri-nama-kirtane’ [46]

“I speak the truth: ‘Chant the Names Achyutananda and Govinda with faith. Cry and call out to Sri Madhusudan. Chanting the Name cures all diseases!’

‘achyutananda-govinda-namochcharana-bhisitah

nasyanti sakala rogah satyam satyam vadamy aham’ [47]

“‘I tell you truthfully that all diseases die of fright when the Names Achyutananda and Govinda are chanted.’

(Brihan-naradiya-purana)

The Name turns the greatest sinners into purifiers of their class

mahapatakio ahar-nisa hari-gane

suddha hana ganya haya supamkti-pavane [48]

“By chanting the Name of the Lord day and night, even the greatest sinners become pure and recognised as purifiers of their social class.

‘mahapataka-yukto ‘pi kirtayenn anisam harim

suddhantahkarano bhutva jayate pamkti-pavanah’ [49]

“‘By chanting the Name of the Lord day and night, even the greatest sinners become pure in heart and then purify their social class.’

(Brahmanda-purana)

The Name dispels fear and punishment

mahavyadhi-bhayao va raja-danda-bhaya

narayana-sankirtane niratanka haya [50]

“Chanting the Name of Narayan makes the soul fearless of even terrible diseases and punishment by kings.

‘mahavyadhi-samachchhanno raja-vadhopapiditah

narayaneti sankirtya niratanko bhaven narah’ [51]

“‘Souls who are afflicted with terrible diseases or oppressed by kings become fearless by chanting the Name of Narayan.’

(Vahni-purana)

sarva-roga-sarva-klesa-upadrava-sane

aristadi-vinasa haya hari-uchcharane [52]

“Chanting the Name of the Lord destroys all diseases, suffering, disturbances, calamities, and so on.

‘sarva-rogopasamanam sarvopadrava-nasanam

santidam sarvaristanam harer namanukirtanam’ [53]

“‘Chanting the Name of the Lord cures all diseases, ends all disturbances, and pacifies all calamities.’

(Brihad-visnu-purana)

yatha ativayu-bale megha dure yaya

suryodaye tamo-nasa avasyai paya [54]

tatha sankirtita nama jivera vyasana

dura kare svaprabhave, e vyasa-vachana [55]

“As the wind drives away clouds and the rising sun invariably dispels darkness, so the chanted Name drives away the soul’s difficulties by His own power. These are the words of Vyasa.

‘sankirtyamano bhagavan anantah

srutanubhavo vyasanam hi pumsam

pravisya chittam vidhunoty asesam

yatha tamo ‘rko ‘bhram ivati-vatah’ [56]

“‘When souls hear and chant about the Infinite Lord, He enters their hearts and removes all their difficulties, just as the sun dispels darkness and the wind disperses clouds.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 12.12.48)

arta va visanna sithila-mana bhita

ghora-vyadhi-klese ara na dekhe hita [57]

‘narayana’ ‘hari’ bali’ kare sankirtana

nischaya vimukta-duhkha sukhi sei jana [58]

“When those who are distressed, depressed, disheartened, fearful, or afflicted with a terrible disease see no help anywhere and chant ‘Narayan’ or ‘Hari’, they certainly become happy and free from sorrow.

‘arta visannah sithilas cha bhita

ghoresu cha vyadhisu vartamanah

sankirtya narayana-sabdam ekam

vimukta-duhkhah sukhino bhavanti’ [59]

“‘Those who are distressed, depressed, disheartened, fearful, or terribly diseased become free from sorrow and happy by once chanting the Name of Narayan.’

(Visnu-dharma-purana)

asima saktiman visnu, tanhara kirtane

yaksa-raksa-vetaladi bhuta-preta-gane [60]

vinayaka-dakinyadi himsraka samasta

palayana kare saba duhkha haya asta [61]

“Vishnu is unlimitedly powerful. Fiends, demons, evil spirits, ghosts, disembodied souls, monsters, witches, and all other ferocious entities flee from the chanting of His Name. By chanting His Name, all distress comes to an end.

sarvanartha-nasi hari-nama-sankirtana

ksudha trsna skhalitadi vipada-nasana [62]

“Chanting the Name of the Lord destroys all obstacles and dangers, such as hunger, thirst, and injury.

ihate samsaya yatha, nischaya tathaya

namera vikrama kabhu na haya udaya [63]

“Certainly, however, the power of the Name never appears where there is any doubt about this.

visvase namera krpa, avisvase naya

e eka rahasya, bhakta janaha nischaya [64]

“The grace of the Name is attained through faith, not faithlessness. O devotees, know for certain that this is one of the hidden truths of the Name.

‘kirtanad deva-devasya visnor amita-tejasah

yaksa-raksasa-vetala-bhuta-preta-vinayakah [65]

dakinyo vidravanti sma ye tathanye cha himsakah

sarvanartha-haram tasya nama-sankirtanam smrtam [66]

nama-sankirtanam krtva ksut-trt praskhalitadisu

viyogam sighram apnoti sarvanarthair na samsayah’ [67]

“‘Fiends, demons, evil spirits, ghosts, disembodied souls, monsters, witches, and other ferocious entities flee from the chanting of the Names of the God of gods, the immeasurably powerful Lord, Vishnu. Chanting and remembering the Lord’s Name removes all difficulties. Those who chant the Lord’s Name while hungry, thirsty, or injured immediately become free from all difficulties. There is no doubt about this.’

(Visnu-dharma-purana)

kali-kala-kusarpera tiksna damstra heri’

bhaya na kario bhakta, suna sraddha kari’ [68]

“Do not be afraid when you see the sharp teeth of the poisonous serpent of Kali-yuga. O devotees, listen faithfully!

krsna-nama-davanala prajjvalita hana

se sarpera damstra dagdha karibe pheliya [69]

“The raging fire of Krishna’s Name will blaze up and burn away the serpent’s teeth.

‘kali-kala-kusarpasya tiksna-damstrasya ma bhayam

govinda-nama-davena dagdho yasyati bhasmatam’ [70]

“‘Do not fear the sharp teeth of the poisonous serpent of Kali-yuga. The fire of Govinda’s Name will burn it to ashes.’

(Skanda-purana)

ei ghora kali-yuge hari-namasraye

krta-krtya bhakta-gana tyakta-anyasraye [71]

“Devotees who have left all other shelters and taken shelter of the Lord’s Name in this dark Age of Kali are successful.

hare kesava govinda vasudeva jaganmaya

ei nama sankirtane bada sukhodaya [72]

“Great joy arises by chanting, ‘O Hari! O Kesava! O Govinda! O Vasudev! O Jaganmay!’

sada yei gaya nama visvasa kariya

kali-badha nahi tara sada suddha hiya [73]

“The obstacles made by Kali do not exist within the eternally pure hearts of those who constantly and faithfully chant the Name.

‘hari-nama-para ye cha ghore kali-yuge narah

te eva krta-krtyas cha na kalir badhate hi tan [74]

hare kesava govinda vasudeva jaganmaya

itirayanti te nityam na hi tan badhate kalih’ [75]

“‘The souls who devote themselves to the Name of the Lord in the dark Age of Kali are successful. Kali cannot obstruct them. Kali cannot obstruct those who constantly chant, “O Hari! O Kesava! O Govinda! O Vasudev! O Jaganmay!”’

(Brihan-naradiya-purana)

naraki kirtana kare ‘hari’ ‘krsna’ bali’

hari-bhakta hana yaya divya-dhame chali’ [76]

“The residents of hell who chant ‘Hari’ and ‘Krishna’ become devotees of the Lord and go to the divine abode.

‘yatha yatha harer nama kirtayanti sma narakah

tatha tatha harau bhaktim udvahanto divam yayuh’ [77]

“‘The residents of hell chant the Name of the Lord, accordingly develop devotion to the Lord, and go to the divine abode.’

(Nrisimha-purana)

prarabdha-khandana kevala hari-name haya

jnana-karme sei phala kabhu na milaya [78]

“Only the Name of the Lord can cut away the active reactions to sins. Such a result is never attained through worldly knowledge or action.

vina hari-kirtana kabhu karma-bandha

khandana na haya, mumuksuta nahe labdha [79]

ye mukti labhile ara na haya karma-sanga

rajas-tamo-dosa-hina sunya maya-sanga [80]

“Without chanting the Name of the Lord, entanglement in karma is never cut away, and seekers of liberation never attain the liberation upon attaining which there is no further attachment to karma. They never become uncontaminated by passion and ignorance or free from attachment to the illusory environment.

‘natah param karma-nibandha-krntanam

mumuksatam tirtha-padanukirtanat

na yat punah karmasu sajjate mano-

rajas-tamobhyam kalilam tato ‘nyatha’ [81]

“‘There is no better means for those who desire liberation to cut away the bondage of karma than chanting the Name of the Lord because after chanting the mind does not become attached to karma again. After all other atonements, the mind again becomes polluted by passion and ignorance.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 6.2.46)

mriyamana klista jana padite khasite

vivasa haiya krsna bale kona-mate [82]

karmargala-mukta hana labhe para gati

kali-kale yaha nahi labhe anya mati [83]

“A dying, diseased, bedridden, faltering, desperate soul who somehow or other chants the Name of Krishna becomes free from the bondage of karma and attains the supreme destination—which souls in the Age of Kali cannot attain by any other means.

‘yan-nama-dheyam mriyamana aturah

patan skhalan va vivaso grnan puman

vimukta-karmargala uttamam gatim

prapnoti yaksyanti na tam kalau janah’ [84]

“‘In the Age of Kali, souls will not worship the Lord, by chanting whose Name even a dying, diseased, bedridden, faltering, desperate soul becomes free from the bondage of karma and attains the supreme destination.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 12.3.44)

sraddha kari’ nama laile aparadha koti

ksama kare krsna, yadi na thake kutinati [85]

“When souls chant the Name with faith, Krishna forgives millions of their offences if they are free from deceit.

ihate visvasa yara na haya, se jana

badai durbhaga, tara nahika mochana [86]

“Those who do not have faith in this are extremely unfortunate and will not be delivered.

‘mama namani loke ‘smin sraddhaya yas tu kirtayet

tasyaparadha-kotis tu ksamamy eva na samsayah’ [87]

“‘I forgive millions of offences committed by anyone in this world who chants My Name with faith. There is no doubt about this.’

(Visnu-yamala)

mantra-tantra-chhidra desa-kala-vastu-dosa

nama-sankirtane yaya, paya parama santosa [88]

“Chanting the Name removes all flaws or faults concerning mantras, procedures, time, place, and paraphernalia, and fills one with the greatest joy.

sat-karma pradhana nama, tahara asraye

anya sat-karmera siddhi haibe nischaye [89]

“Chanting the Name is the foremost auspicious practice, and under the Name’s shelter, all other auspicious practices certainly become successful.

‘mantratas tantratas chhidram desa-kalarha-vastutah

sarvam karoti nischhidram nama-sankirtanam tava’ [90]

“‘Chanting Your Name nullifies all flaws concerning mantras, procedures, time, place, participants, and paraphernalia.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 8.23.16)

sarva-vedadhika nama, ihate samsaya

ye kare tahara kabhu mangala na haya [91]

“The Name is superior to all the Vedas. Those who doubt this never attain good fortune.

pranava krsnera nama yaha haite veda

janmila brahmara mukhe bujha tattva-bheda [92]

rk-yaju-samatharva se kaila pathana

‘hari’ ‘hari’ yara mukhe suni’ anuksana [93]

“Understand the difference between the Vedas and Krishna’s Name ‘Om’, from which the Vedas manifested in the mouth of Brahma. Those from whose mouth ‘Hari! Hari!’ is always heard have already recited the Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva Vedas.

‘rg-vedo hi yajur-vedah sama-vedo ‘py atharvanah

adhitas tena yenoktam harir ity aksara-dvayam’ [94]

“‘Those who have uttered the two syllables ‘Ha-ri’ have certainly studied the Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva Vedas.’

(Visnu-dharma-purana)

rk-yaju-samatharva patha ki karana?

‘govinda’ ‘govinda’ nama karaha kirtana [95]

“What need is there to recite the Rig, Yajur, Sama, and Atharva Vedas? Just chant ‘Govinda! Govinda!’

‘ma rcho ma yajus tata ma sama patha kinchana

govindeti harer nama geyam gayasva nityasah’ [96]

“‘Do not recite the Rig, Yajur, or Sama Vedas any more. Always sing the Lord’s Name ‘Govinda’.’

(Skanda-purana)

visnura pratyeka nama sarva-vedadhika

‘rama’-nama jana sahasra namera adhika [97]

“Know that every Name of Vishnu is superior to all the Vedas and that the Name ‘Rama’ is superior to a thousand Names of Vishnu.

‘visnor ekaika-namapi sarva-vedadhikam matam

tadrk-nama-sahasrena ‘rama’-nama-samam smrtam’ [98]

“‘Every single Name of Vishnu is superior to all the Vedas, and the Name of Rama is known to be equal to a thousand Names of Vishnu.’

(Padma-purana)

sahasra nama tina-bara avrtti karile

yei phala haya taha eka krsna-name mile [99]

“Chanting the Name of Krishna once produces the same result as chanting a thousand Names of Vishnu three times.

‘krsna krsna krsna krsna krsna krsna krsna he’

ei nama sarva-ksana bhakta saba kara he [100]

“‘Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Krishna!’ O devotees! Constantly chant the Name!

‘hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare’ [101]

ei sola name sarva-dik bajaya rahila he

sarva-phala-siddhi labha ei sola name haibe he [102]

“’Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare’—by chanting these sixteen Names, everything is taken care of! By chanting these sixteen Names, you will attain all perfection!

‘sahasra-namnam punyanam trir-avrttya tu yat phalam

ekavrttya tu krsnasya namaikam tat prayachchhati’ [103]

“‘Once chanting the Name of Krishna produces the same result as chanting a thousand Holy Names of Vishnu three times.’

(Brahmanda-purana)

tirtha-yatra-parisrame kiba phala habe

‘hare krsna’ nitya gane saba phala pabe [104]

“What is the benefit of labouring to visit the holy places? You will attain all such benefits by constantly chanting ‘Hare Krishna’.

kiba kuruksetra, kasi, puskara-bhramane

jihvagrete hari-nama yanra ksane ksane [105]

“What is the value of visiting Kuruksetra, Kasi, and Puskara for those on the tip of whose tongue the Lord’s Name is always present?

‘kuruksetrena kim tasya kim kasya puskarena va

jihvagre vasati yasya harir ity aksara-dvayam’ [106]

“‘What are Kuruksetra, Kasi, and Puskara to those on the tip of whose tongue the two syllables ‘Ha-ri’ reside?’

(Skanda-purana)

koti sata koti sahasra tirthe yaha naya

hari-nama-kirtanete sei phala haya [107]

“By chanting the Name of the Lord, the souls attain a result that is not attained by visiting millions or billions of holy places.

‘tirtha-koti-sahasrani tirtha-koti-satani cha

tani sarvany avapnoti visnor namanukirtanat’ [108]

“‘By constantly chanting the Name of Vishnu, the soul attains the result of visiting millions and billions of holy places.’

(Vamana-purana)

kuruksetre basi’ visvamitra rsi bale

‘suniyachhi bahu tirtha-nama dhara-tale [109]

hari-nama-kirtanera koti-amsa-tulya

kona tirtha nahi’—ei vakya bahu mulya [110]

“Once, sitting at Kuruksetra, Visvamitra Risi said, ‘I have heard the names of many holy places on the earth, but none of them are comparable to even one ten-millionth of the value of chanting the Name of the Lord.’ This statement is very valuable.

‘visrutani bahuny eva tirthani bahudhani cha

koty-amsena na tulyani nama-kirtanato hareh’ [111]

“‘The various and numerous renowned holy places do not equal one ten-millionth of the value of chanting the Name of the Lord.’

(Visvamitra-samhita)

vedagama bahu sastre kiba prayojana

kena kare loka bahu-tirthadi bhramana [112]

“What need is there for the Vedas, Agamas, and numerous other scriptures? And why do people visit so many holy places?

atma-mukti-vanchha yara, sei sarva-ksana

‘govinda’ ‘govinda’ bali’ karuka kirtana [113]

“Let those who desire their own liberation constantly chant ‘Govinda! Govinda!’

‘kin tata vedagama-sastra-vistarais

tirthair anekair api kim prayojanam

yady atmano vanchhasi mukti-karanam

govinda govinda iti sphutam rata’ [114]

“‘My child, what is the use of the Vedas, Agamas, and other scriptures? What need is there for the numerous holy places? If you seek the means to your own liberation, then simply chant, “Govinda! Govinda!”’

(Laghu-bhagavata)

sarva-sat-karmadhika nama janaha nischaya

ei katha visvasile sarva-dharma haya [115]

“Know for certain that chanting the Name is superior to all pious activities. If you have faith in this principle, all your duties are automatically fulfilled.

surya uparage koti koti garu-dana

prayagete kalpa-vasa maghete vidhana [116]

ayuta yajnadi karma svarga-meru-dana

satamsete hari-namera na haya samana [117]

“Donating tens of millions of cows during a solar eclipse, residing at Prayag for billions of years and observing rites during the month of Magh, performing ten million sacrifices, and donating a Mount Sumeru’s worth of gold does not equal one one-hundredth of the value of chanting the Name of the Lord.

‘go-koti-danam grahane khagasya

prayaga-gangodaka-kalpa-vasah

yajnayutam meru-suvarna-danam

govinda-kirter na samam satamsaih’ [118]

“‘Donating ten million cows during a solar eclipse, residing in the waters of the Ganges at Prayag for billions of years, performing ten thousand sacrifices, and donating a Mount Sumeru’s worth of gold does not equal one one-hundredth of the value of chanting the Name of Govinda.’

(Laghu-bhagavata)

istapurta karma bahu bahu krta haile

tathapi se saba bhava hetu sastre bale [119]

“The scriptures say that public welfare works, even if they are performed many times, are a cause of bondage within the material world.

hari-nama anayase bhava-mukti-dhara

karma-phala namera kachhe akinchitkara [120]

“Chanting the Name of the Lord easily grants liberation from the material world. Next to the Name, the fruits of pious karma are nothing.

istapurtani karmani subahuni krtany api

bhava-hetuni tany eva harer nama tu mukti-dam [121]

“‘Public welfare works, even if performed many times, are a cause of bondage within the material world. Only chanting the Name of the Lord grants liberation.’

(Baudhayana-samhita)

sankhya-astangadi yoge kiba asa dhara

mukti chao—govinda-kirtana sada kara [122]

“What hope do you have in metaphysics and astanga-yoga? You want liberation, so just chant the Name of Govinda.

muktio samanya phala namera nikate

helaya karile nama jivera mukti ghate [123]

“Next to the Name, even liberation is an insignificant attainment. Souls attain liberation even when they negligently chant the Name.

kim karisyati sankhyena kim yogair nara-nayaka

muktim ichchhasi rajendra kuru govinda-kirtanam [124]

“‘O King, what will you do with metaphysics and yoga? You want liberation, O Emperor, so chant the Name of Govinda.’

(Garuda-purana)

svapacha ha-ileo dvija-srestha bali tare

yahara jihvagre krsna-nama nrtya kare [125]

“Even outcasts are considered the best of brahmans when the Name of Krishna dances on the tips of their tongues.

sarva-tapa kaila sarva-tirthe kaila snana

sarva-veda adhyayane arya matiman [126]

ei saba sadhanera bale bhagyavan

rasanaya sada kare hari-nama gana [127]

“They have performed all austerities, bathed at all holy places, studied all scriptures, and become noble-minded. With the strength produced by all these practices, such fortunate souls constantly chant the Name of the Lord with their tongues.

‘aho bata svapacho ‘to gariyan

yaj jihvagre vartate nama tubhyam

tepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur arya

brahmanuchur nama grhnanti ye te’ [128]

“‘How glorious! An outcast on the tip of whose tongue Your Name appears is exalted. Those who chant Your Name have performed all austerities and sacrifices, bathed in all the holy places, become virtuous, and studied all the scriptures.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 3.33.7)

sarva-artha-data hari-nama mahamantra

phukariya bale yata vedagama-tantra [129]

“The Vedas, Agamas, Tantras, and other scriptures proclaim that the maha-mantra of the Lord’s Name grants all desired ends.

hari-nama-bale sarva-sad-varga-damana

ripu-nigrahana ara adhyatma-sadhana [130]

“The Name of the Lord vanquishes lust, anger, greed, madness, pride, and envy, subdues enemies, and produces self-realisation.

‘etat sad-varga-haranam ripu-nigrahanam param

adhyatma-mulam etad dhi visnor namanukirtanam’ [131]

“‘Constantly chanting the Name of Vishnu destroys lust, anger, greed, madness, pride, and envy, completely subdues enemies, and produces realisation of the higher self.’

(Skanda-purana)

gunajna sara-bhuk arya kalike sammane

sarva-svartha labhi’ kalau nama-sankirtane [132]

“The wise who know the qualities of the Age of Kali and appreciate its virtue honour this age because in the Age of Kali all desired ends are attained by chanting the Name of the Lord.

‘kalim sabhajayanty arya gunajna sara-bhaginah

yatra sankirtanenaiva sarvah svartho ‘bhilabhyate’ [133]

“‘The wise who know the qualities of the Age of Kali and appreciate its virtue praise this age in which all desired ends are attained simply by chanting the Name of the Lord.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 11.5.36)

sarva-saktiman nama krsnera samana

krsnera sakala sakti name vartamana [134]

“The Name is all-powerful and equal to Krishna Himself; all of Krishna’s power is present within the Name.

dana-vratas-tapas-tirthe chhila yata sakti

deva-gane karma-kande ha-iya vibhakti [135]

rajasuye asvamedhe adhyatmika jnane

saba akarsiya krsna nila apana name [136]

“Krishna has drawn all the power that was present and divided within charity, rites, austerity, pilgrimage, worshipping the gods, following the codes for pious action, coronations, horse sacrifices, and realisation of the higher self, and invested it in His Name.

‘dana-vrata-tapas-tirtha-ksetradinam cha yah sthitah

saktayo deva-mahatam sarva-papa-harah subhah [137]

rajasuyasvamedhanam jnanam adhyatma-vastunah

akrsya harina sarvah sthapitah svesu namasu’ [138]

“’The Lord has drawn out all the purifying power to remove sin situated within charity, rites, austerities, pilgrimage, worshipping the gods, serving the virtuous, coronations, horse sacrifices, and knowledge of the higher self, and placed it within His Names.’

(Skanda-purana)

devadeva sri-krsnera sarva artha sakti

yukta saba nama, tanhi madhye yate anurakti [139]

sei nama sarva arthe yojana karibe

sarva artha sakti haite sakala-i milibe [140]

“All the Names of the God of gods Sri Krishna are endowed with His power to grant all desired ends. Whichever Name amongst Them you are attached to will bring you all desired ends. Through the Name’s power to grant all desired ends, you will attain everything.

‘sarvartha-sakti-yuktasya deva-devasya chakrinah

yach chabhiruchitam nama tat sarvarthesu yojayet’ [141]

“‘For the attainment of all desired ends, chant your favourite Name of the God of gods, the carrier of the chakra, who has the power to grant all desired ends.’

(Brahmanda-purana)

hrsikesa-sankirtane jagad-anandita

anurage hrsta-chitta sarvada samprita [142]

daitya raksa bhita ha-iya palaiya yaya

siddha-sangha sada pranamita tanra paya [143]

“By chanting of the Lord’s Name, the world becomes joyful, the people’s hearts always remain happy and fulfilled through attachment to the Lord, the demons become afraid and flee, and the realised souls continuously bow at the Lord’s feet.

yei krsna sei nama, namera prabhava

upayukta vate tate na thake abhava [144]

“The Name is Krishna Himself, and the Name’s influence is always fitting. There is no deficiency within it.

‘sthane hrsikesa tava prakirtya

jagat prahrsyaty anurajyate cha

raksamsi bhitani diso dravanti

sarve namasyanti cha siddha-sanghah’ [145]

“‘It is all fitting, O Master of the senses, that upon hearing the chanting of Your glories, the world rejoices and becomes attached to You, the demons flee in all directions, and the realised souls bow down.’

(Srimad Bhagavad-gita: 11.36)

varnadi vichara nahi sri-nama-sankirtane

diksa-purascharya vidhi badha nai gane [146]

“In chanting the Name, there is no consideration of class or caste, and the conventions of brahminical initiation and preparatory rites are not barriers to it.

narayana jagannatha vasudeva janardana

yara mukhe sada suni, pujya guru sei jana [147]

“Those from whose mouth we always hear ‘Narayan!’, ‘Jagannath!’, ‘Vasudev!’, and ‘Janardan!’ are worshippable Gurus.

sayane svapane ara chalite basite

krsna-nama kare yei, pujya sarva mate [148]

“Those who chant the Name of Krishna while resting, dreaming, walking, and sitting are worshippable in all respects.

‘narayana jagannatha vasudeva janardana

itirayanti ye nityam te vai sarvatra vanditah [149]

svapan bhunjan vrajams tisthan uttisthams cha vadams tatha

ye vadanti harer nama tebhyo nityam namo namah’ [150]

“’Those who always chant ‘Narayan!’, ‘Jagannath!’, ‘Vasudev!’, and ‘Janardan!’ are worshipped everywhere. I eternally bow again and again to those who chant the Name of the Lord while resting, eating, walking, sitting, standing, or talking.’

(Brihan-naradiya-purana)

stri-sudra-pukkasa-yavanadi kena naya

krsna-nama gaya, seo guru pujya haya [151]

“Those who chant the Name of Krishna, whether or not they are women, labourers, persons of mixed caste, outcasts, or otherwise, become worshippable Gurus.

‘stri sudrah pukkaso vapi ye chanye papa-yonayah

kirtayanti harim bhaktya tebhyo ‘piha namo namah’ [152]

“‘I bow again and again to those who chant the Name of the Lord with devotion, be they women, labourers, persons of mixed caste, or even outcasts.’

(Narayana-vyuha-stava)

anya-gati-sunya bhogi para-upatapi

brahmacharya-jnana-vairagya-hina papi [153]

sarva-dharma-sunya nama-japi yadi haya

tahara ye sugati taha sarva dharmikera naya [154]

“If those who are shelterless, hedonistic, harmful to others, devoid of austerity, knowledge, and renunciation, sinful, or completely irreligious chant the Name, they attain an exalted destination that even the pious do not.

‘ananya-gatayo martya bhogino ‘pi parantapah

jnana-vairagya-rahita brahmacharyadi-varjitah [155]

sarva-dharmojjhita visnor nama-matraika-jalpakah

sukhena yam gatim yanti na tam sarve ‘pi dharmikah’ [156]

“’Regardless of whether they are shelterless, hedonistic, harmful to others, devoid of knowledge and renunciation, undisciplined, or completely irreligious, those who just once chant the Name of Vishnu happily attain a destination that even the pious do not.’

(Padma-purana)

hari-nama-grahane desa-kalera niyama nai

uchchhista asauche vidhi nisedha na pai [157]

“In chanting the Name of the Lord, there are no rules regarding time and place, and we do not find any rules or regulations regarding impurity produced by food remnants.

‘na desa-niyamas tasmin na kala-niyamas tatha

nochchhisthadau nisedho ‘sti sri-harer namni lubdhaka’ [158]

“‘O hunter! Neither are there rules regarding the time and place in chanting the Name of the Lord, nor are there any regulations regarding His food remnants.’

(Visnu-dharma)

krsna-nama sada sarvatra karaha kirtana

asauchadi nahi mana, nama svatantra pavana [159]

“Chant the Name of Krishna always and everywhere, and do not be concerned about external purity. The Name is independently purifying.

‘chakrayudhasya namani sada sarvatra kirtayet

nasaucham kirtane tasya sa pavitrakaro yatah’ [160]

“‘The Name of the Lord, the carrier of the chakra, should be chanted always and everywhere. There is no impurity within the chanting of His Name because He Himself is purifying.’

(Skanda-purana)

yajne dane snane jape achhe kalera niyama

krsna-kirtane kalakala-chinta mahabhrama [161]

“There are rules regarding the time to perform sacrifice, give charity, bathe, and chant mantras, but thinking that there are proper or improper times to chant the Name of Krishna is a great mistake.

desa-kala-niyamadi name kabhu nai

krsna-kirtana sada karaha sabai [162]

“There are never rules for the time and place to chant the Name. Everyone should always chant the Name of Krishna.

‘na desa-niyamo rajan na kala-niyamas tatha

vidyate natra sandeho visnor namanukirtane [163]

kalo ‘sti dane yajne cha snane kalo ‘sti sajjape

visnu-sankirtane kalo nasty atra prthivi-tale’ [164]

“’O King, there are no rules regarding the time and place for chanting the Name of Vishnu. Of this there is no doubt. There are rules concerning the time for giving charity, performing sacrifices, bathing, and chanting mantras, but on this earth there are no rules regarding the time to chant the Name of Vishnu (the Name should be chanted at all times).’

(Vaisnava-chintamani)

samsare nirvinna-chitta abhaya-pada chaya

hena yogira janya nama eka-matra upaya [165]

“For ascetics who are indifferent to the world and desire fearlessness, the Name is the one and only way.

‘etan nirvidyamananam ichchhatam akuto-bhayam

yoginam nrpa nirnitam harer namanukirtanam’ [166]

“‘O King, constantly chanting the Name of the Lord is prescribed for ascetics who are indifferent and desire total fearlessness.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 2.1.11)

hari-nama vina ara sahaja mukti-data

keha nahi trijagate, nama-i jivera trata [167]

“No one throughout the three worlds other than the Name of the Lord easily grants liberation. The Name alone is the deliverer of the soul.

eka-bara mukhe bale ‘hari’ du’aksara

sei jana moksa-prati baddha-parikara [168]

“Those who once chant the two syllables ‘Ha-ri’ are bound to attain liberation.

‘sakrd uchcharitam yena harir ity aksara-dvayam

baddhah parikaras tena moksaya gamanam prati’ [169]

“‘Those who once chant the two syllables ‘Ha-ri’ cannot but attain liberation.’

(Skanda-purana)

jita-nidra hana eka-bara ‘narayana’ bale

suddha-chitta hana sei nirvana-pathe chale [170]

“Anyone who overcomes sleep and once chants ‘Narayan’ becomes pure in heart and proceeds on the path to liberation.

‘sakrd uchcharayed yas tu narayanam atandritah

suddhantahkarano bhutva nirvanam adhigachchhati’ [171]

“‘Anyone free from laziness who once chants the Name of Narayan becomes pure in heart and attains liberation.’

(Padma-purana)

e ghora samsare, bale vivase ‘hare hare’

sadyo-mukta haya, bhaya tare bhaya kare [172]

“Souls in this frightening world who desperately call out, ‘Hari! Hari!’ are immediately liberated; even Fear himself fears the Name.

‘apannah samsrtim ghoram yan-nama vivaso grnan

tatah sadyo vimuchyeta yad bibheti svayam bhayam’ [173]

“‘Souls entangled in this frightening world who desperately chant the Lord’s Name, whom Fear himself fears, are immediately liberated.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 1.1.14)

mrtyu-kale vivase ye kare uchcharana

tanra avatara nama lila vidambana [174]

bahu-janma-durita sahasa tyaga kari’

yaya se parama-pade bhaje sei hari [175]

“Those who at the time of death desperately chant the Lord’s Names that describe His avatars and pastimes immediately leave behind many births’ worth of sin and reach the supreme abode. I serve this Lord.

‘yasyavatara-guna-karma-vidambanani

namani ye ‘suvigame vivasa grnanti

te ‘neka-janma-samalam sahasaiva hitva

samyanty apavrtam rtam tam ajam prapadye’ [176]

“‘Those who at the time of death desperately chant the Names of the Lord that describe His avatars, qualities, and pastimes immediately leave behind many births’ worth of sin and attain the uncovered Absolute. I surrender to that unborn Lord.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 3.9.15)

chalite basite svapne bhojane sayane

kali-damana krsnochchare vakyera purane [177]

helateo kari’ nama nija svarupa pana

parama-pada vaikunthe yaya nirbhaya ha-iya [178]

“While walking, sitting, dreaming, eating, resting, or speaking, those who even neglectfully chant the Name of Krishna, the subduer of Kali, realise the true self and fearlessly go to the supreme abode of Vaikuntha.

‘vrajams tisthan svapann asnan svasan vakya-prapurane

nama-sankirtanam visnor helaya kali-mardhanam

krtva svarupatam yati bhakti-yuktah param vrajet’ [179]

“‘While walking, sitting, dreaming, eating, breathing, or speaking, those who even neglectfully engage in chanting Vishnu’s Name, the subduer of Kali, realise the true self, attain devotion, and go to the supreme abode.’

(Linga-purana)

yena tena prakarete laya krsna-nama

take priti kare krsna karuna-nidana [180]

“Krishna, the reservoir of grace, loves those who chant His Name, howsoever they do so.

madya-pane bhutavista vayu-pida-sthale

hari-namochchare mukti tanra karatale [181]

“By chanting the Lord’s Name, even those who are drunk, bewitched, or diseased find liberation on the palm of their hand.

‘vasudevasya sankirtya surapo vyadhito ‘pi va

mukto jayeta niyatam mahavisnuh prasidati’ [182]

“‘By chanting the Name of Vasudev, even drunk and diseased persons attain liberation, and Maha-Vishnu becomes pleased.’

(Varaha-purana)

hari-nama svatah parama-purusartha haya

upeya-mangalya-tattva param-dhanamaya [183]

jivanera phala vastu kasi-khanda bale

padma-puraneo taha kahe bahu sthale [184]

“Chanting the Name of the Lord is itself the ultimate goal of life. Kasi-khanda says that it is the most sought-after auspiciousness, the supreme wealth, and the fulfilment of life. Padma-purana also says this in many places.

‘idam eva hi mangalyam etad eva dhanarjanam

jivitasya phalan chaitad yad damodara-kirtanam’ [185]

“‘Chanting the Name of Damodar is true auspiciousness, true earning of wealth, and the fulfilment of life itself.’

(Skanda-purana, Padma-purana)

sarva mangalera haya parama mangala

chit-tattva svarupa sarva-veda-valli-phala [186]

“The Name is the most auspicious of all auspicious things and the spiritual fruit produced by the vine of the Vedas.

krsna-nama laya yei sraddha va helaya

nara-matra trana paya sarva-vede gaya [187]

“All the scriptures sing that anyone who chants the Name of Krishna, faithfully or negligently, attains deliverance.

‘madhura-madhuram etan mangalam mangalanam

sakala-nigama-valli-sat-phalam chit-svarupam

sakrd api parigitam sraddhaya helaya va

bhrgu-vara nara-matram tarayet krsna-nama’ [188]

“‘The Name of Krishna, the sweetest of the sweet, the most auspicious of the auspicious, the eternal spiritual fruit from the vine of the Vedas, delivers a soul when He is chanted even once, faithfully or negligently.’

(Prabhasa-khanda)

bhaktira prakara yata sastre dekha yaya

tanhi madhye namasraya srestha bali’ gaya [189]

“The scriptures sing that taking shelter of the Name is best amongst all the practices of devotion found in the scriptures.

kastete astanga yoge visnu-smrti sadhe

ostha-spandanei srestha kirtana viraje [190]

“Remembrance of Vishnu is practised with difficulty through astanga-yoga, but chanting His Name is practised simply by moving the lips; chanting thus reigns supreme.

‘aghachchhit smaranam visnor bahv-ayasena sadhyate

ostha-spandana-matrena kirtanan tu tato varam’ [191]

“‘Remembrance of Vishnu, which destroys sin, is practised with great exertion, but chanting Vishnu’s Name is practised simply by moving the lips. Chanting is thus superior to remembrance.’

(Vaisnava-chintamani)

diksa-purvaka archana yadi sata janma kare

tahara jihvaya nitya hari-nama sphure [192]

“The Name of the Lord always appears on the tongues of those who have accepted initiation and performed worship for hundreds of births.

‘yena janma-sataih purvam vasudevah samarchitah

tan-mukhe hari-namani sada tisthanti bharata’ [193]

“‘O King, the Names of the Lord are always present in the mouth of those who have fully worshipped Vasudev for hundreds of previous births.’

(Vaisnava-chintamani)

satya-yuge bahu-kale yaha tapo-dhyane

yajnadi yajiya tretaya yeba phala tane [194]

dvapare archanangete paya yeba phala

kalite hari-name paya se sakala [195]

“All the results attained in Satya-yuga by long-term austerity and meditation, in Treta-yuga by conducting sacrifices, and in Dvapar-yuga by Deity worship are attained in Kali-yuga by chanting the Name of the Lord.

‘dhyayan krte yajan yajnais tretayam dvapare ‘rchayan

yad apnoti tad apnoti kalau sankirtya kesavam’ [196]

“‘Whatever is attained in Satya-yuga by meditation, in Treta-yuga by sacrifice, and in Dvapar-yuga by worship, is attained in Kali-yuga by chanting Kesava’s Name.’

(Visnu-purana)

kali-kale mahabhagavata bali tare

kirtane ye hari bhaje e bhava-samsare [197]

“We consider those who serve the Lord in the Age of Kali in this material world by chanting His Name to be advanced devotees.

‘mahabhagavata nityam kalau kurvanti kirtanam’ [198]

“’In the Age of Kali, great devotees always chant the Name of the Lord.’

(Skanda-purana)

chid-atmaka hari-nama bareka uchchare

siva-brahma-ananta tara phala kahite nare [199]

“Siva, Brahma, and Ananta cannot describe the result of once chanting the spiritual Name of the Lord.

namochcharana-mahatmya adbhuta bali’ gaya

uchcharana-matre nara parama-pada paya [200]

“The scriptures proclaim that the glory of chanting the Name is astounding: by just once chanting the Name, the soul attains the supreme abode.

‘sakrd uchcharayanty eva harer nama chid-atmakam

phalam nasya ksamo vaktum sahasra-vadano vidhih [201]

namochcharana-mahatmyam sruyate mahad adbhutam

yad uchcharana-matrena naro yayat param padam’ [202]

“‘Thousand-mouthed Ananta Sesa and the creator Lord Brahma cannot describe the result of chanting the Lord’s spiritual Name even once. We have heard that the glories of uttering the Name are greatly astounding: by just once chanting the Name, the soul attains the supreme abode.’

(Brihan-naradiya-purana)

krsna bale, ‘suna arjuna! baliba tomaya

sraddhaya helaya jiva mama nama gaya [203]

sei nama mama hrdi sada vartamana

nama-sama vrata nai, nama-sama jnana [204]

nama-sama dhyana nai, nama-sama phala

nama-sama tyaga nai, nama-sama bala [205]

nama-sama punya nai, nama-sama gati

namera sakti-gane vedera nahika sakati [206]

“Krishna says, ‘O Arjuna, listen to what I will say to you. When souls chant My Name, faithfully or negligently, their names remain in My heart forever. There is no rite equal to My Name. There is no knowledge equal to My Name. There is no meditation equal to My Name. There is no renunciation equal to My Name. There is no attainment equal to My Name. There is no strength equal to My Name. There is no piety equal to My Name. There is no shelter equal to My Name. The scriptures are unable to describe the power of My Name.

nama-i parama mukti, nama-i parama gati

nama-i parama santi, nama-i parama sthiti [207]

nama-i parama bhakti, nama-i parama mati

nama-i parama priti, nama-i parama smrti [208]

jivera karana nama, nama-i jivera prabhu

parama aradhya nama, nama-i guru prabhu’ [209]

“‘My Name alone is the highest liberation. My Name alone is the highest shelter. My Name alone is the highest peace. My Name alone is the highest dedication. My Name alone is the highest devotion. My Name alone is the highest conception. My Name alone is the highest love. My Name alone is the highest remembrance. My Name alone is the soul’s origin. My Name alone is the soul’s master. My Name alone is the soul’s highest object of worship. My Name alone is the soul’s Guru and Lord.’

‘sraddhaya helaya nama ratanti mama jantavah

tesam nama sada partha vartate hrdaye mama [210]

na nama-sadrsam jnanam na nama-sadrsam vratam

na nama-sadrsam dhyanam na nama-sadrsam phalam [211]

na nama-sadrsas tyago na nama-sadrsah samah

na nama-sadrsam punyam na nama-sadrsi gatih’ [212]

“‘O Arjuna, the names of those who chant My Name, faithfully or negligently, always remain in My heart. There is no knowledge like My Name. There is no rite like My Name. There is no meditation like My Name. There is no attainment like My Name. There is no renunciation like My Name. There is no equanimity like My Name. There is no piety like My Name. There is no shelter like My Name.’

(Adi-purana)

‘namaiva parama muktir namaiva parama gatih

namaiva parama santir namaiva parama sthitih [213]

namaiva parama bhaktir namaiva parama matih

namaiva parama pritir namaiva parama smrtih [214]

namaiva karanam jantor namaiva prabhur eva cha

namaiva paramaradhyo namaiva paramo guruh’ [215]

“‘My Name alone is the highest liberation. My Name alone is the highest shelter. My Name alone is the highest equanimity. My Name alone is the highest dedication. My Name alone is the highest devotion. My Name alone is the highest conception. My Name alone is the highest love. My Name alone is the highest remembrance. My Name alone is the soul’s origin. My Name alone is the soul’s master. My Name alone is the soul’s highest object of worship. My Name alone is the soul’s highest Guru.’

(Adi-purana)

hari-nama-mahatmyera kabhu nahi para

ye nama sravane sadya pukkasa uddhara [216]

“The glories of the Lord’s Name never end; even outcasts are immediately liberated upon hearing the Name.

‘yan-nama sakrch chhravanat

pukkaso ‘pi vimuchyate samsarat’ [217]

“‘Even outcasts are liberated from the material world by once hearing the Name of the Lord.’

(Srimad Bhagavatam: 6.16.44)

svapane jagrate yeba jalpe krsna-nama

kalite se krsna-rupi, krsnera vidhana [218]

“Those in the Age of Kali who chant the Name of Krishna while asleep or awake attain a form like that of Krishna. This is Krishna’s arrangement.

‘krsna krsneti krsneti svapan jagrad vrajams tatha

yo jalpati kalau nityam krsna-rupi bhaved dhi sah’ [219]

“‘While sleeping, waking, or walking, those who always chant, “Krishna! Krishna! Krishna!” in the Age of Kali attain a form like that of Krishna Himself.’

(Varaha-purana)

krsna bali’ nitya smare samsara-sagare

jalotthita padma yena narake uddhare [220]

“The Lord delivers from hell anyone who, like a lotus arising out of water, always remembers Him by chanting ‘Krishna’ within the ocean of material existence.

krsna krsneti krsneti yo mam smarati nityasah

jalam bhittva yatha padmam narakad uddharamy aham [221]

“‘I deliver from hell anyone who, like a lotus cutting through water, always remembers Me by chanting “Krishna! Krishna! Krishna!”’

(Nrisimha-purana)

krsna-nama sarva-mukhya jivera asraya

asesa papa hare, sadya papa-mukti-kara [222]

“The Name of Krishna is the foremost shelter of the soul. The Name removes innumerable sins and immediately liberates the soul from all sins.

‘namnam mukhyataram nama krsnakhyam me parantapa

prayaschittam asesanam papanam mochakam param’ [223]

“‘Amongst My Names, “Krishna” is supreme. This Name atones for innumerable sins and grants the ultimate liberation.’

(Prabhasa-purana)

nama chintamani, krsna, chaitanya-svarupa

purna, suddha, nitya-mukta, nama-nami eka-rupa [224]

“The Name is a wish-fulfilling jewel, Krishna Himself. He is by nature spiritual, complete, pure, and eternally liberated. The Name and the possessor of the Name are one.

‘nama chintamanih krsnas chaitanya-rasa-vigrahah

purnah suddho nitya-mukto ‘bhinnatvan nama-naminoh’ [225]

“‘The Name is a wish-fulfilling jewel, Krishna Himself, and the embodiment of spiritual joy. He is complete, pure, eternally liberated, and nondifferent from the possessor of the Name.’

(Padma-purana)

visnu-nama visnu-sakti yei jana jane

sumati prarthana kare aprakrta jnane [226]

“Those who understand the easily intelligible Name and power of Vishnu pray to Him with supramundane realisation.

‘om asya jananto nama chid-viviktan

mahas te visno sumatim bhajamahe’” [227]

“‘O Vishnu! Understanding Your spiritual, all-revealing, and easily intelligible Name, we serve You.’”

(Rig-veda: 1.156.3)

sthanesvari krsna-dasa yoda kari’ kara

bale, “prabhu eka vastu prarthana hamara [228]

Krishnadas of Sthanesvari then joined his palms and said, “O Lord, I have one request.

e-rupa mahatmya namera suninu sravane

sarvatra samana phala nahi hoya kene” [229]

“I have now heard with my own ears the glories of the Name, but such results do not occur everywhere. Why?”

prabhu bale, “sraddha visvasa sakalera mula

visvasa-abhave keha nahi labhe phala” [230]

The Lord said, “Faith and conviction are the basis of everything. Because they lack faith, some do not attain the result.”

prabhu bale, “antaryami nama bhagavan

visvasanusare phala karena pradana [231]

The Lord said, “Dwelling within the heart, the Name, the Lord Himself, grants souls results according to their faith.

namera mahima purna visvasa na kare

namera phala nahi paya, nama-aparadhe mare [232]

“Those who do not have full faith in the glories of the Name do not get the proper result of chanting the Name; they die as a result of offences to the Name.

arthavada kare phale visvasa tyajiya

phala nahi paya, thake narake padiya” [233]

“Those who consider the result of chanting the Name to be exaggerated lose their faith in the Name and do not get the proper result; they fall into hell and remain there.”

‘arthavadam harer namni sambhavayati yo narah

sa papistho manusyanam niraye patanti sphutam’ [234]

“‘The sinners within human society who imagine the glories of the Name of the Lord to be exaggerated certainly fall into hell.’

(Katyayana-samhita)

‘yan-nama-kirtana-phalam vividham nisamya

na sraddadhati manute yad utarthavadam

yo manusas tam iha duhkha-chaye ksipami

samsara-ghora-vividharti-nipiditangam’” [235]

“‘Those who hear about the various results attained by chanting My Name but have no faith in them and think them to be exaggeration—I throw such persons into the dark, troublesome material world after subjecting them to a myriad of miseries.’”

(Brahma-samhita)

• • •

The Ten Offences to the Holy Name

(1) Criticising sadhus.

(2) Considering Siva or other gods to be independent of Krishna. Or considering Krishna’s Name, form, qualities, or pastimes to be distinct from Him.

(3) Disobeying Sri Guru.

(4) Criticising the scriptures.

(5) Considering the glories of the Name exaggerated praise.

(6) Considering the Name imaginary.

(7) Using the Name as a means to absolve oneself of sin.

(8) Considering chanting the Name equivalent to pious worldly activities.

(9) Instructing faithless persons in chanting the Name.

(10) Remaining devoid of love for the Name and engrossed in the mentality of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ even after hearing the glories of the Holy Name.

• • •

The Logo of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

By His Divine Grace

Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj￼

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, where sankirtan is always going on, is inside Krishna’s flute, and the sound om, which is the very gist meaning of gayatri, comes from Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, radiating merciful rays. Srila B.R. Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj explains that everything is found within om—coming from Krishna’s flute, its meaning is “Gayatri muralista-kirtana-dhanam Radha-padam dhimahi. Krishna’s flute does not make any other sound except for the glorification of Srimati Radharani.” That is the real meaning and gist of the gayatri mantram.

The position of the guru is like water; the servitors of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math are like lotuses; and the Supreme Personality of Godhead, worshipped in His divine form of Radha-Krishna (om), is the sun. The sun’s merciful rays nourish the lotus, but if there is no water—if one cannot take shelter of Sri Guru and His grace—then the lotus becomes burnt by the rays of the sun.

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math’s Mission

srimach-chaitanya-sarasvata-mathavara-udgita-kirtir jaya-srim

bibhrat sambhati ganga-tata-nikata-nabadwipa-koladri-raje

yatra sri-gaura-sarasvata-mata-nirata-gaura-gatha grnanti

nityam rupanuga sri-krtamati-guru-gauranga-radha-jitasa

‘At this supremely enchanting divine ashram, destitute and spiritually loving devotees of Sri Gaura-Saraswati, who are expert at favourable practices of Krishna consciousness, constantly chant within their hopeful hearts the glories of Lord Sri Sri Gaurasundar, the greatly magnanimous source of all incarnations of the Lord, following in strict adherence the line of Sri Sri Rupa-Raghunath, the inexhaustible storehouse of the wealth of divine ecstatic consorthood love, and being eternally eager to engage in the loving service of Sri Sri Guru Gauranga Gandharva Govindasundar and Their associates. This effulgent and supremely worshippable King among all temples, Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math, is situated within Koladwip, which is non-different from Sri Govardhan, the King of Mountains, on the enchanting bank of the revered Bhagirathi River, who rescues all fallen souls, in Sri Nabadwip Dham, a holy abode of touchstones, non-different from Sri Vrindavan. Capturing Jayasri (the Goddess of Victory – Srimati Radharani), it exists eternally, leaving the entire creation of moving and non-moving entities astonished in the extremely cooling and loving shade of the soaring victory flag of its ever-increasing celebrated renown.’

(The translation of the verse is rendered from the original Bengali translation written by Srila B.S. Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj.)

Headquarters

of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math Road,

Kolerganj, W.Bengal, 741302

Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

Bhanjipur, Tarakeshwar,

Hooghly, West Bengal, 712410

Phone: +91 96093 02310

Please see scsmathinternational.com for other addresses in India and worldwide.

Books and Publications of Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math

(English language)

(Available at scsmathinternational.com)

By Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj:

Search for Sri Krishna Reality the Beautiful

Sri Guru and His Grace

The Golden Volcano of Divine Love

Subjective Evolution of Consciousness

Loving Search for the Lost Servant

Centenary Anthology

Divine Aspiration

Exclusive Guardianship

Golden Staircase

Heart and Halo

Holy Engagement

Home Comfort

Inner Fulfillment

Ocean of Nectar

Sri Sri Prapanna-jivanamaritam

Sri Sri Prema-dhama-devam Stotram

Sermons of the Guardian of Devotion – Volumes I, II, III, IV

By Srila Bhakti Sundar Govinda Dev-Goswami Maharaj:

Divine Servitor

Dignity of the Divine Servitor

Divine Guidance

Golden Reflections

The Benedictine Tree of Divine Aspiration

Affectionate Guidance

Life’s Destination

In Search of the Original Source

Nectarean Glories of Sri Nityananda Prabhu

Religion of the Heart

Revealed Truth

By Srila Bhakti Nirmal Acharya Maharaj:

Guidance – Volumes I, II, III, IV

Guidance (Issues 1–30): collections of lectures (electronic)

Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya-mukta-mala

By Srila Bhaktivinod Thakur:

Saranagati

Sri Nabadwip Dham Mahatmya

Dasa-mula Tattva

The Bhagavata

Other scriptures:

Sri Gaudiya Gitanjali (Kirtan Guide)

Holy Name and Offences to Be Avoided

Service Life

Srimad Bhagavad-gita

Sri Sri Prema-vivarta

Sri Brahma-samhita

(Many more publications in various languages are available at Sri Chaitanya Saraswat Math in India and abroad. Please contact any of the Mission’s temples for further information.)