The International Prayer initiative at the request of His Majesty the King of Bahrain has brought together various religious leaders and practioners of spirituality around the world, including Sri Prem Prayojan Prabhu of the Chaitanya Academy. Prem Prayojan Prabhu for the three days has inspired and carried out with all devotees in a meditation and prayer of the Holy Names:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare
Here is a compilation of his inspiring words with pramana, based on the evidence of the sacred scriptures, but also with other experiences from the participants of this beautiful inmersion in glorification of the Holy Name.
Protocol
REMEMBER:
1) Do not depend on your own strength. Take full shelter of Sri Guru and our previous acaryas.
2) Sitting in one place is preferred, but going for a walk a few times a day in a peaceful place is also acceptable.
3) Take time to sing and dance in kirtan three times daily (morning, noon and night).
4) Observe Mauna vrata – do not talk to anyone. If you live with family members, explain to them beforehand. Due to circumstances, if you really need to say something, write it down. A few days abstinence from speaking will not kill you, but it will contribute significantly to your state of contemplation.
5) Completely forget about the pandemic and all the geopolitical social chaos going on in the plane of duality. The best contribution you can make to the world is to become a pure transcendental vaisnava, beyond duality, emanating the sweetness of divine love for Sri Krsna.
Though we are all physically far away during this quarantine, by the power of the Holy Name, we will all meet together in transcendental Vrndavana!
DAY ( 1 )
Word-by-Word meaning of the HARE KRSNA MAHA MANTRA:
Commentary by Srila Jiva Gosvami.
HARE—Sri Krsnacandra’s transcendental beauty captivates the minds of all, but Srimati Radhika captivates the mind of Sri Krsna by exercising Her unrivalled cleverness. Therefore, She is known as Hara. The vocative case of Hara is Hare.
KRSNA—Sri Hari, who is adorned with qualities which bewilder the three worlds, attracts Srimati Radhika by His youthful beauty and the sweet sound of His flute. Therefore, He is called Krsna, the all-attractive one.
HARE—Sri Krsna kidnapped doe-eyed Srimati Radhika, taking Her to a secluded kunja within the räsa-mandala. This has been learned from the words of maha-purusas. Therefore, Srimati Radhika is known as Hara. Hara in its vocative case becomes Hare.
KRSNA—The magnificent effulgence that emanates from His limbs can convert gold into syama-varna (a dark sapphire lustre). That Radha-Ramana Syamasundara is called Krsna.
KRSNA—Sri Hari manifested Syama Kunda, the topmost of all lakes, in the forest of Vraja near Govardhana. He did this in accordance with the desire of His beloved Srimati Radhika, and He attracted all tirthas to it. Learned people who understand this deep secret therefore call Him Krsna.
KRSNA—Although His pastimes on the banks of the Yamuna in Vrndavana bewilder the world, the all-attractive dhira-lalita-nayaka Sri Hari is attracted by the transcendental prema of Srimati Radhika which is celebrated by the name of mahabhava. That is why learned people call Him Krsna.
HARE—In Vrndavana, Srimati Radhika playfully steals away the flute as it falls from the hands of Sri Krsna when He is immersed in rasa. This is why Radhika Devi is known as Hara. The address for Hara is Hare.
RAMA—Sri Krsna is parirambha-vicaksana, the crest-jewel amongst those ingenious in the arts of embracing. He is thus known as Rama because He wanders with Srimati Radhika, playing and enjoying with Her in the kunjas of Govardhana.
HARE—Srimati Radhika is most merciful. She steals all the miseries of the bhaktas and daily bestows inner happiness upon them. Thus, She is known as Hara and is addressed as Hare.
RAMA—The minds of the bhaktas who perform bhajana delight in paramananda-sindhu, the topmost ocean of bliss, Sri Krsna. For this reason that Syamasundara vigraha, Sri Krsna, is known as Rama.
RAMA—In the kunjas, Srimati Radhika pleases Sri Hari with Her prema. Therefore, according to the definition: ramayati anandayati, ‘He who gives happiness and bliss’, He is called Rama. Sri Krsna is also known as Rama because He unites with Srimati Radhika.
RAMA—When Sri Krsna, the giver of pleasure to His devotees, saw all the Vrajavasis fearful and weeping, He swallowed the forest fire, thus giving them great pleasure. Therefore, Sri Krsna, who arranges for His bhaktas to enjoy with Him, is called Rama.
HARE—Sri Krsna went to Mathura Puri to kill Kamsa and other demons. His sole intention was to return to Vraja and meet with Srimati Radhika. She attracts Sri Krsna from other dhamas like Mathura and Dvaraka and brings Him back to Vraja. For this reason She is called Hara (one who steals). Hara is addressed as Hare.
HARE—Sri Nanda-nandana came from Mathura and Dvaraka to steal away all the miseries of the Vrajavasis. That Nanda-nandana, who is endowed with pastimes that captivate the mind of Srimati Radhika, is called Hari. The word Hari becomes Hare in the vocative case.
Glorification of the Holy Name expressed by the devotees:
Madhava das Bramachary: Nama seva: may my independent mood, envy, pride and so on will be completely burn down by the fire of Nama Prabhu. .. MANO MADHYE STHITO MANTRO MANTRA -MADHYE STHITAM MANAH MANO MANTRAH SAMA-YUKTAM ETAD HI JAPA-LAKSANAM. … Japa is when mind is fully fixed in the mantra and mantra get fully fixed in the mind , than the two of them mix each other for long time untill became one.. than naturally the mantra reveals Himself to the surrended devotee without any need to add our mental imagination. … i pray to my Srila Gurudeva and to all Vaisnava that by their blessing may in the middle of all this thousands and thousands of name just one sillable of Suddha Nama will manifest in my heart…. JAY NITAY JAY NIMAY
Lalita Priya dasi: (CC Adi 7.94) –
evaṁ-vrataḥ sva-priya-nāma-kīrtyā
jātānurāgo druta-citta uccaiḥ
hasaty atho roditi rauti gāyaty
unmāda-van nṛtyati loka-bāhyaḥ
When a person is actually advanced and takes pleasure in chanting the holy name of the Lord, who is very dear to him, he is agitated and loudly chants the holy name. He also laughs, cries, becomes agitated and chants just like a madman, not caring for outsiders.
***
(SB 12.3.51)
kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann
asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ
kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya
mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet
My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.
Vraja Sundari Devi Dasi : I want to share a very beautiful and inspiring description of the power of the Holy Name. It is a Srila Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj’s commentary by on the last bhajan in the book “Sharanagati” by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura:
“I am in an ocean of nectar. My whole existence is within an ocean of nectarean liquid. I am beside myself. I can’t understand where I am. Where am i? What is this? What is all about me? It has almost made me mad. Am I a madman? Where is my past experience, my seriousness, my gravity, where are they? What am i?
“I have been converted wholesale by a foreign thing. I am a doll in the hands of a great force, which is also so affectionate to me. I can’t ascertain how it is possible that by my faith I have entered this great, unknown environment, unexperienced before.
“And at last I find that I am captivated. My entire being, within and without, has been captured by a particular sweet force. I can’t help being prey to such a sweet power. I can’t give any proper description of this. I came to take shelter under Him and accept Him as my guardian; now at His hand I am being dealt with in such a merciless and despotic way. Still, I feel that everything is very pleasing, beyond my experience. What is this?
“I can’t resist anymore. I am fully captured. Let my fate go anywhere. I can’t come out. I am a captive in the hand of a sweet friend; my whole independence is gone. There is no way left to me but to surrender. I am unable to describe my real position. I find that He’s an autocrat. Whatever He likes to do, He will do. Since it is not possible for me to give any resistance, I must surrender. Let me also cooperate with whatever He is pleased to do. Otherwise, what can I do? I am helpless /…/»
Sridevi Devi dasi: MAHAPRABHU’S GIFT
Krishna is wearing a garland and Radhārani is seeing this garland from far away she becomes disturbed.
Radhārani:“What is this? Oh my dear sakhis we are not envious of this garland we have not made any problem to this garland or critizicing this garland. We are pure hearted but still this garland rigth in front of us is embrazing Krishna. Only to give us pain. But why this garland become so shameless?. At list This garland should go to a private place, why in front of us?.
This is very bad behaviour. What did we do to deserve this?”.
The garland means embrace.
If Radhārani is in separation from Krishna and she faint then sakhis trying to bring the garland from Krishna and put in Radharani’s neck and Radharani will again come into external conciousness feelling as if Krishna him self is embrazing herSo Caitanya Mahaprabhu, He made a transcendental garland of this mahamantra and praying and offer it to everyone.
But who will take it? Who will accept it? Mahaprabhu said
“Prabhu bole, kohilan ei mahamantra
iha japa’ giya sabe koriya nirvandha” CB M 23,77
If you have affection for me,
“Ihā haite sarva-siddhi haibe sabāra
sarvakśaṇa bala’ ithe viddhi nāhi āra”. CB M 23,78
just chant this mahamantra you don’t chant other things and try to complit this nirvandha 64 round every day and then i am giving this nama for free. but very very few persons want to take caitanya mahaprabhu oprtunity. From srimad Prem Prayojan Prabhu Srila Gurudeva.
Stefka Kannenberg: One of my favourite verses is the following: SB.6.3.31:
tasmāt saṅkīrtanaṁ viṣṇor
jagan-maṅgalam aṁhasām
mahatām api kauravya
viddhy aikāntika-niṣkṛtam
” Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: My dear King, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore the chanting of the saṅkīrtana movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe. Please try to understand this so that others will take it seriously.”
Vrajanath das:
na yatra nātha vidyante nāma-jātyādi-kalpanāḥ |
tad brahma paramaṃ nityam avikāri bhavān aja ||
na kalpanāmṛte’rthasya sarvasyādhigamo yathaḥ |
tataḥ kṛṣṇācyutānanta-viṣṇu-nāmabhir īḍyase
Vishnu purana 5.18.53-54
“O Lord, your name, birth and so forth are not the product of imagination. You are the supreme brahman, eternal, unchanging, ever-existing and unborn. Being the aggregate of all study, you are not the object of unreal imagination. Therefore you are worshiped with the names Krishna, Acyuta, Ananta and Vishnu.”
just calling Him
Gopika dasi:
[ c.c Adi lila 8.29.30 ] “Hena Krsna nama yadi laya bahu bara tabu yadi Prema nahe, nahe asru dhara tabe jani, aparadha tahate pracura krsna nama bija tahe na kare ankura.”
If one chants the exalted holy name of the Lord again again and again and yet his love for the supreme lord does not develop and tears do not appear in his eyes, it is evident that because of his offences in chanting , the seed of the holy name of Krsna does not sprout.
Only by surrender, following your guidance , May I chant again again and again thousand and thousand names to hope to wash away even the smallest drop of my offences to one day be able to received one drop of your mercy to be able to even drop the smallest tear for the holy name.
Rasika sekara das: My obeisances thousands of times Shrila Gurudeva as when you put your hand into the fire, it will burn independently from the fact that you know it or not, in the same way the power of the Holy Name of Sri Krishna it’s independent from my understanding or my mental speculation. It is not that if I do mental activity in one way rather than an other, chanting will be more effective. Because the power is all inside the mantra, not in my mind. May I receive one drop of surrender to the Holy Name from you, so I will be able to HEAR with faith, as you are mostly blessed by saintly persons and you can inspire the whole universe to serve the lotus feet of Sri Radha Krishna. I am really the most tamasic and offensive person, but I know that by your blessing everything is possible so I should be your servant and never lose hope. SYAT KRSNA NAMA CARITADI SITAPY AVIDYA, PITTOPATAPTA RASANASYA NA ROCIKA NU, KINTV ADARAD ANUDINAM KHALU SAIVA JUSTA, SVADVI KRAMAD BHAVATI TAD GADA MULA HANTRI – The Holy Name, character, pastimes and activities of Krishna are naturally sweet like sugar candy. Although the tongue of one afflicted by the jaundice of avidya cannot taste anything sweet, it is wonderful that simply by carefully chanting these sweet names every day, a natural relish awakens within his heart and his disease is gradually destroyed at the root.
It is only by your causeless mercy that my tongue can move to sing those Names. Hare Krishna
Vrindavan Vilasini dasi : Before I start to chant I always sing: “jaya jaya harinama cid-anandamrta-dhama, para-tattva akshara akara, nija-jane krpa kori, nama-rupa avatari, jive doya karile apara“, from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakuras Gitavali. It means all glories to the Holy Name which is an abode of nectar of divine knowledge and bliss. The Supreme Truth, Sri Krsna is non-different from these syllables and gives mercy to his dear devotees. In this sound incarnation He descends to give compassion to all living entities.” While chanting I noticed that by persisting, trying to let go of all external and only give attention to hear the Name after some time chanting can become beautiful. I think it was possible because these days you are showering some special kindness to all those who try this vrata.
DAY 2
Approaching we will be doubling our chanting to 200,000 Holy Names (128 rounds). You may find this considerably more demanding. What can we do? Let’s take inspiration from our previous acarya, the great saint Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura:
nama-krpa vina koti koti yatna kare
tahate anartha kabhu nahi chade tare
niskapate yatne kande namera carane
dura haya anartha tahara alpa dine
“Without the mercy of Nama Prabhu, those who perform bhajana will be unable to give up their anarthas, even after millions of attempts. But if one sincerely weeps at the lotus feet of Nama Prabhu, all one’s anarthas will vanish within a few days.”
Yes! You can traverse the difficult stage of anartha-nivrtti (the removal of obstacles) within a few days. It is not a question of how many years you have been chanting, but how deep and sincerely you can chant today.
If you are facing some resistance from your own mind, I advise you to just “LET GO.” You cannot complete this vow by remaining attached to the citta-vrttis (thought patterns) you experience in your everyday waking consciousness. You must be prepared to let go of that familiar terrain and wander into the unknown at the mercy of the Holy Name.
To complete this vrata, you will have to be very persistent.
Shut out all other engagements from your life and fix your determination – “DO OR DIE!”
If your mind is restless, do not waver in your determination, even for a second. Rather, remember the final instructions of your great-great-grandfather, Prabhupada Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, before he departed to Goloka Vrndavana:
“As mundane thoughts arise while taking Harinama, one should not become discouraged. A secondary consequence of taking Harinama is that these useless mundane thoughts will gradually dissipate; therefore one should not worry about this. By dedicating one’s mind, body, and words to serving Sri Nama and continuing to chant with great persistence, Sri Nami Prabhu will grant one darsana of His supremely auspicious transcendental form. And by continuing to chant until one’s anarthas are fully eradicated, by the power of Sri Nama realisation of His form, qualities and pastimes will automatically arise.”
Understand? If Sri Nama Prabhu has manifested in your heart, then you may recall, His appearance is exactly as described in the following classic dhyana mantras of our Gaudiya sampradaya:
kasturi-tilakam lalata-patale vaksah-sthale kaustubham
nasagre vara-mauktikam kara-tale venuh kare kankanam
sarvange hari-candanam sulalitam kanthe ca muktavali
gopa-stri-parivestito vijayate gopala-cudamanih
“His forehead is decorated with musk tilaka, upon His chest rests the Kaustubha jewel, an exquisite pearl adorns the tip of His nose, His lotus hand holds the flute, bracelets adorn His wrists, His entire form is anointed with fragrant sandalwood paste, a necklace of pearls graces His charming neck, and He is surrounded by cowherd maidens – all glories unto He who is the crest-jewel of cowherd boys!”
phullendivara-kantim indu-vadanam barhavatamsa-priyam
srivatsankam udara-kaustubha-dharam pitambaram sundaram
gopinam nayanotpalarcita-tanum go-gopa-sanghavrtam
govindam kala-venu-vadana-param divyanga-bhusam bhaje
“I worship Govinda, whose complexion is the color of a blossoming blue lotus flower, whose face is like the moon, who is fond of wearing a peacock feather in His crown, whose chest bears the mark of Srivatsa and is adorned with the Kaustubha gem, who is attired in beautiful yellow garments, whose handsome form the gopis worship with sidelong glances, whose companions are multitudes of cows and gopas, who plays sweet melodies on the flute, and whose body is decorated with glittering ornaments.”
anga-syamalima-cchatabhir abhito mandikrtendivaram
jadyam jaguda-rocisam vidadhatam pattambarasya sriya
vrndaranya-nivasinam hrdi lasad-damabhir amodaram
radha-skandha-nivesitojjvala-bhujam dhyayema damodaram
“I meditate upon that Sri Damodara – whose dark bodily lustre is millions of times more beautiful than the blue lotus flower, whose brilliant yellow garments rebuke the radiance of golden kunkuma, whose residence is Sri Vrndavana-dhama, whose chest is beautified by a swinging vaijayanti garland, and whose splendorous left hand rests upon the right shoulder of Srimati Radhika (because He is so intoxicated by Her sweet smile and loving glances that He may fall over!)
In this very attractive form, Nama Prabhu is waiting for YOU!
Glorifications of the Holy Name by devotees:
Stefka Kannenberg: I would like to citate a favourite verse: kali-kāle nāma-rūpe kṛṣṇa-avatāra
nāma haite haya sarva-jagat-nistāra ( CC, Adi Lila, 17.22: ” In this age of Kali, The Holy Name of the Lord Krishna is incarnation of the Lord Himself. Who chants the Holy Name, associates with the Lord Krishna directly. Who chants the Holy Name of the Lord, will be certainly saved, delivered.”
Vraja Sundari Devi Dasi: Today I was thinking about the 7th verse from «Upadesamrta» of Srila Rupa Gosvami, which gives hope:
***
“Those whose tongues are afflicted by the jaundice of avidyå (or, in other words, those who are afflicted by the ignorance born of being indifferent to Sri Krshna from a time without beginning) cannot relish the nectarine names, form, qualities and pastimes of Sri Krshna, which are compared to the sweetest sugar-candy. Instead, these attributes taste bitter to them. But if with great faith one regularly takes this sugar-candy of chanting and hearing the transcendental names, form, qualities and pastimes of Sri Krshna, it gradually becomes relishable to him and destroys at the root his disease, the jaundice of avidyå or indifference to Sri Krshna. In other words, he becomes spontaneously attached to Sri Krshna.”
***
Today I also read quotes from Orthodox saints about prayer. I hope these words, like Srila Rupa Gosvami’s verse, inspire someone not to give up 🙂
***
“Many people in prayer want to immediately feel its spiritual action, they want to enjoy it. But one must first prove faithfulness to God by constancy and patience in the prayer. Man can reach the promised land only if he passes through the desert”. (Saint Ignatius Brianchaninov)
***
“When the prayer does not go, when you are tired, you want to sleep and do not want to pray, but you continue – then your prayer is dear to God, because He sees your work and rejoices in your effort.” (Holy Martyr Seraphim Zvezdinsky)
***
“Do not give up prayers when you feel nothing. The one who forces himself to pray with a dry soul is higher than the one who prays with tears”. (Hegumen Savva)
Gopika dasi: i would like to share a little part of Atma Nivedana prayer ” TOMARA SEVAYA, DUHKHA HAYA JATO, SEO TO PARAMA SUKHA SEVA SUKHA DUHKHA PARAMA SAMPADA NASAYE AVIDYA DUHKHA ” in the course of serving you, whatever difficulties may come are indeed the topmost joy. The pains and pleasures of service to you are the greatest assets, for they destroy the misery of nescience. “
Sridevi dasi:
jaya jaya śrī Guru, Prema kalpataru
adbhuta yāṅko parakāśa
hiyā ageyāna, timira vara jñana
sucandra kiraṇe karu nāśa
All glories all glories to śrī Guru the desire tree of prema. His manifestation is most astonishing- with shinning moon bean of knowledge, he removes the vast darkness in the heart.
Song by Vaiṣṇava dāsa.
My dear śrīla Gurudeva thank you so much for your mercy. Today I could completed the vrat. Hopefully tomorrow I can get again your causeless mercy that not obstacles come and I can have this amazing opportunity to touch what could be take real shelter in nāma prabhu.
Today I would like to remember Vrindavana dāsa thakur, how Narayani her mother received the mercy of śrī Gauranga mahaprabhu just calling her and telling repeat the holy names and she entered in ecstasy and was calling” krishna krishna” and rolling on the ground. And in the future she got Vrindavana dāsa thakur, the author of Caitanya Bhagavata, as her son.
Hopefully these amazings sanskaras you are giving me will grow in my heart and made this sinful person, me, humble enough to take continuously shelter in nāma prabhu.
Radhe Radhe
Jaya śrīla Gurudeva!!!
Vrinda dasi: For my today’s meditation I got inspired by the istagosthi of last Saturday: “God is His Name! His Name is God! Simply by being absorbed, just chanting & hearing that vibration of Krsna’s name, one is already meditating on Krsna. And, one has to put the iron into the fire for more than 5 minutes otherwise the iron doesn’t get the same quality as the fire.” Although my heart is very polluted and impure… Thank you that you have accepted me. I fervently pray for very strong guru-nistha and very strong nama-nistha in this very life! Dandavat pranamas! (P.S.: I defenitely want to catch up for this 128-r day asap)
Oh Nama Prabhu! I want to fall in love with You in this very life!
Madhava das bramachary: DO OR DIE…. THE ENVIRONMENT IS FRIENDLY…..JUST HEAR HEAR HEAR IT WILL BECOME MORE CLEAR CLEAR CLEAR…. S. B. 2.3.24. .. ” tad asma saram hrdayam batedam. …” = “if a person chanting the Name of Krishna does not experience hair standing , tears, heart melting, than it has to be considered that the heart of that person is as hard as Badjra : a very hard tipe of stone that can be crack only by a tremendous thunderbolt. ..melting of the heart is sintom of love… if we don’t have love we think : “there is such a thing called Krishna ” but when love manifest in heart than you can only think : “how can I please Krishna? ” so Krishna and pleasing Him cannot be 2 different things anymore ”
Vrajanath das:
Sri Nama Prabhu was very merciful today and very sweet! My verse today:
jayati jayati namananda-rupam murarer
viramita-nija-dharma-dhyana-pujadi- yatnam
kathamapi sakrd-attam muktidam praninam yat
paramam amrtam ekam jivanam bhusanam me
“All glories, all glories to the all-blissful holy name of Sri Krsna, which causes the devotee to give up all conventional religious duties,meditation and worship. When somehow or other uttered even once by living entity, the holy name awards him liberation. The holy name ofKrsna is the highest nectar. It is my very life and my only treasure.”
Srila Sanatana Gosvami, Brhad-bhagavatamrta 1.9
Damodar priya dasi:
tunde tandavini ratim vitanute tundavali-labdhaye
karna-kroda-kadambini ghatayate karnarbudebhyah sprham
cetah-prangana-sangini vijayate sarvendriyanam krtim
no jane janita kiyadbhir amrtaih krsneti varna-dvayi
“I do not know how much nectar the two syllables ‘Krs -na’ have produced. When the holy name is chanted, it appears to dance within the mouth. We then desire many, many mouths. When that name enters the holes of the ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind, and all the senses become inert.”(Rupa Gosvami)
Nicolas posada:
asam aho carana renu jusham aham syam
vrindavane kim api gulma lataushadhinam
ya dustyajam sva janam arya patham ca hitva
bhejur mukunda padavim shrutibhir bimrigyam
Radhashyam das: The Lord said: “Here is the maha-mantra, now go and do japa meditation and chant the holy names a prescribed nunber of times
(nirbandha) You will achieve all desireable perfection from chanting. Just chant the holy name constantly because no rule or regulations can restrict it. Caitanya Bhagavat madhya lila 23. 650
…the sadhaka should aspire to chant one lakh of holy names; in particular this number is considered as nirbandha. If chanting is then even further increased to three lakhs of names, the devotee will always be immersed in the Lord’s holy name. Sri Harinama Cintamani Ch 12
Sridevi dasi:This is the song I want to share
(1)
kabe ha’be bolo se-dina āmār
(āmār) aparādha ghuci’, śuddha nāme ruci,
kṛpā-bale ha’be hṛdoye sañcār
(2)
tṛṇādhika hīna, kabe nije māni’,
sahiṣṇutā-guṇa hṛdoyete āni’
sakale mānada, āpani amānī,
ho’ye āswādibo nāma-rasa-sār
(3)
dhana jana āra, kobitā-sundarī,
bolibo nā cāhi deho-sukha-karī
janme-janme dāo, ohe gaurahari!
ahaitukī bhakti caraṇe tomār
(4)
(kabe) korite śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāma uccāraṇa,
pulakita deho gadgada bacana
baibarṇya-bepathu ha’be sańghaṭana,
nirantara netre ba’be aśru-dhār
(5)
kabe navadwīpe, suradhunī-taṭe,
gaura-nityānanda boli’ niṣkapaṭe
nāciyā gāiyā, berāibo chuṭe,
bātulera prāya chāriyā bicār
(6)
kabe nityānanda, more kori ‘doyā,
chārāibe mora viṣayera māyā
diyā more nija-caraṇera chāyā,
nāmera hāṭete dibe adhikār
(7)
kinibo, luṭibo, hari-nāma-rasa,
nāma-rase māti’ hoibo bibaśa
rasera rasika-caraṇa paraśa,
koriyā mojibo rase anibār
(8)
kabe jībe doyā, hoibe udoya,
nija-sukha bhuli’ sudīna-hṛdoya
bhakativinoda, koriyā binoya,
śrī-ājñā-ṭahala koribe pracār
1) When, O when, will that day be mine? When will you give me your blessings, erase all my offences and give my heart a taste [ruci] for chanting the Holy Name in purity?
2) When will I taste the essence of the Holy Name, feeling myself to be lower than the grass, my heart filled with tolerance? When will I give respect to all others and be free from desire for respect from them?
3) When will I cry out that I have no longer any desire for wealth and followers, poetry and beautiful women, all of which are meant just for bodily pleasure? O Gaura Hari! Give me causeless devotional service [bhakti] to your lotus feet, birth after birth.
4) When will my body be covered with goose bumps and my voice broken with emotion as I pronounce Krishna’s name? When will my body change color and my eyes flow with endless tears as I chant?
5) When will I give up all thought of the world and society to run like a madman along the banks of the Ganges in Navadvipa, singing and dancing and sincerely calling out the names of Gaura and Nityananda?
6) When will Nityananda Prabhu be merciful to me and deliver me from the enchantment [maya] of the sense objects? When will he give me the shade of his lotus feet and the right to enter the market place [nama-hatta] of the Holy Name?
7) When will I buy, borrow or steal the ecstasies of the Holy Name? When will I lose myself in the intoxication of the Holy Name? When will I immerse myself in the nectar of the Holy Name after grasping the feet of a saint who constantly relishes the flavors [rasa] of devotion?
8) When will I feel compassion for all living beings [jivas]? When will I forget my own pleasure in genuine humility? And when will I, Bhaktivinoda, meekly go from door to door, preaching your message of love?
Thank you to all of you vaishnavas and vaishnavis for your support and for sharring your feelings and realizations. Hare Krishna
Day 3
So what is really happening here? In Srimad Bhagavatam, Sri Krsna explains:
yarhi samsrti-bandho ‘yam
atmano guna-vrtti-dah
mayi turye sthito jahyat
tyagas tad guna-cetasam
“The spirit soul is trapped in the bondage of material intelligence, which awards him constant engagement in the illusory modes of nature in three states – wakefulness, dreaming and deep sleep. But I, Sri Krsna, am the fourth stage of consciousness, beyond wakefulness, dreaming and deep sleep. Becoming situated in Me, the soul should give up the bondage of material consciousness. At that time, the living entity will automatically renounce the material sense objects and the material mind.”
SB 11.13.28
Yes. By becoming immersed in the Maha-mantra, you pass beyond the three states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep, and enter TURYA – the fourth state – Krsna consciousness.
The practitioner, having unflinching faith in the words of his Sri Guru, simply needs to be humble and persistent. Even if it seems difficult, one must press on with eager anticipation for Sri Krsna’s causeless mercy. As Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu expressed:
“prema-dhana vinā vyartha daridra jīvana
‘dāsa’ kari’ vetana more deha prema-dhana”
“Without the treasure of Vraja prema, my life is useless! I am a poverty-stricken beggar. Therefore I pray that You accept me as Your servant and bestow upon me the salary of ecstatic love!” (CC Antya 20.37)
Then, when you feel you cannot go on any longer, and when you least expect it, suddenly, you will be abducted from within by an irresistible, sweet loving force. Then you will have to relinquish the last vestiges of your mentally constructed identity.
dekhite dekhite, bhuliba va kabe,
nija-sthula-paricaya
nayane heriba, vraja-pura-csobha,
nitya cid-änanda-maya (1)
“When I will forget my external physical and mental identity? Then I will behold the exquisite beauty of Vraja, full of eternal spiritual bliss and cognizance.
vrsabhanu-pure, janama laiba,
yävate vivaha ha’be
vraja-gopi-bhava, haibe svabhava,
ana bhava na rahibe (2)
“I shall take birth in Vrsabhanu Maharaja’s town, Varsana, and will marry in the nearby village of Yavat. My sole disposition and nature will be that of a cowherd maiden.”
nija-siddha-deha, nija-siddha-näma,
nija-rupa sva-vasana
radha-krpa-bale, labhiba va kabe,
krsna-prema-prakarana (3)
“When will I obtain, by the power of Radha’s mercy, my own eternal spiritual body, my own realized name and garments adorning my spiritual form? And when will I receive
initiation into the artful expressions divine love for Krsna?”
yamuna-salila-aharane giya,
bujhibo yugala-rasa
prema-mugdha ha’ye, pagalini-praya,
gaiba radhara yasa (4)
“As I go to draw water from the Yamuna, I will understand the confidential mellows of Yugala-Kisora’s loving affairs. Being captivated by prema, I will sing Srimati Radhika’s
glories just like a madwoman.
Now we are preparing for the final day of this total immersion in 192 rounds (300,000) Holy Names. Remember, for success in raganuga-bhakti, four components are essential:
1) Samskara (Deep impressions in the heart from hearing the sweet Katha of Vrndavan Lila from the lotus mouth of Sri Guru.)
2) Lobha (Intense greed)
3) Krpa (Causeless mercy of Sri Krsna and his associates.)
4) Ananyata – exclusive one-pointed focus on the goal.
Then all perfection is guaranteed. Krsne matir astu!
Glorifications of the Holy Name by devotees:
Stefka Kannenberg: Thank you, dear Prem Prayojan maharaj, for the inspiration and help!
“yasya prasādād ajño ’pi
sadyaḥ sarva-jñatāṁ vrajet
sa śrī-caitanya-devo me
bhagavān samprasīdatu”; CC, Madhya Lila, 1.1: ” Even a person with no knowledge can immediately acquire all knowledge simply by the benediction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Therefore I am praying to the Lord for His causeless mercy upon me”, sais Sri Krishnadas Kaviraj Goswami. Thank you so much also for your mercy, dear Prem Prayojan maharaj, which spreads also on insignificant persons like me, who are not your diksa disciples! As you have said in a lecture ( may be I cannot reapeat it in the right way, please forgive me, if I didn’t undestand it correctly), we actually cannot chant the Holy Name. It is from the spiritual World, it is not from this material World. But just because of the mercy of the Lord Krishna and Nama Prabhu, Krishna Nama Prabhu comes on out tongue, and dances, and in this way, just because of the mercy of the Lord, we are able to chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Thank you for your mercy, dear Prem Prayojan maharaj. I was just thinking, we must be very thankful for that human body, because in this human body we are able to chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. We must chant also for those living entities, who has another type of body, and are not able to chant the Holy Name of the Lord Krishna.
Goura Narayan das: As Ananta Shesha the Holy Names vibrate from your lotus lips in the mouths of my brothers and sisters on the face of this land to the ends of the inconceivable, Bhur, Bhuvah, Svah. For today, and thanks to the causeless mercy of Sri Guru and Sri Gauranga my vow has been completed, without any personal merit in it. Thank you very much, today, yesterday and always.
sākṣi-kālātīta-dṛśyā
nutāptaṁ jīvana-sandhau
vastu-śaktijotkaṇṭhena
pāhi dāsaṁ nāma prabho
(Sri Prem Prayojan Prabhu)
“I am the witness who sees herself beyond body and mind, confused, who suffocates eternally for not obtaining the grace of Your Holy Names, who does not see You and who longs for Your gaze, who urgently seeks Your mercy in her contrition , for the pain of having offended you in this love, which is Yours and which is mine, regretting desperately and with regret. Have I actually done Bhajana? It is impossible for me because of my offenses! I look for it at the last moment of my life, situated in the interaction between this life and the next, far from my material mental emotions. By the same intrinsic power born spontaneously when manifesting Your Holy Name, and aspiring to the feeling of a maiden who is waiting sitting on the bank of the Yamunā, in Vṛndāvana, please, Nama Prabhu, protect Your servant!
Lalita priya dasi:
oṁ āsya jānanto nāma cid vivaktan mahas te viṣṇo su-matiṁ bhajāmahe oṁ tat sat.
“O Viṣṇu, Your name is completely transcendental. Thus, it is self-manifest. Indeed, even without properly understanding the glories of chanting Your holy name, if we vibrate Your name with at least a small understanding of its glories — that is, if we simply repeat the syllables of Your holy name — gradually we shall understand it.” (Ṛg Veda1.156.3)
sarveṣām apy aghavatām
idam eva suniṣkṛtam
nāma-vyāharaṇaṁ viṣṇor
yatas tad-viṣayā matiḥ
Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Viṣṇu, such sinful persons may attract the attention of the Supreme Lord, who therefore considers, “Because this man has chanted My holy name, My duty is to give him protection.” (SB 6.2.10)
eka ‘nāmābhāse’ tomāra pāpa-doṣa yābe
āra ‘nāma’ la-ite kṛṣṇa-caraṇa pāibe
Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu further advised Subuddhi Rāya: “First nama-abhasa will destroy all of your sinful reactions and second nama-abhasa will give you the shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. (CC Madhya 25.199)
Vrinda dasi:
sākṣi-kālātīta-dṛśyā
nutāptaṁ jīvana-sandhau
vastu-śaktijotkaṇṭhena
pāhi dāsaṁ nāma prabho
[Firt Aid, Śrī Prem Prayojan Prabhu]
This is the other verse:
ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi
na bhaved grāhyam-indriyaiḥ
sevonmukhe hi jihvādau
svayam eva sphuratyadaḥ
[Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu (1.2.232)]
The human material mind and senses cannot perceive śrī harināma because it is a transcendental sound. It will appear by itself on the pure senses of the sevon-mukha sādhaka, the practitioner who is attentively engaged in repeating the name and in whose heart the desire to serve Śrī Kṛṣṇa has arisen. Then one will understand everything. Nama will become a guru and teaches everything also.
Gopika dasi:
Gopinatha, Mama Nivedana Suno
( 3 ) GOPINATH, KEMONE SODHIBE MORE, NA JANI BHAKATI, KARME JADA MATIN, PODECHI SAMSARA GHORE ” O Gopinatha how will you purify me ? I do not know what bhakti is, and my materialistic mind is absorbed in mundane fruitive activities, I have fallen into a dark and perilous wordly existence
(5) GOPINATH NIYATA CARANE STHANA, MAGE E PAMARA, KADIYA , KADIYA KAROHE KARUNA DASA ” O Gopinath this wicked soul, weeping piteously begs for an eternal place at your lotus feet. Bestow your mercy upon me .
By perseverance and determination may one day my prayer be heard.
Please Gurudeva pray for me to be able to keep my vow of never giving up. My mind always finding faults and speculations for me to give up, but I will never give up holding at your lotus feet
Madhava das bramachary: Srila Ragunatha Dasa Goswami : “Caitanya candra mama hrit kumudam vikasya hrdyam vidhehi nija cintana bhrnga rangaih kincaparadha timiram nibidam vidhuya padamrtam sadaya payaya durgatam mam”=”O Caitanya candra! I implore You to please make the lotus flower of my heart bloom so that it will first attract and than enclose the bumblebee of remembrance of You. O merciful Lord! My second request is that after destroying the dense darkness of my offenses, please make this miserable person drink the nectar of Your feet”
Srila NaraHari Sarakara… MANA RE! KAHA NA GAURA KATHA. ..GAURERA NAMA AMIYARA DHAMA, PIRITI MURATI DATA…. o mind!speack only about Gaura. Gaura ‘s name is the abode of nectar and the worshipable bestower of unnatojjvala prema…in sleeping -GAURA, in dreaming -GAURA. Gaura is the star of my eyes. In life-GAURA, at time of death -GAURA. GAURA ‘s Name is the precious necklace I wear around my neck
Anupama dasi: In the first sloka of Sri manah Siksa, Srila Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami addresses the mind: “gurau gosthe gostalayisu sujane bhusura-gane/sva-mantre sri-namni vraja-nava-yuva-dvandva-sarane/sada dambham hita kuru ratim apurvam atitara/-maye svantar bhratas catubhir abhiyace dhrta-pada – O my dear brother, my foolish mind! Taking hold of your feet, I humbly pray to you with sweet words. Please give up all pride and quickly develop sublime and incessant rati for Sri Gurudeva, Sri Vraja-dhama, the residents of Vraja, the Vaisnavas, the brahmanas, your diksa-mantras, the holy names of the Supreme Lord, and the shelter of Kisora-Kisori, Sri Sri Radha-Krsna, the eternally youthful divine couple of Vraja.”
Completion of the International Prayer Initiative – Epilogue
Our three-day intensive Maha-mantra immersion has now finally drawn to a close. For many, it was the first time to delve into the unchartered waters of twenty-one hours of continuous chanting. Along the way, everyone felt tremendous encouragement upon reading about each other’s break-through experiences, personal miracles and unexpected realizations. When planning this event, I had strong faith that this vow would open up another world for many of you, and by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s grace, I was not disappointed.
But now is not the time to rest on our laurels or savour the taste of victory. Let’s take stock of the situation and formulate the next step.
Some of you discovered that you really can chant at least four times more japa than you thought possible. Now this particular vrata is completed, it will be necessary again to devote more time in studying, organizing nama-hatta programs, and various other services in the mission of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Nevertheless, try to maintain a higher standard of japa than you were observing prior to the vrata. Furthermore, make a special effort every Ekadasi to complete 64,128 or 192 rounds as far as possible. We will also make another vrata later in the summer.
If you found that the vow was difficult at times, don’t be disheartened. Your moments of insight have created nirodha-samskaras, impressions favourable for achieving dhyana (meditation). As these nirodha-samskaras accumulate, they will impede the vyutthana-samskaras, the turbulent impressions of everyday thoughts about external objects. So, be assured, you have progressed, and next time will be much less troublesome. Sri Krsna is already thinking, “How can I bring this person to the shelter of my lotus feet?”
Perhaps now you have direct experience of the exquisite state of profound inner peace that arises naturally when the mind is fully permeated by the vibration of the Holy Name. Perhaps the mask of your external material identity slipped off for a few moments and you saw all Reality as Sri Krsna’s joyful symphony. Perhaps your heart melted and trembled at the thought of Sri Krsna’s tender feet stepping upon a sharp sprout of grass. Perhaps your Guru-parampara appeared to wipe away your tears and welcome you into their eternal service. Who knows what unspeakable wonders manifested before the pure hearts of the devotees?
Whatever the case, we live and breathe in this world only to fulfil the desires of our Holy Master, Sri Guru, and our previous acaryas. The sole purpose of Chaitanya Academy is to facilitate the flow of living entities first into Sri Nityananda Prabhu’s marketplace of the Holy Name, and from there, into the mano’bhista seva of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu as revealed by Srila Rupa Gosvami – raga-marga and especially Sri Sri Radha-Krsna yugala-seva.
Glorifications of the Holy Name by devotees:
Madhava das bramachary: i found it helpfull during this Nama seva : it really carry me along and maintained me with strength while chanting to remember the words of Srila Gurudeva to don’t depends on your own fisical or intellellectual strength , but depends on Guru and Gauranga’s mercy…. “Krishna Sakty bina nahe tare pravarthana “: without being empowered by Krishna’s Sakhti , which come to us only by Gurudeva ‘s mercy (Krishna keeps His Kripa Sakty fully with His dear devotees and they freely travel and distribute) no one can preach or take up the practice of Harinam Sankirtan. …. it helped me also, in moment when the mind was creating obstacles in hearing the name , to chant louder and very very slow , and surrender into that sound, and as miracle all distraction goes away at once and I could be focus again…. Also seeing my childlike austerity and strength in chanting and compare it to the saints of the past, I could see that I am nowhere, in this way I may will not take shower in the burning donkey urine of deceit, hypocrisy of thinking to be great devotee absorbed in bhajan…..because it will bring to have pride in me, desire to be worshipped and than disrespect other Vaisnava which will lead me to a total destruction .
This i know in theory only by Srila Gurudeva mercy, hopefully will be realized soon…. my pranams to all. …. JAY Nitaaaaay JAY NIMAY
Devote from Russia Ярослав Романюк :
pracinanam bhajanam atulam duskaram srnvato me
nairyasena jvalati hrdayam bhakti-lesalasasya
visva-dricim aghahara tavakarnya karunya-vicim
asa-binduksitam idam upety antare hanta saityam
“I am very weak and lazy to do even the smallest devotional service. Therefore, when I hear of the peerless and difficult-to-perform services performed by the great devotees in ancient times, my heart burns with despair. On the other hand, O Lord, O killer of Aghasura, when I hear that Your waves of mercy splash everyone, from the demigod Brahma down to the most insignificant creature, and even to the demon Aghasura who was the embodiment of sin, then my heart becomes sprinkled with a cooling drop of hope.”
Srila Rupa Goswami in his Stava Mala
Thank you so much Sri Prem Prayojan Prabhu for always inspiring me in bhakti and service to Srila Gurudeva and reading these wonderful achievements of all of you and all those who have participated in these three days of absorption in the Holy Name, nothing else remains for me I pray and ask you to give me your blessings so that one day I too can feel and do what you do and feel.
Jay Srila Gurudeva!
Aspiring to serve Hari Guru Vaishnavas,
Navita dasi
Navita dasi 