There is no other way!

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krsna!

Dear Swami Gaurangapada and assembled devotees,

please accept my full dandavat pranams!

Srila Sridhara Maharaja in his commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam (according to Krsna Book by Srila Prabhupada), acknowledges the supremacy of super-soul, who resides in the heart. In full surrender to the Lord in the heart, Srila Sridhara Maharaja's cry is 'please engage me in devotional service.'

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu very much appreciated Srila Sridhara Maharaja's commentary on Srimad Bhagavatam.

We can see in the commentary posted below (by Srila Gaurangapada) that 'no self-effort' can deliver the soul from material bondage. Infact as the soul surrenders to super-soul many things will be revealed in the heart. And if the soul applies the intelligence, given by super-soul, she will surely realize the necessity of full surrender.

The material encagements, beginning with the gross elements, earth, water, fire, air and ether, and the subtle elements of mind, intelligence, and false ego...cover the spiritual nature of the living entity.

The living entity gains its power by what it has cultivated birth after birth. For example, by super-souls arrangement, we may receive the body of a great demigod, a powerful mystic yogi, a human being, or even a dog or hog. And we are limited in potency by that body. Bewildered. By the good fortune of the Lord's mercy we will realize the need for surrender - in due course that will become self-evident.

The mayavadi philosophers make the great mistake of identifying the minute soul as being equal and the same as super-soul. This is a huge error in philosophical discourse, and will not lead to the desired result.

We can see that the Supreme Lord, is never limited in potency by the body, as the conditioned jiva is limited. For example Lord Sri Krsna as a baby was still full in potency; as a 7 year old child Lord Krsna taught Indra humility - lifting Govardahan hill. The Lord has also exhibited His supremacy in the form of fish incarnation, and even a hog incarnation. The jiva is always prone to be covered by material energy, such is not the case with the Supreme Lord (and super-soul).

To finish here, Srila Sridhara Maharaja gives the final analysis - 'please grant me devotional service'.

Infact the devotee, through divine guidance, will realize surrender to the Holy Name is the all in all! The supreme perfection! The goal being pure, spotless, unmotivated devotion. The bhakti creeper, through the chanting of the Divine Names of Nityananda! Gauranga! and Hare Krsna!, will grow upward...penetrating all layers covering the soul...and this bhakti creeper will eventually take shade and shelter under the Lotus Feet of the Divine Couple, in Goloka Vrindavan.

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has given us the supremely perfect conclusion of all Vedanta. Suddha-bhakti. Scripture says, those with clear intelligence, in this age of Kali, will worship the Divine Incarnation who distributes the Holy Names. Jaya Sri Gauranga Mahaprabhu!

Let us pray that the Lord grants us the intelligence to press on in cultivation of bhakti, through the chanting of the Holy Names, which are non-different to God. So that, through surrender to supreme intelligence, we may take the journey back home, back to Godhead! Revealing our true nature as eternal servants.

Brhan Naradiya Purana -click here

The Brihan-naradiya Purana (38.126) states:

harer nama harer nama, harer namaiva kevalam;
kalau nasty eva nasty eva, nasty eva gatir anyatha.


“For spiritual progress in this Age of Kali which is full of quarrel and hypocrisy, there is no alternative, there is no alternative, there is no alternative to the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord.”

Purport by Swami Gaurangapada:

This verse is furthur explained in Shri Chaitanya-caritamrita, Adi-lila 17.22-26 & translated by Shrila Prabhupada as follows:

kali-kale nama-rupe krishna-avatara; nama haite haya sarva-jagat-nistara.

“In this Age of Kali, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, is the incarnation of Lord Krishna. Simply by chanting the holy name, one associates with the Lord directly. Anyone who does this is certainly delivered.

dardhya lagi’ ‘harer nama’-ukti tina-vara; jada loka bujhaite punah ‘eva’-kara.

“This verse repeats the word ‘eva’ [‘certainly’] three times for emphasis, and it also three times repeats ‘harer nama’ [‘the holy name of the Lord’], just to make common people understand.

‘kevala’-shabde punarapi nishcaya-karana, jnana-yoga-tapa-karma-adi nivarana.

“The use of the word ‘kevala’ [‘only’] prohibits all other processes, such as the cultivation of knowledge, practice of mystic yoga, or performance of austerities and fruitive activities.

anyatha ye mane, tara nahika nistara nahi, nahi, nahi--e tina ‘eva’-kara

“This verse clearly states that anyone who accepts any other path (other than the chanting of Hare Krishna) cannot be delivered. This is the reason for the triple repetition ‘nothing else, nothing else, nothing else,’ which emphasizes the real process of self-realization.” (Purport ends)

y.s. Nava.

 

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