Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Sickness Message to a Devotee Video
Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Jaya Jagannatha! Jaya Shri Guru Parampara!
MP4 Lower Quality For Slow Speeds. Flash Player, VLC Desktop Player
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Re: The Straight Path
Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!
Dandavats and obeissances.
Here is a conversation from Caitanya Bhagavata between Naama Acarya Srila Haridasa Thakura and a foolish brahmana regarding the benefits of loudly chanting the holy names versus softly chanting the holy names with purports from Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada.
CB Adi-khanda 16.268
TEXT 268
�aye haridasa! e ki vyabhara tomara
dakiya ye nama laha, ki hetu ihara?
TRANSLATION
�O Haridasa, what is this behavior? Why are you are loudly chanting the names of the Lord?
COMMENTARY
That foolish, ignorant, atheistic, fallen brahmana said, �There is no injunction for loudly
chanting the names of Hari in any scripture; rather, it is recommended that one chant within
his mind. Therefore the loud chanting of Hari�s names by Haridasa is prohibited by the
scriptures. Therefore his engagement in such activities is most improper.� Being controlled
by such blind faith, that brahmana arrogantly asked Haridasa the reason for his loud
chanting. His conception was that since Haridasa Thakura was not born in a seminal brahmana family, he was completely unqualified to act as a spiritual master, the giver of the holy names. He feared that if Haridasa loudly chanted the names of Hari he would have to
automatically hear the holy names from the mouth of a pure devotee and thus naturally become his disciple, so he wanted Haridasa to refrain from loudly chanting hari-nama, which is the function of a jagad-guru. This proves the brahmana�s foolishness, ignorance, and mistaken ideas regarding the scriptural conclusions.
CB Adi-khanda 16.269
TEXT 269
mane mane japiba,-ei se dharma haya
dadiya laite nama kon shastre kaya?
TRANSLATION
�The injunction is that one should chant in his mind. Which scripture says that one should
chant loudly?
CB Adi-khanda 16.270
TEXT 270
ka�ra shiksha,-hari-nama dakiya laite?
ei ta� pandita-sabha, balaha ihate�
TRANSLATION
�Who has taught you to chant the name of Hari loudly? Please give your explanation before
this assembly of learned scholars.�
CB Adi-khanda 16.271
TEXT 271
haridasa balena,-�ihara yata tattva
tomara se jana� hari-namera mahattva
TRANSLATION
Haridasa said, �You all know the glories of Lord Hari�s holy names.
CB Adi-khanda 16.272
TEXT 272
tomara-sabara mukhe shunina se ami
balitechi, balibana yeba kichu jani
TRANSLATION
�Therefore I have simply repeated and will repeat whatever I have heard from you.
CB Adi-khanda 16.273
TEXT 273
ucca kari� laile shata-guna punya haya
dosha ta� na kahe shastre, guna se varnana�
TRANSLATION
�If one chants loudly, he gets one hundred times more benefit. The scriptures never condemn loud chanting, rather they glorify it.
COMMENTARY
The result one achieves by mentally chanting the names of Hari is multiplied one hundred
times by chanting loudly. This is the injunction of all scriptures. It is a fact that by
chanting loudly one obtains one hundred times greater results. And there is no fault in such
chanting. It is to be understood that those who consider the Hare Krishna maha-mantra should only be chanted softly in japa are averse to realizing the purport of the scriptures. The three names of address-Hare, Krishna, and Rama-are meant both for japa and kirtana. One can call the Lord in his mind or out loud. If one calls the Lord loudly, then many persons can hear the name of the Lord and obtain auspiciousness by such hearing. Hearing the names of the Lord is one of the nine principle limbs of devotional service. Unless the sadhus loudly chant the names of Hari, no one becomes qualified for the devotional process of hearing. Therefore the false arguments of those who are averse to loud chanting are certainly incited by Kali. The chanting of the holy names is more or less imperceptible in the activities of meditation, sacrifice, and Deity worship; that is why in Kali-yuga various controversies arise in the performance of meditation, sacrifice, and Deity worship. When those who are victims of Kali come forward to place obstacles in the path of the devotees� worship of Hari, then those devotees who are engaged in the Satya, Treta, and Dvapara processes of meditation, sacrifice, and Deity worship do not enter into argument; but those devotees who chant the names of Hari remove the wicked habits of the victims of Kali and chant the unlimited glories of the holy names for the eternal benefit of such people. This is the actual medicine for their argument-infected hearts.
CB Adi-khanda 16.274
TEXT 274
uccaih shata-gunam bhavet
TRANSLATION
��If one loudly chants the holy names of the Lord, he obtains one hundred times more benefit than by chanting softly or remembering the holy names.��
CB Adi-khanda 16.275
TEXT 275
vipra bale,-�ucca-nama karile uccara
shata-guna punya-phala haya, ki hetu ihara?�
TRANSLATION
The brahmana said, �How does one get one hundred times more benefit by loud chanting?�
CB Adi-khanda 16.276
TEXT 276
haridasa balena,-�shunaha, mahashaya!
ye tattva ihara, vede bhagavate kaya�
TRANSLATION
Haridasa replied, �My dear sir, listen to the verdict of the Vedas and Shrimad Bhagavatam in
this regard.�
CB Adi-khanda 16.277
TEXT 277
sarva-shastra sphure haridasera shri-mukhe
lagila karite vyakhya krishnananda sukhe
TRANSLATION
Haridasa then revealed the purport of all the scriptures as he began his explanation in the
ecstasy of Krishna consciousness.
CB Adi-khanda 16.278
TEXT 278
�shuna, vipra! sakrit shunile krishna-nama
pashu, pakshi, kita yaya shri-vaikuntha-dhama
TRANSLATION
�Listen, dear brahmana. If even animals, birds, or insects hear the holy names from the
mouth of a pure devotee, they will go to Vaikuntha.
COMMENTARY
�O brahmana, when the transcendental sound of Krishna�s holy names emanates from the mouths of sadhus, bhaktas, or Vaishnavas and enters the ear holes of any living entity interested in serving the Lord, then that sound vibration certainly frees him from the bondage of maya. The transcendental sound vibration removes the living entities� propensity for enjoyment and awakens their propensity for service to the Supreme Lord. Since unlike those of conditioned souls in the material sky, there is no ignorance or material enjoyment in the devotees� tongues, which are abodes of Vaikuntha, and since the transcendental holy names are full manifestations of advaya-jnana, or the transcendental reality, devotees do not become entangled in material enjoyment while chanting. Therefore if a living entity chants the transcendental name of the Lord, he becomes jivan-mukta, liberated even in this life. In order to become liberated from the bondage of material existence, a conditioned soul should accept mercy from a liberated soul by accepting mantra-diksha, or initiation. When one has perfected his chanting, he becomes qualified to loudly chant the holy names. He then becomes extremely distressed on seeing the conditioned souls� anarthas born of prajalpa and mundane words that gratify the mind, both of which are unrelated to Krishna; as a jagad-guru, he removes their propensities for mundane enjoyment and sends them to the kingdom of Vaikuntha. Ordinary foolish people think, �The shastric statement that just by once chanting or hearing the transcendental name of the Lord one is certain to go back to Vaikuntha is simply an exaggeration.� But actually the extraordinary influence of the transcendental name is not under the jurisdiction of the most tiny brains of such illusioned materialists who want to measure everything with their blunt material senses. If one considers the transcendental name to be in the category of material objects, then his enjoyment prone evil propensities do not allow him to understand the extraordinary, transcendental, spiritual name that is not perceivable to material senses. That is why the absence of faith in the Vedas or in Vaishnava literatures in pursuance of the Vedas is proof of a living entity�s misfortune.
CB Adi-khanda 16.279
TEXT 279
TRANSLATION
Anyone who chants Your name purifies all who hear his chanting, as well as himself. How much more beneficial, then, is the touch of Your lotus feet?
CB Adi-khanda 16.280
TEXT 280
pashu-pakshi-kita-adi balite na pare
shunilei hari-nama ta�ra saba tare�
TRANSLATION
�Although animals, birds, and insects cannot chant, when they hear the holy names they will
all be delivered.
CB Adi-khanda 16.281
TEXT 281
japile shri-krishna-nama apane se tare
ucca-sankirtane para upakara kare
TRANSLATION
�If one silently chants the names of Krishna, then he is delivered; but if one loudly
chants, then he delivers others also.
COMMENTARY
One who softly chants the transcendental names benefits only himself, whereas one who loudly and congregationally chants the transcendental names can benefit the audience along with himself. Only a spiritual master who is engaged in krishna-kirtana is compassionate to all living entities and able to perform the highest welfare activities for all.
CB Adi-khanda 16.282
TEXT 282
ataeva ucca kari� kirtana karile
shata-guna phala haya sarva-shastre bale
TRANSLATION
�Therefore the scriptures say that one gets a hundred times more benefit by chanting loudly.
CB Adi-khanda 16.283
TEXT 283
japato hari-namani sthane shata-gunadhikah
atmanam ca punaty uccair japan shrotrin punati ca
TRANSLATION
��One who loudly chants the holy names of the Lord is a hundred times greater than one who silently chants, because those who chant silently purify only themselves, while those who chant loudly purify themselves as well as those who hear them.�
COMMENTARY
[This verse was spoken by Prahlada Maharaja in the Naradiya Purana.]
CB Adi-khanda 16.284
TEXT 284
japa-karta haite ucca-sankirtana-kari
shata-guna adhika se puranete dhari
TRANSLATION
�The Puranas say that a person who chants the Lord�s name loudly is a hundred times more
pious that the person who chants to himself.
COMMENTARY
Persons who loudly and congregationally chant the holy names of Hari obtain one hundred
times better results than those who chant the holy names softly. If a person secretly hears
some ordinary words on the pretext of hearing hari-nama from a foolish so-called guru and,
being tempted by material enjoyment, engages in motivated worship, then he will never
achieve eternal auspiciousness. Whereas if one loudly chants the pure holy names heard from the mouth of a liberated maha-bhagavata spiritual master, then other Vaishnavas who hear that chanting will discuss the glories of hari-nama amongst each other. As a result, the
loud chanters are more benefited than the soft chanters. Those who cannot realize the
difference between nama-aparadha, namabhasa, and shuddha-nama often commit the first of the ten nama-aparadhas-criticizing a sadhu or Vaishnava who has fully taken shelter of the holy names-and they commit the grave offense of disregarding the spiritual master by considering him a mortal being and envying him. They commit offense by considering material objects as worshipable and seeing Lord Vishnu, the controller of all, as equal to the demigods. As a result, they become Vaishnava offenders by being faithless of the unalloyed Vaishnavas. They then become inattentive to the service of Shri Nama Prabhu, and the offenses of considering the glories of chanting the holy names as imaginary and giving some interpretation on the holy names capture them. They then consider the holy names as equal to pious activities and become attached to committing sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy names. Being greedy for donations, such people accept the garb of a guru and, like common merchants, pretend to give instructions on the holy names to faithless persons. In this way they bring inauspiciousness to the entire world. Being overwhelmed by thoughts of �I� and �mine,� they gradually become averse to the Vedic literatures and literatures in pursuance of the Vedic version. These ten offenses result in the falldown of chanters; but by the influence of good association the loud chanters of the holy names understand these offenses and therefore retire from the inconvenience of nirjana-bhajana.
CB Adi-khanda 16.285
TEXT 285
shuna, vipra! mana diya ihara karana
japi� apanare sabe karaye poshana
TRANSLATION
�O brahmana, listen carefully to the reason behind this. One who softly chants the holy
names liberates only himself.
CB Adi-khanda 16.286
TEXT 286
ucca kari� karile govinda-sankirtana
jantu-matra shuninai pai vimocana
TRANSLATION
�One who loudly chants the names of Govinda, however, liberates himself along with all
living entities who hear him.
CB Adi-khanda 16.287
TEXT 287
jihva painao nara-vina sarva-prani
na pare balite krishna-nama-hena dhvani
TRANSLATION
�Although all living entities have a tongue, only the human beings are able to chant the
names of Krishna.
CB Adi-khanda 16.288
TEXT 288
vyartha-janma ihara nistare yaha haite
bala dekhi,-kon dosha se karma karite?
TRANSLATION
�Tell me, what is wrong with that activity by which living entities who have taken useless
births will be delivered?
COMMENTARY
Although all living entities are not able to chant the spiritual names, they can certainly
hear the spiritual names chanted by devotees of the Lord. The lives of those who are not
qualified to hear the spiritual names are certainly most useless. Since by hearing the
chanting of the spiritual names, all living entities can be eligible for liberation in this
lifetime, such loud chanting of Hari�s names can never be the subject of argument, fault, or
criticism.
CB Adi-khanda 16.289
TEXT 289
keha apanare matra karaye poshana
keha va poshana kare sahasreka jana
TRANSLATION
�One person may maintain himself, while another may maintain a thousand people.
CB Adi-khanda 16.290
TEXT 290
duite ke bada, bhavi� bujhaha apane
ei abhipraya guna� ucca-sankirtane�
TRANSLATION
�Of the two, consider carefully who is better. This is the superior characteristic of loud
chanting.�
COMMENTARY
A selfish person maintains himself, whereas another person may maintain a thousand persons apart from himself. Of the two, whom should we accept as greater? If we carefully consider, we will understand that loud chanters are not selfish; rather, they are selfless benefactors of others. Therefore loud chanters are superior to those who only chant softly, and loud chanting is hundreds and thousands of times superior to chanting only softly.
Sincerely
Jagannatha Gauranga dasa
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Re: Shri Chaitanya Bhagavata Verses about Nitaai Gaura Naama
Dear Vaishnavas,
Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krishna! It's not over yet! There's still one more!
Antya Chapter 9 (Gaura Sankirtana -- the crowning glory!)
Text 157
One day, Advaita Acarya, wild with bliss, said to the devotees,
Text 158
"Listen, O My brothers. Filling our mouths with His names, today we will sing about Lord Chaitanya.
Text 159
"Today we will not sing about any other avatara. Lord Chaitanya is the essence of all avataras.
Text 160
"Taking Us with Him, Lord Chaitanya descended to the earth to deliver everyone in all the worlds.
Text 161
"By His mercy We are honored everywhere. He has given Us the great wealth that is sankirtana.
Text 162
"I will dance. You all sing Lord Chaitanya's glories. Roar like lions. Leave behind all the fear in your hearts."
Text 163
Lord Chaitanya had hidden Himself. All the devotees thought, "Lord Chaitanya will be angry."
Text 164
However, no one could disobey Advaita Acarya's command. They all sang Lord Chaitanya's glories.
Text 165
Wild with bliss, lionlike Advaita Acarya danced. In the four directions everyone sang Lord Chaitanya's glories.
Text 166
Hearing the names and glories of Lord Chaitanya, the Lord's most recent avatara in this world, all the Vaishnavas became wild with bliss.
Text 167
Personally singing about Lord Chaitanya, Advaita Acarya danced. In this way He delivered the worlds.
Text 168
He sang:
shri-chaitanya narayana karuna-sagor
duhkhitera bandhu prabhu mora doya kor
"O Shri Chaitanya, O Narayana, O ocean of mercy, O friend of the distressed, O Lord, please be merciful to Me!"
Text 169
When this verse came on lionlike Lord Advaita's mouth, the kirtana became very glorious.
Text 170-171
Someone said, "Jaya Shachinandana! Someone else said: "Jaya Gauracandra-Narayana! Jaya Sankirtana Priya! Shri Gaura Gopala! Jaya Bhakta Jana Priya! Pashandira kala!"
jaya sankirtana-priya shri-gaura-gopal
jaya bhakta-jana-priya pashandira kal
"Glory to Chaitanya-Narayana! Glory to Chaitanya-Krishna, who is fond of sankirtana! Glory to the Lord who loves the devotees and is destructive time personified to the blasphemers!"
Text 172
Lionlike Advaita Acarya wildly danced. All the devotees sang of Lord Chaitanya's names, virtues, and activities.
A Song in Shri-raga
Text 173
Look at Lord Chaitanya! As He joyfully sings the Supreme Lord's glories, He rolls about on the ground, and the hairs of His body stand erect. He is Lord Krishna Hismelf. He is the king of Vaikuntha. Assuming the form of a brahmana, He has descended to this world. Now He enjoys pastimes of sankirtana.
Text 174
(Refrain, kanaka jiniya kanti shri-bigraha sobhe ati
ajanu-lambita-bhuja saja re
nyasi-bara-rupa-dhar apana rase bihwal
na jani kemana sukhe nace re
His graceful body's splendor defeats gold. His arms reach to His knees. Assuming the form of a sannyasi, He has become wild by tasting the nectar of love for a person who is actually Himself. Why does He dance so blissfully? I do not know.
Text 175
jaya shri-gaurasundar karuna-sindhu
jaya jaya brindabana-raya
jaya jaya samprati jay nabadwipa-purandar
carana-kamala deha' chaya
Glory to Lord Chaitanya, who is handsome and fair, and who is an ocean of mercy! Glory, glory to the king of Vrindavana! Glory, glory, glory to He who is now the king of Navadvipa! O Lord, please give me the shade of Your lotus feet.
Text 176
All the devotees sang kirtana. Meditating on Lord Chaitanya's feet, Advaita Acarya danced.
Text 177
Hearing these new verses about the Lord's most recent avatara, the Vaishnavas joyfully sang the names of Lord Krishna.
Text 178
How wonderful was the bliss in that kirtana! Lord Nityananda alone has the power to describe it completely.
Text 179
Hearing the loud sounds of the kirtana, Lord Chaitanya, the jewel of the sannyasis, came there.
Text 180
Seeing Lord Chaitanya, the devotees sang with even more joy, and Advaita Acarya danced with even more bliss.
Text 181
Filled with bliss, no one feared Lord Chaitanya. Everyone openly sang of Lord Chaitanya's glories.
Text 182
In His pastimes Lord Chaitanya was always in the mood of Lord Krishna's servant. He would say, "I am a servant of Lord Krishna. Please do not call Me anything else."
Text 183
No one had the power to face Him and openly call Him "Supreme Personality of Godhead". They could only call Him "Lord Krishna's servant".
Text 184
Still, by Advaita Acarya's power they were now fearlessly singing songs declaring that Lord Chaitanya was Lord Krishna Himself.
Text 185
Lord Chaitanya, the jewel of the sannyasis, stood for a moment and listened to the songs glorifying Him. Then He became embarrassed and fled.
Text 186
To teach everyone, Lord Chaitanya, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the supreme siksha-guru, went home when He heard others singing a kirtana glorifying Him.
Text 187
Even so, fear was not born in any heart. Now they sang the Lord Chaitanya's glories all the more.
Text 188
External consciousness was not present in anyone's body. Everyone saw that Lord Chaitanya was present in the kirtana glorifying Him.
Text 189
Everyone wildly sang Lord Chaitanya's glories. They became almost like madmen. The saintly devotees heard that kirtana with joy. The wicked were unhappy to hear it.
Text 190
Of what value are brahmacarya or sannyasa to a person who is not pleased by Lord Chaitanya's glories?
Text 191
In this way the devotees always joyfully sang sankirtana of Lord Krishna's holy names.
Text 192
Anyone who reads or hears of all these blissful pastimes will one day meet all the personal associates of Lord Chaitanya.
Text 193
Singing and dancing, all these great devotees went to see Lord Chaitanya.
Text 194
Hearing the kirtana glorifying Him, and then seeing how everyone had come, Lord Chaitanya became afraid. He lay down to go to sleep.
Text 195
Saintly Govinda informed the Lord, "All the Vaishnavas are at Your door."
Text 196
Lord Chaitanya ordered Govinda to bring them all inside. Then Lord Chaitanya went to sleep. No one looked in any other direction. They looked only at Him.
Text 197
Afraid, all the devotees meditated on Lord Chaitanya's feet.
Text 198
In a moment Lord Chaitanya, who dearly loves His devotees, awakened. He said, "Ah! All the Vaishnavas!
Text 199
"Ah! Ah! Saintly Shrivasa Pandita! Why have You all come here today?
Text 200
"Why, abandoning Lord Krishna's holy names, and abanonding kirtana glorifying Lord Krishna, have you all come and awakened Me?"
Text 201
Very eloquent Shrivasa said, "Lord, the individual souls have no power to act independently, against Your will.
Text 202
"As the Supreme Personality of Godhead makes me act and speak, so I act and speak. This I tell to You."
Text 203
Lord Chaitanya said, "You are all panditas. Why do you hide your knowledge?"
Text 204
Hearing Lord Chaitanya's words, Shrivasa Pandita moved his hand as if he were trying to cover the sun. Then he laughed.
Text 205
Lord Chaitanya said, "What do you hint by moving your hand like that? Tell Me what your gesture means."
Text 206
Shrivasa said, "With this hand I will cover the sun. Thus I tell You the meaning of this gesture.
Text 207
"Do I have the power to cover the sun with one hand? In the same way, You have no power to hide Yourself.
Text 208
"Even if some day I get the power to cover the sun with my hand, You will still have no power to hide Yourself.
Text 209
"On the ocean of milk You could not hide Yourself. How will You hide Yourself in the world of human beings?
Text 210
"Your pure glories will fill every direction, from the Himalayas to Setubandha to the entire earth.
Text 211
"The kirtana glorifying You will fill the entire universe, reaching up to Brahmaloka. How many people will sing in that kirtana? How will You punish them all?"
Text 212
The Supreme Personality of Godhead always chants the glories of His devotees. Now a great wonder had come to the Lord's own door.
Text 213
From where did so many thousands and thousands of people come? I do not know. After seeing Lord Jagannatha, they all went to see Lord Chaitanya.
Text 214
Some had come from Tripura, others from Catigrama, orthers from Shrihatta, and others from East Bengal.
Text 215
Thousands and thousands of people sang a kirtana glorifying Lord Chaitanya.
Text 216
They sang:
jaya jaya shri-krishna-chaitanya banamali
jaya jaya nija-bhakti-rasa-kutuhali
"Glory, glory to Shri Krishna Chaitanya, who is forestflower-garlanded Lord Krishna! Glory, glory to the Lord who now happily tastes the nectar of devotional service to a person who is actually Himself!
Text 217
jaya jaya parama-sannyasi-rupa-dhari
jaya jaya sankirtana-lampata murari
"Glory, glory to the Lord who has now assumed the form of the supreme sannyasi! Glory, glory to Lord Krishna, who is now eager to enjoy pastimes of sankirtana!
Text 218-219
jaya jaya dwija-raja baikuntha-bihari
jaya jaya sarba-jagatera upakari
jaya krishna-chaitanya shri-sacira nandan
"Glory, glory to the king of brahmanas, who is actually the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the master who enjoys pastimes in Vaikuntha! Glory, glory to the Lord who blesses all the worlds! Glory to Saci's son, Shri Krishna Chaitanya!"
In this way everyone sang while a hundred persons danced.
Text 220
Then Shrivasa said, "Lord, what will You do? The whole world is singing. Where will You hide?
Text 221
"Lord, what should I teach the whole world? Lord, the whole world is singing like this.
Text 222
"Lord, You do not appear before the conditioned souls. They cannot see You. But because You are merciful You now stand before their eyes.
Text 223
"You hide from them, and also You reveal Yourself to them. They who attain Your mercy understand You."
Text 224
Lord Chaitanya said, "By your own power you arranged all this. With your own mouth you told everyone in the world. This I know.
Text 225
"I am defeated by you. Listen, O pandita, I know you have all powers."
Text 226
The Supreme Personality of Godhead always praises His devotees. That is His nature. This the Vedas and the Shrimad-Bhagavatam say.
Text 227
With a smiling face Lord Chaitanya bid farewell to all the Vaishnavas. They all returned to their homes.
Text 228
Lord Chaitanya loves His devotees. Because of Him everyone chants, "Krishna!"
Text 229
Lord Nityananda, Lord Advaita, and all the other personal associates of the Lord affirm, "Shri Krishna Chaitanya is the Supreme Personality of Godhead."
Text 230
They who disagree with the Supreme Lord's words and say that Lord Chaitanya is not Lord Krishna are unfortunate.
So there we are! Getting the original verses will take a while. But I have them and will do so when able. I have seen two translations and everything is quite consistent. If we had Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's purports it would have been even better.
Daaso'smi,
Srinath
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Re: Shri Chaitanya Bhagavata Verses about Nitaai Gaura Naama
Thank you Srinath. The original Bengali verses for these verse translations would make it even more authentic whenever you can find time to add them or I can also add them at my end. Nityaananda!! Gauraanga!! Hare Krishna!!
Daaso'smi, BR Sadhu Swami Gaurangapada.
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Shri Chaitanya Bhagavata Verses about Nitaai Gaura Naama
Dear Vaisnavas,
Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krishna! Here are all the slokas from the CB on Nityaananda Gauraanga naam I could find. It is my realization that anyone who has any doubt about Nitaai Gaura Naam should read the Chaitanya Bhagavata -- then all will become clear. Jaya Chaitanya Bhagavata! Jaya Vrindavana Das Thakura! Jaya Nityananda Gauranga!
Adi Chapter 12
Text 76 The Lord proclaimed, "I am the master of all the worlds. I am the Supreme Personality of Godhead. My name is Visvambhara (the maintainer of the worlds).
Madhya Chapter 2
Text 326 Smiling and smiling, Lord Chaitanya said, "Have your fears died?"
Text 327 Eloquent Shrivasa understood everything. Throwing his arms in the air, he told the Lord,
Text 328-329 "When Your formm of time destroys the entire creation, I will chant Your name and I will not be afraid. Now that You are here in my house, why should I be afraid?
Madhya Chapter 3
Text 134 Even a merchant, or a lowly person, or a fool who chants Lord Nityananda's name becomes able to purify the entire world.
Text 169 In this incarnation of the Lord some people sing the names of Lord Chaitanya, but when they hear the name of Lord Nityananda, they jump up and run away.
Text 170 They are like persons who worship Lord Krishna but do not honor Lord Siva. These sinners go to Yamaraja's abode.
Text 171 In this incarnation Lord Nityananda is carefully hidden. Only if Lord Chaitanya Himself reveals Him can anyone see Lord Nityananda.
Text 172 Persons who, not understanding the truth, blaspheme Lord Chaitanya or Lord Nityananda find great obstacles blocking their progress in devotional service to Lord Vishnu.
Madhya Chapter 4
Text 75 The holy name of Lord Chaitanya is very rare and difficult to find in this world. Lord Chaitanya is the life breath and the great wealth of everyone.
Madhya Chapter 6
Text 139 Then Lord Chaitanya commanded Advaita, "O Nar#a! Chant My holy names and dance."
Text 140 Accepting Lord Chaitanya's order, Lord Advaita, manifesting different moods of devotion, danced.
Text 141 The charming sound of kirtana arose, and Advaita danced before Lord Chaitanya.
Madhya Chapter 9
Text 153 "Come. Come, O great one. Come and see the Lord. By touching you we have made our lives glorious and perfect.
Text 154 Hearing the Lord's name, Shridhara fainted. Overcome with bliss, he fell to the ground.
Text 229 Shridhara said, "I don't want that. You please become my master, and I will sing Your name."
Madhya Chapter 10
Text 318 Please know that if even a sannyasi does not offer respect to Lord Chaitanya, then that demon sannyasi will be blind birth after birth.
Text 319 But if even a lowly creature like a bird speaks Loed Chaitanya's name, then that bird will in truth go to Lord Chaitanya's spiritual abode.
Madhya Chapter 12
Text 18 He said, "Your name is Nityananda. Your form is also Nityananda, or full of eternal (nitya, bliss (ananda). You are Nityananda because You are Lord Balarama personified.
Text 19 "With great bliss You wander here and there, You eat, and You act in different ways. There is never a time when You are not blissful.
Text 20 "Where lives a mere human being with the power to understand You? You are eternal, spiritual, and supreme. As Lord Krishna is, so are You."
Madhya Chapter 13
Text 263 "A sinner who kills millions of brahmanas, but then chants Your name, at once attains liberation. The Vedas affirm that this is true.
Madhya Chapter 19
Text 272 "Dvija", "vipra", and "brahmana" are three names for the same thing. In the same way Nityananda and Balarama are different names of the same person.
Madhya Chapter 20
Text 136 If even a bird chants Lord Chaitanya's name, that soul with go to Lord Chaitanya's abode. That is the truth.
Text 137 If a sannyasi does not chant Lord Chaitanya's name, that soul will life after life be born blind among wicked beings.
Text 138 He is a thief in the clothing of sannyasi. He is a blasphemer-sannyasi, a sinner.
Madhya Chapter 22
Text 47 When she took the dust from Advaita's feet, Mother Saci became overwhelmed and fell to the ground. She was no longer in external consciousness.
Text 48 The Vaishnavas called out, "Jaya! Jaya Hari!" They made a great tumult of chanting Lord Chaitanya's names.
Madhya Chapter 28
Text 173 As the fortunate sannyasi Kesava Bharati was thinking in this way, saintly Goddess Sarasvati entered his tongue.
Text 174 In this way he decided on the right name. Placing his hand on the Lord's chest, pure-hearted Kesava Bharati said,
Text 175 "You make the whole world chant the name `Krishna'. In this way You make the whole world alive (chaitanya, with kirtana.
Text 176 "Therefore Your name will be `Shri Krishna Chaitanya'. Because of You everyone in the world will become fortunate."
Text 177 When the noble sannyasi spoke these words there was a shower of flowers and a great sound of "Jaya!"
Text 178 A great tumult of "Hari!" filled the four directions. All the Vaishnavas floated in bliss.
Text 179 All the devotees offered obeisances to Kesava Bharati. The Lord was pleased with His new name.
Text 180 In this way the name Shri Krishna Chaitanya was manifested. Then all the servants of the Lord offered dandavat obeisances.
Text 181 In this way the glorious Lord accepted sannyasa, and in this way He revealed His name: Shri Krishna Chaitanya.
Antya Chapter 1
Text 50 Taking shelter of Lord Chaitanya's holy names and qualities, the devotees stayed always around Saci-devi.
By the Lord's mercy everyone was overcome with ecstati love. They wept and they rolled on the ground.
Text 71 All the worlds sang the names of Lord Chaitanya. Only the ghosts and demons would not sing.
Text 72 Please know that anyone who turns his face from the holy name of Shri Krishna Chaitanya is ghost or a demon
Text 178 Hearing that His wonderful new name was "Shri Krishna Chaitanya", everyone called out, "Hari! Hari!" and "Glorious! Glorious!"
Text 188 Breathing heavily and chanting Lord Chaitanya's name, many pregnant women crossed.
Text 189 The blind and the lame all crossed. By the power of Lord Chaitanya's name, they all saw the way
Antya Chapter 2
Text 186 Lord Chaitanya will deliver everyone, all except the sinners who blaspheme Vaishnavas.
Text 187 Even the demons melt when they hear Lord Chaitanya's name and birtues. Only the vilest of sinners will not honor Him.
Antya Chapter 3
Text 386 Anyone who once sings Lord Chaitanya's name or virtues at once crosses the ocean of repeated birth and death, an ocean that becomes like a calf's-hoofprint mud-puddle.
Text 387 Why, then, should be surprising that everyone successfully crossed the Ganga as they went to directly see Lord Chaitanya?
Antya Chapter 4
Text 121 "My heart does not care whether the people are yavanas or demons. In this yuga everyone will chant My names.
Text 122 "I will deliver the untouchables, demons, yavanas, outcastes, women, sudras, and everyone else.
Text 123 "In this yuga I will give to everyone the devotional service that the demigods, sages, and siddhas yearn to attain.
Text 124 "But persons intoxicated by learning, wealth, aristocrati family, knowledge, and austerity, will not become My devotees. They commit offenses.
Text 125 "In this yuga these people are cheated. They do not understand My transcendental pastimes.
Text 126 "In every village and country on this earth My name will be preached.
Antya Chapter 5
Text 196 "Save me! Save me, O Lord whose nature, names, and virtues are beyond the understanding of mere human beings! Save me! Save me, O abode of gentleness and virtue!
Text 216 Effulgent and wild Lord Nityananda roamed in Jagannatha Puri.
Text 217 He was always wild, intoxicated by tasting transcendental bliss. The truth of Him is beyond human understanding. I have no power to write of it.
Text 218 He always chanted japa of the name, "Shri Krishna Chaitanya". Even in His dreams no other word came from Lord Nityananda's mouth.
The Sheer potency of Nityananda Gauranga Sankirtana :
Text 329 Accompanied by the devotees, Lord Nityananda sang kirtanas glorifying Lord Shri Krishna Chaitanya
Text 362 Small children, who did not know anything, uprooted big, big trees.
Text 363 Loudly roaring, they uprooted trees and threw them about. Shouting, "I am a cowherd boy!", they ran here and there.
Text 364 So great was the power in those small children that even a hundred men could not catch them and hold them still.
Text 365 Chanting, "Shri Krishna Chaitanya Jaya Nityananda!", the children joyfully roared like lions.
Text 366 Overcoime with ecstasy, Lord Nityananda, who was naturally like a child, joined the children.
Text 367 For one month those children had not eaten anything. Therefore, when the people saw all this, they felt great wonder in their hearts.
Text 436 Some people who call themselves by the name "Chaitanya dasa" (servant of Lord Chaitanya) never, even in their dreams, chant Lord Chaitanya's glories.
Text 478 "Because You are eternal (nitya, bliss (ananda, personified, You bear the name `Nityananda'. You are Lord Chaitanya's glories and virtues personified.
Antya Chapter 7
Text 12 Accompanied by His associates, overcome with bliss, and always singing of Lord Chaitanya's names and virtues, Lord Nityananda departed.
Text 37 After some moments Lord Chaitanya folded His hands and prayed to Lord Nityananda,
Text 38 "In both name and form You are eternal (nitya, bliss (ananda, personified. You are the home of the Vaishnavas. You are Lord Ananta Sesha. (2nd time repeated)
Text 58 "You may give Me mercy or punishment. By chanting Your holy name, You deliver even the trees."
One more to come next post because it was so big by itself. Antya Chapter 9 -- Gaura Sankirtana The crowning glory.
Daaso'smi,
Srinath
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Re: The Straight Path
Dear Hadai prabhu,
Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! My pranams to you!
Nothing can cure us better than the holy names. In this sacred sangha I was able to get soothing balm and a love and affection which keeps me wanting for more and more of it. Otherwise my material life would have surely rotted me into tamas and worse. I know I am a cheat and an unqualified and insincere fellow. I do not know what to write or how to write. I have no good manners. Still after coming to the sangha I am totally taken over and inspite of all my doshas, I can't help but come back here because I feel that whatever happens, I simply must have your association.
Sometimes when we suffer from various problems of mind and body while chanting, Swamiji said in a video that it is because the Lord has special purification for us and if we stick to the straight path, we will emerge out victorious and much more advanced than before. I am very moved when I realize that whatever I may be, there are always souls who remember this insignificant fool in their kirtana and always pray that we are all dancing connected together eternally.
Daaso'smi,
Srinath
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Re: The Straight Path
Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krishna!
Dear Gurudeva, Nava and devotees, please accept my humble obeisances.
O Nava how wonderful that you went on sankirtan. I am so happy you could gather the courage to perform the essence of Lord Gauranga�s instruction: freely distributing the Holy Names of the Lord to all spiritual sparks. Not only the people who walked by became imbued with the Holy Names but also the grass, the ants, the bees and even the inert objects benefitted. The expansion of Lord Nityananda is sitting in every atom and He becomes totally ecstatic by hearing the Holy Names from a devotee�which means when you do sankirtan everything in and around you are lifted into spiritual vibration. Eventually that is all you can see.
The Hare Krishna man. What a beautiful title! How wonderful that you are asked to come back next week! This divine arrangement alone shows that Lord Nityananda via Gurudeva has bestowed His mercy upon you. I hope that next time when you go on sankirtan you will remember this insignificant spark, only for just a moment, so I can be in the joy of your heart and witness the Lord rippling His divine spiritual blessings through the dark waters of this material existence.
Today you made me very, very happy Nava!
Your servant,
Hadai Nityananda dasa
Nityananda Gauranga Hare Krishna!
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Gauranga Krishna consciousness 24 hours a day
Dear Vaishnavas,
Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Please accept my humble obeisances!
I am feeling very regretful that I wasted such a huge portion of my time in various seeking process of sense gratifcation, impersonalism and doubt and that it has taken me since December 2007 to wake up to the fact of how I was not sincere in practice. If I had been smart, I should have been inspired by your examples to come to having so much sraddha in Nitaai Gaura naam despite all your limitations.
But I found out today that if we try, we can compose so many naama sankirtans for worshipping our Lordships, giving endless varieties of sankirtan. The best part is that if we just keep the sankirtan going in our head through daily life, it is so powerful that it keeps the mind engaged in Gauranga Krishna consciousness. It is very easy to just sing the names in kirtan rather than monotonically try to chant japa and face the problem of the mind losing track after 10 seconds.
I was trying to do kirtan in my head starting from Jaya Radha madhava and going to Jaya Nityananda Gauranga Nitaai Gaurahari while sitting in my college classroom and I found surprisingly that the kirtan was going on and on and on. At the same time I had no difficulty in listening to what the professor was lecturing or taking notes and as a matter of fact, I was more attentive than usual. But the ultimate experience was that the kirtan was going on and on and in the background all other routines were going on. There was so much manasika kirtan that I felt really that the whole 24 hours can be made into spiritual bliss if we just keep the sankirtana going. Today nothing was boring because all the happiness of doing kirtan mitigated the usual boredom of classes on a hot day.
Finally I realized that the Lord wants our sincerity and if we are sincere he will readily make all our material work very easy so that we can dispense with them quick and keep spirituality riding high. Our material life gives us many challenges that eat up our time and energy. When I have exams I find my chanting getting badly affected because of this. But today I realized that if I stick sincerely to sankirtana, it is possible to stay Gauranga Krishna consciousness. At that time the Supreme Lord really prompts us from within what to do and if we really follow his management plan, then suddenly we find ourselves having all time and energy for spiritual progress.
It is so simple and easy to be honest and place everything in the Lord's hands and just do our services. The other thing is being lazy. I am learning the hard way that being lazy is the mother of all spiritual illness. Dishonesty and laziness are the two qualities which are the #1 enemies of devotion and they must go if anything worthwhile has to be achieved.
Nityaananda Gauraanga naam combined with the Hare Krishna mahamantra is like Nitroglycerin added to fire. The potency works so swiftly and if only I let it work instead of bringing my overly inflated ego into the picture, everything will turn out fine. We have spent many many lifetimes in utter waste. Enough! This is one opportunity that we will never get again. Never after the next 9500 years will such a chance come till the next 8,640,000,000 years. The possibility that one is born as a human, and in this golden age, and having spiritual apitutde AND being able to chant the most merciful and sweet names of the Lord AND have all favourable circumstances is a combination so rare that it is virtually a once in eternity opportunity. We cannot take it lightly no matter how hard our material life becomes because if we miss this chance, then..............
Daaso'smi,
Srinath
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Re: The Straight Path
Respected Vaishnavas,
Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! My humble pranams!
For a realized devotee, everything is the Lord's property and meant to be used in his service. So in that sense there is nothing material. But we sometimes mistake the material world that we are in to be the original spiritual world. Mistaking the counterfeit note for the real currency. As was pointed about rocks, moon and sun being living, it has no basis. Only the rocks, sun and moon of Vaikunta are living.
The conception of the pure devotee involves a complete change of natures from material to spiritual. But the other conception says that the material world with its impermanent nature as it is, is infact the spiritual world itself! A very subtle difference, very. The truth is that the material nature is replaced by the spiritual nature and cannot be considered as spiritual nature itself. Some think this material world to be the spirit and they try to experience spiritual bliss with material senses. The mind cannot realize the Lord on its own! Mind is also material.
The modern day philosophers question all conceptions of God, even the real ones as purely fancy and being sceptic about everything, they sit in the void of ignorance, "We don't know which is God." and mislead their followers who mistake this for harmony while it actually reveals a huge lacuna of pure spiritual realizations. The professors of these philosophies claim all religions that concentrate on exclusive devotion to a Personality of Godhead are all limited, creating divisions in the world. These speculative philosophers blame the devotees for dividing the world and they attempt to compromise everything pure by accepting medicine with one hand and poison with the other. They wrongly claim that Vaishnavas have divided the world and created sectarian wars and in the garb of secularism they simply preach atheism and with a plan to turn the whole world into atheists.
We can only imagine what sort of hidden envy some of these revered philosophers may have towards the real devotees of Lord Gaurahari. These things may have to be given up, otherwise we may not make much spiritual progress and will not be healed on the level of the soul. We now can pinpoint the cause of the faith crises that have arisen all over the world.
We see that the modern philosophers always use words like higher plane, higher power, and other terms to describe the Lord, but who says Krishna, Narayana, Vasudeva, Nityananda, Gauranga, etc..? Srila Prabhupada refused to call his movement God Consciousness and instead said Krishna Consciousness. The Vaisnava religion is not a limited material conception. It does not create any divisions within the world, but it is the pristinely pure truth.
However the Lord and His devotees are eternally merciful. They are always inviting us to come to them inspite of all our offenses and we must never get discouraged and quit. Now one more opportunity is being given to us and let us take full shelter of that with the purest spiritual motive.
I'll continue next time when I get more insights on this matter.
Daaso'smi,
Srinath
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Re: The Straight Path
Respected Vaishnavas,
Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! My humble pranams!
For a realized devotee, everything is the Lord's property and meant to be used in his service. So in that sense there is nothing material. But we sometimes mistake the material world that we are in to be the original spiritual world. Mistaking the counterfeit note for the real currency. As was pointed about rocks, moon and sun being living, it has no basis. Only the rocks, sun and moon of Vaikunta are living.
The conception of the pure devotee involves a complete change of natures from material to spiritual. But the other conception says that the material world with its impermanent nature as it is, is infact the spiritual world itself! A very subtle difference, very. The truth is that the material nature is replaced by the spiritual nature and cannot be considered as spiritual nature itself. Some think this material world to be the spirit and they try to experience spiritual bliss with material senses. The mind cannot realize the Lord on its own! Mind is also material.
The modern day philosophers question all conceptions of God, even the real ones as purely fancy and being sceptic about everything, they sit in the void of ignorance, "We don't know which is God." and mislead their followers who mistake this for harmony while it actually reveals a huge lacuna of pure spiritual realizations. The professors of these philosophies claim all religions that concentrate on exclusive devotion to a Personality of Godhead are all limited, creating divisions in the world. These speculative philosophers blame the devotees for dividing the world and they attempt to compromise everything pure by accepting medicine with one hand and poison with the other. They wrongly claim that Vaishnavas have divided the world and created sectarian wars and in the garb of secularism they simply preach atheism and with a plan to turn the whole world into atheists.
We can only imagine what sort of hidden envy some of these revered philosophers may have towards the real devotees of Lord Gaurahari. These things may have to be given up, otherwise we may not make much spiritual progress and will not be healed on the level of the soul. We now can pinpoint the cause of the faith crises that have arisen all over the world.
We see that the modern philosophers always use words like higher plane, higher power, and other terms to describe the Lord, but who says Krishna, Narayana, Vasudeva, Nityananda, Gauranga, etc..? Srila Prabhupada refused to call his movement God Consciousness and instead said Krishna Consciousness. The Vaisnava religion is not a limited material conception. It does not create any divisions within the world, but it is the pristinely pure truth.
However the Lord and His devotees are eternally merciful. They are always inviting us to come to them inspite of all our offenses and we must never get discouraged and quit. Now one more opportunity is being given to us and let us take full shelter of that with the purest spiritual motive.
I'll continue next time when I get more insights on this matter.
Daaso'smi,
Srinath
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Re: The Straight Path
Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krsna!
Dear Srinath your arguments are true and well founded, and my reasoning is defeated by you and Swami Gaurangapada. Could you please do me one favor though, in your next post realize that I am a conscious spark also. An honest spark with feeling.
yours ...Nava.
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Re: The Straight Path
Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krsna!
Dear Gurudeva, please accept my humble obiesaances.
Thank you for our google chat tonight. I just wanted to say publicly for our sangha here at Nitaai.net:
'Surrender is a gradual process and I hope and pray I can humble myself in due course. Thank you for your kindness and patience with me Maharaja.
And your wisdom tonight on google talk. Thank you Nitaai Sangha.'
Dear devotees, I went on sankirtan today for the first time. I am the only Hare Krsna devotee in town, and it has taken me alot of courage to do this. So nervous inside...but at peace deeper now. Sat at the local green with my 'mini' mrdanga and played the one or two songs I know. Tulsi arati and Nrsingha...oh and ofcourse Nitaai-Gauranga Kirtan 
) People seemed happy...it was soft and thoughtful kirtan...not overpowering or offensive in spirit. Instead honoring all passers by as perfect gentle sparks of my Lord.
Afterward I went to a local soup kitchen ran by a very nice minister. Many mentally ill and old people there...so led kirtan there too;) That church is cool with the Hare Krsna man, and asked me to give kirtan next week;)
Anyhow...maybe if I do sankirtan everyday, this fool will surrender. Even in the wind and the rain;))
y.s. Nava.
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Re: ...are spirituality and science oppossed...
Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Please accept my humble obeisances!
What I am about to write may be totally unpalatable like a tub of salt. I beg forgiveness for using forceful language. But what Swamiji said is absolutely true. There is no denying that.
Science is material. Devotion to Lord Gauranga Krishna is spiritual. How is it even possible to 'harmonize' them? It is better to call it 'compromise'. There is such a qualitative difference! Can rusted iron be compared to a touchstone? Of course Not. There is no possibility of this oneness philosophy. We have to be careful since such compromises may slowly lead us to cloaked impersonalism.
We do not need to put our faith in jeopardy to try to achieve what we already know cannot be possible?? It may create confusion and dilemma within us as the only result. What can be achieved by such compromise? Will it help us become a better devotee -- No. So this attempt to harmonize everything for the satisfaction of our own minds may be actually another symptom of our conditioning at work! We may be only trying to subtly satisfy our mind, intelligence and false ego. This is why --- the real reason why -- so many millions of spiritual seekers are bereft of the real truth -- because they may have wanted to hear what they liked or what they thought was correct and not what was actually correct!
When tons of gold are available in the cleanest place being thrown willingly for free, there may not be a necessity to search for gold in the mud? We are after the real gold and not trying to dig dirt? For getting the pure gold, why should we dig in the dirt? We may not know that there's a gold rush, but when I do come to know, why should we keep dirtying ourselves? We should say, "I don't want it my way but I want it the true way!"
What great spiritual realization do scientists have? They are only good at maths. When a scientist says, "I am inclined to think that there may be a reason to believe that this universe may not have come by chance but there could be a possibility of some unknown, inexplicable intelligence that may be the driving force behind it and which has perhaps played a significant, yet unknown role in creation of the universe by some process which we are trying to know and did so for reasons that we do not understand.....", immediately we say, "Oh! This is such a great realization. Wonderful insight! Bravo Bravo!" But is it?
Just look at it! -- how many unsure words of uncertainty (italics) have been used? This is a masterpiece of ignorance, vagueness and uncertainty that is posing as knowledge -- but it simply reveals the ignorance of these so tiny and hopeless speculations! What are these people trying to say? Layman's lanugage -- "There may be something. I don't know anything."
When a devotee says, "My Lord Gauranga Krishna is the source of all the material and spiritual worlds and he has created the material world to purify all souls from their foolishness that, "I am God" and to make them realize that, "I am the servant and God is the object of my eternal love." -- This is truth. This is concrete, 100% rock solid truth received from the perfect source and a clear message to impersonalism without mincing any words. This is a realization! If we praised the scientists, how much greater must our reaction be when we hear the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead! Logically we must explode -- we must blow all fuses and go through the roof and roll on the floor crying and laughing in uncontrollable waves of unlimited ecstasy when we see this. It deserves that much proportionate respect.
So how can mundane speculations harmonize real realization? On the contrary they compromise it.
In the next article I will elaborate further on this. I intend to split my answers for reading convenience.
Daaso'smi,
Srinath
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Re: ...are spirituality and science oppossed...
Dear Gurudev,
Nityaananda ! Gauraanga ! Hare Krishna !
Repeated Dandavat Pranaams.
Thank you so much for such an encouraging post Gurudev. I personally have full faith in the power of Lord Gaura Krishna and I have decided to give my entire life to Him. This reminds me of Shrila Prabhupada saying ' Give this one life to Lord Gaura Krishna '. In all my previous births I have been busy satisfying my sinful desires but this one life I want every moment to be spend for the pleasure of Lord Gaura Krishna because after all He is my ultimate well wisher. Well I would also like to thank you for giving the Nitaai Gaura Praana Kriya because even if I am not able to do quantity chanting but I can spend every moment of my waking hour by remembering the Lords via Nitaai Gaura Praana Kriya. I feel so satisfied this way. All glorires to the Holy Names of Nityaananda, Gauraanga and Hare Krishna Mahamantra.
ys,
Mihir.
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How to love our Brothers and Sisters
"We will love our brothers and sisters in this world to the extent we love to chant the Holy Names of Lord Gaura Krishna. His Names awaken our soul's dormant love." - Swami Gaurangapada.
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Re: ...are spirituality and science oppossed...
Nityaananda!! Gauraanga!! Hare Krishna!! Dear Nava, I can understand what you are saying. But as a Guru, it is my duty to explain you the truth even though it may be impalatable or may not sound harmonius with the widely popular mundane theory of taking good from everywhere. It is only for the sake of caring for your spiritual life that I am speaking these words, not with a feeling of disdain or superiority over any one. A devotee's determination to fully avoid and stay far away from the speculations of the scientists, impersonalists and materialists is not based on false ego or puffed-up immaturity or disharmony. It is actually to avoid disharmony with God Himself. In fact, proper discrimination and avoidance is a sign of true humility and sincerity to protect one's owns soul first. The highest humility is to save oneself first and one of the most important restrictions given by Shrila Rupa Goswami is Shri Upadeshamrita in this regard is to totally avoid speculative and so-called rational philosophies which very subtly lead us away from the Lord.
The Supreme Lord Gauranga did not endorse His most advanced and intimate devotee Shrila Mukunda's going and hearing the impersonalist or atheistic philosophies. So much so that He refused to see Him again for 10 million lives. So actually our beloved Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu does not want us to try to become a "swam" by trying to understand so many speculative philosophies or to "take gold from filth" as some say. He just wants to remain chaste to Him by staying away from them if we actually want to please Him and enter the spiritual world. Why can't we just try to fully follow one pure path for one life and see the results? We have tried unsuccessfully and miserably failed in many lives by trying to follow these speculative philosophies by non-devotees and imperfect atheists.
Dear Nava, I know you are a nice and simple devotee and this path is also a simple and straight path. Actually it is this attempt to find a so-called harmony between truth and untruth makes our path complicated and not vice versa. I have personally seen that people and sometimes even devotees who are interested in these speculative philosophies, do not make any tangible spiritual progress for years and years. Even after decades, they remain spiritually stagnant as they were previously, because they are displeasing Lord Gaura Krishna by not remaining chaste to His instructions.
I know that this trend of being open-minded to everything under the sun is most popular nowadays in Kali Yuga but it is actually a symptom of Kali. People even respect and accept those "Gurus" more who have diluted and mixed up philosophy, quote speculators and speak ambiguous words of so-called harmony and balance in the world. And those Gurus who strictly remain faithful to the teachings of our liberated Acharyas are considered as fanatics. This is not fanaticism, this is chastity and faith in the words of our Acharyas and the Lord Himself. No one cares about the actual instructions of Lord Gaura Krishna Himself. If we are not fanatic to follow the instructions of the Lord, then there is no hope for us. The whole purpose of pleasing the Lord is defeated in such a case and then all is lost.
The Lord tells us that there is nothing worth knowing in these speculative philosophies which is not there in our pristinely pure Gaudiya philosophy. There is no need whatsoever to know the untruth to understand what is the real truth if we have faith that our perfectly liberated Acharyas have spoken the ultmate truth. As seen in the case of Shrila Bhagavan Acharya, however advanced one may be, this attempt for trying to find a so-called harmony between the pure truth and speculative untruth, will adversely affect our pure spiritual quest and we will cause the Supreme Lord pain by these actions which in turn will take us deeper and further away from the Lord. Thus, real humility would be to just accept this advice of the Supreme Lord Himself and only read the books of our Acharyas who are free from the four material imperfections and defects, for the sake of our own spiritual life. Lord Gaura Krishna is powerful enough to cure us in any situation (even psychic) we are in if we are determined to please Him by strictly following His instructions. We do not need to approach the speculative theories of imperfect people and create inauspicious in our present lives and next in the name of so-called balance, harmony or open-mindedness. Proper discrimination and avoidance or viveka is repeatedly described in all the Vedas as a very important limb of spiritual progress. Thus, let us fully stick to one pure path in this life by not displeasing the Lord in any way and we will be amazed at the results. Thank you.
Daaso'smi, BR Sadhu Swami Gaurangapada.
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...are spirituality and science oppossed...
Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krsna!
Dear Swami Gaurangapada and assembled devotees, please accept my humble obiesances. Here is the ongoing theme of my healing (from long term spiritual emergence crisis), and the appearance in my heart of a more "simpler, honest and humbler way". The desire to be a "tiny spark and servant" - free of the trickster false ego and immature (and dishonest puffed up devotee) - the false.
Here is some thoughts for today. Many orthodox or fundamentalist spiritualists see the higher things of their call as oppossed to science and modernity. Likewise many scientists see spirituality as a neurosis, and their thinking 'is' fundamentalist in the extreme. Two polarities with no harmony possible...
This has been my dilemma over the last years, trying to harmonize the two paradigms in my soul (in desperate need of healing). On the one hand I would say my spirituality as been my rock and foundation (and ofcourse highest truth), in regards to recovery and wellness, after a long term spiritual emergence crisis. On the other hand, considering that the rock has been well founded (by the kindness of my Teacher - within and without), some afflictions of the mind remained. And in this regard I found healing in scientific approach that was not fundamentalist or extreme fanatacism.
I found the harmony (by the grace and kindness of a loving God). A God who wishes me to be a better servant, with a spiritual mind (and that was my great need of wellness):
trinad api su-nicena
taror iva sahishnuna
amanina mana-dena
kirtaniyah sada harih
"One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor but is always prepared to give all respect to others, can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord."
The harmony and higher teachings of the spiritual call have always suggested a 'swanlike approach' - to extract the essence of all things. This requires God given intelligence (buddhi). A pressing down from a higher plane within. I am not suggesting 'extreme liberalism'.
Maybe the religionists fears that the student will get bound by atheistic scientism. Maybe the rationalists fear the student will get bound by radicalism and fanaticism (which manifests intolerance and wars).
There is enough evidence of both problematics in this world. Instead, we are called to harmonize. Will spiritualism and science meet? I strongly believe so - the saying 'never the twain' is a saying of old and will pass away! It is time to let it go...
We need to seek higher things wherever they are found, disregarding knowledge of the world and of dying modalities (whose time has passed). We need to run to higher things of beauty...harmonize our souls and harmonize a divided world. Reality the Beautiful - Sri Krsna!
My heart is a devotional heart (it is what I am), and that heart to flourish requires harmony, peace, and love! It does not require division. The image and books of my God on this earth are the door way - the door way to the image and inconceivable that resides deep within my soul - A Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is not a material thing. I am a personalist and even the plants, rocks, moons, and suns are personal beings. As is mother earth (she should not be neglected!)
Here is a Bhagavad Gita verse (BG 9.11) that sheds a tiny light on this nature:
"Fools deride me, who have assumed human form, not understanding my transcendental existence as the great Lord of all beings."
And also Srimad Bhagavatam (3.9.11):
"O my Lord, Your devotees can see You through the ears by the process of bonafide hearing, and thus their hearts become cleansed, and You take Your seat there. You are so merciful to Your devotees that You manifest Yourself in the particular eternal form of transcendence in which they always think of You."
"...God's appearance in the heart of his devotee is not an event in time, as the form of God is eternally existing, and the bhava, or love, of the devotee is as well. This bhava is not a product of spiritual practice, sadhya kabhu naya (Cc. Madhya 22.107). It awakens in the purified heart of the devotee by God's grace. Those devoid of this love think that Krsna acquired his form at some point in time as a result of previous pious deeds and austerities. Here Krsna says that such people are fools...BG 9.11 purport, BV Tripurari Swami."
I am suggesting that God's grace is not limited or bound, and if his sincere devotee cries for healing, then bonafide science and religion meet, and the world becomes a 'sacred meeting place'...and anxiety free. A sanctified mind. Spirituality of the heart.
by neil (Nava Gauranga dasa)
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