[world-vedic] Bhaktivinode Thakur & the Holy Names

[Guest guest]

>Ron Marinelli <macaroni

>Bhaktivinode Thakur & the Holy Names

>Fri, 31 Mar 2000 00:09:43 -0800

>

>The following is a written account from Saranagati by Bhaktivinode Thakur

>on

>the chanting of the Holy Names, as it affected his own life.

>

>My heart is just like a desert, hot with the rays of the sun. This is my

>internal mental condition. The desire for temporary, material things

>cannot

>satisfy me because by nature they are death producing. And not one or two,

>but thousands of such death producing desires have taken shelter in my

>mind.

>So, my subconscious region is always burning. This is my condition. But

>somehow, by the grace of the sadhu and my guru, the holy name of Krsna with

>its infinite prospect has entered through the holes of my ears and reached

>the plane of my heart. And there, with some peculiar hope, with infinite

>auspicious possibilities, it touched my heart with a new kind of nectar.

>

>New hope is aroused by that sound. Then by force it comes from the heart

>towards the tongue. Not by the endeavor of my tongue I am producing that

>sound - no. What came from the heart of a saint through my ear, entered my

>heart, and that forcibly appeared on my tongue, and began to dance.

>

>That is the holy name proper. It descends from above. It cannot be

>produced by the material tongue. Its source is above. And through an

>agent

>of the Absolute it comes through the ear to the heart. From the heart it

>gathers some sympathy, then the holy name of Krsna forcibly appears upon

>the

>tongue and begins to dance. With great force that sweet sound comes to the

>tip of the tongue and begins dancing.

>

>The real effects of the divine name have been described here. If it is a

>real and living name the voice will be choked up. There will be shivering

>in the body, the legs will be unable to stand and sometimes tears will flow

>in a current on the body. One¹s hair will stand on end, and sometimes the

>body will change color. The material mind and consciousness will fade

>away,

>and we may fall in a swoon. The whole body and mind will appear as if it

>is

>being attacked, shivering, and influenced in many ways.

>

>Apparently it may seem that so many troubles are created in the body and

>mind, but the real heart is overflowing with a particular kind of strange,

>sweet juice. Sometimes the devotee thinks, ³I am swimming in an ocean of

>nectar. My whole existence is submerged in an ocean of nectarean rasa. I

>am beside myself and cannot understand where I am. What is this? What is

>surrounding me? Am I going mad? Where is my past experience, my

>seriousness, my gravity... Where are they?

>

>I have been completely converted by a foreign element. I am a doll in the

>hands of a great force which is so affectionate to me. I cannot ascertain

>how it is possible that by my faith I have entered this great, unknown

>environment. And at last I find that I am captivated. My entire being,

>within and without, has been captured and controlled by an especially sweet

>force. It is beyond description. I cam to take shelter of Him and accept

>Him as my guardian. But now at His hands, I am being dealt with in such a

>merciless and oppressive way.

>

>Still, I feel everything is very pleasing beyond my experience. I cannot

>resist anymore. I am fully captured. So let my faith go anywhere because

>I

>cannot escape. I am captive in the hand of a sweet loving friend. All my

>independence is gone, and I have no other choice but surrender.

>

>I find that He is an autocrat, He does whatever He wants. Since it is not

>possible for me to resist, I must surrender. No, I will cooperate like a

>blossoming flower emanating wonderful sweet streams. The holy name

>contains

>so many sweet variegated forms of current within Him. In different ways He

>is wonderfully expressing Himself. Sometimes He shows a peculiar type of

>color and form, and then disappears.

>

>So many charming aspects are revealed within, as He forces me to surrender

>at the base of that altar. He shows Himself in His full-fledged form as He

>leads me to Vrndavana to witness His vraja-lila with Radha. I find myself

>in the midst of His uniquely sweet and loving abode.

>

>He says, ³You see! I have so many wonderful things, and this is your home.

>I am not imagination, but concrete reality. You will find that this

>environment is very sweet and favorable, and you should live here. I see

>that He is exchanging a variety of loving rasas with His many devotees.

>And

>I find that a spiritual body has emerged from my previous one, and that I

>have a permanent place here in His service. Such a new life I find here

>that all considerations of my past lief and experience has vanished. What

>He says is true. My real life is here, and my previous material life was a

>waste.²

>

>Now I find that chanting the holy name gives me a new hope, a new prospect,

>and new encouragement. The name supplies whatever we want. All our

>internal hankerings will be fulfilled if we chant the name. The holy name

>is eternal, full of ecstacy, and it is the purest of the pure.

>

>I find that I have been completely converted, and now my innermost

>hankering

>is thisŠ Let whatever is against this sweet name vanish forever from the

>world. Everyone should come here. I am ready to sacrifice my life to

>finish any opposition, so that everyone can easily, peacefully, and

>fearlessly enjoy this absolute, sweet and blissful life.

>

>

 

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