Preaching and chanting

[Guest guest]

A devotee should not only chant the holy name, but should preach the

chanting of the holy name to others:

[®œvara Pur… to Lord Caitanya]: “My dear child, continue dancing, chanting

and performing sa‰k…rtana in association with devotees. Furthermore, go out

and preach the value of chanting k™¢a-n€ma, for by this process You will be

able to deliver all fallen souls.”

It is another ambition of the spiritual master to see his disciples not only

chant, dance and follow the regulative principles but also preach the

sa‰k…rtana movement to others in order to deliver them, for the K™¢a

consciousness movement is based on the principle that one should become as

perfect as possible in devotional service oneself and also preach the cult

for others’ benefit. There are two classes of unalloyed devotees—namely,

go¢¤hy-€nand…s and bhajan€nand…s. Bhajan€nandi refers to one who is

satisfied to cultivate devotional service for himself, and go¢¤hy-€nand… is

one who is not satisfied simply to become perfect himself but wants to see

others also take advantage of the holy name of the Lord and advance in

spiritual life. The outstanding example is Prahl€da Mah€r€ja. When he was

offered a benediction by Lord N™siˆhadeva, Prahl€da Mah€r€ja said:

naivodvije para duratyaya-vaitaray€s

tvad-v…rya-g€yana-mah€m™ta-magna-cittaƒ

œoce tato vim¦kha-cetasa indriy€rtha-

m€y€-sukh€ya bharam udvahato vim¦h€n

“My dear Lord, I have no problems and want no benediction from You because I

am quite satisfied to chant Your holy name. This is sufficient for me

because whenever I chant I immediately merge in an ocean of transcendental

bliss. I only lament to see others bereft of Your love. They are rotting in

material activities for transient material pleasure and spoiling their lives

toiling all day and night simply for sense gratification, with no attachment

for love of Godhead. I am simply lamenting for them and devising various

plans to deliver them from the clutches of m€y€.” (S.B. 7.9.43)

Œr…la Bhaktisiddh€nta Sarasvat… ×h€kura explains in his Anubh€¢ya, “A person

who has attracted the attention of the spiritual master by his sincere

service likes to dance and chant with similarly developed K™¢a conscious

devotees. The spiritual master authorizes such a devotee to deliver fallen

souls in all parts of the world. Those who are not advanced prefer to chant

the Hare K™¢a mantra in a solitary place.” Such activities constitute, in

the language of Œr…la Bhaktisiddh€nta Sarasvat… ×h€kura, a type of cheating

process in the sense that they imitate the activities of exalted

personalities like Harid€sa ×h€kura. One should not attempt to imitate such

exalted devotees. Rather, everyone should endeavor to preach the cult of Œr…

Caitanya Mah€prabhu in all parts of the world and thus become successful in

spiritual life. One who is not very expert in preaching may chant in a

secluded place, avoiding bad association, but for one who is actually

advanced, preaching and meeting people who are not engaged in devotional

service are not disadvantages. A devotee gives the nondevotees his

association but is not affected by their misbehavior. Thus by the activities

of a pure devotee even those who are bereft of love of Godhead get a chance

to become devotees of the Lord one day.

Œr… Caitanya-carit€m™ta ¨di-l…l€ 7.92

One who is advanced in chanting the holy name induces others to chant:

Many fools, not knowing the transcendental nature of the Hare K™¢a

mah€-mantra, sometimes impede our loudly chanting this mantra, yet one who

is actually advanced in the furfillment of chanting the Hare K™¢a

mah€-mantra induces others to chant also. K™¢ad€sa Kavir€ja Gosv€m…

explains, k™¢a-œakti vin€ nahe t€ra pravartana: unless one receives special

power of attorney from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he cannot preach

the glories of the Hare K™¢a mah€-mantra. As devotees propagate the Hare

K™¢a mah€-mantra, the general population of the entire world gets the

opportunity to understand the glories of the holy name.

Œr… Caitanya-carit€m™ta ¨di-l…l€ 7.83