THE TOP 100 NAMES OF GOD - for Daily Recitation & Meditation

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The complete quote is as below. Our founder acarya recommends chanting of

Sri Pancha Tattva Mantra prior to chanting Hare Krishna Maha Mantra.

 

It should be noted in this connection that the holy names of Lord Krsna and

Gaurasundara are both identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Therefore one should not consider one name to be more potent than the other.

Considering the position of the people of this age, however, the chanting of

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's name is more essential than the chanting of the

Hare Krsna maha-mantra because Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the most

magnanimous incarnation and His mercy is very easily achieved. Therefore one

must first take shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by chanting

sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara

srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. By serving Gaura-Nityananda one is freed from

the entanglements of material existence and thus becomes qualified to

worship the Radha-Krsna Deity. Adi 8.31-------Srila Prabhupada.

 

HH Sadhu Swami wrote :

 

>TEN PRINCIPLES OF BHAKTI-YOGA

 

>(1) Chant these 100 Names of Lord Gaura daily.

 

>(2) Chant a minimum of 16 rounds of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra daily on a

>tulasi mala with 108 beads. If possible gradually try to increase the

>quality & quantity of your chanting till you can chant 64 rounds daily as

>per the instructions of Lord Caitanya and all acaryas.

 

I prefer to follow Srila Prabhupada's prescription and chant Sri Pancha

Tattva Mantra before chanting each of my round. I hope HH Sadhu Swami is

not recommending to change this system and instead chant 100 names of Gaura,

before chanting Hare Krishna Maha Mantra.

 

However we are not against chanting 100 names of Gaura daily and printing

and distributing these names.

 

Srila Prabhupada also says Adi 7.4:

 

One should know that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is always accompanied by these

other tattvas. Therefore our obeisances to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are

complete when we say sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita

gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. As preachers of the Krsna

consciousness movement, we first offer our obeisances to Sri Caitanya

Mahaprabhu by chanting this Panca-tattva mantra; then we say Hare Krsna,

Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare

Hare. There are ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra,

but these are not considered in the chanting of the Panca-tattva mantra,

namely, sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara

srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is known as

maha-vadanyavatara, the most magnanimous incarnation, for He does not

consider the offenses of the fallen souls. Thus to derive the full benefit

of the chanting of the maha-mantra (Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna,

Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare), we must first take

shelter of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, learn the Panca-tattva maha-mantra, and

then chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. That will be very effective.

Taking advantage of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, many unscrupulous devotees

manufacture a maha-mantra of their own. Sometimes they sing, bhaja nitai

gaura radhe syama hare krsna hare rama or sri-krsna-caitanya

prabhu-nityananda hare krsna hare rama sri-radhe govinda. Actually, however,

one should chant the names of the full Panca-tattva (sri-krsna-caitanya

prabhu-nityananda sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda) and

then the sixteen words Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare

Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, but these unscrupulous, less

intelligent men confuse the entire process. Of course, since they are also

devotees they can express their feelings in that way, but the method

prescribed by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's pure devotees is to chant first the

full Panca-tattva mantra and then chant the maha-mantra--Hare Krsna, Hare

Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

 

Your humble servant,

Bhadra Govinda Das.