CONSTANT CHANTING IS THE ONLY WAY FOR ALL

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CONSTANT CHANTING IS THE ONLY WAY FOR ALL- 2nd email

 

INTRODUCTION:

 

In continuation of the first email SRILA PRABHUPADA ON 64 ROUNDS, this is a

second email which establishes from the revealed scriptures and the acharyas

that constant chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is the only means of

deliverance for the householder as well as a renunciant devotee. Imho

chanting 64 rounds daily is one the best means to gradually enable one to

come to the platform of constant chanting.

 

The third email: LORD CAITANYA & THE ACARYAS ON 64 ROUNDS, will be sent in

the next few days for the pleasure of the Vaisnavas.

_________________________

 

gitopanisadi

 

satatam kirtayanto mam, yatantas ca drdha-vratah

 

In the Bhagavad-gita (9.14), Lord Krsna says:

 

"Those who chant My names and glories constantly are considered to fixed in

determination in serving Me."

 

srimad-bhagavata-mahapurane

 

(1) etan nirvidyamananam, icchatam akuto-bhayam;

yoginam nrpa nirnitam, harer namanukirtanam.

 

"O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of

the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all,

including those who are free from all material desires, those who are

desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by

dint of transcendental knowledge."

 

(2) aho bata sva-paco 'to gariyan

yaj-jihvagre vartate nama tubhyam

tepus tapas te juhuvuh sasnur arya

brahmanucur nama grnanti ye te

 

In Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.33.7) it is said:

 

"O my Lord, a person who is chanting Your holy name, although born of a low

family like that of a candala [dog-eater], is situated on the highest

platform of self-realization. Such a person must have performed all kinds of

penances and sacrifices according to Vedic rituals and studied the Vedic

literatures many, many times after taking his bath in all the holy places of

pilgrimage. Such a person is considered to be the best of the Aryan family."

 

(3) tasmat sarvatmana rajan, harih sarvatra sarvada;

srotavyah kirtitavyas ca, smartavyo bhagavan nrnam.

 

In Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.2.36) it is said:

 

"O King, it is therefore essential that every human being hear about,

glorify and remember the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, always

and everywhere."

 

brhad-bhagavatamrte

 

param srimat padambhoja-sada-sangaty apeksaya;

nama-sankirtana-prayam, visuddham bhaktimacara.

 

In the Brhad-bhagavatamrta 2.3.144, it is said:

 

"O Gopa Kumara! If you desire to have the eternal and constant association

of the lotus feet of Lord Krsna, then you should perform the continuous

chanting of the holy names (nama-sankirtana) which is most prominent

activity in pure devotional service."

 

padma purane

 

(1) harer apy aparadhan yah, kuryad dvi-pada-pam salah;

namasrayah kadacit syat, taraty eva sa namatah;

namno 'pi sarva-suhrdo, hy aparadhat pataty adhah.

 

In the Padma Purana, Sri Sanatkumara replied to Sri Narada:

 

The lowest of human beings who commit offenses at the lotus feet of Sri Hari

will certainly cross the material ocean if they somehow take shelter of the

holy name. However, those who commit offenses against the holy name, the

well-wisher of all, certainly fall down.

 

(2) bhumau skhalita padanam, bhumir evavalambanam;

tvayi jataparadhanam, tvam eva saranam prabho.

 

"If one slips and falls down while walking on the ground, then to get up one

has to take support from the ground itself. Similarly the offenses against

the holy sames can be removed by taking continuous shelter of name.

 

(3) jate namaparadhe tu, pramade vai kathancana;

sada sankirtayen nama, tad eka sarano bhavet.

 

(4) namaparadha-yuktanam, namany eva haranty agham;

avisranti-prayuktani, tany evartha-karani ca.

 

"If one is not careful in avoiding the ten offenses while chanting the holy

name, he will never get success in chanting even after many millions of

lives. For getting free from the offenses against the name, the only way is

to take the full shelter of the holy name alone by chanting the name

constantly. The only way to avoid namaparadha (offenses) commited due to

negligence is to intensify one's chanting. By continuous and non-stop

chanting, the chanting itself will relieve us from the offenses and then one

will very quickly achieve the ultimate goal of chanting i.e. to chant purely

in love of God."

 

Even if in the beginning one chants the Hare Krsna mantra with offenses, one

will become free from such offenses by chanting again and again. Papa-ksayas

ca bhavati smaratam tam ahar-nisam: one becomes free from all sinful

reactions if one chants day and night, following the recommendation of Sri

Caitanya Mahaprabhu. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.3.24 purport)

 

While chanting the holy name of the Lord, one should be careful to avoid ten

offenses....

There is no way to atone for any of these offenses. It is therefore

recommended that an offender at the feet of the holy name continue to chant

the holy name twenty-four hours a day. Constant chanting of the holy name

will make one free of offenses, and then he will gradually be elevated to

the transcendental platform on which he can chant the pure holy name and

thus become a lover of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

(Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.5.23-24).

 

hari-bhakti-vilase

 

yena janma-sataih purvam, vasudevah samarcitah;

tan mukhe hari-namani, sada tisthanti bharata.

 

In the Hari-bhakti-vilasa (11.454), it is said:

 

"O best of the Bharatas! The holy names of Hari are always present in the

mouth of only one who has previously worshiped Lord Vasudeva (Krsna)

perfectly for hundreds of previous births."

 

sri caitanya-bhagavate

 

(1) hare krsna hare krsna, krsna krsna hare hare;

hare rama hare rama, rama rama hare hare.

 

In Sri Caitanya-bhagavata Madhya Khanda 23.76-78, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu

instructed all the people of Navadvipa to chant:

 

"Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare;

Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare."

 

(2) prabhu bole,-"kahilan ei mahamantra;

iha japa giya sabe koriya nirbandha."

 

The Lord said, "Please hear this Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Everyone please

chant this maha-mantra daily in 'nirbandha' or constantly. "

 

(3) iha hoite sarva-siddhi hoibe sabara

sarva-ksana bolo' ithe vidhi nahi ara

 

The Lord continued, "By chanting in this way one will achieve all perfection

in one's life. Please keep on chanting constantly because there is no

consideration of any rules and regulations for this chanting process."

 

ratri-dina nama laya khaite suite

tanhara mahima vede nahi pare dite

 

In Sri Caitanya-bhagavata Adi Khanda 14.140, Lord Caitanya instructs Tapana

Misra:

 

"The Vedas are unable to fully describe the glories of one who chants the

Lord's names day and night, even while eating and sleeping."

 

khanda khanda hai deha yaya yadi prana;

tabu ami vadane na chadi hari-nama.

 

In Sri Caitanya-bhagavata Adi Khanda 16.93, Namacarya Haridasa Thakura

expresses his determination to chant the holy name to the Muslim King:

 

"Even if my body is cut into millions of pieces and I give up my life, I

will never give up chanting the Lord's holy name."

 

sri caitanya-caritamrte

 

khaite suite yatha tatha nama laya

kala-desa-niyama nahi, sarva siddhi haya

 

In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Antya-lila 20.18, Lord Caitanya states:

 

"Regardless of time or place or any rules & regulations, one who chants the

holy name continuously, even while eating or sleeping, attains all

perfection."

 

nirantara nama lao, kara tulasi sevana

acirat pabe tabe krsnera carana"

 

In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Antya-lila 3.137, Namacarya Haridasa Thakura

instructs the converted prostitute:

 

"Chant the Hare Krsna mantra continuously and render service to the tulasi

plant by watering her and offering prayers to her. In this way you will very

soon get the opportunity to be sheltered at the lotus feet of Krsna."

 

CONTINUOUS CHANTING FOR HOUSEHOLDER & RENUNCIANT

 

visnu rahasye

 

prabhate cardha-ratre ca, madhyahne divasa-ksaye;

kirtayanti harim ye vai, te taranti bhavarnava.

evam ekantinam prayah, kirtanam smaranam prabhoh;

kurvatam parama-pritya, krtyam anyan na rocate.

 

In the Visnu Rahasya, Lord Brahma speaks to Narada at the end of the

dialogue on masopavasa:

 

"A well-to-do householder Vaisnava cannot live like a person in the

renounced order who completely takes shelter of the holy name. Such a

householder should chant the holy name of Krsna in the morning, at midday

and in the evening. Then he will be able to cross beyond nescience. Pure

devotees in the renounced order, however, who fully surrender to the lotus

feet of Krsna, should constantly chant the holy name of the Lord with great

love and faith, always thinking of Krsna's lotus feet. They should have no

other occupation than chanting the holy name of the Lord. (Also in the

Hari-bhakti-vilasa 20.379, 382)"

 

sri caitanya-caritamrte

 

vairagi karibe sada nama-sankirtana

magiya khana kare jivana raksana

 

In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Antya-lila 6.223,226), Lord Caitanya states:

 

"A person in the renounced order should always chant the holy name of the

Lord. He should beg some alms to eat, and he should sustain his life in this

way.

 

vairagira krtya-sada nama-sankirtana

saka-patra-phala-mule udara-bharana

 

"The duty of a person in the renounced order is to chant the Hare Krsna

mantra always. He should satisfy his belly with whatever vegetables, leaves,

fruits and roots are available."

 

ONE SHOULD STRICTLY CHANT 24 HOURS DAILY

 

sri caitanya-caritamrte

 

smartavyah satatam visnur, vismartavyo na jatucit;

sarve vidhi-nisedhah syur, etayor eva kinkarah.

 

In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 22.113, the following verse from the

Padma Purana is quoted:

 

"Krsna is the origin of Lord Visnu. He should always be remembered and never

forgotten at any time. All the rules and prohibitions mentioned in the

sastras should be the servants of these two principles."

 

Purport by Srila Prabhupada:

 

This verse is a quotation from the Padma Purana. There are many regulative

principles in the sastras and directions given by the spiritual master.

These regulative principles should act as servants of the basic

principle-that is, one should always remember Krsna and never forget Him.

This is possible when one chants the Hare Krsna mantra. Therefore one must

strictly chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra twenty-four hours daily.

 

krsna-nama nirantara yanhara vadane

sei vaisnava-srestha, bhaja tanhara carane

 

In Sri Caitanya-caritamrta Madhya-lila 16.72, the Lord says:

 

"A person who is always chanting the holy name of the Lord is to be

considered a first-class Vaisnava, and your duty is to serve his lotus

feet."

 

Purport by Srila Prabhupada:

 

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that any Vaisnava who is

constantly chanting the holy name of the Lord should be considered to have

attained the second platform of Vaisnavism. Such a devotee is superior to a

neophyte Vaisnava who has just learned to chant the holy name of the Lord.

 

hari-nama-cintamanau

 

(1) avisranta name nama-aparadha jaya;

tahe aparadha kabhu sthana nahi paya.

 

In the Hari-nama-cintamani, Thakura Haridasa states:

 

"Only by continuous chanting can the ten offenses against the name be

obliterated. Another advantage of constant chanting is that the ten offenses

will not be able to again implicate the chanter.

 

(2) divaratra nama laya, anutapa kore.

tabe aparadha jaya nama phala dhore..

 

"One should chants day and night with great anxiety to avoid the offenses

and great repentance for the offenses committed earlier, can complete

nullify all the offenses and then transcendental name of Krsna will bear

fruit.

 

(3) aparadha gate suddhanamera udaya.

suddha nama bhavamaya ara premamaya..

 

"When the offenses are finished, the pure name arises in heart of the

chanter. This pure name is the fulfillment of all desires and grants the

chanter the most rare and superexcellent happiness of devotional service on

the platform of bhava (ecstasy) and prema (pure love).

This is ultimate achievement of the human form of life."

 

namastake

 

(1) nihsvase na hi visvasah, kada ruddho bhavisyati;

kirtaniya mato balyad, harer namaiva kevalam.

 

Remember that our final breath may come at any time,

No matter if we're old and sick or in our youthful prime.

So young and old alike should chant the Name incessantly.

The Holy Name of Sri Hari is surely all that be.

 

(2) sa guruh sa pita capi, sa mata bandhavo 'pi sah;

siksayec cet sada smartum, harer namaiva kevalam.

 

He's the guru, he's the father, he's the friend most true,

And she's the real mother who most kindly teaches you

To always chant and hear the Holy Name of Sri Hari.

The Holy Name of Sri Hari is surely all that be.

 

Your aspiring servant, BR Sadhu Swami