Haridas Thakur

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> There is also a similar incident mentioned in the Advaita Prakasa,

> although the word "diksa" is not explicitly mentioned therein. This

> description includes Advaita Acarya's giving him tilaka, tulasi-mala and

> name, which are all traditional elements in diksa. The Advaita Prakasa

> (chapter 7) describes:

 

I has already been discussed earlier that Advaita Prakasa is not accepted as

bonafide since it describes Achytananda, the son of Srila Advaita Acarya as

of around the same age as Lord Caitanya. Prabhupada pointed this out in a Cc

naming a book called Sitadvaita carita. Plus there are many more points

which HH Bhakti Vikasa Swami has also pointed out. Though it has been

written by the great Isana Thakura and most intimate servant of Srimati

Sacidevi and Srila Advaita Acarya, there is a chance that things were added

later on by others with other intentions.

 

Some say the same thing about Prema-vilasa because Srila Bhaktisiddhanta

Sarasvati Thakura never printed it in Gaudiya Math like he did for Bhakti

Ratnakara. Ofcourse Prabhupada said somewhere once that Prema-vilasa is

bonafide.

 

Regarding this one lakh each in mind, softly and loudly, Srila

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura does not directly negate it but in a

purport of Caitanya-bhagavata he says very clearly that Haridasa Thakura

chanted either loudly or softly and that is why his cave became Vaikuntha.

 

CB Adi 16.172:

 

tabe haridasa ganga-tire gopha kari'

thakena virale ahar-nisa krsna smari'

 

Then Haridasa went and found a cave on the bank of the Ganges. He remembered

Krsna day and night as he resided alone in the cave.

 

While remaining in a solitary cave on the bank of the Ganges at Phuliya,

Srila Thakura Mahasaya loudly chanted the names of Krsna and passed his days

and night remembering the pastimes of the Lord. Sometimes he would chant the

sixteen name, thirty-two syllable, maha-mantra loudly *(uccaihsvare)*, and

sometimes he would chant softly *(mrdusvare)*. Every day he would complete

the chanting of three hundred thousand holy names, or in a year he would

chant one hundred million names of Hari. Some people consider that chanting

the names of Krsna in a solitary place is in the category of "upamsu-japa,"

or "chanting very mildly." They say that this maha-mantra, or chanting the

holy names of the Lord, should not be heard by others; only the person who

is chanting should hear. If the lips move, or if the holy names are recited,

then (??they) will automatically be heard by others. But if such persons

lack faith in the Vaisnavas who chant the holy names of the Lord, then by

the influence of Kali they dare to quarrel with those Vaisnava chanters.

 

(Note: I am not fully happy with the translation of th eabove purport but it

serves the purpose for this point.)

 

Your aspiring servant, BR Sadhu Swami