Krshna

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Krshna is the only real visaya of

prema in all of existence, so He Himself would be unable to give

it. Çrî Rådhå and all other devotees are the åçraya of prema, so

they can give it. Therefore Krshna Himself came taking the bhåva

of Rådhå, here the word bhåva meaning karu√a, kindness.

anarpita-carîμ ciråt karu√ayåvatîr√a˙ kalau

samarpayitum unnatojjvala-rasåμ sva-bhakti-çriyam

Çrî Caitanya-caritåm®ta (Ådi-lîlå 1.4)

With this karu√a, for the purpose of tasting three sentiments and

for giving instruction to the souls of this world, He came. And

this is His first instruction:

84 The Nectar of Govinda-lîlå

nåmnåm akåri bahudhå nija-sarva-çaktis

tatrårpitå niyamita˙ smara√e na kåla˙

etåd®çî tava k®på bhagavan mamåpi

durdaivam îd®çam ihåjani nånuråga˙

Çrî Çikßå߆aka (2)

O Bhagavån, Your name is the giver of all auspiciousness to the

jîvas, and therefore, being merciful, You are eternally manifest in

the form of names like Råma, Nåråya√a, Mukunda, Mådhava,

Govinda, DÃ¥modara and others. You have invested all of your

potency in these names. Being causelessly merciful You have not

imposed any restrictions upon the chanting of Your names such

as any specified time or place, and therefore they can be chanted

at any time of the day or night. O Lord, this is Your causeless

mercy upon the living entities, but it is my great misfortune that

due to my offences, attraction for Your name, which is the

bestower of all spiritual fruits, has not arisen within me.

This is His first instruction: the holy name is Krshna Himself.

There is an incident from the time of Narottama dåsa ˇhåkura

and Çrîla Lokanåtha Gosvåmî concerning this point. Once when

Narottama was chanting japa, a farmer approached him asking

for a pail of water. Not understanding the full glories of nåma,

the holy name – that it is non-different from nåmî, the possessor

of the holy name, in all respects – he put aside his chanting beads

to perform this charitable activity. Lokanåtha Gosvåmî, knowing

that nåma and nåmî are one and the same and that service to the

holy name is service to Krshna, detected a fault in Narottama

ˇhåkura. There is no difference between them. In the stage of

practice and in perfection the holy name is Krshna.

Chanting the holy name more and more, Mahåprabhu said, “I

saw Krshna in the form of Gopåla standing before Me.†The holy

name and Krshna Himself are non-different, as Mahåprabhu has

said in this verse from the Çikßå߆aka. Bhagavån descended as an

 

incarnation in the form of so many names – why? Because there

are many different types of people in the world. Their proclivities

and faith are of many types. Their previously acquired natures are

different, and even in perfection their internal svarüpas are different.

Therefore Bhagavån has descended in the forms of many

different names. He has so many names like Krshna, Nåråya√a,

Brahman, Paramåtmå, Jagannåtha, and also ˆçvara, Allah, Khudå

and God. But we can divide all of these names into two categories:

secondary and primary. Names where there is no specification

are secondary, like ˆçvara. What is the meaning of ˆçvara?

In this name is there a particular form or shape specified? Just

that He is the controller, but there is no specification. And oμ

can mean Kålî or Gaurî, but does not specify any particular form.

And Jagannåtha – who does that refer to? All incarnations of

Vishnu can be called Jagannåtha. God is also a secondary name.

“G†stands for generator, meaning creator, “o†stands for operator,

meaning the one who maintains and nurtures, and “d†stands

for destroyer. Allah means He who is the greatest of all, just like

our conception of Brahman. It is also a secondary name. Hari

means one who steals the consciousness, and is a primary name

of Krshna. It can also refer to Narahari and RÃ¥macandra along with

Krshna – these are the three superior (paråvasthå) incarnations.

N®siμha, Våmana, Kalki, Råma, Krshna, Nåråya√a and Hari

are all primary names. Primary names are also of two types.

Those names which refer to Bhagavån’s aspect of divine opulence

(aiçvarya) are the secondary primary names, and the names of

Krshna are the main primary names. Then there is some further

consideration within the names of Krshna According to the gradation

of importance of K®ß√a’s pastimes, there is gradation in

His names also. Of the names Råsa-bihårî and Yaçodå-nandana,

which name is more special? Råsa-bihårî. In this way, within

the main primary names are supremely primary names like

 

Rådhånåtha, Rådhå-kånta and Gopînåtha. They contain some

special potency and indicate a special pastime of Krshna. For

instance, all of His unique sweetness (mådhurya) is included

within the name Råsa-bihårî, and of all Kkrshnas pastimes, this

name indicates the essence of them. By chanting this name these

particular pastimes will be illuminated within the heart of the

chanter.