Sankirtan Ki Jaya

[Guest guest]

One can find faults for all of one's life. One can keep questioning for ever. One can debate and be buried in who is better. But it is all useless in removing the heat of this material existence. There are millions of people suffering and if we have some relief it is by the mercy of the holy name. Harinam sankirtan ki Jaya. All glorious is Srila Prabhupada who has spread these holynames around the world. We are indebted to our acharyas who have given the transcendental knowledge.

[sha]

 

<marquee bgcolor="#00ffff"><font color="red" size=+2><big> Harinam sankirtan ki Jaya

</marquee></font></big>

 

An excerpt from another board:

<font color="red">kRte yad dhyAyato viSNuM tretAyAM yajato makhaiH

dvApare paricaryAyAM kalau tad hari kIrtanAt</font>

 

(Srimad Bhagavatam 12.3.52)

 

Each Yuga has its own standard - high or low - of Dharma, and in accordance with the moral fibre of the people of that Yuga, its own prescription for attaining the Lord.

 

After recounting the various defects of Kali Yuga resulting in the people failing from the virtuous path, Veda Vyasa extols Kali Yuga as being exceptionally fortunate in that the easiest means for attaining the Lord have been prescribed for this Yuga.

 

Though, admittedly, Kali is the repository of all evil - and most of us today are witnessing the moral quagmire into which present day mankind has pushed itself - yet it has a supreme virtue:

 

a person may free himself of all attachments and attain God Realization simply by singing the glories of the Lord and chanting and hearing His names.

 

In other words, whatever a person could attain in the Krita Yuga by meditation on Vishnu;

in the Treta Yuga by performing sacrifices; in the Dvapara Yuga by devoted service and worship -

all that he may attain in the Kali Yuga by extolling the Lord.

 

This is the great advantage of the Kali Yuga and makes us exceptionally fortunate, despite the all-pervading evil around us!

 

Veda Vyasa muni started the Bhagavatam with an invocatory hymn addressed to the Ultimate Reality, and that verse contains the essence of the Vedanta philosophy as expounded in the Upanishads and the Brahma Sutras.

 

In the valedictory verse of the Bhagavatam, Vyasa declares that chanting of the names of the Supreme Being alone is capable of destroying all the sins which stand in the way of God-realization.

 

In these days when people want God-realization and liberation while holding on to the world at the same time, and are reluctant to put forth mental or physical effort to acquire Jnana or study scriptures, the easiest way to achieve the goal is by resorting to chanting the name of the Lord, which can be done anywhere and at all times, for example while engaged in eating, cooking in the kitchen, walking, traveling, or any other activity for that matter.

 

The logical reasoning behind this process is as follows: Every letter of the Sanskrit alphabet is an aspect of the universal force or the power (Sakti), in which the Lord manifests Himself in the world. The first letter ¥ (A) which stands for the power ‘Amrita-Varshini’, when chanted over a long period of time, can bestow a long life. Similarly the letter §ü (EE) stands for the power ‘Eesaani’, which can bestow the ability of controlling others and, being the Maya Bija, also has the influence of removing Maya.

 

The names of the Lord are all combinations of different sound forces whose vibrations will permeate our mind and the body, and shall purify them as well as the ambient atmosphere, and finally lead us to the Super-conscious state of Samadhi, resulting in God-realization.

 

<font color="red">nAsti nAsti mahA bhAga! kali kAlasamaM yugaM,

smaraNAt kIrtanAt viSNoH prApyate paramaM padam</font>

 

O great fortunate one! There is no age, there is no age equal to the Kali Yuga during which the Ultimate Supreme Goal is attained simply by the loving rememberence and devotional chanting of the Holy Names of Lord Vishnu (Krishna).

 

Srimad Bhagavatam is not a mere book. It is the very Lord manifested as the sound (word) force. The Lord is infinite and His words have myriad interpretations - and each one of them is correct too - since they are meant for Sadhakas with varying levels of spiritual aptitude, capacity, etc. in the light of their Vasanas (latent tendencies).

The very last verse of the Srimad Bhagavatam 12.13.23:

 

<font color="blue">nAma saGkIrtanaM yasya sarva pApa praNAzanam

praNAmo duHkha zamanas taM namAmi hariM param</font>

 

"Let us all prostrate to that transcendental Lord Hari, thinking and lovingly singing of Whose Names destroy all sins, and surrendering to Whom dispels all miseries and sufferings."

<font color="white">

 

[This message has been edited by sha (edited 06-11-2002).]

[sha]

Some beautiful doha from Sri Tulasidasji's 'Sri Rama-Carita-Manas'-

 

<font color="red">mana krama vacana chaaDi caturaayee

bhajata hi kripa karata raghu raayee</font>

 

Leaving aside the egoism of learning, craftiness and word jugglery, if the seeker sincerely worship the Lord with his heart, mind, words, and actions, Lord Raghu Rama showers His Grace upon him and he is blessed with Divine Love.

 

<font color="red">kali yuga kevala naam adhaaraa

sumiri sumiri nara utarahi paaraa</font>

 

In the age of Kali, the Names of Lord alone are of support to mankind for devotion.

By <big>remembering and remembering</big> lovingly the Name of Lord alone, men can CROSS the ocean of material existence.

 

<font color="red">kali yuga kevala hari guNa gaahaa

gaavata nara paavata bhava thaaha</font>

 

In the age of Kali, there is ONLY one way to get release from the worldly bondage, that is to SING wholeheartedly the Glories of Lord HARI.

 

<font color="red">nahi kali dharma na bhagati viveku

raamanaama avalambana yeku</font>

 

In the age of Kali, there is NO use of Varnasrama dharma nor ritualistic vaidhi bhakti practice, nor the subtle knowledge of formless Brahman.

The only support and sustenence is the Name of Lord Raama.

 

<font color="red">kali yuga yoga na yajna na jaanaa

yek aadhaara raama guNa gaanaa</font>

 

In the age of Kali, Patanjali's 'Astaangayoga', or the Jnana of Advaita Philosophy, or the fire sacrifices done to heavenly gods, are of NO HELP!

For God realisation, there is ONLY ONE help, i.e., SINGING lovingly the Glories, Virtues and Lilas of Lord Rama.

 

So Saint Tulasidasji prays to his Ramacandra Kripalu,

 

<font color="blue">ab prabhu kripa karahu yehi bhaamti

saba taji bhajana karaum dina raati

 

O Lord, now grace me in such a way, that I will leave ALL other useless sadhanas, other ritual practices, and engage myself day and night in lovingly SINGING Your Names,

extolling Your Grace and Your virtues,

REMEMBERING Your Divine lilas and

CONTEMPLATING on Your Blissful Form.

 

Jai Sant Tulasi das ki!

[sha]

Here is an excerpt from the article written by Sri R.K.Tripathi,

published in the English and Hindi translation of Sri Tulasdasa's 'Sri Rama Carita Manasa' by Professor R. C. Prasad.

<font color="blue">" So far as the poet (Saint Tulasi dasa) himself is concerned, he seems to consider 'nama-japa', i.e. repetition of name, to be the BEST means of Bhakti.

 

He has devoted many pages in Balakanda to explain the importance of Nama - Name, especially of the name of Rama.

 

Firstly because the name and the named are one, secondly because it is the name which makes the named intelligible and is, therefore, even superior to 'Rupa' - Form.

 

<big>The Name is superior even to Rama. It is the mediator between the abstract Absolute and the Personified Absolute.</big></font>

 

Through 'Nama-japa' Hanuman was able to have a control over Rama.

 

<font color="red">In the Kaliyuga especially, 'Nama-Sankirtana' is most effective.

The name of Rama is effective whether it is uttered with love or with spite,

in anger or even in moments of boredom and laziness.

The importance of 'name' is so great that even Rama CANNOT describe it FULLY!</font>

 

When the climax of Bhakti is reached, the devotee leaves every thing to God, does not ask for any thing and accepts only that which the Lord considers best for him.

 

When the Lord is pleased to appear before the devotee, He offers to grant him whatever he wants and does not impose His will on him.

 

This is because He wants that the devotee should first be free from all desires and then be granted Bhakti.

 

<font color="blue">When the Bhakta has NO personal desires, he begs ONLY Bhakti of the Lord."</font>

[sha]

A few sublime verses from Srimad Bhagavatam (2. 2. 33, 34, 35, 36 and 37) glorifying Divine Love Devotion and Naama Sankirtana of the Lord:<center>

 

na hyato 'nyaH zivaH panthA vizataH saMsRtAviha

vAsudeve bhagavati bhakti yogo yato bhavet

 

<font color="red">For him who has fallen into the whirlpool of transmigration there is NO OTHER blessed path other than that which makes for DEVOTION to Lord Vaasudeva.</font>

 

bhagavAn brahma kAtsnaryena triran vIkSya manISayA

tadadhyavasyAt kUTastho ratir Atman yato bhavet

 

<font color="blue">Having critically studied Vedas with cocentrated mind thrice over,

Brahma CONCLUDED by force of reason that alone to be the HIGHEST virtue, by which one is able to develop Exclusive Devotion to Sri

Krishna, the Self of the universe. </font>

 

bhagavAn sarva bhUteSu lakSitaH svAtmanA hariH

dRzyair buddhyAdibhir draSTA lakSaNaignumApakaiH

 

<font color="red">Lord Sri Hari alone is seen abiding in ALL animate and inanimate

beings as their very self; for the intellect and pther phenomenal objects are adjuncts that LEAD us to infer the existence of the Lord, Who is the All-witnessing seer. </font>

 

<big>tasmAt sarvAtmanA rAjan hariH sarvatra sarvadA

zrotavyaH kIrtitavyaz ca smartavyo bhagavAn nRNAm

 

<font color="blue">Therefore, O king, men should always and under all circumstances

with their whole being listen to, recite and revolve in their mind the stories of Lord Sri Hari alone.</font></big>

 

pibanti ye bhagavata AtmanaH satAM

kathAmRtaM zravaNapuTeSu sambhRtam

punanti te viSaya vidUSitAzayaM

vrajanti taccaraNa saroruhAntikam

 

<font color="red">They who DRINK in the Nectar-like stories of the Lord, the Soul of

the universe, POURED into the cups of their ears by HOLY men, are able to PURIFY their HEART, which has been contaminated through

contact with the pleasures of sense, and attain PROXIMITY to His lotus feet. </font>

 

(Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 2, Chap. 2, verses 33-37)

[sha]

<center><font color="red">tuNDe tANDavinI ratiM vitanute tuNDAvalI labdhaye

karNa kroDa kAdaMbinI ghatayate karNArbudebhyaH spRhAm,

cetaH prAGgaNa saGginI vijayate sarvendriyANAM kRtiM

no jAne janitA kiyadbhir amRtaiH kRSNeti varNa dvayI</font>

 

(Vidagdha-Madhavam 1.15. By Sri Roopa Goswami)

 

"Sri Radhika's role as the Supreme Model Prema Bhakta is indicated

even more clearly by Her RESPONSE to the Name of Her Beloved Lord Krishna.

 

Even before Her first meeting with Him, She shows unmistakable Emotion, whenever Her friends mention Him by Name, as they do

deliberately.

 

It is in this connection that Sri Roopa reveals most unambiguously

the Intimate Relation between Radha's Emotion and the Experience of ardent Vaishnava devotees.

 

In the play (V.M.), Purnamsi deems Radha's RESPONSE fitting and

eloquently expresses Her Own FEELINGS in the above quoted verse:

 

<font color="blue">"Dancing on the tip of your tongue,

They make you LONG for myriads of mouths,

 

Alighting in the hollow of your ear,

They make you WISH for ears in plentitude,

 

And when They reach the doorway to your heart,

They STILL the turbulence of all senses:

 

"KRISH"- "NA" - just TWO syllables -

yet how much NECTAR do They not contain ??"</font>

 

By means of Paurnamasi's endorsement, Radha's response is

explicitly established as an IDEAL for Vaishnava Devotion."

 

(Notes and Translation from - 'A Sanskrit Portrait: RADHA in the PLAYS Of Rupa Gosvami' by Donna M. Wulff)

 

***

 

http://barsanadham.org

[sha]

<font color="red">71. The benefit in repeating a holy name of God is not only to gain

one-pointedness of mind, but is to surrender oneself to God to such

an extent that one's heart melts and dissolves with ever-brimming

love for Him while repeating His name.

 

72. Thinking once of the name of God with a steady one-pointed mind

is more valuable than doing a thousand, thousand repetitions (japa)

with a wandering mind. But calling intently upon God even once, with

a mind surging with love for Him, is far superior even to doing a

million (crore) of japa with a one-pointed mind.</font>

 

73. While doing repetition (japa) of the name of God, there is one

thing, called "love," which is to be mingled with it. If one knows

correctly the way to do japa (repitition of a mantra, etc.), uniting

love with the name of God, the result attained by that repetition

will be not only one-pointedness of mind, that japa will bestow upon

one the deathless state of union with God.

 

<font color="blue">74. Uniting love with the name of God is giving of oneself, the

ego "I," as an offering to His feet. Love is we, and the name is He.

Thus, uniting love with His name is offering our ego-self to Him,

which is the principle of self-surrender (saranagati-tattva). By such

self-surrender, the state of Self-abidance is attained.</font>

 

-- Sri Sadhu Om ( a disciple of Ramana Maharshi)

 

Hari Aum !!!

 

message from: /

 

--------------

[sha]

<font color="red">ekAnta lAbhaM vacaso nu puMsAM suzloka mauler guNavAdamAhuH

zrutezca vidvadbhir upAkRtAyAM kathAsudhAyAm upasamprayogam</font color>

 

(Srimad Bhagavatam)

 

<font color="blue">The wise declare that the<big> sole utility of men's speech</big>

decidedly lies in uttering the praises of the Lord,

Who is the Foremost of those enjoying the highest renown,

and the<big> sole utility of one's ears</big> lies coming into

contact with the nectar-like discourses

on Sri Hari delivered by learned Saints.

 

********

[sha]

<center>bhajagovindaM bhajagovindaM

govindaM bhajamuuDhamate .

<big>naamasmaraNaa dhanyamupaayaM</big>

nahi pashyaamo bhavataraNe .. 33..

 

<font color="blue">Worship Govinda, worship Govinda, worship Govinda, Oh fool !</font>

<font color="red"><big>Other than chanting the Lord's names,

there is no other way to cross the life's ocean.</font></big>

 

http://www.geocities.com/RodeoDrive/1415/bhaja1.html

 

******

[sha]

<center><big>The Name of God</big>

 

<font color="red">My only wealth

is the Name of Hari [God]:

 

Your Name is my field,

your Name is my orchard,

the object of my Love,

my only refuge.</font>

 

Your Name is my fortune,

your Name is my capitol --

Beside Your Name

I know nothing.

 

<font color="blue">Your Name is my kith and kin,

your Name is my Brother --

On the last day, your Name will be

my sole Companion.</font>

 

<font color="red">I cling to your Name.</font>

 

Invoking Ram

my body was consumed --

In the Name of Ram,

my spirit has merged.</font>

 

-- Guru Kabir, "A Weaver Named Kabir - Selected Verses," Charlotte Vaudeville,

Oxford University Press, ISBN 019-563078-5.

This book is a sequel to her earlier 1974 work titled,

"Kabir," Volume I, also published by Oxford.

 

Hari Bol!

[sha]

<center>A few more sublime verses from 'Sri Rama Carita Manas' of Sant Tulasi Das ji:

krita juga saba jogee vijnaanee

kari hari-dhaan tarahi bhava praanee

 

<font color="red">

In the golden age of Krita, all the inhabitants were fully enlightened souls and

capable of engaging their minds and hearts in contemplative meditation upon Lord Hari.

Thus they have all crossed over the ocean of material existence.</font>

 

tretaa vividha yajna nara karahee

prabhuhi samarpi karma bhava tarahee

 

<font color="blue">

In Treta Yuga, the same results were achieved by the people through performing various sacrificial worship

and offering them for the pleasure of the Lord.</font>

 

dvaapara kari raghu (yadu) pati pada poojaa

nara bhava tarahi upaaya na doojaa

 

<font color="red">In the age of Dwapara, there was no alternative solution to achieve the ultimate goal

but through rendering their loving service to the lotus feet of the Lord Himself (Pancaratra).</font>

 

yahi kali kaala na saadhana doojaa

jog na japa tapa vrat makha poojaa

 

<font color="blue">

For this fallen age of Kali, there is NO alternative path of spiritual practice such as

yoga meditation, mechanical counting on beads, severe penance & vows

and sacrificial worship to please the heavenly personalities like Indra.</font>

 

milahi na raghupati binu anuraagaa

kiye joga japa daana viraagaa

 

<font color="red">

Lord of the Raghu Dynasty, Sri Ramacandra, will not be perceived by the seekers devoid of Divine Love

despite their great yogic meditation, ritualistic practice of 'japa',

charitable deeds and dispassion towards the material world.</font>

 

Raamahi sumiriya gaayiya raamahi

santata suniya raama guna graamahi

 

<font color="blue">So please REMEMBER passionately Lord Ramacandra ,

only sing lovingly the holy Names of Rama, always

listen to His Divine attributes, and

blissful exploits alone.</font>

 

Hari Bol!