Chanting

In this connection there is a speech delivered in Chicago by an impersonalist who was the first svami to come from India to preach Hindu philosophy. It is very surprising. Even a clergyman from this country was surprised. "You come from India, and you are decrying God in this way? I am surprised." He has simply decried God: "Why do you care for God? Throw Him away. You are God." In this way he has spoken. Caitanya Mahaprabhu knew 500 years ago that in the future all these rascals would misinterpret Vedanta-sūtra; therefore He presented Himself as a fool.

Since Vedanta-sūtra is not a very easy subject, Vyasadeva explained Vedanta-sūtra in Srimad-Bhagavatam. The first aphorism of Vedanta-sūtra is janmadyasya. "Now is the time to understand what is Brahman, the Absolute Truth." The next sūtra is: "What is Brahman?" The next answer is: "Brahman is that from which everything emanates." Vyasadeva gives a lucid explanation of the janmadyasya verse. We can consider this first aphorism of Vedanta-sūtra: "Brahman is that Absolute Truth from which everything emanates or everything is born." (Janma means birth, sthiti means maintenance, and pralaya means dissolution.) This material world has a death to its existence, just as our body has a death. It stays for some time, and again there is death, dissolution. Consider the history of everything material-whether this body or this world or the empire or America. All have a death to their being. Now America is staying, but a day will come when there will be no more Americans. We should know it. That is nature's law. Everything is born, it stays for some time, and then there is dissolution and it dissolves. That is explained in Bhagavad-gita. All these material manifestations are just like bubbles in the ocean. There are millions and millions of bubbles created in one second, and in the next second they are finished. This is the manifestation of the material creation, but behind this manifestation is spirit. That spirit is called Brahman.

Now what is the nature of that Brahman? Is it impersonal or personal? Vyasadeva says that the Supreme Truth is cognizant; He knows. Bhagavad-gita also confirms this. The Lord says, "I know everything." Unless He is cognizant, unless behind this cosmic manifestation there is a brain, how could everything be regulated and timed so nicely? Everything is working, the planets are working-do you think that there is no brain behind it? There must be. Therefore Srimad-Bhagavatam says, "Yes. He is cognizant. He is a person. He also educated Brahma, who is considered to be the first created being in this universe. He impregnated Brahma with the Vedic knowledge." These are explanations of Vedanta. But there are so many foolish rascals who misinterpret the Vedanta-sūtra in different ways. Therefore Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu very cunningly said, "I am a great fool. Therefore My spiritual master chastised Me: 'You rascal, You fool, You cannot understand Vedanta-sūtra! You had better take this mantra.' " In other words, at the present time the circumstances are so awkward that it is not possible to understand Vedanta-sūtra. If we indulge in Vedanta-sūtra it will be very difficult for us. Therefore Caitanya's contribution is that we should just chant. That will make everything progressive.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu represented Himself as the chief of the fools and rascals: "My spiritual master ordered Me: 'You had better chant Hare Krsna. That will make You happy and progressive and will help You one day understand what is Vedanta.' " Now one may question, "By understanding Vedanta-sūtra one is liberated from this material entanglement, but you are asking me simply to chant Hare Krsna. Will that same purpose be served?" Lord Caitanya's spiritual master said, "Yes, if You continue chanting this Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, there will be a day when You will come to the perfectional stage. Then You will be liberated. The same result that one gets by studying Vedanta philosophy or sahkhya philosophy can also be obtained simply by chanting Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna. Furthermore, the Vedantist sometimes cannot attain the Krsna planet. But Your advantage will be You will not only be liberated, but You will achieve the highest planetary kingdom-the kingdom of God."

Caitanya Mahaprabhu said, "This Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna is the only universal religious principle in this age. No other religious process will be effective because people in this age are distracted in so many different ways. This is the common formula, and it is the most effective. There is no alternative for self-realization in this Age of Kali than to chant Hare Krsna. It is the essence of all scriptures. There are different hymns and mantras, but this is the topmost of all. Therefore My spiritual master asked Me to chant Hare Krsna."