TEXT 212
hindu-sastre 'isvara' nama--maha-mantra jani
sarva-loka sunile mantrera virya haya hani
SYNONYMS
hindu-sastrein the scriptures of the Hindus; isvaraGod; namathe holy name; maha-mantratopmost hymn; janiwe know; sarva-lokaeveryone; sunileif they hear; mantreraof the mantra; viryapotency; hayabecomes; hanifinished.
TRANSLATION
" 'According to Hindu scripture, God's name is the most powerful hymn. If everyone hears the chanting of the name, the potency of the hymn will be lost.
PURPORT
In the list of offenses in the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, it is said, dharma-vrata-tyaga-hutadi-sarva-subha-kriya-samyam api pramadah: to consider the chanting of the holy name of the Lord equal to the execution of some auspicious religious ceremony is an offense. According to the materialistic point of view, observing a religious ceremony invokes an auspicious atmosphere for the material benefit of the entire world. Materialists therefore manufacture religious principles to live comfortably and without disturbance in executing their material activities. Since they do not believe in the existence of God, they have manufactured the idea that God is impersonal and that to have some conception of God one may imagine any form. Thus they respect the many forms of the demigods as different representations or manifestations of the Lord. They are called bahv-isvara-vadis, or followers of thousands and thousands of gods. They consider the chanting of the names of the demigods an auspicious activity. Great so-called svamis have written books saying that one may chant any name-Durga, Kali, Siva, Krsna, Rama, and so on-because any name is all right for invoking an auspicious atmosphere in society. Thus they are called pasandis-unbelievers or faithless demons.
Such pasandis do not know the actual value of the chanting of the holy name of Lord Krsna. Foolishly proud of their material birth as brahmanas and their consequently higher position in the social order, they think of the other classes-namely, the ksatriyas, vaisyas and sudras-as lower classes. According to them, no one but the brahmanas can chant the holy name of Krsna, for if others chanted the holy name, its potency would be reduced. They are unaware of the potency of Lord Krsna's name. The Brhan-naradiya Purana recommends:
harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha "For spiritual progress in this age of Kali, there is no alternative, no alternative, no alternative to the holy name, the holy name, the holy name of the Lord." The pasandis do not accept that the potency of the holy name of Krsna is so great that one can be delivered simply by chanting the holy name, although this is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.51): kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sangah param vrajet. Any man from any part of the world who practices chanting of the holy name of Krsna can be liberated and after death go back home, back to Godhead. The rascal pasandis think that if anyone but a brahmana chants the holy name, the potency of the holy name is vanquished. According to their judgment, instead of delivering the fallen souls, the potency of the holy name is reduced. Believing in the existence of many gods and considering the chanting of the holy name of Krsna no better than other hymns, these pasandis do not believe in the words of the sastra (harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam). But Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu confirms in His Siksastaka, kirtaniyah sada harih: one must chant the holy name of the Lord always, twenty-four hours a day. The pasandis, however, are so fallen and falsely proud of having taken birth in brahmana families that they think that instead of delivering all the fallen souls, the holy name becomes impotent when constantly chanted by lower-class men.
Significant in verse 211 are the words krsnera kirtana kare nica bada bada, indicating that anyone can join in the sankirtana movement. This is confirmed in Srimad-Bhagavatam (2.4.18): kirata-hunandhra-pulinda-pulkasa abhira-sumbha yavanah khasadayah. This is a list of the names of candalas. The pasandis say that when these lower-class men are allowed to chant, their influence is enhanced. They do not like the idea that others should also develop spiritual qualities, because this would curb their false pride in having taken birth in families of the elevated brahmana caste, with a monopoly on spiritual activities. But despite all protests from so-called Hindus and members of the brahmana caste, we are propagating the Krsna consciousness movement all over the world, according to the injunctions of the sastras and the order of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Thus we are sure that we are delivering many fallen souls, making them bona fide candidates for going back home, back to Godhead.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/cc/adi/17/212 Previous: Adi 17.211 Next: Adi 17.213
|