Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Dictation – October 21, 1968, Seattle

False egotism means accepting this body as self

Prabhupada: Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, First Canto.] [indistinct] chapter, purport of verses numbers 72 to 74 continued

The importance of chanting,

Is given in many Vedic literatures especially in Narada Pancaratra it is said there, "all the three Vedas along with 16 supplementary notes all obtained can be included in the eight alphabet namely: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna. Similarly in the Kali-santarana Upanisad. K, A, L, I, S, A, N, T, A, R, A, N, U, P, A, N, I, S, A, D.

In the Kali-santarana Upanisad also it is said that these 16 words can only deliver all conditioned soul from the clutches of maya in this age of Kali. And it is also remarked there in that there is no better means of being liberated in this age. That is the version of all the Vedas. Similarly Madhvacarya has quoted from Munḍaka Upanisad in his commentary that in the Dvapara-yuga Lord Visnu can be worshipped by the method of pancaratra. While in the age of Kali simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord He can be worshipped.

Next paragraph.

Srila Jiva Gosvami in his thesis Bhakti-sandarbha, text number 284, has elaborately discussed about the importance of krsna-mantra and holy name of Krsna as follows; he says, within quotation, that: "all the mantras are indication of the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The specific significance of each and every mantra is that whenever there is some mantra the prefix is namaḥ, na, m a h. This namaḥ indicates that one surrenders unto the holy name of the Lord. Namaḥ means surrender.

By the supreme will of the Lord all the mantras chanted by great sages like Narada and others has potentially a specific spiritual power. As such as soon as such mantra is vibrated by the devotee immediately the spiritual relationship of the conditioned soul with the Supreme Personality of Godhead is evoked. Because in each and every mantra the specific potency of the Lord is infested therefore simply by chanting a mantra one can rise up to the highest perfectional stage of spiritual life.

Somebody may argue that if the holy name of the Lord, or the maha-mantra, is so much powerful, then why there is necessity of formal initiation and other ritualistic function.

So in answer to this question, Srila Jiva Gosvamihas concluded that although a person who is chanting without any offense the holy name of the Lord does not require to be initiated separately. But still because the conditioned soul is presently situated within this contaminated body. It is sometimes found that he is addicted to some undesirable bad habits. As such in order to purify from such bad habits, great rsis like Narada and other sages they have recommended in their books to chant gayatri-mantra and bija-mantra.

Although factually, by chanting the holy name of Krsna everything is completed. In other words the both the processes should be followed side by side. But if the initiation mantra cannot be followed circumstantially, simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord offenselessly, one can achieve the highest perfection. Exerpt.

There is necessity of mantra perfection in order to subdue the propensity of the conditioned soul for material enjoyment.

The word namaḥ, n, a, m, a, h, can be explained as follows: na, means false ego and mah means which nullifies. That means by practice of mantra one becomes able gradually to rise up transcendentally from his false egotism. False egotism means accepting this body as self and in relationship to the body to accept this material world as very important. This is false egotism. By perfection of chanting mantra one is able to rise up on the transcendental platform without any false identification with the material world.

Srila Rūpa Gosvami, he has recommended that the mantra can be chanted by the liberated soul, aye muktakulai rūpasya manam. A, y, e, m u, k, t a, k u, l a, i, .. muktakulai rūpasya.. r u, p a, s y a, m, a, n, a, m.

He has addressed the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krsna in that way.

Text number 76.

Explanation that meditation is possible in the Satya-yuga but in this age of Kali it is not possible. Therefore the only procedure for getting salvation is to chant Hare Krsna. Similarly in the Treta-yuga the worship of the Lord is performed by executing different types of sacrifices as they are mentioned in the Vedic ritualistic portion. That in this age of Kali that is not possible. Therefore it is stressed that one should simply chant Hare Krsna.

In Dvapara-yuga temple worship is recommended but in this age of Kali actually people have lost all faith in going to the churches and temples. Therefore temple worship cannot be performed in this way very nicely. As such the only method is chanting Hare Krsna. In this age of Kali therefore any method of salvation, like meditation worships and offering sacrifices are not very valid. Because they are unable to perform such activities very nicely. As such one should simply stick to the chanting of the holy name;

And that is the recommendation of Brhan-naradiya Purana. A Vedic literature and confirmed by Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu and there is no doubt about it. That our liberation is guaranteed simply by chanting offencelessly. The 16 names;

Text number 83. Purport.

When the spiritual master utters the holy name of the Lord,

At that time the vibration enters into the ear of the disciple. Then if the disciple receives the holy name according to the instruction given by his spiritual master and with faith and reverence. He blesses the Hare Krsna maha-mantra within his heart and as instructed and guided by the spiritual master. He worships the holy name as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. In the beginning of worshipment to the Lord, immediately starts.

This way when the disciple continues to worship the holy name of the Lord. The holy name being Krsna Himself by His own internal potency expands His influence upon the person who is engaged in chanting the holy name. The influence of the holy name is exhibited by the power delegated to the disciple. That means if a disciple by chanting the holy name in the influence of the direction of the spiritual master comes to the perfectional stage and at that time he is eligible to distribute the holy name to the world and he is able to make disciples also.

Simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord and because he is empowered now by the spiritual potency of the Lord he can make disciples all over the world. Such propaganda work[?] the whole world begins to chant Hare Krsna because in the form of the holy name. Krsna Himself controls the whole world in that way. People at that time when begins to chant Hare Krsna in such way there is different kinds of symptoms of perfection. Namely sometimes laughing, sometimes crying, sometimes dancing, sometimes chanting, these symptoms are manifestations.

There are many fools who say that these 16 names Hare Krsna cannot be loudly chanted but because they are mantra they should be softly vibrated. This way they commit offense by taking the devotee to chant Hare Krsna loudly. But a person who has attained the stage of love of God by chanting Hare Krsna.

He without being checked in that way he chants this Hare Krsna with devotees and all the people of the world just receives instruction about chanting the holy name of the Lord. As soon as one chants the holy name of the Lord he simultaneously hears and remembers the glory of the holy name. Because the holy name is identical with the Supreme Lord. Therefore simply by chanting the holy name one develops his loving affection for rendering service to the Lord, becomes manifested.

This willingness to serve the Lord after chanting the holy name is called bhava or emotion. One who has attained this emotional stage he is already relieved from the ignorance of maya and therefore in his activities nothing undesirable activity can be observed. Such spiritually situated person being enriched with other spiritual ingredients relishes the chanting of the holy name very nicely.

But when this emotional stage is condensed it is called prema or love of Godhead. That's why the holy name of Krsna is called maha-mantra. In the pancaratrika system the holy name of the Lord is called mantra. But generally any name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is famous as maha-mantra.

Text number 84. Purport.

The most important necessity of life is to attain love of Krsna. That is the highest perfectional stage of any living entity. The performance of religious ritualistic activities or be engaged in economic development for prosperous condition of material existence and the process of sense gratification and at last to aspire after liberation from the material world. All these things cannot be compared with the situation of a person who has developed love of Godhead. The love of Godhead is compared with such four kinds of activities. It appears to be most insignificant.

Material prosperity and enjoyment or liberation from the material pangs both of them are necessities of conditioned soul in his designated district. Love of Godhead is not a symptom of such designated state. When one develops love of Godhead and that means that he is already liberated from the designated state of life. Love of Godhead is the eternal occupation of the eternal soul and unchangeable. Therefore all the processes for material enjoyment or liberation from material pangs cannot be compared with love of Godhead.

Text number 88. Purport.

Sometimes it is found that persons who are actually very much materially addicted but in order to take the credit of devotional position artificially tries to cry and laugh and dance in order to show to the public that he has developed all these symptoms by higher stage of devotional service. But such artificial show cannot give to the show'er any spiritual benefit. Rather on the other hand it brings fall down of such pseudo-devotee. For a pure devotee should never artificially show any such thing rather such movement of the senses should be avoided by a pure devotee.

One should wait however for the natural sequence of the spirit soul and the symptoms of loving, crying, dancing, chanting when they are aroused from the spiritual platform-that should be welcomed. The symptoms are repeated in the process of service mode. Not otherwise. The person who is in the lowest status of material existence try to show all the spiritual symptoms artificially. He simply brings some undesirable effects to the understanding of the people in general.

Srila Jiva Gosvami has explained this fact in his Priti Sandarbha thesis as follows, in quotations: "the person who has actually developed Krsna consciousness and situated in perfect love of Krsna is never under the condition of material existence but he is situated under the pleasure potency of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead is also voluntarily under the influence of that pleasure potency as such a pure devotee simply under the direct pleasure potency of the Supreme Lord is melted in different symptoms of crying, laughing, dancing and chanting. But that time the possibility of shivering in the body or standing of the hair on the holes are possible.

Sometimes it is found that even though there are manifestation of the symptoms but one is found that his material desires are not purified. In that case it is to be understood that a devotee has not yet reached to the standard perfectional stage of devotional service. The purification of status means one has no more any desire in exchange of devotional service save and except love of God. Such stage of love of God is called causeless and without being hampered.

Text number 92. Purport.

Persons who have achieved the authority under the direction of the spiritual master are given permission by the spiritual master to dance, chant along with pure devotees. This person authorised by the spiritual master are able to preach Krsna consciousness all over the world. Persons who are not so authorised they are kept in a limited sphere on account of their inebriety.

Such incapable persons are generally found packed up in a primitive place under the name of bhajana-kutira or place where one can chant Hare Krsna without being disturbed by others or different kinds of mathams and temples. Such devotional service can protect one from the association of outsiders only. But those who are preachers by the order or the authority of the spiritual master even they do not follow such system being packed up in a limited place and travels all over the world.

They are never influenced by the contamination of the world. On the other hand by their such activities of propagating Krsna consciousness. Persons who are out of the purview of Krsna consciousness get opportunities to associate with such pure devotee and becomes feasible to receive the causeless mercy of such pure devotee.

In this connection the verses described in the 10th Canto of Srimad-Bhagavatam that one should not imitate the activities of liberated persons rather one should be followers of pure devotees who have no attachment for material enjoyment but is able to dovetail everything in the service of Krsna.

[Letter to Messieurs Crown.] [End of dictation tape]

Govinda dasi! [End].