A heart-melting conversation between most munificent Lord Caitanya and the exemplary Acarya Srila Haridäsa Öhäkura, for the benefit of all in this age of Kali! Chapter 1 Glories of the Holy Name SBSST (Sajjana-tosani 2/8) Sri Gaurangadeva, the deliverer of the fallen souls, preached humility through Rupa and Sanatana, detachment through Svarupa Damodara, tolerance through Haridasa Thakura, and self-control through Ramananda Raya. According to the statements of some devotees, Mahaprabhu preached about His pastimes through Sri Rupa, devotional service through Sri Sanatana, the glories of holy names through Haridasa Thakura, and love of God through Raya Ramananda. We have no argument in this regard. The Nature of the Holy Name näma cintämaëiù kåñëaç caitanya-rasa-vigrahaù pürëaù çuddho nitya-mukto ’bhinnatvän näma-näminoù ‘The holy name of Kåñëa is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Kåñëa Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Kåñëa’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Kåñëa Himself. Since Kåñëa’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with mäyä. Kåñëa’s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Kåñëa and Kåñëa Himself are identical.’ Cc Madhya 17.133 I offer my respectful obeisances unto Saccidänanda Bhaktivinoda, who is transcendental energy of Caitanya Mahäprabhu. He is a strict follower of the Gosvämés, headed by Çréla Rüpa. namo bhaktivinodäya sac-cid-änanda-nämine gaura-çakti-svarüpäya rüpänuga-varäya te Öhäkura Bhaktivinoda (1838-1914) 1900 Çré Harinäma-cintämaëi (The Touchstone of the Name of Hari) — divided into fifteen chapters and composed in Bengali verse form, this book is an account of Çréla Haridäsa Öhäkura's teachings on the holy name. (a) method of BVT; (b) superlative in both prachar and achar ~ brahmanas in Cändapura, where he lived at the house of Balaräma Äcärya; ~ & Sanatana G! The first three chapters describe the inconceivable glories of the holy name, acceptance of the holy name, and chanting the holy name free of impersonalist misconceptions. The fourth through thirteenth chapters elaborate on the ten offenses against pure chanting. The last two chapters describe 32 offenses to be avoided in the execution of pure devotional service, as well as a nectarean discussion on the process of practicing such devotion culminating in self-realization in pure ecstatic love of Godhead. gadāi gaurāṅga jaya jāhnavā jīvana sītādvaita jaya śrīvāsādi bhakta gaṇa Glory to Lord Caitanya, to Lord Gadädhara, and to Lord Nityänanda, the life of Jähnavä-devé! Glory to Advaita, the husband of Sétä! Glory to Çréväsa and all the devotees of the Lord! (HNC 1.1) On the shore of the salt- water ocean, in Néläcala, in a beautiful temple, the Supreme Personality of Godhead descended to this world and assumed the form of a wooden Deity to deliver the conditioned souls. He gives both happiness and liberation. (HNC 1.2) sei dhāme śrī caitanya mānave karite dhanya sannyāsī rūpete bhagavān In this holy abode Lord Caitanya stayed in Käçé Miçra's home to bless the human race and to teach the heart of the true religion meant for the Kali-yuga. (HNC 1.3) One day, after bathing in the sea, Lord Caitanya met Haridäsa Öhäkura under a siddha-bakula tree. Happy at heart, He earnestly asked, "How may the conditioned souls be easily delivered?" 1869 The Bhagavat: Its Philosophy, Its Ethics, and Its Theology “How will these yavanas be delivered? To My great unhappiness, I do not see any way.” Cc Antya 3.51 “On this earth there are many living entities,” the Lord said, “some moving and some not moving. What will happen to the trees, plants, insects and other living entities? How will they be delivered from material bondage?” Cc Antya 3.67 “You have preached the loud chanting of the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra and in this way freed all moving and nonmoving living entities from material bondage.” Cc Antya 3.76 From Çré Rämänanda's mouth came the description of the rasas. From Çré Särvabhauma's mouth came the description of liberation. From Çré Rüpa Gosvämé's mouth came the analysis of different rasas. From Çré Haridäsa's mouth came the glories of the holy name. (Footnote by SBVT) Weeping and weeping, and the hairs of his body erect, and humbly grasping the Lord's feet, saintly Haridäsa said, “Master, Your pastimes are very deep.” "I am very poor. I have no wealth of knowledge. Your feet are my only wealth. O master, what good result will You gain by suddenly asking this question of such an unfit person?” (HNC 1.6-7) Lovin g “You are the Supreme Lord Kåñëa. To deliver the conditioned souls You have descended to Navadvépa. Please be merciful. Please be kind. O Lord Gaura, please protect me. Please make my heart blossom with happiness. Your names have no end. Your transcendental qualities have no end. Your form is an ocean of bliss. Your pastimes have no end. Please be merciful and allow this sinner to relish the sweetness in them.” (HNC 1. 8-9) “You are the spiritual sun. I am a single ray of Your sunlight. You are the master. I am Your eternal servant. The nectar of Your feet is my wealth of pleasure. My desires rest on the nectar of Your holy names.” (HNC 1.10) e mata adhama āmi ki balite jāni svāmī tabu ājñā kariba pālana yā balābe mora mukhe tomāre baliba sukhe doṣa guṇa nā kari gaṇana “O master, I am fallen. How will I know what to say? Still, I must obey Your command. The words You place in my mouth I will happily speak. I will not try to judge their virtues or faults.” (1.11) kṛṣṇa-tattva eka-mātra icchāmaya kṛṣṇa sarveśvara nitya śakti-yoge kṛṣṇa vibhu parātpara Lord Kåñëa is the one Supreme Personality of Godhead. There is no other. His every desire is always fulfilled. He is eternal. He is the master of all potencies. He is greater than the greatest. (HNC 1.12) Lord Kåñëa is the Supreme Personality of Godhead. He is supremely independent. His desires are always fulfilled. He possesses inconceivable potencies. He is supremely conscious. His desires are always fulfilled. He possesses potencies. Nothing is independent of Him. His potencies are His glories and powers. His powers and glories are limitless. Lord Kåñëa is the one non-dual Supreme Truth. The impersonalists see Kåñëa as the undivided, quality-less Brahman. The truth is that the Brahman is the effulgence of Lord Kåñëa's body. The followers of añöäìga-yoga see Kåñëa as the all-pervading subtle Supersoul present everywhere in the universes and in the hearts of all. In truth Lord Kåñëa does manifest Himself in an aàça-avatära as the Supersoul. Therefore Brahman and Paramätmä are both partial manifestations of Lord Kåñëa. Therefore Kåñëa has all desires and all powers. He is fully conscious of everything. He is the independent Supreme Person. His desires are always fulfilled. (Footnote by SBVT) His qualities, especially the Bhakta-vatsala quality! All of His spiritual powers and glories are not material. Even though they may be manifested within the material world, they are not themselves material! (HNC 1.20) cid-vyāpāra samudaya viṣṇu-tattva-sāra viṣṇu-pada bali vede gāya bāra bāra Lord Kåñëa's powers and glories are Lord Kåñëa Himself (viñëu-tattva). Again and again the Vedas use the word "Viñëupada" (Lord Viñëu Himself, or Lord Viñëu's feet) to describe these powers and glories. (HNC 1.21) Lord Kåñëa's Spiritual Powers and Glories are Situated in Pure Goodness (Çuddha-sattva). They are Lord Kåñëa Himself (Viñëu- tattva) (HNC1.22-27) IS A BIG WRONG THEORY! Lord Kåñëa manifests His form as Govinda, Vaikuëöhanätha, Käraëodakaçäyé Viñëu, Garbhodakaçäyé Viñëu, and Kñérodakaçäyé Viñëu. He also manifests many other aàça-avatäras (incarnations), which are all Himself (viñëu-tattva), and which are all situated in pure goodness (çuddha-sattva). Appearing in Goloka, Vaikuëöha, the Käraëa-sägara (Causal Ocean), or the material world, the Lord is known as Viñëu. When He enters the material world, Lord Kåñëa remains the controller of matter. The name Viñëu still refers to Him. He is still all-powerful. He is still the master of all the demigods. He is still the controller of mäyä. Mäyä is still His property. He is still situated in pure goodness. Brahmä, Çiva, and all the demigods are situated in mixed goodness. (Miçra-sattva) (HNC 1.28) O Lord, Your viñëu-tattva forms, Your viñëu-dhäma abodes, and Your transcendental pastimes are all manifested by Your spiritual powers and glories (cid- vaibhava). .(HNC 1.29) The Material Powers and Glories, or Mäyä-tattva VIRAJA RIVER In this realm are Bhurloka, Bhuvarloka, Svargaloka, Maharloka, Janaloka, Tapoloka, and Satyaloka, or Brahmaloka. Below those worlds are seven lower worlds, which begin with Atalaloka and Sutalaloka. O master of all these worlds, please hear of Your material powers and glories. Your spiritual powers and glories are all perfect and complete. Your material powers and glories are shadows of Your spiritual powers and glories. (HNC 1.32-34) These words are the power and glory of Mäyä. They are called Devé- dhäma. They are made of the five gross material elements and the subtle material elements of mind, intelligence, and false-ego. (HNC 1.31) The earthly planets are made of the five material elements. The gross material bodies of the conditioned souls are also made of the five material elements.