Divine Love - Easy As Never

Forever loving Nitaai-Gaura

2010-12-14T04:50:00.000-08:00

My friend singing a cover version of Bob Marleys "Forever loving Jah" :-)

Gaura Book for download and spiritual enlightement

2010-10-25T12:10:00.000-07:00

What follows is a review of one reader of Gaura Book:

Here's the info of what it contains :

Vedic Cosmography

Your Best Friend
Grhasta Manual
Cookbooks (Yummy...)
Brahmacharya Section (Can’t miss this one…many original articles. Also has 2 fantastic books.)

And many other books are there ....you read and find out what else is there. (My incentive :-)

And many articles … almost all articles are from this section. The philosophical analysis and mention of whatever pure spiritual teachings available in all the religions of the world are really a revelation and a welcome addition. They include.

Modern Science (starter)
Anthropology and History (Hmmm...very interesting. It has some real revealing facts that support the Puranic conclusion and we see a lot of lies exposed in the name of writing history)
Astronomy and Cosmography (Vedic Cosomology is a very great science alright...)
Modern Scientific theories exposed (Prabhupada was fond of bashing these speculations on evolution, universe)
Introduction to Vedic Science (Baby Feeding...Karma, Soul, etc...good sources). Also nice magazine articles.
Important Lessons for devotees (Really important as it says)
Advanced Philosophy (You should read this in real detail very carefully ... it's quite involved with so much analysis of every major faith and philosophy in the world and it is a minefield of pure devotional revelations. Now-a-days we see so much hate and other problems, and this loving approach to appreciate everything good in others is characteristic of our paramahamsa acharyas.

So anyway, getting to the book list, it has :

All Prabhupada Books (by browsing links to Vedabase, Vanipedia, etc… These books are not available in this ebook. Includes links to Bhagavad Gita, Bhagavatam, Chaitanya Charitamrita, Nectar of Devotion, Books on Reincarnation, Life comes from life etc...)
[Note : It has links to where you can download all Prabhupada's books posted by others on websites and even Internet Archive -- Sacred texts, so that is consolation for those who want to read offline]

Books directly available in this database are :

Special mention is needed as this is the Only place where you can download the full Chaitanya Bhagavatam.

Krishna Chaitanya Charita Mahakavya -- this is rare. I have yet to find this anywhere else.
Chaitanya Charita (Kavi Karnapura — rare)
Shrimad Bhagavad Gita By Acharyas (Vishvanatha Chakravarthi Thakura commentary (this HAS to be read, we haven't seen Gita in this flavour + Srila Prabhupada (only links to The BBT Vedabase)
Glories of Lord Nityananda Prabhu
Nityananda Charitamrita
Compilation of The Pastimes of Lord Nityananda

Chaitanya Bhagavata (Full 7 volumes — verses patchy, perhaps CHM botched up the diacritics, but the English is perfect. It is Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati's Commentary. For consolation, a separate book of only verses is available and it is perfectly done.)

Shrimad Bhagavatam (Links To Vedabase Given)
Chaitanya Charitamrta (Links To Vedabase)
Shri Chaitanya Chandramrita
Jaiva Dharma
Brahma Samhita
Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya
Shikshashtaka with Commentaries

The Holy Names of Nityanaanda and Gauraanga (A LOT of info from so many scriptures. I say this changed my spiritual life totally along with the Hare Krisha maha mantra. I have sworn allegiance to them)

Maha Mantra Yoga (Hare Krishna Mahamantra MUST READ)
Hari Naam Chintamani (By the Naamacharya Himself)
Divine Name Haridasa
Shri Namaamrita
Levels of Nityananda Gauranga and Hare Krishna Chanting
Nityananda Gauranga in Vedas, Puranas, Smritis and Shrutis
Additional Important Scriptures
Songs on Nityananda Gauranga
Bhaktivinoda Vani Vaibhava (All 3 volumes — Sambandha, Abhideya, Prayojana … All his writings in one book)
Glories of Lord Balarama
Glories of Lord Krishna
Glories of Shri Radha
Chaitanya Mangala
In Search of the Ultimate Goal of Life (A very rare unpublished book of Prabhupada — very advanced)
Life of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
Gaudiya Kanthahara (Essence of the Siddhanta)
Other books also include : Tattva Muktavali (Mayavada Shata Dushani – Madhva smashes imposters who claim to be Supreme)
Madhurya Kadambini (For the science of spiritual advancement)
Prakrita Rasa Shata Dushani
Unauthorized and Deviant sects
Hari Bhakti Kalpa Latika
Brihad Bhagavatamrita (Sooo sweet….)
The Path of Dedication
Tulasi Worship
Ekadashi Glories
Krishna Bhajanamrita
Sri Gayatri Mantrartha Dipika
Vaishnava Song Books (Infinite Bhajans for the Soul. Also contains poems -- Sharanagati & Kalyana Kalpataru)
Ramayana Mahabharata (Pure Devotional translation. No devotee’s collection is complete without these 2 greatest and most well known books.)
Ananda Vrindavana Champu
Vaishnava Siddhanta Mala QnA
Six Sandarbhas (Most advanced, for the real serious. These are really advanced)
Vedanta Sutra (Govinda Bhashya — the Ultimate Commentary on Vedanta. This is the only English translation made by pure devotees and is almost fully complete, except for some few odd verses and a smalls subsection. No one has fully translated it as of yet...)

1000 Questions and Answers (Mixed bag. Some of them are not answered - deals with various topics at random but some of them have some really good realizations. Very fitting replies given too.) But there was this one set of 30-40 odd questions that was really botched up with questions and answers randomly scattered with no continuity. Hope they fix that.

Some Beautiful Realizations of devotees (I’ve seen this one before, taken from well known sources).
Beautiful and inspiring -- but if you're really serious, then read, or it might be too much to swallow.

The book is available from 2 links : http://www.be-pure.info/Vedic-Literature.html

Direct Download Link is this : http://ia311011.us.archive.org/3/items/Gaura_Book_1.1/GauraEbook.zip

Also the full review for the book is located here : http://nitaaiyoga.com/ebooks/#comment-2447GauraEbook.zip

Key for crossing the stage of anartha-nivritti

2010-07-20T05:16:00.001-07:00

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!

While listening to one lecture of Swami Gaurangapada Maharaja i became
more aware of the following point resp. conclusion:

It is absolutely necessary to come to the stage of anartha-nivritti,
the stage where all unclean things are cleansed from the heart. This
happens however only then, if one chants without offenses. Otherwise
one gets stucked before and does not cross the stage of anartha
nivritti.

The question is then, how to advoid commiting offenses while chanting.
Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura states: "kali jivera aparadha asankhya
durvara", the offenses and sins of the living entities in Kali-yuga
are unlimited and absolutely insurmountable. But still, there is
possibility to overcome them while chanting...

One way is to chant continously the Hare-Krishna Mahamantra. In that
way, the offenses can not overpower one and slowly they will diminish.
But still, this method is difficult, as to chant continously has
become extremely exhausting in the present day.

The other way is to take full shelter of the Holy Names of Nityananda
and Gauranga along with the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, as they do not
consider any offenses and thus the purifying and uplifting effect is
taking place immediately. This is further confirmed by Shrila
Bhaktivinoda Thakura in the second part of the above mentioned verse:
"gauranga-naama vina tara nahika uddhara", that the souls can never
ever be delivered without the regular chanting the most merciful name
of Gauranga.

shri chaitanya avatare bada vilakshana
aparaadha-sattve jiva labhe prema-dhana..

"The incarnation of Lord Gauranga is exceptionally opulent, powerful
and influential among all forms of God. Even though Lord Krishna's
Name considers offenses and does not give love to an offensive soul,
Lord Gauranga's Name, Pastimes and Abodes do not consider offenses and
award pure love of God to even the offensive souls. This unprecedented
and unimaginable munificence of Lord Gauranga's incarnation is the
only life-saving hope for the conditioned souls of Kali Yuga." Shrila
Bhaktivinoda Thakura

So no one should miss the great opportunity of rapid spiritual
advancement via daily chanting a fixed number of rounds of the
Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas along with the Hare Krishna
Mahamantra. One can thus very quickly experience the dawn of our
inherent pure spiritual nature and chant the Holy Name of Lord
Gauranga-Krishna with taste and untiring spirit.

Matus

The Temple of Lord Jagannath

2010-05-29T00:29:00.000-07:00

Today i've been to Jagannath Puri Dhaama via this video:

Process of faith

2009-08-03T06:13:00.000-07:00

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!

"To that extent one has faith in Gauranga Mahaprabhu, to that extent one has faith in Nityananda Prabhu, to that extent one will get close to Gauranga. And to that extent one has faith in Gauranga Mahaprabhu, to that extent one will become dear to the gopis. And to that extent one is dear to the gopis, one will become dear to Shrimati Radharani. And to the extent one is dear to Shrimati Radharani, one will become dear to Lord Krishna." Swami Gaurangapada

Taken from a lecture of Swami Gaurangapada entitled Faith and Judgement.

Cause of the success in chanting

2009-07-04T13:34:00.001-07:00

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!

When i chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, i should never think that i
am actually qualified to chant it. It is only the service to Lord
Gauranga's instruction and consequently satisfaction of His ardent
desire to chant and spread the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, that will make
my chanting succesful.

When i chant Lord Gauranga's Holy Name, i should never think that i am
in any way qualified to chant it. It is exclusively the service to
Lord Nityananda's instruction and consequently satisfaction of His
most cherished desire to chant and spread the Holy Name of Gauranga,
that will make my chanting succesful.

And when i chant the most merciful Holy Name of Lord Nityananda, at
that time i shall neither think that i am qualified to do it. It is
only and only the service to my most merciful Gurudeva and
satisfaction of His most sublime desire to chant and spread the Holy
Name of Lord Nityananda far and wide, that will make my life
successful...

Dependent soul on the mercy of Vaishnavas,
Matus

Australian School of Meditation & Yoga - Gauranga

2009-01-19T08:58:00.000-08:00

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!

It is nice to see that some yoga schools are already discovering the power of Nityananda Gauranga Mantras and implementing it into their practices. Here is one nice meditative video of a yoga school i found on YouTube, where meditation focuses on chanting the Gauranga Mantra. Enjoy it:-)

Lord Chaitanya: The Supreme Absolute Truth

2008-12-16T06:59:00.000-08:00

Prema Vilasa states:

"Lord Chaitanya is the spiritual master of the whole world, and he is so compassionate to the living entities that He fulfills everyone's desires. He is the reservoir of all transcendental pleasure and the supreme object of worship. He is the ultimate goal for all living entities. He assumed the form of a devotee to inaugurate the sankirtana movement. Nevertheless, His devotees know Him as their supreme worshipable Lord. Lord Gauranga's devotees are not ordinary people. They possess all the Lord's transcendental qualities even as they remain forever subordinate to Him."

Gaura-Nitaai: The Most Merciful

2008-12-15T08:17:00.000-08:00

Gaura-Nitai: The Most Merciful

by Srila Bhakti Promode Puri Gosvami Maharaja

"The Supreme Lord Krishna manifests Himself in the material world in four forms as the Vaishnava, tulasi, the Ganges, and Srimad-Bhagavatam . The Deity Form of the Lord becomes worshipable only after it has been consecrated ritually and the Lord's presence has been invoked. These four things, however, are innately sacred."
(Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 21.81-82)

Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada comments on this verse in his Gaudiya-bhashya commentary: "The Lord appears in the material world in these four forms. Upon seeing them, it is not immediately evident to ordinary people that they are the Lord Himself. However, because of their intimate connection with Him, they are called His prakasa-vigraha, or visible manifestations.

"Generally people think that the Deity Form of the Lord is only worthy of worship after being formally installed (prana-pratishtha). These four prakasa-vigrahas, however, are considered to be naturally worshipable; there is no need for any kind of ritual in order to elevate them to that status. We should look upon them as in the position of the enjoyer, or bhokta, as the master or prabhu, and as bestowers of divine grace and knowledge.
"Mahaprabhu himself says, 'Those who worship Me directly but neglect My devotees are in illusion and cause Me pain. Their offerings feel like a shower of burning cinders on My body. Just because one is chanting is no guarantee of success. I destroy anyone who tries to hurt My devotees:

je amare dasera sakrt ninda kare
mora nama kalpa-taru samhare tahare

'If someone blasphemes My servant even once, then My Name will destroy him rather than fulfilling his desires."
(Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 19.209)

Mahaprabhu, bright with His effulgence of golden light, raises His arms in the air and proclaims to the world, "Give up criticising Vaishnavas and take shelter of the Holy Name!":

anindaka hai je sakrt krshna bhaje
satya satya muni tare uddharibo hele

"Verily I say that I will immediately deliver anyone who, free from the faultfinding tendency, worships Krishna, even for just a moment."
(Caitanya-bhagavata, Madhya 19.214)

If one offencelessly chants Krishna's Name even once, then Krishna will liberate him from material bondage. However, a person may be well-versed in all the Vedas, but if he still maintains an offensive attitude towards the Vaishnavas, he is eternally doomed. Is it any surprise, then, that we often hear people say, "Although I have been chanting for years, I have no taste"?

Srila Prabhupada writes in the Gaudiya-bhashya: "When one stops his offences against the Vaishnavas and utters Krishna's Name even once, he easily receives the Supreme Lord's grace. Criticising the sadhu is the same as criticising the lotus feet of Sri Guru, and that is an offence against the Supreme Lord. Gradually degrading to the level of bhagavan-ninda, an offender of the Supreme Lord is not only deprived of receiving prema, but due to his namaparadha he does not even come anywhere near achieving the benefits of religion, wealth, or material enjoyment."

Kaviraja Gosvami reminds us: "There are offences to be mindful of when approaching krishna-nama. Offensive chanting never brings about the desired change of heart.

tad-asma-saram hrdayam batedam
yad grhyamanair hari-nama-dheyaih
na vikriyetatha yada vikaro
netre jalam gatra-ruheshu harshah

"If by vibrating the Holy Name of Krishna our hairs do not stand on end, our eyes do not flood with tears, and there is not a volcanic eruption of ecstasy in our bodies, our hearts must be covered in steel."
(Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.3.24)

It is written in the Caitanya-caritamrta that, "Simply vibrating the Name of Krishna once destroys all sin and then devotion gradually develops into love, krishna-prema. When we take the Name of Krishna in the mood of divine service, so much wealth is gained that the struggle for existence is over without our even trying. However, if one repeatedly takes the Name of Krishna and is not moved to tears, it is obvious that aparadha is preventing the seed of krishna-nama from sprouting."

Then what is our recourse? Kaviraja Gosvami says that in chanting the Name of Krishna, there is the consideration of offences, but in chanting the Names of Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, the most magnanimous manifestations of Divinity, there is no such consideration.

"If one chants the Names of Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu with even a little faith, he is immediately cleansed of all offences. Then when he chants krishna-nama, he feels ecstasy. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is unlimitedly magnanimous. Without worshipping Him, what hope is there for liberation?"

This does not imply that Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu bestow prema in the presence of aparadha. They are so magnanimous that whoever seeks shelter at Their lotus feet receives Their mercy. Soon the offences disappear and the offender feels love for Krishna.

Bhaktivinoda Thakura says: "If we surrender to Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, all our previous offences are instantly absolved. Then the merciful Holy Name showers us with divine love."

Bhakti Siddhanta Sarasvati Thakura writes: "Krishna and Gauranga are Their Names, and Their Names are Their very selves. To consider Krishna inferior or less generous than Gauranga is ignorance. But the fact is, Gauranga and Nityananda are especially helpful to the fallen souls in achieving the goal of life. The more the jivas become fallen, the more merciful the Lord becomes. Gauranga and Nityananda are the ultimate manifestation of divine kindness, and within that kindness is found the sweetness of Krishna's pastimes.

"Krishna's generosity is confined to the liberated, the perfected yogis and those who have already taken shelter of Him. Gauranga Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu, on the other hand, are so kind and generous that they take the most unqualified souls, free them from the offences that come of the selfish enjoyment mentality and, after liberating them, give them a place at the feet of Gaura-Krishna.

"Nevertheless, worship of Gauranga does not exclude the worship of Krishna, nor does it mean exclusively worshiping Mahaprabhu without seeing Him in terms of Sri Radha and Krishna. That kind of so-called devotion is fictitious, and is devoid of even a drop of the divine nectar of krishna-prema."

Mahaprabhu never tolerated Vaishnava aparadha. Ramacandra Puri, Devananda Pandita, and others are vivid examples of this truth. Even Mother Saci had to beg forgiveness from Advaita Acarya before the Lord would bless her with prema. Only when one sincerely approaches the offended Vaishnava and begs forgiveness will he be forgiven. Then offences disappear; otherwise the consequences are fatal. As long as the heart is covered by offences it is impregnable. Bhaktivinoda Thakura sings:

"Offences have made my heart as hard as steel and as cruel as thunderbolts. O Lord, even your Holy Name has no effect on it. I feel hopeless and helpless, O Lord, so I loudly cry your Holy Name. O Gaura! O Nitai! You two brothers are friends of the fallen. I am the most fallen, wicked person and You are oceans of mercy. So please save me!"

This is the critical difference between krishna-lila and caitanya-lila. Sri Krishnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami concludes the Madhya-lila of Sri Caitanya-caritamrta with this secret revelation:

krishna-lila amrta-sara, tara sata sata dhara,
dasa-dike vahe yaha haite
se caitanya-lila haya, sarovara akshaya,
mano-hamsa caraha' tahate
(Caitanya-caritamrta , Madhya-lila, 25.271)

"Krishna-lila is the cream of all nectar, only the confidantes of Sri Radha and Krishna and the eternally perfect souls can enter there. So how then should we conceive of caitanya-lila? The pastimes of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu are an infinite reservoir from which thousands of streams of the nectar of krishna-lila are flowing in all directions, inundating everyone everywhere. May the swan of my mind swim there eternally, and dive deep into its infinite waves of nectar."

tad idam ati-rahasyam gaura-lilamrtam yat
khala-samudaya-kolair nadrtam tair alabhyam
kshatir iyam iha ka me svaditam yat samantat
sahrdaya-sumanobhir modam esham tanoti
( Caitanya-caritamrta, Madhya-lila 25.283)

"Gaura-lila is deeply mysterious and confidential. It is the secret to devotion and love of Krishna. Those who are envious of Krishna and His devotees are like animals unable to taste its nectar. But I do not lament having described Mahaprabhu's lila because nothing is lost. Rather something is gained, because those devotees who are pure of heart expand the lila by tasting and relishing it again and again."

Forgiveness

2008-12-13T01:13:00.001-08:00

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!

Today morning as i was chanting the Name of Nityananda i was asking Lord Nityananda to give me the strength to forgive. My ego can so easily become aggrieved and can so easily find reasons to find fault with or accuse others. But that is not the way of a devotee. A devotee is compassionate. A devotee is on the way of opening his heart and that means also the cultivation of the quality of forgiveness. There are many instances in the Holy Scriptures and statements of the saintly devotees emphasizing the importance of mercy, compassion, forgiveness. i remembered Lord Jesus saying, forgive and You will be forgiven. i myself are still not perfect so how can i expect others to be perfect?! And after all, forgiveness is something so beautiful, it is a divine quality eternally attached to those who are perfect. Lord Nityananda, Who is the Perfect, Supreme Lord Himself is the most appropriate example for it. He forgave although the others made Him bleed. Oh Lord Nitaai, oh most merciful Vaishnavas, please endow me with a drop of the infinite ocean of the mercy and compassion You possess, so that i can forgive...

Matus

Love depends on knowledge of the relationship

2008-12-02T07:03:00.001-08:00

Shrila Bhakti Dayita Madhava Goswami Maharaja:

“The day I realise that I belong to Sri Bhagavan and that all my relationships are with Sri Bhagavan, then my real self will become manifested, and spontaneously, all my actions will be for Sri Bhagavan and Sri Bhagavan alone. Identifying my interests with those of Sri Bhagavan, I will then surrender myself and all that belongs to that self to Sri Bhagavan. Only in that specific situation is love and devotion for Sri Bhagavan possible. The grace of the bonafide guru or preceptor will enable us to realise to whom we are actually related. Prior to this knowledge of relationship, it is not possible to have any idea of Sri Bhagavan. When we do not exert much effort to understand the nature of this relationship, our realisation is understandably delayed. After establishing this relationship, we can start our sadhana (abhidheya or spiritual practices) and begin to understand our real needs (prayojana). The scriptures of sanatana-dharma and all the wise sages have discussed three important points in great detail: (1) sambandha, the conditioned soul’s relationship with the Supreme Lord, (2) abhidheya, the regulated activities for reviving one’s relationship with the Supreme Lord, and (3) prayojana, the ultimate goal of life to be attained by the conditioned soul, i.e., Krishna- Prema, love of God.

“In spiritual life then, the first step is toward sambandha-gyana—knowledge of relationships.”

Gurudeva, give me a drop of Your mercy

2008-12-01T02:59:00.000-08:00

Click To Play

Gurudeva! Kripa-Bindu Diya
Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

gurudeva!
kripa-bindu diya, kara ei dase,
trinapeksha ati hina
sakala sahane, bala diya kara,
nija-mane spriha-hina (1)

Gurudeva! Give me a drop of mercy - make this servant more humble than a blade of grass. Give me the strength to tolerate all eventualities. Let me not hanker for my own honor and fame.

sakale sammana, karite shakati,
deha natha! yathayatha
tabe ta’ gaiba, harinama sukhe,
aparadha ha’be hata (2)

Give me the power to honor all living entities according to what they are due (and all Vaishnavas as befitting their platform). Then I will be able to chant the holy names blissfully, and all my offenses will be vanquished!

kabe hena kripa, labhiya e jana,
kritartha haibe natha!
shakti-buddhi-hina, ami ati dina,
kara more atma-satha (3)

O my master! When will I be benedicted with your mercy and finally be successful in my life? I am so fallen that I have no strength or intelligence. Kindly take my soul and make me like you.

yogyata-vicare, kichu nahi pai,
tomara karuna sara
karuna na haile, kadiya kadiya,
prana na rakhiba ara (4)

If I examine myself, I find no good qualities; Your mercy is the essence of my existence. If you are not merciful, then bitterly weeping I will no longer maintain my life.

Knowledge and Illusion

2008-10-22T05:27:00.000-07:00

So that enjoyment can take place, illusion is necessary. For one in knowledge of the nature and laws of the Absolute Truth, mundane pleasures and sense gratification loose their meaning. That is why common men are unwilling to accept the sublime spiritual truths about God, for that endangers the unrestricted and irresponsible run of their gross and subtle sense gratification. Thus they are impelled to become the servant of their senses, instead of becoming the servant of God. Yes indeed, there are finally only these two possibilities: either one falls under illusion and indulges in sense gratification or one becomes enlightened with divine knowledge, surrenders to the Supreme Lord and thus enjoys higher eternal spiritual happiness.

The ultimate medicine of Nityananda Gauranga Katha

2008-10-05T11:14:00.001-07:00

Today, suffering internally and feeling desperate, i took shelter of hearing Nityananda Gauranga Katha, which makes me realize the following:

The ultimate medicine for all the sorrows is the soothing nectar of Nityananda Gauranga Katha, the discussion and recitation of the Holy Names and Pastimes of Their Lordships Shri Shri Nityananda Gauranga.

The soul entangled in this material world is suffering from the three kinds of material miseries. It is mainly due to the forgetfulness of one's transcendental nature and one's eternal loving relationship with Lord Gauranga Krishna. This forgetfulness is immediately washed away by the most powerful and uplifting Nityananda Gauranga Katha, especially when it is heard from a realized devotee of Their Lordships.

The munificent power contained therein reflects the munificent nature of the Supremely Magnanimous Incarnations of Godhead Shri Sri Nityananda Gauranga. They overlook any of our shortcomings, impurities and disqualifications. They really feel for us. Their Holy Names, Forms and Pastimes are ever blissful, kevala aananda khanda. They are generously inviting us to partake of Their Divine Bliss. And it's so simple to do so, one just has to hear to Nityananda Gauranga Katha.

Out of the vast amount of Nityananda Gauranga Katha, left behind by the Intimate Associates of Their Lordships, such as Shrila Krishnadasa Kaviraja Goswami, Shrila Lochana dasa Thakura, Shrila Murari Gupta, Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura etc., the description of the Pastimes of Nityananda Gauranga as compiled by Shrila Vrindavana dasa Thakura in His Shri Chaitanya Bhagavata is especially suitable for the conditioned souls to easily enter into the realm of Divine Bliss of the Holy Names and Pastimes of Nityananda Gauranga. This is my firm conviction.

Please read the Glories of Shri Chaitanya Bhagavata here.

Yours in service,
Matus

Do we know the price?

2008-09-20T13:03:00.001-07:00

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!

If we want to have a continuous supply of deep spiritual, Gauranga-Krishna Conscious insights on our path, we have to be ready to again and again pay the required price. But do we actually know the price? We have some general idea of the price we have to pay to attain our ultimate desired goal. Yet this supreme goal consists of many sub-goals which we have to achieve in our day-to-day life. It is a step by step progress. This progress has its specifics in connection to each and every individual. Generalization will not help us much. What is needed is a sincere, aware and consequent self-analysis in order to wash away the countless layers of misconception covering our souls. That will prove successful only if we give up the self-defeating tendency rooted deep within us. And that is only possible by sufficient spiritual merit and by the full mercy got out of effectively associating with saintly devotees of the Lord.

Matus

Spiritual Quarantine

2008-07-09T13:32:00.001-07:00

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!

i feel myself like in a quarantine, a spiritual quarantine made by the Holy Names and Pastimes of Lords Nityananda Gauranga. i am not pure, i am infected by the disease of desire for material sense gratification. Yet, Lords Nityananda Gauranga are so merciful that they take me into the loving quarantine of Their Holy Names and Pastimes. In Their Association i am getting cured and starting assuming my healthy condition again. i am starting giving up my opposition to Lord Gauranga Krishna and my cheating sense of seeming independance. i am preparing myself to unite, unite in desire...

Simply Nitaai

NITAAI Yoga Part 2

2008-06-30T02:01:00.001-07:00

Click to Play

This is the continuation of NITAAI Yoga video sequence.

Taste for Nityananda Gauranga - the surest path

2008-06-22T05:31:00.001-07:00

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!

It is difficult to develop taste and attachment for Lord Krishna's Holy Name and Pastimes as long as one is under control of his or her material desires and indulging in sinful activities. The Holy Names and Pastimes of Lords Nityananda Gauranga are different, however. They are a stronger medicine. Their extraordinary mercy is, that they give a particular taste for Their Holy Names and Pastimes to their surrendered devotees, irrespective of their material conditioning. This taste for the Holy Names and Pastimes of Nityananda Gauranga causes the soul to continue chanting and hearing the Holy Names and Glories of Lords Nityananda Gauranga, in any condition. In this way a devotee, although unqualified and impure, yet desirous and endeavouring of becoming pure, keeps on pleasing the Lords Nityananda Gauranga and applying for their ultimate mercy...

Simply Nitaai

Nityananda - The Saviour

2008-06-01T23:59:00.000-07:00

It is all important to understand the relationship between the individual soul and Lord Nityananda Who is worshiped along Shri Chaitanya by the community of the Madhva-Gaudiya-Vaishnavas... (Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura)

Dog of Gauranga (Sarvasva Tomara) Song

2008-05-26T06:13:00.001-07:00

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Have You ever thought, how would it feel like to be a dog of Gauranga?

What is NITAAI Yoga Part 1

2008-05-14T12:55:00.001-07:00

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Yoga means the spiritual union. The harmonious union of the soul and God in desire is known as NITAAI Yoga. This union with God awakens the dormant love of the soul for the Supreme Lord Gaura Krishna. Thus, NITAAI Yoga is the pure loving nature of the soul. The soul is a spiritual spark, not a product of matter or chemicals. We are all souls residing in our material bodies. NITAAI Yoga is our soul?s scientific nature. It is not a religion or a cult. It is the integral and essential characteristic of the soul which cannot be changed unlike the religions of this world which can be easily changed from one to the other. It is not something new, artificial or external to the soul. It is the original energy of the soul. The soul is one with God in quality but minute in quantity. NITAAI Yoga is the revival of our soul?s inherent divine qualities. Therefore, everyone can practice NITAAI Yoga irrespective of any external status, limitations or disqualifications. NITAAI is the most benevolent Holy Name of God. It is the short form of "Nityaananda" or "Eternal Bliss" and also the short form of the eternal process of "Nityaananda Gauraanga Hare Krishna Naama Bhakti". NITAAI is the Holy Name of the Divine Elder Brother of God. NITAAI means the bestower of unlimited bliss and power. NITAAI means Him Who is imploring us to accept His ultimate love. NITAAI is He who does not consider our material status or qualification. He freely distributes the rare treasure of His unalloyed love to one and all. NITAAI is the quintessence of unprecedented mercy, peace, love and bliss. Believe it or not, NITAAI is the most beautiful sound in this world. He is the epitome of all perfection.

Forever loving Nityananda Gauranga

2008-05-07T09:33:00.001-07:00

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Will be forever loving Nityananda Gauranga. Dedicated to Bob Marley and all the Nityananda Gauranga soldiers.

Nityananda Gauranga is universal

2008-05-05T23:01:00.001-07:00

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Nityananda Gauranga with guitar

2008-05-04T15:09:00.001-07:00

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In the Name lies the power

2008-05-01T08:01:00.001-07:00

In our preaching efforts we try to employ so many different kinds of words, thoughts, techniques.. That's alright, yet they all remain futile as long as the most powerful means, namely the Holy Names of Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna doesn't happen to appear at least once in our words or writings.

"My Guru Maharaja always see if Krishna's name or Lord Chaitanya's name appeared in someone's writing and would appreciate the writing for this alone." (SP Letter to: Dina Dayala, Nellore, 6 January, 1976)

The following story with Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada also illustrates this point: Two articles about bhakti were given to His Divine Grace for consideration. One of them was in favor on bhakti, the other one was opposed to bhakti. Yet, Shrila Saraswati Thakura told that the second one was better. Why? In the first one, although in favor of bhakti, the Holy Name of the Lord didn't appear a single time. On the other hand, the second article, although criticising the path of bhakti, was full of the Holy Names.

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!

Yours, SimplyNitaai

Science and Faith

2008-04-20T02:58:00.001-07:00

Reaction to this picture/idea

In my humble opinion and experience: faith and science don't contradict each other. Faith is needed for science to work and scientific approach is needed to establish the real standing of faith in God and His existence. Let me explain a little.

In the above picture faith and science were dealt separately. But in reality that is not the case. Faith is a prerequisite present in every action. If one carefully observes one's day to day actions, one can find out that mainly all of them (if not all) are based on some particular kind of faith. Example: One gets in to a bus, one has faith, that it will drive one safely to a desired destination. Or: One cooks a meal, one has faith, that it will come out tastefully.

This faith is based mainly upon one's experience, or experience of others. Sometimes even that not. But faith is always needed and present.

Faith (although probably unknown or denied by the majority of scientists) is an integral part of the scientific approach. And on the other side scientific approach is a support for the real and tangible holding of one's faith (be it faith in anything). Following picture illustrates this idea:

In the scientific world one gets a particular idea, which was triggered by one's or others' experience, feeling, observation, intuition... Then follows FAITH, that this idea might be true and FAITH that by following some particular process, experiment, one can come to some tangible results.

In the realm of a particular kind of religious faith the same holds true, or should hold true. One gets an idea, due to one's or others' experience, observation, feeling... For example an idea: Behind each mechanism there is some responsible entity. So behind this universal mechanism there has to be also some universal responsible entity, which can be termed as God. Then follows FAITH. Faith that it holds true and that, following some particular process (in this case some religious system), and performing a specific experiment one comes to some tangible results, speak one will realize the existence of the eternal God.

Now comes the most crucial point: The object of the experiment in any religion is ONESELF. One has to modify oneself, and with the new self one is then able to experience God. As usual, any experiment needs some specific setups, some specific time to be performed, some specific conditions, under which to perform it, etc. In one word, some specific PRICE has to be paid. One has to put the object of experiment under a specific modification, in religious terms: PURIFICATION (of oneself). In terms of religious practices that can mean: restraining from sinful activities, adjusting one's daily activities, performing some austerities, regular meditation, modifing one's diet, etc. Hence, as our own life is very dear to us, the price which has to be paid to for realizing God is much higher in comparism with the usual scientific experiments. Few are ready to pay this price and thus God's realization remains a mystery for the majority of common men.

So the quality and trusthworthiness of some particular religious system can be judged by the following criterium: it has to provide a detailed scientific approach of realizing God. This means clear specification/description of the whole process, from beginning to the end, which includes: intended goal, conditions to be respected, prerequisites to be assured, actions to be performed, intermediate steps together with intermediate results (in order to check if the process is working as described), symptoms of getting negative results, symptoms of failure, etc. That why, religion doesn't remain only something imaginary and sentimental anymore and one can get the desired faith needed to start thinking of performing the religious experiment.

To conclude i again mention, science and faith (including faith in God) can't and shouldn't be separated from each other and should be dealt with and studied conjointly. This approach marks a powerful, trusthworthy and dynamic way of understanding life and the nature of the Absolute Truth.

Matus

Anything good should be accepted

2008-04-18T11:49:00.001-07:00

It is quite striking and astonishing how universal many instructions of Shrila Prabhupada appear to be. "Anything good should be accepted." So simple and universal! Many good and valuable advice was left for us, which aim to foster and enhance our spiritual practice of Bhakti Yoga. Regular chanting of the Holy Names of Nityananda Gauranga is one such good advice. "Anything good should be accepted." So why not accept this powerful medicine for the Age of Kali, the regular chanting of the Holy Names of Nityananda and Gauranga?

Shrila Prabhupada on Nityananda Gauranga Naam

2008-04-16T01:41:00.001-07:00

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Video presentation of the most important quotes of Shrila Prabhupada regarding the chanting of the Holy Names of Nityananda and Gauranga. Commented by H.H. Shrila B.R. Sadhu Swami Gaurangapada.

News of great happiness

2008-04-12T13:38:00.001-07:00

Divine relationships and hierarchy within Pancha-Tattva

2008-04-12T06:38:00.001-07:00

In Shrila Prabhupada's Teachings of Lord Chaitanya, there is one very important chapter called "Lord Chaitanya, the Original Personality of Godhead", which establishes the Supreme Divine Position of Lord Gauranga and explains the Gaura- as well as Pancha-Tattva. One paragraph i would like to share with You here:

"By analytically studying the five diverse manifestations of the Supreme Lord, we can come to know that Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Absolute and that Lord Nityananda is an immediate expansion of the Supreme Absolute Truth. We can also come to understand that Advaita Prabhu is also in the category of the Supreme Personality of Godhead but is subordinate to Lord Caitanya and Nityananda Prabhu. The Supreme Personality of Godhead and His immediate subordinate expansions are worshipable by the other two -- namely the representation of the internal potency and the representation of the marginal potency. The representation of the internal potency, Gadadhara, represents the confidential devotee, and the representation of the marginal potency is the pure devotee. Both of these are worshipers of the other three categories, but all of them are engaged in the transcendental service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu."

Just to add here one small observation of mine:

If You look at any picture of the Pancha-Tattva You can also see this hierarchy represented within: Lord Gauranga, the Supreme Personality of Godhead in the middle and top; on His right Lord Nityananda and Lord Advaita - the other two Vishnu-Tattvas, yet bellow Lord Gauranga because subordinate to Him; Lord Advaita at the very bottom of the right side, because subordinate to both Lord Gauranga as well Lord Nityananda; on Lord Gaurahari's left side are His two Shakti-Tattvas, Shri Gadadhara and Shrivasa Pandita, both below Lord Chaitanya because subordinate to Him (His Energies); Shrivasa Thakura below Shri Gadadhara Pandita, because representing pure devotee whereas Shri Gadadhara Pandita is representing a (topmost) confidential devotee (Shrimati Radharani), who is considered to be higher (highest).

Your servant,

Matus

The most powerful names of God

2008-04-06T09:22:00.001-07:00

Shrila Jagadananda Pandita says in Prema-vivarta:

gaura ye vishala nama sei nama gau;
anya saba nama-mahatmya sei name pau.

"The most powerful names of God are the names of the most merciful incarnation of God, who is known as Lord Gaura. The glories and power of all the other names of God are completely present in the names of Lord Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu."

Govinda Ghosh

2008-04-03T01:28:00.000-07:00

Today is the disappearance day of Shrila Govinda Ghosh here in Switzerland. It is very important to remember the glories transcendental qualities of the associates of Lords Nityananda Gauranga on such days, as They are very powerful and grant us the access into Nityananda Gauranga Naam and Lila. Shri Devakinandana dasa says also in His famous song:

brahmanda tarite shakti dhare jane jane
e veda purane guna gaya jeva shune

"I have heard their glorification (of Lord Gauranga's devotees) in the Vedas and Puranas, which proclaim that each one of His devotees has the shakti to deliver an entire universe."

The Ghosh brothers, namely Govinda, Madhava and Vasudava, were great singers and Lords Nityananda Gauranga would very much delight in dancing to the sweet and ecstatic kirtana of Govinda, Madhava and Vasudeva Ghosh. Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.15.115: "Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda Prabhu danced to the kirtan of the three brothers, Govinda, Madhava and Vasudeva".

In Krishna-lila They are gopis: "Govinda, Madhava and Vasudeva were three gopis in Vraja, namely Kalavati, Rasollasa and Gunatunga, who used to sing the songs composed by Vishakha." (Gaura-ganoddesha-dipika 188)

Shrila Govinda Ghosh also composed 2 very beautiful nectarean songs about Lord Gauranga and the situation of Navadvipa and the sorrowful condition of the bhaktas there when Mahaprabhu left Navadvipa. The same feelings of separation which the Vrajavasis felt when Krishna left Vrindavana is being felt by the Navadvipa-vasis when Their beloved Lord Gaurahari is leaving Them. Oh Lord, when i will be able to join Them in Their crying of not seeing Lord Gauranga's face and having His sweet association?

One of the songs, which i like very much goes as follows:

hede re nadiya vasi kara mukha cao
bahu pasariya goracande phirao
to sabare ke ara karibe nija kore
ke jaciya dibe prema dekhiya katare
ki shela hiyaya haya ki shel hiyaya
parana putali nabadvipa charii jaya
ara na jaiba mora gaurangera pasha
ara na kariba mora kirtana vilasa
kandaye bhakata-gana buka vidariya
pashana govinda ghosha na jaya miliya

"O people of Nabadwip, at whom are you staring? Spread your arms to stop Gora, make him come back! Who is there now who will clasp you to his chest? Who will come and beg you to take love of Krishna? A shaft has pierced my heart! A shaft has pierced my heart! The image of my life has abandoned Nabadwip and gone. No longer will we be able to go and sit with Gauranga; no longer will we be able to enjoy kirtan the way we did. All the devotees are crying; their hearts are bursting and, like a stone, Govinda Ghosh does not go to join them."

So beautiful, isn't it? i sang and recorded that song for You. i kindly ask You to sing with me and cry in Your heart for the association of Lord Gaurahari :)

Your fallen servant,
Matus

Bhaktivinoda Thakura revealing the secret

2008-03-25T09:27:00.000-07:00

Simple thought

2008-03-22T05:19:00.000-07:00

i know that as long as i can appreciate and stick to the practice of daily chanting the Most Merciful Holy Names of Nityananda Gauranga, while keeping my self humble and simple, my path back to home, back to Godhead remains secure. That's why i pray with all my heart: Oh merciful spritual master! Oh Lord Nitaai! Please, award me this single benediction, that as long as i live, i may appreciate Your matchless transcendental qualities and consequently keep up chanting the Holy Names of Nityananda Gauranga, come what may.

Matus

Gaura Naam for perfected as well as conditioned

2008-03-09T13:56:00.000-07:00

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!

The unparalleled magnanimity of Lord Gauranga and His Holy Name can be conceived in two ways. In terms of perfectional stage, He and His Name are willing and desiring to grant one the topmost achievement of all the desires on the path of bhakti yoga, including the eternal and most intimate service at the Lotus Feet of Shrimati Radharani and Her Closest Associates, along with the eternal service to Lord Gauranga Himself (as Gauranga=Radha-Krishna, Gaura Lila = Krishna Lila). As long as one is attached to and drinks the nectar of Lord Gauranga's Lotus Feet and Holy Name, one is being given place at Shrimati Radharani's Lotus Feet (Shria Prabhudananda Saraswati, Shri Chaitanya Chandramrita). That is why the eternal perfect associates of Lord Gauranga, like Shrila Haridasa Thakura or Shrila Narahari Sarkara, desire to spend last moments of their manifest pastimes in chanting Lord Gauranga's Name in order to teach us how to obtain all our cherished fruits of our Naam bhajan and also to relish Themselves these fruits which are given to Them by the final absorption into Gauranga Naam, Rupa, Guna and Lila (which automatically and simultaneously reveal also the whole Radha-Krishna Tattva).

"Haridasa Thakura began chanting, “Shri Krishna Chaitanya”, again and again, and while drinking the sweetness of the Lord’s moon-like face, tears constantly glided down from his eyes. It was while chanting the holy name, “Shri Krishna Chaitanya”, that Haridasa Thakura gave up his air of life and left his material body." (Chaitanya Charitamrita)

gaura vihane, na vañchi parāṇe, gaura ka’rechi sāra
gaura baliya, jauka jīvane, kichu nā cāhiba āra

"Without Gaura I cannot live. Gaura is my everything. I pray to give up my life taking the name of Gaura – I ask for nothing else." (Shrila Narahari Sarkara, Mana Re Kaha Na Gaura Katha)

In term of conditioned stage, Lord Gauranga and His Holy Name along with Lord Nityananda and His Holy Name are ready to offer shelter to the most fallen and degraded persons. That is the second aspect of Lords Nityananda Gauranga's unprecedented magnanimity. Although They are offering something which has never been given before and which has been carefully conceiled all the countless years even from great vedic scholars and yogis, They are ready to give it to anyone and everyone, regardless the fallen and conditioned stage of one's existence.

shri chaitanya avatare bada vilakshana
aparaadha-sattve jiva labhe prema-dhana.. (Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya, Ch.1 Verse 51)

"The incarnation of Lord Gauranga is exceptionally opulent, powerful and influential among all forms of God. Even though Lord Krishna's Name considers offenses and does not give love to an offensive soul, Lord Gauranga's Name, Pastimes and Abodes do not consider offenses and award pure love of God to even the offensive souls. This unprecedented and unimaginable munificence of Lord Gauranga's incarnation is the only life-saving hope for the conditioned souls of Kali Yuga."

aparaadha baadhaa tara kichu naahi kare
niramala krishna-preme taara ankhi jhare..53

"Even the formidable obstacles posed due to the offenses in one's heart are rendered ineffective by the Holy Names of Nityananda and Gauranga and the eyes miraculously flow with the sublime tears of pristinely pure love for Lord Krishna when one chants the Holy Names of Nityananda and Gauranga even though offenses are present in the heart."

Lord Nitaai-Gauranga and His Holy Name is the beginning as well as the end. Lord Gauranga covers the all spectrum, as He is the Original, Complete and Most Merciful Supreme Lord. Thus it is a very great gift the Holy Names of Nityananda and Gauranga, and our wholehearted expressions of gratitude shall be repeatedly offered to all the devotees of the Lord, who were, are and will be revealing and distributing this rarest gift of Nityananda Gauranga Naam to all the most needy and desperate souls as myself.

Yours insignificant,
Matus

Shri Shacinandana Vandana

2008-03-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!

i recorded Shri Shachinandana Vandana, which i am sharing with You here for Your pleasure :)

--------

Sri Sacinandana-vandana
("A Hymn to the son of Sachi")
by Srila Sridhara Deva Gosvami Maharaja

(1)
jaya sacinandana, sura-muni-vandana
bhava-bhaya khandana jaya he

All glories to Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the son of Sacidevi. Great sages and demigods always sing His praise, for by doing so, the fear of repeated birth and death is cut to pieces.

(2)
jaya hari-kirtana, nartana vartana
kalimala kartana jaya he

All glories to the kirtana of the holy name of Krsna, for when one chants the holy name of Krsna and dances in ecstasy, the filth of this iron age of Kali disappears.

(3)
nayana-puranadara, visvarupa snehadhara
visvambhara visvera-kalyana

Sri Caitanya delights all eyes with his charming beauty. He is the most dearly beloved Lord of all and the intimate brother of Visvarupa. He brings the highest auspiciousness to everyone, for He floods the entire universe with the nectar of love of godhead and thus saves all living beings.

(4)
jaya laksmi-visnupriya, visvambhara-priyahiya
jaya priya kinkara isana

All Glories to Laksmipriya and Visnupriya-devi, who are very dear to Sri Nimai Pandita. All glories to Their dear family servant, Isana.

(5)
sri sita-advaita-raya, malini srivasa jaya
jaya candrasekhara acarya

All glories to Sita Thakurani and Sri Advaita Acarya, all glories to Malini devi and Srivasa Thakura, and all glories to Acarya Candrasekhara.

(6)
jaya nityananda-raya, gadadhara jaya jaya
jaya haridasa namacarya

All glories to Srila Nityananda Prabhu, Gadadhara Pandita and Haridasa Thakura, the Namacarya.

(7)
murari mukunda jaya, premanidhi mahasaya
jaya yata prabhu parisada

All glories to Murari Gupta, and all glories to Mukunda Dutta. All glories to all the other eternal associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

(8)
vandi savakara paya, adhamere krpa haya
bhakti svaparsada-prabhupada

By singing the glories of Srila Prabhupada(Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Prabhupada) and all those great souls who are eternal associates of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, even the lowest of men can obtain the highest treasure of divine love.

---

Jaya Gaurahariii! Jaya Gaura Bhakta Vrinda! Jaya Navadvipa Dhama! Jaya Shrila Shridhara Maharaja! Jaya Shrila Gurudeva!

Your servant,
Matus

One day i saw a sadhu...

2008-02-27T12:23:00.000-08:00

Chapter 1 of Jaiva Dharma:

“One day I saw a Vaishnava sadhu loudly singing about the pastimes of Sri Hari. I opened my eyes and saw that he was bathed in streams of tears, and in his ecstatic rapture the hairs of his body
were standing on end. He was chanting the names “Sri Krsna Caitanya, Prabhu Nityananda!” in a choked-up voice, and as he danced, his feet slipped so that he fell on the ground again and again. When I saw him and heard his song, my heart filled with an indescribable ecstasy."

Faith in Gauranga, that is costly

2008-02-27T12:06:00.000-08:00

i would like to share with You a conversation between Shrila B.R. Shridhara Swami and a devotee regarding the chanting of Gaura Naam.

Shrila B.R. Shridhara Swami: Gaura Haribol, Gaura Haribol, Gaura Haribol...

Devotee: Lord Nityananda Prabhu recommended that we chant Gauranga, Gauranga, Gauranga, Gauranga, Gauranga as the proper internal ... (inaudible)

Shrila B.R. Shridhara Swami: If we have faith in that we will be more gainer then taking Krishna Naam, because there is the consideration called offenses - Krishna Naam kare aparadhera vicara, and less offense in Gaura Naam. But faith in Gauranga that is rare. To have faith in Gauranga, that is costly. But if you anyhow can gather that, then it will be more beneficial than you negotiate direct with Krishna. Direct negotiate... The offense is more possible that side and less offense here. More forgiveness. But Krishna Naam has got some universal characteristics accepted by majority of persons and Gaura Naam is not accepted in such a wider circle. So it is difficult to put faith there. But if one can have his faith, then he will be gainer, because less consideration of aparadha, offense. He has particularily come for the fallen souls. So grace is more there. But to put faith in Him that will be ...(inaudible) difficult. Until we can understand Him ontologically we cannot go by the help of our experience. Not accepted by greater circle as Krishna is accepted. So many higher scriptures are also in favor of Krishna avatara, then the wide circle they accept Krishna as Lord, but minor circle accept Gauranga as God and there are not so many scriptures supporting Him. So it is difficult to have faith in Him. But if anyhow one can come nearer, He will be more gainer.

Gauranga, Gauranga, Gauranga, Gauranga, ...

For downloading and listening the original audio: http://guardian-of-devotion.de/audio/2a.mp3

Your servant,

Matus

Pancha Tattva Mantra & japa beads question

2008-02-11T09:11:00.000-08:00

Question:

"i personally didnt know that srila prabhupada advises that one should not chant the pancha tattva mantra... i have been doing one round of it before i chant! so rather we chant nityanada and gauranga directly?"

Answer:

Yes, Shrila Prabhupada did not agree when He got to know that rounds of Pancha Tattva Mantra are being chanted on the japa beads, as there is not a single evidence of it being done by any of our previous acharyas (spiritual preceptors).

"Who is that rascal sannyasi who has recommended to chant Pancha Tattva mantra on the japa beads? First, send me his name." (Letter of Shrila Prabhupada to: Govardhan 4, Juhu, Bombay-54, 18 November, 1973)

Pancha Tattva Mantra should be chanted before the Hare Krishna Mahamantra (at least 1 time, recommended 3 times) and even can be chanted before the rounds of Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas.

Pancha Tattva Mantra for does who don't know goes as follows:
SHRI KRISHNA CHAITANYA PRABHU NITYANANDA SHRI ADVAITA GADADHARA SHRIVASADI GAURA BHAKTA VRINDA

As in the case of Pancha Tattva Mantra, there is no such disaggreement on the side of Shrila Prabhupada or other previous acharya in regard of chanting Nityananda Gauranga on japa beads. On the contrary, it was done by our acharyas, as for example by Shrila Shivananda Sen, Sarvabhauma Bhattacharya, Sapta Rishis, Shiva and Parvati, etc... as per our authorized scriptures.

There is no difference between Nitaai-Gauranga and Hare Krishna. So logically, both of them can be chanted in the same way, means in kirtan, japa, and so on... Shrila Prabhupada confirms it:

"Nitai-Gauranga and Hare Krishna, there is no difference. Nitai-Gauranga is also nice. Whatever he finds convenient, let him chant." (Shrila Prabhupada's Room Conversation with Yoga Student regarding Japa)

by Matus

Gaura-Kirtana

2008-02-07T11:21:00.001-08:00

Meanwhile many devotees of Lord Krishna understood the importance of taking shelter of and understanding the nature Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu as well as Lord Nityananda Prabhu. Yet few of them understand and trust the confidential instruction of how to do it practically, that means to do it by performance of Gaura-Kirtana, by the concregational chanting of Lord Gauranga's Name, Form, Qualities and Pastimes. There is actually no other way as stressed by Shrila Murari Gupta in His Shri Chaitanya Charita Maha-kavya, Parikrama 4, Sarga 19:

etad antar-gata yasya / gauranga-guna-kirttanam
sa eva saki nanye ca / kotisho jnana-paragah

"Only one who can enter into the chanting of Gauranga's qualities can actually
comprehend them, and not millions of others who may be fully conversant with
transcendental knowledge."

Here especially the concregational glorification of Lord Gauranga's qualities, gauranga-guna, is mentioned, which makes it easy to understand that this kirtana, or congregational glorification, actually refers to non other than Lord Gauranga Himself. In many other instances however the term Gaura-Kirtana is being used by our acharyas as the summarizing term for Gaura-Naam- & Gaura-Rupa- & Gaura-Guna- and Gaura-Lila-Kirtana (Naam=Name; Rupa=Form; Guna=Qualities; Lila=Pastimes).

Some devotees believe that Gaura-Kirtana refers exclusively to the glorification of Lord Krishna as introduced by Lord Gauranga Himself. Still if one attentively studies the bonafide holy scriptures and songs about Lord Gauranga such as Shri Chaitanya Bhagavata, one can see that the terms Gaura-Kirtana and Krishna-Kirtana are used to indicate the glorification of Lord Gauranga or Lord Krishna respectively. Although they are the same Supreme Personality, there exist eternal processes of how to worship and glorify them, especially when considering the fallen condition of the souls of the present age.

There are many pastimes mentioned in our scriptures, where it is described how Lord Advaita Acharya and Lord Nityananda engage Themselves together with Their Companions in Gaura-Kirtana, beginning with Gaura-Naam-Kirtana. Just to mention one of them here:

tatash ca prema-gosvami / sammantrya sva-janaih saha
navina gaura-candrasya / nama-sankirttana shubham

karoti mandali-ktya / harena vainavaih saha
ntyati paramoddanda / garjjati dhavati kvacit

"Then Shri Advaita Acarya, the gosvami of prema assembled His own men and created a new form of sankirtana from the names of Gaura Candra. He jubilantly formed a circle of all the vaishnavas, and within it He danced very high, sometimes roaring and sometimes running." (Shri Chaitanya Charita Maha-kavya, Parikrama 4, Sarga 19)

These pastimes are being eternally enacted in the Eternal Abode of Lords Nityananda Gauranga. Bhakti-yoga means to gradually accomodate all our activites according to the model of the spiritual world. And Gaura-Kirtana is definitely an integrate part of that model. So if we want to enter and accomodate ourselves eternally in the company of Lord Gauranga, then there is no other way except repeated performace of Gaura-Kirtana.

So let us pray at the Lotus Feet of Lord Nitaai, Lord Advaita Acharya and Their Holy Names, that They we may engage ourselves with faith and enthusiasm in this most auspicious and powerful performance of Gaura-Kirtana. Let us also fall at the Lotus Feet of all the Gaura-Bhakta-Vrinda, the Eternal Associates of Lords Nityananda Gauranga, to gain trust in their instruction to continuously and with simple heart chant the Holy Names, Qualities and Pastimes of Lords Nityananda Gauranga:

gao punah punah, gaurangera guna,
sarala haiya mana
e bhava-sagare, emana dayala,
na dekhi je eka-jana

"With a simple heart sing over and over again of Shri Gauranga’s glorious qualities! No one has ever seen such a compassionate person as He in the entire ocean of material existence." (Yadi Gauranga Nahita by Shrila Vasudeva Ghosha)

Your insignificant servant, searching after shelter of all Gaura-Kirtana-Bhaktas,
Matus

1st reason to chant NITYANANDA

2008-01-29T04:56:00.000-08:00

1st REASON TO CHANT 'NITYANANDA':

BECAUSE GREAT ACHARYAS (spiritual preceptors) HAVE DONE IT IN THE PAST:

Caitanya Caritamrita, Adi 11.33:

navadvipe purusottama pandita mahasaya
nityananda-name yanra mahonmada haya

"Purusottama Pandita, a resident of Navadvipa, was the Krishna's eighth gopala, Stoka-Krsna for Vrindavan. He would become almost mad as soon as he chanted or heard the holy name 'Nityananda'."

Caitanya Caritamrita Adi 11.34:

balarama dasa--krsna-prema-rasasvadi
nityananda-name haya parama unmadi

"Balarama dasa always fully tasted the nectar of love of Krsna. Upon chanting or hearing the name of 'Nityananda', he would become extremely maddened."

For more information about the great associates of Lord Nityananda, please check out this link: http://nitaai.com/nitaaiveda/Associates_of_Lord_Nityananda.htm

Gaura Gopala Mantra

2008-01-19T02:04:00.000-08:00

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Dear devotees and site visitors, please accept my humble obeisances.

Following is a compilation of mine regarding the Gaura Gopala Mantra Tattva.

---

It is (un)fortunately the fact, that we, Nitai-Gaura Naam Bhajan devotees, have to repeatedly face underestimation and minimization of our most dear, Supremely Pure, Eternal and Powerful Holy Names of Lord Gauranga and Nityananda. It happens many times, that Gaura Naam Tattva gets misinterpreted due to lack of knowledge in this regard and due to other considerations as well. It is not surprising for me anymore, as it is a very confindential subject matter, as mentioned by our Seventh Goswami Shrila Shachidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura in His Shri Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya (1st Chapter):

aara eka kathaa aache gudha atishaya
kahite na icchaa haya, naa kahile naya..10

"There is one more extremely deep and confidential secret. I do not want to tell it but I cannot remain without describing it as it will supremely benefit all souls."

ihaate aache ta eka gudha-tattva saara
maayaa-mugdha jiva taahaa naa kare vichaara..48

"This mystery of the greatest question and dilemma in the human form of life is not thought about by the souls bewildered by Maya, the illusory energy of the Lord."

What is this secret? It is Gaura-Naam-Lila-Tattva and its supreme importance for the souls of this age of Kali. You can know more about it by reading the whole 1st chapter of Shri Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya (found in NITAAI Veda). The Glories of Nityananda Gauranga Naam Bhajan, as revealed by our Guru Parampara and Supreme Lord Himself, are unlimited and mentioning them all would definitely exceed the content of this article. However, in the case of further reference and deeper study of this Tattva You the reader is kindly asked to read the book „Nityananda Gauranga Naam", which provides countless evidence and understanding in this regard given by Shrila Prabhupada and our Acharyas.

i beg and pray not to be misunderstood, as it often happens. We, Nitai-Gaura Naam Bhajan devotees, do not want to convert anyone. Chanting of Nityananda Gauranga Naam was never and will never be meant to replace the supremely auspicious and powerful chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, as preached and advocated by Shri Chaitanya Mahaprahu. Yet, the eternal process of worshiping Lord Gauranga through continuous chanting of His Holy Name, as advocated by our Original Spiritual Master Shriman Nityananda Prabhu, should not be neglected neither. Why not to follow both orders, the one of Lord Gauranga and the one of Lord Nityananda? Both are equally important. In other words, Gauranga Mahaprabhu as well as Radha-Krishna, both are our goals. That means, the eternal process of worshiping them through chanting Their Holy Names is being done simultaneously by the bona-fide school of the followers of Lord Gaurangadeva in the line of Shri Rupa-Vinoda-Saraswati-Gaudiya-Sampradaya. Shrila Prabhupada confirms this point also at various places. Just one of them i mention here:

"It is the advice of Narottama das Thakura to chant the holy name of Gauranga either if one remains at home or in the forest. Similarly, do not forget the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra either you live in the temple or at home." (Shrila Prabhupada's Letter to: Shachimata, Bombay, 8 December, 1974)

Again You are kindly asked to consult „Nityananda Gauranga Naam" book, attached to this email, which provides further information and quotes for this subject matter.

What i actually wanted to share with You in this email, is the same point, we today during Your lecture. It is the 4-syllable GAURA GOPALA mantra. It stands either for „gau-ra-a-nga" or „ra-dha krish-na" or „ha-re krish-na", depending which of them is being worshiped, Gauranga or Radha-Krishna. Following i am presenting some of the most important quotes describing this Tattva:

Shrila Prabhupada in Cc Antya-lila 2.31 purport:

"Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains the Gaura-gopala mantra in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya. Worshipers of Shri Gaurasundara accept the four syllables gau-ra-an-ga as the Gaura mantra, but pure worshipers of Radha and Krishna accept the four syllables ra-dha krs-na as the Gaura-gopala mantra. However, Vaishnavas consider Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu nondifferent from Radha-Krishna (shri-krishna-chaitanya radha-krishna nahe anya). Therefore one who chants the mantra "gauranga" and one who chants the names of Radha and Krishna are on the same level."

Purport by Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya to the same verse:

gaura-gopala-mantra-gauravadi gana `gauranga'-name chatura-aksara gaura-mantra ke uddesya karena; kevala krishnavadi gana ei `gaura-gopala-mantra' sabde radha-krsnera chatura-aksara-mantrake uddesya karena.

"The following is the explanation of the Gaura-gopala mantra. The followers of Lord Gaura accept `Gauranga' as the four-syllable mantra and the followers of only Krishna accept `Radha-Krishna' as the Gaura-gopala mantra. The followers of both Lord Gaura and Lord Krishna accept either one of them as the Gaura-gopala mantra understanding that They are non-different from each other."

Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura is further revealing the Gaura Gopala Mantra in His classic Jaiva Dharma Chp 14:

vrajanatha: shri gauranga yadi saksat paripurna-tattva hailena, tabe tanhara pujara vyavastha ki?

Vrajanatha: Since Shri Gauranga is the the original complete Absolute Truth, how should one worship Him?

babaji: gauranga-nama mantre gaurapuja karileo yaha haya, krishna-nama-mantre krishna-puja karileo tahai haya. krishna-mantre gaurapuja va gaura-mantre krishnapuja-sakalai eka. ihate je bheda- buddhi kare, se nitanta anabhijna ou kalira dasa.

Babaji: As one worships Lord Krishna by chanting the name and mantra of Krishna, so one should worship Lord Gauranga by chanting the name and mantra of Gauranga. One may worship Lord Gauranga by chanting the Krishna-mantra, or for that matter one may worship Lord Krishna by chanting the Gauranga-mantra. They are all the same. Anyone who thinks Lord Krishna and Lord Gauranga are different is a fool. He is a servant of Kali-yuga.

vrajanatha: channavatarera mantra ki-rupe paoya jaya?

Vrajanatha: Where to obtain the mantras to worship Lord Gauranga who has come as a covered incarnation?

babaji: je tantra prakasya-avataraganera mantra prakasarupe varnana kariyachena, sei tantrei channavatarera mantra channarupe likhiya rakhiyachena. yanhadera buddhi kutila naya, tahara bujhiya laite parena.

Babaji: The scriptures that openly give mantras for worshipping the openly manifested incarnations of the Lord, secretly reveal the mantras (the 4-syllable Gaura-Gopala Mantra, the 6-syllable Gaura Mantra etc) for worshiping the secret and hidden incarnation of Lord Gauranga. People whose intelligence is not crooked can understand and see the presence of these Mantrarajas in the scriptures.

One very interesting purport from Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura Prabhupada in Shri Chaitanya Bhagavata, Adi-lila, 5th Chapter, Verse 125 is further elaborating on the on the importance of worshiping Lord Gaurahari through chanting His Name:

"You invite Me by chanting My mantra, therefore I come and accept the foodstuffs you offer." Some people consider that worshiping and offering foodstuffs to Gauranga is performed by chanting the Gopala-mantra, and by chanting this mantra He accepts the offering. Up to the time when Deity worship of Shri Gaurasundara was introduced in the world, He was worshiped through Krishna-mantras; but after the covered form of Krishna, the origin of all incarnations, mercifully manifested His own form, Deity, and name to His most confidential devotees, the Lord's devotees began to worship the Deity of Shri Gaura by revealing the eternal names and mantras related with Lord Gaura. Those who are bereft of receiving the mercy of the covered incarnation simply make a show of worshiping the Deity form of Shri Gaurasundara with Krishna-mantras, but Shri Gaura is not worshiped in this way. Such people are cheated out of Krishna's mercy, because they do not realize that Gaura's pastimes are eternal.

If one chants Krishna-mantras, then Krishna, or Gaurasundara, accepts his chanting and manifests before the chanter. But if one differentiates between Gaura and Krishna, then his unauthorized endeavors for chanting Krishna-mantras do not qualify him to see the form of Krishna in Gaurasundara and his progress towards freedom from material existence is checked. Therefore it is often found that a worshiper has a lack of taste for worshiping Gaurasundara by chanting Krishna-mantras. Those who do not realize that the worship of Gaurasundara is the same as worship of Krishna are deprived by Shri Ramananda Raya from receiving the mercy of Gaura and the darshana of Gandharvika-Giridhari. Due to the four defects of imperfect senses, the propensity for cheating, certainty of committing mistakes, and certainty of being illusioned, such people are unable to see Shri Radha-Govinda in Shri Gaurasundara. Thus, according to the purport of the second of the four original Bhagavatam verses, such people develop mundane endeavors or vision towards Shri Gaurasundara and become disqualified to see Him. Considering Gaurasundara as different from Krishna, such people with insignificant material vision see Him simply as a sannyasi, a religious reformer, or a pseudo-sentimental saint."

To understand and accept the GAURA GOPALA mantra one shall first try to ontologically understand Lord Gauranga Himself. It is the whole topic for itself and going into that would again exceed the content and objective of this article. But i would like to anyway to at least present one important passage from Jaiva Dharma, where an important basis for correct understanding and acceptance of the bona-fide process of worshiping and attaining Lord Gaurasundara and Radha-Krishna through chanting the Gauranga Mantraraja is given:

Jaiva Dharma, Chapter 17

Vrajanatha: What is the final destination of the soul who is a devotee of Lord Gauranga?

Babaji: Krishna and Gauranga are not different. They are both shelters of the feature of sweetness (madhurya-rasa). They do have one difference. Madhurya-rasa (the Lord's sweetness) has two features: 1. madhurya (sweetness), and 2. audarya (mercy). When sweetness is prominent, Lord Krishna is manifested. When mercy is prominent, Lord Gauranga is manifested. The spiritual world of Vrindavana is divided into two abodes: 1. the abode of Lord Krishna, and 2. the abode of Lord Gauranga. The eternally perfect and eternally liberated souls who have sweetness first and mercy second reside in Lord Krishna's abode. They are Lord Krishna's associates. The eternally perfect and eternally liberated souls who have mercy first and sweetness second reside in Lord Gauranga's abode. They are Lord Gauranga's associates. Some souls manifest two forms and reside in both abodes simultaneously. Other souls manifest only one form and are present in one of the abodes and not in the other. Souls who during the time of sadhana worship only Lord Gauranga, at the time of attaining perfection go to Lord Gauranga's abode and serve Him there. Souls who during the time of sadhana worship only Lord Krishna, at the time of attaining perfection go to Lord Krishna's abode and serve Him there. Souls who during the time of sadhana worship both Lord Krishna and Lord Gauranga, at the time of attaining perfection manifest two forms, go to both Lord Krishna's abode and Lord Gauranga's abode, and in their two forms serve the two Lord's simultaneously in both places. This truth: that Lord Gauranga and Lord Krishna are simultaneously one and different from each other, is a very confidential secret."

So, according to the type of one's attraction, either towards Lord Gaura, Lord Krishna, or both, the Eternal Form of Lord Gauranga and Radha-Krishna are being worshiped through the respective sound of the GAURA GOPALA mantra, speaking „gau-ra-a-nga" or „ra-dha krish-na".

The best is to worship both as done and teached by our Rupa-Vinoda-Saraswati-Gaudiya-Sampradaya and thus attain both the supreme destinationes of Lord Gauranga-Krishna at the time of death.

All credit goes to Shri Nityananda Prabhu, Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and finally my spiritual preceptor Om Vishnupad Shrila Swami Gaurangapada Maharaja, who all of them most mercifully revealed this precious gems of Gauranga-Naam-Lila-Tattva to the suffering souls of Kali Yuga.

Your servant,

Matus

Perfection in chanting Gauraanga

2008-01-02T23:21:00.000-08:00

One of the most prominent saints in the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition Shrila Narottama dasa Thakura writes in the beginning of one of His famous bengali songs:

'gauranga' bolite habe pulaka-sarira
'hari hari' bolite nayane ba'be nira

"In the beginning, when by chanting the name of 'Gauraanga', my body will feel waves of ecstasy, only then will I be able to shed tears while chanting the names of Lord Hari."

In this verse, the qualification is described for chanting the Names of Lord Hari, or the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. What is this qualification? The qualification is that when upon chanting the Holy Name of Lord Gauranga, there will be shivering and ecstatic feelings in our body, pulaka-sharira. Then and only then will we be able to utter the Names of Radha-Krishna completely offenselessly.

So the question arises that, how do one come to this stage of shivering in body while uttering the name of Gauranga? It will not come just like that without training ourselves in
devotion to the Holy Names, Form, Qualities and Pastimes of Lord Gauranga. And it all starts with the regular, if not constant practice of chanting His Holy Name 'Gauranga'. Then one will attain the real fruit of chanting the Name of Gauranga, which is the spontaneous shivering in body due to feelings of pure love of God. Shrila Narottama dasa Thakura assures us of this fact and encourages us in taking shelter of Gauranga's Holy Name in His other song:

je gaurangera nama loy, tara hoy premodoy, tare mui jai bolihari.

"One who chants the name of 'Gauranga' instantly awakens his or her dormant pure love for the Lord. I (Narottama) worship such a person and surrender to him."

And this process of chanting the Name of Gauranga is very easy to perform. Firstly there are no considerations of offenses as it is the case of chanting the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi-lila, Chapter 8, Verse 31:

chaitanya-nityanande nahi esaba vicara,
nama laite prema dena, vahe asrudhara

"But if one only chants, with some slight faith, the holy names of Lord Gauranga and Nityananda, very quickly he is cleansed of all offenses. Since in the chanting of the names of Nityananda-Gauranga there is no consideration of offenses, one will very quickly come to the stage of love of God, simply by chanting Their names and tears of pure love for Krishna will flow from the eyes."

And secondly, by chanting the Holy Name of Lord Gauranga one pleases and gets unlimited favour of the Most Merciful Incarnation for all time to come, who is Lord Nityananda Prabhu, the saviour of the most fallen and wretched. It is none other than Him who distributes freely this matchless gift of the Holy Name of Lord Gauranga. Shri Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya, 1st Chapter:

kashta naahi vyaya naai naa paabe yaatanaa
shri gauraanga bali naache naahika bhaavanaa..35

"You will not have to undergo any tribulation and misery nor will you need to waste any time, energy or money. You will simply have to dance while chanting the Holy Name of Lord Gauranga and become absorbed in the divine trance of love for Lord Gauranga."

je sukha aami ta diba taara naai sama
sarvadaa vimalaananda naahi taara bhrama..36

"Lord Nityananda continued, 'Nothing is comparable to this matchless divine happiness which I will award you. It is the supremely pure absolute happiness increasing at every moment and is totally free from the contamination of illusion."

Besides all, there is actually no other assuring way in this degraded age of Kali other than the regular chanting of Lord Gauranga's and Nityananda's Holy Names as categorically propagated by the most influential and powerful knower of the spiritual truths regarding the Holy Names of Nityananda Gauranga, His Divine Grace Shrila Shachidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura in His famous Shri Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya, 1st Chapter:

kali-jivera aparaadha asankhya durvaara
gaura-naama vinaa taara naahika uddhaara

"The offenses and sins of the souls of Kali Yuga are unlimited and absolutely impossible to overcome. Thus, there is no other means of deliverance in Kali Yuga other than the exceptionally merciful Holy Name of Lord Gauranga."

So who, after getting to know the powerful and unprecedented potency of the Most Merciful Holy Names of Lord Gauranga and Nityananda, will not accept this most rare opportunity of perfecting one's life so easily by taking regular shelter of chanting the Holy Name of Lord Gauranga and Nityananda?

O my mind, just chant Nityananda Gauranga...

2007-11-28T01:22:00.001-08:00

In the following song His Divine Grace Seventh Goswami Shrila Shachidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura describes the glories of chanting the Holy Names of Nityananda Gauranga and the process of proper and effective chanting of the Holy Names. His stresses the importance of chanting the Holy Names of Nityananda Gauranga prior to chanting the Holy Names of Lord Krishna in order to achieve the desired benefit. Furthermore He also underlines the supremely munificient nature of Shri Nityananda Prabhu, by whose mercy every soul can easily get access to the Holy Names of Lord Gauranga. Because only after having taken complete shelter of Lord Gauranga Holy Names and Pastimes can one effortlessly achieve the vision of Shri Shri Radha-Krishna, who appear in the combine Form and Name of Lord Gauranga (mahaprabhu shri chaitanya, radha-krishna nahe anya...).

Listen to the song here (performed by Bhudev dasa prabhu)

‘Dayala Nitai Caitanya’ Bole’
by Bhaktivinoda Thakura

‘dayala nitai caitanya’ bole’ nac re amara mana
nac re amara mana, nac re amara mana (1)

O my mind, chant “dayala (merciful) nitai caitanya*” and just dance! O my mind, dance!

(emana dayala to’ nai he, mara khe’ye prema deya)
(ore) aparadha dure ja’be, pa’be prema-dhana
(o name aparadha-vicara to’ nai he)
(takhana) krishna-name ruci ha’be, ghucibe bandhana (2)

Such a merciful personality as Nityananda Prabhu, who bestows prema (pure love of God) even after being beaten, is not to be found anywhere. Prema can come after offenses are overcome, but in chanting of the names Caitanya-Nitai*, there is no consideration of offenses. Once taste for krishna-nama comes, material bondage breaks.

(krishna-name anuraga to’ ha’be he)
(takhana) anayase saphala ha’be jivera jivana
(krishna-rati vina jivana to’ miche he)
(seðe) vrindavane radha-shyamera pa’be darashana
(gaura-kripa ho’le he) (3)

When there is deep love for krishna-nama, then easily one’s life becomes successful. Without attachment to Krishna, life is simply false. With the mercy of Gaurasundara one can obtain the vision of Radha-Shyama at the end of life.

* then Names 'Nitai-Chaitanya' or 'Chaitanya-Nitai' refers to the Holy Names of Nityananda Gauranga which have many variations such as the mentioned above, or 'Gaura-Nitaai', 'Nitaai-Gauranga', 'Gaura-Nityananda', and so on.

Harinam in Prague

2007-11-07T04:25:00.000-08:00

Those, who have seen the movie Matrix will especially relish this video, i suppose. i did at least :)
Enjoy! Harinam ki jaya!

All Prayers in the Name

2007-11-07T01:02:00.001-08:00

Post by His Holiness Shri Swami Gaurangapada:

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Jaya Shri Guru Parampara! Pranams! As I chant, I find myself spontaneously praying to the Lord with my innermost prayers. The prayers just arise without any effort and become one with the Name while chanting. There is no extra effort for this. And my eyes get filled with tears. O Naam, I realize that the process of Vandana or offering prayers is included in Thee! nava vidha bhakti naam haite haya…

Naam is the greatest prayer of all. It is the inspirer of all other prayers. One who does not chant, cannot pray properly to the Lord. I feel stunned in bliss when I chant with deep concentration. Prayer means to communicate with the Lord. The channel of communication of the soul with the Lord is opened by chanting of Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna Naam. The Lord does not listen to those who don’t chant His Name.

The great 5-year old devotee Dhruva Maharaja could compose and recite choicest prayers due to constantly chanting His Name for six months. When the pure nature of the soul is revealed by chanting the Names, then prayer to the Lord begins because prayer is a natural function of the soul.

Oh Naam Prabhu, my only prayer to you is, “You are the supreme prayer of all prayers. Please let me always float in Your bliss 24-hours!!! The time during which I forget Thee is eternally lost for my soul so I cry that I cannot chant Thee constantly. Please reside on my tongue constantly even though I am not qualified for Your presence.”

Daaso’smi, Swami Gaurangapada.

Are we simple the combination of letters?

2007-11-06T23:37:00.001-08:00

Since time immemorial human society is meeting with various challenges. These challenges touch all the different aspects of human life and represent a major part of our concern. Be it the industrialization in the past, the information society in the present or the water scarcity in the future, all our activities center these bigger and smaller collective problems. But unfortunately, we are completely forgetting to meet the greatest challenge in the human society ever, for all time to come and that is the quest of finding one's own identity.

The result of all our endevours in subduing the impacts of these challenges depends on our success in resolving the essential problem, our identity crisis. How to we actually dare to claim of having a great success in nearly all fields of scientific research, when we are not able to even sufficiently consider, what to speak of providing a sollution, to the central scientific objective of the mother of all science - philosophy, which is to know who we really are?

Who are we really? We are wasting gallons of blood throughout our lives to resolve all the existing collective and individual problems, as to make us happy. But who are we actually trying to make happy? Who are we indeed?

Are we the reflection of the object we see in the mirror? Every ten years we look in the mirror, we see a different person, which has changed due to the infuence of time and the laws of material nature, yet we always feel the same. Every single day, every single minute and every single second our body changes, yet we are not even able to notice this continuous change. So i question again, are we really the object we see in the mirror? Are we really simple this object which is actually nothing else than a collection of various, most of them stinky, chemical elements or are we something more?

And what about the names? Are we the names we receive from our parents? Or are we rather the nicknames we got from our friends? Or do we even more like to be the artistic names, under which we entertain the others? Are we simple the combination of some letters or are we something more?

Are we all the various combinations of letters, such as "American", "Slovakian", "Hindu", "Moslim", "Socialist", "Scientist", etc. which although appearing tp have some particular meaning are nothing more than just concepts, created by someone else influenced by the misidentification with another such concept, or in other words created by someone identifying himself with another such combination of letters? We were all born without such designations, then how is it, that suddenly we find ourselves under the cover of so many name-layers?

What happened to us?

Is it perhaps for this reason, that despite of continuous and sincere efforts of making ourselves happy, we do not really succeed? Could it be, that we missed something very important and essential in our lifes?

After so many years and lifetimes of self-deception, are we able to honestly and humbly admit the shining fact, that we indeed missed to consider some very crucial point of our own existence?

At least now, although a bit, but never too late: Are we able to make this utmost revolutionary step to break out for the challenging journey of finding our real selves?

Yes, we will have to, because we know from our own experience that only the "revolutionary way" had enough power and effect for setting up a new order of life for the dissapointed and suffering society.

by Matus

Lord in heart and His Holy Name

2007-10-30T03:35:00.001-07:00

"It is a common and practical experience that if we call out the name of some particular person in his or her presence, this person reacts and immediately a connection is being established bewteen us and this person. The same applies to the calling of Lord's Holy Names. The Lord is omnipresent and He is present in our heart as the Supersoul. So if want to connect with Him, we have to approach our own heart, the place where He is present, and then simply call out His Holy Name with sincerity and faith." - matus

Service and envy - two separate matters

2007-10-29T00:38:00.000-07:00

Chaitanya Bhagavata, Adi-lila, Chapter 16, Verse 81 (words of Shrila Haridasa Thakura spoken to the Muslim king at the time of His arrest and accusation of abondoning the Islam religion):

ye ishvara, se punah sabara bhava laya
himsa karilei se tahana himsa haya

TRANSLATION

"The Supreme Lord accepts the devotion of everyone, but if anyone is envious of His children, then He retaliates."

COMMENTARY BY HIS DIVINE GRACE SHRILA BHAKTISIDDHANTA SARASWATI THAKURA PRABHUPADA:

Lord Janardana, who is bhava-grahi, or appreciative of one’s sentiments, is served by everyone according to their respective moods. If a person rejects or envies the mood of another, then such feelings are actually targeted towards the Supreme Lord. Therefore a living entity should never envy other living entities. If one tries to uproot and convert the internal mood of another person into that of his own narrow-mindedness, then the result will be not only criticism of another’s religion but enviousness of the Supreme Lord, who is the goal of all religion. Service and envy directed to the Supreme Lord are two separate matters. If one misidentifies envy as service to the Supreme Lord, then he will be opposed to the service of the Supreme Lord and ultimately become envious of the devotees. When a living entity becomes devoid of loving service to the Lord, he becomes sometimes a sense enjoyer, sometimes a fruitive worker, sometimes an impersonalist, sometimes a hatha-yogi, and sometimes a raja-yogi. To engage such persons in the service of Lord Mukunda for their eternal benefit is not an act or form of envy. Rather, inducing such persons to engage in activities of sense gratification instead of the service of the Lord is to give indulgence to envious activities and therefore must be given up.

Another sort of tapasya

2007-10-23T01:36:00.001-07:00

Post by Bhakta Matus:

Since longer time i am struggeling with getting up early in the morning. Although i am concious about its great benefit in regard to the spiritual as well as material aspects of life, since longer time of trying i was not able to apply it in my life. Some time ago i proposed to myself: "From tomorrow i am getting up at 4 o'clock!" i failed, became humble. After some time i again tried with little more respect: "From tomorrow i am getting up at 5 o'clock!" i failed, became more humble. Then after some time i again tried: "From tomorrow i am getting up at least at 6 o'clock!" i did not manage to do that even. i became desperate. i thought to myself: "Am i so much in ignorance, fallen and undetermined?" i pondered again and again: "The only tapasya (penance) i have to take on myself in this Age of Kali is to wake up early in the morning, before sunrise, and chant the Holy Name of the Lord. This relatively small thing i am not able to do, then how can i hope to achieve success in my sadhana (spiritual practice). For how long will i have to struggle to somehow accomplish my fixed rounds of the mantra meditation during the day and in consequence of that to struggle also with accomplishment of my regural material duties?" i was praying to the Lord: "Oh my Lord, please somehow give me the inteligence and strength to be able to do it." So, yesterday, just like a miracle, a very promising idea appeared in my mind: "What about trying to 'pull the rope on its other end'? What about a more comfortable tapasya, which could grant me success? Yes! From tomorrow i am going at 9 o'clock to bed!" Today is the second day, and i managed to rise up to chant a great part of my rounds before sunrise, thus passing peacefully and blissfully the rest of the day. i am thinking to myself, how foolish i was not able to realize this most important tactics in order to be successful. i am also aware, that it is neither easy. It is actually indeed a sort of tapasya. Due to generally a bad habit of the whole association (who is going to sleep everyday at 9 o'clock?), one is alone in this effort. Thus i am hoping and praying to the Lord and all the Vaishnavas, that They may bless this fallen soul with enough strength, enthusiasm and determination to stick to its proposal and thus become successful. Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!

mentus

Prayer to the saintly devotee of the Lord

2007-10-18T08:02:00.000-07:00

Oh Vaishnava Thakura, saintly devotee of the Lord

How wonderful and precious is every second of Your association.
The immense importance and value of associating with You cannot be captured in my tiny words.
Only by repeatedly getting in touch with You is it possible for me to keep up the necessary faith and enthusiasm for chanting the Holy Name of the Lord.
General association with devotees is very nice and helpful but even more than that is the precious and substantial association of advanced and pure devotees like Yourself.
Actually only to that type of association Lord's causeless mercy can be fully attributed and acts like an magnet, which attracts and drags the soul out of the boundless pool of material desires.

Oh Vaishnava Thakura, please never abandon this lost and confused soul, for except You there is no one this soul can take shelter of again and again.

mentus

Guidance

2007-10-07T08:48:00.000-07:00

It is a practical experience, that in every field of life, if one wants to learn something one needs guidance and help of a more experienced and advanced person. If it weren't so, one wouldn't have opened so many schools, institutions and educational institutes, which offer one the possibility of accepting the role of a student and thus learning and making progress in a particular field of knowledge. But the learning process is found not only in an organized way as mentioned above, but it is a kind of spontaneous and natural exchange of 2 individuals, namely one in a role of teacher and another in the role of a student, which can be easily experienced on a day-to-day basis everywhere. Just remember for example Your father teaching You how to drive a bicycle or Your friend how to drive on skateboard. You weren't even concious about it, yet You naturally and with joy accepted a teacher, and happily listened his instructions, thinking them to be for Your own benefit.

Spiritual education isn't any exception in this regard. A living entity, after its long journey in this material world, suddenly feels the need of knowing the higher truths of one's own existence and the universal principle behind it. Understanding one's inability of knowing these things alone, he start looking for a suitable teacher. On his path, he finds different teachers, who gradually help and teach him according to his qualifications and specific desires of how to approach the Absolute Truth.

For one, who wants to know and near the Original Personal Aspect of the Absolute Truth, Lord Gauranga-Krishna, the same Supreme Personality of Godhead manifests in the body of a spiritual master, who is completely ready to guide the soul back to His Kingdom. The same Supreme Lord takes a form of different persons, in order to take charge of so many different aspirants, at so many different stages of their evolution and under so many different circumstences. But ultimately it is the Supreme Lord Himself, who is the actual and only quide. Therefore it is natural and absolutely not controversial if one feels inspiration and accepts guidance from more than one spiritual teacher, understanding it to be a wise, perfect and munificient arrangement of His beloved Lord. Nevertheless, out of them, one bears the authority of higher importance, in order to clarify and set the direction in case of apparent disagreements and controversies.

Suffering purifies

2007-10-04T08:46:00.000-07:00

Sorry for not posting for such a long time.

After some time i got an inspiration again. I have just been to cinema after quite a long time and i saw a very authentic and inspirational movie. It was about a young man (23) who got cancer and who did a movie himself about his last time before he departed. He kept records about his feelings, realizations, hopes, fears, etc. It left quite deep impact on me and let me further realize the nature of this perishable material world and the value of every second in this precious human birth.

i would like to summarize some most important realizations which invoked this movie in me:

- Suffering purifies as it makes us forcibly detach from the misidentification with this material body. Becoming pure means, to gradually disidentify with material body and become concious about one's real and eternal constitutional position as the loving servant of the Lord.

- Our real friends are the Lord and His devotees, for they never cheat a living entity from the eternal prospect of returning home to the Kingdom of God, where there is no suffering. We can't expect real and substantial help from any of our so-called friends, who themselves haven't solved their own problems of suffering and death. So how can they actually help us and solve our problems?

- There is no suffering for one, who awakened to his lost relationship with the Lord. Unbounded and ever-increasing joy experienced through this ecstatic connection with the Lord can't but completely cover the suffering, experienced due to the misidentification and forgetfulness of the existence of the soul and its duty.

- Don't waste time! Any time you can get completely disabled and disencouraged. And it will come for sure sooner or later. The result of such a heavy test will depend solely on the strength You will derive out of Your experience and training You practiced throughout Your life. Don't expect miracles without a reason. As one saying goes: "God helps those, who help themselves."

- Conciousness takes higher position over this body. Your suffering depends on the state of Your consiousness. Train Your conciousness! Chant the Holy Names of the Lord as much as You can and as good as You can! Give Your best and then You will have a good and promising chance of meeting the upcoming suffering with smile at Your face and peace at Your heart.

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Always chant these most auspicious Holy Names of the Lord.

Identity crisis

2007-08-16T10:22:00.001-07:00

It has always been my problem,
that i simply couldn't be myself,
myself was always formed by outer circumstance,
and i have suffered therefrom.

i was conscious about it,
yet couldn't do anything about it.

Perhaps i'm too sensibel, perhaps too weak.

There may be so many reasons,
for everyone specific and different.

Someone assumes an identification from outside,
someone else creates one from inside.

Yet for each of us,
the same timeless fact applies,
we're suffering from an identity crises,
we don't know who we really are.

Once this fact is understood,
humbleness asks for its attention.

Humbleness is knocking,
on the door of our heart,
still we can't let in.

"Not ready!"

Not ready to give up,
the false identifications,
it is as good as death.

Complete
dependence
on
the
Supreme.

This feeling so unknown for me,
its cultivation the only way,
its expression - beautiful play.

No more lie,
be ready to die,

Die to live...

(mentus)

Secret Of All Secrets - Part 1

2007-08-14T04:58:00.001-07:00

Listen to the whole secret
(Audio lecture by H.H. Shrila Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami Gaurangapada)

A very important point from this pastime which is described very confidentially in the Navadvipa dhama Mahatmya chapter 1 is the transcendental difference between Nityananda and Gauranga Names and Pastimes and Radha-Krishna Names and Pastimes though They are non-different. Seventh Goswami Shrila Saccidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura states in Chapter 1:

Text 1

gauranga nitai jei bale eka bara
ananta karama dosha anta haya tara

Anyone who chants Gauranga Nityananda Nityananda even once destroys “ananta karama dosha”… unlimited sinful reactions of unlimited lives are destroyed instantly by chanting “eka bara”, only once, Nityananda and Gauranga.

Commentary by His Holiness Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami Gaurangapada:

If the people of the world knew that just uttering once Nityananda and Gauranga all of their sinful reactions would be finished for millions of lives, I think the whole world would do it, right? But they do not know this, it is our duty to inform them at least let them know, it is up to them whether to chant or not.

(Question from audience) But what if they chant and don’t have faith?

(Reply) No, there is no question of faith for Nityananda and Gauranga’s name, faith we require for Krishna’s name, but Nityananda and Gauranga don’t even worry about faith. One devotee was telling me that he went to give to someone one of our books, Who is Gauranga, you know, Gauranga in the Vedas, so at the time the person was not all interested in, he was very absorbed in this material world, “Who is Gauranga?” he said. So the devotee started dancing in happiness, “You chanted the name of Gauranga. Even though you don’t have time to listen to me who is Gauranga, Gauranga is Krshna himself in Kali-yuga, but at least you chanted Gauranga.”

That itself is enough, if you don’t know, even unknowingly if people chant all their sins will be destroyed. So what we’re giving to the world, we are just passing on the message of the acaryas, their treasure, that treasure is totally free, and it is so easy to acquire it, it is so easy to become saved from the horrible depths of the cycle of birth and death… by chanting once Nityaaaaaaaaananda Gauuuuuuuuuuranga.

Why to chant Nityananda Gauranga - Part 1

2007-08-08T08:09:00.001-07:00

i have started recording the book "Nityananda Gauranga Naam", which is a very unique and unparalleled scripture regarding the spiritual truths about the sublime process of chanting the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas. It is a commented compilation of the most important verses of the great spiritual masters of the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition revealing the supreme glories and confidential truths about these two most magnanimous and merciful Holy Names of Godhead. This book was presented to this world by my spiritual preceptor His Holiness Shrila Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami Gaurangapada and is the embodiment of the infinite mercy which is Lord Nityananda showering on the souls of the present age by the help of His beloved and eternal servitor. I am not at all a good narrator, but i felt a sudden inspiration to provide the people a comfortable opportunity to hear about "my" beloved Holy Names of Nityananda Gauranga. i am doing it also as a part of my sadhana (daily spiritual practice), because the more one hears/talks about the eternal truths and glories of these two Holy Names, the more one realizes their magnanimity and develops a mature and unflinching faith in Their power and necessity.

P.S.: i thank H.H. Swami Gaurangapada for providing me the material and editing the video.

Who will cross?

2007-08-03T07:09:00.001-07:00

"Ke Jaabi Ke Jaabi Bhaai?"

Who will, who will cross the ocean of birth and death?
By Shrila Lochana dasa Thakura
Translated by BRS Swami Gaurangapada

Listen to the song and translation

ke jaabi ke jaabi bhaai bhava-sindhu paara
dhanya kali-yugera chaitanya-avatara

"O my dear brothers and sisters, Who will go? Who will go? Which fortunate person will cross over this impassable ocean of birth and death? This is the most appropriate time to do so as it is most rare and special Kali Yuga which only comes once in 8,640,000,000 years because the most magnanimous Supreme Lord Shri Gauranga Mahaprabhu has advented to deliver one and all."

aamaara gauraangera ghaate adaana-kheyaa vaya
jada andha aatura avadhi paara haya

"At the transcendental bathing place of My dear Lord Gauranga, there is a divine ferry boat waiting for all souls to freely take them across this limitless ocean of birth and death without any ticket. There is no restriction whatsoever so all souls are climbing aboard to effortlessly cross over this ocean of birth and death after transmigrating for billions upon billions of lives. The qualification is the desire to board the ferry. Everyone is coming, including the lame, the blind and the distressed. So please do not hesitate any further. One who misses this chance will have to wait for trillions of years."

hari-naama naukaa khaani shri guru-kaandaari
sankirtana kheroyaala du-baahu pasaari

"The divne Holy Name of Lord Gauranga Hari is the boat, Shri Guru (Spiritual Master) is the captain, and the Sankirtana Party moving with upraised arms are the oars of this divine ferry."

saba jiva haila paara premera vaataase
padiya arohila lochana aapanaara doshe

"All souls in this universe have crossed over the ocean of birth and death in this boat assisted by the favorable winds of the pure unalloyed love brought by Lords Nityananda Gauranga. Only Lochana dasa is so unfortunate and ill-fated that due to his own faults of not accepting this causeless and unprecedented mercy, he has been left behind."

nitaai naama laddu aara gaura naama ghi
hari naama khanda kshira ghori ghori pi

"Lord Nityananda's Holy Name is the nectarean laddu and Lord Gauranga's Holy Name is pure fragrant ghee. The Holy Name of Lord Krishna is the condensed sweet rice. Please mix Them all together and drink deep this supremely ambrosial nectarean elixir!"

Gauranga and His Pastimes - Part 2

2007-08-03T06:57:00.000-07:00

Gauranga and His Pastimes - Part 1

2007-08-02T10:18:00.000-07:00

Bliss Of Acceptance

2007-07-26T08:08:00.001-07:00

Oh Lord, why should I pretend
that I usurp your power,
when all that vibrates
does so only at your Will.

Why should I make plans for the future,
when all my days are decided by You.
Why should I think I, when all is You.

Please Lord, grant me the Grace
to always see clearly.
Provide to me Your Will
so that my every action
is in accord with
Your highest standards of selflessness,
compassion, kindness and love.

It is You who are all.
This part of You recognizes Your Glory
and humbly offers back to You
that which has always been Yours,
but I was too ignorant to see.

(Unknown author)

Breathe the Name

2007-07-13T00:00:00.001-07:00

There is one very powerful method of meditation on the Divine Names. It was this method actually, by the help of which i found entrance into the chanting of the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas. Until now i can very well remember the deep impact of the Holy Names of Nityananda Gauranga, which i felt at the time of my first contact with Them. i am not afraid to say that it was partly due to this powerful process of Mantra Breathing Yoga also. Although it isn't presently my main method of chanting the Holy Names, i still derive great joy and satisfaction therefrom whenever i do it again.

So how does it work? Very simple. You chant the short forms of the Mantrarajas and You divide them into 2 parts each of them. It should be mentioned in this regard that the short forms of the Mantrarajas have absolutely the same power as the full Mantras and they are a very loving way of addressing the Lord.

Nitaai (Nityaananda) Kriya = Ni (inhale) + taai (exhale)
Gaura (Gauraanga) Kriya = Gau (inhale) + ra (exhale)

While inhaling You chant the first part and while exhaling the second part of the Mantraraja. The chanting should be done internally. It is important that one breathes through the nose and not through the mouth. If one cannot concentrate on the Mantrarajas within one's mind while breathing, then one can very softly move one's lips and tongue but continue breathing through the nose. If it get automatized in that way, gradually one will come to a stage, when the Mantrarajas will be chanted automatically within one's mind while breathing. And this will be a great gain, when one will effortlessly use every breathe to chant the Holy Name of the Lord. And one's health will improve as well, as it very much depends on a proper breathing process.

You can see the method of Mantra Breathing Yoga in the above animation, where the short form of the Nityaananda Mantraraja is being used for demonstration. The same way can be done with the Gauraanga Mantraraja. Inhale "Gau", exhale "ra". Generally the Nityaananda Mantraraja should be chanted first and then the Gauraanga Mantraraja. Means, first breathe "Nitaai" and then "Gaura". Nitaai Gaura Nitaai Gaura Nitaai Gaura, in that way...

i wish You a lot of peace and joy practicing the Nityaananda Gauraanga Mantra Breathing Yoga.

These Merciless Times

2007-07-11T13:59:00.001-07:00

Please click twice on the player button embedded in the video (right-down corner) to start watching.

The Gauranga Swan Song (1-5)

2007-07-05T08:20:00.001-07:00

Hail Thee Nityananda-Gauranga Nama! Kali Yuga's Sole Resort
For the ship of life, foul weather's safest Port.
Without Thee there's no other Support to seek,
With my heart and soul, honestly to Thee I speak....1

O Nityananda-Gauranga Nama! In Thee I take refuge with all my heart
Tho' in singing Thy Glories, Upanishads play their part.
Yet unable are they to do justice to Thy greatness,
Thou art e'er being sung by Yogis in their sedateness....2

O Syllable Form of God! Victory to Thee! Thou art always sought,
For Thou appeasest e'en those who is worldliness are caught.
Thou art e'er being sung by sages with bright prospect,
As Thou purifest e'en a sinner, uttering Thee in disrespect....3

O Nama Bhagavan Sun! Nityananda's and Gauranga's Holy Name
Who can aptly describe Thy enduring Fame?
Thy dim reflection, dispelling Universe's ignorance,
Confers on all the boon of Krishna love's affluence.....4

The deeds of past births, which the Vedas call,
Destiny, remain undestroyed unless endured by all.
Yet, unendur'd, Thy dim reflection destroys them as well,
Tho' even meditation on Brahman fails to save us from their spell....5

(Composed by Shrila BRS Swami Gaurangapada)

NGN Chintamani Verse 1

2007-06-27T13:13:00.001-07:00

gauranga nama cintamani, chaitanya rasa vigraha
nitya shuddha purna mukta nama nami abhinna

Listen to full NGN Chintamani

"The Holy Names of Lord Nityananda and Lord Gauranga are the most precious and valuable touchstones fulfilling the desires of all living entities in the material and spiritual worlds. The Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas are the transcendental and unlimited storehouses of pure divine mellows and are the only means to revive the consciousness of the spiritually dead and violently offensive materialistic civilization. The Holy Names of Nityananda and Gauranga are eternally pure and completely free of any material contamination because They are non-different from the Supreme Personalities of Godhead Their Lordships Shri Shri Nityananda Gauranga Themselves, Who are none other than Their Lordships Shri Shri Balarama Krishna."

(Nityananda Gauranga Nama Chintamani - The Divine Wish-Fulfilling Touchstones of the Holy Names of Nityaananda and Gauraanga, Translated and Compiled By His Holiness Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami Gaurangapada)

NG Nama Chintamani Verses 1-50

Bring the mind back

2007-06-25T07:57:00.000-07:00

Inattentive chanting arises basically due to a lack of meditation while chanting. So there is no mechanical formula or quick shortcut to stop inattentive chanting unless one starts meditating on the divine meanings of the Holy Names while chanting which in turn one can do only when one develops positive taste for the Holy Names. You don't have to worry too much while chanting. Just take a small precaution that whenever you find out that your mind has wandered away while chanting, please bring it back on the Holy Names. You should not let your mind wander even after you come to know about it while chanting. Then that will be a deliberate thing and thus unfavorable to Naam Prabhu. This small endeavor of bringing it back to the Holy Names while chanting is enough to gradually fix our mind on the Holy Names.

- Swami Gaurangapada

Read more here: http://nitaai.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=441&p=651&hilit=Naam#p649

Nityaananda & Inherent Purity

2007-06-23T06:12:00.001-07:00

"Simply by chanting or hearing the name of Lord Nityaananda, the sinful inclinations in the hearts of all the living entities in the universe are permanently destroyed and their inherent purity is automatically awakened. On chanting or hearing the name of Lord Nityaananda, even the merchants, degraded, fallen and foolish people are purified and immediately become realized in the Absolute Truth and devotees of the Lord."

- Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura

Nityaananda Gauraanga & Devotee

2007-06-22T02:57:00.001-07:00

"One is qualified to worship Their Lordships Nityaananda-Gauraanga as Devotees, when one actually is a devotee. Worshiping Them as the Two Jagad Gurus, The Supreme Absolute Truth, especially through chanting Their Most Magnanimous Holy Names makes one actually a devotee."- mentus

There is no difficulty

2007-06-20T08:30:00.001-07:00

"If you simply chant Nitai-Gaura (Nityaananda Gauraanga) and dance, then you'll become happy. There is no difficulty. There is no difficulty."

(Shrila Prabhupada, Baltimore, July 7, 1976)

Gauraanga - Topmost Principal Name

2007-06-19T07:56:00.001-07:00

Question: What is the most principal Holy Name of God?

Answer by Swami Gaurangapada:

"GAURAANGA" IS MOST PRINCIPAL AMONG THE MOST PRINCIPAL NAMES OF LORD KRISHNA.

(I) In the Brhad-visnu-sahasranama-stotra, Uttara-khanda, Padma Purana (72.335) it is said:

rama rameti rameti, rame rame manorame;
sahasra-namabhis tulyam, rama-nama varanane.

Lord Siva addressed his wife, Durga: "O Varanana (lovely-faced woman), I chant the holy name of Rama, Rama, Rama and thus constantly enjoy this beautiful sound. This holy name of Ramacandra is equal to one thousand holy names of Lord Vishnu (Vishnu-sahasra-nama-stotram)."

(II) In the Padma Purana it its mentioned:

visnor ekaika namapi, sarva vedadhikam matam
tadrk nama sahasrena, rama nama samasmrtam

"Each Name of Lord Vishnu is greater and more potent than the entire Vedas combined together, and Lord Rama's Name alone is more superior that a thousand Names of Lord Vishnu."

(III) In the Brahmanda Purana it is stated:

sahasra-namnam punyanam, trir-avrttya tu yat phalam;
ekavrttya tu krishnasya, namaikam tat prayacchati.

"And the pious results (punya) achieved by chanting the thousand holy names of Vishnu (Vishnu-sahasra-nama-stotram) three times or the Holy Name of Rama thrice can be attained by only one utterance of the Holy Name of Krishna."

(IV) Prabhasa Khanda of Padma Purana states:

namnam mukhyataram nama, krishnakhyam me parantapa;
prayascittam asesenam papanam mocakam param.

"O Arjuna, the Holy of Krishna is the most principal (mukhyataram) among all Names of God. One can atone for unlimited sinful deeds by chanting the Name of Krishna which is the supreme destroyer of all sins."

(V) Finally in the Brahma-Rahasya it is stated:

krishna-caitanyeti nama, mukhyan mukhyatamam prabhoh;
helaya sakrd uccarya, sarva-nama-phalam labhet.

"The Holy Name Krishna Chaitanya or Gauranga is the topmost or the most principal (mukhyan) even among all the important primary and most principal (mukhyatamam) Holy Names of the Lord Krishna. By chanting this name just once, a person attains the spiritual results (punya) of chanting all the other holy names of the Lord."

So from the above five very important verses we can easily come to the following conclusion:

Secondary Names of God like Brahma, Paramatma, Shrishtikarta etc. take us only to the heavenly planets or maximum can grant us liberation or mukti. But the following Primary Names of God can elevate the soul to the Vaikuntha planets in the spiritual world:

Vishnu's Name = Principal Name of God more than all the Vedas combined together

Rama's Name = More Principal Name (Mukhya) of God =1000 Names of Vishnu

Krishna's Name = Most Principal Name (Mukhyataram) of God = 3 Names of Rama or 3000 Names of Vishnu

Gauranga's Name = Most Principal (Mukhyan) among the Most Principal Names (Mukhyatamam) of Krishna = Sum Total of all the result achieved by chanting the Names of Krishna, Rama and Vishnu

Let's conclude by the divine words of Shrila Jagadananda Pandita in his great book Prema-vivarta, confirming the above conclusion:

gaura ye visala nama sei nama gau;
anya saba nama-mahatmya sei name pau.

"The most powerful names of God are the names of the most merciful incarnation of God, who is known as Lord Gauranga. The glories and power of all the other names of God are completely present in the Names of Lord Shri Gauranga Mahaprabhu and thus They should be constantly chanted."

For more information see here...

Principal and Secondary Holy Names

2007-06-15T03:36:00.000-07:00

The Secondary Names of God and Their Symptoms

jada krtira paricaye nama yata
prakrtir gune gauna vedera sammata
srsti kartta paramatma brahma sthiti kara
jagat samharta pata yajnesvara hara

According to the Vedas, the secondary or inferior names of the Supreme Lord, Shri Krishna are those which are in connection with the material world. For example: "God," "Creator of the Universe," "Paramatma," "Supersoul," "Brahman," " Maintainer of the Universe," "Destroyer of the Universe," "Savior," and "Lord of Sacrifice," and "He who takes away," are some inferior or secondary names of Godhead. (Hari-nama-cintmmari)

Fruits of the Principal and Secondary Names of the Lord

ei rupa nama, karma-jnana-kanda-gata
punya moksa dana kare sastrera sammata
namera ye mukhya-phala krishna-prema-dhana
tara mukhya name matra labhe sadhugana

These inferior names of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Shri Krishna are called upon by those who are on the paths of karma and jnana. According to the scriptures, one who calls upon these names gets piety and liberation. On the other hand, the result of chanting the principal names of the Lord [Govinda, Gopmla, Rama, Nandanandana, Radhanatha, Hari, Yasomati-pranadhana, Madana-mohana, Syamasundara, Madhava, Gopinatha, Vrajogopa, Rakhala, and Yadava] is krishna-prema. In this way, the saintly attain love of Godhead by chanting the principal names of Godhead... (Hari-nama-cintmmari)

http://nitai.in/nitaiveda/naamtattva.html

Principal, Most Principal and Topmost Principal Holy Names

2007-06-15T03:23:00.000-07:00

(I) In the Brhad-visnu-sahasranama-stotra, Uttara-khanda, Padma Purana (72.335) it is said:

rama rameti rameti, rame rame manorame;
sahasra-namabhis tulyam, rama-nama varanane.

Lord Siva addressed his wife, Durga: "O Varanana (lovely-faced woman), I chant the holy name of Rama, Rama, Rama and thus constantly enjoy this beautiful sound. This holy name of Ramacandra is equal to one thousand holy names of Lord Vishnu (Vishnu-sahasra-nama-stotram)."

(II) In the Padma Purana it its mentioned:

visnor ekaika namapi, sarva vedadhikam matam
tadrk nama sahasrena, rama nama samasmrtam

"Each Name of Lord Vishnu is greater and more potent than the entire Vedas combined together, and Lord Rama's Name alone is more superior that a thousand Names of Lord Vishnu."

(III) In the Brahmanda Purana it is stated:

sahasra-namnam punyanam, trir-avrttya tu yat phalam;
ekavrttya tu krishnasya, namaikam tat prayacchati.

"And the pious results (punya) achieved by chanting the thousand holy names of Vishnu (Vishnu-sahasra-nama-stotram) three times or the Holy Name of Rama thrice can be attained by only one utterance of the Holy Name of Krishna."

(IV) Prabhasa Khanda of Padma Purana states:

namnam mukhyataram nama, krishnakhyam me parantapa;
prayascittam asesenam papanam mocakam param.

"O Arjuna, the Holy of Krishna is the most principal (mukhyataram) among all Names of God. One can atone for unlimited sinful deeds by chanting the Name of Krishna which is the supreme destroyer of all sins."

(V) Finally in the Brahma-Rahasya it is stated:

krishna-caitanyeti nama, mukhyan mukhyatamam prabhoh;
helaya sakrd uccarya, sarva-nama-phalam labhet.

"The Holy Name Krishna Chaitanya or Gauranga is the topmost or the most principal (mukhyan) even among all the important primary and most principal (mukhyatamam) Holy Names of the Lord Krishna. By chanting this name just once, a person attains the spiritual results (punya) of chanting all the other holy names of the Lord."

In the Vishnu-yamala it is said:

krishna-chaitanya-namna ye, kirtayanti sakrn narah;
nanaparadha-muktas te, punanti sakalam jagat.

"Those who chant the name of Krishna Chaitanya or Gauranga even once, become free from all offenses and purify all the worlds by their very presence."

Shrila Jagadananda Pandita says in Prema-vivarta:

gaura ye visala nama sei nama gau;
anya saba nama-mahatmya sei name pau.

"The most powerful names of God are the names of the most merciful incarnation of God, who is known as Lord Gauranga. The glories and power of all the other names of God are completely present in the Names of Lord Shri Gauranga Mahaprabhu and thus They should be constantly chanted."

(From: http://nitaai.com/nitaiveda/most_principal_name_of_god.html)

Innumerable Holy Names

2007-06-14T02:55:00.000-07:00

“O Lord, out of Your causeless mercy You have manifested Your innumerable names and empowered Them with Your own transcendental potencies. You have not imposed rigid rules for chanting and remembering these names, nor laid down conditions barring anyone from chanting or remembering Your name even during eating, reclining, or sleeping. But I am so wretched that I am not attracted to Your names.”

(Shri Shikshashtaka - Verse 2)

"Because people vary in their desires, by Your mercy You have distributed various holy names. Regardless of time or place, one who chants the holy name, even while eating or sleeping, attains all perfection. You have invested Your full potency in such individual holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attachment for chanting Your holy names.”

(Shri Chaitanya Charitamrita - Antya-lila 20.17-19)

Tremendous influence of Nama-Sankirtan

2007-06-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

After the acceptance of Sanyas, Shri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu toured all over India for a period of six years sanctifying all the places on His way and converting lacs and lacs of people to His unique path of Transcendental Love by spreading the Divine Dispensation of Nama-Sankirtan (congregational chanting of the Holy Names). He conquered the whole of India, from the great Himalyas to Cape Comorin by this most efficacious, catholic, and simple method. This new process is profound and easy at once. It has got the dual capacity of satisfying a profound scholar well-versed in the Sastras and gifted with the art of debate, and an ordinary unlettered man of the street. This marvelous combination in bringing together persons, diametrically opposite, under a single banner was never before experienced by any one in the whole history of the world. Such a unique and sublime process of self-realization accessible to the classes and masses was never popularized to the inhabitants of India or the world by any of the Prophets, Messiahs, Acharyas, Saints, Philosophers, or even the Descents (Avataras) of the Supreme Lord prior to the Advent of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. This is an undisputed fact. Making full use of this wonderful weapon of the highest potency, He did marvels which human language cannot adequately express. The tremendous influence of the Nama-Sankirtan (congregational chanting of the Holy Names) has pierced through all our adamantine coatings, the result of the worst type of the accumulated heaps of sins of many births, and left Its impressions of firm faith and love to the Beloved Supreme Lord Shri Gaura-Krishna. Everyone without exception could feel the inexpressible glory, the universal and all round efficacy of the Name. That a good many of them have lately adopted this process of chanting the Divine Names, is the solid proof of Its efficacy and popularity. Even the wild animals were no exceptions; inspired by the Divine Influence of the Holy Name, they forgot their ferocious nature-the worst animal instincts in them- they danced; they kissed each other, they rubbed their faces; they shouted with extreme joy; they rolled on the ground and what other wonderful actions they did, can be adequately expressed only by an eyewitness.

(Adapted from "Divine Name" - Ch.10 "Mahaprabhu's Discourse on Naam")

Introductory words

2007-06-12T07:17:00.000-07:00

Dear guest,

Since longer i have been thinking of joining the immense surfing community which has presently arisen on the wave of Web 2.0, the web of common people, where the words, life destinies and experience of each and everyone of us has got some specific value. The distance, time and language are no longer a barrier nowadays for getting people together and connecting them on an essential and common plane, the plane of life and its experience. Everybody follows a certain path in his or her life. This path was shaped by a sequence of events, which are specific and unique to each and everyone of us. All of us has the natural tendency within of sharing the taste of our own life, as the life is the very substance for every living being and thus a kind of urge arises within the heart of a person to share it with others.

In this blog i would like to share with You the taste of a life, which is being shaped by the power and sweet will of the Name Divine, especially by my dearest and the most merciful Holy Names of NITYAANANDA GAURAANGA. The main aim is to offer You (and me by posting) a new possibility of approaching the life, to offer You more freedom of choice by presenting to You an alternative, which the mundane world is failing You to offer.

Yours in the service of the Divine Names,

mentus