1st reason to chant NITYANANDA

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

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.

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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

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...

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

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

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?

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