Purport to Nama-Sankirtana Song
"When Lord Caitanya returned from Gaya, where He was initiated by Sri Isvara Puri, He was completely transformed into a God-intoxicated personality whom His students of grammar had never known before. Instead of teaching ordinary grammar studies, Lord Caitanya explained every sentence in such a way that every Sanskrit word and every letter was understood to indicate Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This form of grammar was later on developed by Srila Jiva Gosvami in a book called Hari-namamrta-vyakarana, The Grammar of the Nectar and Name of Sri Hari. But Lord Caitanya's students thought that their teacher had become mad, and they rubbed His head with Visnu oil, an oil that cools the brain. Finally they asked Him, "You say that everything means Krsna and we should ultimately always be chanting the names of Krsna. Just how should we do this?" Then Lord Caitanya began to sing the names of Krsna and clap His hands, and He began His nama-sankirtana movement. The names He sang are the first two lines of this song, and Narottama Dasa Thakura and others have placed these names in the beginning of their writings to immortalize these events in the memory of everyone.
Narottama Dasa Thakura chants the names of Lord Caitanya, Nityananda, Sri Advaita and Sita (Lord Advaita's consort). Since Lord Hari, the spiritual master, and the Srimad Bhagavad-gita are all on the transcendental platform, they are given the same respect. Then Srila Narottama Dasa chants the names of the six Gosvamis. 'I offer my obeisances at their feet,' he sings, 'which destroy sufferings accumulated over many long years. I am the servant of these six Gosvamis, and the dust of their lotus feet is my five kinds of foodstuffs. To serve their lotus feet and keep the association of devotees is my only business, birth after birth.' When the six Gosvamis were staying at Vrndavana, they revealed the eternal transcendental pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. Before Lord Caitanya the exact location of the places of Lord Krsna's pastimes were not known, and therefore Lord Caitanya instructed the Gosvamis to uncover the holy places and construct temples. The temple of Sri Radha Damodara is situated near the location of the rasa dance, and Srila Rupa Gosvami and the other Gosvamis used to gather there and discuss the topics of their literatures, which scientifically explained the super-excellent pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna. Narottama Dasa Thakura says, "In great ecstasy shout the name of Hari and serve the real transcendental master and devotees." He concludes by saying, 'With all hopes in the lotus feet of my guru and the holy Vaisnavas, Narottama Dasa sings the sankirtana of Lord Hari: Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare\/Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.'
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust. HDG A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada.
