Sri Sanmodana Bhasyam, Part Two
BY: SUN STAFF
Nitai-Gauranga
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust
Mar 18, 2013 — CANADA (SUN) — A commentary on Lord Caitanya's 'Siksastakam' by HDG Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur, with a Bengali song for each verse that expands upon Mahaprabhu's devotional moods (Sanskrit, 1886).
Now, one final question may arise: isn't the pursuit of happiness self motivated and hence contrary to the principles called unalloyed and transcendental? As the answer, Lord Caitanya uses the expression sarvatma-snapanam: the bliss of Krsna consciousness is completely pure, being wholly free of any desire for self-satisfaction. Specifically, this means that in the natural course of pure devotional service the devotee attains the form of a maid-servant of Srimati Radharani, who embodies the zenith of mahabhava, or divine ecstasy. In Her service, the devotee participates in conjugal pastimes with the Lord and experiences unlimited bliss.
This sublime mood of service is therefore untainted by even the slightest tinge of lust or self-indulgent craving. Sarvatmasnapanam also confirms that in this state of perfect bliss neither the contamination of sayujya-mukti (becoming one with the Lord's impersonal aspect) nor the impurity of self-gratification can divert the devotee from his fixed position in pure Krsna consciousness.
May the chanting of the holy name of Krsna be ever victorious, for it is adorned with seven transcendental qualities; it is the form of eternality, knowledge, and the highest bliss, steeped in the wonderful and variegated amorous pastimes of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna.
Sri Caitanya Caritamrita, Antya 20.11,13,14:
"Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Krishna one can be freed from all undesirable habits. This is the means of awakening all good fortune and initiating the flow of waves of love for Krsna.
"By performing congregational chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra one can destroy the sinful condition of material existence, purify the unclean heart and awaken all varieties of
devotional service.
"The result of chanting is that one awakens his love for Krsna and tastes transcendental bliss. Ultimately, one attains the association of Krsna and engages in His devotional service, as if immersing himself in a great ocean of love."
There are innumerable engagements in the execution of devotional service, and Srimad Bhagavatam and Haribhaktivilasa have described many of them. Broadly, sixty-four limbs of devotional service are considered as the main engagements of bhakti.
Vaidhibhakti (devotional service according to rules and regulations) and raganuga bhakti (spontaneous devotional service) are the two methods of executing these sixty-four principle engagements. In Srimad Bhagavatam Prahlada Maharaja glorifies pure and spontaneous devotional service as the best method; Lord Gaurasundara has identified the best engagement by saying, "The congregational chanting of the holy name of Lord Krishna is the most perfect form of devotional service."
He defined the Supreme non-dual Substance as Brahman when it is preliminarily realized as eternity; when realized as eternity and knowledge, it is defined as Paramatma; when its transcendental nature of full knowledge, eternity and bliss is realized with all potencies, that Supreme Absolute Truth is known as Bhagavan.
That Supreme Personality of Godhead (Bhagavan) is called Vasudeva when He manifests His supreme opulence; when His opulence gives way to His loving conjugal mood, He is known as
Krsna. As Narayana, He particularly reciprocates with His devotees in the rasas of santa and dasya; Lord Krsna is the worshipable object of all five rasas.
Lord Krsna's vaibhavaprakasa expansion is Lord Balarama, who rules Vaikuntha in His eternal catur-vyuha forms.
The chanting of mantras that is properly supposed to take place in the mind is called japa; by japa, the chanter receives his desired perfection. Audible chanting in which the lips move is called kirtana; it is more effective than japa and avails the greatest benefit to the hearer. Samkirtana means total or perfect kirtana; all other devotional activities become unnecessary if one does samkirtana.
Samkirtana can never be partial or imperfect glorification of Lord Krsna's holy name, because partial or imperfect chanting of Krsna's name is unable to cause a wonderful transformation in the living entities. Partial or imperfect kirtana should not be accepted as samkirtana, as people would then doubt the potency of kirtana.
Let samkirtana, the total and perfect chanting of Krsna's holy name, be victorious. The experience of something mundane can only be incomplete, but the transcendental plane is never touched by material nature. Therefore, by the discussion of transcendental subject matter - Krsna, the supreme subject one experiences all supra-mundane perfection. Amongst these perfections are seven that are especially invoked by chanting Lord Krsna's holy name, as explained in this verse by Lord Caitanya.
The chanting of Lord Krsna's holy name acts as a purifying agent upon the mirror of the living entities' contaminated hearts. The heart of the conditioned soul is completely covered over by three impurities: the desire to lord over matter, the godless attitude of being the sole enjoyer and/or renouncer of the fruits of one's actions, and atheism. These three treacherous contaminations form a sheath that covers the mirror of consciousness, causing one to reject His true nature as a jiva.
Krsna's holy name alone frees the consciousness of these impurities. By constantly chanting and thus taking complete shelter of the holy name, the jiva gradually perceives the reflection of his original form as the servant of Lord Krsna in the mirror of his consciousness.
This material existence appears to be pleasurable and sweet, but in reality it is like a fire in the depths of a forest; such a fire can reduce the entire forest to ashes. The faithless non-devotees must constantly tolerate the excruciating burning pain of the flaming forest fire of material existence. But when Lord Krsna's holy name is congregationally chanted in full perfection, the devotees, even though they may dwell in the material world, are never scorched by those flames.
Lord Krsna's holy name imparts the supreme goodness and munificence. Sreyah means benediction; kairava - white lilies; candrika - moon rays or white luminescence. Just as the rising moon illuminates and reveals the whiteness of the white water lily, similarly the chanting of Krsna's holy name reveals the greatest benediction for the entire universe. Human society cannot benefit from material desires for sense enjoyment, fruitive work or speculative knowledge. Chanting Krsna's name blesses all with the greatest prosperity.
The Mundaka Upanishad notes two types of knowledge or education: material knowledge and transcendental knowledge. Indirectly, the chanting of Lord Krsna's holy name is the cause and sustainer of even material knowledge, but primarily it is the life and soul of all transcendental knowledge. Chanting induces the jiva to break free from the shackles of false ego and prestige arising from material education and leads him to understand his eternal relationship with Lord Krsna. The ultimate purpose of transcendental knowledge is to simply chant Krsna's holy name.
The chanting of the Holy name expands the ocean of transcendental bliss. A limited expanse of water cannot be described as an ocean; therefore "unlimited bliss" is being compared to a boundless ocean. Chanting Krsna's name causes one to relish the sweet nectar of that ocean fully at every step. Because this transcendental experience is unfettered by imperfections, one can always relish full spiritual nectar from the chanting of Krsna's holy name.
