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Mother Yaśodā Binding Lord Kṛṣṇa

 

…Mother Yaśodā chased Him to all corners, trying to capture the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is never approached even by the meditations of great yogīs. In other words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who is never caught by the yogīs and speculators, was playing just like a little child for a great devotee like mother Yaśodā. Mother Yaśodā, however, could not easily catch the fast-running child because of her thin waist and heavy body. Still she tried to follow Him as fast as possible. Her hair loosened, and the flower in her hair fell to the ground. Although she was tired, she somehow reached her naughty child and captured Him. When He was caught, Kṛṣṇa was almost on the point of crying. He smeared His hands over His eyes, which were anointed with black eye cosmetics. The child saw His mother's face while she stood over Him, and His eyes became restless from fear. Mother Yaśodā could understand that Kṛṣṇa was unnecessarily afraid, and for His benefit she wanted to allay His fears.

Kṛṣṇa, The Supreme Personality of Godhead 1970 Edition
By His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Vol. 1, Chapter 9
Mother Yaśodā Binding Lord Kṛṣṇa
Once upon a time, seeing that her maidservant was engaged in different household duties, mother Yaśodā personally took charge of churning butter. And while she churned butter, she sang the childhood pastimes of Kṛṣṇa and enjoyed thinking of her son.
The end of her sari was tightly wrapped while she churned, and on account of her intense love for her son, milk automatically dripped from her breasts which moved as she labored very hard, churning with two hands. The bangles and bracelets on her hands tinkled as they touched each other, and her earrings and breasts shook. There were drops of perspiration on her face, and the flower garland which was on her head scattered here and there. Before this picturesque sight, Lord Kṛṣṇa appeared as a child. He felt hungry, and out of love for His mother, He wanted her to stop churning. He indicated that her first business was to let Him suck her breast and then churn butter later.
Mother Yaśodā took her son on her lap and pushed the nipples of her breasts into His mouth. And while Kṛṣṇa was sucking the milk, she was smiling, enjoying the beauty of her child’s face. Suddenly, the milk which was on the oven began to boil over. Just to stop the milk from spilling, mother Yaśodā at once put Kṛṣṇa aside and went to the oven. Left in that state by His mother, Kṛṣṇa became very angry, and His lips and eyes became red in rage. He pressed His teeth and lips, and taking up a piece of stone, He immediately broke the butter pot. He took butter out of it, and with false tears in His eyes, He began to eat the butter in a secluded place.
In the meantime, mother Yaśodā returned to the churning place after setting the overflowing milk pan in order. She saw the broken pot in which the churning yogurt was kept. Since she could not find her boy, she concluded that the broken pot was His work. She began to smile as she thought, “The child is very clever. After breaking the pot He has left this place, fearing punishment.” After she sought all over, she found a big wooden grinding mortar which was kept upside down, and she found her son sitting on it. He was taking butter which was hanging from the ceiling on a swing, and He was feeding it to the monkeys. She saw Kṛṣṇa looking this way and that way in fear of her because He was conscious of His naughty behavior. After seeing her son so engaged, she very silently approached Him from behind. Kṛṣṇa, however, quikly saw her coming at Him with a stick in her hand, and immediately He got down from the grinding mortar and began to flee in fear.


Mother Yaśodā chased Him to all corners, trying to capture the Supreme Personality of Godhead who is never approached even by the meditations of great yogīs. In other words, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Kṛṣṇa, who is never caught by the yogīs and speculators, was playing just like a little child for a great devotee like mother Yaśodā. Mother Yaśodā, however, could not easily catch the fast-running child because of her thin waist and heavy body. Still she tried to follow Him as fast as possible. Her hair loosened, and the flower in her hair fell to the ground. Although she was tired, she somehow reached her naughty child and captured Him. When He was caught, Kṛṣṇa was almost on the point of crying. He smeared His hands over His eyes, which were anointed with black eye cosmetics. The child saw His mother's face while she stood over Him, and His eyes became restless from fear. Mother Yaśodā could understand that Kṛṣṇa was unnecessarily afraid, and for His benefit she wanted to allay His fears.
Being the topmost well-wisher of her child, mother Yaśodā began to think, “If the child is too fearful of me, I don’t know what will happen to Him.” Mother Yaśodā then threw away her stick. In order to punish Him, she thought to bind His hands with some ropes. She did not know it, but it was actually impossible for her to bind the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Mother Yaśodā was thinking that Kṛṣṇa was her tiny child; she did not know that the child had no limitation. There is no inside or outside of Him, nor beginning or end. He is unlimited and all-pervading. Indeed, He is Himself the whole cosmic manifestation. Still, mother Yaśodā was thinking of Kṛṣṇa as her child. Although He is beyond the reach of all senses, she endeavored to bind Him up to a wooden grinding mortar. But when she tried to bind Him, she found that the rope she was using was too short–by two inches. She gathered more ropes from the house and added to it, but at the end she found the same shortage. In this way, she connected all the ropes available at home, but when the final knot was added, she saw that it was still two inches too short. Mother Yaśodā was smiling, but she was astonished. How was it happening?
In attempting to bind her son, she became tired. She was perspiring, and the garland on her head fell down. Then Lord Kṛṣṇa appreciated the hard labor of His mother, and being compassionate upon her, He agreed to be bound up by the ropes. Kṛṣṇa, playing as a human child in the house of mother Yaśodā, was performing His own selected pastimes. Of course, no one can control the Supreme Personality of Godhead. The pure devotee surrenders himself unto the lotus feet of the Lord, who may either protect or vanquish the devotee. But for his part, the devotee never forgets his own position of surrender. Similarly, the Lord also feels transcendental pleasure by submitting Himself to the protection of the devotee. This was exemplified by Kṛṣṇa’s surrender unto His mother, Yaśodā.
Kṛṣṇa is the supreme bestower of all kinds of liberation to His devotees, but the benediction which was bestowed upon mother Yaśodā was never experienced even by Lord Brahmā or Lord Śiva or the goddess of fortune.
The Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is known as the son of Yaśodā and Nanda Mahārāja, is never so completely known to the yogīs and speculators. But He is easily available to His devotees. Nor is He appreciated as the supreme reservoir of all pleasure by the yogīs and speculators.
After binding her son, mother Yaśodā engaged herself in household affairs. At that time, bound up to the wooden mortar, Kṛṣṇa could see a pair of trees before Him which were known as arjuna trees. The great reservoir of pleasure, Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa, thus thought to Himself, “Mother Yaśodā first of all left without feeding Me sufficient milk, and therefore I broke the pot of yogurt and distributed the stock butter in charity to the monkeys. Now she has bound Me up to a wooden mortar. So I shall do something more mischievous than before.” And thus He thought of pulling down the two very tall arjuna trees.
There is a history behind the pair of arjuna trees. In their previous lives, the trees were born as the human sons of Kuvera, and their names were Nalakūvara and Maṇigrīva. Fortunately, they came within the vision of the Lord. In their previous lives they were cursed by the great sage Nārada in order to receive the highest benediction of seeing Lord Kṛṣṇa. This benediction-curse was bestowed upon them because of their forgetfulness due to intoxication. This story will be narrated in the next chapter.
Thus ends the Bhaktivedanta purport of the Ninth Chapter of Kṛṣṇa, “Mother Yaśodā Binding Lord Kṛṣṇa.”

 

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Sri Damodarastakam with Translation

…O Lord, the cheeks of Your blackish lotus face, which is encircled by locks of curling hair, have become reddened like bimba fruit due to Mother Yasoda's kisses. What more can I describe than this? Millions of opulences are of no use to me, but may this vision constantly remain in my mind.
Sri Damodarastakam
By Sri Satyavrata Muni
From the original 1974 "Songs of the Vaisnava Acaryas" songbook
This eight sloka prayer is sung morning and evening during the month of Damodara, or Kartika and which begins today.
Full Song
namāmīśvaraḿ sac-cid-ānanda-rūpaḿ
lasat-kuṇḍalaḿ gokule bhrājamanam
yaśodā-bhiyolūkhalād dhāvamānaḿ
parāmṛṣṭam atyantato drutya gopyā
rudantaḿ muhur netra-yugmaḿ mṛjantam
karāmbhoja-yugmena sātańka-netram
muhuḥ śvāsa-kampa-trirekhāńka-kaṇṭha-
sthita-graivaḿ dāmodaraḿ bhakti-baddham
itīdṛk sva-līlābhir ānanda-kuṇḍe
sva-ghoṣaḿ nimajjantam ākhyāpayantam
tadīyeṣita-jñeṣu bhaktair jitatvaḿ
punaḥ prematas taḿ śatāvṛtti vande
varaḿ deva mokṣaḿ na mokṣāvadhiḿ vā
na canyaḿ vṛṇe 'haḿ vareṣād apīha
idaḿ te vapur nātha gopāla-bālaḿ
sadā me manasy āvirāstāḿ kim anyaiḥ
idaḿ te mukhāmbhojam atyanta-nīlair
vṛtaḿ kuntalaiḥ snigdha-raktaiś ca gopyā
muhuś cumbitaḿ bimba-raktādharaḿ me
manasy āvirāstām alaḿ lakṣa-lābhaiḥ
namo deva dāmodarānanta viṣṇo
prasīda prabho duḥkha-jālābdhi-magnam
kṛpā-dṛṣṭi-vṛṣṭyāti-dīnaḿ batānu
gṛhāṇeṣa mām ajñam edhy akṣi-dṛśyaḥ
kuverātmajau baddha-mūrtyaiva yadvat
tvayā mocitau bhakti-bhājau kṛtau ca
tathā prema-bhaktiḿ svakāḿ me prayaccha
na mokṣe graho me 'sti dāmodareha
namas te 'stu dāmne sphurad-dīpti-dhāmne
tvadīyodarāyātha viśvasya dhāmne
namo rādhikāyai tvadīya-priyāyai
namo 'nanta-līlāya devāya tubhyam
1) To the supreme controller who possesses an eternal form of blissful knowledge, whose glistening earrings swing to and fro, who manifested Himself in Gokula, who stole the butter that the gopis kept hanging from the rafters of their storerooms and who then quickly jumped up and ran in retreat in fear of Mother Yasoda, but was ultimately caught. To that Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, I offer my humble obeisances.
2) Upon seeing His mothers whipping stick, He cried and rubbed His eyes again and again with His two lotus hands. His eyes were fearful and His breathing quick, and as Mother Yasoda bound His belly with ropes, He shivered in fright and His pearl necklace shook. To this Supreme Lord, Sri Damodara, who is bound with His devotee's love, I offer my humble obeisances.
3) Those superexcellent pastimes of Lord Krsna's babyhood drowned the inhabitants of Gokula in pools of ecstasy. To the devotees who are attracted only to His majestic aspect of Narayana in Vaikuntha, the Lord herein reveals: "I am conquered and overwhelmed by pure loving devotion." To the Supreme Lord, Damodara, my obeisances hundreds and hundreds of times.
4) O Lord, although You are able to give all kinds of benedictions, I do not pray to You for liberation, nor eternal life in Vaikuntha, nor any other boon. My only prayer is that Your childhood pastimes may constantly appear in my mind. O Lord, I do not even want to know Your feature of Paramatma. I simply wish that Your childhood pastimes may ever be enacted in my heart.
5) O Lord, the cheeks of Your blackish lotus face, which is encircled by locks of curling hair, have become reddened like bimba fruit due to Mother Yasoda's kisses. What more can I describe than this? Millions of opulences are of no use to me, but may this vision constantly remain in my mind.
6) O unlimited Visnu! O master! O Lord! Be pleased upon me! I am drowning in and ocean of sorrow and am almost like a dead man. Please shower the rain of mercy on me; uplift me and protect me with Your nectarean vision.
7) O Lord Damodara, in Your form as a baby, Mother Yasoda bound You to a grinding stone with a rope for tying cows, You then freed the sons of Kuvera, Manigriva, and Nalakuvera, who were cursed to stand as trees, and You gave them the chance to become Your devotees. Please bless me in this same way, I have no desire for liberation into Your effulgence.
8) O Lord, the entire universe was created by Lord Brahma, who was born from Your abdomen, which was bound with a rope by Mother Yasoda. To this rope I offer my humble obeisances. I offer my obeisances to Your most beloved Srimati Radharani, and to Your unlimited pastimes.

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Damodarashtakam

Posted: 29 Oct 2012 12:06 AM PDT

Anyone who recites or even hears this prayer, especially in the month of Kartik, will attract the eternal shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Damodara.

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Damodarashtakam

Anyone who recites or even hears this prayer, especially in the month of Kartik, will attract the eternal shelter at the lotus feet of Sri Damodara.

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The Generals Who Could Not Be Defeated

…whatever Krsna Consciousness exists outside of India is due to the humble efforts of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who openly challenged the scientific voidism and sectarian impersonalism dominating the world. Like Bhaktivinode Thakur and Bhaktisiddhanta Thakur, his predecessors in bringing Lord Caitanya’s causeless mercy of Harinama out of India, His Divine Grace remains undefeated, and is prepared to commission any and all of his followers to carry on the tradition of victory.
…The Generals who could not be defeated have already provided the strategy, weapons, and knowledge, the spiritual strength, to guarantee ultimate victory. The Parampara Acaryas have chosen Srila Prabhupada-vani to lead the mission into this 21st Century…
Therefore, the wise shall accept the infallible guidance and protection of Srila Prabhupada and to best capacity help deliver, by His Divine Grace, the inconceivable benediction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

The Generals Who Could Not Be Defeated
by Sriman Rupanuga das
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada once remarked to his disciples, “You must become a general like me. I cannot be defeated.” Srila Prabhupada was commissioned by another undefeated general, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Thakur, who against all opposition established the legitimacy and influence of the Gaudiya Vaisnava siddhanta in India. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta met resistance from every quarter: professional gurus, prakrta-sahajiyas, caste goswamis, ecumenists, eclecticists, et al., but anyone who dared to sally forth and meet his challenge was ultimately trounced.
Travelling extensively throughout the sub-continent, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta often re-traced the sacred path of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. His preaching tours carried him to nearly one hundred villages, towns and major cities. The Thakur did not travel alone. He trained an army of competent disciples, who accompanied him, often under very austere conditions, enabling him to establish and staff sixty-four maths large and small.
The plan of the Parampara was unfolding. The father of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, Bhaktivinode Thakur, had established four hundred nama hattas, centers for propagating the Holy Names. Just a few hundred years after the disappearance of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the Gaudiya Sampradaya had fallen into disrepute. Numerous pseudo-Vaisnava cults claiming lineage from the Lord had festered, obscuring the Gaudiya siddhanta. Bhaktivinode Thakur had begun the task of rejuvenating the heritage and he left the unfinished business to his son, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, with the additional assignment to carry the gospel of Lord Caitanya beyond the borders of India.
The strategy for fulfilling the prediction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that His name would be chanted all over the world, was manifesting by the grace of the two undefeated generals, Bhaktivinode Thakur and Bhaktisiddhanta Thakur. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s part to play in the great plan was twofold: 1) to establish beyond a doubt the legitimacy and authority of Gaudiya Vaisnavism and 2) to train up preachers to go abroad. During his manifest presence, the first part of his task was successful and a solid foundation of respectability was recognized in India, including amongst the British elite. But it was the second part that, although to become ultimately successful, encountered protracted difficulties.
A hint of the difficulties to come was evident in 1932, when Srila Bhaktisiddhanta recalled a prominent disciple sent to England, who had failed to establish, after a years time, a genuine beachhead there. A problem was emerging: his disciples were having trouble comprehending the absolute necessity of propelling the preaching work, the missionary spirit of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, out to the Western world. How else could he possibly fulfill the prediction of the Lord and the desire of Bhaktivinode Thakur? It was to be done — but not during his lifetime.
Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati, our Param-guru, passed from this manifest plane on December 31, 1936. Earlier that year, one of his prominent disciples had given the last Vyasapuja address, in Bombay. That speaker ended his glorification with the following words:
“Personally, I have no hope for any direct service for the coming crores of births of the sojourn of my life, but I am confident that some day or other I shall be delivered from this mire of delusion in which I am at present so deeply sunk. Therefore let me with all my earnestness pray at the lotus feet of my divine master to allow me to suffer the lot for which I am destined due to my past misdoings, but to let me have this power of recollection: that I am nothing but a tiny servant of the Almighty Absolute Godhead, realized through the unflinching mercy of my divine master. Let me therefore bow down at his lotus feet with all the humility at my command.”
At that time, no one present could have known that the speaker, Abhay Charan das, would be the next Srila Prabhupada and fulfill the mission of the Parampara.
Soon after his disappearance in 1936, Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur’s disciples became embroiled in endless controversies, disputes and schisms. His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada was to say in a lecture on October 22, 1972 in Vrindavan:
“We have got practical experience how a great institution was lost, by whimsical ways. Without carrying out the orders of the spiritual master, they manufactured something and the whole thing was lost.”
Previously, in his Viraha Astaka, published in the Gaudiya Patrika in February, 1959, he had written:
Fifth Octet
The Disciple’s Empowerment is Lost
Your so-called disciple, the jackal named Ananta Vasudeva, disobeyed your final instructions to keep the mission united, and thereby created a scandalous fiasco. The result of this philosophical deviation is evident to this day as imitative sahajiyas are being worshiped as gurus in your temples. (verse 2)
Is there a single temple to be found where your instructions are still being followed? As it is said: “punar musiko bhava”—Everyone has “again become a mouse. (verse 3)
In the Eighth Octet, he continues:
The world has now filled up with many Jagais and Madhais to deliver. Everyone is anxiously looking down the road waiting for Caitanya-Nitai to come to their rescue. (verse 3)
If, at such a time as this, you were to personally return to this world and once more preach about all these things the way you always used to do… (verse 4)
If there were enthusiastic preaching activities again taking place in every direction, then all the people as before would be stirred up in blissful excitement. (verse 5)
Your profound shouting would cause the demons and atheists to flee, and your narrations of Lord Caitanya’s message would fill the hearts of the innocent souls. (verse 6)
O Srila Prabhupada! You personally suffer to see the suffering of the fallen conditioned souls. On this day of your separation I am utterly despondent. (verse 8)
(There are 65 verses in this composition, a must read.) Then in his 1961 Vyasapuja Offering, His Divine Grace wrote 75 verses, a few of which follow:
23. If you simply imitate, there will be the opposite result, For as long as you try like that, there will be failure.
24. Now all of you are returning here on his order to worship him on his Vyasa-puja day All together you are engaged in His worship.
25. But a festival of flowers and fruits is not the real worship: One who serves the guru’s message really worships him.
26. The service of the message is the real transcendental vibration. Don’t be falsely proud, brother; come back to that.
In these poetic compositions, Srila Prabhupada recorded his observations of the dismemberment of the Gaudiya Math as an effective preaching institution, a theme later summarized in the above 1972 lecture in Vrindavan. And by 1972, still another theme regarding the members of the Gaudiya Math had emerged in Srila Prabhupada’s letters. His God-brothers had been developing a negativistic attitude about his struggle to establish Krsna consciousness in the West, an attitude quickly evolving from indifference and non-cooperation to criticism and outright interference in some instances.
Back in February of 1969, Srila Prabhupada had written a long letter from New York to a leading God-brother in India, which contained a reasonable request (emphasis added):
“In 1967, when I went to India, five American disciples were with me…. four disciples were entrusted to live at the Institute of Swami Bon Maharaja, but on account of his canvassing them for becoming his disciples they left him, although one of them, Hrsikesa, is still living c/o Bon Maharaja as his re-initiated disciple (?) Two other of my disciples are still at Vrindaban in my place at Radha Damodara Temple, and Bon Maharaja is still after them to deviate their faith upon me.
I have therefore requested Sripada Sraman Maharaja (because you have stopped correspondence with me and I don’t know why) to give some place for my disciples at Mayapur.”
Sraman Maharaja’s reply was then quoted by Srila Prabhupada:
“Even though you make payment for your students, the other students will feel inferiority complex. You know very well our standard of living, and therefore it will not be possible for us to accommodate your European and American students here in Mayapur…. Srila Prabhupada is so kind upon you that he is causing you to act in such wonderful way, and by seeing your activities I am feeling very much proud of you. “
This is most discouraging and against the will of Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura and Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. I therefore request you to give me a plot of land within the precincts of Sri Caitanya Math to construct a suitable building for my European and American students who are loitering in Vrindaban chased by Bon Maharaja, and who may go in numbers to visit the site of the Birth place of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu….”
But nothing happened, and as the attitude of his God-brothers toward Srila Prabhupada were becoming more known in ISKCON, he didn’t want his neophyte disciples to be disturbed. Therefore, in a letter to a disciple in July of 1969 he writes:
“So far as your question about controversy amongst the disciples of Bhaktisiddhanta Goswami Maharaja, that is a fact. But this controversy is not material…. amongst the disciples there may be some controversy, but the central point is how to preach the mission of His Divine Grace. If the central point is fixed up there is no harm in such controversy… Every individual being must have his opinion, that is the significance of individuality, but all such differences of opinion must coincide in Krishna… So do not be disturbed by such controversial points. Better you engage your mind very seriously in the matter of service entrusted to you.” (Letter to Mandala Bhadra das, July 28, 1969)
Srila Prabhupada didn’t want to see his disciples entangled, but as time progressed it became more clear that “the central point of how to preach the mission of His Divine Grace” and that “all such differences of opinion must coincide in Krishna” were not mutual principles motivating his God-brothers. After forming the GBC in July 1970, Srila Prabhupada wrote:
“I am very pleased that you all GBC members are remaining vigilant so that the disturbance in our Society may not continue… it is now clear that my Godbrothers take objection of my being called as Prabhupada and on this point they wanted to poison the whole society — that is now clear. But now it was manipulated — that is a mystery.” (Letter to Rupanuga das, September 25, 1970, emphasis added)
One of the first duties of the newly created GBC had been to confront the propaganda infiltrating the Society that Srila Prabhupada was actually an incarnation of Lord Krsna, but that his students were not yet advanced enough to understand. Unfortunately, four ISKCON sannyasis were actually preaching this and it had to be stopped, quickly, but not before a number of devotees of unfirm faith, who thought such impersonalism coming from sannyasis must be the official ISKCON doctrine, and decided to leave the movement. That seed of impersonalism had apparently been planted via correspondence from India.
Revealing his personal experiences to a disciple who was having difficulties in his relations with other ISKCON devotees, Srila Prabhupada wrote:
“Do not be depressed. All along my godbrothers gave me only depression, repression, compression — but I continued strong in my duty. So never mind there is some discouragement, continue with your work in full enthusiastic Krishna Consciousness attitude of service.” (Letter to Guru das, August 29, 1972)
In India, especially, Srila Prabhupada’s disciples were often in proximity to his God-brothers and prone to their influence, as indicated in a following letter to a sannyasi disciple:
“Their policy has been all along to suppress me and take credit… Their proposal for cooperation is a myth. They haven’t done anything which is cooperative… you know they managed to write in such a way that Madhava is doing the world movement and we are his subordinates. From the beginning that has been their mentality. So there is no possibility of cooperation with them. They are not after preaching but material gain and reputation and adoration. Otherwise, why they are non cooperating with me? Do not think or indulge in loose talks. Be careful always. Let us do our duty of propagation sincerely and seriously on our own principles. Krsna and Srila Prabhupada Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura are our only hope and they are helping us…” (Letter to Achyutananda Maharaj, June 8, 1974)
Two months earlier Srila Prabhupada had written a definitive letter, which is often quoted and often misunderstood. That letter was in response to a monthly report from one of his GBC zonal secretaries and it was widely distributed. The report had begun with a comment resulting from that devotee’s hearing a statement from a most prominent God-brother of Srila Prabhupada. The comment was:
“Sridhar Maharaj “thanked” us for coming to Mayapura from all over the world to “encourage them in their work.” But what work are they doing? Your God-brothers only revealed that they are kanistha adhikaris without any world vision of this movement. They have no manifest Vaisnava compassion of which you are the embodiment.” (Letter from Rupanuga das to Srila Prabhupada, April 17, 1974)
The occasion described had been a program at the Gaudiya Math mandir down Bhaktisiddhanta Road from the Mayapur ISKCON compound. Many ISKCON devotees had gone there because the event was included on the posted Festival itinerary — although later disapproved of by Srila Prabhupada for being listed without his knowledge. Srila Prabhupada’s reply included important details:
“You are right about Sridhar Maharaj’s genuiness. But in my opinion he is the best of the lot. He is my old friend, at least he executes the regulative principles of devotional service. I do not wish to discuss about activities of my Godbrothers but is a fact that they have no life for preaching work. All are satisfied with a place for residence in the name of a temple, they engage disciples to get foodstuff by transcendental devices and eat and sleep. They have no idea or brain how to broadcast the cult of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. My gurumaharaj used to lament many times for this reason and he thought if one man at least had understood the principle of preaching then his mission would achieve success.
In the latter days of my gurumaharaj he was very disgusted. Actually, he left this world earlier, otherwise he would have continued to live for more years. Still he requested his disciples to form a strong Governing body for preaching the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. He never recommended anyone to be acarya of the Gaudiya Math. But Sridhara Maharaja is responsible for disobeying this order of gurumaharaj, and he and two others who are already dead unnecessarily thought that there must be one acarya. If gurumaharaj could have seen someone who was qualified at that time to be acarya he would have mentioned. Because on the night before he passed away he talked of so many things, but never mentioned an acarya. His idea was acarya was not to be nominated amongst the governing body. He said openly you make a GBC and conduct the mission. So his idea was amongst the members of GBC who would come out successful and self effulgent acarya would be automatically selected. So Sridhara Maharaja and his two associate gentlemen unauthorizedly selected one acarya and later it proved a failure. The result is now everyone is claiming to be acarya even though they may be kanistha adhikari with no ability to preach. In some of the camps the acarya is being changed three times in a year. Therefore we may not commit the same mistake in our ISKCON camp. Actually amongst my Godbrothers no one is qualified to become acarya. So it is better not to mix with my Godbrothers very intimately because instead of inspiring our students and disciples they may sometimes pollute them. This attempt was made previously by them, especially Madhava Maharaja and Tirtha Maharaja and Bon Maharaja but somehow or other I saved the situation. This is going on. We shall be very careful about them and not mix with them. This is my instruction to you all. They cannot help us in our movement, but they are very competent to harm our natural progress. So we must be very careful about them.”
(Letter to Rupanuga das, April 23, 1974)
When Srila Prabhupada referred to his Guru Maharaj as being “very disgusted” with his disciples, this should not be interpreted for whatever reason as a rejection of his disciples. They had served him most admirably in helping to accomplish the first part of his strategy, to establish the respectability of the Gaudiya Math on a solid, sastric foundation. That is to their eternal credit. Yet they failed miserably to grasp, to comprehend, his cherished desire to implement the second part of his strategy, to establish the Hare Krsna Movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu beyond the borders of India. Instead, even before Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s disappearance they had exhibited too many signs of clinging to a parochial, localized conception of attachment to properties and position, i.e., a kanistha perspective, a perspective they were to maintain throughout decades of infighting.
Blinded by their shortsightedness, the disciples of Srila Bhaktisiddhanta could not recognize the self-effulgent Godbrother, predicted by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta, who would appear to lead them, a real acarya. Instead, as it is being amply demonstrated herein, they rose to oppose him. It was a golden opportunity in the Golden Age of Lord Caitanya to fulfill the cherished desire of their Guru-maharaj by willingly allying themselves with their Godbrother Abhay Charan das, who had by word and deed manifested as the next Parampara Acharya, His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Instead, they rose to oppose him.
By 1975, Srila Prabhupada found it imperative to make his wishes clear and instructed his personal secretary to send the following to all ISKCON members (verbatim, including the crossed out portion):
8 November 1975
NOTICE TO ALL CENTERS
Dear President,
Prabhus, please accept my humble obeisances. All Glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Srila Prabhupada has asked me to write to you to make it very explicit that there should be no dealings between you and Prabhupada’s so-called godbrothers. They are all jealous and are all trying to do harm to our mission and also to Srila Prabhupada. So without Srila Prabhupada’s permission, no one should correspond with any of them, and no one should have anything to do with any of them, without asking Srila Prabhupada. No one should give them any of Srila Prabhupada’s books, no one should purchase their books, no one should visit their temples without authorization. I hope this is clear. It is very important. Please instruct all your devotees regarding this. [crossed out words] And when the devotees come for the annual festival, you should also instruct them not to visit or have any dealings with any of the godbrothers. I hope this is clear and I hope this meets you in good health.
Your servant,
Brahmananda Swami
Personal Secretary to
His Divine Grace Srila Prabhupada
BS/mdd
The history of all the trials and tribulations instigated by his Godbrothers will not be lost in the annals of time. Srila Prabhupada immortalized the true story in his letters, lectures and purports, indelible sastra, for everyone’s education. He set the record straight for future followers and readers. For example, in Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila, 7.95-96, he writes:
“Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Gosvami, at the time of his passing away, ordered all of his disciples to work conjointly to preach the mission of Caitanya Mahaprabhu all over the world. Later, however, some self-interested, foolish disciples disobeyed his orders. Each one of them wanted to become head of the mission, and they fought in the courts, neglecting the order of the spiritual master, and the entire mission was defeated. We are not proud of this; however, the truth must be explained. We believed in the words of our spiritual master and started in a humble way — in a helpless way — but due to the spiritual force of the order of the supreme authority, this movement has become successful.”
Similarly, during a lecture in Philadelphia in July, 1975, Srila Prabhupada reminded his disciples:
“You must know what is your duty, from guru. You are singing every day, ‘guru-mukha-padma…’ Are you not singing daily? But do you understand the meaning? Or are you singing only? Yes, this order ‘guru-muka-padma vakya cittete koriya aikya.’ Now cittete means consciousness or heart. ‘I shall do this only, but my gurumaharaj told me, I shall do it.’ So, it is not my pride, but I can say for your instruction–I did it! Therefore, whatever little success you see, than my all God-brothers, it is due to this. I have no capacity, but I took the words of my guru as life and soul. So this is fact, ‘guru mukha padma vakya,’ everyone should do that. But if he makes addition or alteration, then it is finished. No addition or alteration.”
Srila Prabhupada had offered ample opportunity to his God-brothers to cooperate with him and work conjointly, especially Sridhar Maharaj. On a number of occasions he tried to convince his God-brother to be a partner in ISKCON. But Sridhar Maharaj maintained his concept of independence, remaining at arm’s length, unable to make a meaningful agreement. Such occasions were reminiscent of the old storefront days at 26 Second Avenue, when we learned that “Swamiji” had “God-brothers” back in India. “God-brothers” sounded impressive! Surely some of them would come and help us spread this great movement across America! It was such a big task to think of in such a little storefront. but we were soon to learn there would be no reinforcements. And a decade later nothing had changed, not really.
Finally, on November 8, 1977, when he was about to depart this visible plane Srila Prabhupada, the emblem of Vaisnava humility, begged forgiveness for his offenses to his God-brothers. As the master of Vaisnava etiquette, he knew well the custom that at the time of death the devotee should show regret for any offenses he may have committed knowingly or unknowingly. But the truth is, as Srila Prabhupada stated during a room conversation a few days before he disappeared, “I have never done anything inauspicious to anyone.”
Factually, it was his God-brothers’ opposing behavior which had been inauspicious. And when he said, “The war is over,” he was simply saying that now that he was going, the war should stop. But that war was not Srila Prabhupada’s war, it was a war declared and maintained by his God-brothers and he didn’t want the war continuing against his disciples after his departure.
Near the end, Narayana Maharaj, a disciple of a God-brother, was being employed by Srila Prabhupada as a messenger to his God-brothers. The gist of the message was simple: “Help, don’t hinder them.” That was it. He was not asking Narayana Maharaj or anyone else to instruct his disciples in the future on how to manage a worldwide preaching movement and he already instructed them on numerous occasions not to fight amongst themselves. He wanted Narayana Maharaj to assist in the arrangements for the upcoming samadhi ceremony and the requisite paraphernalia and rituals. Srila Prabhupada, after the events of 1967, never instructed his disciples to accept guidance from his God-brothers. Just the opposite. But he did mention to the GBC that if they reached an impasse on some technicality or philosophical point they could (not should) consult with Sridhar Maharaj, and he indicated no one else. Of course, it would be hard to imagine a philosophical question which could not be answered from Srila Prabhupada-vani.
In any case, after Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance, when his ISKCON was in chaotic condition, members of the Gaudiya Math encouraged and received ISKCON refugees with open arms, thereby attaining a temporary jolt from the infusion of preaching spirit already inculcated in those devotees by Srila Prabhupada. Sometimes some of those devotees say that the troubles in mainstream ISKCON are due to offenses to Sridhara Maharaj and/or other members of the Gaudiya Math. But the problems in mainstream ISKCON are actually due to the same cause that has been the bane of the Gaudiya Math’s existence – neglect of the orders of the Founder-Acarya.
Many of Srila Prabhupada’s initiated disciples have left the jurisdiction of “mainstream” ISKCON over the years since Srila Prabhupada’s disappearance, most often for good reasons not to be delineated here. But leaving Srila Prabhupada himself is another thing and/or accepting another spiritual preceptor as equal to or greater than Srila Prabhupada is a great mistake, a valid excuse for which cannot be found moving hell or heaven.
Generally, the Gaudiya Math’s condescending attitude towards Srila Prabhupada has not changed really, considering the fact that over the years they have attempted to create an artificial competition between Srila Prabhupada and Bhaktisiddhanta Thakur as to who is the last Acarya (capital A) in the parampara. They consider Srila Bhaktisiddhanta to be the uncontested last great Acarya, to be presumably succeeded by all of his disciples (each of whom would be on the top of the list for their own disciples). Some see Srila Prabhupada and Sridhar Maharaj as the two equal successor Acaryas to Bhaktisiddhanta Thakur.
One disciple of Srila Prabhupada, who joined the Gaudiya Math early on, is fond of a saying he attributes to Sridhara Maharaj: “Two eyes are better than one,” which is of course true. But the implication is that by having both Srila Prabhupada and Sridhara as equal guiding authorities, one can make better spiritual progress. And of course, Sridhara Maharaj was still a ‘living guru’ at the time. But the analogy has serious flaws, because it is a fact — as confirmed by any optometrist — that one eye is always the weaker, the ‘weak sister,’ and one eye is dominant or stronger. And from the disciples’ side, a disciple’s two eyes can focus only upon one object at a time. Actually it is a physiological impossibility ordinarily that one eye can focus on one object while the other eye is focused on a different object at the same time. No.
In this connection, Srila Prabhupada gives a nice example: another word for “swami” is husband and when a wife is unfaithful to her swami she is considered a prostitute. Similarly for a disciple who is unfaithful to his spiritual master. Besides, no one takes the utterances of a prostitute very seriously. In addition, it is known from the preaching of Prthu Maharaj in the Srimad Bhagavatam to his future constituents, that to praise someone for having superior qualities he is yet to demonstrate or develop in the future is administering poison to that person. The conclusion must be, then, that prostitutes bearing poison should be avoided.
To summarize and conclude, it was the great fault of the Gaudiya Math leaders that they could not recognize Srila Prabhupada’s spiritual leadership. At bottom, they could not adjust the fact that the “paka [pukka] caliber grhastha”,* Abhaya Charan das Prabhu, became the “self-effulgent acarya” Srila Bhaktisiddhanta predicted, and had emerged by word and by deed as the obvious Acarya of them all, indeed of all the Vaisnavas and the whole world! But since they could not recognize their own spiritual master as World Acarya and venture forth to foreign lands as he desired, it is not surprising that they could not fathom the magnitude of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada’s heroic accomplishments. Certainly they were jealous of the fact that he did what they could not do. And that stymied their intelligence.
* “I was a grihasta, a paka caliber grhasta.” (Room Conversation, Bombay, January 7, 1977)
Had the God-brothers finally decided by those last months in 1977 to work conjointly, everything could have been rectified to the glory of the movement, including the decades of wrangling amongst themselves and the obstinate opposition to their God-brother Srila Prabhupada. Doing the needful would have been to give genuine and unequivocal assurances to Srila Prabhupada that the Gaudiya Math would act in a cooperative spirit with his ISKCON after his disappearance.
Ultimately, it has all been a story about getting Lord Caitanya’s Sankirtan Movement, His Hare Krsna Movement, out to save all the (less than) Jagais and Madhais rotting in the world beyond the borders of India. If it hadn’t been for the inconceivable mercy of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the glories of the Vaisnava Sampradayas would still be locked up in the Indian sub-continent, hampered by the elitism, parochialism and sectarianism of Kaliyuga which separated them from the suffering masses of the world. And the crowning glory of it all is the fact that Srila Prabhupada brought the Hare Krsna Movement back to the Holy Land of his birth, where the Movement began to regain a wide recognition not seen since the days of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu 500 years before him.
Future Vaisnava historians will note the most significant events of the 20th Century to be the success of Nama Hatta, the founding of the Gaudiya Math, the subsequent founding of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, and the worldwide dissemination of the Holy Name and Srila Prabhupada’s books on sanatana-dharma, especially the Srimad Bhagavatam.
In the concluding sentence of The Life and Precepts of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu (TLC 1st Ed.), Bhaktivinode Thakur wrote: “His treatment of Haridas (senior) shows how he loved spiritual men, and how he defied caste distinction in the cause of spiritual brotherhood.” Lord Caitanya accepted two brahminical outcastes and made them His most trusted disciples, Rupa and Sanatan Goswamis. He made Haridas Thakur, born in a Mohammedan family, the Acarya of the Holy Name. Had the members of the Gaudiya Math recognized the former mlecchas and yavanas who became disciples of Srila Prabhupada as truly spiritual men, and Srila Prabhupada’s efforts to satisfy their mutual spiritual father, Bhaktisiddhanta Thakur — in the mood of spiritual brotherhood — the impact of Gaudiya Vaisnavism on the course of world history would most certainly have been much accelerated.
Be that as it may, whatever Krsna Consciousness exists outside of India is due to the humble efforts of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who openly challenged the scientific voidism and sectarian impersonalism dominating the world. Like Bhaktivinode Thakur and Bhaktisiddhanta Thakur, his predecessors in bringing Lord Caitanya’s causeless mercy of Harinama out of India, His Divine Grace remains undefeated, and is prepared to commission any and all of his followers to carry on the tradition of victory.
But those commissions are battlefield commissions, to be earned preaching, challenging the world domination of impersonalism, voidism, and hedonism. There is no other way. The Generals who could not be defeated have already provided the strategy, weapons, and knowledge, the spiritual strength, to guarantee ultimate victory. The Parampara Acaryas have chosen Srila Prabhupada-vani to lead the mission into this 21st Century, which will see Mayapur Dham become the next wonder of the world.
Therefore, the wise shall accept the infallible guidance and protection of Srila Prabhupada and to best capacity help deliver, by His Divine Grace, the inconceivable benediction of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Text pasted from; http://www.harekrsna.com/sun/editorials/10-12/editorials9243.htm

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The Nine Processes of Devotional Service

 

Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṇa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.
Full text and purport
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam:
By His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda
Canto 7, Chapter 5, Texts 23–24
"The Science of God"
śrī-prahrāda uvāca
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ
sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
iti puṁsārpitā viṣṇau
bhaktiś cen nava-lakṣaṇā
kriyeta bhagavaty addhā
tan manye 'dhītam uttamam
śrī-prahrādaḥ uvāca—Prahlāda Mahārāja said; śravaṇam—hearing; kīrtanam—chanting; viṣṇoḥ—of Lord Viṣṇu (not anyone else); smaraṇam—remembering; pāda-sevanam—serving the feet; arcanam—offering worship (with ṣoḍaśopacāra, the sixteen kinds of paraphernalia); vandanam—offering prayers; dāsyam—becoming the servant; sakhyam—becoming the best friend; ātma-nivedanam—surrendering everything, whatever one has; iti—thus; puṁsā arpitā—offered by the devotee; viṣṇau—unto Lord Viṣṇu (not to anyone else); bhaktiḥ—devotional service; cet—if; nava-lakṣaṇā—possessing nine different processes; kriyeta—one should perform; bhagavati—unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead; addhā—directly or completely; tat—that; manye—I consider; adhītam—learning; uttamam—topmost.
Prahlāda Mahārāja said: Hearing and chanting about the transcendental holy name, form, qualities, paraphernalia and pastimes of Lord Viṣṇu, remembering them, serving the lotus feet of the Lord, offering the Lord respectful worship with sixteen types of paraphernalia, offering prayers to the Lord, becoming His servant, considering the Lord one's best friend, and surrendering everything unto Him (in other words, serving Him with the body, mind and words)—these nine processes are accepted as pure devotional service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Kṛṣṇa through these nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has acquired complete knowledge.
Purport
When Prahlāda Mahārāja was asked by his father to say something from whatever he had learned, he considered that what he had learned from his spiritual master was the best of all teachings whereas what he had learned about diplomacy from his material teachers, Ṣaṇḍa and Amarka, was useless. Bhaktiḥ pareśānubhavo viraktir anyatra ca (Bhāg. 11.2.42). This is the symptom of pure devotional service. A pure devotee is interested only in devotional service, not in material affairs. To execute devotional service, one should always engage in hearing and chanting about Kṛṣṇa, or Lord Viṣṇu. The process of temple worship is called arcana. How to perform arcana will be explained herein. One should have complete faith in the words of Kṛṣṇa, who says that He is the great well-wishing friend of everyone (suhṛdaṁ sarva-bhūtānām). A devotee considers Kṛṣṇa the only friend. This is called sakhyam. Puṁsārpitā viṣṇau. The word puṁsā means "by all living entities." There are no distinctions permitting only a man or only a brāhmaṇa to offer devotional service to the Lord. Everyone can do so. As confirmed in Bhagavad-gītā (9.32), striyo vaiśyās tathā śūdrās te 'pi yānti parāṁ gatim: although women, vaiśyas and śūdras are considered less intelligent, they also can become devotees and return home, back to Godhead.
After performing sacrifices, sometimes a person engaged in fruitive activity customarily offers the results to Viṣṇu. But here it is said, bhagavaty addhā: one must directly offer everything to Viṣṇu. This is called sannyāsa (not merely nyāsa). A tridaṇḍi-sannyāsī carries three daṇḍas, signifying kaya-mano-vākya—body, mind and words. All of these should be offered to Viṣṇu, and then one can begin devotional service. Fruitive workers first perform some pious activities and then formally or officially offer the results to Viṣṇu. The real devotee, however, first offers his surrender to Kṛṣṇa with his body, mind and words and then uses his body, mind and words for the service of Kṛṣṇa as Kṛṣṇa desires.
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura gives the following explanation in his Tathya. The word śravaṇa refers to giving aural reception to the holy name and descriptions of the Lord's form, qualities, entourage and pastimes as explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Bhagavad-gītā and similar authorized scriptures. After aurally receiving such messages, one should memorize these vibrations and repeat them (kīrtanam). Smaraṇam means trying to understand more and more about the Supreme Lord, and pāda-sevanam means engaging oneself in serving the lotus feet of the Lord according to the time and circumstances. Arcanam means worshiping Lord Viṣṇu as one does in the temple, and vandanam means offering respectful obeisances. Man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. Vandanam means namaskuru—offering obeisances or offering prayers. Thinking oneself to be nitya-kṛṣṇa-dāsa, everlastingly a servant of Kṛṣṇa, is called dāsyam, and sakhyam means being a well-wisher of Kṛṣṇa. Kṛṣṇa wants everyone to surrender unto Him because everyone is constitutionally His servant. Therefore, as a sincere friend of Kṛṣṇa, one should preach this philosophy, requesting everyone to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. Ātma-nivedanam means offering Kṛṣṇa everything, including one's body, mind, intelligence and whatever one may possess.
One's sincere endeavor to perform these nine processes of devotional service is technically called bhakti. The word addhā means "directly" One should not be like the karmīs, who perform pious activities and then formally offer the results to Kṛṣṇa. That is karma-kāṇḍa. One should not aspire for the results of his pious activities, but should dedicate oneself fully and then act piously. In other words, one should act for the satisfaction of Lord Viṣṇu, not for the satisfaction of his own senses. That is the meaning of the word addhā, "directly."
anyābhilāṣitā-śūnyaṁ
jñāna-karmādy-anāvṛtam
ānukūlyena kṛṣṇānu-
śīlanaṁ bhaktir uttamā
[Madhya 19.167]
"One should render transcendental loving service to the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa favorably and without desire for material profit or gain through fruitive activities or philosophical speculation. That is called pure devotional service."
One should simply satisfy Kṛṣṇa, without being influenced by fruitive knowledge or fruitive activity.
The Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad says that the word bhakti means engagement in the devotional service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, not of anyone else. This Upaniṣad describes that bhakti is the offering of devotional service unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead. To perform devotional service, one should be relieved of the bodily conception of life and aspirations to be happy through elevation to the higher planetary systems. In other words, work performed simply for the satisfaction of the Supreme Lord, without any desire for material benefits, is called bhakti. Bhakti is also called niṣkarma, or freedom from the results of fruitive activity. Bhakti and niṣkarma are on the same platform, although devotional service and fruitive activity appear almost the same.
The nine different processes enunciated by Prahlāda Mahārāja, who learned them from Nārada Muni, may not all be required for the execution of devotional service; if a devotee performs only one of these nine without deviation, he can attain the mercy of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Sometimes it is found that when one performs one of the processes, other processes are mixed with it. That is not improper for a devotee. When a devotee executes any one of the nine processes (nava-lakṣaṇā), this is sufficient; the other eight processes are included. Now let us discuss these nine different processes.
(1) Śravaṇam. Hearing of the holy name of the Lord (śravaṇam) is the beginning of devotional service. Although any one of the nine processes is sufficient, in chronological order the hearing of the holy name of the Lord is the beginning. Indeed, it is essential. As enunciated by Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam: [Cc. Antya 20.12] by chanting the holy name of the Lord, one is cleansed of the material conception of life, which is due to the dirty modes of material nature. When the dirt is cleansed from the core of one's heart, one can realize the form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead—īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ [Bs. 5.1]. Thus by hearing the holy name of the Lord, one comes to the platform of understanding the personal form of the Lord. After realizing the Lord's form, one can realize the transcendental qualities of the Lord, and when one can understand His transcendental qualities one can understand the Lord's associates. In this way a devotee advances further and further toward complete understanding of the Lord as he awakens in realization of the Lord's holy name, transcendental form and qualities, His paraphernalia, and everything pertaining to Him. Therefore the chronological process is śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ [SB 7.5.23]. This same process of chronological understanding holds true in chanting and remembering. When the chanting of the holy name, form, qualities and paraphernalia is heard from the mouth of a pure devotee, his hearing and chanting are very pleasing. Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī has forbidden us to hear the chanting of an artificial devotee or nondevotee.
Hearing from the text of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is considered the most important process of hearing. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam is full of transcendental chanting of the holy name, and therefore the chanting and hearing of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam are transcendentally full of mellows. The transcendental holy name of the Lord may be heard and chanted accordingly to the attraction of the devotee. One may chant the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, or one may chant the holy name of Lord Rāma or Nṛsiṁhadeva (rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan [Bs. 5.39]). The Lord has innumerable forms and names, and devotees may meditate upon a particular form and chant the holy name according to his attraction. The best course is to hear of the holy name, form and so on from a pure devotee of the same standard as oneself. In other words, one who is attached to Kṛṣṇa should chant and hear from other pure devotees who are also attached to Lord Kṛṣṇa. The same principle applies for devotees attracted by Lord Rāma, Lord Nṛsiṁha and other forms of the Lord. Because Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate form of the Lord (kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam), it is best to hear about Lord Kṛṣṇa's name, form and pastimes from a realized devotee who is particularly attracted by the form of Lord Kṛṣṇa. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, great devotees like Śukadeva Gosvāmī have specifically described Lord Kṛṣṇa's holy name, form and qualities. Unless one hears about the holy name, form and qualities of the Lord, one cannot clearly understand the other processes of devotional service. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommends that one chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam. If one is fortunate enough to hear from the mouth of realized devotees, he is very easily successful on the path of devotional service. Therefore hearing of the holy name, form and qualities of the Lord is essential.
In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.5.11) there is this verse:
tad-vāg-visargo janatāgha-viplavo
yasmin prati-ślokam abaddhavaty api
nāmāny anantasya yaśo-'ṅkitāni yat
śṛṇvanti gāyanti gṛṇanti sādhavaḥ
"Verses describing the name, form and qualities of Anantadeva, the unlimited Supreme Lord, are able to vanquish all the sinful reactions of the entire world. Therefore even if such verses are improperly composed, devotees hear them, describe them and accept them as bona fide and authorized."
In this connection, Śrīdhara Svāmī has remarked that a pure devotee takes advantage of another pure devotee by trying to hear from him about the holy name, form and qualities of the Lord. If there is no such opportunity, he alone chants and hears the Lord's holy name.
(2) Kīrtanam. The hearing of the holy name has been described above. Now let us try to understand the chanting of the holy name, which is the second item in the consecutive order. It is recommended that such chanting be performed very loudly. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Nārada Muni says that without shame he began traveling all over the world, chanting the holy name of the Lord. Similarly, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has advised:
tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
[Cc. adi 17.31]
A devotee can very peacefully chant the holy name of the Lord by behaving more humbly than the grass, being tolerant like a tree and offering respects to everyone, without expecting honor from anyone else. Such qualifications make it easier to chant the holy name of the Lord. The process of transcendental chanting can be easily performed by anyone. Even if one is physically unfit, classified lower than others, devoid of material qualifications or not at all elevated in terms of pious activities, the chanting of the holy name is beneficial. An aristocratic birth, an advanced education, beautiful bodily features, wealth and similar results of pious activities are all unnecessary for advancement in spiritual life, for one can very easily advance simply by chanting the holy name. It is understood from the authoritative source of Vedic
 literature that especially in this age, Kali-yuga, people are generally short-living, extremely bad in their habits, and inclined to accept methods of devotional service that are not bona fide. Moreover, they are always disturbed by material conditions, and they are mostly unfortunate. Under the circumstances, the performance of other processes, such as yajña, dāna, tapaḥ and kriyā—sacrifices, charity and so on—are not at all possible. Therefore it is recommended:harer nāma harer nāma
harer nāmaiva kevalam
kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva
nāsty eva gatir anyathā
[Adi 17.21]
"In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting of the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way."
Simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord, one advances perfectly in spiritual life. This is the best process for success in life. In other ages, the chanting of the holy name is equally powerful, but especially in this age, Kali-yuga, it is most powerful. Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet: simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, one is liberated and returns home, back to Godhead. Therefore, even if one is able to perform other processes of devotional service, one must adopt the chanting of the holy name as the principal method of advancing in spiritual life. Yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ: [SB 11.5.32] those who are very sharp in their intelligence should adopt this process of chanting the holy names of the Lord. One should not, however, manufacture different types of chanting. One should adhere seriously to the chanting of the holy name as recommended in the scriptures: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
While chanting the holy name of the Lord, one should be careful to avoid ten offenses. From Sanat-kumāra it is understood that even if a person is a severe offender in many ways, he is freed from offensive life if he takes shelter of the Lord's holy name. Indeed, even if a human being is no better than a two-legged animal, he will be liberated if he takes shelter of the holy name of the Lord. One should therefore be very careful not to commit offenses at the lotus feet of the Lord's holy name. The offenses are described as follows: (a) to blaspheme a devotee, especially a devotee engaged in broadcasting the glories of the holy name, (b) to consider the name of Lord Śiva or any other demigod to be equally as powerful as the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (no one is equal to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, nor is anyone superior to Him), (c) to disobey the instructions of the spiritual master, (d) to blaspheme the Vedic literatures and literatures compiled in pursuance of the Vedic literatures, (e) to comment that the glories of the holy name of the Lord are exaggerated, (f) to interpret the holy name in a deviant way, (g) to commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy name, (h) to compare the chanting of the holy name to pious activities, (i) to instruct the glories of the holy name to a person who has no understanding of the chanting of the holy name, (j) not to awaken in transcendental attachment for the chanting of the holy name, even after hearing all these scriptural injunctions.
There is no way to atone for any of these offenses. It is therefore recommended that an offender at the feet of the holy name continue to chant the holy name twenty-four hours a day. Constant chanting of the holy name will make one free of offenses, and then he will gradually be elevated to the transcendental platform on which he can chant the pure holy name and thus become a lover of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
It is recommended that even if one commits offenses, one should continue chanting the holy name. In other words, the chanting of the holy name makes one offenseless. In the book Nāma-kaumudī it is recommended that if one is an offender at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava, he should submit to that Vaiṣṇava and be excused; similarly, if one is an offender in chanting the holy name, he should submit to the holy name and thus be freed from his offenses. In this connection there is the following statement, spoken by Dakṣa to Lord Śiva: "I did not know the glories of your personality, and therefore I committed an offense at your lotus feet in the open assembly. You are so kind, however, that you did not accept my offense. Instead, when I was falling down because of accusing you, you saved me by your merciful glance. You are most great. Kindly excuse me and be satisfied with your own exalted qualities."
One should be very humble and meek to offer one's desires and chant prayers composed in glorification of the holy name, such as ayi mukta-kulair upāsya mānam and nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād [SB 10.1.4]. One should chant such prayers to become free from offenses at the lotus feet of the holy name.
(3) Smaraṇam. After one regularly performs the processes of hearing and chanting and after the core of one's heart is cleansed, smaraṇam, remembering, is recommended. In Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (2.1.11) Śukadeva Gosvāmī tells King Parīkṣit:
etan nirvidyamānānām
icchatām akuto-bhayam
yogināṁ nṛpa nirṇītaṁ
harer nāmānukīrtanam
"O King, for great yogīs who have completely renounced all material connections, for those who desire all material enjoyment and for those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord is recommended."
According to different relationships with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, there are varieties of nāmānukīrtanam, chanting of the holy name, and thus according to different relationships and mellows there are five kinds of remembering. These are as follows: (a) conducting research into the worship of a particular form of the Lord, (b) concentrating the mind on one subject and withdrawing the mind's activities of thinking, feeling and willing from all other subjects, (c) concentrating upon a particular form of the Lord (this is called meditation), (d) concentrating one's mind continuously on the form of the Lord (this is called dhruvānusmṛti, or perfect meditation), and (e) awakening a likening for concentration upon a particular form (this is called samādhi, or trance). Mental concentration upon particular pastimes of the Lord in particular circumstances is also called remembrance. Therefore samādhi, trance, can be possible in five different ways in terms of one's relationship. Specifically, the trance of devotees on the stage of neutrality is called mental concentration.
(4) Pāda-sevanam. According to one's taste and strength, hearing, chanting and remembrance may be followed by pāda-sevanam. One obtains the perfection of remembering when one constantly thinks of the lotus feet of the Lord. Being intensely attached to thinking of the Lord's lotus feet is called pāda-sevanam. When one is particularly adherent to the process of pāda-sevanam, this process gradually includes other processes, such as seeing the form of the Lord, touching the form of the Lord, circumambulating the form or temple of the Lord, visiting such places as Jagannātha Purī, Dvārakā and Mathurā to see the Lord's form, and bathing in the Ganges or Yamunā. Bathing in the Ganges and serving a pure Vaiṣṇava are also known as tadīya-upāsanam. This is also pāda-sevanam. The word tadīya means "in relationship with the Lord." Service to the Vaiṣṇava, Tulasī, Ganges and Yamunā are included in pāda-sevanam. All these processes of pāda-sevanam help one advance in spiritual life very quickly.
(5) Arcanam. After pāda-sevanam comes the process of arcanam, worship of the Deity. If one is interested in the process of arcanam, one must positively take shelter of a bona fide spiritual master and learn the process from him. There are many books for arcana, especially Nārada-pañcarātra. In this age, the pañcarātra system is particularly recommended for arcana, Deity worship. There are two systems of arcana—the bhāgavata system and pāñcarātrikī system. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam there is no recommendation of pāñcarātrikī worship because in this Kali-yuga, even without Deity worship, everything can be perfectly performed simply through hearing, chanting, remembering and worship of the lotus feet of the Lord. Rūpa Gosvāmī states:
śrī-viṣṇoḥ śravaṇe parīkṣid abhavad vaiyāsakiḥ kīrtane
prahlādaḥ smaraṇe tad-aṅghri-bhajane lakṣmīḥ pṛthuḥ pūjane
akrūras tv abhivandane kapi-patir dāsye 'tha sakhye 'rjunaḥ
sarvasvātma-nivedane balir abhūt kṛṣṇāptir eṣāṁ param
"Parīkṣit Mahārāja attained salvation simply by hearing, and Śukadeva Gosvāmī attained salvation simply by chanting. Prahlāda Mahārāja attained salvation by remembering the Lord. The goddess of fortune, Lakṣmīdevī, attained perfection by worshiping the Lord's lotus feet. Pṛthu Mahārāja attained salvation by worshiping the Deity of the Lord. Akrūra attained salvation by offering prayers, Hanumān by rendering service, Arjuna by establishing friendship with the Lord, and Bali Mahārāja by offering everything to the service of the Lord."
All these great devotees served the Lord according to a particular process, but every one of them attained salvation and became eligible to return home, back to Godhead. This is explained in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.
It is therefore recommended that initiated devotees follow the principles of Nārada-pañcarātra by worshiping the Deity in the temple. Especially for householder devotees who are opulent in material possessions, the path of Deity worship is strongly recommended. An opulent householder devotee who does not engage his hard-earned money in the service of the Lord is called a miser. One should not engage paid brāhmaṇas to worship the Deity. If one does not personally worship the Deity but engages paid servants instead, he is considered lazy, and his worship of the Deity is called artificial. An opulent householder can collect luxurious paraphernalia for Deity worship, and consequently for householder devotees the worship of the Deity is compulsory. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement there are brahmacārīs, gṛhasthas, vānaprasthas and sannyāsīs, but the Deity worship in the temple should be performed especially by the householders. The brahmacārīs can go with the sannyāsīs to preach, and the vānaprasthas should prepare themselves for the next status of renounced life, sannyāsa. Gṛhastha devotees, however, are generally engaged in material activities, and therefore if they do not take to Deity worship, their falling down is positively assured. Deity worship means following the rules and regulations precisely. That will keep one steady in devotional service. Generally householders have children, and then the wives of the householders should be engaged in caring for the children, just as women acting as teachers care for the children in a nursery school.
Gṛhastha devotees must adopt the arcana-vidhi, or Deity worship according to the suitable arrangements and directions given by the spiritual master. Regarding those unable to take to the Deity worship in the temple, there is the following statement in the Agni Purāṇa. Any householder devotee circumstantially unable to worship the Deity must at least see the Deity worship, and in this way he may achieve success also. The special purpose of Deity worship is to keep oneself always pure and clean. Gṛhastha devotees should be actual examples of cleanliness.
Deity worship should be continued along with hearing and chanting. Therefore every mantra is preceded by the word namaḥ. In all the mantras there are specific potencies, of which the gṛhastha devotees must take advantage. There are many mantras preceded by the word namaḥ, but if one chants the holy name of the Lord, he receives the result of chanting namaḥ many times. By chanting the holy name of the Lord, one can reach the platform of love of Godhead. One might ask, then what is the necessity of being initiated? The answer is that even though the chanting of the holy name is sufficient to enable one to progress in spiritual life to the standard of love of Godhead, one is nonetheless susceptible to contamination because of possessing a material body. Consequently, special stress is given to the arcana-vidhi. One should therefore regularly take advantage of both the bhāgavata process and pāñcarātrikī process.
Deity worship has two divisions, namely pure and mixed with fruitive activities. For one who is steady, Deity worship is compulsory. Observing the various types of festivals, such as Śrī Janmāṣṭamī, Rāma-navamī and Nṛsiṁha-caturdaśī, is also included in the process of Deity worship. In other words, it is compulsory for householder devotees to observe these festivals.
Now let us discuss the offenses in Deity worship. The following are offenses: (a) to enter the temple with shoes or being carried on a palanquin, (b) not to observe the prescribed festivals, (c) to avoid offering obeisances in front of the Deity, (d) to offer prayers in an unclean state, not having washed one's hands after eating, (e) to offer obeisances with one hand, (f) to circumambulate directly in front of the Deity, (g) to spread one's legs before the Deity, (h) to sit before the Deity while holding one's ankles with one's hands, (i) to lie down before the Deity, (j) to eat before the Deity, (k) to speak lies before the Deity, (l) to address someone loudly before the Deity, (m) to talk nonsense before the Deity, (n) to cry before the Deity, (o) to argue before the Deity, (p) to chastise someone before the Deity, (q) to show someone favor before the Deity, (r) to use harsh words before the Deity, (s) to wear a woolen blanket before the Deity, (t) to blaspheme someone before the Deity, (u) to worship someone else before the Deity, (v) to use vulgar language before the Deity, (w) to pass air before the Deity, (x) to avoid very opulent worship of the Deity, even though one is able to perform it, (y) to eat something not offered to the Deity, (z) to avoid offering fresh fruits to the Deity according to the season, (aa) to offer food to the Deity which has already been used or from which has first been given to others (in other words, food should not be distributed to anyone else until it has been offered to the Deity), (bb) to sit with one's back toward the Deity, (cc) to offer obeisances to someone else in front of the Deity, (dd) not to chant proper prayers when offering obeisances to the spiritual master, (ee) to praise oneself before the Deity, and (ff) to blaspheme the demigods. In the worship of the Deity, these thirty-two offenses should be avoided.
In the Varāha Purāṇa the following offenses are mentioned: (a) to eat in the house of a rich man, (b) to enter the Deity's room in the dark, (c) to worship the Deity without following the regulative principles, (d) to enter the temple without vibrating any sound, (e) to collect food that has been seen by a dog, (f) to break silence while offering worship to the Deity, (g) to go to the toilet during the time of worshiping the Deity, (h) to offer incense without offering flowers, (i) to worship the Deity with forbidden flowers, (j) to begin worship without having washed one's teeth, (k) to begin worship after sex, (l) to touch a lamp, dead body or a woman during her menstrual period, or to put on red or bluish clothing, unwashed clothing, the clothing of others or soiled clothing. Other offenses are to worship the Deity after seeing a dead body, to pass air before the Deity, to show anger before the Deity, and to worship the Deity just after returning from a crematorium. After eating, one should not worship the Deity until one has digested his food, nor should one touch the Deity or engage in any Deity worship after eating safflower oil or hing. These are also offenses.
In other places, the following offenses are listed: (a) to be against the scriptural injunctions of the Vedic literature or to disrespect within one's heart the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam while externally falsely accepting its principles, (b) to introduce differing śāstras, (c) to chew pan and betel before the Deity, (d) to keep flowers for worship on the leaf of a castor oil plant, (e) to worship the Deity in the afternoon, (f) to sit on the altar or to sit on the floor to worship the Deity (without a seat), (g) to touch the Deity with the left hand while bathing the Deity, (h) to worship the Deity with a stale or used flower, (i) to spit while worshiping the Deity, (j) to advertise one's glory while worshiping the Deity, (k) to apply tilaka to one's forehead in a curved way, (l) to enter the temple without having washed one's feet, (m) to offer the Deity food cooked by an uninitiated person, (n) to worship the Deity and offer bhoga to the Deity within the vision of an uninitiated person or non-Vaiṣṇava, (o) to offer worship to the Deity without worshiping Vaikuṇṭha deities like Gaṇeśa, (p) to worship the Deity while perspiring, (q) to refuse flowers offered to the Deity, (r) to take a vow or oath in the holy name of the Lord.
If one commits any of the above offenses, one must read at least one chapter of Bhagavad-gītā. This is confirmed in the Skanda-Purāṇa, Avantī-khaṇḍa. Similarly, there is another injunction, stating that one who reads the thousand names of Viṣṇu can be released from all offenses. In the same Skanda-Purāṇa, Revā-khaṇḍa, it is said that one who recites prayers to tulasī or sows a tulasī seed is also freed from all offenses. Similarly, one who worships the śālagrāma-śilā can also be relieved of offenses. In the Brahma-ṇḍa Purāṇa it is said that one who worships Lord Viṣṇu, whose four hands bear a conchshell, disc, lotus flower and club, can be relieved from the above offenses. In the Ādi-varāha Purāṇa it is said that a worshiper who has committed offenses may fast for one day at the holy place known as Śaukarava and then bathe in the Ganges.In the process of worshiping the Deity it is sometimes enjoined that one worship the Deity within the mind. In the Padma Purāṇa, Uttara-khaṇḍa, it is said, "All persons can generally worship within the mind." The Gautamīya Tantra states, "For a sannyāsī who has no home, worship of the Deity within the mind is recommended." In the Nārada-pañcarātra it is stated by Lord Nārāyaṇa that worship of the Deity within the mind is called mānasa-pūjā, One can become free from the four miseries by this method. Sometimes worship from the mind can be independently executed. According to the instruction of Avirhotra Muni, one of the nava-yogendras, as mentioned in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, one may worship the Deity by chanting all the mantras. Eight kinds of Deities are mentioned in the śāstra, and the mental Deity is one of them. In this regard, the following description is given in the Brahma-vaivarta Purāṇa.
In the city of Pratiṣṭhāna-pura, long ago, there resided a brāhmaṇa who was poverty-stricken but innocent and not dissatisfied. One day he heard a discourse in an assembly of brāhmaṇas concerning how to worship the Deity in the temple. In that meeting, he also heard that the Deity may be worshiped within the mind. After this incident, the brāhmaṇa, having bathed in the Godāvarī River, began mentally worshiping the Deity. He would wash the temple within his mind, and then in his imagination he would bring water from all the sacred rivers in golden and silver waterpots. He collected all kinds of valuable paraphernalia for worship, and he worshiped the Deity very gorgeously, beginning from bathing the Deity and ending with offering ārati. Thus he felt great happiness. After many years had passed in this way, one day within his mind he cooked nice sweet rice with ghee to worship the Deity. He placed the sweet rice on a golden dish and offered it to Lord Kṛṣṇa, but he felt that the sweet rice was very hot, and therefore he touched it with his finger. He immediately felt that his finger had been burned by the hot sweet rice, and thus he began to lament. While the brāhmaṇa was in pain, Lord Viṣṇu in Vaikuṇṭha began smiling, and the goddess of fortune inquired from the Lord why He was smiling. Lord Viṣṇu then ordered His associates to bring the brāhmaṇa to Vaikuṇṭha. Thus the brāhmaṇa attained the liberation of sāmīpya, the facility of living near the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
(6) Vandanam. Although prayers are a part of Deity worship, they may be considered separately like the other items, such as hearing and chanting, and therefore separate statements are given herewith. The Lord has unlimited transcendental qualities and opulences, and one who feels influenced by the Lord's qualities in various activities offers prayers to the Lord. In this way he becomes successful. In this connection, the following are some of the offenses to be avoided: (a) to offer obeisances on one hand, (b) to offer obeisances with one's body covered, (c) to show one's back to the Deity, (d) to offer obeisances on the left side of the Deity, (e) to offer obeisances very near the Deity.
(7) Dāsyam. There is the following statement in regard to assisting the Lord as a servant. After many, many thousands of births, when one comes to understand that he is an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, one can deliver others from this universe. If one simply continues to think that he is an eternal servant of Kṛṣṇa, even without performing any other process of devotional service, he can attain full success, for simply by this feeling one can perform all nine processes of devotional service.
(8) Sakhyam. In regard to worshiping the Lord as a friend, the Agastya-saṁhitā states that a devotee engaged in performing devotional service by śravaṇam and kīrtanam sometimes wants to see the Lord personally, and for this purpose he resides in the temple. Elsewhere there is this statement: "O my Lord, Supreme Personality and eternal friend, although You are full of bliss and knowledge, You have become the friend of the residents of Vṛndāvana. How fortunate are these devotees!" In this statement the word "friend" is specifically used to indicate intense love. Friendship, therefore, is better than servitude. In the stage above dāsya-rasa, the devotee accepts the Supreme Personality of Godhead as a friend. This is not at all astonishing, for when a devotee is pure in heart the opulence of his worship of the Deity diminishes as spontaneous love for the Personality of Godhead is manifested. In this regard, Śrīdhara Svāmī mentions Śrīdāma Vipra, who expressed to himself his feelings of obligation, thinking, "Life after life, may I be connected with Kṛṣṇa in this friendly attitude."
(9) Ātma-nivedanam. The word Ātma-nivedanam refers to the stage at which one who has no motive other than to serve the Lord surrenders everything to the Lord and performs his activities only to please the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Such a devotee is like a cow that is cared for by its master. When cared for by its master, a cow is not in anxiety over its maintenance. Such a cow is always devoted to its master, and it never acts independently, but only for the master's benefit. Some devotees, therefore, consider dedication of the body to the Lord to be ātma-nivedanam, and as stated in the book known as Bhakti-viveka, sometimes dedication of the soul to the Lord is called ātma-nivedanam. The best examples of ātma-nivedanam are found in Bali Mahārāja and Ambarīṣa Mahārāja. Ātma-nivedanam is also sometimes found in the behavior of Rukmiṇīdevī at Dvārakā.

Text pasted from Causless Mercy

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