Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!

Shrila Haridasa Thakura is our worshipable Namacharya. Naama means the Name - Name of the Lord Krisha, Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, and acharya means great spiritual master who is preaching. Shrila Narottama dasa Thakura preached by his nonparallel example of constant chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rana Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

He was so effective in the process of chanting that Mayadevi personally came to test him, but he was so advanced that she became a devotee and started to chanting Hare Krishna sitting in front of tulsi plant. She became his disciple.

Therefore there is no greater authority in the process of chanting Hare Krishna than Shrila Haridasa Thakura.

There are ten dangerous offenses in this process. They are just like borders, walls that are stopping us from our goal - Krishna and pure love for him.


In the Hari-nama-chintamani, Namacharya Shrila Haridasa Thakura explains how we may surpass such offenses:

avisranta name nama-aparadha jaya;
tahe aparadha kabhu sthana nahi paya.

"Only by continuous chanting of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra day and night can the ten offenses against Krishna's Name be obliterated. By the constant chanting of Krishna's Name, the ten offenses will not be able to again implicate the chanter."

That is the medicine prescribed by Shrila Narotama dasa Thakura. There are several important points that we must realize in order to understand how we may surpass mountain of offenses.

The first thing is avisranta nama - a devotee must chant continuosly in order to attain goal of pure chanting. Not only that, but Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains that only one who chants the name with great feeling all the time, constantly, is able to destroy the ten offencess.

Constantly means non-stop, except the time needed for fulfilling the basic bodily necessities like a little sleep or drink a glass of milk. All the other time, a person is supposed to chant Hare Krishna, not mechanically but with deep concentration and devotion.

If a person is chanting inattentively, it is one of the obstacles, so a devotee must chant with full focus constantly day after day, year after year to attain the pure love for Shri Krishna.

Now, let us be sincere toward ourselves. When will we be able to accomplish this sadhana? Otherwise we may not overcome the ten offenses in chanting Hare Krishna! We may see that even advanced devotees are having problems, even that they are chanting 16.32.or more rounds of Hare Krishna for decades, but still prema is not coming. In this Kali-yuga only very, very rare, pure persons may be able to attain pure love for Krishna by solely chanting Maha Mantra.

The advice of our great acharya, Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura is that a devotee takes shelter of regular chanting of Gaura Naam:


kali jivera aparadha asankhya durvara;
gauranga-nama vina tara nahika uddhara.

from Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya Chapter 1.


"The offenses and sins of the living entities in Kali-yuga are unlimited and absolutely insurmountable. That is why the souls can never ever be delivered without the regular chanting the most merciful name of Gauranga."

That is the advice and instruction of Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura. When we practically consider his words we must accept them as a firm fact. Indeed, the offenses, aparadhas, are unlimited. Even the purest devotees unfortunately commit apparadhas in the process of chanting Hare Krishna. That is fact. Nobody should try to close his eyes before that. Many devotees are saying - just keep on chanting, don't worry, but a devotee is trying, chanting, for decades almost without developing a taste for Krishna, tears are not coming naturally in his eyes, material desires are still strong etc. Was Prabhupada right?- he is asking. Maybe this process is not working etc. That is all because by constant chanting of Hare Krishna or impure level we are constantly making naama aparadhas. That is the fact. Accept this with logic. Those are the statements of our acharyas, not mental speculations. And see by the result. See on your own example.

From the other side, if a devotee takes shelter in the chanting of Nityananda, Gauranga and then Hare Krishna, purest Krishna prema will come in the heart of a devotee:

nitai-chaitanya bali yei jiva dake;
suvimala krishna-prema anvesaye thake.

"If one chants the names of Nityananda and Gauranga, the purest Krishna-prema (pure love of Krishna) comes searching after such a person."

aparadha badha tara kichu nahi kare;
nirmala krishna-preme tara ankhi jhare.


"The offenses (which may be present in the heart) don't create any obstacles in path of achieving this love and tears start flowing from his or her eyes in pure ecstatic love simply by chanting Nityananda and Gauranga."

The best way to test it is to try it. Try it. It is not offensive, it does not cost anything. In chanting Nityananda and Gauranga there is no harm. If you are a devotee and chant Hare Krishna but still without effect, take full shelter in the Names of Nityananda and Gauranga and then chant Hare Krishna. There will be no difference in your sadhana, you will still be chanting the same number of Hare Krishna. But there will be difference in quality. Realizations will simply come. Your rapid advancement will be guaranteed.

Therefore, we must conclude that the only way for any person who wants to attain the pure level of chanting Hare Krishna and pure love for the Lord, is to take shelter in regular chanting of Nitaai and Gaura Naam and then to chant Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. Only in that way, practically the ten offenses in  chanting  the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra may be completely eradicated and a person may obtain the goal of life - pure prema for Shri Shri Radha and Krishna in Vrindavana.

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!
Daaso’smi,
Ishana Thakura dasa
Edited by Jagannatha dasi

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!

Some people and devotees become bewildered when they see that pure devotees of the Lord  sometimes cry  while chanting Nityanada, Gauranga or singing and dancing Hare Krishna! O Radha! O Krishna! But actually such symptoms are manifestations of love, of separation. That genuine devotee is feeling:

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

from Prarthana by Shrila Narottama dasa Thakura

TRANSLATION

"When will that opportune moment come to us when there will be shivering of the body as soon as we chant Lord Gauranga's name?  While chanting Hare Krsna, when will there be tears in the eyes?"

Our Acharya, Shrila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada wonderfully explained such ecstatic manifestations of devotion;

"As soon as one will chant the name of Shri Krishna Chaitanya, there will be shivering. This is the first symptom that one is getting advanced in the perfect stage of Krishna consciousness. So Narottama dasa Thakura says, gauranga bolite habe pulaka sarire. He was expecting. Although he was a great acharya, still, he was expecting, "When that stage will come?''

In the same lecture later on he is saying:

"The meaning is that there will be not only shivering as soon as I utter the name of Gauranga, but there will be torrents of tears in my eyes as soon as I chant Hare Krishna. This is the explanation."

Purport to Gauranga Bolite Habe
Los Angeles, January 9, 1969

Devotees of the Lord are always trying to serve the Lord in a way they may attract the largest number of jivas to Him. Evan uttama-adhikari devotees, top-most devotees are acting on madhyama-adhikari levels in order to preach, otherwise they will constantly cry and call names of Nitai and Gaura and Radha and Krishna. So, they are external acting on lower , madhyama-adhikari level, while internally constantly relishing intensive spiritual emotions.  But, sometimes such intense devotion, such feelings are becoming too strong that they are breaking any considerations and the devotee starts to crying, unable to control himself. Shrila Prabhupada stated in the above quotation that such manifestations are symptoms that one is getting advanced in spiritual life.

We should not imitate those simptoms but try to follow the examples of such great souls in chanting, service and preaching. When we attain  that level of total surrender to Lord Nityananda, Lord Gauranga and Radha Krishna, our eyes will naturally be constantly filled with tears of pure love for the Lord.

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krsna!
Daaso'smi,
Ishana Thakura dasa
Edited by Jagannatha dasi

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!

There is great disharmony in the material world, because there are so many centers. Everyone is thinking -"I am the center, you should serve me". Thus there are unlimited disturbances in this world.

In spiritual life everybody is serving one center, Lord Shri Krishna. There is one goal - how to please Him, and by constantly circulating around that goal servants are becoming connected among themselves. That is divine harmony in all aspects.

In materially based relationships, there are always problems and disturbances. That is because we are looking trough the prism of I and Mine, and trying to make our environment to serve us, on a subtle or gross way. That only leads to frustration, or if a person is successful in making others to serve him, by force, money power etc. it leads to accumulation of devastating, negative sinful reactions and entanglement in the circle of birth and death.

In spiritual life, we are looking at everything from a completely different position. We are looking through the prism of Guru and Krishna. We are trying to serve others around us, our god-brothers and god-sisters, our spiritual master, all vaishnavas. That leads toward supreme satisfaction and devotion. It is our real life.

Our real family is the family of the devotees. We have maybe never seen each other materially, may have different bodies, culture etc, but we are all belonging to the eternal family of our spiritual master. That is of greatest importance.

Our unity is in the service. It is our force, source of inspiration. We should always try to inspire each other, help in difficult times, try to do something nicely for our spiritual master and Krishna. We may be different personalities, with different abilities, but looking on a higher perspective we will see that all together we are doing very important things because this Nitaai-Gaura-Naama sankirtana requires so many dedicated devotees, and it is not possible to be fully manifested without the support of all.

For example one devotee has the service to serve the Deities and sing melodious songs, the other one is expert in cooking and may prepare delicious preparations for the Lord, others are translating and printing books about Nitaai and Gaura Naam and trying to open little namma-hatta-center, some devotee may be dedicated to editing, or technical support because in today's world we can not spread this Nitaai-Gaura-Naam Glories without modern technology etc. etc. There are such great variety of activities and they are all unique, all are glorious. Each and every part is needed for this Nitaai-Gaura-Naam sankirtana. That is the nature of spiritual life.

In material life everybody is criticizing - "Oh, you rascal, what have you done! You are useless!" while in spiritual life a devotee is appreciating the service of other devotees toward spiritual master and  Lord -"Oh, you made a wonderful preparation for Lord, or you made a very inspirative video. So great." In material life when we  see that someone is successful we  become envious. In spiritual life when we  see that someone is serving guru and Krishna, we  become inspired and thankful.

Looking through a material prism is leading into frustration and solitude, looking through spiritual prysm is leading toward happiness, joy and eternal friendship and cooperation between living entities who have one goal - how to please Lord Gauranga-Krishna. That divine unity is in the service.

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krsna!
Daaso'smi,
Ishana Thakura dasa
Edited by Jagannatha dasi

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!

It is the nature of a human to always search for proof, some kind of evidence. It is so because the living entity was cheated unlimited numbers of times in his previous lives that he became almost obsessed with that. Science , mathematics, biology, literature require some evidence or proof  in order to accept or authorize something.

The Sanskrit word for evidence is pramana. The term evidence is not an appropriate translation, as pramana means "that by which the truth is confirmed".That is a definition of pramana.

There are different kinds of pramana. The first one is our direct perception or pratyaksa - what we can see.

But the problem is that our perception is limited. In the dark we may see something and shout -"A snake, a snake is here, beware!" But when we turn the lights on we may see that our snake is just a rope. Many persons in modern world are asking us -"So, I did not see a God, therefore He does not exist. I only believe in that I can see."

The second type of evidence is anumana, what we can see with our mind. For example - You can see that someone is wearing a winter coat and therefore conclude - "It is cold outside. It will be snowing, I saw a man wearing a coat." But the problem is that our logic is not always the right one - If you go outside it may be warm, and we may understand that a person in winter coat was ill so he was feeling cold.

In that way we must understand that pratyaksa and anumana - what we may see with our eyes and mind is a limited process. Mistakes often occur. By those two processes a person actually cannot understand this science of God, this spiritual science. Why? Just like a fish in aquarium is not able to understand the difference between Windows and Linux, or Opera, Firefox and Chrome. That knowledge is simply unattainable for fish. A golden fish may look for millions of years, or speculate,but such topics will always remain mystery.

There is also a third type of evidence called shabda. The word shabda means sound.  All the Vedic scriptures are evidences in the form of spiritual sound. It is a descendant knowledge, originating from the Supreme Lord Himself. Such knowledge is perfect and fully transcendental. It is not a product of mental speculation or limited sensual perception, but knowledge that surpasses all material limitations.

If we really want to understand who we are, what this world is, who God is, where He is etc, we must accept the path of listening. We must listen from self-realized persons, read scriptures like Bhagavad Gita,  Shrimad Bhagavatam, Shri Chaitanya-Bhagavata etc. We cannot invent God. We must receive knowledge about Him. In that way we may hear what the ultimate evidence is - praman and make our life succesfull.

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krsna!
Daaso'smi,
Ishana Thakura dasa
Edited by Jagannatha dasi

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!

tomara krpa vina keha'caitanya' na paya;
tumi krpa kaile tanre adhameha paya.

Chaitanya-charitamrita Antya 6.131:

"No one can attain the shelter of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu without Your (Lord Nityananda's) mercy, but if You are merciful, even the lowest of men can attain shelter at His lotus feet."

The Glories of Lord Nityananda are endless and unlimited. He Himself is Lord Balarama, Rohini-nanadana, Carrier of the plough. His shining face is the object of constant meditation of His devotees who are just like honey-bees always chanting His glories. Lord Nityananda-Balarama is our only way to approach Shri Shri Radha-Krishna because we may not approach directly. And Lord Balarama is accepting unlimited Forms and ways to serve Shri Shri Radha and Krishna. He is therefore the Supreme Lord and Supreme servant.

Who can describe His glories? He eternally manifested Himself as Vrindavana to serve Shri Shri Radha-Krishna, He is manifesting in millions forms of Vishnu-tattva. He is the original guru of all and source of all spiritual strength.

In this verse it is said that without His mercy nobody can attain the shelter of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. Directly, It is not possible. We must first take full shelter of Lord Nityananda-Balarama. How? In every possible way, by surrendering to the spiritual master who is a representative of Lord Nityananda Balarama, by direct chanting of His Name, by reading about Him and by associating  and rendering service to His devotees. In such way, we will get attention and mercy of Lord Nityananda Prabhu.

And then, tumi krpa kaile tanre adhameha paya -  even the lowest of men can attain shelter of Lord Gauranga, of Shri Shri Radha Krishna-by the mercy of Nitaai. That is why He is Nityananda Balarama, He has that power, bala, to give us shelter of Lord Gauranga-Krishna.

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krsna!
Daaso'smi,
Ishana Thakura dasa
Edited by Jagannatha dasi

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!

Our mind is restless, like a child. A small child is restless, now it is here, then jumps there, full of energy and different activities. Our mind is just like that - always active, producing thousands of thoughts. It is almost impossible to subdue the mind, but a person must do it, just as Lord Shri Krishna is saying in Bhagavad-Gita:

uddhared atmanatmanam
natmanam avasadayet
atmaiva hy atmano bandhur
atmaiva ripur atmanah

Translation:

"A man must elevate himself by his own mind, not degrade himself. The mind is the friend of the conditioned soul, and his enemy as well."

The main problem is that we must somehow or other control our mind. Otherwise mind will bring us in a very dangerous positions, just like wild horses who are running in stampede. They do not know where they are running. If a person does not subdue the mind all kind of troubles come - endless speculation and lamentation, indecision and inertia, sufferings of all kind etc.

The only way how we may powerful subdue the mind is to become engaged, with maximum concentration in  chanting Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna. The mind is like a ping-pong ball, it will bounce here and there, but if we  constantly focus on the sound - miracles will happen in our lives. The mind will change. We will start to think differently. In contact with pure spiritual energy produced by our chanting our mind will become peacefuller and full of spiritual energy. When we are chanting Nityananda, Gauranga Hare Krishna we are begging - "O lord, please engage me in your service!". So we will want to become engaged in some kind of service. We will not just want to sit all day! No, we will be full of energy, enthusiasm - "What I can do for guru and Krishna, what service I may do. They are giving me so much, now what may I do for them? They gave me this knowledge, this process. Otherwise I would be ignorant and there would be no end for this circle of repeated birth and deaths. Now, what I may do for them?" in that way.

The real trick is to always keep the mind busy with spiritual activities, like hearing, reading, chanting, meditating on the Lord, cooking for the Lord etc. Activity is the nature.  It is its nature. It can not be stopped. Impersonal meditation is non-sense. The only way to subdue the mind is to engage it more and more in spiritual service. We may practically experience that. When you have so much service to be done, that you are on the edge, but you somehow do it for the satisfaction of Guru and Krishna, you will notice that you are completely satisfied. You will see that for 5-6 hours the mind was so focused, so sharp, that your whole being was fully spiritualistic under the power of service. It is so intense. The six Goswamis in Vrindavana were so much dedicated to their service that they did not almost sleep or eat. That was not pretending or some show. That is genuine, transcendental service. In that position the mind is engaged - "Oh, what should we do for Krishna. .Let us do it".

Those two things are the key for attaining success in spiritual life - attentive chanting of the Names Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna and as much as possible engaging in the activities of devotional service. Then we will be thrown into that spiritual energy and all other activities will become tasteless.

Everything may be used in our service in this Nitaai-Gaura-Harinama Sankirtana. There are unlimited ways to use our resources, abilities, talents, mind, senses etc. to satisfy the spiritual master and Supreme Lord Gauranga-Krishna. Whatever ability or possibility you possess try to use it.

Impersonal yoga systems that are trying to peace and clear the mind by some manufactured ways are not successful because the original nature of mind is not to be quite and motionless or inactive. The original nature of mind is to be very active in the transcendental service to the Lord Gauranga-Krishna.

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krsna!
Daaso'smi,
Ishana Thakura dasa
Edited by Jagannatha dasi

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!

If we  engage ourselves in this process of transcendental chanting and distributing the Holy Names of Lord Nityananda, Lord Gauranga and Shri Shri Radha-Krishna, Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, what will be the result? What are the characteristics of this sankirtana movement?

Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu is teaching us personally in the first verse of Shiksashtaka

ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha--davagni-nirvapanam
sreyah-kairava-candrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam
anandambudhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamrtasvadanam
sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate shri-krishna-sankirtanam

Verse 1 Translation by Swami Gaurangapada:

"All Glories, supreme victory and all-prevailing triumph to Shri Krishna Sankirtana, the ecstatic and loud chanting of the supreme glories of the Holy Names (Hare, Krishna, Radha, Gauranga, Nityananda etc.), Forms, Pastimes, Qualities, Abodes and Associates of the Supreme Absolute Truth Lord Shri Krishna performed by following in the footsteps of the great Associates of the Lord. Shri Krishna Sankirtana is the summit of all spiritual practices and is characteristized by the attainment of the following seven superexcellent and matchless results:"

This verse is so deep, like an endless ocean. Briefly, we will present the main characteristics. First, if we start with this process, chanting and connecting with Lord Gauranga-Krishna, what will be the first result? Cheto darpana marjanam. Our heart will become pure. All impure things will go away and we will be again placed in to the eternal position as the servant of the Lord.

Then second is bhava maha davagni nirvapana. This shower, this merciful shower of Nitaai Gaura Harinaama Sankirtana is so powerful that it will stop all nescience, all speculations that are dominant in the modern world. The painful circle of birth and death, the fire of suffering will be completely removed by this sankirtana. This is not phantasy. Just imagine that you are living in a country where there are 50%, or even 10% of devotees chanting Holy Names and act as exemplary vaishnavas. What to say about 100%! All fire of suffering would intermediately stop. All criminal, drugs, violence etc., that are unsolvable problems of modern society, they would be all stopped at once. That is the power of Nitaai Gaura Naam Sankirtana movement.

Then Lord is saying  - shreya kairava chandrika vitarana.  This Nitaai--Gaura-Harinaama Sankirtana is shining like silver moonlight to all souls in creation. Chandrika means moonlight. It is very pleasurable to stay in the autumn night under the rays of moon. In such way this sankirtana movement will bring  auspiciousness and peace to all souls in creation.

There are many forms of transcendental knowledge and worship, but this sankirtana movement is the highest form of all - vidya vadu jivanam. It is the highest activity of the soul.
Anandambudhi vardhana. In the material world everything has an end, even the Roman empire ended etc. But Nitaai-Gaura-Harinaam Sankirtana has no end. It is like a gigantic, ecstatic ocean of transcendental happiness.

If we participate in this sankirtana movement -pratipadam purnamritasvadana - we will soon, without any doubt, get direct audience of Lord Gauranga-Krishna and attain pure prema. We will drink that ambrosial nectar of divine love, amrta. Then sarvatma snapana - this sankirtana movement will overwhelm the soul with pure love for Krishna. Everything will be revealed to us - the Lord's Name, Form, Pastimes etc. That is the power of sankirtana movement . It is so unique and so great. We should try to understand that and take our part in it.

All glories, and all triumph to this Nitaai-Gaura-Harinaam sankirtana! Param vijayate Shri Krishna Sankirtanam

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!
Daaso’smi,
Ishana Thakura dasa
Edited by Jagannatha dasi

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!

In this age we are all fallen. There is no question about some qualifications, some purity. In this age we are all shudras - kalau sudra sambhava. That is the verdict of Shrimad Bhagavatam. Therefore we do not have any qualification. Those who may think that they have any qualifications are under the influence of maya, the illusory energy.

But there is mercy available for us. That is completely different. This whole movement, this Sankirtana of Lord Gaurahari is eternally based on mercy. His mercy toward fallen jivas, the mercy of our previous Acharyas, the mercy of the devotees. We should understand that we are here because we received that mercy in some form.

We have put our heart in attaining the highest destination - Goloka Vrinadavana, and by the mercy of Naam, guru, devotees , shastras etc, by causeless mercy of Gaura-Nitaai we all will be there soon. That is our greatest benefit - the causeless mercy of Lord Nityananda and Gauranga. That mercy is such that when you once heard about it all other things will become tasteless. A person may try to go back, to material life, to enjoy, but she or he chanted Gauranga, Nityananda, Hare Krishna, so all impure things will start to go out from the  heart. Life will start to change, situations will change -all in order for us to embrace this process fully. All surroundings will start to act only in one direction - to help you to surrender more and more to Lord Gauranga-Krishna. If you think that there is still some enjoyment in this material world, soon you will be shown the real picture, the real nature of this world and understand -"Yes, Lord, I realize that this world is full of misery and pain. You showed me that I do not belong here. Now let me embrace your lotus feet and chant Your name."

If we are aware of that fact, that by the mercy of  Shri Guru and Shri Gauranga we have accepted the rarest gift- a ticket to the spiritual world and pure, eternal bliss, we should try to show our gratitude in some way. The best way of showing our thankfulness is to give this understanding to others, somehow or other to distribute this sublime, ecstatic, highest knowledge of chanting Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna Maha Mantra. We should not think anymore about ourselves. We are in the hands of Shri Guru and Shri Gauranga. If they want we will go anywhere to serve Krishna, we do not need to worry about our destination.

But, what we can do is to participate in this divine sankirtan mission of Lord Nityananda and Lord Gauranga, for Their pleasure. By taking part in this activity we will surely satisfy our guru, the previous Acharyas, all devotees and, above all the Supreme Lord Gauranga-Krishna. That is actually the secret of our spiritual life. We are not going anywhere upon our own qualifications. The fact that we are all here is only due to mercy. So, we should be thankful and transfer that mercy to others.

This prema-mango is grown high above, In Goloka-Vrindavana. Disciple succesion, and pure devotees of the Lord are transferring that mango from hand to hand, down for us. When we are to get that mango, that gift, we should not think -" Oh, I am not qualified, I will not give it to others, I will simply eat it myself, or throw away. No. We should immediately try to give it to other persons and by doing that we may feel some attraction for spiritual life. The secret is that we  advance in this spiritual life only if we are distributing. Only if we are distributing this prema mango. Then we may advance under the power of Nitaai-Gaura -Naam Sankirtana. If we are selfish and try to eat it ourselves we will not be able to relish and understand.

This Nitaai-Gaura-Harinaama Sankirtana is our greatest possibility to attain attention and mercy of  the Supreme Lord Gauranga-Krishna. It is the ultimate manifestation of mercy . We should say -" I am most fallen, O Lord, I do not really know anything, but please, somehow engage me in this service, in this mission. That is my only hope." In that way we should try to embrace any opportunity to participate in these activities in any form we can. In that way the success in spiritual life is guaranteed due to the mercy of Shri Guru and Shri Gauranga.

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!
Daaso’smi,
Ishana Thakura dasa
Edited by Jagannatha dasi

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!

Sometimes devotees are saying that the term Gauranga-kirtana means Hari-kirtana or chanting Hare Krishna specifically.
In Krishna Chaitanya Charita Mahakavya, Shrila Murari-Gupta is, one and for all, directly teaching all devotees that Gauranga-kirtana means congregational chanting of Lord Gauranga’s Names :

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

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

Shri Chaitanya Charita Maha-kavya, Parikrama 4, Sarga 19

Translation :

"Then Shri Advaita Acarya, the gosvami of prema assembled His own men and created a new form of sankirtana from the names of Gaura Candra. He jubilantly formed a circle of all the vaishnavas, and within it He danced very high, sometimes roaring and sometimes running."

Lord Advaita was not fully satiated by chanting the Holy Names of Lord Krishna alone, therefore He assembled His Associates and began Nitaai Gaura Naam Sankirtana. The word navina is significant in this verse because it means that that the form of kirtana introduced by Shrila Advaita Acharya was something new, different from Hari-kirtana.

The Holy Names of Lord Nityananda and Lord Gauranga are full of ever- fresh and unlimited transcendental feelings. Lord Advaita was so anxious to relish that unique, highest form of worshiping His Lord Gauranga-Krishna, that he joyfully performed congregational chanting of Lord Gauranga’s Name.

In His Gaura-lila, Lord Chaitanya came to give us the chanting of the Holy Names –Hare Krishna, but the confidentional part of His lila is that His Own Name – Gauranga is the real savior of all fallen souls, and that only via His Names, Pastimes, Dhamas etc. persons of this age may approach Vrindavana. That was very well hidden because this knowledge in public  would  create disturbance in Lord Chaitanya’s feelings of separation from Krishna.

The Lord wanted to perform his pastimes as a devotee and Acharya first. Direct worshiping from thousands persons in Krishna Dvaraka style would disturb His confidential pastimes of separation.
We may see that Lord Advaita and Lord Nityananda were so anxious to chant Gauranga-kirtana, that they manifested chanting  His Name in kirtana, while Lord Chaitanya was performing His pastimes as adevotee. That was such intense desire.

kurvvan sarva-janan
kna-chaitanya-rasa-bhavitan
gauranga-kirttananando
nanartta sva-janaih saha

Krishna Chaitanya Charita Mahakavya,Prakrama 4  Sarga23

Translation:

"He inspired all men to taste the rasa of munificence and service to the name, as taught by Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, and as He danced with His associates, His heart was filled with the joy of Gauranga-kirtana."

In this verse it is confirmed that Lord Nityananda was performing Gauranga kirtana -  congregational chanting of Lord Chaitanya's Names. The words Gauranga-kirtana-ananda without any doubt confirm that Nitaai chanted and danced in blissful joy shouting - "Gauranga, Gauranga". That is Gauranga-kirtana.

Shrila Murari Gupta, who is the eternal Associate of the Lord, in his Krishna Chaitanya Charita Mahakavya in many ways is describing to us that Gauranga-kirtana  means chanting  Lord Chaitanya’s Names – Gauranga, Gauranga, as demonstrated personally by Lord Advaita and Lord Nityananda Prabhu .

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!
Daaso’smi,
Ishana Thakura dasa
Edited by Jagannatha dasi

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!

Sometimes devotees who are trying to render service directly to Shri Shri Radha Krishna are saying that worshiping  Lord Nityananda is leading toward sakhya bhava, and cannot lead to madhurya. Also, some of them consider that constant emphasy on Lord Nityananda and His Name is something disturbative to Vrindavana rasa.

Such persons are in complete ignorance about the unique position of Lord Nityananda. Solely upon non-accepting Lord Nityananda's Name and position, such persons will not be able to really attain Shri Shri Radha-Krishna, no matter how their bhajan or worship may be elaborate. That is confirmed - heno nitai vine bhai, radha-krishna paite nai . Unless one worships Nityananda, one can never achieve Radha-Krsna. The real truth  about attaining Shri Shri Radha-Krishna is quite opposite - a person who dives deep into worshiping Lord Nityananda will be automatically aware of all glorious pastimes of Lord Krisha and Shrimati Radharani.

Nobody should jump over Nityananda and rush into the realm of Shri Shri Radha Krisna. That is a real offense. To think that we are special, that we may serve Radha and Krishna directly, without the help of Lord Nityananda-Balarama is offensive. We may try to aproach to that realm only via spiritual master and Lord Nityananda. That is the only way. Only with their mercy and guidance a person may appreciate the realm of Radha-Krishna lila.

Lord Nityananda Balarama is the first, personal manifestation of Lord Krishna and he is not different from Him. In order to serve Krishna and to make Krishna happy He is expanding in million of forms and ways just to give some pleasure to Lord Krishna.



Further more, in Lord Krishna's conjugal pastimes Lord Balarama is present in the form of Ananga Manjari, who is a direct expansion of Shrimati Jahnava Devi, the eternal consort of Lord Nityananda Balarama. In Radha-Krishna lila, Ananga-manjari is extremly beautiful and therefore she got such a name- ananga means Cupid.

In  Navadvipa Bhava Taranga, verse 148. Shrilla Bhaktivinoda Thakura is glorifying ananga manjari  :





Shri-ananga-mahjari mora hrdaya-isvari

dekhaibe krpa kori' nija yuthesvari

Shri-karpura-seva more koribe arpana '

jugala-vilasa koraibe pradarShana (148)

"Shri Ananga Manjari is the goddess of my heart. Hopefully, she will show great mercy and introduce me to our own group-leader (Sri Lalita Sakhi). Then she will give me the service of preparing celestial camphor and will reveal to me the confidential pastimes of the Divine Pair."

In that way, every devotee should accept the fact that chanting Nitaai and Gaura Naam along wit Hare Krishna is not any kind of neglecting Shri Shri Radha-Krishna, but the highest form of  Their worship.

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!

Daaso’smi,

Ishana Thakura dasa

Edited by Jagannatha dasi

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!


Pure devotional service is our life goal. That is the highest thing that a jiva may attain, bhavatad bhaktir ahayituki tvay, prayed Lord Gauranga - life after life all I want is that pure service to Lord Krishna.

We should try to attain that position by hearing words of our spiritual master and previous Acharyas, regular chanting , reading, serving vaishnavas etc. In such a way we may progress very rapidly. But still, there may be some impurities that hinder our progression- dirt that is stopping us to attain a pure, constant service attitude.


The first obstacle is material sense gratification. It is manifesting in three forms -the desire for the enjoyment of worldly sensual pleasures, the desire for enjoyment of attaining the heavenly material planets in the next life, and the desire for enjoyment that comes from dry renunciation. All that is material sense gratification.

It is indeed a great obstacle because in this world it is not possible to completely give up affairs of the material senses, and there is the constant impulse to enjoy in sensual pleasures. Also, this world is shaped that our senses are constantly bombed with material  enjoyment, call - tons of advertisements are shouting and sensual objects of all kind are easily obtainable. Take this and enjoy, take that and you will enjoy. But there is no real enjoyment. Only frustration and entanglement, great endeavor just to satisfy the never-ending impulses of wild senses. How to subdue that burning, forest fire?

We should simply engage our senses in the service of devotees and Lord Gauranga-Krishna. We can hear about Krishna, read wonderful books, offer and taste prasadam, discuss philosophy, go to visit Dham etc. If you can not do all this donate some amount of hard earned money for preaching the glories of the Lord. In such way all activities will be in contact with the Lord, offered to Shri Krishna.

Material senses may be subdued only via service. The more we are in the fire of service, chanting, reading, hearing, in the fire of sankirtana, the more our senses will be subdued and peaceful, to the level where they will start to act on a spiritual level under strong power of devotional service.

Lord Gauranga-Krishna is known as Hrsikhesa, Lord of the senses. it is only if we use them in His service that they must become really happy and satisfied. There is no other way. Material way of separate sensual enjoyment is like stopping fire with a can of oil. It just becomes larger and larger.

An ideal way of fully engaging our senses and mind, is to chant Nityananda,Gauranga and Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

This is where we may find real peace and happiness, instead of turbulent frustrations and sufferings of the material world.

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!
Daaso’smi,
Ishana Thakura dasa
Edited by Jagannatha dasi

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!

radha krishna-pranaya-vikritir hladini-shaktir asmad
ekatmanav api bhuvi pura deha-bhedam gatau tau
chaitanyakhyam prakatam adhuna tad-dvayam chaikyam aptam
radha-bhava-dyuti-suvalitam naumi krishna-svarupam


"The loving affairs of Sri Radha and Krishna are transcendental manifestations of the Lord's internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Radha and Krishna are one in Their identity, They have separated Themselves eternally. Now these two transcendental identities have again united in the form of Sri Krishna Chaitanya. I bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Shrimati Radharani although He is Krishna Himself." (Cc.Adi,1.5)

All transcendental Pastimes of  Lord Gauranga-Krishna are manifestations of His internal energy that  always works on newer and newer ways in order to give Him higher and higher pleasure.
Such affairs are completely transcendental and the conditioned soul is able only to understand it in tiny, very small amount. ThewWhole Gaura-lila is the highest transcendental manifestation of internal potency where the Lord is on the edge, on the highest transcendental bliss.

Even Radha and Krishna are One, They become separated. Now again, They combined in the form of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu who is in separation from Lord Krishna. How Is that possible? How intense must that  be  for the Lord? Tides of separation are constantly owerfloating His heart while He  constantly chants - "Krishna, Krishna, O Madhava, O Hari!" He is acting as His devotee. He wanted to taste that feeling, that ectasy that Radharani is feeling. So he came with her sentiment and her complexion. Shrimati Radharani is known as Gaurangi -

tapta-kanchana-gaurangi
radhe vrindavaneshvari
vrishabhanu-sute devi
pranamami hari-priye

"O Shrimati Radharani, I offer my respects to You whose bodily complexion is like molten gold. O Goddess, You are the queen of Vrindavana. You are the daughter of King Vrishabhanu, and are very dear to Lord Krishna."

In that way, the internal potency of the Lord manifested the highest transcendental pleasure for the Lord in the form of Gaura-lila. Everything in Gaura-lila is unique - The Name, Form, Pastimes etc. We should try to dive deep into that ocean of nectar by chanting Nityananda, Gauranga, Hare Krishna

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!
Daaso’smi,
Ishana Thakura dasa
Edited by Jagannatha dasi

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!

A person who wants to attain the mercy and shelter of Lord Nityananda and Lord Gauranga should pray and worship Lord Advaita Acharya, who has such amazing power that He can give us Nitaai and Gaura!


doya koro sitapati advaita gosai
tava kripa bale pai chaitanya-nitai

"O Lord Shri Advaita Acharya Prabhu, husband of Shrimati Sita Thakurani, please be causelessly merciful on me, so that I can achieve the shelter of the lotus feet of Lord Nityananda and Lord Gauranga by the strength of Your mercy, which is the only way."

The glories of Shrila Advaita Acharya are most wonderful and if we read about His pastimes in Chaitanya Charitamrita, Chaitanya Bhagavata and Advaita-prakasha we will immediately awake our love for Nityananda and Gauranga.

He is the original cause for the advent of the most merciful Lord Gauranga, He danced so high when Lord Nityananda threw rice on Him. He is called Acharya because He is propagating the cult of bhakti, and He is the Lord Himself and at the same time incarnation of the Lord's devotee. Moreover, He is non other then Maha-Vishnu and Sada-Shiva, but always acts as the servant of the Lord. How glorious it that!

advaitam harinadvaitad  acaryam bhakti-samsanat
bhaktavataram isam tam  advaitacaryam asraye

Chaitanya Charitamrita, Adi.1.13.

Translation:

"Because He is non-different from Hari, He is called Advaita, and because He propagates the cult of devotion, He is called Acarya. He is the Lord and the incarnation of the Lord's devotee. Therefore I take shelter of Him."

Nobody should neglect or minimize the glorious pastimes of Lord Advaita Acharya, because such pastimes are leading us to deeper understanding of the pastimes of Gaura-Nitaai and chanting their Holy Names.

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!
Daaso’smi,
Ishana Thakura dasa
Edited by Jagannatha dasi

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!


The Name of Gaura, Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, is the same Name of Krishna and Radha, Hare Krishna. There is no doubt in that! But, still the Name of Gauranga is even more powerful  than the Name of Krishna!

You may ask -"What are you saying? How is that possible? Is this statement some kind of minimizing Lord Krishna's Name? Let me explain. Please listen with all attention!

It is all about sweetness and magnanimity. What is highest? The higher thing is that one that may give the other thing. That is the definition. It has that power.  It is all part of the Divine Lila of the Lord.

The goal of constant chanting  Hare Krishna Maha Mantra is to attain  pure love for Shri Shri Radha-Krsna, but, it is almost practically impossible for us, fallen jivas in this Age of Kali. How will anybody be able to surpass high mountains of Naama Aparadha?

The same goal is easily obtainable by chanting the Names of the most merciful Forms of the Supreme -Lord Gauranga and Lord Krishna. Otherwise Lord Gauranga would  not be known as the most merciful, but Lord Krishna! The Name and the Lord are the same, and in terms of magnanimity, Lord Shri Gauranga is more merciful then Lord Shri Krishna, and the Name Gauranga is more merciful than the Name of Krishna.

The magnanimity is higher then sweetness. In sweetness, the Lord  enjoys in His intimate pastimes, but in Magnanimity, He is completely selfless in a transcendental sense and completely turned toward us most fallen jivas. He is distributing that pure love for us.

In the same way, Hare Krishna Maha Mantra is full of sweetness. It is a window to the eternal pastimes of Shri Shri Radha and Krishna. Only the purest persons may enter that Kingdom.

But in Gaura and Nitaai Naam, mercy is the most predominant! The Names are completely turned toward us! Naam is trying to serve Naami in that way that it is giving us that precious gift, pure love for God, Krishna.

The Name Gauranga is giving us divine love for  Radha and Krishna without any hesitation, that is why Nitaai and Gaura Naam are the most powerful Names of all God's Names:

Directly, and without any hesitation Shrila Jagadananda Pandita confirms that in Prema-vivarta:

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

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

Within Nitaai and Gaura Naam we may found both - Gauranga and Krishna lila, and they have such power that we may be granted access to both realms- eternal Navadvipa where wonderful Sankirtana is going on, and sweet Vrindavana, where Lord Shyamasundara is eternaly playing on His flute and dancing with Shrimati Radharani.

That is the special potency of Nitai and Gaura Naam. The greatest mercy for the most fallen. We should understand that and happily chant Nityananda, Gauranga and then HareKrishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare,Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!
Daaso’smi,
Ishana Thakura dasa
Edited by Jagannatha dasi

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna! Nitaai Gaura Hari Naama Sankirtan ki Jaya! All glories to Swami Gaurangapada! All Glories to Shri Guru Parampara!

Full knowledge about Nitaai-Gaura Naam Tattva may be received only if a person has faith in Three Great Acharyas - Shrila Sacchidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada, and Shrila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada.

Their teachings are the strong pillar of Nitaai-Gaura-Harinaam Sankirtana and no discrimination should be ever made between the teachings of these three Acharyas. Their books should become objects of our daily readings, and practical implementation of their teachings should become goal of our life.



Only by worshiping  all Three Acharyas, real understanding about this confidential secret of Nitaai and Gaura Naam may be manifested within the heart of a devotee. Our philosophical understandings and discussions are all based on the books and teachings of all these Acharyas and we should invest our energy to really absorb their words. The Supreme mercy is available in the form of their books, so we should take that advantage.

Such understanding of unity in their teachings, is the highest form of worshiping the whole guru-tattva. If we deeply study their books we will notice the divine harmony, the flow of bhakti, pure transcendental nectar.

We are most fortunate to be born in this Age. We should cry out of happiness because we are here when their books and teachings are manifested for ultimate benefit of every soul. How rare is that chance? They are such powerful Acharyas, such pure and empowered preachers that appeared just few hundred years ago, after Lord Chaitanya manifested His eternal pastimes. We must understand that the Lord's Gaura-lila is still going on. Sankirtana lila is still here. It has just began. Those Three Acharyas are the part of that Sankirtana lila. There is no doubt in that.

We should always aspire to live upon their teachings. If a person invests some energy in reading, studying books that they left for us, without any doubt, such person will understand all secrets and very jubilantly will engage in Nitaai-Gaura-Harinama Sankirtana.

All glories to
Shrila Sacchidananda Bhaktivinoda Thakura!
All glories to
Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Prabhupada!
All glories to
Shrila Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada!

Nityananda! Gauranga! Hare Krishna!
Daaso’smi,
Ishana Thakura dasa
Edited by Jagannatha dasi