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

Today is the appearance day of His divine Grace Shrila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada! Shrila Prabhupada ki jay!

We all are eternal debtors to Shrila Prabhupada for spreading this sankirtana mission of Lord Chaitanya all over the globe. He gave us his books and wrote everything in them. He gave us perfect example how we should live a spiritual life. He made that in every city of the world persons at least heard about the Hare Krishna movement and made this process widely known. He is eternally our worshipable Acharya, and his books and teachings are our life and soul. Without his mercy we would be completely lost.

On this most auspicious day of His appearance I just wanted to share several quotations from Shrila Prabhupada about Nitaai and Gaura Naam, without any elaborate explanations. Let the words of Shrila Prabhupada always be our lighthouse in the darkness of this world! Shrila Prabhupada ki jay!


If Shrila Prabhupada was today on this planet he would use internet and digital publishing to print books and reach millions of souls. Therefore, we may conclude that this digital preaching and this brhad-mridanga of Nitaai-Gaura-Harinama sankirtana is direct manifestation of Shrila Prabhupada's desire for spreading Lord Gauranga's Name all over the world, as he personally predicted:

On board the ship Jaladuta, September 13, 1965, Verse 3, by Shrila Prabhupada:

“By his (my Guru Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada’s) strong desire, THE HOLY NAME OF GAURANGA will first spread throughout all the countries of the Western world. Then in all the cities, towns, and villages on the earth, from all the oceans, seas, rivers, and streams, everyone will chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.”

On this most auspicious day I just wanted to post famous quotations about Nitaai and Gaura Naam /you may found many others in Nitaai Veda, Nityananda Gauranga Naam book/:

Shrila Prabhupada in Cc Antya-lila 2.31 purport:

“Worshipers of Shri Gaurasundara accept the four syllables gau-ra-an-ga as the Gaura mantra, but pure worshipers of Radha and Krishna accept the four syllables ra-dha krs-na as the Gaura-gopala mantra. However, Vaishnavas consider Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu nondifferent from Radha-Krishna (shri-krishna-chaitanya radha-krishna nahe anya). Therefore one who chants the mantra “Gauranga” and one who chants the names of Radha and Krishna are on the same level.”

Shrila Prabhupada in Chaitanya Charitamrta Adi 8.31 purport:

”A neophyte student who is not sufficiently educated or enlightened should not indulge in the worship of Shri Radha and Krishna or the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. Even if he does so, he cannot get the desired result. One should therefore chant the names of Nitai-Gaura and worship Them without false prestige. In the beginning one should *** very regularly *** chant Shri Gaurasundara’s holy name and then chant the holy name of Lord Nityananda. Thus one's heart will be cleansed of impure desires for material enjoyment. Then one can approach Vrndavana-dhama to worship Lord Krishna."

Shrila Prabhupada's Room Conversation with Yoga Student specifically regarding Japa, March 14, 1975, Iran:

Prabhupada: “Now, what is the difference, Nitai-Gauranga and Hare Krishna? Nitai-Gauranga and Hare Krishna, there is no difference. Nitai-Gauranga is also nice. Whatever he finds convenient, let him chant.”

Therefore let us always remember those words of Shrila Prabhupada, let us always study his books and worship him, let us take part in this glorious Nitaai-Gaura-Harinaam Sankirtana, let us print and distribute paper/digital books about this spiritual science and always chant Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare and in that way we will surely satisfy and eternally glorify Shrila Prabhupada.

Shrila Prabhupada ki jay!

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!

We are continuing with the daily description of ten offenses in the chanting of Hare Krishna Maha Mantra and recommended antidote - activities that may place us on the safe side, in order to avoid such offenses.

OFFENSE THREE

In short, the third offense is present as:

guror avajna

"The third offense at the lotus feet of the maha-mantra is to consider the spiritual master to be material and therefore envy his exalted position."

ANTIDOTE THREE:

We should understand the exalted position of the spiritual master according to revealed scriptures. We should never ever consider our spiritual master to be material in any way, and we should always glorify him.

saksad-dharitvena samasta-sastrair
uktas tatha bhavyata eva sadbhih
kintu prabhor yah priya eva tasya
vande guroh shri caranaravindam

Shri Gurvasthakam, verse 7

"The spiritual master is to be honored as much as the Supreme Lord, because he is the most confidential servitor of the Lord.  This is acknowledged in all revealed scriptures and followed by all authorities.  Therefore, I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master, who is a bona fide representation of Shri Hari".

also in Shri Chaitanya Charitamrta Adi 1.45.it is stated:

guru-krishna-rupa hana sastrera pramane
guru-rupe krishna krpa karena bhakta-gane

"According to sastra the guru is nondifferent from Krishna, because it is through the guru that Krishna bestows mercy on His devotees."

In that way, we may completely understand the transcendental position of our spiritual master. His words should become our life and soul, and we should take time to absorb his teachings and to practically implement them in our everyday lives. The spiritual master is our only connection with Lord Gauranga-Krishna and therefore we should realize that our whole spiritual life is direct manifestation of his mercy.

Lord Shri Krishna is saying:

acaryam mam vijaniyan navamanyeta karhicit
na martya-buddhyasuyeta sarva-devamayo guruh

Shrimad Bhagavatam. 11.17.27

"Know the acharya to be as good as Myself. Never disrespect him. Never envy him or consider him an ordinary man for He is the sum total of all the demigods."

In order to fully understand this topic and avoid this third toxic offense, we are advised to dive deep in to subjects of Guru-tattva, to read about the exalted position of Guru, always glorify and worship the lotus feet of our spiritual master.

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!

Today is Shri Krishna Janmasthami, transcendental birthday and appearance of Supreme Lord Shri Krishna, The Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Devotees all over the world are celebrating this most auspicious day and speak about Shri Krishna and His appearance. In the Bhagavad-Gita, Shri Krishna is telling Arjuna that if a person simply understands His appearance, he or she will go to Him, in the spiritual kingdom, Goloka-Vrindavana. What is the nature of His appearance?

janma karma ca me divyam
yo janati tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti kaunteya
[Bg. 4.9]

The words mam eti indicates that a fortunate jiva will go to Lord Krishna, in the transcendental abode. The Supreme Lord Shri Krishna appeared on this planet 5000 years ago, but still it is the greatest festival on earth. It is so because his appearance is fully transcendental. His activities are all transcendental. In this verse word divyam means transcedental.

In the tenth Canto of Shrimad Bhagavatam we may find detailed description of Lord Krishna's appearance, also in Krishna-book we may find abridged versions of the same chapters, so we should try to read them and remember such pastimes today.

In this article, just to glorify Lord Shri Krishna, we will, shortly try to remember this pastime.


On the day of his wedding, King Kamsa found out that Devaki’s eighth child would be born to kill him. He heard a  celestial voice and immediately wanted to kill his sister Devaki. at that moment, Vasudeva, her husband, jumped down from the chariot and proposed Kamsa to imprison them and made them promise to give each child to Kamsa.

In that way, Devaki and Vasudeva were putted in the prison by Kamsa. They gave all six children to Kamsa, and he killed them all out of fear that some of them may be his killer. Then, under influence of Yogamaya Devaki's seventh child was transferred into the womb of Rohini, a second wife of Vasudeva, and foolish Kamsa thought that Devaki had miscarriage. In that way Balarama, Rohini-nandana appeared.

The Supreme Lord Shri Krishna appeared on a stormy night in the prison where Devaki and Vasudeva were locked. Vasudeva and Devaki could not tolerate to give the baby Krishna to Kamsa, so when the guards fall asleep, they hidthe baby in the basket and Vasudeva lefte toward Gokula, where his old friend Nanda Maharaja lived, together with Yashoda. That night was a stormy, rainy night.

While passing the river Yamuna, the water became turbulent and waves were very strong and wild, so Vasudeva was very frightened not to lose the baby in the river. When the lotus feet of baby Krishna touched the water, the river became peacefuller, and then Vasudeva realized that his son is not an ordinary person. He took baby Krishna to Nanda and Yashoda and returned to prison with Yashoda's newborn daughter. When Kamsa wanted to kill her, she manifested Her form as Yogamaya and disappeared, saying that the eighth son of Devaki is born and it is safe in Gokula.

On this most auspicious day let us glorify Lord Krishna and chant Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Krishna Janmasthami ki jay!

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!

Prabhupada: No. We are recommending “Chant the holy name of God.” So if you have got the holy name of God, you can chant that.

Prabhupada: Anyway, if one chants Allah or Jesus Christ, we have no objection. We don’t say that you stop it. We say that you chant the holy name of God. If that name is of God, you chant.”
from Shrila Prabhupada  Room Conversation, August 14, 1971, London.

Shrila Prabhupada is in a direct way saying that a person should chant the Holy Name of God.  Nitaai and Gaura Naam are the most direct Names of God, non-different from Lord Nityananda and Lord Gauranga, who are Lord Balarama and Lord Shri Krishna, Shyamasundara Themselves. There are millions of evidences and examples that Nityananda and Gauranga are the Names of God, therefore we are adviced to chant them, according to this statement of Shrila Prabhupada.

It is worth to notice, that many religions, like Islam or Christianity are custom to chant different Names of the Lord on beads, like Allah, or Jesus. It is specific chanting on rosary or on beads. And Shrila Prabhupada is saying here that he has no objection to that practice, so what to say about regular chanting Nitaai and Gaura Naama on beads?

We must understand that an Acharya as Shrila Prabhupada may not directly implement all the instruction which he gives in his books,  but all his instructions are absolute and can be universally applied. There is also progressive theology. Spiritual  truths are eternal, but they were not always manifested. In the same way, the truth about this process is eternal, yet not fully manifested in this world, but it is spreading like a blasting forest fire under the power of Nitaai-Gaura-Harinama Sankirtana and the desire of previous acharyas.


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

What's the world without the holy names of God?

What's the world without Srimad Bhagavatam?

What's the world without Srila Gurudeva?

What's the world?............ a lump of clay.

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

The Supreme Lord is most pleased with pure devotion, with intense affection. He Himself is saying that such feelings are satisfying Him more then even opulence and service in Vaikuntha:

aisvarya-jnanete saba jagat misrita
aisvarya-sithila-preme nahi mora prita

Chaitanya Charitamrta Adi-3.16.

"I am not so pleased by devotion mixed with awe and reverence of Vaikuntha, Ayodhya and Dvaraka as I am with intimate devotion without awe and reverence of Vrindavana."

In the opulent planets on Vaikuntha there is constant worshiping of the Supreme Lord, but that worshiping is filled with awe and reverence. Just like worshiping the big King. There is no intimacy, no secrets. Close contact and exchanges of emotions never take part.

In Vrindavana, only pure devotion exists, without a trace of awe and reverence. We should not think that cowherd boys and gopis of Vrindavana are not aware of the Supreme Glories of Lord Krishna. That knowledge is also there, but it does not affect their devotional mood of pure devotees. Full knowledge is always needed. Without knowledge a person risks to take devotion cheaply and rush into intimate pastimes of Shri Shri Radha-Krishna in Vrindavana without proper understanding, just like sahajiyas are trying to do. Knowledge about the Lord is a must, but that knowledge does not stop the nectar flow of devotion.

Is there anything higher then love? Yes, there is. There is mercy. Causeless mercy. That is actually the highest manifestation of love, and in that term we may say that it is higher then relishing or testing that love alone. This merciful distribution of love to most fallen persons is extraordinary and unique! Therefore Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu appeared to taste the love of Shri Radha and to give mercy, unconditioned mercy.

Just as the Lord is more pleased with intimate devotion then with devotion mixed with awe and reverence of Vaikuntha, so is He more pleased with selfless distribution of such devotion, then just relishing it.

In that way, love is higher then majesty, and mercy is then higher love.

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