SB 6.2.9–13 – The Glories of the Holy Name

Giriraj Swami: Today we shall be speaking about the glories of the holy name, and specifically, I will be reading and discussing some verses from the Sixth Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in connection with the story of Ajamila. We read from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Canto Six, Chapter Two, “Ajāmila Delivered by the Viṣṇudūtas.” Text Nine and Ten.

om namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
om namo bhagavate vāsudevāya
om namo bhagavate vāsudevāya

TEXTS 9–10

stenaḥ surā-po mitra-dhrug
brahma-hā guru-talpa-gaḥ
strī-rāja-pitṛ-go-hantā
ye ca pātakino ‘pare
 
sarveṣām apy aghavatām
idam eva suniṣkṛtam
nāma-vyāharaṇaṁ viṣṇor
yatas tad-viṣayā matiḥ

TRANSLATION

The chanting of the holy name of Lord Viṣṇu is the best process of atonement for a thief of gold or other valuables, for a drunkard, for one who betrays a friend or relative, for one who kills a brāhmaṇa, or for one who indulges in sex with the wife of his guru or another superior. It is also the best method of atonement for one who murders women, the king or his father, for one who slaughters cows, and for all other sinful men. Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Viṣṇu, such sinful persons may attract the attention of the Supreme Lord, who therefore considers, “Because this man has chanted My holy name, My duty is to give him protection.”

TEXT 11

na niṣkṛtair uditair brahma-vādibhis
tathā viśuddhyaty aghavān vratādibhiḥ
yathā harer nāma-padair udāhṛtais
tad uttamaśloka-guṇopalambhakam

TRANSLATION

By following the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies or undergoing atonement, sinful men do not become as purified as by chanting once the holy name of Lord Hari. Although ritualistic atonement may free one from sinful reactions, it does not awaken devotional service, unlike the chanting of the Lord’s names, which reminds one of the Lord’s fame, qualities, attributes, pastimes and paraphernalia.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura comments that the chanting of the holy name of the Lord has special significance that distinguishes it from the Vedic ritualistic ceremonies of atonement for severe, more severe or most severe sinful actions. There are twenty types of religious scriptures called dharma-śāstras, beginning with the Manu-saṁhitā and Parāśara-saṁhitā, but herein it is stressed that although one may become free from the reactions of the most sinful activities by following the religious principles of these scriptures, this cannot promote a sinful man to the stage of loving service to the Lord. On the other hand, chanting the holy name of the Lord even once not only frees one immediately from the reactions of the greatest sins, but also raises one to the platform of rendering loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described as uttamaśloka because He is famous for His glorious activities. Thus one serves the Lord by remembering His form, His attributes and pastimes.

COMMENT

So, at the end of the previous Canto, the Fifth Canto, Śukadeva Gosvami explained the hellish punishments that awaited sinful persons. And Maharaja Parīkṣit, being a compassionate Vaishnava, felt concerned for them, and he inquired about the means of atonement, by which such sinful persons could become free from sinful reactions. Srila Śukadeva Gosvami explained some of the methods of atonement, and Maharaja Parīkṣit very intelligently questioned that these methods of atonement may free one from sinful reactions, but they do not free one from the desire to engage in sinful activities. And therefore, after performing the ritual for atonement, one may again engage in the same kinds of sinful activities.

And he compared such a process to Hasti-snāna, the bathing of an elephant. An elephant will take bath in a body of water and clean himself very nicely, but then the elephant will come out and roll in the dirt, cover himself with dirt all over again. Hasti-snāna, the bathing of an elephant. So, Maharaja Parīkṣit expressed his concern that by these methods of atonement, one can be freed from the sinful reactions, but one is not freed from the desire to engage in sinful activities. And thus, the discussion led to the history of Ajamila and the power of the holy name, to not only free one from sinful reactions, but to free one from the desire to engage in sinful activities, and to elevate one to the platform of devotional service.

And as stated in the Bhagavad-gītā, one can engage in devotional service only if one is freed from sinful activities. Yeṣām anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām, “One can engage in devotional service only when one is freed from sinful reactions and has performed pious activities.” So, now we come back to the purport to Text Eleven.

PURPORT (continued)

chanting the holy name of the Lord even once not only frees one immediately from the reactions of the greatest sins, but also raises one to the platform of rendering loving service to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is described as uttamaśloka because He is famous for His glorious activities. Thus one serves the Lord by remembering His form, His attributes and pastimes. Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains that this is all possible simply by chanting the Lord’s holy name because of the Lord’s omnipotence.

COMMENT

So, the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself are identical, nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ. That is a very important verse, and I will read the whole thing. Yes.

CC Madhya 17.133

nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś
caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ
pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto
‘bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ

TRANSLATION

“ ‘The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Kṛṣṇa Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Kṛṣṇa’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Kṛṣṇa Himself. Since Kṛṣṇa’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with māyā. Kṛṣṇa’s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa Himself are identical.’

COMMENT

So, ‘bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ, that means that the holy name and the person who has the name are not different. And therefore, the holy name has all of the powers of Krishna himself, because ‘bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ, the holy name of Krishna and the person who is named by the holy name are not different. So now, coming back to the purport.

PURPORT (continued)

Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura explains that this is all possible simply by chanting the Lord’s holy name because of the Lord’s omnipotence.

COMMENT

Means that one can be completely freed from sinful reactions.

PURPORT (continued)

What cannot be achieved through the performance of Vedic rituals can be easily achieved through the chanting of the Lord’s holy name. To chant the holy name and dance in ecstasy is so easy and sublime that one can achieve all the benefits of spiritual life simply by following this process. Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu declares, paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam: “All glories to Śrī Kṛṣṇa saṅkīrtana!” The saṅkīrtana movement we have started offers the best process for becoming purified of all sinful reactions and coming immediately to the platform of spiritual life.

COMMENT

And now I will come to Text Thirteen. Of course, Text Twelve is also very important, but for the sake of time, we will skip ahead.

TEXT 13

athainaṁ māpanayata
kṛtāśeṣāgha-niṣkṛtam
yad asau bhagavan-nāma
mriyamāṇaḥ samagrahīt

TRANSLATION

At the time of death, this Ajāmila helplessly and very loudly chanted the holy name of the Lord, Nārāyaṇa. That chanting alone has already freed him from the reactions of all sinful life. Therefore, O servants of Yamarāja, do not try to take him to your master for punishment in hellish conditions.

COMMENT

So, the background. . . Many of you know, but in case some of you are not aware, the background is that Ajamila was born in a good brahman family, but later he became attached to a prostitute, and he married the prostitute, and for the sake of the prostitute, he engaged in all sorts of sinful activities. And he had a number of children, and the youngest child was a son whom he named Narayana. And at the time of death, Ajamila was in a distressed condition, and he called for his son who was playing nearby, “Narayana! Narayana! Narayana!” He didn’t intend to call upon the Supreme Lord Narayana, he was calling for his young son Narayana.

So, at that moment, the time of death, mriyamāṇaḥ, the Yamadutas came, that means the agents of Yamaraja, the Lord of death who punishes the sinful. So, the Yamadutas came to take the soul of Ajamila to their master, Yamaraja, to be punished for his sinful activities, but at the same time, the Vishnudutas came, the messengers of Lord Vishnu, because Ajamila chanted the holy name of Narayana. And therefore, he was freed from all sinful reactions, he was freed from hellish punishment. And there ensued a discussion between the Yamadutas and the Vishnudutas about who had jurisdiction over Ajamila. The Yamadutas argued that they had jurisdiction over him because he was so sinful, but the Vishnudutas argued that they had jurisdiction over him because he chanted the holy name of Narayana at the time of death. And therefore, he was freed from all sinful reactions.

And Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura comments that at the last moment when Ajamila chanted “Narayana!” indicating his young son Narayana, he remembered the original Narayana whom he had worshipped as a youth, as a good brahman boy. So, the context of this present verse is that. So, I will read the translation again so you can relate to it in its context. This is the Vishnudutas speaking.

TRANSLATION

At the time of death, this Ajāmila helplessly and very loudly chanted the holy name of the Lord, Nārāyaṇa. That chanting alone has already freed him from the reactions of all sinful life. Therefore, O servants of Yamarāja, do not try to take him to your master for punishment in hellish conditions.

PURPORT by Srila Prabhupada

The Viṣṇudūtas, who are superior authorities, gave orders to the Yamadūtas, who did not know that Ajāmila was no longer subject to tribulation in hellish life for his past sins. Although he had chanted the holy name Nārāyaṇa to indicate his son, the holy name is so transcendentally powerful that he was automatically freed because he had chanted the holy name while dying (ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ).

COMMENT

That ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ is a quotation from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam saying that the goal of life is to remember Narayana at the time of death. And there is also a Bengali saying, bhajan karo, sadhana karo, basically that whatever bhajan you have done, whatever sadhana you have done is well and good, but it will be tested at the time of death. So, that is the real test, life’s final exam, whether we can remember Narayana at the time of death, ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ.

PURPORT (continued)

As Kṛṣṇa confirms in Bhagavad-gītā (7.28):

yeṣāṁ tv anta-gataṁ pāpaṁ
janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām
te dvandva-moha-nirmuktā
bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-vratāḥ

“Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination.” Unless one is freed from all sinful reactions, one cannot be promoted to the platform of devotional service. Elsewhere in Bhagavad-gītā (8.5) it is stated:

anta-kāle ca mām eva
smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ
yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ

If one remembers Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa, at the time of death, one is certainly eligible to return immediately home, back to Godhead.

COMMENT

And that Bhagavad-gītā (8.5), I will just read that.

TEXT 5

anta-kāle ca mām eva
smaran muktvā kalevaram
yaḥ prayāti sa mad-bhāvaṁ
yāti nāsty atra saṁśayaḥ

TRANSLATION

And whoever, at the end of his life, quits his body remembering Me alone at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt.

COMMENT

So, my dear devotees, we are members of the Hare Krishna movement, and our business is to chant Hare Krishna as much as possible. And the chanting of Hare Krishna is so powerful, as we have been reading and discussing, it can free one from all sinful reactions, save one from hellish punishment, and elevate one to the platform of devotional service, from which one can make further progress and go back home, back to Godhead.

And that is exactly what happened to Ajamila, where after the Vishnudutas intervened and saved him from being taken by the Yamadutas to the court of Yamaraja to be punished, Ajamila did not die. And being given a second chance, he went to the holy place of Haridwar, and he engaged in devotional service, and he progressed from the stage of chanting nāmābhāsa, to the stage of pure chanting. There are three stages in chanting. Nāma-aparādha, that means offensive chanting, and nāmābhāsa, that means offenseless chanting, or the clearing stage of chanting, and then there is śuddha-nāma, the stage of pure chanting.

So, when Ajamila chanted the holy name of Narayana at the time of death, he was chanting nāmābhāsa. To commit sins on the strength of chanting is an offense. In other words, knowing that by chanting the holy name one can be freed from sinful reactions, if one deliberately engages in sinful activities thinking that he will be freed from the reactions by chanting, that is an offense. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ, committing sin on the strength of chanting, that is offensive. But Ajamila was not offensive, he didn’t commit sin with the idea that he could neutralize the effects by chanting, but he was just chanting helplessly, calling for his son Narayana.

And so, after his life was spared, he went to Haridwar, engaged in devotional service, brought his chanting to the stage of pure chanting. And then, the Vishnudutas whom he had seen on his deathbed, came again to take him back home, back to Godhead, and that is how he achieved ultimate perfection. So, my devotees, we should take every opportunity to chant the holy names and purify our hearts, ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanam, and not waste time. In one talk in Los Angeles, Srila Prabhupada said, “If you have time, chant Hare Krishna, don’t waste time, don’t speak nonsense, chant Hare Krishna.” So we should do that.

Thank you very much. Hare Krishna.

And now, if any of you have any questions or comments, any reflections, you can raise your hands, and we will discuss further. Thank you very much, Hare Krishna. Yes, Kartiki? Hello? Yes? Yes?

Kartiki: Maharaja, daṇḍavat praṇāma. Am I audible now?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, you are.

Kartiki: Okay. Guru Maharaja, thank you for the wonderful class, first of all. Guru Maharaja, you mentioned in the class giving reference to 7.28 Bhagavad-gītā where you mention that one can engage in devotional service only when one is freed from sinful reactions. Could you enlighten more us on that, Guru Maharaja?

Giriraj Swami: Yes. At the end of the Bhagavad-gītā, Lord Krishna says,

sarva-dharmān parityajya
mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja
ahaṁ tvāṁ sarva-pāpebhyo
mokṣayiṣyāmi mā śucaḥ

That if you surrender to Krishna, Krishna will free you from all sinful reactions. And one engages in devotional service after one surrenders to Krishna. One surrenders to Krishna, becomes freed from sinful reactions, and then engages in devotional service. And by chanting the holy name, one also is freed from sinful reactions. So, yes, by the mercy of Krishna, by the mercy of the holy name, we become freed from sinful reactions, and thus, become eligible to engage in devotional service. Priya Tirupathi?

Priya Tirupathi: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Daṇḍavat praṇāma. Greetings from Mysore, South India. Please accept my humble obeisances and all glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Giriraj Swami: Ki jaya!

Priya Tirupathi: My question, Maharaja, is when Ajamila was dying, he said “Narayana!,” he called out to his son. And well, I like to believe this version, that he said “Narayana!” and that is it, he didn’t think of anyone, if he thought of anyone, it was his son, I like to believe that version. And then Srila Prabhupada has said in his lecture that he thought of actual Narayana. So, did he think of actual Narayana, or did he not think of Narayana? Because it seems like the Bhāgavatam explanation seems to say from the purports that he didn’t think of Narayana the Lord.

Giriraj Swami: Yes, but we have to understand the Sastra, with the help of the acharyas, and Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has said the same thing, that when he chanted the name Narayana indicating his son, he remembered the original Narayana whom he had worshipped in his youth.

Priya Tirupathi: Okay, that is [Unintelligible 01:05:39], yes Maharaja. Thank you. Okay, so, the next question, the second. . . I have two questions, and the other question, this is regarding Jada Bharata’s story, Bharata Maharaja, who became a deer, and then became Jada Bharata. So, Bharata Maharaja was attached to the deer, and he got the dear body, but then at the end of the deer’s life, there is a very clear verse that he jumped into the water to give up that deer’s body, but he clearly uttered the verse, which translates, says, “Oh, Hare, please engage me in your service.” And he had clear remembrance of the Lord when he gave up the deer body. So, you were quoting those Bhagavad-gītā verses, and we know Bhagavad-gītā says how whatever you think of, that is the state you will attain. So, I mean, it is just a classic question, why the deer didn’t go back to Godhead? Because he thought of Hare.

Giriraj Swami: True. But a devotee, pure devotee, does not want to go back to Godhead per se, pure devotee wants to serve Krishna. And in his birth as Jada Bharata, he was able to do very valuable service to Krishna. So, yes.

Srila Prabhupada has explained the mentality of devotees under the influence of different modes. And a devotee under the influence of the mode of ignorance thinks, I am the only devotee here, everyone else is nonsense.” A devotee under the influence of the mode of passion thinks, I want to be the best devotee, I want to be known as being the best devotee. A devotee under the influence of the mode of goodness thinks, I want to go back home, back to Godhead. And a devotee who is transcendental thinks, I just want to serve Krishna, I just want to make Krishna happy.

So, by taking birth as Jada Bharata, he did wonderful service, and Krishna was pleased.

Priya Tirupathi: So. . . I mean, sorry to put this argument again, but looking from the viewpoint of that particular verse, if we had to say whether this applies to everyone or not, please help me to understand that. It seems the devotee has a choice. Do you want to go back to Godhead? Do you want to come back and preach or something like that?

Giriraj Swami: Yes, that is true, that is true.

Priya Tirupathi: Okay, thank you, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Okay.

Priya Tirupathi: Thank you.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna. So, Aayushi?

Aayushi: Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja, please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. Guru Maharaja, I have a question. When a devotee departs, then at the time of his death, it is said that this year is very active. I mean, in comparison to other senses, it is more active, and that is why devotees do loud kirtan so that the soul, this devotee can hear the transcendental vibrations. So, what if, Guru Maharaja, the devotee doesn’t have that kind of arrangement where other devotees are there to do the loud kirtans? So, will Krishna help this devotee also remember Him at the time of death?

Giriraj Swami: Yes. Yes, one may not. . . Well, yes, one may not know that one is approaching the time of death, or even if one knows that one is approaching the time of death, one may not have devotees there to chant the holy names. But still, as it is said in one scripture, if due to various circumstances. . . This is the Lord speaking. “Due to various circumstances My devotee cannot remember Me at the time of death, I will remember My devotee.” And, yes, once, Tamal Krishna Goswami asked Srila Prabhupada, “I am so busy serving you. What if the time of death comes and I am just engaged in my service to you and I won’t be able to think of Krishna?” And Srila Prabhupada replied, “Lord Chaitanya will forcibly enter your mind at the time of death.” Ki jaya!

Aayushi: Thank you, Guru Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Aayushi: Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Prema Mañjarī?

Prema Mañjarī: Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to you, all glories to Srila Prabhupada. Guru Maharaja, my question is that, Bhagavad-gītā in words 3.42, “The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence.”

So, my question is that when we are chanting and we are engaging our intelligence and we understand that this is the highest process that we are following of chanting, and we are using the intelligence. Also, the senses are almost in control, we sit in one place, we chant. But the mind is not in control because that is the most difficult part to engage the mind in hearing the holy name. But my question is, why do we emphasis so much importance to the mind when it is inferior to the intelligence? So, just by using the intelligence and controlling the senses, still, why is the chanting offensive since the mind is not attentive?

Giriraj Swami: Can you repeat the question briefly?

Prema Mañjarī: So, my question is that since the intelligence is higher than the mind.

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Prema Mañjarī: Then why is the emphasis more on the control of mind. And Krishna also is asking us to surrender, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto, that my mind is getting more, we are more in the mind, trying to give more importance to the mind whereas the intelligence is supposed to be higher.

Giriraj Swami: Well, we control the mind with the intelligence. Controlling the mind means that we are using the intelligence to control the mind. So, even if it doesn’t always say to use your intelligence to control the mind, but controlling the mind means using your intelligence to control the mind. Because as you rightly said, the intelligence is higher than the mind. And so, we need a higher force to control the lower force. And so, we use the intelligence to control the mind.

Prema Mañjarī: And how do we do that, Guru Maharaja? Because while chanting also it was I have heard about Srila Prabhupada say that mind is. . . I mean, you just have to hear the mind is not of any importance. So, the intelligence is trying to hear, but the mind is obstructing for that.

Giriraj Swami: Well, as Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gītā, whenever and wherever the mind wanders, you have to bring it back to the self. And that is the intelligence that brings the mind back to the sound of the holy name. There is so many good books to help us with japa, Bhurijana Prabhu’s book called Japa, His Holiness Sacinandana Swami Maharaja has written many good books about japa, including one which draws from Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura’s book Harināma-cintāmaṇi. So yes, we have to chant with attention. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that if we chant attentively, all the other offenses will be eradicated, and if we are inattentive while chanting, all the other offenses will flourish. So, the main thing is to chant with attention.

Prema Mañjarī: Thank you.

Giriraj Swami: And as far as possible, get up early, chant during brahma-muhūrta and in front of the deities, chanting in front of tulasi, chant with other serious chanters. Yes, it is a very important practice. Wish you all the best.

Prema Mañjarī: Thank you, Guru Maharaja. It is only by your blessings that we can even try our best.

Giriraj Swami: I will pray for you. Hemlata?

Hemlata Arcot: Hare Krishna, Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada, all glories to you. Thank you for such a wonderful class, Maharaja, emphasizing the glories of holy name that are unlimited, and what a benediction we all have in the form of the holy name, what a savior. So, thank you, Maharaja.

I have one question. Among the ten offenses, Maharaja, one of the offenses to the holy name is to disobey the orders of the spiritual master. Now, when we hear. . . So, sometimes we get personal association of spiritual master, and we get personal instructions from spiritual master that we are supposed to fulfill and try to fulfill, we can never really fulfill. And then there are always when we hear lectures, then there are general instructions in those lectures as well, right? But we are not always able to fulfill all those instructions, right? Because we are still not perfect. So, does that mean that if I am unable to fulfill the instructions of the spiritual master, that it is disobedience, and that is an offense to the holy name?

Giriraj Swami: No. I mean, the third offense, guror avajñā, to disobey the orders of the spiritual master, refers to deliberately disobeying the orders of the spiritual master. Yes, once I asked Srila Prabhupada that question in Mayapur during his conversations with Bob Cohen, which became the book Perfect questions & Perfect Answers. So, I asked Srila Prabhupada about disobeying the orders of the spiritual master, and he said, “Why disobey the orders of the spiritual master?” I said, “Well, the spiritual master tells us to chant attentively, but sometimes we can’t.” And Srila Prabhupada said, “Oh, well that is not an offense. You are trying, so that is not an offense.”

Hemlata Arcot: Okay, okay. Thank you, Maharaja. Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Nitai-Gaurasundara Prabhu.

Devotee: Thank you Maharaja for last comment about not chanting attentively is not an offense to guru, not a deliberate offense.

Giriraj Swami: Yes.

Devotee: Maharaja, my question was, translation of verse thirteen. Here Prabhupada translated, “At the time of death, this Ajamila helplessly and very loudly chanted the holy name of the Lord, Narayana.” But in translation word by word there is no mention of the loud chanting. So what? Prabhupada’s giving some message to us start chanting?

Giriraj Swami: Well, definitely he chanted loudly because he was faced with death, he was panicking, and his only hope in his mind was his son Narayana. And so, in a very helpless condition, he chanted loudly. But it is true that it is not mentioned in the verse as such, but Srila Prabhupada has explained that they are different types of translations. One is completely literal, and one includes a bit of a purport within the translation. And so, some of Srila Prabhupada’s translations include a bit of a purport within the translation. And definitely, he chanted loudly even though it is not mentioned in the verse, and Prabhupada put it in the translation for our benefit.

Devotee: Thank you, Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Rasa-sthali devi dasi.

Devotee: Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to Guru Maharaja.

I wanted to find out, this pastime of Ajamila where Ajamila chants the name of the Lord and it is explained that the holy name is so merciful. And also, we can see, even in Śikṣāṣṭakam, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu says that there are no hard and fast rules for chanting these names.

So, yesterday also in Sri Priya Prabhu’s Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam class, he mentioned this pastime of Ajamila, and I was thinking that as devotees, we kind of tend to punish ourselves in our sadhana. We are so hard on ourselves. Because japa, japa is always a struggle, and one has to always try to purify one’s japa always. But we tend to punish ourselves so much. Why do devotees do that? Because the holy name is so merciful, and there is so much benefit, but still, we are hard on ourselves. So. . . I don’t know. Why do devotees do that? They keep actually, crucifying themselves in the path of devotional service.

Giriraj Swami: Well, I don’t know if it is true of all devotees, but let us take you for example. You are hard on yourself because you are not able to chant attentively, is that the idea?

Devotee: Yes, Guru Maharaja, definitely. I struggle to do it every day, nicely, attentively, , I am distracted with my son, and then I tend to stray away because I feel, Oh, I just can’t manage. And then I realize, “No, you have to come back, you have to make that time, you have to fight for that time.” But the holy name is so purifying, sometimes we can’t sit with our japa beads and just do that full two hours straight of chanting. So, in between doing so much of work, we. . . And then I have seen that also with so many moms, that they just give up completely. And we have to, as a mother also, you keep struggling, you keep going back and saying, “No, you need to get back on track, you need to.” And we don’t realize the mercy of the holy name in itself, that it is so purifying.

So, we tend to be hard on ourselves. I for myself also feel that all the time, feel that I am not good enough, and then I just give up, and then I have to tame the mind and say, “Come back again, get back on track.” But I feel there is this need to help devotees also to understand that it just continues. I mean there is this famous saying, “You rather struggle every day in your japa than thirty-three million species to come back again.” So, yes, I think we tend to be a little bit hard on ourselves.

Giriraj Swami: Well, on the practical side, I mean, I have heard similar stories, and on a practical side, your husband can look after your son for some time so that you can chant without being distracted by your son. Yes, there should be, I think, some give and take when it comes to the children, so that both parents have an opportunity to chant without being distracted. And yes, we have to persevere, we have to keep going.

And I think of what Tamal Krishna Goswami said, that the worst round that you chant is better than the best round that you don’t chant. So, somehow or other, we should just chant, even if it is not the best, we can try to improve. But chanting itself is of great benefit. And yes, Tamal Krishna Goswami was quite strict with his disciples who were new mothers, that even though they had so many distractions in taking care of their infants, but still, they should chant their rounds.

Devotee: Thank you, Guru Maharaja. That is very, very practical examples to follow. And I like what Tamal Krishna Maharaja said, to rather do the round than yes. . . And I am sorry, I meant to say 8.4 million species. So, quite a few. No, definitely, we should keep endeavoring. Thank you, Guru Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna. Malati dasi?

Malati dasi: Hare Krishna, Guru Maharaja. Please accept my humble obeisances at the dust of your lotus feet. All glories to Srila Prabhupada. All glories to your divine grace.

Guru Maharaja, we don’t know how the death is going to come to us, in what way. I want to know that one quality that Tamal Krishna Maharaja was told by Srila Prabhupada, that Chaitanya Mahaprabhu would force Himself into your mind or heart. So, what is that one quality which would attract Gauranga to enter at the last moment of our time when we are leaving the body and we are not perfect as it is? We are just trying to put our efforts, it is a sure gamble that we don’t know what is going to happen. So, what that one quality would attract Gauranga at the time of death?

Giriraj Swami: Well, in the case of Tamal Krishna Goswami, it was his constant engagement in Srila Prabhupada’s service, that was the context of the question that, “I am so busy engaged in your service, what if death comes and I am not able to think of Krishna at the time of death because I am so busy engaged in your service?” And then Srila Prabhupada said, “Lord Chaitanya will forcibly enter your mind.” So, yes, you should always be engaged in service to Guru and Gauranga.

Malati dasi: Thank you, Guru Maharaja.

Giriraj Swami: Hare Krishna.

Malati dasi: Hare Krishna.

Giriraj Swami: Any other questions or comments? If not, we can end with Vaishnava praṇāma.

Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto all the Vaishnava devotees of the Lord. They are just like desire trees who can fulfill the desires of everyone, and are full of compassion for the fallen conditioned souls.

vāñchā-kalpa-tarubhyaś ca kṛpā-sindhubhya eva ca
patitānāṁ pāvanebhyo vaiṣṇavebhyo namo namaḥ

Anant koti Vaishnava vrinda ki jaya!

Devotees: Thank you guru Maharaja. His Holiness Giriraj Swami Maharaja ki jaya!