Thakura Haridasa in Hari-nama-cintamani:
| nija nija bole jiva paya bhakti; bhakti labhibare sakalera nahi sakti. |
| "Those who get a chance to render devotional service by chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra do so because of their good fortune generated by previous pious activities (sukrti). Thus it is not possible for everyone to take up this process." |
| sukrti-janera bhakti drdha koribare; ailama yuga-dharma namera pracare. |
| "The advent of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to preach and establish the chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra as the yuga-dharma is specifically to strengthen the faith in the chanting process of those who have already developed some faith in it due to their previous pious activities." |
| Purport by Srila Bhaktiratna Sadhu Maharaja: This is also the purpose of this book. Thus this book will prove very beneficial to those spiritual aspirants who have already taken up the chanting process. This book will also provide a glimpse of the goals of the process of chanting to the new entrant and thus encourage him or her to take up this process with proper knowledge. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Nava-varsa-arti-nivedana, sajjana tosani 15/1: "Till the day when the hearts of the living entities do not become completely free from all desires unfavourable to devotional service, whatever spiritual instructions you (a preacher) may try to give them will simply rebound off their ears and will never enter their hearts. Therefore, even though you may vigourously preach bhakti-dharma and you may scrutinzingly discuss the philosophy of bhakti-yoga for the benefit of the common people, but due to the karmic reactions of the audience, this kind of preaching will not bear any fruit. "Therefore, the only solution is that you should become the real beneficiary of such unfortunate people by constantly explaining to them the glories of chanting the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra. By hearing the glories of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra they wil develop a great deal of sukrti (piety) which in turn will arouse in their hearts the required faith for the chanting of the Maha-mantra. They will thus take up the chanting of the Maha-mantra with firm faith. By the mercy of this chanting they will develop unflinching and undeviating faith in the bhakti-dharma life after life." Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in Gauranga-samaja, sajjana tosani 10/11: "Those devotees who are in knowledge of what is pure devotional service through the offenseless relishing of the pure mellows of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra are actually qualified to become preachers." In the Adi Purana Lord Krishna instructs Arjuna: |
| nama-yuktan janam drstva snigdho bhavati yo narah; sa yati paramam sthanam visnuna sah modate. |
| "If a person seeing a devotee engrossed in the chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, becomes attached or attracted to him, then such a person achieves the supreme abode of Lord Vishnu, where he eternally enjoys with the Lord. When then can it be said about the results obtained by the devotees who is himself absorbed in the chanting of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra." |
Sri Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila 7.83 purport:
"Many fools, not knowing the transcendental nature of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, sometimes impede our loudly chanting this mantra, yet one who is actually advanced in the fulfillment of chanting the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra induces others to chant also. Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami explains, krsna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana: "unless one receives special power of attorney from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he cannot preach the glories of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra." As devotees propagate the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, the general population of the entire world gets the opportunity to understand the glories of the Holy Name. While chanting and dancing or hearing the Holy Name of the Lord, one automatically remembers the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and because there is no difference between the Holy Name and Krishna, the chanter is immediately linked with Krishna. Thus connected, a devotee develops his original attitude of service to the Lord. In this attitude of constantly serving Krishna, which is called bhava, he is always thinks of Krishna in many different ways. One who has attained this bhava stage is no longer under the clutches of the illusory energy. When other spiritual ingredients, such as trembling, perspiration and tears are added to this bhava stage, the devotee gradually attains love of Krishna."
Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.16 purport by Srila Prabhupada:
"The expert devotee also can discover novel ways and means to convert the non-devotees in terms of particular time and circumstance. Devotional service is dynamic activity, and the expert devotees can find out competent means to inject it into the dull brains of the materialistic population. Such transcendental activities of the devotees for the service of the Lord can bring a new order of life to the foolish society of materialistic men. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His subsequent followers exhibited expert dexterity in this connection. By following the same method, one can bring the materialistic men of this age of quarrel into order for peaceful life and transcendental realization."
Sri Caitanya-caritamrita Adi-lia 7.31.32 purport by Srila Prabhupada:
"Here is an important point. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to invent a way to capture the Mahavadis and others who did not take interest in the Krishna consciousness movement. This is the symptom of an acharya. An acharya who comes for the service of the Lord cannot be expected to conform to the stereotype, for he must find the ways and means by which Krishna consciousness may be spread."
We would like to conclude this book by quoting the beautiful words of Srila Prabhuapada in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita Madhya-lila 16.72 purport:
"An intermediate devotee is greatly attracted to chanting the Holy Name, and by chanting he is elevated to the platform of love. If one chants the Holy Name of the Lord with great attachment, he can understand his position as an eternal servant of the spiritual master, other Vaishnavas, and Krishna Himself. Thus the intermediate Vaishnava considers himself krishna-dasa, Krishna's servant. He therefore preaches Krishna consciousness to innocent neophytes and stresses the importance of chanting the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra.
"Many fools, not knowing the transcendental nature of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, sometimes impede our loudly chanting this mantra, yet one who is actually advanced in the fulfillment of chanting the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra induces others to chant also. Krsnadasa Kaviraja Goswami explains, krsna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana: "unless one receives special power of attorney from the Supreme Personality of Godhead, he cannot preach the glories of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra." As devotees propagate the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra, the general population of the entire world gets the opportunity to understand the glories of the Holy Name. While chanting and dancing or hearing the Holy Name of the Lord, one automatically remembers the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and because there is no difference between the Holy Name and Krishna, the chanter is immediately linked with Krishna. Thus connected, a devotee develops his original attitude of service to the Lord. In this attitude of constantly serving Krishna, which is called bhava, he is always thinks of Krishna in many different ways. One who has attained this bhava stage is no longer under the clutches of the illusory energy. When other spiritual ingredients, such as trembling, perspiration and tears are added to this bhava stage, the devotee gradually attains love of Krishna."
Srimad Bhagavatam 1.5.16 purport by Srila Prabhupada:
"The expert devotee also can discover novel ways and means to convert the non-devotees in terms of particular time and circumstance. Devotional service is dynamic activity, and the expert devotees can find out competent means to inject it into the dull brains of the materialistic population. Such transcendental activities of the devotees for the service of the Lord can bring a new order of life to the foolish society of materialistic men. Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His subsequent followers exhibited expert dexterity in this connection. By following the same method, one can bring the materialistic men of this age of quarrel into order for peaceful life and transcendental realization."
Sri Caitanya-caritamrita Adi-lia 7.31.32 purport by Srila Prabhupada:
"Here is an important point. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu wanted to invent a way to capture the Mahavadis and others who did not take interest in the Krishna consciousness movement. This is the symptom of an acharya. An acharya who comes for the service of the Lord cannot be expected to conform to the stereotype, for he must find the ways and means by which Krishna consciousness may be spread."
We would like to conclude this book by quoting the beautiful words of Srila Prabhuapada in Sri Caitanya-caritamrita Madhya-lila 16.72 purport:
"An intermediate devotee is greatly attracted to chanting the Holy Name, and by chanting he is elevated to the platform of love. If one chants the Holy Name of the Lord with great attachment, he can understand his position as an eternal servant of the spiritual master, other Vaishnavas, and Krishna Himself. Thus the intermediate Vaishnava considers himself krishna-dasa, Krishna's servant. He therefore preaches Krishna consciousness to innocent neophytes and stresses the importance of chanting the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra.
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