Kirtaniya sada hari
Kirtaniya sada hari
It is mandatory to know the difference between Namaparadha (offences against the Holy Name), Namabhasa (semblance of the Holy Name) and Shuddha Nama (pure Holy Name) from a genuine Jagat Guru or World Preceptor in the Preceptorial Line of Succession for attaining the ultimate aim of human life which is Sri Krishna Prema. Mechanical and unscientific chanting of the Holy names even for crores of ages will not benefit us if we wish to attain Sri Krishna Prema. These three stages viz. Namaparadha, Namabhasa and Shuddha Nama can be compared with darkness, twilight and light respectively. Twilight dispels darkness. Similarly the darkness of Namaparadha is removed when Namabhasa dawns on the horizon of one’s mind. Both the darkness of Namaparadha and Namabhasa vanish when the bright light of the divine sun of Shuddha Nama or the Pure Holy Name appears in the horizon of our vishuddha-sattva or super pure existence full of love for Sri Krishna.
Namaparadha is the worst stage. It can yield worldly enjoyments or bhukti (opposite of Bhakti) only. One who commits Namaparadha can never go beyond this material universe. Sufferings are in store for such a person in every other birth as Namapradha is many times heavier than all other offences and sins. Hence a true Guru or Divine Master will always instruct his disciples to be cautious about the offences against the Holy Name.
Namabhasa is a better stage. It frees us from the bondage of Maya. It enables us to chant the Name without offence. With the appearance of Namabhas all kinds of evils like sins, offences etc. automatically disappear from our minds. It yields mukti or liberation. The mind thus freed from all worldliness can take to the chanting of the pure Holy Name of the Lord. However neither Namaparadha nor Namabhasa is desirable for those who desire Sri Krishna Prema.
For such devotees nothing less than Shuddha Nama or Pure Names of the Lord will be beneficial. The pure Name of the Lord is one and the same with Sri Krishna Himself. They are identical. However Krishna’s Name is more merciful and kind than Krishna Himself. Pure Nama yields Krishna Prema or Divine Love for Krishna. This is called the Panchama Purushartha or the fifth object of human pursuit. The joys of pursuing dharma, artha, kama and moksha (religion, wealth, material desires and liberation) dwindle into insignificance in front of the ever-renewing and ever- increasing bliss of Sri Krishna Prema or Divine Love for Sri Krishna. This Prema is the result of offenceless chanting of the Names of Sri Krishna. This kind of divine love or Prema is the summum bonum of human life.
It is important to know what is meant by Namaparadha. Srila Vyasdeva has most mercifully discussed in the Padma Purana a list of the ten offences most frequently committed against the Holy Names. Offences are different and graver than sins. To read about the ten offences in detail refer to the discourse: Ten offences against the Holy Names of the Lord.
What is Namabhasa or Semblance of the Holy Name?
It is that condition of the chanter where there is no offence against the Holy Name but at the same time there is no loving relationship with the Lord. Even before sunrise, the sun dispels darkness and drives away thieves, fierce animals etc by its faint light. Similarly the Name-Sun has not yet risen; but its twilight appearance is Namabhasa which drives away sins, offences, ignorance, worldly attachment and all other evils and illumines the heart, making it fit for serving the Pure Holy Name.
Namabhasa is of four kinds:
1. Sanketa: means to utter the Lord’s Name while aiming at something else or calling somebody else.
Example: Ajamila performed Namabhasa at the time of his departure from this world by calling his youngest son Narayana (The Lord’s Name). In this case he actually wanted to call his son and not the Lord. Yet by dint of Namabhasa he became free from all sins and liberated from the clutches of Maya. Then he performed Shuddha Nama bhajan or pure chanting of the Names of the Lord and attained Vaikuntha, the Abode of Lord Narayana.
2. Parihas: means to utter the Names of the Lord while mocking at or mimicing someone. If such an utterer has no offence it is considered to be Namabhas.
3. Stobh: means to utter the Lord’s Names while singing some songs or uttering some words. In this case the person is unmindful of the Lord’s Name that comes in his songs or words. Yet it is considered Namabhasa.
4. Hela: means to utter the Lord’s Names carelessly i.e. while eating, sleeping, playing and so on.
These four types of Namabhasa occur ignorantly or without the knowledge of the person uttering the Names of the Lord. If such chanter has no offence, he will attain freedom from Maya as a result of Namabhasa.
After Namabhasa, pure Name appears. Gone is the darkness of night. Gone is the twilight before sun-rise. Now the sun has risen in all its pristine glory. The Name-Sun now reveals His infinite variety of ever-renewing beauty, bliss, love and wonderful pastimes to the chanter. By the grace of the Name, the pure chanter now sees his own identity and the identity of the Lord. In this stage he attains Krishna Prema, the Supreme Need of human life. The more he chants the pure Name, the more he gets increasingly intoxicated with the nectarine bliss of Divine Love towards Krishna and His Names. A pure chanter of the Holy Name is overpowered by eight Sattwika Bikaras (Transcendental Symptoms of Love):
Thakur Srila Bhaktivinode has beautifully depicted this stage in one of his songs of Saranagati beginning with the line Krishnanaam dhare kato bal.
Srila Rupa Goswamipada, the most intimate and loving associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has written a beautiful verse glorifying the Holy Name in his celebrated book Bidagdha Madhav (1-12). This verse reveals the transcendental feelings of the heart of a chanter of Pure Name in the following words:
“Tunde tandaviniratim vitanute tundavali labdhaye
“I don’t know what ambrosia the letters of the name of Krishna are made of. Lo! When this Name dances in my mouth, I pine for possessing many a mouth. When this Name enters my ears I yearn for having a hundred million ears. When this name appears as a beloved friend in the courtyard of my heart, the sweetness of His Company overpowers the functions of all my senses.”
Results of the pure chanting of Sri Harinama
Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the Redeemer or the fallen souls of Kali Yuga has mercifully delineated results of pure chanting of the Names of the Lord in his celebrated Shri Shikshastakam:
The chanting of the Holy Names of Sri Krishna, if done properly,
1. Sweeps off all dirt from the mirrors of our hearts.
2. Extinguishes the great fire of suffering from the cycle of births and deaths.
3. Sheds moonlight upon the lily of eternal good.
4. Swells the ocean of ecstatic bliss.
6. Bathes the whole self including the body, mind, and soul in Divine Bliss.
Such is the power of the pure Name of Sri Krishna if uttered once. Those who are unable to experience the above results of chanting need to realize that they are not chanting Shuddha Nama or the Pure Name. Chanting with offence will not be beneficial even if done for an infinite number of years. Serious devotees thus need to make sincere efforts to avoid offence . Transcendental humility and complete surrender to the Preceptor or Gurudev is mandatory to be able to reach the level of Shuddha Nama or pure chanting. The Acharyas also stress the importance of chanting the Names of Sri Sri Gauranga, Nityananda, and Their Divine Associates to avoid committing offences while chanting. These Names are more merciful towards the fallen souls of Kali Yuga and give the same benefit as the chanting of the Hari Nama or Maha Mantra. The Pancha Tattva mantra if chanted sincerely all the time helps devotees to develop attachment for pure Hari Naam.
The Pancha-tattva mantra is as follows:
Srikrishnachaitanya Prabhu Nityananda,
Sri Advaita Gadadhar Sribasadi Gaurbhaktabrinda.