Hindi
English
28 July 202
Make your life sublime - chant anywhere, anytime
Hare Krishna. Welcome, all of you to this Japa session. I was already pleased when I saw you all chanting.
Govardhan Prabhu wrote, “Maharaja, you're in bliss by seeing the devotees chanting." I was surprised. I was already pleased, but Govardhan Prabhu wrote this. These are Paramatma connections.
The Paramatma (super soul) knows exactly what I was thinking about. The same super soul which is present in my heart, is in everyone's heart and in Govardhan Prabhu's heart as well. The same super soul is seated in everyone's heart. He is not different from my heart to your heart. Take note of it. Eko bahusham. The one super soul divides Himself into many forms, but ultimately He is one. And this experience is proof of that. The super soul in everyone's heart knows what we are thinking and at the same time He inspires us to think also. That's why Govardhan Prabhu wrote exactly what I was thinking.
This is the proper way of using the chat session. I like this comment. This chat reminds me of Paramatma (the super soul in our heart).
premāñjana-cchurita-bhakti-vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti yaṁ śyāmasundaram acintya-guṇa-svarūpaṁ govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
Translation: "I worship the primeval Lord, Govinda, who is always seen by the devotee whose eyes are anointed with the pulp of love. He is seen in His eternal form of Śyāmasundara, situated within the heart of the devotee.”(Brahma-saṁhitā 5.38)
One day, Mahaprabhu was going to the bathroom. Gopal saw Mahaprabhu going to the bathroom. He was going with His tongue held out between His teeth. Gopal asked, "Prabhu, is something wrong?" Mahaprabhu did not say anything—if you bite your tongue, how can you say anything? Mahaprabhu only made some sound in reply and went to the bathroom. Gopal asked Him again, "Prabhu, what is wrong? Why did You go to the bathroom with Your tongue between Your teeth? What has happened to You?" Mahaprabhu explained, "My tongue has become so naughty that even when I go to the bathroom, My tongue wants to chant the holy name!"
Hearing this, Gopal became very serious and said, "Why are You saying this, Prabhu? What is the problem? You can chant everywhere and anywhere.One should chant the holy name at all times and under all circumstances, pure or impure. If you were not able to chant while defecating, how would you be able to have an auspicious death, should death suddenly come upon you at that time? It might be possible that at the time of death the Yamdutas are approaching and the jiva is frightened. According to you, one should not chant at that time also. But it is a strong recommendation…”
itna toh karna swami jab prana tan se nikale, Govinda naam leke tab prana tan se nikale
“When it is recommended that we should not forget to chant at the time of death then why should one not chant in the bathroom?”
Mahaprabhu said, "Gopal, what you are saying is right! You are my Guru. From today you are no longer Gopal, from now on you will be known as Gopal Guru!"
Later, he was known as Gopala Guru Goswami. He is the one who gave commentary on the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra which we have discussed in the past
Something similar also happened in the life of Tukarama, In the early morning, some karma kandi (one who follows Vedic literatures which recommend fruitive activities and sacrifices for elevation to heavenly planets) came to meet him at his house. He said, "Tukarama? Tukarama? Where is Tukarama? "
They said that he was not at home right now. The karma kandi asked,"Where is he?"
His family said,"He went to the washroom. You can wait till he comes." He was waiting for Tukarama. When Tukarama came back he was carrying a lota (a round water pot). This person realised that he had not as yet taken bath and he is chanting "Jai Jai Rama Krsna Hari Jai Jai Rama Krsna Hari. This person was surprised to see that Tukarama was chanting the holy names of the Lord without even taking a bath. This was not right. How was it that he doesn't know this simple etiquette? Tukarama replied, "What can I do? Sometimes, I also think that one should not chant in this situation, but I can't stop myself."
This person said,"You can't stop yourself. Let me stop you."
Tukarama replied," You may help me so that I don't chant in the washroom or at least before taking bath. Go ahead and help me” This person came and tried to close his mouth with his physical strength. Somehow he closed his mouth. But every pore of his body was chanting the holy names of the Lord. His whole body was chanting the holy names of Lord, just like he was chanting from his mouth.
Once there was a Gaudiya Vaisnava. When he was very ill a doctor came for the check up. When he put his stethoscope to check his heart beat, the doctor also heard some other sound. It was Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna. He was surprised. He looked at the face of that Vaisnava. His mouth was shut, but his soul was chanting. Although he was ill, even then he was continuously chanting.
There is one more example of Hanuman. Once Hanuman was going somewhere. He saw someone was chanting Rama Rama. Out of curiosity, Hanuman went to see who was chanting. He saw that one person in a bathroom was chanting Rama Rama. He got angry and kicked him and he said,"While defecating in such an inauspicious place why are you chanting Rama?” Then he left and reached Lord Ramacandra. There he saw some wound marks on the body of Sri Ramacandra. Hanuman enquired about that. Lord Ramacandra replied," You kicked My devotee in the bathroom while he was chanting. This is that same mark."
ksipram bhavati dharmatma sasvac-chantim nigacchati kaunteya pratijanihi na me bhaktah pranasyati
Translation: He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes. [BG 9.31]
Lord Ramachandra said, " I was there in the bathroom in the form of My holy name and you kicked him. These are the same marks given by you.” He asked for forgiveness and he realised that he had committed nama apradha and Vaisnava apradha. He also realised that even Lord Ramacandra has permitted that his holy name can be chanted anywhere.
tatrarpita niyamita smarane na kalah etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah
Translation: In Your many holy names You have kindly invested all Your transcendental potency. And in chanting these names, there are no strict rules concerning time or place. Out of Your causeless mercy, You have descended in the form of divine sound, but my great misfortune is that I have no love for Your Holy Name.” [Siksastaka Verse 2]
pātrāpātra-vicāra nāhi, nāhi sthānāsthāna yei yāṅhā pāya, tāṅhā kare prema-dāna
Translation: In distributing love of Godhead, Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His associates did not consider who was a fit candidate and who was not, nor where such distribution should or should not take place. They made no conditions. Wherever they got the opportunity the members of the Pañca-tattva distributed love of Godhead. [CC Adi Lila 7.23]
Once someone asked Srila Prabhupada, "How can we know that we are chanting properly? " Srila Prabhupada replied, "After finishing our 16 rounds, if we still have a desire to chant more, then it is a good sign. It shows that you have a taste fro harinama."
When we chant offencelessly , we increase our taste in Harinama.
