Friday, September 12, 2008

I shall never again lament


Now it is the age of Kali. My enemies, the senses, have become very strong. The splendid path of pure devotional service is blocked by millions of thorny bushes. I'm weak and agitated. Alas! Alas! Where can I go? O Lord Caitanyacandra, if You will not give me your mercy now, what can I do? - Sri Caitanya-candramrta 6


Alas, alas! how will the desire-creeper of pure devotional service sprout in the desert of my heart? In my heart there is only one hope. I shall call out the name of Lord Caitanya. Then I shall never again lament. - Sri Caitanya-candramrta 43

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

nama-krpa - The mercy of the holy name


O Lord! Be merciful and appear on my tongue in Your holy name; dance there constantly, O Lord! I fall at your lotus feet and beg You.


Your may keep me in this world or take me to Your abode as You please, but whatever You do with me, feed me the divine nectar of Your names.


You have descended to this world to distribute the holy name, so kindly also consider me one of those You intended to bless.


I am the most lowly, whereas You are committed to the uplift of the lowest; this is our eternal relationship, O Savior of the fallen!


On the strength of this unbreakable connection between us, O Lord, I beg You to shower me with the nectar of the holy name. - by Haridasa Thakura from the Harinama Cintamani, 11.53-57

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

The meaning of Hari - by Gopal-Guru Gosvami


By chanting the name Hari, all sins are harati (destroyed). Just as fire burns even when one touches it accidentally, so if a person accidentally chants the name of hari, then all his sins are burned up. This name reveals the Lord's real form, with all his bliss and knowledge, and thus destroys ignorance and its effects. This is the meaning of the word Hari.

Or, the word Hari can mean He who takes away (harati) the three miseries of material existence from all living entities.

Or, Hari can mean He who attracts (harati) the minds of all living entities when they hear about His transcendental qualities from a guru.

Or, Hari can mean He who attracts the minds of all avatars and all people by His sweetness and beauty, which is greater than that of millions of cupids. The word hari becomes hare in the vocative case (the form of address).

Or, according to the Brahma-samhita, the person who attracts the Lord's mind by Her ideal love, Radha, is called Hara. In the vocative case, Hara becomes Hare.