Day 11: First Yaam

Harikatha, Sreela Bhakti Ballabh Tirtha Goswami Maharaj

3:22am to 5:46am. Chanting of the Holy Name Śrī Kṛṣṇa, completely, loudly in the company of devotees and without tenfold offences, which can bestow seven attainments—viz. cleansing of the mind-mirror, extinguishing of the forest fire of birth, death and threefold afflictions, bestowing eternal soothing benefit like moonlight, life of spiritual learning i.e. awakening of the real self, increasing of the ocean of bliss, bestowing at every step sweet taste of complete transcendental ambrosia, holy immersion of body-mind-real self—be supremely glorified.

  • Ata eva namābhāse sarva pāpa vināṣa āra samsara kṣaya
    (Sri Bhakti-Rasamrita-Sindhu, Dakshin Part, 1/52)

    By other forms of spiritual practices, yoga, jnāna or karma, you will not get this type of fruit, only the glow of the Holy Name can destroy all your sins and your bondage to the world is destroyed.

    So, you have to think about this implication.

    taṁ nirvyājam bhaja guṇa-nidhe pāvanaṁ pāvanānāṁ
    śraddhā-rajyan-matir atitarām uttamaḥ-śloka-maulim
    prodyann antaḥ-karaṇa-kuhare hanta yan-nāma-bhānor
    ābhāso ‘pi kṣapayati mahā-pātaka-dhvānta-rāśim

    The person who is richly endowed with all good qualities, who has done many good works and has got those holy impressions is addressed as guṇa-nidhe. You utter the Holy Name of Krishna, the crown of all the names, who is the Supreme Redeemer of all redeemers, Rescuer of all rescuers, with firm faith and without any deceitfulness. One should be plain hearted, there should not be any crookedness in the heart. This condition has to be fulfilled. Why? By doing Harinam what fruit can you get? Only the glow of the Sun can destroy all darkness. Like that glow of the Holy Name entering into the cave of the heart can destroy all sins completely and also ignorance, nescience.

    parama pāvana kṛṣṇa tānhānra caraṇa,
    niskapata śraddhā saha karaha bhajan,
    jānra nāma suryābhās antare praveśi,
    dhvaṁsa kare mahāpāp andhakārarāśi

    This is the glory of the Holy Name. No other practice (sādhana) is equal to this.

    ei śikṣāṣṭake kahe kṛṣṇalīlā-kram,
    ihāte bhajan krame līlāra udgam,
    prathame prathama śloka bhaja kichu din,
    dvitīya ślokete tabe hauta pravīṇ

    You have to practice all the teachings of Sikshastaka, gradually and sincerely.

    chāri śloke kramaśaḥ bhajana pakkva kara

    You have to read the whole teaching of Sikshastaka, then you will get maturity in bhajan.

    pañcam ślokete nija siddha deha vara, ei śloke siddhadehe rādhāpadāśraya,
    ārambha kariyā krame unnati udaya

    The highest stage of getting the service of the Lotus Feet of Radharani you get when you surrender to Radharani, that is the realized stage. In this way you have to progress.

    chaya śloka bhajite anartha dure gela,
    tabe jāna siddhadehe adhikāra haila

    Whether you have got the realized state or not, how can you understand? In the 6th Verse it has been written, all these ecstatic feelings will be manifested.

    nayanaṁ galad-aśru-dhārayā
    vadanaṁ gadgada-ruddhayā
    girā pulakair nicitaṁ vapuḥ kadā
    tava nāma-grahaṇe bhaviṣyati'
    (6th Verse of Sri Sikshastaka)

    Tears will roll down from the eyes. But from my eyes not a drop of tear is coming out. And this proves that we have not got a realized state.

    adhikāra nā labhiyā siddhadeha bhāve,
    viparjya buddhi janme śaktira abhāve
    sāvdhāne krama dhara yadi siddhi cāo,
    sādhura carita dekhi śuddha buddhi pāo

    Gradual procedure, gradual succession, sequence we have to give attention to it very seriously, then we can get the objective.

    siddhadeha peye krame bhajana karile,
    aṣṭakāla sevāsukha anāyāse mile,
    śikṣāṣṭaka cinta kara smaraṇa kīrtan

    You have to think about Sikshastaka, remember Sikshastaka, and you have to speak about Sikshastaka. You do.

    krame aṣṭakāla-sevā habe uddīpana,
    sakala anartha jābe pābe premadhana,
    caturvarge phalguprāya habe adarśana

    By Sikshastaka you will get everything. All ulterior desires will vanish.

    ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ
    bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
    śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ
    vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
    ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ
    prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
    sarvātma-snapanaṁ
    paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam

    All types of attainments with principally these seven attainments, you will get, by doing only saṅkīrtana without ten-fold offences. Cleansing of the mirror of the heart, extinguishing the forest fire of birth, death and threefold afflictions, bestowing eternal soothing benefit like moonlight, life of spiritual learning i.e. awakening of the real self, increasing of the ocean of bliss, bestowing at every step sweet taste of complete transcendental ambrosia, and thoroughly cleanses and cools one’s body, mind and real self. All glories to Sri Krishna saṅkīrtana!!

    saṅkīrtana haite pāpa-saṁsāra-nāśana
    citta-śuddhi, sarva-bhakti-sādhana-udgama
    kṛṣṇa-premodgama, premāmṛta-āsvādana
    kṛṣṇa-prāpti, sevāmṛta-samudre majjana
    (Chaitanya Charitamrita Antya 20.13-14)

    Only by saṅkīrtana you will get everything.

    Morning pastimes of RadhaKrishna

    After sincerely practicing Sikshastaka you will be entitled, eligible to think and meditate on the holy transcendental pastimes of RadhaKrishna.

    niśante kirtane kuñja bhaṅga kare dhyana
    krame krame citta lagne rasera vidhān

    When you are well-established in Sikshastaka, at the close of the night by performing kirtan with sincerity and without ten-fold offences, you will be able to meditate on the pastime of awakening of RadhaKrishna and gradually you will get rasa. Rasa means bliss due to delightful relations, this you will get gradually.

    rātryante trastavṛnderita bahu-vira-vaibodhitau kirasārī
    padyair-hṛdhyair api sukha-śayanād-utthitau tau sakhibhiḥ
    dṛṣṭau hṛṣṭau tadātvoditarati-lalitau kakkhaṭīgīḥ saśaṅkau
    rādhā-kṛṣṇau satṛṣṇāv api nija-nija dhāmnyāpta talpau smarāmi

    Vrinda Devi, apprehending day-break, sends Suk-Sarika (male and female parrots) and other birds to start chirping to awaken RadhaKrishna. Birds are capable of doing this service. All are transcendental spiritual birds. They are not ordinary birds. And here in this world we will also find birds do not require watch to see when there will be day-break. They can understand that. They have got that capacity. For that reason the birds are sent. At proper time at day-break they will start chirping, chattering. That is not chirping, they are singing the glories of Krishna and Radha. Male parrot sings the glories of Krishna and the female parrot sings the glories of Radha. There is competition, very sweet, so that RadhaKrishna can open their eyes automatically, willfully, not forcibly. Gopis are also doing very sweet songs. By hearing that at first Radharani opens Her eyes. But Krishna is not opening His eyes. Radharani’s sakhis are very much worried. Now as She has awakened all responsibility comes to Radharani to awaken Krishna. Gopi’s responsibility is gone. Radharani thinks about what I can do. And the female monkey by the name of Kakkhati wants to serve Krishna, but they are not allowing her because her voice is very harsh. No, you should not utter. Krishna is intentionally not opening His eyes. No, she should be given scope for service. Such is the grace of Krishna. Those who are very fortunate are able to worship Krishna. Ultimately it is going late. Then the gopis allow that female monkey to utter harshly. And the female monkey with great satisfaction utters a very harsh screaming sound. But Krishna likes that sound because it is out of love that the female monkey made the screaming sound for the service of Krishna. If Krishna is satisfied He fulfills all the desires. Mutually both Radha and Krishna are seeing with wistful eyes and fear that they may be detected. They run towards their respective houses and beds to sleep.

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