First Period of Devotional Practice (Ist Yama Sadhana) Worship at the close of the night - Sraddha (Firm Faith)

Without Sraddha bhajan cannot be started. Sraddha means firm faith that if you serve Supreme Lord you serve all. There should not be any doubt in it.

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

Therefore, glow of the Holy Name can destroy all sins and our worldly attachments. So much powerful is the chanting of the Holy Name. It is not possible to read all, only one or two verses we are consulting in regard to this. Evidence is given here from Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu.

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

That person who is richly endowed with all good qualities is addressed as guna-nidhe who has got the aptitude to do Hari Nama. Amongst the Harinama the highest name is Krishna nama,Sarvottam, Who is the Crown of all avataras, Krishna is Avatari, Original Avatar, Who is worshiped by all realized souls. There are also differences in Hari nama. Narayana is also Hari, Vishnu is also Hari, Krishna Hari, Rama Hari, but in their manifestation there is difference. One thousand Vishnu Nama is equal to one Rama Nama, and three thousand Vishnu Nama is equal to Krishna Nama. Three Rama nama if you do and one Krishna Nama is equal to three thousand Vishnu Nama. So, in Bhakti Rasamrta Sindhu, it is written if you are fortunate and richly endowed with all good qualities, he has got aptitude to Krishna Nama, i.e. with firm faith that by serving Krishna we serve all, that is to say without hypocrisy and at the earliest. Any moment this precious human birth we may lose, there is no certainty. And with frankness of heart, with simple-heartedness, with plain saying, you have to do worship. Why? At the glow of the Sun, full sunrise is not necessary, removes all darkness and all the difficulties created by darkness, like that the glow of the holy name can, by entering the cave of the heart can destroy all great sins and nescience.

parama pāvana kṛṣṇa tānhānra charaṇa,
niskapata śraddhā saha karaha bhajan,
jānra nāma suryābhās antare praveśi,
dhvaṁsa kare mahāpāp andhakārarāśi,
ei śikṣāṣṭake kahe kṛṣṇalīlā-kram,
ihāte bhajan krame līlāra udgam

If you want to remember or practice all eight periods of pastimes of RadhaKrishna you have to be well-established in Sikshastaka. Sikshastaka Verse I is first, otherwise you will not be able to enter into the transcendental pastimes of Sri Sri RadhaKrishna.

ei śikṣāṣṭake kahe kṛṣṇalīlā-kram

Eight verses for eight periods, gradually you will have progress. Gradual procedure has been shown here. If you practice then you will get the actual fruit and pastimes will be revealed in the heart.

prathame prathama śloka bhaja kichu din,
dvitīya ślokete tabe hauta pravīṇ

Everything depends upon practice. Daily we are remembering the same thing for this reason. Now we have heard and after sometime we forget. Forgetfulness is our main defect. For that reason constant hammering is necessary.

chāri śloke kramaśaḥ bhajana pakkva kara,
pañcam ślokete nija siddha deha vara

Every verse you have to practice very carefully, not only reading, so that you can get the objective. Fifth verse you have to think about your own realized form, your siddha deha. Without realized form you cannot enter into the transcendental realm.

ei śloke siddhadehe rādhāpadāśraya,
ārambha kariyā krame unnati udaya,
chaya śloka bhajite anartha dure gela,
tabe jāna siddhadehe adhikāra haila

In sixth verse, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu explains that you examine yourself whether you are eligible to enter into the transcendental pastimes or not. Here when you will entitled when doing Harinam you will have ecstatic feelings, aṣṭa-sāttvika vikāra, eight principal ecstatic symptoms like tears will roll down, and there will be other ecstatic feelings like horripilation, etc. You can understand by the fruit that you have practiced Sikshastaka and have got the realized form. Then you can enter into the transcendental realm. Transcendental realm is beyond this world. With this physical body you cannot enter.

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

You have to get the quality, you should be eligible to enter into it, otherwise there will be reverse results. Without attaining eligibility if you do it, if you think about the transcendental pastimes of RadhaKrishna, it will have reversal results.

sāvdhāne krama dhara yadi siddhi cāo,
sādhura carita dekhi śuddha buddhi pāo,
siddhadeha peye krame bhajana karile,
aṣṭakāla sevāsukha anāyāse mile

Very carefully you have to follow the gradual procedure. See what the bona-fide sadhus are doing. You have to follow that.

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

Very carefully you have to go through Sikshastaka. Do not think it is not important. First you have to remember our Param Gurudev in Kartika Vrata only introduced Sikshastaka and not the transcendental pastimes. Now Bhakti Vinod Thakur has given us scope to know about the transcendental pastimes, but we should be well-established in Sikshastaka.

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

All ulterior desires, motives will be removed and get graced wealth, love for Krishna, highest objective.

caturvarga phalguprāya habe adarśana

Other pursuits, desires, mundane virtue, wealth, sensuous enjoyment and desire for salvation (dharma artha kama moksha) all these things 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

By Sri Krishna Sankirtan you will get principal seven attainments, means all kinds of attainments.

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 Sankirtan!!

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)

“By performing congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra, one can destroy the sinful condition of material existence, purify the unclean heart and awaken all varieties of devotional service. The result of chanting is that one awakens his love for Krishna and tastes transcendental bliss. Ultimately, one attains the association of Krishna and engages in His devotional service, as if immersing himself in a great ocean of love.”

Thinking of Krishna-lila (pastimes of Krishna)

Here Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur has written about the transcendental pastimes of RadhaKrishna to give us the knowledge of such transcendental realm that is there. We have got no knowledge about this, for that reason. There are many superior realms but this world only and the highest transcendental realm is Vrrndavana Dham. And you have to think about it while doing Hari Sankirtan you have to simultaneously think about the pastimes. Everything depends upon thinking.

niśānte kīrtane kuñja-bhaṅga kare dhyāna,
krame krame citta lagne rasera vidhān

If you hear about it you may not be able to understand but you may have a longing, desire to know what is the way to reach that realm, that sort of strong desire may come and that will take you there. For that reason deeply you have to understand it.

At the close of the night while doing kirtan you have to think about the awakening of RadhaKrishna in the grove, you have to think, meditate that. Then gradually you shall get that transcendental relish given in the devotional scriptural precept.

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

At dawn apprehending day break Vrinda Devi for awakening of RadhaKrishna, They are making the pastime of sleeping, actually They are not sleeping there in the transcendental realm because there is no such rajo guna, tamo guna and sattva guna. By tamo guna we sleep. It is transcendental realm, aprakrta, beyond our comprehension. But for getting transcendental bliss Yoga maya, spiritual potency of Supreme Lord is making this pastimes and RadhaKrishna are getting immense happiness and also giving happiness to all other devotees. For that reason, here Vrnda Devi for awakening of RadhaKrishna first at the close of the night sends all the birds. The birds are not ordinary birds, the birds are the personal associates of Supreme Lord Sri Krishna. And among them two birds are principal, male parrot and female parrot Suk-Sarika. Male parrot Suk sings about the glories of Krishna. By hearing the glory of Krishna those supporters in Krishna’s group they become very much satisfied. And those who belong to Radharani’s group they become depressed. Then Sarika, female parrot speaks more glories of Radharani more than Krishna’s. Then the supporters of Radharani and sakhis who are directly connected with Radharani they become very much glad. In this way competition is going with sweet voice, very sweet tone so that RadhaKrishna automatically open Their eyes. There should not be any force. With very sweet voice you have to sing the glories of RadhaKrishna. And after that gopis also start singing. By hearing this very sweet songs and glories of RadhaKrishna, Radharani opens Her eyes first. But Krishna has not opened His eyes. When Radharani is awakened then gopis are glad that now our responsibility to awaken Krishna is gone. Now it is the responsibility of Rahdarani to awaken Krishna. As long as you have responsibility so long the persons who have taken responsibility are worried but now gopis have got no worries. They think now Radharani will do it. But Radharani cannot push Krishna (saying) it is time, awake. Then it is a kind of offense. So Radharani is in difficulty, what can be done. And seeing her difficulty one female monkey, she can make a harsh sound, she wants to give relief to the gopis and Radharani. You allow me and I shall make the sound and then Krishna will open His eyes. No, No. Your sound is very harsh. Don’t try to make a sound. And Krishna also intentionally does not open His eyes. Why? She is also a devotee. Her voice may be very harsh. Devotees should be allowed to do some service. She is so eager, always looking (that female monkey) towards the gopis. Can I do it? No. Can I do it? No. And she is very much disappointed. Ultimately when Krishna is not opening His eyes they are forced to give her permission, alright, you make the sound. She makes a very harsh screaming sound. By hearing that Krishna opens His eyes. Why? Krishna is gracious to all. May be a monkey, female monkey, but she is a devotee. This harsh sound Krishna thinks it is benefit because this sound is made by a devotee. Radhakrishna are mutally looking at each other with wistful eyes. Now it is high time, others will detect. Being Supreme Lord and Absolute Counter-part of Supreme Lord Radharani, They are frightened. This is lila, pastime. If They always think I am Supreme Lord and Radharani Absolute counter-part, whole spiritual potency, there cannot be any pastimes. They forget by Yoga maya. They mutually see with wistful eyes and They go to their respective houses. The houses are closed, doors are closed, but everything there is spiritual. Krishna and Radharani enter into the closed doors and to Their respective beds to sleep.