First Period of Devotional Practice (1st Yama Sadhana) - Sraddha (Firm Faith) Worship at the close of the night

Bhajan will start from Sraddha, firm faith, by serving Supreme Lord Sri Krishna we serve all. There will be no mental diversion. And in the first period you have to remember about all kinds of attainments by doing only Sri Krishna Sankirtan, RadhaKrishna Sankirtan, Mahamantra. Sri Krishna will be mine, RadhaKrishna will be mine and ultimately at every stage you can relish transcendental ambrosia at every step. Even by the glow of the Holy Name you can destroy everything, all kinds of sins and nescience.

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 also rescue us from earthly attachments).

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 and so he is addressed as guna-nidhe if he has got the aptitude to do Krishna nama, highest Holy Name. Krishna is the highest original Name, Crown of all avataras, He is Avatari. All the realized souls they worship Krishna. He is the Supreme Redeemer of all redeemers. But condition is with firm faith. Specifically emphasis has been given in this. If there is no firm faith bhajan will not start. That is to say, there should be simple-heartedness without any deceitfulness. With simple-heartedness there will be firm faith and at the earliest. Any moment we may lose this precious human birth. You should worship Him with frankness of heart. Why? Even as the glow of the Sun at dawn removes all darkness like that the glow of the holy name entering into the cave of the heart will destroys all great sins and nescience, the glow of the Holy Name, lowest glow of Namabhasa, Sanketya Namabhasa. Now directly you are not doing. Ajamila was uttering the name of his youngest son Narayana, but when he saw the messengers of God of Death, horrible figure, by seeing that out of fear he uttered 'Narayana, Narayana'. That (utterance of) 'Narayana' reached Narayana indirectly as Sun light direct becomes indirect like Sun is reflected in the tank or the pond or in the water and from that the reflection goes to the world, that is called the glow, it is not direct. Lowest abhasa, sanketya namabhasa, ‘Sanketya, parihasya, stobham, helanam eva va’ it destroyed all the great sins and even nescience, he got emancipation. So much is the glory of the Holy Name.

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

Most munificent form of Godhead is Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. To give the highest prema, Personality of Love to all He has taught Sikshastaka eight verses. And when well-established in this you will get everything. Ignoring this you will not get anything. Gradually you will get everything, carefully if you do.

prathame prathama śloka bhaja kichu din,
dvitīya ślokete tabe hauta pravīṇ
chāri śloke kramaśaḥ bhajana pakkva kara,
pañcam ślokete nija siddha deha vara

When you will do all verses, whole teachings of Sikshastaka very carefully then in the fifth verse you will realize your own transcendental form. Without the transcendental form you cannot enter into the transcendental pastimes of RadhaKrishna.

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

Only by uttering the six verses you will not get anything, may be some sort of practice. But, with heart and soul you have to do. Then you will get actual benefit. If there are offences then you will not get actual benefit. And if there are no offences then all these eight kinds of ecstatic feelings will be revealed. If there is no revelation of this then this proves you are not doing Harinam correctly, (you are doing) with offences. If you are not sincere then you will get it (after) thousands of years, thousands of births you will realize it. If you are sincere you will get very early, at the earliest. Whatever is written here by Bhakti Vinod Thakur, at every step you have to think it very seriously.

tabe jāna siddhadehe adhikāra haila,
adhikāra nā labhiyā siddhadeha bhāve,
viparjya buddhi janme śaktira abhāve

If you do not carefully practice Sikshastak you will not get the eligibility of attaining this realized state by which you can enter into the transcendental pastime.

sāvdhāne krama dhara yadi siddhi cāo,
sādhura carita dekhi śuddha buddhi pāo,
siddhadeha peye krame bhajana karile,
aṣṭakāla sevāsukha anāyāse mile,
śikṣāṣṭaka cinta kara smaraṇa kīrtan,
krame aṣṭakāla-sevā habe uddīpana

Even if there are other engagements and no time to remember all periods of all these teachings of Sikshastak, you have to do it wherever you are, whether you are cooking or doing any other service, you have to do it, you should not makeit late.

śikṣāṣṭaka cinta kara smaraṇa kīrtan,
krame aṣṭakāla-sevā habe uddīpana,
sakala anartha jābe pābe premadhana,
caturvarga phalguprāya habe adarśana

All ulterior desires will be removed and all these pursuits mundane virtue, wealth, sensuous enjoyment and desire for salvation (dharma, artha, kama, moksha) will vanish, they will be unrooted.

1st verse of Sri Sikshastaka:

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

Through Namacharya Haridas Thakur, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has taught us by doing Mahamantra you will get everything.

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)

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

Taking it for granted that we have sincerely practiced eight verses of Sikshastaka then you are eligible to think about the transcendental pastimes of RadhaKrishna, not before that.

Then, in the morning, at the close of the night along with Kirtan, not without kirtan, you have to meditate about the awakening of RadhaKrishna in the grove. Then gradually you will have the capacity to taste the mellows, rasa, we say rasa, as per scriptural precepts.

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 the right time you have to awake Krishna, not in the night, then you will commit offence. Apprehending dawn, Vrinda-Devi, at the close of the night, gives instructions to the birds among them prominent are Suk-Sari male parrot and female parrot to awaken RadhaKrishna. They are not ordinary parrots, ordinary birds. Ordinary birds cannot serve Krishna. They are one with Krishna. Krishna is served and they are the servitors. In the form of servitors they are one with Krishna. Krishna is serving Himself in the form of birds. Outside persons cannot see. The male parrot sings the glories of Krishna. By hearing that the persons who are associates, supporters of Krishna, they are encouraged. But Radharani's own associates, her supporters, they become depressed. Then Sarika sings the glories of Radharani more than Krishna. By hearing that Radharani's own personal associates are very happy and Krishna's supporters or associates become depressed. But again Suk sings the glories of Krishna more than Radha. In this way there is competition, very sweet competition and in very sweet voice which ordinary birds cannot do. They are not chattering or chirping. They are singing the glories. Here all the devotees are singing to awaken Sri Radha-vallabh. We are here to follow these birds. These birds are not ordinary birds, they are our object of worship. You should not feel insult, Oh we are birds. We shall get the ability to sing so that awakening Radha-vallabh when we actually perform. For that reason we have to pray the grace of Suk-Sarika and other birds and gopis. By hearing that glories first Radharani opens Her eyes. But Krishna is not opening. This we have to very carefully note, seriously, that Krishna has got attention to all. So we should be very careful to behave with all the devotees whether he may be Kanishta, Madhyama and Uttama. Very careful, otherwise you will commit offence, you will displease Krishna. 'amanina mana dena kirtaniya sada hari', to be humbler than a blade of grass. In that Bhakti Vinod Thakur has warned to give to (respect), even to enslaved jiva, if you neglect, then you will be deprived of the grace of Krishna. That is also considered as an offence. (So we have to be) very careful. Krishna by this pastime is showing No, I shall not open My eyes. You have not given scope to the female monkey Kakkhati, why, by seeing that her voice is very harsh. May be, but she is a devotee and she wants to serve. I shall not open My eyes until you give order. So this sort of nature of Supreme Lord we have to think seriously, you should not take it lightly. Ultimately the gopis are forced to allow the female monkey, alright you do your duty. And she makes a loud harsh sound. It seems to be harsh, but Krishna likes it because it is with devotion she has done this. And after awakening, always giving scope to all to serve Them. All these pastimes are for that. RadhaKrishna mutually see each other with wistful eyes and They go to their respective houses. all spiritual there, nothing material, and to Their respective beds. Beds can speak, they can move, not like this bed. Supreme Lord can lie on spiritual bed, not material bed.