Verses in glorification of the Holy Names from various sources (1)
Sometimes I hear devotees despair about what has happened to the Krishna movement in the West since the departure of Srila Prabhupada. Where are the flourishing temples and thriving communities? But when I see that the seeds Prabhupada sowed are fructifying in the mature cultivation of bhakti in individuals like Madanmohan Dasji and so many others, each in their own way, one cannot help but feel encouraged. I sincerely hope his work will appeal to the English speakers and that he inspires many more to follow his footsteps. Listen to him recite the Sanskrit verses of Gita chapter two along with his English translation into "heroic couplets."
I had the good fortune to spend a little time with Akinchan Krishna Das, who was a rare Goudiya Math babaji, whose kirtans stirred up the Western neophyte devotees to frenzied states of
ecstasy, some of which comes through in this playlist. In many of these recordings, he sings his signature song, Śrita-kamalā from Jayadeva's Gīṭa Govinda, with his own embellishments, some of which have come from sources outside the Gaudiya Math. To this day I try to sing it in this style.
Krishna Das Babaji was always an independent individual and stayed above the fray in Gaudiya Math schisms. I heard that once a Gaudiya Math sannyasi challenged him, saying "You are a disciple of Srila Prabhupada (Bhaktisiddhanta), why do you associate with sahajiyas?" Krishnadas answered, "Because they have all the best tunes."
He laughed a lot but spoke very little, mostly only saying the words Hare Krishna Hare Krishna constantly and laughing when people spoke to him. I have heard it said of others, but of him too it was said that doctors listening to his heartbeat heard the maha-mantra.
In keeping with what I said above, those who were there in those magic first moments of the Hare Krishna movement have so often remained faithful to their beginnings and have allowed that seed to grow and mature.
I linked here to the third in the list because in one of these recordings Babaji Maharaj recites a number of verses in glorification of the Holy Names. So I am posting here some such verses that I collected and translated. These were meant to serve as an appendix to my translation of Harināma-cintāmaṇi. I have never posted them all, though I have shared some here and there. There are too many to post all at once, so I will just start with those from Padyāvalī.
Part II, Part III
Glorifications of the Holy Name from Rupa Goswami’s Padyāvalī
jñānam asti tulitaṁ ca tulāyāṁ
prema naiva tulitaṁ tu tulāyām
siddhir eva tulitātra tulāyāṁ
kṛṣṇa-nāma tulitaṁ na tulāyām
Krishna Das Babaji was always an independent individual and stayed above the fray in Gaudiya Math schisms. I heard that once a Gaudiya Math sannyasi challenged him, saying "You are a disciple of Srila Prabhupada (Bhaktisiddhanta), why do you associate with sahajiyas?" Krishnadas answered, "Because they have all the best tunes."
He laughed a lot but spoke very little, mostly only saying the words Hare Krishna Hare Krishna constantly and laughing when people spoke to him. I have heard it said of others, but of him too it was said that doctors listening to his heartbeat heard the maha-mantra.
In keeping with what I said above, those who were there in those magic first moments of the Hare Krishna movement have so often remained faithful to their beginnings and have allowed that seed to grow and mature.
I linked here to the third in the list because in one of these recordings Babaji Maharaj recites a number of verses in glorification of the Holy Names. So I am posting here some such verses that I collected and translated. These were meant to serve as an appendix to my translation of Harināma-cintāmaṇi. I have never posted them all, though I have shared some here and there. There are too many to post all at once, so I will just start with those from Padyāvalī.
Part II, Part III
Glorifications of the Holy Name from Rupa Goswami’s Padyāvalī
prema naiva tulitaṁ tu tulāyām
siddhir eva tulitātra tulāyāṁ
kṛṣṇa-nāma tulitaṁ na tulāyām
The value of knowledge can be put on a scale
and measured.
But prema can never be placed on any scale
of comparison.
Spiritual perfection too can be placed on a scale
and measured,
but the name of Krishna cannot be weighed
or compared to anything.
and measured.
But prema can never be placed on any scale
of comparison.
Spiritual perfection too can be placed on a scale
and measured,
but the name of Krishna cannot be weighed
or compared to anything.
sakṛd udayād eva sakala-lokasya
taraṇir iva timira-jaladhiṁ
jayati jagan-maṅgalaṁ harer nāma
All glories to the Holy Name,
the most auspicious thing in the world:
Like the sun at dawn dissipates
the ocean-deep darkness of the night,
the Name destroys all our transgressions
as soon as it touches our lips.
the most auspicious thing in the world:
Like the sun at dawn dissipates
the ocean-deep darkness of the night,
the Name destroys all our transgressions
as soon as it touches our lips.
(Padyāvalī 16, Lakshmidhara, Nāma-kaumudī 1.2; CC 3.3.180)
caturbhir yad varṇaiḥ sphuṭam aghaṭi nārāyaṇa-padam
tad etad gāyanto vayam aniśam ātmānam adhunā
punīmo jānīmo na hari-paritoṣāya kim api
Lord Hari gathered up the heart of each of the four Vedas,
and constituted the name of four consonants, Nā-rā-ya-ṇa.
Knowing this, we constantly sing this name to purify our souls.
We know of nothing else in this world
that brings as much pleasure to the Lord.
and constituted the name of four consonants, Nā-rā-ya-ṇa.
Knowing this, we constantly sing this name to purify our souls.
We know of nothing else in this world
that brings as much pleasure to the Lord.
(Padyāvalī 17, anonymous)
svārājyaṁ pratipadya nirbhayam amī muktā bhavantu dvijāḥ
asmākaṁ tu kadamba-kuñja-kuhara-pronmīlad-indīvara-
śreṇī-śyāmala-dhāma-nāma juṣatāṁ janmāstu lakṣāvadhi
May the twice-born fearlessly find salvation
after attaining various perfections through yoga,
the study of the Veda, going to the deep forests to meditate,
and wandering through this holy land on pilgrimage.
Good fortune on them!
As for us, however, we ask only
that for the next hundred thousand lives
we may bask in the glory of the name of that Person
who emerges from the cave-like bower of kadamba trees
with the effulgent beauty of a blue lotus.
after attaining various perfections through yoga,
the study of the Veda, going to the deep forests to meditate,
and wandering through this holy land on pilgrimage.
Good fortune on them!
As for us, however, we ask only
that for the next hundred thousand lives
we may bask in the glory of the name of that Person
who emerges from the cave-like bower of kadamba trees
with the effulgent beauty of a blue lotus.
(Padyāvalī 18, Ishwara Puripada)
pātheyaṁ yan mumukṣoḥ sapadi parapadaprāptaye procyamānam
viśrāma-sthānam ekaṁ kavi-vara-vacasāṁ jīvanaṁ sajjanānāṁ
bījaṁ dharma-drumasya prabhavatu bhavatāṁ bhūtaye kṛṣṇa-nāma
The name of Krishna
is the fountainhead of all auspiciousness:
it is the destroyer of all the ills of the Age of Kali;
it is the purifier of all purifiers,
and the provisions the pilgrim must take
on his quest for liberation;
it can instantly give the supreme attainment,
on simply being properly uttered;
it is the one place
where all the finest words of the poets find refuge;
it is the very life of the pious and saintly
and the seed of the tree of religion.
May it forever bring you all good fortune.
is the fountainhead of all auspiciousness:
it is the destroyer of all the ills of the Age of Kali;
it is the purifier of all purifiers,
and the provisions the pilgrim must take
on his quest for liberation;
it can instantly give the supreme attainment,
on simply being properly uttered;
it is the one place
where all the finest words of the poets find refuge;
it is the very life of the pious and saintly
and the seed of the tree of religion.
May it forever bring you all good fortune.
(Padyāvalī 19, Hanuman-nāṭaka 1.1, rāma-nāma)
sātaṅkaṁ nakha-rajanīṁ kalayati śrī-citraguptaḥ kṛtī
sānandaṁ madhuparka-sambhṛti-vidhau vedhāḥ karoty udyamaṁ
vaktuṁ nāmni taveśvarābhilaṣite brūmaḥ kim anyat param
Sins quake
and the illusion of worldly well-being
itself becomes bewildered;
Chitragupta, the scribe of destiny,
fearfully picks up his scissors,
while Brahma prepares the ingredients
necessary to worship
that person
who simply desires to utter Your holy name, O Lord!
Need we say anything more than this
in its praise?
and the illusion of worldly well-being
itself becomes bewildered;
Chitragupta, the scribe of destiny,
fearfully picks up his scissors,
while Brahma prepares the ingredients
necessary to worship
that person
who simply desires to utter Your holy name, O Lord!
Need we say anything more than this
in its praise?
(Padyāvalī 20, anonymous)
ko bhaved atha tadīya-kiṅkaraḥ
kṛṣṇa-nāma jagad-eka-maṅgalaṁ
kaṇṭha-pīṭham urarīkaroti cet
Who is the Lord of the city of Death?
And what power do his messengers have over us?
What do we care?
And what power do his messengers have over us?
What do we care?
We have given a seat of honor in our throats
to the name of Krishna,
the one truly auspicious thing in this world.
to the name of Krishna,
the one truly auspicious thing in this world.
(Padyāvalī 20, Ananda Acharya)
Comments
After the breakup of the Gaudiya Matha, Babaji retired from missionary activities and settled in Nandagrama in Vraja-mandala. From there, he wrote a letter to Sridhara Maharaja in which he related that he had attained his ideal in sakhya-rati as a follower of Subala:
"He wrote a letter to me from there. I found in his language suddha-sattva—that he had attained complete satisfaction in his present life. . . . So many years had passed, so many nights of Ekadasi he kept awake and went on with his nama-bhajana. He deeply engaged himself and remarked, “I felt the highest bliss in my life in Nandagrama.” He was fond of sakhya-rati, and from the visible world to the invisible he entered—the invisible aspect of Vrndavana. He told plainly that he had much attraction for sakhya-rasa—to Subala, who has some connection with madhurya-rasa. Among all the friends of Krsna, Subala is considered to be the highest for his intimate connection with madhurya-rasa." (Sridhara Maharaja)