Jagat

This is a lengthy section in which all ten aparadhas to the Holy Name are discussed. Anuccheda 265 The Ten Offenses Against the Name of Bhagavān अत एव प्रथमस्कन्धान्तस्थितानां राज्ञः श्रेयोविविदिषावाक्यानामनन्तरं द्वितीयस्कन्धारम्भे सर्वोत्तममुत्तरं वक्तुम् (भा. २.१.८-१०)— At the end of the First Canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam , King Parīkṣit expressed his desire to know the ultimate welfare for human beings. After this the Second Canto begins, and in order to give the best reply to the King’s question, the sage Śuka first describes the supreme glory of the Bhāgavata Purāṇa in these words: इदं भागवतं नाम पुराणं ब्रह्मसम्मितम्। अधीतवान् द्वापरादौ पितुर्द्वैपायनादहम्॥ परिनिष्ठितोऽपि नैर्गुण्य उत्तमश्लोकलीलया। गृहीतचेता राजर्षे आख्यानं यदधीतवान्॥ तदहं तेऽभिधास्यामि महापौरुषिको भवान्। यस्य श्रद्दधतामाशु स्यान्मुकुन्दे मतिः सती॥ At the end of the Dvāpara-yuga, I studied the Purāṇa known as the Bhāgavata , which is equal to the Vedas, from my father, Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana...

The subject of kirtan is underway and will continue until Anu. 274. The kirtan of the Holy Namw will finish in Anu. 265, which discusses the offenses to the Holy Name. Anuccheda 263 The Primary Result of Chanting the Name is Love फलं त्विदमेव, यदाह (भा. ११.२.४०) — एवंव्रतः स्वप्रियनामकीर्त्या जातानुरागो द्रुतचित्त उच्चैः। हसत्यथो रोदिति रौति गाय- त्युन्मादवन् नृत्यति लोकबाह्यः॥ The primary result of chanting the names of Bhagavān is expressed by the sage Kavi to King Nimi: The devotee, in this manner resolved to these devotional acts, is endowed with love for Bhagavān by singing His beloved  names . His heart thus melts and like a madman, he loudly laughs, weeps, screams, sings and dances, in complete disregard of public opinion and social conventions. (SB 11.2.40) एवं "शृण्वन् सुभद्राणि रथाङ्गपाणेः" (भा. ११.२.३८) इत्याद्युक्तप्रकारं व्रतं वृत्तं यस्य, तथाभूतोऽपि स्वप्रियाणि स्वाभीष्टानि यानि नामानि, तेषां कीर्तनेन जातानुरागः। “In this manner” (...

The third week’s readings were four in number, and shorter than the previous week. I have listed them at the end of this text. I have to admit that I was surprised and pleased by the direction my readings took me this week. In the seminar on the Holy Name, one of the questions that came up was about the difference between mantra and the Holy Name. My students have been somewhat influenced by Devesh Soneji, the bright young professor who currently teaches most of the courses on Hinduism in the department. He specializes in a number of fields, including Bharatanatyam and Tantra, especially Sri Vidya, so he has given them a good background in the Tantric theory of mantras, yantras and so on. The explanation I gave in class was based on the distinctions that I have admittedly acquired from Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati and Bhakti Rakshaka Sridhar Maharaj about the difference between the Bhagavata and Pancharatra approaches to spiritual practice. The former is far less ritualistic and more...