A DIVINE MESSAGE
|
|
|
2019 Sharad Poornima
|
Philosophy
Grandeur of Divine Names |
Kripalu Leelamritam
Real Pilgrimage |
Kids Story
God Takes Care of His Devotees |
Philosophy
This is a mantra from of Kali Santarn Upanishad and is called Maha Mantra.
|
हरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरे वेद |
hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare
hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare Kali Santarn Upanishad |
This was Shri Maharaj Ji’s favorite chant. He would often pick up a dholak and chant this Mahamantra in the wee hours of the morning and any other time of the day. Devotees would drown in His Divine voice developing intense feelings of devotion towards the Divine couple Shri Radha Krishna.
This hymn of Kali Santarn Upanishad has only three words; Hare, Ram and Krishna. By the rules of Sanskrit language in the Vocative case (सɾोधन कारक) when addressing O Hari! it becomes Hare, “O Ram!” remains as Ram and “O Krishna!” remains as Krishna. So, in this mantra one is calling Hari, Ram and Krishna. And these are the three names of The Supreme God and they describe His intrinsic personality.
It is a very unique in many aspects; one of them being this is the ONLY mantra in the Vedas* which does not have swar or accent marks describing the correct pronunciation of mantra.
Shri Maharaj Ji composed several couplets in the scripture Radha Govind Geet to explain the deep meaning of this unique mantra. Some of those verses are explained below.
This hymn of Kali Santarn Upanishad has only three words; Hare, Ram and Krishna. By the rules of Sanskrit language in the Vocative case (सɾोधन कारक) when addressing O Hari! it becomes Hare, “O Ram!” remains as Ram and “O Krishna!” remains as Krishna. So, in this mantra one is calling Hari, Ram and Krishna. And these are the three names of The Supreme God and they describe His intrinsic personality.
It is a very unique in many aspects; one of them being this is the ONLY mantra in the Vedas* which does not have swar or accent marks describing the correct pronunciation of mantra.
Shri Maharaj Ji composed several couplets in the scripture Radha Govind Geet to explain the deep meaning of this unique mantra. Some of those verses are explained below.
|
हरे राम मंत्र कह, गोविन्द राधे । हरि राम कृष्ण सब एक हैं बता दे ॥
राधा गोविन्द गीत |
hare rāma maṃtra kaha, govinda rādhe । hari rāma kṛṣṇa saba eka haiṃ batā de ॥
rādhā govinda gīta |
“Hari, Ram and Krishna are names of one and the same Supreme Personality”.
The word Hari is defined in Vedas as
The word Hari is defined in Vedas as
|
हरित चेतांसि मुनीनामपि स हरिः
|
harita cetāṃsi munīnāmapi sa hariḥ
|
“The One, who steals the hearts of the great sages also”.
The word Ram is defined in Vedas as
The word Ram is defined in Vedas as
|
रमन्ते योगिनोऽस्मिन् इति रामः ।
|
ramante yogino'smin iti rāmaḥ ।
|
“Practice of yoga is all about conquering the mind. Ecstatic divine personality of Shri Ram is such that even those yogis remain ever absorbed in Him”.
“The One, in whose Divine personality, the great yogis remain absorbed forever”. Yogis practice conquering their minds so that nothing would distract them.
Krishna is,
“The One, in whose Divine personality, the great yogis remain absorbed forever”. Yogis practice conquering their minds so that nothing would distract them.
Krishna is,
|
कर्षति चेतांसि योगिनामपि स कृष्णः ।
|
karṣati cetāṃsi yogināmapi sa kṛṣṇaḥ ।
|
"The One, who forcibly entices the mind of even the great yogis”.
All the three names mean the same thing. There is no difference between them at all.
The Supreme God is not only blissful but He is also the supreme bliss, which is beyond the bliss of every other object or personality. Yogi enjoys the bliss of uninterrupted transcendental meditation on the light emanating from the divine body of God. His senses become dormant to perceiving material matters. Only the Supreme divine personality, who is known as Ram, Krishna or Hari etc. can attract the mind of this yogi.
But the bliss of perceiving that Supreme God in a human form, is much higher than the bliss experienced in transcendental meditation; for in addition the Supreme Lord’s beautiful divine form offers the ecstasy of all the senses. Beholding the vision of that divine form of his Lord the yogi’s mind is forcibly attracted to this form and yogi inadvertently forgets the rapture of transcendental meditation and has no remorse either
King Janak, father of Mother Sita, was always in a state of transcendental meditation. It is known that once his one hand fell in the fire and other hand was on the chest of his beautiful queen, yet he was oblivious to both and remained absorbed in the bliss of transcendental meditation.
The same King Janak, whose transcendental bliss could be broken neither by the excruciating physical pain of getting burnt by fire nor the pleasure of embracing a beautiful lady was mesmerized by the charm of the Divine brothers Shri Ram and Laxman, when he lay his eyes on them for the first time in the Royal Gardens in Mithila, when they came to participate in the swayamvar* of princess Janaki (Mother Sita). In the olden times princesses would chose their groom in a ceremony called swayamvar. The king invites all the prospective-grooms then the princess selects her groom. When preparations of Sita's swayamvar were in full swing, king Janak stood there motionless -
All the three names mean the same thing. There is no difference between them at all.
The Supreme God is not only blissful but He is also the supreme bliss, which is beyond the bliss of every other object or personality. Yogi enjoys the bliss of uninterrupted transcendental meditation on the light emanating from the divine body of God. His senses become dormant to perceiving material matters. Only the Supreme divine personality, who is known as Ram, Krishna or Hari etc. can attract the mind of this yogi.
But the bliss of perceiving that Supreme God in a human form, is much higher than the bliss experienced in transcendental meditation; for in addition the Supreme Lord’s beautiful divine form offers the ecstasy of all the senses. Beholding the vision of that divine form of his Lord the yogi’s mind is forcibly attracted to this form and yogi inadvertently forgets the rapture of transcendental meditation and has no remorse either
King Janak, father of Mother Sita, was always in a state of transcendental meditation. It is known that once his one hand fell in the fire and other hand was on the chest of his beautiful queen, yet he was oblivious to both and remained absorbed in the bliss of transcendental meditation.
The same King Janak, whose transcendental bliss could be broken neither by the excruciating physical pain of getting burnt by fire nor the pleasure of embracing a beautiful lady was mesmerized by the charm of the Divine brothers Shri Ram and Laxman, when he lay his eyes on them for the first time in the Royal Gardens in Mithila, when they came to participate in the swayamvar* of princess Janaki (Mother Sita). In the olden times princesses would chose their groom in a ceremony called swayamvar. The king invites all the prospective-grooms then the princess selects her groom. When preparations of Sita's swayamvar were in full swing, king Janak stood there motionless -
|
गो गोचर जहँ लगि मन जाई । सो सब माया जानेहु भाई ॥
|
go gochar jahan lagi man jaee | so sab maaya jaanehu bhaee |
|
“Seeing their beautiful forms, King Janak became motionless.” His royal servants tried to awaken him so that he could prepare for the rest of the celebrations. After a long time, when King Janak came back to his senses he said, “I don’t know what is happening to me.”
|
यो वै भूमा तत्सुखम्
|
Yō vai bhūmā tatsukhaṁ
|
‘Looking at these charming boys I’m overcome with intense feelings of love towards them. My mind is no longer engrossed in the bliss of brahmanand’. Does it mean his mind was going again to the jagadanand or worldly sensual gratification? No, it can’t. He explained himself, -
|
अंधनैव नीयमाना यथान्धाः
|
aṃdhanaiva nīyamānā yathāndhā
|
“The same Brahm, who is depicted in the Vedas as unseen and formless, has appeared in an extremely attractive of these boys”. Otherwise –
|
तयोस्तु श्रेय आददानस्य साधुर्भवति । हीयतेऽर्थाद् य उ प्रेयोवृणीते ॥
|
tayostu śreya ādadānasya sādhurbhavati । hīyate'rthād ya u preyovṛṇīte ॥
|
“My naturally detached mind could never be fascinated by anyone. However, seeing these two boys my mind is attracted like a chakor is attracted to the moon.”
Yogi or gyani might meditate on God in the form of light or in a human form. Neither of those activities invalidate their devotion since even though the form is different he still loves the same God.
Hence in the next line Shri Kripalu Mahaprabhu elucidates
Yogi or gyani might meditate on God in the form of light or in a human form. Neither of those activities invalidate their devotion since even though the form is different he still loves the same God.
Hence in the next line Shri Kripalu Mahaprabhu elucidates
|
यत्पृथिव्यां व्रीहि यवं हिरण्यं पशवस्त्रियः। नालमेकस्य पर्याप्तं तस्मात्तृष्णां परित्यजेत् ॥
भा |
Yatpr̥thivyāṁ vrīhi yavaṁ hiraṇyaṁ paśavastriyaḥ.
Nālamēkasya paryāptaṁ tasmāttr̥ṣṇāṁ parityajēt Bhā |
“Hari Ram and Krishna are synonyms” just as water, aqua, jal, salil etc are synonyms of water. There is not even an iota bit of difference between the meaning of these words and the thing they represent.
|
जनयत्यर्जने दुखं तापयन्ति विपत्तिषु । मोहयन्ति च सम्पत्तौ कथमर्था सुखावहाः ॥
|
janayatyarjane dukhaṃ tāpayanti vipattiṣu ।
mohayanti ca sampattau kathamarthā sukhāvahāḥ ॥ |
“Hari is Ram and Ram is Krishna. This is the essence of this mantra”
Many innocent people observe differences in these three names; as if these names represent three different personalities. God is The ocean of bliss, sweetness, attractiveness and virtues. The same quality is depicted in the above three couplets.
Out of sheer ignorance many devotees of Shri Krishna sing only the second line of the Mahamantra (Hare Krishna Hare Krishna..) and omit the first line (Hare Ram Hare Ram..). Some sing the second line first (Hare Krishna Hare Krishna) and then the first line (Hare Ram Hare Ram) to show supremacy of their deity.
So, let it be known that regardless of which name you call Him by you are calling the same personality. Additionally, to bring this fickle mind under control, one must try to focus one’s mind on God by the practice of roopdhyan, using a chosen form of God. God has left the choice of the name, leela and attributes to the devotees. As long as the devotee calls Him lovingly the name used to call Him is immaterial.
Believing that the different names signify different Gods and considering one form of God to be superior over the other is ignorance:
Many innocent people observe differences in these three names; as if these names represent three different personalities. God is The ocean of bliss, sweetness, attractiveness and virtues. The same quality is depicted in the above three couplets.
Out of sheer ignorance many devotees of Shri Krishna sing only the second line of the Mahamantra (Hare Krishna Hare Krishna..) and omit the first line (Hare Ram Hare Ram..). Some sing the second line first (Hare Krishna Hare Krishna) and then the first line (Hare Ram Hare Ram) to show supremacy of their deity.
So, let it be known that regardless of which name you call Him by you are calling the same personality. Additionally, to bring this fickle mind under control, one must try to focus one’s mind on God by the practice of roopdhyan, using a chosen form of God. God has left the choice of the name, leela and attributes to the devotees. As long as the devotee calls Him lovingly the name used to call Him is immaterial.
Believing that the different names signify different Gods and considering one form of God to be superior over the other is ignorance:
|
हरि राम कृष्ण में जो, गोविन्द राधे । माने भेद नामापराध बता दे ॥
|
hari rāma kṛṣṇa meṃ jo, govinda rādhe । māne bheda nāmāparādha batā de ॥
|
“The one who discriminates between the different names of God – Hari, Ram and Krishna, is committing a gross spiritual transgression”. There are 10 most serious offences, which are called namaparadh (नामापराध). Such is the seriousness of these spiritual transgressions that scriptures don’t prescribe any injunction to atone for those 10 namaparadh. Differentiating and establishing supremacy of one name of God over the other, is one such spiritual transgression.
|
हरि नाम रूप एक, गोविन्द राधे । जिसको जो भाये मन को लगा दे ॥
|
hari nāma rūpa eka, govinda rādhe । jisako jo bhāye mana ko lagā de ॥
|
“The different names and forms of God relate to the same God. One can attach their mind to whichever form, attracts their mind”.
According to the need of the moment, He descended with a different name, different form and performed different kinds of pastimes (leela). Each of leela had its own unique purpose and audience. Choose the name, form, leela, attributes, and abodes etc. according to your own preference. The preference of one’s mind towards a particular form of God is to a large part influenced by the sanskars. Every action performed in this life leaves an impression on the mind. in the Future lives these impressions are called sanskaar. Therefore, God out of His immense mercy, grants jeev, the freedom to choose any of His infinite names, forms and leela.
The only word of caution being that one must NOT differentiate between names of God and consider their chosen form to be superior than the other forms of God.
According to the need of the moment, He descended with a different name, different form and performed different kinds of pastimes (leela). Each of leela had its own unique purpose and audience. Choose the name, form, leela, attributes, and abodes etc. according to your own preference. The preference of one’s mind towards a particular form of God is to a large part influenced by the sanskars. Every action performed in this life leaves an impression on the mind. in the Future lives these impressions are called sanskaar. Therefore, God out of His immense mercy, grants jeev, the freedom to choose any of His infinite names, forms and leela.
The only word of caution being that one must NOT differentiate between names of God and consider their chosen form to be superior than the other forms of God.
Kripalu Leelamritam
In Tretayug, during Ramavatar, the descension of Lord Ram, on the banks of river Ganga, Kevat (the boatman), had washed the Divine feet of Lord Ram in Shringverpur Dham, after which, Shri Ram along with Lakshman and Mother Sita got onboard his boat to cross the river Ganga. Shringverpur has since been worshipped as a holy place or teerth.
Once, many years ago, Shri Maharaj Ji took devotees to Shringaverpur Dham. Shringverpur Dham is about 31km from Mangarh towards Prayagraj. As always, Shri Maharaj Ji’s visits are accompanied by the playing of drums and melodious chanting of the sweet names of the Lord. Shri Maharaj got seated on the banks of the river and asked the devotees to take a dip in the river Ganges, if they so desired. Thinking that a dip in the river Ganga is a pious act and taking a dip in Shringeverpur Dham earns an even bigger spiritual merit, many devotees went ahead to take a dip in the river Ganges, while the others stayed with Shri Maharaj Ji, chanting keertans.
Once all the devotees came back, Shri Maharaj Ji and the group started back for Mangarh. Later in the evening, seated in the courtyard amongst all the devotees, Shri Maharaj Ji asked, "Who all took a dip in the Ganga river in Shringaverpur?” All the devotees who took the dip raised their hands enthusiastically. Shri Maharaj Ji further asked them, "What did you expect to achieve by taking a dip in the Ganga”? The devotees went quiet.
Shri Maharaj Ji then explained that all teerth (places of pilgrimage), dwell in the feet of a Guru (God-realized saint). Just by washing His feet (charanamrit) and drinking that water, one earns the spiritual merits of not just visiting one teerth but all the teerth. He further elaborated, saying, while some devotees left for taking a dip in the holy river, the keertan i.e. chanting the divine names of the Lord, was in progress. Nothing could have earned a higher spiritual merit than bathing one’s mind in the river of the Divine names in the presence of our Guru,
Once, many years ago, Shri Maharaj Ji took devotees to Shringaverpur Dham. Shringverpur Dham is about 31km from Mangarh towards Prayagraj. As always, Shri Maharaj Ji’s visits are accompanied by the playing of drums and melodious chanting of the sweet names of the Lord. Shri Maharaj got seated on the banks of the river and asked the devotees to take a dip in the river Ganges, if they so desired. Thinking that a dip in the river Ganga is a pious act and taking a dip in Shringeverpur Dham earns an even bigger spiritual merit, many devotees went ahead to take a dip in the river Ganges, while the others stayed with Shri Maharaj Ji, chanting keertans.
Once all the devotees came back, Shri Maharaj Ji and the group started back for Mangarh. Later in the evening, seated in the courtyard amongst all the devotees, Shri Maharaj Ji asked, "Who all took a dip in the Ganga river in Shringaverpur?” All the devotees who took the dip raised their hands enthusiastically. Shri Maharaj Ji further asked them, "What did you expect to achieve by taking a dip in the Ganga”? The devotees went quiet.
Shri Maharaj Ji then explained that all teerth (places of pilgrimage), dwell in the feet of a Guru (God-realized saint). Just by washing His feet (charanamrit) and drinking that water, one earns the spiritual merits of not just visiting one teerth but all the teerth. He further elaborated, saying, while some devotees left for taking a dip in the holy river, the keertan i.e. chanting the divine names of the Lord, was in progress. Nothing could have earned a higher spiritual merit than bathing one’s mind in the river of the Divine names in the presence of our Guru,
|
गुरु बिनु ब्रह्म श्यामहुँ न देंगे साथ
|
guru binu brahma śyāmahum̐ na deṃge sātha
|
" Without the grace of a Guru even God cannot help you."
Moral
Since there is no difference between God and Guru, a wise devotee doesn’t spend time, energy or money in visiting multiple places of pilgrimage and take a dip in holy rivers. He attains much higher benefits just by the true association of His Guru, attaining His foot dust and partaking the Holy water of His Charanamrit.
Moral
Since there is no difference between God and Guru, a wise devotee doesn’t spend time, energy or money in visiting multiple places of pilgrimage and take a dip in holy rivers. He attains much higher benefits just by the true association of His Guru, attaining His foot dust and partaking the Holy water of His Charanamrit.
Bibliography - Learn more
Kid's Story
Saint Tukaram Maharaj was an ardent devotee of Shri Krishna. Tukarma used to His Lord as Panduranga and was always engrossed in chanting Pandurang’s name. At one time, saint Tukaram, had invited two priests to his home to conduct a religious ceremony on the occasion of the death anniversary of his father. As per the custom, after the rituals were completed, the priests were to be gifted some dakshina (monetary gifts) and fruits. The family members could have their food only after the rituals were completed and the priests had their food.
Meanwhile Jijai waited impatiently for Tukaram to bring home the supplies, so she could start the preparations. Soon it was noon time. The priests were about to arrive. Jijai was panic stricken and didn’t know what to do. Shortly, Tukaram arrived with all the required material. Jijai immediately started the preparation. Tukaram went to the riverside to take a bath. By then, the priests had also arrived and they started the rituals. Upon completion of the rituals, Tukaram offered them fruits, milk and some money. The priests were very pleased with the offerings and left. After the priests left, the family had their food and then Tukaram told Jijai that he would now go to the temple and take some rest.
As Jijai finished cleaning up and setting everything in order, she saw Tukaram coming back to the house. He looked tired and was covered in mud and dirt all over. She was surprised to see him in that condition and coming from outside in, while she thought he was resting in the temple inside the house. Perplexed, she ran towards the temple but did not find anyone there. She then narrated the entire incident to Tukaram. Tukaram closed his eyes, joined his hands in prayer and called out to Lord Pandurang and quickly understood what had really happened.
Deeply touched by the extreme graciousness of his Lord, tears started flowing from his eyes. He said to Jijai, “You are extremely fortunate. Panduranga came home today and blessed all of you! He brought all the things you had asked me to buy and sat in my place for all the rituals”. He then explained his side of the story, how he forgot about the ceremony and stayed in the fields to help a farmer harvest his crop. He lamented that Panduranga did not find it worthwhile to meet him and left without giving His darshan to Tukaram.
As he sat down thinking of the Supreme Lord’s immense graciousness, tears of love kept rolling down his eyes. The Lord of all universes Himself came to bail out an insignificant Tukaram.
Moral
Shri Krishna has said in Gita:
Meanwhile Jijai waited impatiently for Tukaram to bring home the supplies, so she could start the preparations. Soon it was noon time. The priests were about to arrive. Jijai was panic stricken and didn’t know what to do. Shortly, Tukaram arrived with all the required material. Jijai immediately started the preparation. Tukaram went to the riverside to take a bath. By then, the priests had also arrived and they started the rituals. Upon completion of the rituals, Tukaram offered them fruits, milk and some money. The priests were very pleased with the offerings and left. After the priests left, the family had their food and then Tukaram told Jijai that he would now go to the temple and take some rest.
As Jijai finished cleaning up and setting everything in order, she saw Tukaram coming back to the house. He looked tired and was covered in mud and dirt all over. She was surprised to see him in that condition and coming from outside in, while she thought he was resting in the temple inside the house. Perplexed, she ran towards the temple but did not find anyone there. She then narrated the entire incident to Tukaram. Tukaram closed his eyes, joined his hands in prayer and called out to Lord Pandurang and quickly understood what had really happened.
Deeply touched by the extreme graciousness of his Lord, tears started flowing from his eyes. He said to Jijai, “You are extremely fortunate. Panduranga came home today and blessed all of you! He brought all the things you had asked me to buy and sat in my place for all the rituals”. He then explained his side of the story, how he forgot about the ceremony and stayed in the fields to help a farmer harvest his crop. He lamented that Panduranga did not find it worthwhile to meet him and left without giving His darshan to Tukaram.
As he sat down thinking of the Supreme Lord’s immense graciousness, tears of love kept rolling down his eyes. The Lord of all universes Himself came to bail out an insignificant Tukaram.
Moral
Shri Krishna has said in Gita:
|
अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जना: पर्युपासते |
तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् || गीता 9.22 |
ananyāścintayanto māṃ ye janā: paryupāsate |
teṣāṃ nityābhiyuktānāṃ yogakṣemaṃ vahāmyaham || gītā 9.22 |
“To those who always think of Me and engage in exclusive devotion to Me, I myself provide what they lack and preserve what they already possess.”
So, do your duties and focus on doing devotion. When that day arrives, where you become so engaged in devotion that you forget your duties (like Tukaram did), do not worry. God will personally take care of you.
So, do your duties and focus on doing devotion. When that day arrives, where you become so engaged in devotion that you forget your duties (like Tukaram did), do not worry. God will personally take care of you.
Bibliography - Learn more
Some Pointers to Explore our Literature
Indulge yourself in spiritual material - Click on the images below or the headers
Divya Sandesh
|
Divya Ras Bindu
|
Spiritual Terms
|
|
We would love to hear from you. Please
|
To get notification about our publications please subscribe by entering the information above
|
