Title: 07 Prema Vilasa

User: Swami Gaurangapada Date: 2006-07-10 21:06:13

 

SHRILA LOKANATHA GOSVAMI TO HIS DISICPLE SHRILA NAROTTAMA (both are great Acharyas and followers of Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu) :

 

From Prema-vilasa Chapter 11:

 

(Note: Both Shrila Prabhupada and Shrila Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada have accepted Prema-vilasa as a  bonafide scripture in their commentaries to Shri Chaitanya-charitamrita Adi-lila 13.60 purport.

 

je vaishnava haibe laibe harinama; sankhya kari nama laile,

kripa karena gauradhama.

 

“Those who are Vaishavas must chant the Holy Names in a particular number everyday. Then Lord Gauranga, the supreme Abode of love will be merciful to them.

 

WHAT IS THAT NUMBER?

 

   purva abhipraye sabe laha harinama;

   keha laksha viseshatah mukhe gana.

 

“Everyone should specifically chant or sing the name loudly 100,000 times a day (64 rounds) with the mood I have described earlier.

 

EMPOWERMENT:

 

   narottama laksha nama laya sankhya kari;

 nama laile gaurangera sarva sakti dhari.

 

“O my disciple, Narottama! Please chant 100,000 names everyday while maintaining their count. If you chant in this way then you will become empowered by all the potencies of Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu.”

 

Purport by Swami Gaurangapada:

 

kali-kalera dharma——krishna-nama-sankirtana;

krishna-sakti vina nahe tara pravartana.

(Cc Antya-lila 7.11)

 

“The fundamental religious system in the Age of Kali is the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Unless empowered by Krishna, one cannot propagate the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

 

So from the above two verses, it becomes very clear that if one has to widely propogate the glories of the Holy Names, one has to get Krishna-shakti or Gauranga-shakti which is  acquired when one completes the chanting of 100,000 names (64 rounds) daily, according to Shrila Lokanatha Goswami.

 

ACHIEVE THE LOTUS FEET OF KRiShNA:

 

 krishna pada prapti laksha laile harinama;

 granthi purna haile eka karibe pranama.

 

“I again repeat that if you want to achieve the lotus feet of Lord Krishna, then you have to chant 100,000 names daily. After chanting four rounds (one granthi) or one round, you should offer obeisances to the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

 

From Prema-vilasa Chapter 17: Shrila Narottama to Shrila Kaviraja on the direct process to achieve love of Krishna:

 

 prabhura achaye sankhya tina laksha nama;

 eka laksha bhaktagane kaila kripa dana.

 

“Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu standard was to chant 3,00,000 names everyday. But He very mercifully awarded His devotees the process of chanting a minimum of 1,00,000 names of Krishna daily.

 

 shri rupa kaila laksha granthera varnana;

 tathapiha karila laksha nama grahana.

 

“Shrila Rupa Goswami has explained and quoted from over 100,000 different scriptures. Even though he was such a great scholar and devotee he himself chanted 100,000 Holy Names daily.

 

dasa gosvamira ache laksha pramana;

ei mata sarva bhakta kare harinama.

 

“Shrila Raghunatha dasa Goswami also rigidly followed the instructions of Lord Gauranga by chanting 100,000 names daily. In this way all the devotees chanted the Holy Names of the Lord daily without exception.

 

 gauranga shrimukhe rupe kahila vaishnave;

 laksha nama sankhya kari avasya karibe.

 

“Lord Gauranga gave the following instructions  to all the Vaishnavas Himself and also through Shrila Rupa Goswami: Please compulsorily chant 100,000 names of Krishna daily.”

 

SHRILA NAROTTAMA AND HIS FOLLOWERS:

 

yakhana avasara takhana layena harinama;

 ei mata laksha sankhya achaye pramana.

 

“Whenever they used to get an opportunity throughout the day, all of the devotees used to chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. In this way they used to complete the chanting of 100,000 Holy Names of the Lord daily.

 

From Prema-vilasa Chapter 18: Shrila Narottama instructs his disciples:

 

 adhanya manaye narottama apanake;

 suna sishya bandhugana kahiye tomake.

 

“Shrila Thakura Narottama considering himself worthless in his natural humility, called all his disciples, followers and friends, and spoke to them the following important instructions.

 

MOST IMPORTANT FINAL INSTRUCTION:

 

prathamei krshna-pada prapti laksha jara;

se laiba laksha-nama sankhya apanara.

 

“Those whose top priority in this life is to achieve the lotus feet of Lord Gauranga-Krishna should voluntarily chant 100,000 Holy Names of daily.”