The Gauranga Mantra In The Scriptures

Translated and Compiled By His Holiness
Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami Gaurangapada

 

The four-syllable Gauranga-mantra or the Gaura-gopala mantra is described as follows in Shri Chaitanya-charitamrita, Antya-lila 2.24,31:

 

apane bolana more, iha yadi jani; amara ista-mantra jani' kahena apani.

 

'gaura-gopala mantra' tomara cari aksara; avisvasa chada, yei kariyacha antara"

 

Nakula Brahmacari told Sivananda Sena, "You are chanting the Gaura-gopala mantra, composed of four syllables (which is your ista-mantra i.e. worshippable mantra). Now please give up the doubts that have resided within you."

 

Purport by Shrila Prabhupada:

 

Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura explains the Gaura-gopala mantra in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya. Worshipers of Shri Gaurasundara accept the four syllables 'gau-ra-an-ga' as the Gaura mantra, but pure worshipers of Radha and Krishna accept the four syllables ra-dha krs-na as the Gaura-gopala mantra. However, Vaishnavas consider Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu nondifferent from Radha-Krishna (shri-krishna-chaitanya radha-krishna nahe anya). Therefore one who chants the mantra "gauranga" and one who chants the names of Radha and Krishna are on the same level.

 

Purport by Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Amrta-pravaha-bhasya:

 

gaura-gopala-mantra-gauravadi gana 'gauranga'-name chatura-aksara gaura-mantra ke uddesya karena; kevala

krishnavadi gana ei 'gaura-gopala-mantra' sabde radha-krsnera chatura-aksara-mantrake uddesya karena.

 

"The following is the explanation of the Gaura-gopala mantra. The followers of Lord Gaura accept 'Gauranga' as the four-syllable mantra and the followers of only Krishna accept 'Radha-Krishna' as the Gaura-gopala mantra. The followers of both Lord Gaura and Lord Krishna accept either one of them as the Gaura-gopala mantra understanding that They

are non-different from each other."

 

Purport by Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami:

 

So it is very clear that the most intimate devotees of the Lord like Shrila Shivananda Sena were constantly chanting the four-syllable 'gau-ra-an-ga' Mantra which is non-different than the four syllables of 'ra-dha-krs-na'.

 

Thus the constant chanting of the name or mantra of 'Gauranga' is authorized in the revealed scriptures and implemented by the previous acharyas. The great advantage is that the ultimate benefit of 'radha-krishna' or the Hare Krishna maha-mantra can be realized by siddha and mukta souls whereas the 'Gauranga' mantra is the most prayojaniya (useful) for anartha-yukta, badha, patita (fallen conditoned) souls according to Shrila Prabhupada's purport and also the Anubhashya purport of Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta to Cc Adi 8.31 which will follow in the next messages on this subject. (Purport ends)

 

In Shri Chaitanya-mangala Sutra-khanda Verse 527 by Shrila Locana Dasa Thakura, the four-syllable Gauranga-mantra is described as the mantra through which Lord Gauranga is worshipped in Goloka Vrndavana, the topmost Vaikuntha planet in the spiritual world:

 

hema-gaura kalevara, mantra cari-aksara; sahaja vaikuntha-natha syama.

 

"The Lord sits on a golden bejewelled throne. He posseses a complexion millions of times more brilliant than the colour of molten gold. He is worshipped by all His devotees with the four-syllable mantra, 'Gauranga'."

 

Purport by Bhaktiratna Sadhu Swami:

 

Another interesting thing to note is that the 'Gauranga' mantra is also a namatmaka-mantra like the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Just like Hare Krishna maha-mantra is called a Mantra as well addressed as Harinam similarly 'Gauranga' mantra is sometimes called as the Gaura-Gopala Mantra whereas soemtimes called as Gauranam. So the 'Gauranga'

mantra is for everyone including the most fallen irrespective of one's qualification. The six syllable Gaura-Mantra mentioned in the Urdhvamnaya-Tantra starting with 'klim' is given by our acharyas as fourth of the seven gayatri mantras given at the time of mantra-diksha. So it is obvious that this mantra can be chanted only on the platform of brahminical qualification. Whereas 'Gauranga' mantra has no such complications and Lord Nityananda requested everyone He met to chant it.

 

The Panca-tattva Mantra as given by Shrila Prabhupada may not be regularly chanted on the beads as instructed by Shrila Prabhupada himself.  He recommended it to be chanted only at the beginning of the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra. However there are no such restrictions given by the acharyas for the 'Gauranga' Mantra. It can be chanted on

beads, or sung loudly in kirtana or even chanted mentally in the breath etc. According to mantra-shastra, one achieves mantra-siddhi if one chants the mantra 1000 times the number of syllables is the mantra. If we apply this to the 4-syllable 'Gauranga' mantra, it has to be chanted 4000 times which is around 40 rounds (1 round =108 times). So we requesting whoever we meet to atleast chant 40 rounds of the 'Gauranga' Mantra daily along with atleast 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra as recommended by Shrila Prabhupada.

 

This will surely help anyone and everyone in bringing them very quickly to the platform of offenseless chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and love of God. As said by Shrila Narottama 'Gaurangera nama loya, tara hoya premodaya...

 

Though the Pancha-Tattva mantra is not mentioned anywhere explicitly in the scriptures, Shrila Prabhupada gave it to us due to his extreme and causeless mercy on us to help us become quickly delivered from the ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

 

Just like Lord Krishna is the Supreme Perosnality of Godhead similarly Lord Gauranga is the self-same Krishna and the worshippable Supreme Personality of Godhead. According to Jaiva-Dharma (posted below) just like the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is the mantra thro which anyone (irrespective of high qualifications) can worship Lord Krishna, similarly Lord Gauranga (who has has specifially incarnated for the sake of the most fallen, degraded souls of Kali-Yuga) also

has to have a specifically mantra through which anyone can worship Lord Gauranga. This mantra is the four syllable "GAURANGA" MANTRA. (Purport ends)

 

Lord Nityananda is always requesting the conditioned souls as follows:

 

bhaja gauranga kaha gauranga laha gaurangera nama re

ye jana gauranga bhaje sei amara prana re

 

"Worship Gauranga, chant 'Gauranga' and take the name of 'Gauranga'. Those who will worship Gauranga in this way are veritably My life and soul"

 

Lord Nityananda instructs the living entities:

 

kasta nahi, vyaya nahi na pabe yatana; shrigauranga bali nace nahika bhavana.

 

(Shri Navadvipa-dhama-mahatmya, Chp 1)

 

"There is no trouble or loss nor will you suffer anymore, if you forget yourself while dancing and chanting 'Gauranga'."

 

So one can please Lord Nityananda in the best way by always chanting 'Gauranga'.

 

Shri Ananta-samhita, Shri Chaitanya-janma-khanda, Part Two, Chapter

Three, Text 54, Lord Siva tells Parvati:

 

dharayamy urdhva-vadane, devesi samhitam imam;

mantram ca gauracandrasya, namedam sarva-mangalam.

 

"O Parvati, the controller of all the demigods, I always recite with great enthusiasm this Ananta-samhita alongwith Lord Gauranga's mantra which is most auspicious in this world."

 

Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura's Jaiva Dharma Chapter 14:

 

vrajanatha: shri gauranga yadi saksat paripurna-tattva hailena, tabe tanhara pujara vyavastha ki?

 

Vrajanatha: Since Shri Gauranga is the the original complete Absolute Truth, how should one worship Him?

 

babaji: gauranga-nama mantre gaurapuja karileo yaha haya, krishna- nama-mantre krishna-puja karileo tahai haya. krishna-mantre gaurapuja va gaura-mantre krishnapuja-sakalai eka. ihate je bheda- buddhi kare, se nitanta anabhijna ou kalira dasa.

 

Babaji: As one worships Lord Krishna by chanting the name and mantra of Lord Krishna, so one should worship Lord Gaura by chanting the name and mantra of Gauranga. One may worship Lord Gaura by chanting Krishna-

mantras, or for that matter one may worship Lord Krishna by chanting Gaura-mantras. They are all the same. Anyone who thinks Lord Krishna and Lord Gaura are different is a fool. He is a servant of Kali-yuga.

 

vrajanatha: channavatarera mantra ki-rupe paoya jaya?

 

Vrajanatha: Where to obtain the mantras to worship Lord Gauranga who has come as a covered incarnation?

 

Babaji: je tantra prakasya-avataraganera mantra prakasarupe varnana kariyachena, sei tantrei channavatarera mantra channarupe likhiya rakhiyachena. yanhadera buddhi kutila naya, tahara bujhiya laite parena.

 

Babaji: The scriptures that openly give mantras for worshipping the openly manifested incarnations of the Lord, secretly reveal the mantras for worshipping the secret and hidden incarnation of Lord Gauranga. People whose intelligence is not crooked can understand the presence of these mantras.

 

Shrila Narottama dasa Thakura sings in his various songs:

 

je gaurangera nama loy, tara hoy premodoy, tare mui jai bolihari.

 

"One who chants the name of 'Gauranga' instantly awakens his or her dormant pure love for the Lord. I (Narottama) worship such a person and surrender to him."

 

grhe ba vanete thake, 'ha gauranga' bo'le dake, narottama mage tara sanga.

 

"One may reside in the house or in the forest, but if he is feelingly calling out 'Gauranga!', then I (Narottama) want his association."

 

gauranga balite habe pulaka sarira; hari hari balite nayane ba'be nira.

 

"In the beginning, when by chanting the name of 'Gauranga', my body will feel waves of ecstasy, only then will I be able to shed tears while chanting the names of Lord Hari."