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Non-Difference and Difference
Q. What is the Achintya
Bheda-Abheda (Simultanous difference and non-difference) between Gauranga Nama
and Krishna Nama?
A. by Swami Gaurangapada:
Krishna Nama and Gauranga
Nama are same but there are some differences also. The following are some
differences:
1. There are 10 offenses
to be avoided in Krishna Nama.whereas there are no offenses considered in Gaura
Nama.
2. Although Krishna is
Gauranga, but Gauranga is audarya vigraha. It is said in Navadvipa Dhama
Mahatmya that if one worships Krishna without Gauranga, then Krishna Prema will
come after a very prolonged period of time, but if Gauranga is worshipped along
with Krishna, then Krishna Prema will come in a short time.
Those who say that
Krishna Mantra includes everything so that there is no need of chanting
Gauranga Mantra, should think why
scriptures say in the above way. The actual understanding is that Krishna Prema
can be obtained very quickly by chanting Gauranga's Name. If Krishna's Name
alone, (without Gauranga's Name) is chanted then sage Narada and Pushkara
Tirtha both state in Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya that it will take millions and
millions of years to awaken Krishna Prema.
Why it is said that by
chanting Gauranga's Name along with Krishna's Name very quickly Krishna Prema
will come? This is because Gauranga's Name eradicates all types of namaparadha
(offenses) in the chanting of Krishna's name.
"namaaparaadham
sakalam vinasya
chaitanya naamashrita
maanavaanaam"
3. Lord Nityananda Prabhu
says that offenders are punished in Vrindavana but they are given Krishna Prema
in Navadvipa.
4.In Anubhasya commentary
to Chaitanya Charitaamrita, Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur says that
although Krishna Nama and Gauranga Nama are non-different from each other,
still Krishna Nama shows mercy on liberated souls and Gauranga Nama shows mercy
on fallen and offensive jivas. Hence he recommends to chant Nityananda and
Gauranga Nama.
We have to consider
whether chanting Pancha Tattva Mantra three times before kirtana and one time
before Hare Krishna mantra is sufficient for the most fallen souls of Kali
Yuga?
When Prabhupada said
chant Krishna's Name always he meant the Hare Krishna Mantra, and when he says
chant Gauranga's Name always he meant the Gauranga Mantra not the Pancha Tattva
Mantra. This is clear from the fact that he told to chant Gauranga's Name
always but not to chant Pancha Tattva
Mantra always ie. only three times before Hare Krishna Kirtana and one time
before one round of Hare Krishna.
All bonafide Vaishnava
Mantras can be chanted on Tulasi Beads. If devotees of Lord Nrisingha can chant
japa of Nrisingha Mantra on beads, if devotees of Lord Rama can chant Rama
Mantra on japa beads, if devotees of Lord Narayana can chant the Narayana
Mantra on japa beads, why can't a devotee of Lord Gauranga exclusively attached
to Lord Gauranga chant japa of the most bonafide and sublime Gauranga Mantra on
beads considering the fact that Lord Gauranga is the ultimate origin of all the
above Vishnu Tattvas and the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself?
Shrila Prabhupada said
Christians and others can chant the bonafide Names of God known in their
religions(Christ, Allah etc) on beads. Please refer science to the book the
Science of Self-Realisation.. So why would Shrila Prabhupada object to the
chanting of Lord Gauranga's name on beads especially when he came specially to
preach the Holy Name of Lord Gauranga around the world as per his own words
found in this book?
As per the greatest Vedic
book Jaiva Dharma by Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura, there are three kinds of
devotees who enter into the supreme abode of Goloka Vrindavana (Chp 17, Jaiva
Dharma):
ONE CAN SIMULTANEOUSLY WORSHIP
GAURANGA BY CHANTING THE GAURA-GOPALA MANTRA AND RADHA-KRISHNA BY CHANTING THE
HARE KRISHNA MAHA-MANTRA
Vrajanatha: What is the
final destination of the soul who is a devotee of Lord Gauranga?
Babaji: Krishna and
Gauranga are not different. They are both shelters of the feature of sweetness
(madhurya-rasa). They do have one difference. Madhurya-rasa (the Lord's
sweetness) has two features: 1. madhurya (sweetness), and 2. audarya (mercy).
When sweetness is prominent, Lord Krishna is manifested. When mercy is
prominent, Lord Gauranga is manifested. The spiritual world of Vrndavana is
divided into two abodes: 1. the abode of Lord Krishna, and 2. the abode of Lord
Gauranga. The eternally perfect and eternally liberated souls who have
sweetness first and mercy second reside in Lord Krishna's abode. They are Lord
Krishna's associates. The eternally perfect and eternally liberated souls who
have mercy first and sweetness second reside in Lord Gauranga’s abode. They are
Lord Gauranga’s associates. Some souls manifest two forms and reside in both
abodes simultaneously. Other souls manifest only one form and are present in
one of the abodes and not in the other. Souls who during the time of sadhana
worship only Lord Gauranga, at the time of attaining perfection go to Lord
Gauranga's abode and serve Him there. Souls who during the time of sadhana
worship only Lord Krishna, at the time of attaining perfection go to Lord
Krishna's abode and serve Him there. Souls who during the time of sadhana
worship both Lord Krishna and Lord Gauranga, at the time of attaining
perfection manifest two forms, go to both Lord Krishna's abode and Lord
Gaurngaa's abode, and in their two forms serve the two Lord's simultaneously in
both places. This truth: that Lord Gauranga and Lord Krishna are simultaneously
one and different from each other, is a very confidential secret.
Commentary by Swami
Gaurangapada:
So it is very clear that
there are three kinds of souls who enter the topmost Vaikuntha planet Goloka
which has two partitions: Navadvipa and Vrindavana. Those who worship only Lord
Gauranga by chanting the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas enter into
Navadvipa and those who worship only Lord Krishna by chanting the Hare Krishna
Mahamantra may enter into Vrindavana only when they become free from all
offenses which may take a very long time. The third kind of souls are those who
worship both Gauranga and Krishna simultaneously by chanting both Their Names
and they enter into both Navadvipa and Vrindavana simultaneously with two spiritual
bodies after attaining perfection. Even the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas
can take us into eternal Vrindavana as per Navadvipa Dhama Mahatmya and even
the Hare Krishna Mahamantra can take us to the eternal Navadvipa because they
are totally non-different. The only biggest problem is that since the Hare
Krishna Mahamantra and Krishna’s Name has the consideration of the ten offenses
for the conditioned souls, they may not achieve either of the two abodes even
for thousands of lifetimes or millions of years simply by only the chanting the
Hare Krishna Mahamantra as per the revealed scriptures.
It is greatly unfortunate
and inauspicious for the world that some devotees worship the Deities of Their
Lordships Shri Shri Nityananda-Gauranga daily but criticize the sublime process
of chanting The Holy Names of Nityananda
and Gauranga on a daily or regular basis on beads. This is a clearly a big
offense of differenciating between the Holy Name and Deity (Form) of the Lord.
Imagine a devotee
standing before a Deity of Their
Lordships Shri Shri Nityananda-Gauranga in a temple. And if there are 1000
visitors in that day asking which Deity is this, he or she will have to chant
the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas 1000 times each that day. So this is
not prohibited. But just because you hold the most purifying Tulasi beads in
your hand while chanting the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas it becomes a
taboo for some. To say that Krishna’s Name in the form of the Hare Krishna
Mahamantra can be chanted on japa beads and Gauranga’s Name in the form of the
Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas cannot be chanted on beads is cleary
commiting the biggest offense of considering difference between the Holy Names
of Lord Krishna and Lord Gauranga.
"Simply by chanting
or hearing the name of Lord Nityananda, the sinful inclinations in the hearts
of all the living entities in the universe are permanently destroyed and their
inherent purity is automatically awakened. On chanting or hearing the name of
Lord Nityananda, even the merchants, degraded, fallen and foolish people are
purified and immediately become realized in the Absolute Truth and great
devotees of the Lord." (SBSSTP in Shri Chaitanya Bhagavata, Madhya-Khanda
3.134 purport)