Nothing else has the power to rouse the dormant love of God in our heart and to awaken the sleeping soul, writes RADHANATH SWAMI
When Srila Prabhupada came to New York, he had very little money in his pocket — just Rs 40 which could not be converted into dollars. He had practically nothing. He did not have a healthy body — he was old and sick. He had no wealth either. All he had was a box of books. What did those books sayIJ They told the whole philosophy of Srimad Bhagavatam which culminates in the last verse of Bhagavatam that in this age of Kali, the only hope is bowing down with humility to the lord and chanting His Holy name. So, all he had was faith in the holy name and the compassionate order of his guru to spread it all over the world.
Once a devotee asked Srila Prabhupada, “Sir, why don’t I feel ecstasy when I dance in kirtanIJ” Prabhupada said, “You keep dancing and gradually this ecstasy will come.” Krishna says, “All that you do, all that you eat, do it as an offering for me.” So, instead of feeling that you are being forced to dance a certain way, just make the dance your own.
Once in Chicago, a lady asked Srila Prabhupada, “Why are only women taught to be humble and meekIJ So how is it that when we go out in the world, like to the airport that we’re supposed to be aggressiveIJ”
Prabhupada replied, “Just like when you go to the airport and there’s a man sitting in a chair and he is sleeping or whatever and you go up to him and say, “Please, wake up! Take this book. Jiva jago! Get
out of ignorance”. So Prabhupada said, “This is the aggressiveness for Krishna, for preaching Krishna consciousness. It’s transcendental. But then when you come back to the temple, you have to reverse your role, become humble and meek. Wear this necklace of tåëäd api sunécena around your neck.” So it’s a nice process, it makes Krishna Consciousness very ecstatic. Then you have aggressiveness on the other side. People are aggressive thieves. RightIJ They steal and plunder but then they talk about morality. Isn’t itIJ Some thieves may plunder a village and then they go out into the forest to divide up all the riches and one thief will say, “Now let’s divide this up morally.”
The Europeans came to America. And what did they doIJ They plundered, they killed the poor Indians, cheated the amount of land for some beads and this and that. And now the Americans, they talk about morality, but they are killing every year so many cows, so many babies, polluting the air. Polluting the water. So, we have a great opportunity in Krishna Consciousness by the mercy of lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and the mercy of Srila Prabhupada to give the world a little light which is simply in darkness. And what is that lightIJ
harer näma harer näma
harer nämaiva kevalam
kalau nästy eva nästy eva
nästy eva gatir anyathä
There is no other way, other than getting the taste for the holy names. We can learn so much scripture and we can have so much jyana and it’s good. We should learn as devotees for preaching. But really our aim should be getting the taste for the holy names. So, we can dance in ecstasy and feel transcendental joy and happiness.
Sri Chaitanya taught in every state of his life, from his infancy, he would induce everyone to chant. “Wake up, Sleeping souls!” The holy name has descended with all powers to bestow änandämbudhi-vardhanaà the inner fulfillment that everyone is searching for.” There are no hard and fast rules for chanting. That is why it is so suitable for Kali yuga.
That is the power of the holy name. Nothing else has this power to awaken the dormant ecstatic love of God from our very heart, to awaken the sleeping soul. Keep chanting Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Kali yuga is the age of superficialities. People do some religious rituals, people give in a little charity and they act in a very sophisticated cultured way and people think they’re great. But behind the scenes, they are lying, they are cheating and for their own wealth or greed, they don’t care if they crush other people’s lives and leave them with nothing. This is Kali yuga. People are so pathetically superficial. What is substanceIJ The substance is the character and the values of a person’s heart and that is what makes a person great.
That in this age of Kalyug there is no other way except the chanting of the holy names of lord Hari. I have taken that instruction as my life. My guru Maharaj told me that, ‘You take this name,’ and I started chanting and tears were flowing from my eyes, my hair were raised, my voice was choked up, my limbs were trembling, I’m becoming mad. What is this name doing to meIJ So I went to my Gurudev and asked him, ‘What’s happeningIJ’ He said ‘Very nice My son! You have attained perfection.’
The writer is an ISKCON spiritual guru
