Hari-kathaArticlesConstant Absorption In Harinama

Constant Absorption In Harinama

How is it Possible to be Continuously Absorbed in Harinama?

Those who are taror-api-sahisnuna are continuously absorbed in harinama. Be it day or night, summer or winter, hot or cold, whether people insult them or respect them, and even if they are sick and weak, their focus is unbroken. Nama Prabhu will never neglect such persons. They are able to perform continuous kirtana—kirtaniyah sada harih.

In Kali-yuga, there is no other way, no other way, no other way for deliverance other than harinama, harinama, harinama. But people of this age are very proud, and thus chant and remember names other than the names of Lord Hari. Even if they practice harinama for some time, they give up their practice soon after.

How is it possible for the jiva in Kali-yuga to be continuously absorbed in harinama? It’s only possible if we follow this third verse given by Mahaprabhu. Always be humble, tolerant, and offer all respects to others, without desiring respect for oneself. But this does not mean to become the servants of materialists. We should never offer obeisance or ask for blessings from dog-eaters and materialists.

If you go to people who are like Jagai and Madhai to ask for blessings, they will say, “Yes, I will give you blessings. Come for a drink with us.” Different people give different benedictions. If you go to a businessman, he will engage you in business. Amanina manadena does not mean to give equal respect to everyone.

ye yammana vaiṣṇava ciniyaloya
vaisnavera kṛpā tahe sarva siddhi

We offer respect according to the level of a Vaisnava.

prabhu kahena-kṛṣṇa-sevā vaiṣṇava-sevana
nirantara kara kṛṣṇa-nāma-sankīrtana
Caitanya-caritāmṛita, Madhya 15.104

Without cessation continue chanting the holy name of Lord Krsna. Whenever possible, serve Him and His devotees, the Vaisnavas.
One who continuously chants harinama is vaisnava-srestha, the greatest amongst Vaisnavas.

jahare dekhile mukhe aise kṛṣṇa-nāma
niscaya janiya ye vaiṣṇava pradhāna

By staying in the association of Guru and Vaisnavas, a desire to chant harinama arises in the heart of the sadhaka. Our respect should be one-pointed to the Vaisnavas who are worthy of respect. Our aim and object should be fixed. This is the meaning of amanina manadena.

Never expect anything in return from a maha-bhagavata Vaisnava. Whoever goes to him will automatically receive his love, mercy, blessings, kindness, and sweetness. There is no need to strive for this. People think, “Oh, I went to meet a maha-bhagavata guru, but he did not say sweet words to me, nor did he address me as his dear son or daughter.”

A maha-bhagavata is not obliged to say anything. Whether people offer him respect and obeisance or not, whoever goes and stays in his presence will receive everything from him, in the same way that everyone receives the sun’s light and heat from its rays. The maha-bhagavata’s mercy does not depend on giving or accepting respect. For him, everybody is equal. The sun distributes heat equally to those who stand in the sunlight.

How to Become Amanina Manadena?

The topmost Vaisnava has the power to give you the quality of amanina manadena. The sadhaka who takes shelter of him and follows his footsteps will automatically observe amanina manadena. Sense desires, jealousy, anarthas, and false ego will decrease automatically in the presence of that Vaisnava.

uttamā hañā vaiṣṇava habe nirabhimāna
jīve sammāna dibe jāni kṛṣṇa-adhiṣṭhāna

Mahaprabhu instructed, “Give respect to all the jivas, knowing that Krsna is present in their heart and that every soul is Krsna’s part and parcel.” We should give respect even to one who misbehaves. However, the respect given to an ordinary person and the respect given to an uttama Vaisnava should not be equal. Also, do not think, “I will determine who is a maha-bhagavata by taking a stick and beating everybody. Those who get disturbed by my beating are fallen souls and those who tolerate it are maha-bhagavatas.” Is then a person who is unable to fight back due to his weakness and sickness a maha-bhagavata?

Once, a snake charmer was playing on his flute, while his snake was dancing to the music. Haridasa Thakura came there and saw the dancing of the snake. Hearing the sound of the flute and seeing the snake dancing, Haridasa was reminded of Krsna dancing on the hoods of Kaliya, and he fell senseless on the ground in ecstasy.

Everyone present went to Haridasa Thakura, touched his feet, and put his footdust on their heads. Even the snake came and offered pranama. When Haridasa Thakura came back to his senses, he was embarrassed and left. After Haridasa Thakura left, a brahmana who had witnessed the occurrence, himself started to imitate the behavior of Haridasa Thakura, thinking he would similarly be respected. He made a show of his body shivering and fell to the ground. The snake charmer took a whip and beat the brahmana, who ran away in fear.

People asked the snake charmer, “Why did you beat that person?” He answered, “For a maha-bhagavata like Haridasa Thakura, a natural desire to offer respect comes to whoever sees him. That other person was obviously a faker.”

A maha-bhagavata will automatically cool the hearts of those around him and cause their anarthas to flee. He makes them soft and sweet, and they naturally surrender to him and offer him pranama. Even an ordinary person will have this desire. This is the glories and specialty of a maha-bhagavata. For those who don’t give respect to the maha-bhagavata, but continue to take his association, they will also gradually change.

A maha-bhagavata has no jealousy. He does not curse those who don’t respect him, nor does he favor those who do. He is continuously absorbed in harinama and therefore, due to the power of harinama, he purifies wherever he is as well as the hearts of those around him. How can the surroundings of someone who has Mahaprabhu and Nama Prabhu in his heart be polluted? How can people around him be disturbed?

Nama is cintamani. Where does this nama come from? It comes from the maha-bhagavata. If you have respect for the maha-bhagavata, harinama will never leave you. Then you will be amanina manadena. But if you have no respect for the maha-bhagavata, then Nama Prabhu will not stay with you. This is the essence of the third verse.

How can we follow the instructions of this third verse? By going to somebody who performs kirtaniyah sada harih, all these qualities will automatically come within you. But if you go away from that maha-bhagavata and forget him, it is impossible to have these qualities. You can pretend to be humble, but as soon as somebody will chastise or correct you, you will say, “Do you know who I am?”

In the Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya 20.22-26, Kaviraja Gosvami wrote:

uttamā hañā āpanāke māne tṛṇādhama
dui-prakāre sahiṣṇutā kare vṛkṣa-śama

These are the symptoms of one who chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa maha-mantra. Although he is very exalted, he thinks himself lower than the grass on the ground, and like a tree, he tolerates everything in two ways.

vṛkṣa yena kāṭileha kichu nā bolaya
śukāñā maileha kāre pānī nā māgaya

When a tree is cut down, it does not protest, and even when drying up, it does not ask anyone for water.

yei ye māgaye tāre deya āpana-dhana
gharma-vṛṣṭi sahe ānera karaye rakṣaṇa

The tree delivers its fruits, flowers and whatever else it possesses to anyone and everyone. It tolerates scorching heat and torrents of rain, yet it still gives shelter to others.

uttamā hañā vaiṣṇava habe nirabhimāna
jīve sammāna dibe jāni kṛṣṇa-adhiṣṭhāna

Although a Vaisnava is the most exalted person, he is prideless and gives all respect to everyone, knowing everyone to be the resting place of Kṛṣṇa.

ei-mātā hañā yei kṛṣṇa-nāma laya
śrī-kṛṣṇa-caraṇe tāṅra prema upajaya

If one chants the holy name of Lord Krsna in this manner, he will certainly awaken his dormant love for Krsna’s lotus feet.

Be Patient

Kaviraja Gosvami wrote how to achieve krsna-prema and vraja-bhakti. He described the process of chanting harinama. How can we quickly build a sweet relationship with Krsna? People always say ‘hurry up’ and want everything to be quick. But we must be patient in this process. Give respect to all the jivas, knowing that Krsna is present within them. But this is not enough. Ascertain who is near and dear to Krsna. Give deep respect and offer obeisance to such a person who has made his heart the playing center of krsna-nama. Develop love and faith for him, and then automatically you will develop this relationship with Krsna.

Having a high position and being regarded as great by the general public will not be helpful in the sadhaka’s life. How can one become truly great? If you go to great personalities and make a relationship with them, then you will become great. One who continuously performs hari-kirtana is superior to everyone else, and he who stays with him is really great, fortunate, and qualified. Such a Vaisnava tolerates everything and gives help to everyone without desiring any help from them in return. If you cut a tree, it will not protest, and if it is drying out, it will not ask for water.

Ignorant people misbehave, but if one does not forgive them, then how can he be called great? If he has no capacity to forgive, he is in the wrong, too. It is the nature of ignorant people to misbehave, but if the sadhaka does not forgive them, then he is not connected to Krsna and the maha-bhagavata. He is connected to bogus people, and thus takes on their bad qualities and falls down.

Anybody who has pure love for the Supreme Lord is naturally more tolerant than a tree and more humble than a blade of grass. Everybody steps on the grass and animals eat it, but the grass never protests. These qualities will automatically come to the sadhaka if he offers obeisances to the perfected devotee. And along with these qualities, bhagavata-prema will come. There is no other way to achieve this.

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