In 1945, a group of Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sādhus came to the place where Gurudeva was serving as a police officer. Amongst them were Śrīpāda Narottamānanda Brahmacārī (known as Bhaktikamala), Tridaṇḍisvāmī Bhaktikuśala Nārasiṁha Mahārāja, and Śrī Rādhānātha Prabhu.
Śrīpāda Narottamānanda Brahmacārī was a disciple of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda. He was one of the prominent preachers who served under the guidance of his senior godbrother, the renowned Ācārya Kesarī Śrīla Bhakti Prajñāna Keśava Gosvāmī Mahārāja, who is one of the dearmost disciples of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. Śrīpāda Narottamānanda Brahmacārī preached vigorously in the cities and villages throughout Bihar and Bengal, such as Paṭnā, Dumkā, Rājmahal, and Bhāgalpura.
As the world held its breath for an end to World War II, the British regime struggled with the counteractive influences of Gandhi, Subhash Candra Bose, Nehru, and other revolutionaries who strived to liberate India. Because of tension between Indian nationals and the British regime, the government monitored traveling sādhus suspecting that revolutionaries disguised themselves as saintly preachers in order to freely move about and form conspiracies.
When the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava sādhus came to preach in Sāhebaganja, Bihar, Śrīla Gurudeva was assigned to investigate their intentions. He was pleased to receive this opportunity, as he was always searching for pure devotees. The preachers were invited to speak for seven days at the home of a high-ranking officer, Mr. Banarji. Gurudeva requested seven days to fully investigate the sādhus’ motives. He was granted permission and instructed to send a report afterwards to headquarters in Kolkata.
Śrīpāda Narottamānanda Prabhu was an eloquent scholar. In his discourses he focused on the teachings of the pure devotee Prahlāda, illuminating truths of the soul, the Supreme Soul, and confidential secrets of bhakti—culminating in pure love for Kṛṣṇa. Śrīpāda Narottamānanda Prabhu was fluent in Sanskrit, Bengali, and English. Śrīla Gurudeva spoke Hindi and English, but only partially understood Bengali. After the lectures, Gurudeva asked Śrīpāda Narottamānanda Prabhu questions concerning the Gauḍīya philosophy, and they discussed tattva (essential truth) in English. The other devotees present were happy to see Gurudeva’s sincere interest. They observed his deep faith and knowledge of śāstra (scripture) and could understand he was from a Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa family.
Śrīla Gurudeva attended Narottamānanda Prabhu’s discourses attired in traditional Vaiṣṇava cloth. He heard and participated while the Vaiṣṇavas sang the pañca-tattva-mantra and mahāmantra. After class Śrīla Gurudeva partook of mahā-prasāda and then inquired from Narottamānanda Prabhu about the Gauḍīya philosophy.
Śrīla Gurudeva asked questions such as: “What is your sampradāya’s conception of the soul? Why do some gurus teach that the body is the self and serving the body, family, and humanity is service of the soul and Bhagavān? Why do people run after illusory objects of māyā, ignoring God? How can one realize the identity of the soul and truly serve God?”
Śrīpāda Narottamānanda Prabhu explained, “The living entities come from the marginal energy, the middle plane separating the spiritual and material realms. From this marginal situation they can either glance towards God and go to His realm, or glance towards māyā and consequently fall into material existence. The embodied souls of this world have turned away from their true nature, which is to love and serve God. They want immediate gratification. They have no taste for spiritual life, and cannot give up sense enjoyment. To help the generally sinful populace who have no desire to cross beyond māyā lead a moral life, teachers proclaim that God will be pleased with those who serve family and society. This is only a preliminary step on the path to self-realization and at best can help one collect pious merits through occasional service to sādhus. The soul is not satisfied by material activities and thus always moves in search of happiness found through temporary relationships. A fortunate person comes in contact with a pure devotee and practices the sādhana of bhakti-yoga under his guidance. This process gradually removes the layers of illusion covering the soul and reveals the true self. When empowered by sādhus, people acquire the willpower needed to follow the transcendental path leading to Kṛṣṇa. Only pure love can quench the soul’s thirst for happiness. Śrīmatī Rādhārānī is the personification of pure love for Kṛṣṇa. By the mercy of Her representatives one can be perfected and personally serve Kṛṣṇa in an inherent spiritual form.”
Śrīla Gurudeva then asked, “Before your discourse this evening, I heard the brahmacārīs singing Hare Kṛṣṇa before Hare Rāma in the mahāmantra. What is the reason for this? I have seen Hare Rāma written first in Hindustani books. Why do you chant Hare Kṛṣṇa first? Kṛṣṇa appeared in Dvāpara-yuga, whereas Lord Rāma appeared before Him in Tretā-yuga.”
Śrīpāda Narottamānanda Prabhu replied, “Modern authors who claim in their books that Hare Rāma should be chanted before Hare Kṛṣṇa show their ignorance of Vedic injunction. The specific mantra prescribed for Kali-yuga is known as the mahāmantra—the great mantra for deliverance. It is elucidated in the Kali-santaraṇa Upaniṣad:
hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare hare hare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare ṣoḍaśaitāni nāmāni dvātriṁśad varṇakāni hi kalau yuge mahā-mantraḥ sammato jīva-tāraṇe
‘This mahāmantra consists of sixteen names and thirty-two syllables. In Kali-yuga this mantra can deliver all living entities.’
“Chanting Bhagavān’s names is instructed for all ages, but for each yuga there is also a specific process to attain salvation as mentioned in the Vedas. In Satya-yuga the process is meditation, and the mantra for this meditation is:
nārāyaṇa-parā vedāh nārāyaṇa-parākṣarāḥ nārāyaṇa-parā-muktiḥ nārāyaṇa-parā-gatiḥ
“In Tretā-yuga the process of liberation is Vedic fire sacrifices along with the following mantra:
rāma nārāyaṇānanta mukunda madhusūdana kṛṣṇa keśava kaṁsāre hare vaikuṇṭha vāmana
“In Dvāpara-yuga the process is worship of the Deity form of the Lord along with the mantra:
hare murāre madhu-kaiṭabhāre gopāla govinda mukunda śaure yajñeśa nārāyaṇa kṛṣṇa viṣṇo nirāśrayaṁ māṁ jagadīśa rakṣa
“In the present age of Kali, the results achieved by other processes in different ages are all contained within the chanting of Bhagavān’s holy names, as described in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.3.52:
kṛte yad-dhyāyato viṣṇuṁ tretāyāṁ yajato makhaiḥ dvāpare paricaryāyāṁ kalau tad dhari-kīrtanāt
‘What was realized in Satya-yuga by meditating on Viṣṇu; what was achieved in Tretā-yuga by sacrifice; and what was attained in Dvāpara-yuga by service to the Deity, can be availed of in Kali-yuga only by chanting the holy name of Hari.’”
Narottamānanda Prabhu continued, “In this age of Kali, spiritual practices are difficult because all material actions have some contamination. The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 12.3.51 states:
kaler doṣa-nidhe rājan asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet
‘Although the age of Kali is a sea of faults, one can easily be liberated from material existence by chanting Kṛṣṇa’s names in saintly company.’
harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalam kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
Bṛhan-nāradīya Purāṇa
‘In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.’
“Chanting the harināma-mahāmantra is the supreme religious ceremony of this age. While chanting, the divine sound of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa’s names enter one’s ears, flow into the heart, and cleanse the layers of ignorance covering the true nature of the soul. It is not difficult to participate in Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement. Grueling austerities are not required. Simply chant ‘Hare Kṛṣṇa.’ In Kali-yuga, Kṛṣṇa appeared as Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Exhibiting the role of a devotee, He propogated the chanting of His own names:
kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣā kṛṣṇaṁ sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 11.5.32
‘In the Age of Kali, taking up the the method of worship known as the saṅkīrtana-yajña, or the congregational chanting of the holy name, intelligent persons adore that incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Kṛṣṇa, whose complexion is fair, and who is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons, and confidential companions.’”
Śrīpāda Narottamānanda Prabhu then recited dozens of verses from Vedic scripture as evidence that Lord Caitanya is the direct manifestation of the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa in Kali-yuga.
Śrīla Gurudeva remembered his dream as a boy, when Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa came to him and said They had appeared in Kali-yuga as Gaura-Nitāi. Gurudeva asked, “Are Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa also identical to Caitanya-Nityānanda?”
“Yes,” Narottamānanda Prabhu said. “In the authorized biographies of Caitanya Mahāprabhu it is mentioned that Mahāprabhu once gave darśana of His different incarnations for twenty-one hours, according to His devotees’ specified form of their worshipable Lord. God appears in different forms for the pleasure of His devotees, for each soul has an inherent relation with a specific aspect of God. For Murārī Gupta, Mahāprabhu showed His form as Lord Rāma. For other devotees, who had attraction to other incarnations, Mahāprabhu appeared before them as Varāhadeva, Nṛsiṁhadeva, and so forth.”
Gurudeva then asked, “What is the difference between harināma-saṅkīrtana and the gāyatrī-mantra?”
“The gāyatrī-mantra controls the mind, destroys impediments to bhakti, and protects one from sinful tendencies. Harināma-śaṅkīrtana kindles pure love and the soul’s eternal relation with God.”
“In the second half of the mahāmantra, which aspect of Kṛṣṇa does ‘Rāma’ refer to? Who is higher, Kṛṣṇa or Rāma?” Gurudeva asked.
“Scripture states that the word Rāma in the mahāmantra refers to Rādhā-ramaṇa—a name of Kṛṣṇa indicating He who dallies with Śrīmatī Rādhārānī. It does not refer to Lord Rāma of Ayodhyā. In this mantra, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa are entreated to bestow Their eternal loving service.
“The Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (1.3.28) informs us that Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Absolute Truth, the cause of all causes, and source of all incarnations of the Divinity—ete cāṁśa-kalāḥ puṁsaḥ kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam.
All incarnations, beginning with Rāma, are the parts, or parts of the parts of the Original Supreme Person, Kṛṣṇa. Brahmā, the architect of the material universe, confirmed this when he realized the Absolute Truth through meditation. Lord Brahmā prayed:
īśvaraḥ paramaḥ kṛṣṇaḥ sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ anādir ādir govindaḥ sarva-kāraṇa-kāraṇam
Brahma-samhita 5.1
‘The Supreme Personality Kṛṣṇa, or Govinda, is the embodiment of eternity, knowledge, and bliss. He is the controller of all controllers, and the source of all incarnations. He has neither beginning nor origin. He is the original source of everything and the cause of all causes.’
“Govinda is another name for Vraja Kṛṣṇa. Govinda means the giver of pleasure to the go, which, in Sanskrit, means: the senses, cows of Vraja, the gopas and gopīs of Vraja (cowherd men and women of Vraja), and also Gokula. He who lives in Gokula and is dear to everyone is called Govinda. He is the Lord of all.
“The Ṛg Veda, 2.22.164.31 states: apaśyaṁ gopām aṇipadyamā namā ca parā ca pathibhiś carantam sa-sadhrīcīḥ sa viṣucīr vasāna āvarīvartti-bhuvaneṣv antaḥ—‘I have beheld a boy (Gopāla) who appears in the dynasty of cowherds and who is infallible and indestructible. He moves mysteriously, sometimes coming near and sometimes going far away. He is attired in fine silks of riotous hues. In this way, He repeatedly exhibits His manifold pastimes in this and the transcendental world.’
“The Gopāla-tāpanī Upaniṣad (Pūrva 2.8) states: eko vaśī sarva-gaḥ kṛṣṇa īḍyaḥ eko ‘pi san bahudhā yo ‘vabhāti—‘The one controller of all, the all-pervading, unparalleled Supreme Personality Kṛṣṇa, is the supreme worshipable object for the demigods, humans, and all living beings.’
“Brahmā explains later in the Brahma-Saṁhitā that Lord Rāma and all other incarnations manifest from the Original Personality, Śrī Kṛṣṇa:
rāmādi-mūrtiṣu kalā-niyamena tiṣṭhan nānāvatāram akarod bhuvaneṣu kintu kṛṣṇaḥ svayaṁ samabhavat paramaḥ pumān yo govindam ādi-puruṣaṁ tam ahaṁ bhajāmi
Brahma-saṁhitā 5.39
‘I worship the original Personality, Govinda, who manifests Himself in the material world as Rāmacandra and many other incarnations, who are His plenary portions and sub-portions, and who personally appears as Kṛṣṇa.’ ”
Narottamānanda Prabhu continued, “There is a special distinction between Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, and other incarnations. Kṛṣṇa, as present in Vraja, is the highest form of the Absolute Truth. He is the zenith of opulence and sweetness and is the root source of all other incarnations. Lord Rāma is māryadā-puruṣottama, the Supreme Person who teaches how to follow religious principles, while Kṛṣṇa is līlā-puruṣottama, the Supreme Person who engages in sweet, loving pastimes. Rāma and Kṛṣṇa are identical according to tattva; however, according to rasa there is a distinction between Them. Rāma came to establish morality and pious conduct in relation to this world. Kṛṣṇa, on the other hand, came to attract people to Vraja through a glimpse of His sweet activities. Kṛṣṇa is raso vai saḥ (Taittirīya Upaniṣad 2.7.2)—the embodiment of all divine loving flavors. Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s mercy is essential to properly understand the glories of Kṛṣṇa and divine relation with Him in the highest spiritual abode.
“Kṛṣṇa has sixty intrinsic qualities in His personal expansions as Rāma and Nārāyaṇa. Vaikuṇṭha, where Viṣṇu resides, is the domain of opulence, whereas Vraja, the abode of Kṛṣṇa, is a place of unalloyed sweetness. In Vraja, Kṛṣṇa has four unique attributes beyond those of Viṣṇu: (1) the captivating beauty of His eternal form, (2) the sweetness of His flute-playing, (3) the sweetness of His pastimes with the residents of Vraja, (4) and the special sweetness of His love in Vraja. The sweetness of the love between Kṛṣṇa and the Vrajavāsīs is so exalted that all opulence is feeble in comparison.”
“How should one chant harināma?” Gurudeva asked.
“Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, ‘In all places, at all times, and in all circumstances, chant the mahāmantra.’ There is no rule governing how or when to chant. However, a faithless person can pass many lives chanting without coming close to perfection. Kṛṣṇa reveals Himself to the dedicated practitioner who has faith in His names.”
Affectionately concluding the discussion, Narottamānanda Prabhu and Śrīla Gurudeva retired for the night. Gurudeva contemplated what he had heard, and for the first time felt satisfied with the responses to his inquiries. The Gauḍīya philosophy intrigued him and he determined to apply what he had heard in his life.
Excerpted from the Bhakta Bandhav Publication “Sri Guru Darsana“.