19820312 Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 8.11.8

The following is a class given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on March 12, 1982 in Calcutta, India. The class begins with a reading from the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Canto 8 Chapter 11 Text 8 and continues with the Vaiṣṇava Ke? Number 7-9.

idam — this whole material world; kāla- raśanam — is moving because of time eternal; jagat — moving forward (this whole universe); paśyanti — observe; sūrayaḥ — those who are intelligent by admission of the truth; na — not; hṛṣyanti — become jubilant; na — nor; śocanti — lament; tatra — in such; yūyam — all of you demigods; apaṇḍitāḥ — not very learned (having forgotten that you are working under eternal time).

Translation by His Divine Grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda: Seeing the movements of time, those who are cognizant of the real truth neither rejoice nor lament for different circumstances. Therefore, because you are jubilant due to your victory, you should be considered not very learned.

Purport: Bali Mahārāja knew that Indra, King of heaven, was extremely powerful, certainly more powerful than he himself. Nonetheless, Bali Mahārāja challenged Indra by saying that Indra was not a very learned person. In Bhagavad-gītā (2.11) Kṛṣṇa rebuked Arjuna by saying:

aśocyān anvaśocas tvaṁ 
prajñā-vādāṁś ca bhāṣase 
gatāsūn agatāsūṁś ca 
nānuśocanti paṇḍitāḥ

“While speaking learned words, you are mourning for what is not worthy of grief. Those who are wise lament neither for the living nor the dead.” Thus as Kṛṣṇa challenged Arjuna by saying that he was not a paṇḍita, or a learned person, Bali Mahārāja also challenged King Indra and his associates. In this material world, everything happens under the influence of time. Consequently, for a learned person who sees how things are taking place, there is no question of being sorry or happy because of the waves of material nature. After all, since we are being carried away by these waves, what is the meaning of being jubilant or morose? One who is fully conversant with the laws of nature is never jubilant or morose because of nature’s activities. In Bhagavad-gītā (2.14), Kṛṣṇa advises that one be tolerant: tāṁs titikṣasva bhārata. Following this advice of Kṛṣṇa’s, one should not be morose or unhappy because of circumstantial changes. This is the symptom of a devotee. A devotee carries out his duty in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is never unhappy in awkward circumstances. He has full faith that in such circumstances, Kṛṣṇa protects His devotee. Therefore a devotee never deviates from his prescribed duty of devotional service. The material qualities of jubilation and moroseness are present even in the demigods, who are very highly situated in the upper planetary system. Therefore, when one is undisturbed by the so-called favorable and unfavorable circumstances of this material world, he should be understood to be brahma-bhūta, or self-realized. As stated in Bhagavad-gītā (18.54), brahma-bhūtaḥ prasannātmā na śocati na kāṅkṣati: “One who is transcendentally situated at once realizes the Supreme Brahman and becomes fully joyful.” When one is undisturbed by material circumstances, he should be understood to be on the transcendental stage, above the reactions of the three modes of material nature.

Thus end the Purport by His Divine Grace Śrīla A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda.

Jayapatākā Swami: Here we see how Bali Mahārāja, the grandson of Prahlāda Mahārāja, although born in a family of demons, king of the demons, has got spiritual understanding as to the cause of suffering or enjoying in this material world.

One-time Śrīla Prabhupāda was taking us to Māyāpur, with him in his car. And then in the front of his car he used to keep a Kṛṣṇa Balarāma picture. And then he asked that, “There is Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma. They are… He asked two questions actually. The first question he asked was, “Who is more powerful – Kṛṣṇa or Balarāma. Kṛṣṇa’s elder brother, Balarāma or Kṛṣṇa Himself?” There was the picture with Balarāma having His hand on Kṛṣṇa’s shoulder, standing there. Balarāma being taller than Kṛṣṇa.

Anyone knows the answer?

Devotee: Prabhupāda said that Kṛṣṇa…

Jayapatākā Swami: You already know. Anyone… Any new bhakta?

Devotee: Kṛṣṇa.

Jayapatākā Swami: Kṛṣṇa? Why?

Devotee: Balarāma is putting his hand on Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa is holding Balarāma.

Jayapatākā Swami: Yeah. Balarāma is holding all the planets, but Kṛṣṇa is holding Balarāma. Prabhupāda used because Balarāma is having His hand on Kṛṣṇa’s shoulder. But anyway, it’s a fact that Kṛṣṇa is the basis of Balarāma.

And then all of a sudden Śrīla Prabhupāda leaned back, and he said that in this world there is the good and bad, and they are always fighting with each other. Sometimes the good overcomes, sometimes the bad overcomes. But Kṛṣṇa and Balarāma are aloof. They are neither on the side of the good or the bad. They are transcendental. And Kṛṣṇa’s devotees are also with Kṛṣṇa Balarāma. They are neither side.

So sometimes it appears that a devotee may be on the good side. This is also instructed by Śrīla Prabhupāda. But actually, the devotee is simply acting on behalf of Kṛṣṇa. Neither piety nor impiety or nor sinful activity are performed by the devotee. Two forbidden things are pāpa and puṇya, no one should do pious activity, nor should one do sinful activity.

So, Indra is fighting for his own elevation, fighting for maintaining his heavenly kingdom. So that is not very learned. So, Bali Mahārāja of course is superficially also fighting for a similar purpose, but he is adding a more philosophical touch, some Kṛṣṇa conscious philosophy that ultimately Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme controller.

So how a devotee’s mentality is situated is more important than what he is doing. Of course, there are certain things which we are restricted from doing, because that will affect our mentality. But the most important thing is that we should have our consciousness properly situated. Everything is aimed at that.

We avoid eating fish, meat, eggs, onion, garlic, taking intoxication, gambling, or having illicit sex, because these affect the consciousness. They pollute the consciousness. Similarly, gossiping, and various other things they also pollute the consciousness. Therefore, we are advised how to act, so that our consciousness may be directed to Kṛṣṇa easily.

Śrīla Prabhupāda gave us the story of the wedding party and the boatman crossing the river and they are rowing, but the boat was always anchored on the one side. So, they couldn’t get anywhere. So, where our consciousness is anchored, if it’s anchored on the lotus feet of guru and Gaurāṅga, then we will be dragged to Kṛṣṇa. If the consciousness is anchored in the mud of material life, then even we make the show of rowing back to Kṛṣṇa, we won’t make progress.

It is been explained by our previous ācāryas that, why this chanting was not always effective in other ages. I mean, it is always effective, but why especially in Kali-yuga it is effective. It’s because in other ages, you see along with chanting one naturally commits some offences. And so due to those offences the chanting effect is nullified. In this way if one chants with offensive name, he can chant for millions of births, he still won’t go back to Kṛṣṇa. But in this Kali-yuga Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu He is so kind, He does not accept the offences. That is why first before we chant,

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare 
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma,
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare,

we chant Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His Pañca-tattva’s name. Because by Their mercy all the offences are nullified. That’s why before we visit Vṛndāvana, we go to Māyāpur. By going to Māyāpur, one is forgiven for the offences and one can easily worship Vṛndāvana.

However, even Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested not to commit vaiṣṇava-aparādha. This is one aparādha that even Caitanya Mahāprabhu cannot tolerate. And Caitanya Mahāprabhu has given us such a facility where He has requested us not to allow the weeds of devotional service to take over our hearts. Because then that real devotional creeper which is being watered by the mercy of Caitanya Mahāprabhu will be smothered, and its growth will be stopped.

So, in this regard we were reading from the poem that Śrīla Prabhupāda repeatedly quoted to us called ‘duṣṭa mana! tumi kisera vaiṣṇava?’ – evil or materialistic mind, what type of a Vaiṣṇava are you? This is by Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. So, we have completed the whole poem, except for the 7th, 8th and 9th verses are remaining, and they just suit today for this particular śloka.

Basically, just to give you a prelude. Bhaktisiddhānta is describing how one who leaves the association of the saṅkīrtana movement of Caitanya Mahāprabhu to go out and do some type of independent worship or activity,even if it appears to be in devotional service, it is actually simply one who is hankering after his own false prestige, and he is doing so out of a false ego. He is describing basically that there are many egos which can attack our consciousness when we enter in the devotional path. He warns us against money and wealth that even if we leave the association of devotees and put on a show of being a great more advanced devotee that our mind will still be attracted to women and wealth, sense gratification. So therefore, there is no use in doing such things.

Haribol! Jaya Rādhā Govinda! Jaya Jagannātha, Subhadrā, Balarāma!

Then he advises us that in desiring one’s own prestige, we become just like a Rāvaṇa, who is always envious of Rāma, and who was ultimately killed by Rāma. He advises us that the real prestige is to be a Vaiṣṇava, to be the servant of the servant. And for that we have to be very careful, and if we don’t worship Kṛṣṇa in that mood to actually be established as simply the servant of the servant as a Vaiṣṇava, then for all our worship we will simply gain hell, known as Raurava.

Then he advises us that, someone who is suffering the misery of desiring his own personal aggrandizement becomes envious of the devotees of Kṛṣṇa. And therefore, he advises that we should never be proud or confident in our position of desiring our own position or respect, because with it, comes the disrespect of other Vaiṣṇavas.

So behind pure Vaiṣṇavas there is automatically a desire for achieving the highest position as a servant of the servant. And behind that desire there is no materialistic tinge. And in that pure relationship with Kṛṣṇa, there is not even the slightest touch of any material flavor. No cheating propensity is there. On the other hand, the materialistic desire to elevate oneself is just like a canḍālī, a witch which catches us up in her net of desiring to be a separatist, or to solitarily worship. So, we should know that both of these, the desire for becoming a renowned devotee, or the desire to go and be separate and simply worship also as a great devotee – both of these are simply the different hellish existences of māyā. So that is a prelude.

Verse Number 7 is:

kīrtana chāḍiba, pratiṣṭhā mākhiba”, 
ki kāja ḍhuḍiyā tādṛśa gaurava 
mādhavendra purī, bhava-ghare curi, 
nā karila kabhu sadāi jānaba

(Vaiṣṇava Ke? 7)

So, kīrtana chāḍiba - To give up the saṅkīrtana movement, to accept, literally it is to anoint oneself with the desire for personal prestige, or to accept one’s own attainment of some material position as the goal, will simply be a matter of great shame and regret.

Mādhavendra Purī used to run away from the crowds of people to avoid his own prestige. If one falsely imitates him running away from the people for his prestige, then that is a simply a cheating. Mādhavendra Purī was sincere, and he was living out of the highest philosophical sentiment.

So, in this regard, I would just like to comment that the saṅkīrtana movement of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Mahāprabhu, which was spread by Śrīla Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda all over the world is a great science, and one cannot imitate great devotees who are eternal associates of the Lord who have come down and participate in this saṅkīrtana movement. But they have to follow the system of guru-paramparā, take the instructions as was handed down through the disciplic succession, not imitate those exalted Vaiṣṇavas and neglect their instructions.

Just as Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura he ordered Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura that he should always preach, develop Māyāpur, distribute books, print books. He said, “Don’t do any nirjana-bhajana, don’t spoil everything by going off and solitarily doing worship.” This was the last instruction that Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura gave to Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. “Don’t do solitary separatist worship.” So similarly, the same instruction Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura gave. He also instructed that everyone should cooperate together and jointly under a Governing Body Commission, the Gauḍīya mission should be managed.

Śrīla Prabhupāda, Bhaktivedanta Swami in his Vyāsa-pūjās’ offerings to Bhaktisiddhānta after his disappearance, he commented on the situation in the Gauḍīya mission after he left, that, instead of following Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura’s order to have a Governing Body and work in that way, they imitated, and made again one ācārya like he was one ācārya. He said that “By imitating we will simply go to hell. By following his instructions, we will be glorious.”

So, we can see that Śrīla Prabhupāda is following exactly in the mood of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. We should take up the saṅkīrtana movement that is the order of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, that is the example of great ācāryas in our line, and by doing so, real fame or real prestige or real position, eternally will be given to that, those devotees in the saṅkīrtana movement.

But if someone instead leaves the saṅkīrtana, leaves the, the movement of Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s saṅkīrtana, that means many together joint preaching program then that is simply out of a desire for his own prestige, out of some false ego; and that here is said to be a very poor imitation of Mādhavendra Purī. One should not imitate Mādhavendra Purī. Actually, one should follow in his footsteps, that he gave everything to satisfy the Lord.

When the Lord told him that he should stay in Remuṇā, he took up that order and remained there. Finally, whatever the order of the Lord is, even it is un… seems to be distasteful in the beginning, we have to accept that. So, we should not imitate the so-called examples of the six Gosvāmīs and Mādhavendra Purī, because that imitation is not a real imitation, it is a superficial imitation.

The six Gosvāmīs wrote so many literatures for the whole future of this Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇava movement. They uncovered all the sacred places of Vṛndāvana. And if one simply imitates that they were living under one tree every night and running through Vṛndāvana, that will be a very poor imitation. Neither can they do it properly, neither is it a real imitation, because is it a real following in their footsteps? Because they were expanding and preaching, by their excavations in Vṛndāvana, by their writing Vaiṣṇava literatures, by their worshipping Kṛṣṇa in the absolute platform, they were Purifying the whole world.

And the example we have is that Jīva Gosvāmī and Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, who were still remaining when the Caitanya-caritāmṛta and other literatures were completed, they ordered Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura, Śrīnivāsa Ācārya, Śyāmānanda Paṇḍita and others to take the books, leave Vṛndāvana and distribute them all over the then Vaiṣṇava-jagat. Although they were liberated souls, eternal pārṣadas come down to join the movement, they did not stay in Vṛndāvana, but Śrīnivāsa Ācārya and others, Narottama dāsa Ṭhākura they all took these literatures and went on book distribution party to Eastern India. This is the movement of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Even if one would like to stay in a solitary place, if it is not the desire of the Lord, one does not do it, but keeps on with the saṅkīrtana, with the preaching. Jaya!!

So, the next verse Number 8:

tomāra pratiṣṭhā,— ‘śukarer viṣṭhā” 
tāra-saha sama kabhu nā mānaba 
matsaratā-vaśe tumi jadarase 
majeche-chāḍiyā kīrtana-sauṣṭhava
(Vaisnava ke? 8)

So now the mind is being addressed. Remember this poem is to the mind. So ‘tomāra pratiṣṭhā’, so mind, your importance is just like the stool of swine. And to be thinking in that way is not even on the platform of being a real human being, simply controlled by various shades of enviousness. You are now firmly under the control of material emotions. And you are now enjoying this illusion having given up the real nectar of saṅkīrtana.

So, in this regard, mind is cañcala, flickering. Mind can go, anywhere, if we don’t control it. Even a devotee may be considering material influenced thoughts, become on the mental platform thinking of his own importance, “I am an older devotee, why this more recently initiated devotee has been elevated to the higher position than I? Why he is the saṅkīrtana leader and not me?” Why this, why that? In this way on the mental platform, one may suddenly become under some type of illusion, some kind of false ego and actually give up the real attitude of a Vaiṣṇava, just to take up of service.

Instead of concentrating on the service starts to be envious, starts to be resentful of other devotees, to the extreme degree that type of wrath in the heart can cause one to give up the saṅkīrtana, to give up the movement of Lord Caitanya. And just out of false ego to show that ‘I am a great devotee’ they go on chanting but do it in their own house, do it in some private place, or do it even in the holy dhāma, but actually it is all out of their own mental concoction. Rather than simply surrendering to the yajña, the sacrifice, working together and spreading the saṅkīrtana movement, they become influenced by their own mental desire for importance, prestige or material sense gratification.

I personally had experience in this regard, that, the tendency is that one will not recognize a junior devotee even if a person has done some very, very important contribution to the saṅkīrtana movement. That tendency is there due to material contamination.

When I was sent to India in 1970 by Śrīla Prabhupāda, then we obtained a place for Prabhupāda to come to. At that time, I think in 1970 there was already about 40 temples in the world or near about. And I was also assigned with the duty of inviting all of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s godbrothers to come and meet him at the airport, and a reception that now that one of the Gauḍīya sampradāya representatives had achieved the goal of spreading Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world as Caitanya Mahāprabhu had predicted.

Naturally in ISKCON we have an experience that, if some devotee does nice preaching, we are all very happy about that, and we like to congratulate that person. But in this case, I found that in the Gauḍīya Maṭha when I was going around, everyone was avoiding saying that they would come. I couldn’t understand why.

So, one very senior devotee, one senior Mahārāja in one Gauḍīya Maṭha, one of Prabhupāda’s sannyāsī god-brothers, I requested him on the stairway where I met him that, “Will you please be coming in meeting your god brother Prabhupāda at the airport?” He said, “Yes, I will go. I am very happy with his success.” And then all of a sudden, some gṛhastha godbrother came up and said, “No! You cannot go. You cannot go and meet him at the airport.” He said, “Why not?” “He has taken sannyāsa after you! You are senior sannyāsī godbrother. He is your junior. How can you go and meet him who is your inferior by seniority?” And he was so heavy that then Mahārāja said, “Alright… alright…” He backed down.

So, part of the difficulty in accepting Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda by some of his godbrothers may be that he was a gṛhastha for a long time, and he took sannyāsa later than many of them. So, they were thinking that sannyāsī is all in all, even a fully dedicated gṛhastha they weren’t giving that much credit. Although Prabhupāda was writing, he was editor of their newspaper, even as a gṛhastha he was doing so much preaching. He had understood the mood of Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura from the beginning.

But due to some type of material vision… Actually, we take on sannyāsī, we take on varṇāśrama collars for preaching purpose. But we see each other as Vaiṣṇavas. Externally we may follow some etiquette, but that etiquette is only so far as it is useful for preaching. That shouldn’t cover our perception of any real Vaiṣṇava.

That is why Śrīla Prabhupāda said that the cream will rise to the top automatically. That automatically devotees will become self-manifest in our movement. We may not know that in the future which devotee will manifest great qualities, great powers for preaching the saṅkīrtana movement? May not be one of the stalwarts we see today, may be one junior devotee coming up, no doubt, it will happen. So, we have to have a broad vision. But someone who is overwhelmed by considerations of his own importance, naturally, there will be in danger of becoming envious of someone else who succeeds to do some great kṛṣṇa-sevā.

That was warned by Rāma when Hanumān was throwing big boulders, and by the side was a spider, a squirrel. A squirrel was throwing in small pebbles, and Hanumān said, “Get out of my way, you squirrel! Don’t you see I am doing a big service?” And then Rāmacandra said, “No, don’t become falsely proud. This squirrel is throwing in the small dust or pebbles up to his own capacity. That is also fully satisfying to Me.”

Devotee should not consider his service to be bigger or smaller, more than another devotee who may also be fully trying. Because the amount of service one is able to do is ultimately by the mercy of guru and Kṛṣṇa. That one is a devotee, that one is somehow, or another is honored by the opportunity to serve Kṛṣṇa. That importance that somehow or another I am being engaged in service, that one may feel. But to what extent the service was able to be performed, that we give that credit to, personally we give that credit to Guru and to Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Of course, the other Vaiṣṇavas – they will give the credit to the devotee who has performed it. The devotee himself will give the credit to the Vaiṣṇavas and Kṛṣṇa. In this way, if one takes the proper attitude of devotional service, then one is freed from all this type of matsaratā – enviousness, the influences of tamo-guṇa, rajo-guṇa, sattva-guṇa. So, this mind is very devilish, mind can just go anywhere. So, we have to Purify the mind, we have to again bring it back to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. Take out all types of resentment, all type of enviousness. If something even difficult happens to us we take it to be the mercy of Kṛṣṇa. If we are put into difficulty that is also a test given to us by Kṛṣṇa.

Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, we are told by Śrīla Prabhupāda, told all his devotees that, in the morning he would everyday do a Purification of his mind, and that everyone should do the same purification. That is taking a pair of shoes one should beat the mind 108 times. And taking a broom, one should again beat, beat the mind 108 times to surrender at the lotus feet of guru and Kṛṣṇa, guru and Gaurāṅga, so that verse 8.

And now verse 9.

tāi duṣṭa mana, ‘nirjana bhajana,” 
pracāricha chale ‘kuyogī-vaibhava” 
prabhu sanātane, parama yatane, 
śikṣā dila yāhā, cinta sei saba
(Vaiṣṇava Ke? 9)

So, my materialistic mind when you desire for solitary worship you have begun to propagate, falsely, the glories of bogus yogīs, of false transcendentalists or imitation transcendentalists. Our revered master Sanātana Prabhu gave instructions with great care. You should consider those instructions very carefully.

So, the mind is being chastised for considering leaving the saṅkīrtana movement of Caitanya Mahāprabhu, for considering performing some type of separate or independent or solitary worship, on the excuse of some higher purpose,higher consciousness. On the excuse of this higher elevation, actually one is propagating false doctrines, doctrines against the principles of the six Gosvāmīs, doctrines which are actually destroying the pure principles of pure devotional service. Although appearing to be some exalted philosophy, actually this solitary worship, giving up the preaching spirit, giving up the preaching mood, they are preaching anti-preaching. Therefore, they are doing the greatest discredit to themselves, and they are establishing false religious principles in society.

So Sanātana Gosvāmī, the six Gosvāmīs they have given so many wonderful instructions. Just as we study the Bṛhad-bhāgavatāmṛta or the Hari-bhakti-vilāsa, Upadeśāmṛta, these transcendental literatures instruct us that to make followers for Caitanya Mahāprabhu all over the world, is the result of full sense control, of transcendental consciousness. It is not a material activity. Rather to leave the association of Vaiṣṇavas, to imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura going into some cave and meditating or imitate falsely Mādhavendra Purī and avoid the saṅkīrtana preachers, thinking oneself to be aloof, or highly situated as a more advanced Vaiṣṇava and some bābājī, or some special devotee, it’s the greatest discredit to the six Gosvāmīs teachings and the movement of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. And the result we can see in the modern day bābājīs, they are not able to maintain the prestige of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s movement. Often, they are simply creating illegitimate children in the widows who are living in the holy dhāma. And in the meanwhile, while so much irreligiosity, so much atheism, materialism is covering the whole world, they are doing nothing to stop that.

When Lord Caitanya ordered us, ordered all the people who are under the couch of Bhārata,

bhārata-bhūmite haila manuṣya-janma yāra 
janma sārthaka kari’ kara para-upakāra
(CcAdi 9.4)

They should perfect their lives, become spiritually realized in Caitanya Mahāprabhu’s teachings and then help others. Where is that para-upakāra in this so-called solitary worship of nirjana-bhajana? On excuse of becoming more intimate with Kṛṣṇa, more elevated with Kṛṣṇa’s pastimes, one is actually doing harm, doing violence to so many living entities who could be benefitted by actually hearing who is Kṛṣṇa, how to serve Kṛṣṇa, what is their eternal relationship with Kṛṣṇa.

So, this International Society for Kṛṣṇa Consciousness (ISKCON) is based upon this principle that we must work together to deliver the people who are suffering in this material world to their original Kṛṣṇa consciousness. That is the highest service that we can do.

Once we have done everything, we can to deliver them to their consciousness, then only one is allowed to, in the last leg of life, take up some solitary worship, otherwise not. Rather one’s full energy is to be aimed at spreading this saṅkīrtana movement. And in that saṅkīrtana movement, in that saṅkīrtana flow, just like the Ganges coming down from the spiritual world flowing down to the ocean, everyone is swept away in its flood, and one can taste constantly the highest relishment of intimate association, intimate relationship with the Lord and His devotees. But this imitational solitary worship of so-called nirjana-bhajana, one is not tasting the transcendental relationship with Kṛṣṇa, rather one is separating oneself. This is against the teachings of the great authorities in the line of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu.

Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa,
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare 
Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma,
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

Rather one should chant with so many people together this mahā-mantra.