20221031 Loud chanting is hundred times more beneficial, Part 1

The following is a Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book Compilation given by His Holiness Jayapatākā Swami Mahārāja on October 31st,2022 in Śrī  Dhāma Māyāpur, India.

mūkaṁ karoti vācālaṁ paṅguṁ laṅghayate girim
yat-kṛpā tam ahaṁ vande śrī-guruṁ dīna-tāraṇam
paramānandaṁ mādhavaṁ śrī caitanya iśvaram

Hariḥ oṁ tat sat!

Hare Kṛṣṇa! Dear Devotees! Today we will continue with the compilation of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Book. Today's chapter is entitled as:

Loud chanting is hundred times more beneficial, Part 1
Under the section: The Glories of Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.267

janaika durjana nāmāparādhī nāstika viprera ākhyāna; haridāsera prati tadīya ukti— 

harinadī-grāme eka brāhmaṇa durjana
haridāse dekhi’ krodhe balaye vacana

Translation: In this regard, there was one impious brāhmaṇa who lived in the village of Harinadī.

He looked at Haridāsa Ṭhākura angrily and spoke the following words to him.

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): There are two methods for ascertaining one’s varṇa: (1) One is by seminal consideration.

According to normal procedure, the varṇa of a child is the same as the varṇa of his legitimate father, because he is born from his semen.

(2) The second is to ascertain one’s varṇa according to his occupation, which is determined by his qualities and activities.

The nature of people is of two types—pious and sinful.

Vaiṣṇavas who are engaged in the service of the Lord are pious, and proud persons who are averse to the Lord and devoid of good qualities are sinful, though they may belong to any one of the varṇas.

Although one may be identified as a brāhmaṇa according to seminal consideration, as a result of being envious of pious persons, he is considered sinful.

Whenever envy is directed towards Viṣṇu, the devotional service of Viṣṇu, or the devotees of Viṣṇu, then due to such demoniac propensities even respected so-called brāhmaṇas are designated as sinful by the pious.

At that time there was a famous village named Harinadī in the district of Yaśohara.

On seeing Śrī Haridāsa loudly and constantly chant the holy names, a local seminal brāhmaṇa who was envious of devotional service angrily put forward some false arguments.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this so called brāhmaṇa was from a brāhmaṇical family but his nature was so sinful and impious that he envied the devotees of the Lord.

So, he started to speak critically about Haridāsa Ṭhākura although Haridāsa Ṭhākura is faultless.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.268

viprera ucca hari-kīrtana-virodha —

“aye haridāsa! e ki vyabhāra tomāra
ḍākiyā ye nāma laha, ki hetu ihāra?

Translation: “O Haridāsa, what is this behavior?

Why are you are loudly chanting the names of the Lord?

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): That foolish, ignorant, atheistic, fallen brāhmaṇa said, “There is no injunction for loudly chanting the names of Hari in any scripture; rather, it is recommended that one chant within his mind.

Therefore the loud chanting of Hari’s names by Haridāsa is prohibited by the scriptures.

Therefore his engagement in such activities is most improper.” Being controlled by such blind faith, that brāhmaṇa arrogantly asked Haridāsa the reason for his loud chanting.

His conception was that since Haridāsa Ṭhākura was not born in a seminal brāhmaṇa family, he was completely unqualified to act as a spiritual master, the giver of the holy names.

He feared that if Haridāsa loudly chanted the names of Hari he would have to automatically hear the holy names from the mouth of a pure devotee and thus naturally become his disciple, so he wanted Haridāsa to refrain from loudly chanting hari-nāma, which is the function of a jagad-guru.

This proves the brāhmaṇa’s foolishness, ignorance, and mistaken ideas regarding the scriptural conclusions.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, actually the scriptures enjoin that we should chant the holy names of the Lord loudly.

There are three levels of chanting, mentally, softly and loudly.

Loud chanting is hundred times more beneficial than silent.

But this so called brāhmaṇa, he did not actually know the scriptural injunctions regarding the chanting of the holy names.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.269

dambhabhare ucca-hari-kīrtanera śāstra-pramāṇa-jijñāsā—

mane mane japibā,—ei se dharma haya
ḍādiyā laite nāma kon śāstre kaya?

Translation: “The injunction is that one should chant in his mind.

Which scripture says that one should chant loudly?

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the caste brāhmaṇa thought that he knew everything about the holy name so he was challenging Haridāsa Ṭhākura.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.270

haridāsake jaḍavidyā-sabhāya nāma-sādhana-vicāre āhvāna—

kā’ra śikṣā,—hari-nāma ḍākiyā laite?
ei ta’ paṇḍita-sabhā, balaha ihāte”

Translation: “Who has taught you to chant the name of Hari loudly? Please give your explanation before this assembly of learned scholars.”

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): The word śikṣā refers to one of the six corollaries of the Vedas by which word pronunciation is regulated.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, the verse says which sīkṣā or which instruction has told that chanting the holy name loudly is authorized.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.271

haridāsera ādarśa mānada-dharma o dainyokti —

haridāsa balena,—“ihāra yata tattva
tomarā se jāna’ hari-nāmera mahattva

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura said, you all know the glories of Lord Hari’s holy name.

So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura is beginning his explanations.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.272

tomarā-sabāra mukhe śuniñā se āmi
balitechi, balibāṅa yebā kichu jāni

Jayapatākā Swami: So, whatever I heard from all the mouths of all of you, I am saying that, and will say that and that’s what I know.

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): Ṭhākura Haridāsa, who never expected any honor but always honored others, humbly replied, “I have not learned the incomparable glories of Hari’s names from the śāstras through the path of argument.

Now and in the future I simply repeat whatever I have heard from those who are conversant with the glories of the holy names and who constantly chant the holy names of the Lord.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura taking a humble position said that I have heard from the lips of those who chant the holy names constantly, the glories of the holy names and I repeat this, this is what I understood and this is what I know.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.273

ucca-hari-kīrtanera śreṣṭhatva —

ucca kari’ laile śata-guṇa puṇya haya
doṣa ta’ nā kahe śāstre, guṇa se varṇana”

Translation: “If one chants loudly, he gets one hundred times more benefit.

The scriptures never condemn loud chanting, rather they glorify it.

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): The result one achieves by mentally chanting the names of Hari is multiplied one hundred times by chanting loudly.

This is the injunction of all scriptures.

It is a fact that by chanting loudly one obtains one hundred times greater results.

And there is no fault in such chanting.

It is to be understood that those who consider the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra should only be chanted softly in japa are averse to realizing the purport of the scriptures.

The three names of address—Hare, Kṛṣṇa, and Rāma—are meant both for japa and kīrtana.

One can call the Lord in his mind or out loud.

If one calls the Lord loudly, then many persons can hear the name of the Lord and obtain auspiciousness by such hearing.

Hearing the names of the Lord is one of the nine principle limbs of devotional service.

Unless the sādhus loudly chant the names of Hari, no one becomes qualified for the devotional process of hearing.

Therefore the false arguments of those who are averse to loud chanting are certainly incited by Kali.

The chanting of the holy names is more or less imperceptible in the activities of meditation, sacrifice, and Deity worship; that is why in Kali-yuga various controversies arise in the performance of meditation, sacrifice, and Deity worship.

When those who are victims of Kali come forward to place obstacles in the path of the devotees’ worship of Hari, then those devotees who are engaged in the Satya, Tretā, and Dvāpara processes of meditation, sacrifice, and Deity worship do not enter into argument; but those devotees who chant the names of Hari remove the wicked habits of the victims of Kali and chant the unlimited glories of the holy names for the eternal benefit of such people.

This is the actual medicine for their argument-infected hearts.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, many people are trying to mediate and meditation was used in the previous three yugas.

In this age, loud chanting of the holy name is the meditation which is recommended.

Sometimes one may chant mentally or softly due to circumstances, but if one chants loudly then many benefit - the ants, insects, plants, trees and people all hear the holy name.

So, there are nine practices in devotional service, the first practice is śravanam, If one does not chant loudly how would the people will do the first practice?

Haribol!

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.274

ucca hari-kīrtanei hariprītyādhikya–– tathāhi — uccaiḥ śata-guṇaṁ bhavet

Translation: “’If one loudly chants the holy names of the Lord, he obtains one hundred times more benefit than by chanting softly or remembering the holy names.’”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, uccaiḥ means loudly chanting śata-guṇaṁ means hundred time, bhavet means happens.

So, by chanting the holy names loudly one gets a hundred times the benefit.

Haribol! 

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.275

vipra kartṛka ucca-kīrtana-phalādhikyera kāraṇa jijñāsā —

vipra bale,—“ucca-nāma karile uccāra
śata-guṇa puṇya-phala haya, ki hetu ihāra?”

Jayapatākā Swami: The brāhmaṇa said, by chanting the holy name loudly, one gets hundred time pious result, why is that ?

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.276

haridāsera śāstra-sammata ucaca-kīrtana-mahimā vyākhyārambha —

haridāsa balena,—“śunaha, mahāśaya!
ye tattva ihāra, vede bhāgavate kaya”

Translation: Haridāsa replied, “My dear sir, listen to the verdict of the Vedas and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam in this regard.”

Jayapatākā Swami: So, this is why the devotees have to read Śrīla Prabhupāda books, although Haridāsa Ṭhākura was a simple person he could answer any questions, he could quote from the śāstra and he didn’t hesitate to do so.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.277

sarvaśāstra-niṣṇāta haridāsera śrī-nāma-māhātmya-vyākhyā —

sarva-śāstra sphure haridāsera śrī-mukhe

Translation: Haridāsa then revealed the purport of all the scriptures as he began his explanation in the ecstasy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

Jayapatākā Swami: So, Haridāsa Ṭhākura he was experiencing transcendental happiness in the explanation of the glories of the holy name.

So the scriptures manifested through his lotus mouth as he was explaining the glories of the holy name.

Caitanya Bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa 16.278

śuddha-bhakta-sādhu-vaiṣṇavamukhe śuddhanāma śravaṇamātrei sarvavidha baddha-jīvera bhava-bandhana-mocana —

“śuna, vipra! sakṛt śunile kṛṣṇa-nāma
paśu, pakṣī, kīṭa yāya śrī-vaikuṇṭha-dhāma

Translation: “Listen, dear brāhmaṇa. If even animals, birds, or insects hear the holy names of Kṛṣṇa from the mouth of a pure devotee, they will go to Vaikuṇṭha dhāma."

Purport (By His Divine Grace Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Śrīla Prabhupāda): “O brāhmaṇa, when the transcendental sound of Kṛṣṇa’s holy names emanates from the mouths of sādhus, bhaktas, or Vaiṣṇavas and enters the ear holes of any living entity interested in serving the Lord, then that sound vibration certainly frees him from the bondage of māyā.

The transcendental sound vibration removes the living entities’ propensity for enjoyment and awakens their propensity for service to the Supreme Lord.

Since unlike those of conditioned souls in the material sky, there is no ignorance or material enjoyment in the devotees’ tongues, which are abodes of Vaikuṇṭha, and since the transcendental holy names are full manifestations of advaya-jñāna, or the transcendental reality, devotees do not become entangled in material enjoyment while chanting.

Therefore if a living entity chants the transcendental name of the Lord, he becomes jīvana-mukta, liberated even in this life.

In order to become liberated from the bondage of material existence, a conditioned soul should accept mercy from a liberated soul by accepting mantra-dīkṣa, or initiation.

When one has perfected his chanting, he becomes qualified to loudly chant the holy names.

He then becomes extremely distressed on seeing the conditioned souls’ anarthas born of prajalpa and mundane words that gratify the mind, both of which are unrelated to Kṛṣṇa; as a jagad-guru, he removes their propensities for mundane enjoyment and sends them to the kingdom of Vaikuṇṭha.

Ordinary foolish people think, “The śāstric statement that just by once chanting or hearing the transcendental name of the Lord one is certain to go back to Vaikuṇṭha is simply an exaggeration.”

But actually the extraordinary influence of the transcendental name is not under the jurisdiction of the most tiny brains of such illusioned materialists who want to measure everything with their blunt material senses.

If one considers the transcendental name to be in the category of material objects, then his enjoyment prone evil propensities do not allow him to understand the extraordinary, transcendental, spiritual name that is not perceivable to material senses.

That is why the absence of faith in the Vedas or in Vaiṣṇava literatures in pursuance of the Vedas is proof of a living entity’s misfortune.

Jayapatākā Swami: If we chant some material word like Water! Water! Water! you do not get water, your thirst is not quenched but if you chant Hari or Kṛṣṇa He is in his holy name and through that we can immediately get connection with Kṛṣṇa .

Actually, we see that in the world we have mobile phones, they 2G, 3G, 4G and now they have 5G but we have 108G, Gaurāṅga!

We can chant the holy names of Gaurāṅga or Govinda there are 108 G.

So today we gave a class in Harihara-kṣetra to Narugopala’s special parikramā party and then there was a meeting of the SIDC, South Indian Divisional Council which I attended virtually and that went upto 2 o clock.

In the evening there was the Mayapur Executive Board Meeting and then the GBC sub-committee on Organizational Development and then I went down and offered lamps to the deities and then I came up her and gave class to you.

So it’s a busy day.