NAMA TATTVA

BHAKTIVINODE THAKUR

"The holy name is cintamani, the object that gives everything one desires. To the materialists it gives dharma, artha, kama and moksha, and to the nonfruitive devotees it gives pure, unalloyed love of Krishna. The name is unlimited, beginningless, fully conscious, and inseparable from the chief consciousness, Krishna. Whatever is in Krishna is in the holy name, for the two are nondifferent. The name is eternally free from material contamination and spiritually situated in a state of pure goodness (suddha-sattva) like Krishna. Though descending into the material world, the name remains pure, eternal, and the embodiment of the highest sweetness (rasa).

"Like any object, Krishna, the Absolute Reality, is known by four characteristics: name, form, qualities and activities. But in the case of Krishna, these elements are unlimited. The Supreme Personality of Godhead expresses Himself by means of these four elements, which take their spiritual existence by means of the Lord's sandhini energy. By these elements Krishna attracts all the people of the universe, and as His name is nondifferent, the existence of the name in the universe serves the same purpose.

"Krishna and His form are also nondifferent, and thus His form and His name cannot be separated either. If one remembers Krishna's name, one will also receive Krishna's form.

"As for qualities, Krishna has sixty-four remarkable qualities in fullness, Krishna's name has all the eternal qualities in full, which expand to uncountable numbers. The pastimes of the Lord take place in the waves of these qualities in the Lord's dhamas of Goloka, Vaikuntha and Vraja, and these are also fully spiritual.

"In spiritual existence, name, form, quality and activity are not differentiated from the person's actual identity; but by combination with dull material elements which are not conscious, the covered living entity knows only names, qualities, forms and activities which are separate from one another and from his real self. Name, form, qualities and activities are one for the pure living entities, but taking shelter of a material body, the jiva distinguishes differences. Since Krishna is always beyond material tinge, all these elements are eternally parts of one inseparable principle.

However, among these four elements by which one can know the object Krishna, the holy name is the primary element, for it is by the name that all other characteristics can be perceived in full. As one can realize the form, qualities and activities of the Lord by taking shelter of the name, the name is thus accepted as the Vaishnava dharma."

"The gradual realization of rasa in the name is compared to the blossoming of a flower. The name is compared to a flower in bud when it is spread to the general mass of people in the world. When one realizes the beautiful form of Krishna in Goloka Vrindavana through continual chanting of the name that is compared to the partially opened flower. Continuing sadhana further, when Krishna's sixty-four qualities become revealed in the name that is compared to the fragrance from the half-opened flower. When one realizes the eternal pastimes of Krishna in Goloka Vrindavana, the flower is in full bloom. Then, by the great mercy of the name, the original energies of hladini (bliss) and samvit (consciousness) belonging to the spiritual world, whose prime embodiment is Radharani, unite in the form of bhakti-devi and descend upon the small jiva, who possesses only a small portion of hladini and samvit energy. From the transcendental realm, bhakti-devi reveals to the jiva the full rasa in the name, and by her mercy the jiva takes on his spiritual body and enters into the pastimes and tastes rasa.”

“The jiva will take the mantra, either in the form of smarana (remembering the name) or kirtana (chanting the name)”
“Of the two forms of taking the name, kirtana is the more powerful, for in that process are combined sravana, kirtana and smarana, and by it the senses of the jiva dance in joy. By taking shelter of any of the nine processes of bhakti, one progresses in devotion, but of the nine processes, chanting is the best.”

"With faith that the name and Krishna are nondifferent, and avoiding the ten offenses, the effects of the name will be perceived. By clear chanting and remembering of the name, one will find attraction and joy in the name.”