Sri-Nama-Tattva

Sri-Nama-Tattva

From Bhaktinode Thakura's
Jaiva Dharma
(Prameya: Sri-Nama-tattva)

The names that are always present both in the spiritual and material worlds are spiritual and primary. For example, names such as Narayana, Vasudeva, Janardana, Harisikesa, Hari, Acyuta, Govinda, Gopala, and Rama are all primary. These names are present in Bhagavan’s abode (bhagavad-dhama), and are one with His form (bhagavat-svarupa). In the material world, these names only dance on the tongues of very fortunate people to whose bhakti they are attracted. Sri-bhagavan-nama has no connection at all with the material world, and all the saktis of Bhagavan’s form (bhagavat-svarupa) are present in sri-nama. Therefore, the names also possess all these saktis. They have descended into the material world and are engaged in destroying maya. The jivas have no friend in this material world except for hari-nama. In the Brhan-naradiya Purana, hari-nama is said to be the only way.

harer nämaiva nämaiva nämaiva mama jévanam

kalau nästy eva nästy eva nästy eva gatir anyathä

Brihan-naradiya Purana (38.126)

Meditation is the predominant process for perfection in Satya-yuga, yajna (sacrifice) in Treta-yuga, and arcana (Deity worship) in Dvapara-yuga. But in Kali-yuga harinama is my only life, hari-nama is my only life, hari-nama is my only life. In Kali-yuga, other than sri-hari-nama, there is no other way, there is no other way, there is no other way.

Hari-nama has unlimited great and wonderful sakti which can destroy all kinds of sins within a moment.

aveçenäpi yan-nämni kérttite sarva-pätakaiù

pumän vimucyate sadyaù siàha-trastair mågair iva

Garuda Purana (232.12)

A person who performs the kirtana of Sri Narayana with absorption becomes at once freed from all sins. They fly away from him just like frightened deer who hear the roar of a lion.

When one takes shelter of sri-hari-nama, all his miseries and all kinds of diseases disappear.

ädhayo vyädhayo yasya smaraëän näma-kérttanät

tadaiva vilayaà yänti tam anantaà namämy aham

Skanda-Purana

I offer obeisances to the supreme Lord, who is known as Anantadeva. Remembering Him and chanting His name immediately dispels all kinds of diseases and miseries completely.

One who performs hari-nama purifies his family, his society and the whole world.

mahäpätaka-yukto’pi kérttayann aniçaà harim

çuddhäntaù karaëo bhütvä jäyate paìkti-pävanaù

Brahmanda Purana

Even if one is very sinful, if he constantly performs harinama, his heart becomes pure, he attains twice-born status, and he purifies the whole world.

One who is dedicated to sri-hari-nama is relieved of all unhappiness, all disturbances, and all kinds of disease.

sarva-rogopaçamaà sarvopadrava-näçanam

çänti-daà sarva-riñöänäà harer nämänukérttanam

Brihad-visnu Purana

When one performs sri-hari-nama-kirtana, all kinds of diseases go away, all kinds of disturbances are appeased, all kinds of obstacles are destroyed, and one attains supreme peace.

The degrading qualities of Kali cannot affect one who chants sri-hari-nama.

hare keçava govinda väsudeva jaganmaya

itérayanti ye nityaà na hi tän bädhate kaliù

Brihan-naradiya Purana

Kali cannot cause any impediment, even for a moment, to those who perform constant kirtana, chanting “O Hare! O Govinda! O Keçava! O Väsudeva! O Jaganmaya!”

One who hears sri-hari-nama becomes liberated from hell.

yathä yathä harer näma kérttayanti sma närakäù

tathä tathä harau bhaktim udvahanto divaà yayuù

Narasingha-tapani

If even the residents of hell chant hari-nama, they achieve hari-bhakti, and enter within the divine abode.

Chanting hari-nama destroys prarabdha-karma (the results of past pious or impious activity which is now bearing fruit).

yan nämadheyaà måiyamäëa äturaù

patan skhalan vä vivaço gåëan pumän

vimukta-karmärgala uttamäà gatià

präpnoti yakñyanti na taà kalau janäù

Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.44)

If a human being helplessly chants just one name of Sri Bhagavan at the time of death, in an afflicted situation, or when falling down or slipping, all the bondage of his karma is destroyed and he will obtain the highest goal. But alas! Due to the influence of Kali-yuga, people do not worship Him.

Hari-nama-kirtana is more glorious and beneficial than studying the Vedas.

mä åco mä yajus täta mä säma paöha kiïcana

govindeti harer näma geyaà gäyasva nityaçaù

Skanda Purana

There is no need to study and teach the Rig, Sama and Yajur Vedas, and so on. Simply perform constant sankirtana of Sri Hari’s name, Govinda.

Performing hari-nama is better than visiting all tirthas (holy places).

tértha-koöi-sahasräëi tértha-koöi-çatäni ca

täni sarväëy aväpnoti viñëor nämäni kérttanät

Skanda Purana

Kirtana of Sri Visnu’s names gives all the results obtained by going to millions of tirthas.

Even a dim glimmer of hari-nama (hari-namabhasa) gives unlimitedly more results than all kinds of sat-karma (pious fruitive activities).

go-koöi-dänaà grahaëe khagasya

prayäga-gaìgodaka kalpa-väsaù

yajïäyutaà meru-suvarëa-dänaà

govinda-kérter na samaà çatäàçaiù

One may give cows in charity on the day of a solar eclipse; one may reside in Prayaga on the banks of the Ganga for a kalpa; or one may perform thousands of yajnas, and give in charity a mountain of gold as high as Mount Sumeru. Still, all these cannot even be compared with a one-hundredth particle of Sri-govinda-kirtana.

Hari-nama can yield all kinds of benefits (artha).

etat ñaò-varga-haraëaà ripu-nigrahaëaà param

adhyätma-mülam etad dhi viñëor nämänukérttanam

Skanda Purana

Sankirtana of Sri Visnu’s names conquers the six senses and the six enemies (beginning with kama and krodha) and is the root of knowledge of the Supreme Self.

Hari-nama is invested with all Sakti.

däna-vrata-tapas-tértha-kñeträdénaï ca yäh sthitäù

çaktayo deva mahatäà sarva-päpaharäù çubhäù

räjasüyäçvamedhänäï jïana-sädhyätma-vastunaù

äkåñya hariëä sarväù sthäpitä sveñu nämasu

Skanda Purana

There are so many auspicious qualities within charity (dana), vows (vrata), austerity (tapa), the holy places (tirthaksetras), the devatas, within all kinds of sin-removing righteous activities, in the aggregate of all powers (saktis), in the Räjasüya and Açvamedha sacrifices, and in the goal of knowledge of the identity of the self (jnana-sadhya of atma-vastu). However, Sri Hari has assembled all of these potencies and invested them within His own names.

Sri-hari-nama gives bliss to the whole world.

sthäne håñékeça tava prakérttyä / jagat prahåñyaty anurajyate ca

Bhagavad-gita (11.36)

O Harisikesha, the world becomes delighted on hearing the kirtana of Your name and fame, and thus everyone becomes attached to You.

One who chants sri-hari-nama is worshipable in the world.

näräyaëa jagannätha väsudeva janärdana

itérayanti ye nityaà te vai sarvatra vanditäù

Brihan-naradiya Purana

Those who always perform kirtana, chanting “O Narayana! O Jagannatha! O Vasudeva! O Janardana!” are worshiped everywhere in the world.

Sri-hari-nama is the only method for those who have no way.

ananya-gatayo marttyä bhogino’ pi parantapäù

jïäna-vairägya-rahitä brahmacaryädi-varjitäù

sarva-dharmojjhitäù viñëor näma-mätraika-jalpakäù

sukhena yäà gatià yänti na taà sarve’ pi dhärmikaù

Padma Purana

Those who simply perform kirtana of Sri Visnu’s name may do so because they have no other means of support, and they may be absorbed in sense enjoyment. They may be troublesome to others, bereft of celibacy and other virtues, and outside all dharma. Still, the destination that they achieve cannot be attained by all the combined efforts of religious people.

Hari-nama can be performed at all times and under all circumstances.

na deça-niyamas tasmin na käla-niyamas tathä

nocchiñöädau niñedho’sti çré-harer nämni lubdhaka

Visnu-dharmottara

O you who are greedy for sri-hari-nama, there is no rule of time and place for kirtana of sri-hari-nama. One may perform hari-nama-kirtana in any condition, whether one is purified or contaminated, for example, if one’s mouth is not clean after eating.

Hari-nama certainly gives mukti very easily to one who desires it.

näräyaëäcyutänanta-väsudeveti yo naraù

satataà kérttayed bhuvi yäti mal-layatäà sa hi

Varaha Purana

The person who wanders about the earth always chanting the names Narayana, Ananta, Acyuta and Vasudeva will go with Me to My planet.

kià kariñyati säìkhyena kià yogair nara-näyaka

muktim icchasi räjendra kuru govinda-kérttanam

Garuda Purana

O best of men, what benefit can one derive from studying sankhya philosophy or practicing astanga-yoga? O King, if you desire liberation, just perform Sri Govinda’s kirtana.

Hari-nama enables the jivas to attain Vaikuntha.

sarvatra sarva-käleñu ye’pi kurvanti pätakam

näma-sankérttanaà kåtvä yänti viñëoù paraà padam

Nandi Purana

Even one who has performed sinful activities always and everywhere attains the supreme abode of Visnu if he performs nama-sankirtana.

Chanting hari-nama is the topmost means of pleasing Sri Bhagavan.

näma-saìkérttanaà viñëoù kñut-tåö-prapéòitädiñu

karoti satataà vipräs tasya préto hy adhokñajaù

Brihan-naradiya Purana

O brahmanas! Adhoksaja Visnu remains very satisfied with those who incessantly perform sankirtana of Visnu’s name, even when troubled by hunger and thirst.

Hari-nama has the sakti to control Sri Bhagavan.

åëam etat pravåddhaà me hådayäì näsarpati

yad-govindeti cukroça kåñëä mäà düra-väsinam

Mahabharata

When I was far away from Draupadi, she called out to Me, “Ha Govinda!” I am very much indebted to her for her distressed call, and I have not been able to remove that debt from My heart even today.

Hari-nama is the purusartha (supreme goal of life) for the jivas.

idam eva hi mäìgalyam etad eva dhanärjanam

jévitasya phalaï caitad yad dämodara-kérttanam

Skanda and Padma Puranas

Kirtana of Dämodara, is certainly the cause of all auspiciousness, and the source of real wealth. The only benifit of having life is to perform such kirtana.

Hari-nama-kirtana is the best of all the different kinds of bhaktisadhana.

agha-cchit-smaraëaà viñëor bahv-äyäsena sädhyate

oñöha-spandana-mätreëa kérttanaà tu tato varam

Vaisnava-cintamani

Sri-visnu-smaranam destroys all sins but is attained only after much endevor. Visnu-kirtana, however, is superior because the same benefit is attained simply by vibrating sri-nama upon one’s lips.

yad-abhyarcya harià bhaktyä kåte kratu-çatair api

phalaà präpnoty avikalaà kalau govinda-kérttanam

The same entire benefit obtained by performing hundreds of yajnas in Satya-yuga, can be achieved in Kali-yuga by performing kirtana of Sri Govinda’s names.

kåte yad dhyäyato viñëuà tretäyäà yajato makhaiù

dväpare paricaryäyäà kalau tad dhari-kérttanät

Srimad-Bhagavatam (12.3.52)

Simply performing kirtana of Sri Hari’s nama in Kali-yuga gives the same results as those that are achieved by meditating on Bhagavan in Satya-yuga, by worshiping Him with great yajnas in Treta-yuga, and by performing formal Deity worship in Dvapara-yuga.