[Prev][Next][Index]
Re: The Kalisantarana Upanishad of the Krishna Yajur Veda
-
To: alt-hindu@cis.ohio-state.edu
-
Subject: Re: The Kalisantarana Upanishad of the Krishna Yajur Veda
-
From: vijaypai@kachori.rice.edu (Vijay Sadananda Pai)
-
Date: 30 Jan 1995 19:56:38 GMT
-
From news@larry.rice.edu Mon Jan 30 14: 44:05 1995
-
Newsgroups: alt.hindu
-
Organization: Rice University
-
References: <3g4bq8$ds1@ucunix.san.uc.edu>
I would once again like to thank Anand Hudli for his
Upanisadic post. Let me just try to cover one issue picked
up in this post.
In article <3g4bq8$ds1@ucunix.san.uc.edu>,
anand hudli <ahudli@silver.ucs.indiana.edu> wrote:
> sa hovaca hiraNyagarbhah |
> Tr: Lord Brahma said:
> hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare |
> Tr: O Hari, O Rama, O Hari, O Rama , O Rama O Rama, O Hari, O Hari!
> hare kRShNa hare kRShNa kRShNa kRShNa hare hare |
> Tr: O Hari, O Krishna, O Hari, O Krishna , O Krishna O Krishna,
> O Hari, O Hari!
> Note: Gaudiyas chant this mantra by reversing the order of
> the two halves, ie. the Hare Krishna first and then the
> Hare Rama.
Actually, there has been a good reason for this reversal. This is
how I have heard the story; I welcome any corrections. Sri Caitanya
Mahaprabhu wanted to spread this maha-mantra to all the fallen
souls of Kali Yuga, regardless of qualification. Now, technically,
there are Vedic injunctions that the Vedic mantras (such as this
mantra of the Kalisantarana Upanishad) are not to be publically
chanted, and they are never to be chanted by sudras, women, etc.
In order to solve the problem, while keeping within the context of
the Vedas and thus not offending the Brahmins, Mahaprabhu reversed
the two halves. It is equally potent either way and this way it can
be freely distributed, chanted in sankirtan, etc.
> Also, they seem to believe that the name Rama
> here indicates Balabhadra and not Ramacandra! Now there are
Actually, there are a considerable number of explanations even among Gaudiya
Vaisnava acaryas on the name-by-name explanation of this maha-mantra.
Some say "rAma" means Ramacandra, others Balarama. Others point to a
scriptural verse that indicates that rAma means "rAdhA-ramana", or
Krishna. Similarly, "hare" is seen as both vocative of "hari" and of
"harA", the latter a name of Radharani. Here is Srila Prabhupada's purport, which
can be found (along with a mantra-chanter for DOS), on
http://webcom.com/~ara/SVA/hare_krsna.html
PURPORT
by His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
The transcendental vibration established by the chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare
Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is
the sublime method of reviving our Krsna consciousness. As living spiritual
souls we are all originally Krsna conscious entities, but due to our
association with matter from time immemorial, our consciousness is now polluted
by the material atmosphere. The material atmosphere, in which we are now
living, is called maya, or illusion. Maya means "that which is not." And what
is this illusion? The illusion is that we are all trying to be lords of
material nature, while actually we are under the grip of her stringent laws.
When a servant artificially tries to imitate the all-powerful master, this is
called illusion. In this polluted concept of life, we are all trying to exploit
the resources of material nature, but actually we are becoming more and more
entangled in her complexities. Therefore, although we are engaged in a hard
struggle to conquer nature, we are ever more dependent on her. This illusory
struggle against material nature can be stopped at once by revival of our Krsna
consciousness.
Krsna consciousness is not an artificial imposition on the mind; this
consciousness is the original energy of the living entity. When we hear the
transcendental vibration, this consciousness is revived. And this process is
recommended for this age by authorities. By practical experience also, one can
perceive that by chanting this maha-mantra, or the Great Chanting for
Deliverance, one can at once feel a transcendental ecstasy coming through from
the spiritual stratum. And when one is factually on the plane of spiritual
understanding -- surpassing the stages of senses, mind, and intelligence -- one
is situated on the transcendental plane. This chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare
Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is
directly enacted from the spiritual platform, and thus this sound vibration
surpasses all lower strata of consciousness -- namely sensual, mental, and
intellectual. There is no need, therefore, to understand the language of the
mantra, nor is there any need for mental speculation or any intellectual
adjustment for chanting this maha-mantra. It springs automatically from the
spiritual platform, and as such, anyone can take part in the chanting without
any previous qualification, and dance in ecstasy. We have seen this
practically. Even a child can take part in the chanting, or even a dog can take
part in it. Of course, for one who is too entangled in material life, it takes
a little more time to come to the standard point but even such a materially
engrossed man is raised to the spiritual platform very quickly. When the mantra
is chanted by a pure devotee of the Lord in love, it has the greatest efficacy
on the hearers, and as such, this chanting should be heard from the lips of a
pure devotee of the Lord, so that immediate effects can be achieved. As far as
possible, chanting from the lips of nondevotees should be avoided. Milk touched
by the lips of a serpent has poisonous effects. The word Hara is the form of
addressing the energy of the Lord, and the words Krsna and Rama are forms of
addressing the Lord Himself. Both Krsna and Rama mean "the supreme pleasure,"
and Hara is the supreme pleasure energy of the Lord, changed to Hare in the
vocative. The supreme pleasure energy of the Lord helps us to reach the Lord.
The material energy, called maya, is also one of the multi- energies of the
Lord. And we, the living entities, are also the energy -- marginal energy -- of
the Lord. The living entities are described as superior to material energy.
When the superior energy is in contact with the inferior energy, in
incompatible situation arises; but when the superior marginal energy is in
contact with the superior energy, called Hara, the living entity is established
in his happy, normal condition. These three words, namely Hare, Krsna, and
Rama, are the transcendental seeds of the maha-mantra. The chanting is a
spiritual call for the Lord and His internal energy, Hara, to give protection
to the conditioned soul. This chanting is exactly like the genuine cry of a
child for its mother. Mother Hara helps the devotee achieve the grace of the
supreme father, Hari, or Krsna, and the Lord reveals Himself to the devotee who
chants this mantra sincerely. No other means of spiritual realization,
therefore, is as effective in this age as chanting the maha-mantra: Hare Krsna,
Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
SVA
>
> iti ShoDaSakam nAmnAm kalikalmaShanASanam |
> nAtah parataropAyah sarvavedeShu dRSyate |
>
> Tr: This collection of sixteen names (of Narayana) destroys the
> evils of the Kali Yuga.
> I don't see any other effective means (of liberation) in the Vedas.
Yours,
Vijay
PS: a verse in Bengali
sri-krsna-caitanya-daya karaha vicara
vicara karile citte pabe camatkara
"If you are indeed interested in logic and argument,
kindly apply it to the mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
If you do so, you will find it to be strikingly
wonderful."
(Caitanya-caritamrta, Adi-lila, 8.15, by
Krsnadasa Kaviraja Gosvami)
