Sri Nama-mahatmya: The Glories of the Name
কৃষ্ণনাম ধরে কত বল ।
বিষয়বাসনানলে, মোর চিত্ত সদা জ্বলে
রবিতপ্ত মরুভূমি-সম ।
কর্ণরন্ধ্র পথ দিয়া, হৃদি মাঝে প্রবেশিয়া
বরিষয় সুধা অনুপম ॥১॥
kṛṣṇa-nāma dhare kata bala
viṣaya-vāsanānale, mora chitta sadā jvale,
ravi-tapta maru-bhūmi-sama
karṇa-randhra patha diyā, hṛdi mājhe praveśiyā,
variṣaya sudhā anupama [1]
krsna–of Krishna; nama–the Name; dhare–bears; kata–how much?; bala–power; visaya–mundane; vasana–of desire; anale–in the fire; mora–my; chitta–heart; sada–always; jvale–burns; ravi–by the sun; tapta–burned; maru–desert; bhumi–land; sama–like; karna–of the ears; randhra–of the holes; patha–the pathway; diya–through; hrdi–in the heart; majhe–in the middle; pravesiya–entering; varisaya (varsana kare)–showers; sudha–nectar; anupama (atulaniya)–unequalled (incomparable). [1]
Translation:
(1) How much power does Krishna’s Name possess? My heart constantly burns in the fire of mundane desire like a desert scorched by the blazing sun. The Name enters the core of my heart through the gateway of my ears (upon being transmitted to me by Sri Guru) and showers incomparable nectar.
(1) karṇa-randhra patha … sudhā anupama: «The Name enters the core of my heart through the gateway of my ears and showers incomparable nectar.» Sri Chandi Das has described Srimati Radharani’s experience of the Name’s descent as follows:
kānera bhitara diyā, marame paśila go,
ākula karila mama prāṇa
nā jāni kateka madhu, śyāma-nāme āchhe go,
parāṇa chhāḍite nāhi pāre
«Syam’s Name entered through My ears into the core of My being and overwhelmed My heart. I do not know how much nectar is present within Syam’s Name. My heart is unable to leave Him.»
ৃদয় হইতে বলে, জিহ্বার অগ্রেতে চলে
শব্দরূপে নাচে অনুক্ষণ ।
কণ্ঠে মোর ভঙ্গে স্বর, অঙ্গ-কাঁপে থর থর
স্থির হইতে না পারে চরণ ॥২॥
hṛdaya ha-ite bale, jihvāra agrete chale,
śabda-rūpe nāche anukṣaṇa
kaṇṭhe mora bhaṅge svara, aṅga-kā̐pe thara thara,
sthira ha-ite nā pāre charaṇa [2]
hrdaya–heart; ha-ite–from; bale (bala purvaka)–by force; jihvara–of my tongue; agrete–on the tip; chale–goes; sabda–of sound; rupe–in the form; nache–dances; anuksana–at every moment; kanthe–in the throat; mora–my; bhange–falters; svara–voice; anga–body; ka̐pe–trembles; thara–shaking; thara–quaking; sthira–still; ha-ite–to be; na–not; pare–able; charana–legs. [2]
Translation:
(2) Forcefully, the Name moves from my heart to the tip of my tongue and continuously dances there in the form of sound. My voice falters in my throat, my body trembles violently, and my legs become unable to remain steady.
চক্ষে ধারা দেহে ঘর্ম্ম, পুলকিত সব চর্ম্ম
বিবর্ণ হইল কলেবর ।
মূর্চ্ছিত হইল মন, প্রলয়ের আগমন
ভাবে সর্ব্ব-দেহ জর জর ॥৩॥
chakṣe dhārā dehe gharma, pulakita saba charma,
vivarṇa ha-ila kalevara
mūrchhita ha-ila mana, pralayera āgamana,
bhāve sarva-deha jara jara [3]
chakse–from my eyes; dhara–streams; dehe–on my body; gharma–perspiration; pulakita–horripilation saba–all over; charma–my skin; vivarna–pale; ha-ila–becomes; kalevara–my body; murchhita–fainted; ha-ila–becomes; mana–mind; pralayera (mrtyera nyaya avastha)–of devastation (a condition like that of death); agamana–coming; bhave–with divine emotion; sarva–entire; deha–body; jara–jara (jadya-bhava-maya)–traumatised (a condition of being utterly inert). [3]
Translation:
(3) Tears stream from my eyes, perspiration soaks my body, my hair stands on end, my complexion turns pale, my mind becomes dazed, a death-like state overtakes me, and my entire body becomes stunned with emotion.
করি’ এত উপদ্রব, চিত্তে বর্ষে সুধাদ্রব
মোরে ডারে প্রেমের সাগরে ।
কিছু না বুঝিতে দিল, মোরে ত’ বাতুল কৈল
মোর চিত্ত-বিত্ত সব হরে ॥৪॥
kari’ eta upadrava, chitte varṣe sudhā-drava,
more ḍāre premera sāgare
kichhu nā bujhite dila, more ta’ vātula ka-ila,
mora chitta-vitta saba hare [4]
kari’ (kariyao)–(although) making; eta–such; upadrava (bahya drstite utpata)–disturbance (what appears to be mayhem through external vision); chitte–in the heart; varse–showers; sudha (amrta)–nectarean; drava (rasa)–liquid (juice); more–to me; dare (dhailya deya)–submerges; premera–of divine love; sagare–in an ocean; kichhu–anything; na–not; bujhite–to know; dila–allowed; more–to me; ta’–certainly; vatula–madman; ka-ila–made; mora–my; chitta–heart; vitta–wealth; saba–all; hare–steals. [4]
Translation:
(4) Although making such a severe disturbance externally, Krishna’s Name showers nectar upon my heart and submerges me in an ocean of prema. Krishna’s Name has prevented me from understanding anything, made me a madman, and stolen my heart and wealth.
(4) mora chitta-vitta saba hare: «Stolen my heart and wealth.» Srila Bilvamangal Thakur describes this:
advaita-vīthī-pathikair upāsyāḥ
svānanda-siṁhāsana-labdha-dīkṣāḥ
śaṭhena kenāpi vayaṁ haṭhena
dāsī-kṛtā gopa-vadhū-viṭena
«Although consecrated on the throne of self-satisfaction and worshipped by wanderers on the path of non-dualism, I have been forcibly converted into a maidservant by some deceitful hunter of cowherd men’s wives.»
লইনু আশ্রয় যা’র, হেন ব্যবহার তা’র
বলিতে না পারি এ সকল ।
কৃষ্ণনাম ইচ্ছাময়, যাহে যাহে সুখী হয়
সেই মোর সুখের সম্বল ॥৫॥
la-inu āśraya yā’ra, hena vyavahāra tā’ra,
varṇite nā pāri e sakala
kṛṣṇa-nāma ichchhā-maya, yāhe yāhe sukhī haya,
sei mora sukhera sambala [5]
la-inu–I took; asraya–shelter; ya’ra–of whom; hena–such; vyavahara–behaviour; ta’ra–of Him; balite–to describe; na–not; pari–I am able; e–this; sakala–all; krsna–of Krishna; nama–the Name; ichchha–desire; maya–made of; yahe–with which; yahe–with whom; sukhi–happy; haya–becomes; sei–that, they; mora–my; sukhera (sadhanera)–of happiness (of endeavour to serve Him); sambala (upakarana)–means (ingredients). [5]
Translation:
(5) Such is the behaviour of the Name of whom I have taken shelter. I am not able to describe all this. Howsoever Krishna’s whimsical Name becomes pleased — that is my means of happiness (the basis of my endeavour to serve Him).
প্রেমের কলিকা নাম, অদ্ভূত রসের ধাম
হেন বল করয়ে প্রকাশ ।
ঈষৎ বিকশি’ পুনঃ, দেখায় নিজ রূপগুণ
চিত্ত হরি’ লয় কৃষ্ণপাশ ॥৬॥
premera kalikā nāma, adbhūta rasera dhāma,
hena bala karaye prakāśa
īṣat vikaśi’ punaḥ, dekhāya nija-rūpa-guṇa,
chitta hari’ laya kṛṣṇa-pāśa [6]
premera–of divine love; kalika (ku̐di)–the bud; nama–the Name; adbhuta–wonderful; rasera–of nectar; dhama (adhara)–abode (reservoir); hena–such; bala–power; karaye–does; prakasa–manifestation; isat (svalpa)–slightly; vikasi’ (atma-prakasa kariya)–blossoming (revealing Himself); punah–again, further; dekhaya–shows; nija–own; rupa–form; guna–and qualities; chitta–heart; hari’–stealing; laya–takes; krsna–of Krishna; pasa–the side. [6]
Translation:
(6) As a bud of the flower of prema, the Name, the abode of wondrous rasa, manifests such power! Upon blossoming slightly further, the Name shows me His personal form and qualities, steals my heart, and takes me to Krishna’s side.
পূর্ণ বিকশিত হঞা, ব্রজে মোরে যায় লঞা
দেখায় মোরে স্বরূপ-বিলাস ।
মোরে সিদ্ধ দেহ দিয়া, কৃষ্ণপাশে রাখে গিয়া
এ দেহের করে সর্ব্বনাশ ॥৭॥
pūrṇa vikaśita hañā, vraje more yāya lañā,
dekhāya more svarūpa-vilāsa
more siddha-deha diyā, kṛṣṇa-pāśe rākhe giyā,
e dehera kare sarva-nāśa [7]
purna–fully; vikasita–blossomed; hana–becoming; vraje–in Vraja; more–to me; yaya–goes; lana–taking; dekhaya–shows; more–to me; svarupa (chid)–own (spiritual); vilasa (vaichitrya)–Pastimes (beauty, variegated activities); more–to me; siddha–perfect; deha (sri radha-krsna-sevanopayogi chinmaya deha)–body (a spiritual body suitable for engaging in the service of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna); diya–giving; krsna–of Krishna; pase–by the side; rakhe–keeps; giya–going; e–this; dehera–of the body; kare–does; sarva–complete; nasa (vastu-siddhi dana kare)–destruction (grants me supreme perfection). [7]
Translation:
(7) Upon fully blossoming, the Name takes me to Vraja and shows me His divine Pastimes. He gives me an eternal body, keeps me by Krishna’s side, and completely destroys this material body (grants me supreme perfection).
(7) pūrṇa vikaśita … svarūpa-vilāsa: «Upon fully blossoming, the Name takes me to Vraja and shows me His divine Pastimes.» This refers to realisation of the non-difference between the Name and the Lord Himself.
কৃষ্ণনাম-ছিন্তামণি, অখিল রসের খনি
নিত্য-মুক্ত শুদ্ধরসময় ।
নামের বালাই যত, সব ল’য়ে হই হত
তবে মোর সুখের উদয় ॥৮॥
kṛṣṇa-nāma-chintāmaṇi, akhila rasera khani,
nitya-mukta śuddha-rasa-maya
nāmera bālāi yata, saba la’ye ha-i hata,
tabe mora sukhera udaya [8]
krsna–of Krishna; nama–the Name; chintamani (abhista phala-data)–a spiritual jewel (giver of one’s desired ends); akhila–all; rasera–divine relationships; khani–mine; nitya–eternally; mukta–liberated; suddha–pure; rasa–divine ecstasy; maya–made of; namera–of the Name; balai (vighna, aparadha)–obstacles (offences); yata–as many; saba–all; la’ye–taking; ha-i–I become; hata–destroyed; tabe–then; mora–my; sukhera–of happiness; udaya–arise. [8]
Translation:
(8) Krishna’s Name is the fulfiller of one’s desires. He is a mine of all rasas. He is eternally liberated and an embodiment of spiritual rasa. If I die removing all offences to the Name (from the hearts of the souls), I will be happy.
(8) kṛṣṇa-nāma chintāmaṇi … śuddha-rasa-maya: «Krishna’s Name is the fulfiller of one’s desires.» This is explained in the Padma-purana and the Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu:
nāma chintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś chaitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ
pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto ’bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ
«The Name ‘Krishna’ is a wish-fulfilling jewel and an embodiment of spiritual rasa. He is complete, pure, eternally liberated, and non-different from whom He names.»
[Translator’s note: A recapitulation of this song by Srila Bhakti Raksak Sridhar Dev-Goswami Maharaj is found in his book The Search for Sri Krishna:
My heart is just like a desert, hot with the rays of the sun. This is my internal mental condition. The desire for mortal things cannot satisfy me because by nature they are death-producing. And not one or two, but thousands of such death-producing desires have taken shelter in my mind. So, my subconscious region is always burning. This is my condition.
But somehow, by the grace of Sadhu and Guru, the Name of Krishna with its infinite prospect has entered through the holes of my ears and reached the plane of my heart. And there, with some peculiar hope, with infinite, auspicious possibilities, it touched my heart with a new kind of nectar.
New hope is aroused by that sound. Then by force, it comes from the heart towards the tongue. Not that by the endeavour of my tongue I am producing that sound — no. What came from the heart of a saint through my ear entered my heart, and that forcibly appeared upon my tongue and began to dance. That is the Name proper. It descends from above. It cannot be produced by the material form of this tongue. Its source is above.
And through an agent of the Absolute it comes through the ear to the heart. From the heart it gathers some sympathy, then the Name of Krishna forcibly appears on the tongue and begins to dance. With great force it comes to the end of the tongue, and that sweet sound begins its dancing.
The real effects of the Divine Name have been described here. If it is a living and real Name, the voice will be choked up, there will be shivering in the body, and the legs will be unable to stand. Sometimes tears will flow in a current on the body, and one’s hairs will stand on end. Sometimes changes of colour will be found in the body, and we will be unable to find any trace of the mind or consciousness. We may fall in a swoon, the whole body and mind will appear as if it is being attacked, shivering and influenced in different ways. Apparently it may seem that so many troubles are created in the body and mind, but the real heart is overflowing with a particular kind of strange, sweet juice.
At that point Bhakti Vinod says: «I am in an ocean of nectar. My whole existence is within an ocean of nectarean liquid. I am beside myself. I can’t understand where I am. Where am I? What is this? What is all about me? It has almost made me mad. Am I a madman? Where is my past experience, my seriousness, my gravity? Where are they? What am I?
«I have been converted wholesale by a foreign thing. I am a doll in the hands of a great force, which is also so affectionate to me. I can’t ascertain how it is possible that by my faith I have entered this great, unknown environment, unexperienced before.
«And at last I find that I am captivated. My entire being, within and without, has been captured by a particular sweet force. I can’t help being prey to such a sweet power. I can’t give any proper description of this. I came to take shelter under Him and accept Him as my guardian; now at His hand I am being dealt with in such a merciless and despotic way. Still, I feel that everything is very pleasing, beyond my experience. What is this?
«I can’t resist anymore. I am fully captured. Let my fate go anywhere. I can’t come out. I am a captive in the hand of a sweet friend; my whole independence is gone. There is no way left to me but to surrender. I am unable to describe my real position. I find that He’s an autocrat. Whatever He likes to do, He will do. Since it is not possible for me to give any resistance, I must surrender. Let me also cooperate with whatever He is pleased to do. Otherwise, what can I do? I am helpless.
«Sometimes I find that the sweetness of the Name is condensed like a blossoming flower, and very wonderful streams of sweet current are flowing from it. The Name contains so many sweet variegated forms of current within Him, and He is wonderfully expressing Himself in different ways. Sometimes He emanates a peculiar type of colour and figure, and disappears.
«So many charming aspects are shown as if to my eyes within, and He forcibly takes me to surrender at the foot of that altar. He shows Himself in His full-fledged form in Vrndavan, in His Vraja-lila, with Radharani, and He takes me there. I find that I am in the midst of His peculiar, very sweet and loving paraphernalia. And He says, ‘You see! I have so many wonderful things. This is your home. I am not merely imagination, but concrete reality. You will find here that the environment is very favourable and sweet. You are to live here.’
«I see there that He is dealing in different ways with His associates, in different rasas. And I find that I have another body that has emerged from my previous one, and that has a permanent place here in His service. Such a new life I find here. And then I find ultimately that all consideration of my past life and experience has vanished. And it is true — my real life is here. This is proper, and that was a sham. That life has vanished.
«Then I find that chanting the Name gives me new encouragement, a new prospect, and new hope. Whatever we want, whatever is our internal demand, it is supplied by the Name. If we take the Name, all our internal hankerings will be fulfilled. It is eternal. It is the purest of the pure. And it is full of ecstasy. Now I find that I have been completely converted.
«Now my innermost hankering is this: let whatever is against this sweet Name vanish eternally from the world. If anything is in opposition to this sweet life, let it vanish. And if necessary, I will give my life to make it disappear from the world forever. Then others will be able to enjoy it at their free will. No hindrance should come to that fulfilment of life. It has no parallel, no equal; it is second to nothing. So, everyone may come to this plane of realisation, and, if necessary, I will sacrifice myself to finish any opposition, so that all can smoothly, peacefully, and without any danger, enjoy this absolute, sweet, and blissful life.»]