Benefits of Nam sankirtana

Benefits of Nam sankirtana

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

iti sodasakam namnam kali-kalmasa-nasanam

natah parataropayah sarva-vedesu drsyate

The sixteen names of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra: hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare destroy all the inauspiciousness of the age of Kali. This is the conclusion of all the Vedas. (Kali-santarana Upanisad from Krishna Yajur Veda)

sanketyam parihasyam va

 stobham helanam eva va

vaikuntha-nama-grahanam

 asesagha-haram viduh

One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly [to indicate something else], jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully. This is accepted by all the learned scholars of the scriptures.

(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.14)

nama sankirtana deva tarakam brahma drsyate

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

The nama sankirtana(public chanting) of Hare Krishna maha-mantra delivers a complete revelation of all of spiritual reality. (Brahmanda Purana 6.59-60)

mukti-hetuka tāraka haya 'rāma-nāma'

'kṛṣṇa-nāma' pāraka hañā kare prema-dāna

"The holy name of Lord Rāma certainly gives liberation, but the holy name of Kṛṣṇa transports one to the other side of the ocean of nescience and at last gives one ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa." (Chaitanya-charitamrita, Antya-lila 3.257

harir eva samaradhyah sarva deve suresvarah

hari nama maha mantrair nasyatpapa pisacakam

All the grievous sins of one who worships Lord Sri Hari, the Lord of all lords, and chants the holy name, the maha-mantra, are removed. (Padma Purana, Svarga Khanda 50.6)

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

sodasaitani namani dvatrimsad varnakani hi

kalau yuge maha-mantrah sammato jivatarane

varjayitva tu namaitad durjanaih parikalpitam

chandobaddham susiddhanta viruddham nabhyaset padam

tarakam brahma-namaitad brahmana gurunadina

kalisantaranadyasu sruti-svadhigatam hareh

praptam sri brahma-sisyena sri naradena dhimata

namaitad-uttamam srauta-paramparyena brahmanah

utsrjyaitan-maha-mantram ye tvanyat kalpitam padam

mahanameti gayanti te sastra-guru langhanah

tattva-virodha-sanprktam tadrsam daurjanam matam

sravatha pariharyam syadatma-hitarthina sada

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

“Hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare: This sixteen-name, thirty-two syllable mantra is the maha-mantra in the age of Kali by which all living beings can be delivered. One should never abandon chanting this maha-mantra and take to other so-called purificatory processes which are practiced by rascals, or engage in chanting other metrical compositions of the name of Krishna that are against the pure conclusions of the scriptures, or are filled with rasabhasa. About this divinely spiritual maha-mantra, which delivers one from material existence, the original guru, Lord Brahma, has said, kali-santararadi srutite, "The srutis have declared this mantra to be the best means of deliverance in the age of Kali". Having all heard this from Brahma, the sons and disciples of Brahma, beginning with Narada, all accepted the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and, having meditated on it, attained perfection.” (Ananta-samhita)

Ananta-samhita is part of the Narada Pancaratra")

The maha-mantra is further mentioned in Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.7.83 (krishna-nama maha-mantrera), Chaitanya-charitamrita 3.9.56 ('hare krishna, hare krishna' kahe avisrama), Narada Pancaratra, etc.

hare krishna krsneti krsneti mukhyan

mahascarya-namavali-siddha-mantran

krpa-murti-caitanya-deva upagitan

kadabhyasya vrndavane syan krtarth

“When will my heart become satiated by perfecting the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra in Sri Vrndavana Dhama, which the most merciful Sri Caitanyadeva personally chanted and distributed to the fallen souls out of compassion? This wonderful maha-mantra is mixed with the mellows of love and is the chief and the perfection of all other mantras. They are full of spiritual energies and glories.” (Sri Vrindavana Mahimamrta by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati 17.89)

hare krishna rama nama gana dana karinim

soka moha lobha tapa sarva vigna nasinim

pada padma lubdha bhakta vrnda bhakti dayinim

gaura murtim asu naumi nama sutra dharinim

"He makes the gift of the song of the names 'Hare, Krishna and Rama', and destroys all obstacles such as sorrow, delusion, greed and suffering. He gives the devotional service of Lord Krishna to the multitude of devotees who are eager for the shelter of His lotus feet. I fall down swiftly to offer my prostrated obeisances to the Lord in His golden form, who holds a string of meditation beads." (Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Susloka-Satakam 23)

sri-radhar bhave ebe gora avatar

hare krishna nam gaura korila pracar

(Vasudev Ghosh's bhajan "Jaya Jagannatha Sacira-nandana", text 4)

Chaitanya-bhagavata Madhya-khanda 23.75-80: (trans. Kusakratha Das)

75. The Lord personally taught them, "Please happily hear from Me the maha-mantra of Lord Krishna's names. It is:

76. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

77. The Lord said, "Regularly chant japa of this maha-mantra.

78. In this way you will attain all perfections. Chant at any time and in any circumstance. There are no other rules for chanting.

79. Gather together, five or ten, in your own homes, clap hands and sing kirtana of these holy names.

80. You may also sing these words:

haraye namah krishna yadavaya namah gopala govinda rama sri-madhusudana

('I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. He is the descendant of the Yadu family. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Gopala, Govinda, Rama and Sri Madhusudana.' Also see Chaitanya-charitamrita 2.26.64)

81. Gathering at home with parents, wife, and children, please sing kirtana in this way."

japato hari namani sthane sata-gunadhikah

atmanam ca punaty-uccair-japan srotrn-punati ca

"Compared to that person who is attached to chanting japa, the person who performs loud chanting of the holy name of Sri Hari is one hundred times better. This is because the person who chants japa purifies himself, whereas the person who chants the holy name loudly in kirtana purifies himself, all those who are with him, and everyone else who hear the holy vibration." (Naradiya Purana, Prahlada-vakya)

pasu-paksi-krma-adi balite na pare

sunile se harinama ta'ra saba tare

japile se krishna-nama apani se tare

ucca-sankirtane para-upakare kare

ata eva ucca kari' kirtana karile

sata-guna phala haya sarva-sastre bole

"The animals, birds, and insects cannot chant the holy name, but by hearing the holy name chanted they can benefit. Chanting the japa of the holy name of Krishna purifies oneself, but the loud sankirtana of the holy name of Krishna benefits all living beings. Therefore, loudly chant the holy name of Krishna in kirtana, and you will get one hundred times the benefit of chanting japa. This is the verdict of all the sastras." ( Chaitanya-bhagavata 1.16, Haridasa Thakura speaking)

"Listen my dear Misra, in Kali-yuga there is no need for severe penances or performance of opulent sacrifices; whoever worships the Supreme Lord Krishna he be crowned with fortune and success. So go back to your home and worship Lord Krishna with undeviating faith and attention, giving up falsehood and pretensions. By chanting the holy name of Lord Hari, Krishna, you will simultaneously obtain both the proper spiritual practice and the ultimate goal. In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way. I am repeating this great chant for deliverance to you. This consists of sixteen names of the Supreme Lord with thirty two syllables: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. By constantly chanting and worshiping this Maha Mantra, your heart will feel the first blossoming of love and God; then gradually you will understand the truth about the proper spiritual path and the ultimate spiritual goal." ( Chaitanya-bhagavata 1.14, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu speaking to Tapana Misra)

In his purport to Caitanya-bhagavata Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati says very clearly that Haridasa Thakura chanted either loudly or softly and that is why his cave became Vaikuntha.

Chaitanya-bhagavata 1.16.172:

tabe haridasa ganga-tire gopha kari'

thakena virale ahar-nisa krishna smari'

"Then Haridasa went and found a cave on the bank of the Ganges. He remembered Krishna day and night as he resided alone in the cave."

Purport: "While remaining in a solitary cave on the bank of the Ganges at Phuliya, Srila Thakura Mahasaya loudly chanted the names of Krishna and passed his days and night remembering the pastimes of the Lord. Sometimes he would chant the sixteen name, thirty-two syllable, maha-mantra loudly (uccaihsvare), and sometimes he would chant softly (mrdusvare). Every day he would complete the chanting of three hundred thousand holy names, or in a year he would chant one hundred million names of Hari. Some people consider that chanting the names of Krishna in a solitary place is in the category of "upamsu-japa," or "chanting very mildly." They say that this maha-mantra, or chanting the holy names of the Lord, should not be heard by others; only the person who is chanting should hear. If the lips move, or if the holy names are recited, then they will automatically be heard by others. But if such persons lack faith in the Vaisnavas who chant the holy names of the Lord, then by the influence of Kali they dare to quarrel with those Vaisnava chanters."

List of ten offences in Nam kirtana

1.    To criticize the Vaiṣṇavas.
2.    To consider the name of Lord Śiva and others as independent of Śrī Viṣṇu.
3.    To insult one’s guru.
4.    To criticize the Vedas and other scriptures which follow the Vedas.
5.    To consider the glories of the name of Lord Hari as exaggerated praise.
6.    To misinterpret the glories of the Name.
7.    To commit forbidden acts on the strength of the Name.
8.    To equate the Name with other pious activities.
9.    To give instructions about the Name to someone who has no faith, is not devoted to the Lord or is disinterested in hearing about it.
10.   To not have attraction to the Name even after hearing its glories.

Out of these, the most commonly committed offenses are 1, 3, 4 and 9.

The only atonement for offenses against the Name, as stated in Padma Purāṇa itself:

“Only continuous chanting of the Names of the Lord can repair the effects of offenses against the Name.”

Therefore, it one has committed offense against the Name, one should engage all the more continuously in nāma kīrtana, to please to Name. The Name is also a person and thus can be offended and be placated like a person. An offense to the Name is cleared only when the Name is placated by the sincerity of the chanter.

If one has offended a Vaiṣṇava, the easiest way to become free from that offense and please the Name is to ask for forgiveness from that Vaiṣṇava. It is a general principle that the offense will be cleared if the offended person forgives. This is understood from the story of Durvāsā Muni who offended King Ambarīṣa great Vaiṣṇava, described in the 9th Canto, Chapters 4 and 5 of Śrīmad Bhāgavatam. Although Durvāsā went to Lord Viṣṇu to become free from the reaction of offense, Lord Viṣṇu directed him to return back to Ambarīṣa and ask for forgiveness.

It is also stated in Nāma Kaumodi, “One becomes free from the offense against a Vaiṣṇava either by facing its outcome or by the grace of that Vaiṣṇava.” This principle is also illustrated in the story of Dakṣa’s sacrifice. After offending Lord Śiva, Dakṣa realized his gross mistake. Trying to spare himself from the reaction of his offense he spoke to Lord Śiva as follows:

        yo ‘sau mayāvidita-tattva-dṛśā sabhāyāṁ
        kṣipto durukti-viśikhair vigaṇayya tan mām
        arvāk patantam arhattama-nindayāpād
        dṛṣṭyārdrayā sa bhagavān sva-kṛtena tuṣyet

“Not knowing your greatness, I insulted you with the arrows of my abusive words in the assembly of great sages. Because of this heinous criticism I am gliding down to hell. You are supremely gentle and thus you have saved me by your compassionate glance. May you be pleased by your own good deeds.“ (SB 4.7.15)

Thus, the conclusion is that one should engage in nāma kīrtana while carefully avoiding the above stated offenses, and thus attain perfection in bhakti. This is the essence of Prahlāda’s reply to his father.

IMPORTANCE OF SANKIRTANA IN KALI YUGA PART 2

Kīrtanam is actually of primary significance and importance, and, therefore special attention should be given to its practice.

One can perform kīrtanam by oneself, but doing it in the company of a great personality is a greater boon. If one performs kīrtanam by oneself, one should be in the internal presence of great personalities like Śrī Caitanya, His associates, and Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī. One should then perform kīrtanam in the mood of being their follower. It is still better if great personalities are actually present. If one has the rare fortune of hearing the kīrtana of a great devotee, one can certainly do kīrtanam in a proper mood even if alone. [In our experience, the personal presence of a great devotee performing kirtan has a far greater effect than simply listening to a recording.]

A similar statement has been made by Śrīdhara Svāmī while commenting on verse 1.5.11: “If there is a speaker, one should hear the Names from him. If there is only an audience, one should recite the Names for them. If there is neither, one can sing the Names for oneself.”

As with hearing, the proper sequence for kīrtanam is: (1) nāma, (2) rūpa, (3) guṇa, (4) parikara and (5) līlā.

Kīrtana is best performed loudly. “Loudly” here means audible, so that others in one’s vicinity can hear it, but the idea should be applied contentiously. These days in Vrindavan, for example, it has become a custom to install loud speakers on top of temples or āśrama buildings to amplify kīrtan. Such kīrtan often creates the disturbance to others who may also be engaged in their own kīrtanam, smaranam, or other acts of devotional service. We should not be “loud” as an excuse to force others to listen to our kīrtan. Kīrtanam should be done as a service to Bhagavān, not to show off to the neighbors. After all, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who appeared to purify the people of Kaliyuga, gave the following principle for performing kīrtan.

         tṛṇād api sunīcena

         taror api titikṣuna

         amāninā mānadena

         kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ

“One should regularly do kīrtan of the Holy Name of the Lord in a humble mood, considering oneself lower than a blade of grass, being more tolerant than the tree, while giving respects to others and not expecting to be honored by them.” (Śikṣāṣṭaka 3, CC. Ādi 17.31)

It is well known from the Vedas and Purāṇas that kīrtanam is Bhagavan’s supreme grace on those who are low-born, misbehaved, or very poor and, therefore, cannot engage in religious activities like yajña, etc. (Poverty is an issue because religious activities sometimes require significant wealth).

The Brahmā Vaivartha Purāṇa says:

“In Kaliyuga, religious activities such as penance, yoga, the study of the Vedas, and execution of yajña, do not bring proper results, even if done by experts.“

As is further stated in Śrīmad Bhāgavatam,

         etan nirvidyamānānām

         icchatām akuto-bhayam

         yogināṁ nṛpa nirṇītaṁ

         harer nāmānukīrtanam

“O King, learned scholars conclude that the kīrtan of Hari’s Names should be performed by people who are  dejected because of being unsuccessful in their material pursuits, and by all sort of yogis who desire freedom

from fear.” (SB 2.1.11)

The implied meaning of the verse is that nāma kīrtanam should be performed by everyone, whether they are engaged in pure devotion, mixed devotion, yoga, jñāna or karma. In Kaliyuga, kīrtanam is particularly important. It is a blessing on fallen people, because it easily grants the results of all other religious activities. In Kaliyuga, Bhagavān is specifically pleased by kīrtanam. Although the greatness of kīrtanam is described in relation to Kaliyuga, it is not limited to Kaliyuga, just as other types of bhakti are also not limited by time or place. The power of kīrtanam remains the same in each yuga, but in Kaliyuga, out of compassion, the Lord has specifically glorified it, so that people who are not qualified for other religious practices may become inspired to practice kīrtanam and attain the highest possible goal in human life.

All other practices of bhakti should be accompanied by kīrtanam, but kīrtanam doesn’t need to be accompanied by any other practice. The following verses elucidate this principle.

         kṛṣṇa-varṇaṁ tviṣākṛṣṇaṁ

         sāṅgopāṅgāstra-pārṣadam

         yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana-prāyair

         yajanti hi su-medhasaḥ

“[In the Age of Kali, Bhagavān appears within this world] with a non-blackish complexion and constantly sings or describes the names of Kṛṣṇa, accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions. Those endowed with discriminating wisdom worship the Absolute in this form primarily through the sacrifice of complete kīrtanam, involving the totality of one’s being.” (SB 11.5.32)

Similarly, Śrī Śukadeva Gosvāmī glorifies chanting of the Name of Lord Hari:

         kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann

         asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ

         kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya

         mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet

“O king, although Kaliyuga is an ocean of defects, it has still one great quality: Just by performing kīrtana one can become free from material bondage and attain the supreme abode.” (SB 12.3.51)

Such prescriptions are also found in many other scriptures:

         harer nāma harer nāma

         harer nāmaiva kevalam

         kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva

         nāsty eva gatir anyathā

        [cited in CC. Ādi 17.21]

“In Kaliyuga only the chanting of the Name of Lord Hari brings perfection. No other means is efficacious.”

What and How to Chant in Kirtan

IMPORTANCE OF SANKIRTANA IN KALI YUGA PART 1

SANKIRTANA

In Kali-yuga no other devotional activity supersedes the currently prescribed yuga-dharma, hari-nama-sankirtana. Indeed, all other dharmas and all the various adjunct angas of bhakti must subordinate themselves to the service of the yuga-dharma to be deemed at all conducive, so far as the proper progress of the Krishna consciousness movement is concerned. All doings connected with Lord Caitanya’s sankirtana movement may be accepted as sankirtana, or facets of the sankirtana principle, to the extent that they factually inspire, promote, and facilitate or at least positively compliment direct performances of yuga-dharma hari-nama-sankirtana.

Kali-yuga-dharma hari-nama-sankirtana is the yuga-dharma for this entire yuga, please. Kali-yuga lasts a total of 432,000 years, of which only a mere 5,000 years have passed. The understanding should be that the process of nama-sankirtana is applicable to all souls appearing on Earth, particularly in the human form of life, during this entire 432,000-year period. The yuga cycles functioning on this planet are not effective on other higher or lower planetary systems. Hence, it is we who have presently appeared on Earth who are expected to take full advantage of the golden nama-sankirtana opportunity for easily going back home, back to Godhead. It is not that hardly any more than 500 years after the Lord and His associates descended to inaugurate the system of sacrifice for this entire age some other scheme should take precedence. If we don’t have complete faith in the congregational chanting of the Holy Name, if we have very little taste and attraction for chanting and dancing and are thereby relatively disinterested or diverted to other engagements, leaving ourselves little if any time to seriously take up the religion of the age, if we don’t recognize the beauty and value of hari-nama-sankirtana, and if we are not intent upon practically helping to push forward that most sublime dharma emphatically prescribed by Lord Caitanya, then we should simply understand that we are cursed by Yamaraja, that we have not realized the purpose of the Krishna consciousness movement, and that we have not truly comprehended the highest mercy aspect of the Lord’s ongoing audarya-lila of preaching the sankirtana movement all over the world. The highest mercy aspect of the Lord’s ongoing audarya-lila is to elevate fallen conditioned souls to the topmost perfection of relishing eternal spontaneous loving madhurya service to Radha and Krishna on the platform of vraja-prema. There is no doubt about this. Golokera prema-dhana, hari-nama-sankirtana. Any goloka-rasa may be awakened by the performance of vipralambha-rasa-maya hare-krishna-maha-mantra-sankirtana. However, as rasaraja-mahabhava Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu mainly descended to this world to freely distribute the supremely nectarean mellow of radha-dasya, it should not astonish anyone that sankirtana of the ultimate, matchless maha-mantra – Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare – would primarily appear to distinguishedly stimulate and nourish that unnatojjvala-vraja-rasa

Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante . . . But who are the mudhas? The term mudha does not exclusively portray the other guy. As much as we ourselves, like beasts of burden, continue to blunderingly bear the encumbering heaps and piles of corporeal egoism, material attachments, and misconceived notions about the recommended processes by which the ultimate philosophical conclusions of the Gaudiya sampradaya’s teachings may be practically implemented and realized, that much we ourselves can be considered mudhas.

naham prakasah sarvasya

yoga-maya-samavrtah

mudho ‘yam nabhijanati

loko mam ajam avyayam

“I am not manifest to everyone. Because I am concealed and guarded by My internal deluding potency (yoga-maya), dull-headed ass-like individuals cannot recognize Me as the unborn and inexhaustible Supreme Personality of Godhead.” (Bg. 7.25)

Kaviraja Gosvami has stated in his Caitanya-caritamrita (Adi 17.22), kali-kale nama-rupe krishna avatara: in this Age of Kali, Krishna descends from His eternal abode in the form of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Paritranaya sadhunam – it is Sri Hari-nama Prabhu who descends to deliver the sadhus by augmenting their faith in the process of sankirtana-yajna while granting a profound taste for its performance, thus mitigating their pangs of separation. Vinasaya ca duskrtam – it is Sri Hari-nama who anihilates the demonic anartha-congested mentality that generates the unfortunate reluctance, disregard, and sheer disinterest concerning the performance of sankirtana. In Kali-yuga, not to engage one’s energies in the performance of yuga-dharma-nama-sankirtana can be considered the primary form of irreligion. Whenever and wherever there is a decline in its performance – yada yada hi dharmasya glanir bhavati – and a predominant rise in the negligence of such – abhyutthanam adharmasya – then, tada, at that time – dharma-samsthapanartaya – it is only Sri Hari-nama, appearing through the lips of the Lord’s pure devotee, who can forcefully reestablish the jivas’ eternal occupational duty, nama-sankirtana. So also, it is Sri Hari-nama who descends to graciously bestow unalloyed love for Himself through the culture of nama-sankirtana-yajna. Even so, Krishna-nama reserves the right to either expose or conceal Himself in response to an individual’s quality of faith. Regrettably, disoriented neophytes possessed of persistent mudha-like tendencies do not recognize the true nature of the Holy Name, who, though unborn, inconceivably takes birth from His mother, who takes the form of a pure devotee’s tongue. The beginning, middle, and culmination of saranagati (surrender to the Lord’s shelter) as a practical expression of one’s level of sraddha are actualized in this age by surrendering to the service of the Holy Name. And the prime methodology for such surrender is the propagation of the current yuga-dharma, the congregational chanting of the Holy Name. This truth was profusely demonstrated by Sri Gauranga throughout His manifest earthly pastimes.

HOW and REASONS FOR LORD JAGANNATH APPEARANCE

Lord Jagannath puri dham

King Indradyumna was a great devotee ofLord Vishnu and was eager to meet him face to face. Once a brahmana came to the palace of the King Indrayumna and told him about an incarnation of Lord Vishnu named Nila Madhava. The king then sent different brahmanas out to search for Lord Nila Madhava. They all returned unsuccessful except a priest named Vidyapati. After traveling for a while Vidyapati came to an area inhabited by non-Aryans called sabaras. He stayed at the house of a local chief, called Visvavasu. When he arrived Visvavasu was not there, but his daughter Lalita was. Vidyapati stayed there for some time and eventually married Lalita, the daughter of the Sabara.Vidyapati noticed some peculiar behaviour of his host.

Visvavasu would go out every day around noon and would return back to the house scented with fragrances of sandalwood, camphor and musk. Vidyapati asked his wife about this and she informed him that his father would go daily to worship Nila Madhava. Lalita had been told by her father not to tell anyone about Nila Madhava, but she had overstepped that order by telling her husband. Vidyapati repeatedly requested to see Nila Madhava. Finally Visvavasu bound Vidyapati's eyes and took him to see Nila Madhava. Vidyapati secretly carried some mustard seeds in his cloth and he dropped them onto the path as he was walking. When he reached Nila Madhava, the blind fold was removed and Vidyapati saw Nila Madhava. Visvavasu went out to collect some forest flowers to worship and Vidyapati stayed near the Deity. During this time a crow fell off the branch of a tree into a nearby lake and drowned. It immediately took a four armed Vaikuntha form and started back to the spiritual world. 

LORD JAGANNATHA, Friend of world

JAGANNATHA

LORD JAGANNATHA MAHESH

Lord Jagannath Jiu Mahesh

Rathyatra Mahesh

Qualities and Characteristics of RADHARANI

QUALITIES:-

There are 25 transcendental qualities of RADHARANI:-

(1)  She is sweetness personified;  (2)  She is a fresh young girl;  (3)  Her eyes are always moving; (4)  She is always brightly smiling;  (5)  She possesses all auspicious marks on Her body; (6) She can agitate Krishna by the flavor of Her person;  (7)  She is expert in the art of singing; (8) She can speak very nicely and sweetly;  (9)  She is expert in presenting feminine attractions; (10) She is modest and gentle;  (11) She is always very merciful;  (12)  She is transcendentally cunning;  (13) She knows how to dress nicely;  (14) She is always shy;  (15) She is always respectful;   (16) She is always patient;   (17) She is very grave;   (18) She is enjoyed by Krishna; (19) She is always situated on the highest devotional platform;   (20) She is the abode of love of the residents of Gokula;   (21) She can give shelter to all kinds of devotees;   (22) She is always affectionate to superiors and inferiors;   (23) She is always obliged by the dealings of Her associates, (24) She is the greatest amongst Krishna's girl friends;   (25) She always keeps Krishna under Her control.

RADHARANI is also called  GOVINDA MOHINI, GOVINDA SARVASA, GOVINDA SARVA KANTA

Without Radha Rani there is no meaning to lord Krishna and without Krishna there is no meaning to Radha Rani. Because of this, in the Vaishnava tradition we always pay respects first to the Lord's internal energy in the form of Radha Rani, and then to the Lord Krishna. Thus They are referred to as Radha-Krishna, or in other names as Sita-Rama, Lakshmi-Narayana, and so on. In this way, Radha and Krishna are one, but when Lord Krishna wants to enjoy, He manifests Himself as Radharani. Otherwise, there is no energy in which Krishna can attain pleasure outside Himself.

CHARACTERISTICS :-

There are unlimited characteristics of RADHARANI, some important characteriscics are:-

Birth of SRIMATI RADHARANI

5000 years ago when Sri Krishna descended in His original form, as a cowherd boy in Vrindavan, Srimati Radharani accompanied Him in Her original form. She appeared exactly two weeks after the appearance of Sri Krishna on the eighth day of the lunar moon (ashtami). Srimati Radharani was found on a lotus flower by Vrashabhanu and his wife Kirtida near the village of Barsana, a few miles away from Nandagrama. It is said that Srimati Radharani first opened Her eyes only when Sri Krishna appeared before Her. Until that time Her eyes were closed.

                            Then one day krishna arrived at RADHA's house and he gave his palm in RADHA'S eye, then RADHA opened her eye and saw her beloved KRISHNA infront of her.

                            Understanding the mellows of the relationship between Krishna and Radha is impossible from the mundane perspective. Understanding devotion at the platform of intimacy, which is the highest level of relationship of a devotee with Krishna, is only possible in the most elevated stages of bhakti where there is not even a tinge of material contamination.

  

                            The loving affairs of Radha and Krishna are not ordinary, material loving affairs, although they appear like that. Rascals and fools misunderstand Krishna to be an ordinary man. They do not know Krishna's transcendental nature. They try to imitate Krishna's rasa-lila, His dancing with the Gopis.

Little knowledge about SRI RADHA part 2

Radharani is called The Supreme Lord has multipotencies, which act so perfectly that all consciousness, strength and activity are being directed solely by His will. That internal potency, called the Hladini Sakti who is Srimati Radharani. Krishna stated in the Bhagavad-Gita (9.10): "Under My superintendence the material energy is working". Apart from the material, external energy, there is another energy - the internal energy. By the internal energy the spiritual world is being manifested. As the material world is manipulated under the external energy, the spiritual world is conducted by the internal potency.

                       Although Radha and Krishna are one in Their identity, They separated Themselves eternally". Srimati Radharani, as the highest devotee of Sri Krishna, derives the greatest pleasure in serving Him. She is the origin of all the Gopis and of all the Goddesses of Fortune  who are engaged in the service of the Lord.The loving affairs of Sri Radha and Krishna are transcendental manifestations of the Lord's internal pleasure-giving potency.

                      The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is in fact a prayer to Srimati Radharani. The word 'Hare' is derived from 'Hara' which denotes the internal energy or Hladini Sakti of Krishna. This is none other that Srimati Radharani. When one is chanting the maha-mantra, one is saying: "O Krishna ! O Radha !! Please engage me in your devotional service". Krishna is difficult to approach directly, but He is bhakta-vatsala, always eager to please His devotees. Thus the mood of a devotee is to invoke the compassion of Srimati Radharani Who then recommends the devotee to Sri Krishna. Since Krishna is easily pleased by Srimati Radharani, He then readily accepts the devotee in His service.

                      At last I would like to add that WITHOUT RADHARANI KRISHNA  is NOBODY

                      

Little knowledge about SRI RADHA part 1

In veda ther is litttle talk about Sri radharani, but in kaliyuga we know about Radharani because of SRI GOURANGA and 6 GOSWAMIS

                                    Narad Pancharatram states that RADHARANI is the Supreme Personality, beyond whom there is no other. Vrishbhanu’s daughter sri Radha, is the primordial nature, from whom everything came into being.   ‘Ra’ and ‘Dha’ mean, “one who creates, one who preserves, and one in whom creation merges Again it has other meaning such as It is written in holy Bhagvat that this sound has capability to satisfy all human desires, including desire to attain eternal bliss. The following description from ‘Samras Upnishada’ tells that, how the name Radha came into existence.
                                     

                                    The word ‘RADHA’ is enough to destroy the evil effects of sins of many births. The letter ‘R’ stands for destroying sins of innumerable births. The sound ‘A’stands for emancipation from death & vicious cycle of birth & rebirth. The sound ‘DH’ means union with Shri Krishna; again, ‘A’ stands for liberation from all the worldly chains.

                                     Shri Krishna’s half part is Radha, and Radha’s half part is Krishna.  Shri Krishna says, “I have assumed the form of Radha.”  Radha Ji says, “I have assumed the form of Krishna.”  Radha is saying, “The form of Krishna is none other than Myself.”  “When I assumed the male form, people started calling me Shri Krishna.”

                                    It is stated that that the personality whom Shri Krishna worships, is known as Radha.  And the personality whom Radha worships, is known as Krishna.  Both worship eachother.

RADHA KRISHNA are made for eachother