The foremost preacher of the Holy Name – Nâmâchârya Thâkur Sri Haridâs has given a most wonderful explanation of the Mahâmantra. The devotees of Lord Goursundar will surely relish it. 

 “ekdin haridâs nirjone boshiyâ,

mahâmantra jope harshe premâbishto hoiyâ.

hâshe kânde nâche gay gorje huhunkâr,

âchârjya gosâi âsi kore namaskâr.

sankoch pâiyâ hoilo bhâlo sambaran,

achârje pranami tiho arpilo âsan.

boshiyâ âchârjya gosâi kore nibedan,

ek boro samshay mone koroho chhedan.

kalijuge abatâr srikrishna-chaitanya,

chaitanya bhajaye jei sei boro dhonno.

tumi hao chaitanyer pârshad pradhân,

sri-krishna-chaitanya chhadi keno gâo ân?

athabâ ki marma jâni premânande bhâsho?

sarba jeebe harinâm koile upadesho.

nibedoy haridâs kori karajode,

sarba-tatta-betta tumi keno puchho more?

ki ba chhol âcharoho pâmor shodhite,

nibedan kori shuno jâhâ loy chitte.

kalijuge sri-krishna-chaitanya gudho abatâr,

koti samudra gambhir nâm tâm leelâ jânr.

guru-bhâbe korây tinho âponâ jojone,

harinâm mahâmantra dilo sarbajane.

sri-krishna-chaitanya kalijug abatâr,

harinâm mahâmantra juga-dharma sâr.

mahâmantre sri-krishna-chaitanya bhinno kobhu noy,

nâm nâmi bhed nâhi sarba shâstre koy.”

 Meaning – “One day Haridâs Thâkur was sitting in a secluded place, absorbed in chanting the Mahâmantra. He was chanting joyously with love. He was laughing, crying, singing and roaring with a deafening noise. Just then Adwaita Âchârya entered and paid obeisance. An embarrassed Thâkur Haridâs immediately controlled himself. He returned the obeisance and offered the Âchârya a seat. Adwaita Prabhu sat down and requested Haridâs Thâkur to solve his doubt. He said – ‘Sri Krishna Chaitanya is the Lord God in Kaliyug, so naturally whosoever worships Him is blessed. You are the foremost of all the associates of the Lord. Then why do you forsake the Holy Name of Sri Krishna Chaitanya and sing some other name? And what is your realization that makes you float in blissful prem? When the Holy Name of Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahâprabhu is the topmost, then why did you instruct all living beings to chant Mahâmantra?’

 Thâkur Srila Haridâs humbly folded his palms and replied – ‘You are the -Knower of Truth; then why do You ask me? You are only pretending not to know anything, simply to teach the fallen souls. Anyway, I shall do as You like. It is true that Sri Krishna Chaitanya is the secret avatâr in the Kaliyug and His divine pastimes are as deep as innumerable oceans. He takes on the role of the Spiritual Master and makes us worship Him. That is why he has given everybody Harinâm-Mahâmantra.

Sri Krishna Chaitanya is the Lord God in Kaliyug and He has given us Harinâm-Mahâmantra that is the essence of this age.  The Mahâmantra is in no way different from Sri Krishna Chaitanya, since all the scriptures declare that nâm is non-different from nâmi.“

 Then Thâkur Srila Haridâs illuminated every word of the Mahâmantra for our relish –

 “Hare – She Who is the daughter of Vrishabhânu and is the crest-jewel of all the beloveds of Sri Krishna, has now descended as Sri Chaitanya, hence He is ‘Hare’.

 Krishna – Srimad-Bhâgavatam glorifies Him as the ‘Son of Nanda’ – that ‘Krishna’ has now appeared as this Chaitanya Gosâi.

Hare – He stole everything¹ from Vraja and descended in Nadia; hence the ‘hare’ for Sri Krishna Chaitanya is most apt.

 Krishna – He attracted the hearts of all living beings and sowed the seed of bhakti, hence the ‘Krishna’ indeed belongs to Him.

 Krishna – He is ‘Krishna’ within and without, and His entire being is absorbed in the sound vibration of ‘Krishna’ – therefore we decide He is ‘Krishna’.

 Krishna – He assumed the garb of a sannyâsi and attracted the atheists – thus He is definitely ‘Krishna’.

 Hare – He steals the hearts and souls of the devotees with His extraordinary sweetness – this is the significance of His name ‘Hare’.

 Hare – He steals the hearts of His devotees so that He can steal their hearts in return – for this reason Sri Chaitanya is named ‘Hare’.

Hare – Lord Krishna stole His Own sweetheart and ascended on earth – so Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Who is the essence of Kaliyug is ‘Hare’.

Râm – The Divine Couple unite with each other and thus wander in Nabadweep in supreme pleasure, therefore Sri Chaitanya is ‘Râm’ in this Kaliyug.

Hare – Sri Chaitanya steals all the inauspicious qualities from the living beings, as a result, His name ‘hare’ is most propitious.

 Râm – He love-sports in the hearts of His devotees, hence He has the name ‘Râm’.

 Râm – He is passionately aroused to relish Himself, therefore Sri Chaitanya has the name ‘Râm’.

 Râm – Lord Chaitanya manifested His form of Sri Râm Who is the Son of queen Kaushalya and had appeared in the Tretâ yug – consequently He is ‘Râm’.

 Hare – He stole Haridâs Thâkur’s heart with His sweetness; hence He got the name ‘Hare’.

Hare – He stole His own heart with His own sweet bhâv and became like a tortoise. As a result He became famous in the world as ‘Hare’.

 I have revealed the most confidential meaning of Harinâm, something that none of the scriptures can even dream about.”

(to be continued)

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¹ He emptied the Vrajavâsis’ hearts and stole the most precious jewel of Vraja, that is, Sri Râdhâ-bhâv and Srimati Râdhârâni’s splendor.