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[RUDRA]

Namaste Bhaskar-ji

In the Kalisantarana Upanishad, the mantra is stated as:

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

It is common among ISKCONites to reverse this mantra. As it is in the Upanishad, Rama comes first before Krishna. The Upanishads are not authored by us, therefore we have no right to alter them. 

Rama represents Dharma and Krishna represents Ananda. By the above mantra it is implied that Ananda should be sought only thru Dharma but not the other way round. And to judge sruti with the authority of puranas is not accepted in the tradition. sruti stands by itself as an authority. 

-----Original Message-----

From: Bhaskar Y.R. [SMTP:bhaskar.yr at IN.ABB.COM]

Sent: Tuesday, May 09, 2000 12:28 PM

To: ADVAITA-L at advaita-vedanta.org

SubjectADVAITA-L at advaita-vedanta.org

To the honorary Members of Advaita-L

This is my first mail to Advaita-L members. Kindly pardon me if anywhere i am

off the track:

When I was reading Kalisantarana Upanisad I have come across the following verse

:

"hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama

rama hare hare - iti sodasaka namnam kali-kalmasa-nasanam natah parataropyah

sarva-vedesu drishyate"

Meaning :- HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE, HARE RAMA HARE

RAMA RAMA RAMA HARE HARE these sixteen names composed of thirty two syllables

are the ONLY MEANS to counteract the contaminations of kali-yuga. In all the

Vedas it is seen that to cross the ocean of nescience there is no alternative to

the chanting of these holy names - Supporting this verse in Bruhan-Naradiya

Purana it is said :

" Harer nama Harer nama Harer namaiva kevalam, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty

eva gatir anyatha"

Meaning : In this age of kali there is no alternative, there is no alternative,

THERE IS NO ALTERNATIVE for spiritual progress than the holy name, the holy name

of the Lord" It is clearly said that:" The ultimate source of acquiring

Absolute Knowledge, is not by mental speculation, or performance of sacrifices,

or by fruitive activities. In the age of Kali, the process recommended is

sankirtana.

krte yad dhyayatho vishnum

tretayam yajato makhaih

dvapare paricharyayam

kalau tad hari kirtanat

"Whatever results where obtained by meditating on the Personality of Lord Vishnu

in Satya yuga, or by performing elaborate sacrifices in Treta yuga,

or by performing Deity worship in Dvapara yuga, can be obtained in Kali yuga by

simply performing the congregational chanting of the Holy Names of

Lord Hari."

In the Bhagavatam it is said,

krishna-varnam tvisha-krishnam

sangopangastra parshadam

yajnaih sankirtana prayair

yajanti hi su-medhashah

"In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to

worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the name of Krsna.

Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krsna Himself. He is accompanied

by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions."

In BG, Sri Krshna clearly says that as people approach me, I award them

accordingly. As they surrender to me, I take control of them. In Chapter-9 Verse

-22 " Ananyachintayanto mam Ye janah paryupasathe, te sham nityabhiyuktnam

yogakshemam vahamyaham" and in Chapter-11 Verse-54 he clearly says that "

BHAKTATVANYAYA SHAKTAHA AHAMEVAM VIDHORJUNA, GNATUM DRASHTUM CHA TATVENA

PRAVESHTANCHA PARANTAPA" . Hence I once again want to reiterate that BHAKTI

MARGA is prescribed for this age of kali to get rid of this materialistic life

cycle. So a person who worships Krsna in the impersonal form, attains 'Sahijya

Moska'. Impersonal liberation, and enter into the Brahamjyoti of Sri Krshna. A

person who worships Krsna in His personal form gets Svarupa Moksha. He enters

into one of the many Vaikuntha planets of Sri Krsna and personally associated

with the Lord there.

That is why Krishna concludes in Bhagwad Gita : "SARVA DHARMAN PARITYAJYA

MAAMEKAM SHARANAM VRAJA, AHAMTVA SARVA PAPEBHYO MOKSHAISHYAME MA SHUCHA" i

donot know how advaita philosophy is going to interpret this verse.

The Jnana marga outlined in BG is not for this age. People in Satya yuga lived

for 100,000 years. They were sruti-dhana (perfect memories), with clear

consciousness and pristine surroundings. They could meditate for many years (as

Vishwamitra meditated for 60,000 years) to clarify their thought

processes. We do not have those facilities. But actually we are luckier. Krsna

out of compassion has given us a much simpler process. Chanting His

holy name. That has been given the same potencies of thousands of years of

meditation and austerities. Why then should we deny His mercy? That is my

question to you.

I hope my doubts are not futile.

Best Regards

Your Humble Servant

Bhaskar Y.R.

--

bhava shankara deshikame sharaNam

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