A Message

[Bhaskar Y.R.]

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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