Tattva-viveka
A Day in the Life of Haridasa Thakura
Caitanya-daya Dd - September 9, 2004 2:06 pm
Ever since i have been a devotee, I have always loved Haridasa Thakura, our Namacarya. It is well-known that he chanted 3,000 lakhs of the holy name, which in turn would take him all day and all night. Recently I was reading about some pastimes he performed with Lord Caitanya (this was cited in "Appreciating Navadvipa Dhama"), and it got me to think, "How did Haridasa Thakura have time to do all this stuff, if technically he's always chanting his rounds?"
I feel kind of silly asking this question, but I don't really see this situation to be the same as Lord Krsna, because i know His pastimes are always being performed in different universes while He Himself performs pastimes in Goloka Vrndavana. The pastimes I have heard/read about Haridasa Thakura take place on this material planet.
Any thoughts? Any sastric evidences? Thanks!
<----just had to put that here :-D
Nanda-tanuja Dasa - September 10, 2004 12:43 am
Manasika japa?
Caitanya-daya Dd - September 10, 2004 9:52 am
well, Guru Maharaja did say that each of the lakhs were chanted differently: out loud, whispered, and in the mind.But did he perform other pastimes while chanting in his mind? That's not how i understood it.
Ramakesava - September 11, 2004 5:14 pm
well, Guru Maharaja did say that each of the lakhs were chanted differently: out loud, whispered, and in the mind.But did he perform other pastimes while chanting in his mind? That's not how i understood it.
I cannot say what Srila Haridasa Thakura was doing when he was chanting manasika japa, however I was reminded of what you posted here as I was reading Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu-bindu today.
In the second wave, in the section on the Sixty Four Angas of bhakti, there is a section on japa. Because I have not seen the original I am a little unsure as to where Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura's work ends and Sripada Narayana Maharaja's commentary begins, but at any rate, I found the following:
In his commentary on Sri Hari-bhakti-vilasa (11.247), Sri Sanatana Goswamipada has said, vacikasya kirtan-antargatvat, manasikasya smaranatmatvat, "Vacika-japa is included within the anga of kirtana, and manasika-japa is included with the anga of smarana."
...
In the Javali Samhita the process of nama-smarana has been described in the following way ... In the practice of nama-smarana one cannot obtain spiritual bliss as long as the ehart remains impure. Whereas the practice of nama-sankirtana does not depend on purification of the heart. Therefore nama-smarana is less effective than nama-sankirtana, and nama-sankirtana has greater importance.
I was thinking about this, and in a mundane way I have seen this borne out in my own life. It is much easier to chant out loud because then the senses are engaged in hearing one's own chanting, etc., whereas if it is in the mind, e.g. what if one cannot chant due to laryngitis, then it is very difficult because the mind is fickle and quick to wander.
This brought me to my next thought: I conjectured that when one reaches perfection, i.e. that the mind and senses are under control, then can nama-smarana be more effective (or not less effective at any rate) than nama-sankirtana? I also wondered that if Srila Namacarya was perfected then could he conceivably do more than one thing in his mind without what would normally be "lack of attention" detracting from that thing? Is this the hidden (flipside) message of Sri Javali Samhita? (Who wrote that by the way? I know Srila Jiva Goswami quoted it (Bhakti-sandarbha 276).)
Reading on I contemplated this. A number of pages later, I found this:
Remembrance of Sri Krsna, who destroys all sins, is accomplished with great endeavour, for it is very difficult to withdraw the mind from the unlimited varieties of worldly sense objects and concentrate it upon Visnu. But sri kirtana is very easily accomplished simply by vibrating the lips. Therefore, it is superior to and more effective than the process of smarana.
Maybe I have become overly fond of "hidden", internal meanings, that we all find charming when drawn out... But at any rate, I wondered if the above meant that contemplation of mundane objects was not smarana, but that transcendental objects/things in this plane was. (Forgive me, but I cannot think of the right words for that last clause.) I suppose what I mean is that I was drawn to the understanding that even whilst performing these pastimes, Srila Haridasa Thakura was chanting his lakhs--manasika like you say.
Comments? These were thoughts I had today whilst reading, and I am eager for correction/elucidation from the assembled Vaisnavas.
Ys., Rama Kesava dasa
Vrindaranya Dasi - September 14, 2004 12:09 pm
It isn't clear when Haridasa Thakur began chanting 3 lakhs of rounds. Perhaps he did this when Mahaprabhu gave him the kutir and garden in Puri. In Navadwipa, Haridasa Thakur was engaged in sankirtana with Nityananda Prabhu, so at that time at least, it is unlikely that he was chanting 3 lakhs.
Also, someone might generally chant a certain number of rounds, but chant less on specific occasions. For example, on Janmastami a devotee who otherwise chants all day might hear lectures, etc.