Tattva-viveka
Chanting and smaranam
Igor - June 19, 2006 5:09 pm
Dear Swami and devotees, one short question.
While chanting, we have many thoughts. Some devotees advices that we should "not think, but listen". If we have some thoughts about Lord, His form, pastimes,etc should we also try to abandon such thoughts and just listen Holy Name? Are such thoughts part of smarana? Is smarana separate from chanting or it is simultaneous practice?
Thank you. All glories to you and sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya!
Guru-nistha Das - June 19, 2006 10:55 pm
Dear Igor,
Here's something I've learned:
I can't say in what scripture this is mentioned, but smarana is divided into four categories: nama-smarana, rupa-smarana, guna-smarana and lila-smarana and the progression goes in that order as well. First, when you are able to chant attentively, it's rememberance of the name (this is a quite rare thing already, probably starts to be constant at the stage of anartha-nivritti? Just a guess.) and from that naturally remembrance of the Lord's form follows. From that comes rememberance of his qualities, and the final stage is remembrance of the lila.
If a devotee who can't chant offenselessly thinks of Krsna's rupa, guna or lila while chanting it can't be called smarana, but it is certainly not a bad thing.
As a sidenote, Guru Maharaja once mentioned on one lecture in NC that he was able to do rupa-smarana very early on after he joined (!).
Shyam Gopal Das - June 20, 2006 7:33 pm
I found this article helpful as well:
http://www.swami.org/sanga/archives/pages/vnn/ET04-3505.html
"If one has no taste for nama and cannot chant attentively, how can he do lila smaranam effectively?
The lila of Krishna is within his name. Do kirtana, as this will be effective whether one can be mentally attentive or not, and it will capture the mind and purify the heart. Then do japa (nama smaranam) This can be followed by 'rupa', 'guna', and ultimately 'lila smaranam'. In terms of Krishna lila, one should acquaint oneself fully with Krishna's pastimes as they are described in Srimad Bhagavatam's tenth canto and commented upon by our acaryas. This is also a form of smaranam."
Swami - June 23, 2006 1:44 am
I did not read the link Syama Gopala provided, but Bhakti-sandarbha describes five levels of smaranam:
Smarana is of five kinds: Any slight searching out of the object of meditation is called smaraNa or "remembering." When one repeatedly drags the mind from other objects and controls it in a general way, that is dhAraNA or "recollection." A more concentrated meditation on specific aspects of the Lord's form, etc., is called dhyAna or "meditation." When such meditation becomes uninterrupted like a flowing stream of nectar, that is called dhruvAnusmRti or "firm and constant recall." Finally, samAdhi or trance refers to the stage where the object of meditation appears constantly before the meditator.
From this description it can be concluded that even researching the life, etc. of one's Deity is a beginning form of smaranam. Otherwise, smaranam as a practice is taught by some lineages and this teaching and training is very elaborate. Our lineage does not advocate this, but rather the idea that kirtana induces meditation, kirtana prabhave smarana svabhave.
Regarding chanting and meditating, it can be said that generally the stage of nistha involves nama samaranam; ruci involves rupa samaran (while chanting); asakti involves guna samaranam, and bhava involves lila samranam. However, there is no harm in trying to fix one's mind on the form of the one's Deity, etc. while chanting his name.
Swami - June 28, 2006 3:33 pm
From the correspondence of BSST.
“By chanting the holy name, all anarthas will be removed. Automatically, then, rupa, guna, and lila — the Lord’s form, qualities, and pastimes — will manifest
themselves. There is no point in making a separate effort to artificially remember the Lord’s form, qualities, and pastimes. The Lord and his name are one and the same. This will be understood clearly when the coverings in our hearts are removed. By chanting without offenses you will personally realize that all perfections come from the holy name. Whoever chants the holy name gradually becomes free from false ego, gross and subtle bodily conceptions of life, and rises to the platform of realizing their siddha-rupa, constitutional position. By attaining that siddha-rupa and chanting the holy name, the transcendental form of Lord Krishna becomes visible. It is only by the holy name that the jiva realizes his svarupa, constitutional position, and becomes attracted to the form of Krishna. It is only by the holy name that the jiva realizes his svaguna, his constitutional qualities, and becomes attracted to the qualities of Krishna. It is only by the holy name that the jiva realizes his svakriya, constitutional activity, and becomes attracted to the pastimes of Krishna. “Nama-seva” is the essence of all one’s activities; it provides one all that is required. May the desire for service to the holy name with your body, mind, and words arise in the sky of your heart (kaya-mano-vakye namera seva apanara hrdaya-akase apana haitei udita haibe). All of the truths about the holy name will become revealed in the heart of one who is chanting. By hearing sastra, and reading and discussing its subject matter, the form of the holy name will manifest.”
—Sri Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakura
Igor - June 28, 2006 4:30 pm
Thank you very much on elaborate and nice answers. It is clear now. Thank you. Hare Krsna! 
Swami - June 29, 2006 3:53 am
I wrote this to another deovotee earlier today, but I thought I would add it here aw well.
Sanatana Prabhu in glorification of Sri Nama,
jayati jayati nämänanda-rüpam murärer
viramita-nija-dharma-dhyäna-püjädi-yatnam
katham api sakrd ättam mukti-dam präninäm yat
paramam amrtam ekam jivanam bhüsanam me
“All glories, all glories to the all-blissful holy name of Çré Kåñëa, which causes the devotee to give up all conventional religious duties, meditation and worship. When somehow or other uttered even once by a living entity, the holy name awards him liberation. The holy name of Kåñëa is the highest nectar. It is my very life and my only treasure.”
We must remember that it is nama seva that Mahaprabhu prescribed as the method by which one could attain his madness.
Rama-priya - July 11, 2006 5:02 am
What does it mean these terms: kirtana prabhave and smarana svabhave?
Nanda-tanuja Dasa - July 11, 2006 5:53 am
What does it mean these terms: kirtana prabhave and smarana svabhave?
kirtana-prabhave -- by the power of the chanting
smarana -- remembering the Lord's pastimes
svabhave -- in one's own original spiritual mood