Sri Namamrta
Sri Namamrta – The nectar of the Holy Name
Srila Prabhupada, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, ‘Conversation with Prakasananda’:
In three out of the four millenniums (namely Satya-yuga, Treta-yuga and Dvapara-Yuga) people had the honor to be able to understand transcendence through the path of disciplic succession. However, in the present age, people have no interest in the disciplic succession. Instead, they have invented many paths of logic and argument. This individual attempt to understand the supreme transcendence (called the ascending process) is not approved by the Vedas. The Absolute Truth must descend from the absolute platform. He is not to be understood by the ascending process. The holy name of the Lord – Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare – is a transcendental vibration because it comes from the transcendental platform, the supreme abode of Krsna. Because there is no difference between Krsna and His name, the holy name of Krsna is as pure, perfect and liberated as Krsna Himself. Academic scholars have no entrance by means of logic and other argument into the understanding of the trancendental nature of the holy name of God. The single path in understanding the transcendental nature of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare is the chanting of these names with faith and adherence. Such chanting will release one from designated conditions arising from the gross and subtle bodies.
Srila Prabhupada, Teachings of Lord Caitanya, “Conversation with Prakasananda”:
A student is to be consider perfected when he understands the identity of the holy name and the Supreme Lord. Unless one is under the shelter of a realized spiritual master, his understanding of the Supreme is simply foolishness. However, one can fully understand the transcendental Lord by service and devotion. When Lord Caitanya offenselessly chanted the Hare Krsna mantra, He declared that the mantra could at once deliver a conditioned soul from material contamination. In this age of Kali there is no alternative to chanting this maha-mantra. It is stated that the essence of all Vedic literature is the chanting of this holy name of Krsna: Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Lord Caitanya also told Prakasananda Sarasvati, “In order to convince Me about this essential fact of Vedic knowledge, My spiritual master has thought Me a verse from Brhan-naradiya Purana [38.126]. Harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam Kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha: In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy, the onlymeans of deliverance is the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. Ther is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way.”
Srila Prabhupada, The teachings of Lord Caitanya:
“As long as one is within the limited jurisdiction of fruitive activities or is involved in mental speculation, he may perhaps be eligible to study or teach the theoretical knowledge of Vedanta-sutra, but he cannot understand the supreme, eternal, transcendental (completely liberated) vibration of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. One who has achieved perfection in chanting the transcendental Hare Krsna vibration does not Have to separatly learn the philosophy of Vedanta-sutra. According to the Teachings of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the bona fide spiritual master, those who do not understand the transcendental vibration as being nondifferent from the Supreme and who try to become Mayavadi philosophers or experts in Vedanta-sutra are all fools. Studying Vedanta-sutra by one’s own effrots (the ascending process of knoledge) is another sign of foolishness. He who has attained a taste for chanting the transcendental vibration, however, actually attains the conclusion of Vedanta. In this connection, ther are two verses in Srimad Bhagavatam which are very instructive. The purport of the first is that even if a low caste person is engaged in chanting the transcendental vibration, it is to be understood that he has performed all types of renunciation, austerities, and sacrifice and has studied all the Brahma-sutras. Thus one can be able to chant Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. The purport of the second verse is that one who chants the two syllables Ha-ri must be considered to have studied all the Vedas: the rg Veda, Atharva Veda, Yajur Veda and Sama Veda.”
