720620 - Lecture Purport to Sri Nama, Gay Gaura Madhur Sware - Los Angeles

Lectures by Date, 1972

His Divine Grace
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

• Listen to this song here

720620PU.LA - June 20, 1972 - 04:35 Minutes

Purport to Gay Gaura Madhur Sware by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura - Gold Series CD 3 Track 4

Gāy gauracand madhu sware. This is a song sung by Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura. He says that Lord Caitanya, Gaura, Gaura means Lord Caitanya, Gaurasundara, the fair complexion. Gāy gauracand madhur sware. In sweet voice, He is singing mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

In very sweet song He's singing, and it is our duty to follow His footsteps to sing the mahā-mantra. So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura advises, gṛhe thāko, vane thāko, sadā 'hari' bole' ḍāko. Gṛhe thāko means either you stay at your home as a householder, or you stay in the forest as the renounced order of life, it does not make difference, but you have to chant the mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Gṛhe vane thāko, sadā 'hari' bole' ḍāko. Always chant this mahā-mantra. Sukhe duḥkhe bhulo nā'ko, "Do not forget chanting either in distress or in happiness." Vadane hari-nāma koro re. So far chanting (is concerned), there cannot be any check, because in whatever condition I may be, I can go on chanting this mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.

So Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura advises, "Never mind, you are in distress or happiness, but go on chanting this mahā-mantra." Māyā-jāle baddha ho'ye, ācho miche kāja lo'ye. You are entrapped by the network of illusory energy, māyā-jāle baddha ho'ye, just like the fisherman catches from the sea all kinds of creatures within the network. Similarly we are also within the net of illusory energy, and because we have no freedom, therefore all our activities are useless. Action in freedom has got some meaning, but when we are not free within the clutches of māya, within the network of māyā, then our so-called freedom has no value. Therefore, whatever we are doing is simply defeat. Without knowing our constitutional position, if you are forced to do something by the pressure of the illusory energy, it is simply useless waste of time. Therefore, Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura says, "Now you have got full consciousness in the human form of life. So just chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā-Mādhava, all these names. There is no loss or great profit." Jīvana hoilo śeṣa, nā bhajile hṛṣīkeśa. Now gradually everyone is on the verge of death, nobody can say that, "I shall remain, I shall stay for more hundred years." No, any moment we can die. Therefore, he advises jīvana hoilo śeṣa: "Our life is at end at any moment, and we could not serve Hṛṣīkeśa, Kṛṣṇa. Bhaktivinodopadeśa." Therefore Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura advises, ekbār nām-rase māto re: "Please be enchanted, nām-rase, in the mellow of chanting the transcendental name. Dive yourself within this ocean. That is my request." (end)