Hari-nāma Cintāmaṇi – Chapter 5

Hari-nāma Cintāmaṇi – Chapter Five

Devāntare svātantrya-jñānāparādha
(The Offence of Considering the Devās to be Independent)

śivasya śrī‑viṣṇor ya iha guṇa‑nāmādi‑sakalaṁ
dhiyā bhinnaṁ paśyet sa khalu hari‑nāmāhita‑karaḥ

“Those who see any difference between the auspicious Śrī Viṣṇu and any of His names, qualities etc. are certainly offenders to the Name of Hari.”

(1)
jaya gadādhara-prāṇa jāhnavā-jīvana
jaya sītānātha jaya gaura bhakta-jana

Glories to Mahāprabhu, the life of Gadādhara! Glories to Nityānanda, the life of Jāhnavā Devī! Glories to the husband of Sītā (Advaita)! Glories to the devotees of Gaura!

(2)
hari-dāsa bale, tabe kari’ yoḍa-hāta
dvitīyāparādha ebe śuna jagannātha

Then, placing his hands together, Hari Dāsa said, “O Lord of the universe, kindly hear about the second offence.

Viṣṇu-tattva
(The Truth Concerning Viṣṇu)

(3)
parama advaya-jñāna viṣṇu para-tattva
cit-svarūpa jagadīśa sadā śuddha-sattva

“Viṣṇu is Supreme non-dual knowledge and the Absolute Truth. The form of the Lord of the Universe is transcendental and He is eternally situated in the state of śuddha-sattva (pure goodness).

(4)
goloka-vihārī kṛṣṇa se tattvera sāra
catuḥ-ṣaṣṭhi guṇe alaṅkṛta rasādhāra

“Kṛṣṇa, who sports in Goloka, is the essence of reality. Decorated with sixty-four qualities, He is the basis of rasa.

(5)
ṣaṣṭhi-guṇa nārāyaṇa svarūpe prakāśa
sei ṣaṣṭhi-guṇa viṣṇu-sāmānya-vilāsa

“Sixty of these qualities are manifest in the form of Nārāyaṇa, and these sixty qualities are, to a certain extent, in Viṣṇu’s pastimes also.

(6)
puruṣāvatāre āra svāṁśa-avatāre
sei ṣaṣṭhi-guṇa spaṣṭa kārya anusāre

“These sixty qualities are visible in the puruṣāvatāras and the svāṁśāvatāras based upon their activities. (1)

(1) The transcendentally pure Viṣṇu, or Nārāyaṇa, the Master of Paravyoma, is the vilāsa-vigraha (pastime-form) of Kṛṣṇa the Lord of Goloka. Saṅkarṣaṇa-Viṣṇu, who resides in Paravyoma, goes to the Kāraṇa Ocean and manifests the form of Mahā-Viṣṇu, the first puruṣāvatāra. Entering into every universe, Mahā-Viṣṇu expands as Garbhodakaśāyī. That Puruṣa is the aggregate of all things. Entering every jīva, He becomes Kṣīrodakaśāyī-Viṣṇu. These are the three puruṣāvatāras. From Kṣīrodakaśāyī, the various svāṁśāvatāras such as Matsya, Kūrma etc. are manifest. All these viṣṇu-tattva forms possess sixty qualities. Śaktyāveśāvatāras (jīvas who are empowered) such as Paraśurāma, Buddha, and Pṛthu are all vibhinnāṁśas (separated expansions).

Viṣṇura vibhinnāṁśera prakāra bheda, jīvera pañcāśat-guṇa
(Viṣṇu’s Different Vibhinnāṁśa Expansions and the Fifty Qualities Possessed by Jīvas)

(7)
viṣṇura ye vibhinnāṁśa dui ta prakāra
pañcāśat-guṇa jīve bindu bindu tā’ra

“Viṣṇu’s vibhinnāṁśas are of two kinds. Fifty qualities are found in minute ‘droplets’ within the jīva.

Giriśādi devatā vibhinnāṁśa haiyāo sāmānya jīva nan tāṅhārā pañcāśat-guṇa-viśiṣṭa (Śiva and the other Devas are Also Vibhinnāṁśas, But They Are Not Ordinary Jīvas Since They Possess Fifty-five Qualities)

(8)
giriśādi-deve ei guṇa-pañcāśat
tad-adhika parimāṇe sarvadā saṁyuta

“Girīśa (Śiva) and the Devas always possess these fifty qualities, but to a greater extent. (2)

(2) The greater the number of ‘droplets’ present in a jīva, the greater the number of all these qualities.

(9)
tad-vyatīta āra pañca guṇa aṁśa-māne
prakāśita āche taba vicitra-vidhāne

“In addition, another five qualities partially manifest, and these are also wonderfully present within them. (3)

(3) In addition to these fifty qualities, Śiva and the other Devas also possess five more which manifest partially within them. In other words, all these qualities are not complete except in viṣṇu-tattva.

Ṣaṣṭhi-guṇe viṣṇutva
(The Sixty Qualities Present in Viṣṇu)

(10)
sei pañca-pañcāśat guṇa-pūrṇa tāya
viṣṇute virājamāna sarva-śāstre gāya

“These fifty-five qualities are present within Viṣṇu in full – all the śāstra declare this.

(11)
tad-vyatīta āra pañca-guṇa nārāyaṇe
āche tāra sattā kabhu nāhi anya-jane

“Apart from these, five other qualities are present within Nārāyaṇa. They do not exist in anyone else.

(12)
ṣaṣṭhi-guṇe viṣṇu-tattva parama-īśvara
giriśa-ādi anya-deva tāṅhāra kiṅkara

“The Supreme Controller, viṣṇu-tattva, possesses sixty qualities. Girīśa (Śīva) and the other Devas are His servants.

(13)
vibhinnāṁśa giriśādi jīva-śreṣṭhatara
viṣṇu sarva-jīveśvara sarva-deveśvara

“Girīśa and the Devas are all vibhinnāṁśa. Viṣṇu is the Lord of all jīvas and Lord of all the Devas.

Ajñāna-vyakti anya devatāra sahita viṣṇu-ke samāna mane kare
(Ignorant Persons Consider Viṣṇu and the Other Devas to be Equal)

(14)
anya-deva saha sama viṣṇu-ke ye māne
se baḍa ajñāna īśa-tattva nāhi jāne

“Extremely ignorant people who think that other Devas are equal to Viṣṇu do not understand īśa-tattva (the truth concerning the Supreme Controller).

(15)
e-jaḍa-jagate viṣṇu parama-īśvara
giriśādi yata deva tāṅra vidhikara

“Within this mundane world, Viṣṇu is the Supreme Controller. Girīśa and other Devas carry out His instructions. (4)

(4) ‘Carry out His commands’ means that they are servants.

(16)
keha bale māyāra tri-guṇe tridiveśa
sarvadā samāna brahma-tattva saviśeṣa

“Some say that when Brahman, who is always homogenous, contacts the three modes of māyā, He attains qualities and becomes three Devas (Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva). (5)

(5) This is the concept of the māyāvādī. They state that Brahman is nirviṣeśa (devoid of qualities). But when coming into contact with the three modes of material nature, it becomes saviśeṣa (with qualities) and manifests as three Devas (Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva).

Nānā-vidha vādānuvādera siddhānta
(The Conclusion in Regards to the Debate Amongst Various Doctrines)

(17)
śāstrera siddhānte tabu pūjya nārāyaṇa
brahmā śiva sṛṣṭi-laya-kāryera kāraṇa

“The śāstra concludes that Nārāyaṇa is worshipable. Brahmā and Śiva are responsible for the tasks of creation and destruction.

(18)
vāsudeve chāḍi’ yei anya-deve bhaje
īśvara chāḍiyā sei saṁsārete maje

“People who reject Vāsudeva to worship other Devas instead, become absorbed in the world of repeated birth and death due to their rejection of the Supreme Controller.

(19)
keha bale, viṣṇu para-tattva baṭe jāni
sarva-viṣṇumaya viśva veda-vākya māni

“Some say that, ‘I know that Viṣṇu is the Supreme Truth. I accept that the Vedas state that Viṣṇu is present everywhere in the world.

(20)
ataeva sarva-deve viṣṇu-adhiṣṭhāna
sarva-devārcane haya viṣṇura samāna

“Therefore, Viṣṇu resides within all the Devas, and so worship of the Devas is the same as worshipping Viṣṇu.’

(21)
eita niṣedha-para vākya, vidhi naya
anya-deva-pūjāra niṣedha ei haya

“Statements such as these are forbidden because such worship is not enjoined. To worship other Devas in this way is prohibited. (6)

(6) One should not claim that Viṣṇu resides within all the Devas and then proceed to worship them. By worshipping Viṣṇu one worships all other Devas. Therefore, it is not necessary to worship other Devas separately.

(22)
sarva viṣṇu-maya viśva e-kathā balile
viṣṇu-pūjā kaile saba deve pūjā mile

“One may say that Viṣṇu presides everywhere within the world. By worshipping Viṣṇu one also worships all the Devas.

(23)
taru-mūle jala dile śākhāra ullāsa
pallave ḍhālile jala vṛkṣera vināśa

“If one waters the root of a tree, the branches will thrive. If one only waters the leaves, the tree will perish.

(24)
ataeva pūji viṣṇu, anya-deva tyaji’
tāhātei anya-deva kāye-kāye pūji

“Thus, if I abandon other Devas and only worship Viṣṇu, then I will attain the result of worshipping all the forms of the other Devas.

(25)
ei vidhi – vedera sammata cira-dina
durvipāke ei vidhi chāḍe arvācīna

“From ancient times the Vedas have accepted this decree. There is only misery for those fools who reject this rule. (7)

(7) Misery means that due to the shortsightedness of the jīva, he worships a Deva similar to his own nature. The worship of Viṣṇu, which is in transcendental goodness (śuddha-sattva), is eternal and in accordance with Vedic philosophy. But this remains unknown by those who are guided by stupidity.

(26)
māyāvāda-doṣe jīva kali-āgamane
bahu-deva pūje viṣṇu-sāmānya-darśane

“When the age of Kali arrived and the jīva became contaminated by māyāvāda, he believed in the philosophy that the worship of many Devas was equal to the worship of Viṣṇu.

(27)
eka eka deva eka eka phala-dātā
sarva-phala-dātā-viṣṇu sakalera pātā

“Each individual Deva offers a specific benediction, but Viṣṇu bestows all boons and protects all.

(28)
kāmi-jana yadi tattva jānibāre pāre
viṣṇu-pūji phala pāya, chāḍe’ devāntare

“If persons with material desires could understand this truth, they would abandon the Devas and attain results from worshipping Viṣṇu.

Gṛhastha vaiṣṇavera kartavya vidhāna
(The Duties of a Householder Vaiṣṇava)

(29)
gṛhastha haiyā yei viṣṇu-bhakta haya
sarva-kārye kṛṣṇa-pūje chāḍiyā saṁśaya

“The gṛhastha who is a devotee of Viṣṇu should, without any doubt, worship Kṛṣṇa in all his activities.

(30)
niṣekādi śmaśānānta saṁskāra yata
tāhāte pūjaye kṛṣṇa veda-mantra-mata

“For various saṁskāras (purificatory ceremonies), beginning with niṣeka* and terminating at the cremation ground, he should worship Viṣṇu with the mantras of the Vedas.

* Translator’s Note: Niṣeka refers to the garbhādhāna-saṁskāra, the Vedic ritual for begetting good progeny.

(31)
viṣṇu-vaiṣṇavera pūjā vedete vidhāna
deva-pitṛ-gaṇe kṛṣṇa-nirmālya-pradāna

“Following the instructions of the Vedas, he should worship Viṣṇu and the Vaiṣṇavas. He should offer Kṛṣṇa’s remnants to the Devas and Pitṛs.*

Translator’s Note: Pitṛs refers to one’s forefathers.

(32)
māyāvādi-mate pitṛ-śrāddha yei kare’
yebā anya-deva pūje’ aparādhe mare

“Those who follow the philosophy of the māyāvādīs when offering śrāddha to the Pitṛs and worshipping the Devas are doomed due to their offence.

(33)
viṣṇu-tattve dvaita-buddhi nāma-aparādha
sei aparādhe tāra haya bhakti-vādha

“Imposing a dualistic conception upon viṣnu-tattva is an offence to the Holy Name. By this offence one’s progress in bhakti is obstructed.

(34)
śivādi-devatā-gaṇe pṛthak īśvara
mānile nāmāparādha haya bhayaṅkara

“Those who think that Śiva and the other Devas are independent controllers commit a dreadful offence to the Holy Name. (8)

(8) “Viṣṇu is the Supreme Controller, Śiva and the other Devas are also Supreme Controllers” – one who thinks in this way, that there are many Supreme Controllers, falls down due to this offence. Thus, it is not an offence to consider or worship that Deva as a guṇavatāra or a servant of Viṣṇu. The various Devas are Viṣṇu’s potencies. Their own individual potencies are imperfect.

(35)
viṣṇu-śakti parā-śakti haite deva-yata
bhinna-śakti siddha naya vedera sammata

“The Devas manifest from viṣṇu–śakti, the Lord’s superior energy. The Vedas never accept that their various potencies are superior to His.

(36)
śiva-brahmā-gaṇapati-sūrya-dikpāla
kṛṣṇa-śakti-balete īśvara cira-kāla

“In ancient times, Śiva, Brahmā, Gaṇapati, Sūrya, and the Dikpālas* were invested with Kṛṣṇa’s potency and became controllers.

*Translator’s Note: The Dikpālas are the Devas that control the ten directions.

(37)
ataeva pareśvara eka-mātra jāni
āra saba-deve tāṅra śakti-madhye gaṇi

“Thus, I understand that Kṛṣṇa is the sole Pareśvara (Supreme Controller) and all the Devas are counted as His potencies.

(38)
ataeva sarva-kārye karma-jaḍa-bhāva
chāḍiyā gṛhastha pāya bhaktira sad-bhāva

“Therefore, a gṛhastha should totally reject material conceptions in the execution of all his duties, and strive towards attaining a proper devotional mood.

Kirūpa vaiṣṇava gārhasthya dharma kariben
(How Does a Vaiṣṇava Perform Householder Dharma?)

(39)
bhaktira sad-bhāve thāki sat-kriyā-karaṇe
deva-pitṛ-gaṇe tuṣe nirmālya-arpaṇe

“He performs various rituals with a proper devotional mood, and he satisfies the Devas and Piṭrs by offering the remnants (of Kṛṣṇa) to them.

(40)
bahu-deva-devī pūjā karibe varjana
kṛṣṇa-bhakta bali’ sabe karibe tarpaṇa

“He gives up the worship of many Devas and Devīs and, because they are all devotees of Kṛṣṇa, they are pleased with him.

(41)
śrī-kṛṣṇa-vaiṣṇavārcane sarva-phala pāya
nāme aparādha nahe sadā nāma gāya

“By worshipping Śrī Kṛṣṇa and the Vaiṣṇavas, all results are attained. He who does this avoids committing offences to the Holy Name and chants the Name constantly.

Varṇa-catuṣṭayera jīvana-yātrā vidhi
(The Rules of Maintaining One’s Life in Relation to the Four Varṇas)

(42)
jagate mānava-gaṇa varṇa-dharmācari’
karibeka deha-yātrā dharma-patha dhari’

“Those humans who follow the duties of varṇa in this world walk on the path of dharma as they travel in this material body. (9)

(9) The jīvas who are present in this world should follow the system of varṇāśrama while traversing in the material body – this is sanātana-dharma. This varṇa-dharma has been established by the ṛṣis and was implemented throughout the whole society in the pious land of Bhārata. In other countries, though this system has not been refined, it still exists in one form or another. Human nature cannot find completeness without varṇa. Saṅkaras and antyajas* may gradually attain good fortune by following pure conduct, maintaining a lifestyle free from pāpa and entering the family of Kṛṣṇa – such rules are eternal.

Translator’s Note: Saṅkara refers to a child born of mixed varṇas. Antyaja means those persons of low birth outside the varṇāśrama system.

Antyajera vidhi
(The Rules for Low-Born People)

(43)
saṅkara-antyaja-sabe tyaji’ nīca-dharma
śūdrācāre kare sadā saṁsārera karma

“The saṅkara and antyaja should completely renounce their low-class nature and activities, and always accept the role of śūdras in the material world.

(44)
saṅkara-antyaja thākibeka śūdrācāre
cātur-varṇa vinā dharma nāhika saṁsāre

“The saṅkara and antyaja should follow the conduct of the śudras, because without the four varṇas there is no dharma in this world.

Varṇa-dharmera dvārā jīvana-yātrā kariyā saṁsāri vyakti bhakti-pathe bhāvārjana kariben
(Living Within Varṇa-Dharma, a Resident of this World Walks on the Path of Bhakti)

(45)
cātur-varṇya varṇa-dharme karibe saṁsāra
śuddha-kṛṣṇa-bhakti-bale habe sadācāra

“In this world, one should be situated in one of the four varṇas within varṇa-dharma, execute pure kṛṣṇa-bhakti and always follow proper conduct.

(46)
cātur-varṇa yadyapi śrī-kṛṣṇa nāhi bhaje
varṇa-dharmācāre thāki’ rauravete maje

“Even if one belongs to the four varṇas, if he does not worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa, despite following the rules of conduct found in varna-dharma, he will fall into Raurava (one of the lower planetary systems).

(47)
varṇa vinā gṛhasthera nāhi āra dharma
varṇa-dharmācāre gṛhasthera saba karma

“Without varṇa, there is no other dharma for a gṛhastha. All a gṛhastha’s activities are found within the practices of varṇa-dharma.

(48)
varṇa-dharme e-saṁsāra nirvāha karibe
yāvad-artha-parigrahe śrī-kṛṣṇa bhajibe

“In this world one should follow varṇa-dharma and, according to his means, he should worship Śrī Kṛṣṇa.

(49)
nisargataḥ vidhi-vādhya ye paryanta nara
varṇa-dharma sva-nirvāhe karibe ādara

“During the time a man is under the rules of this world, he should take care to conduct himself according to varṇa-dharma.

(50)
bhakti-yoga-nāme ei tattva-nirūpaṇa
bhakti-yoge bhāvodaya siddhānta-vacana

“This science is defined by the name ‘bhakti-yoga.’ In bhakti-yoga, bhāva arises – this is said to be the culmination of perfection (siddhānta).

(51)
bhāvodaye vidhira pravṛtti nāhi raya
bhāvodita-kārye deha-yātrā siddha haya

“When bhāva arises, there is no need to follow the scriptural rules. One’s journey within this material body attains perfection at the appearance of bhāva. (10)

(10) As long as the jīva finds it necessary to follow rules and regulations, he must be situated in varnāśrama. As he continues in his bhajana, bhāva eventually arises within him. When bhāva appears, the jīva naturally becomes beautiful and as the regulated jīva ascends, he abandons the dictates of scriptural rules. Ordinary jīvas cannot understand this, as śuddha-bhāva appears on its own accord.

(52)
gṛhi-vaiṣṇavera ei advaya-sādhana
śrī-viṣṇu-advaya-tattve dvaita-nivartana

“The resolute sādhana of a grhastha Vaiṣṇava is to accept Śrī Viṣṇu – that Absolute Truth who is one without a second.

Nāma-nāmī o guṇa-guṇīra abhede viṣṇu-jñāna śuddha haya
(The Pure Knowledge that Viṣṇu Is Non-Different From His Name and Qualities)

(53)
āra eka kathā āche dvaita-nivartane
viṣṇu-nāma, viṣṇu-rūpa, viṣṇu-guṇa-gaṇe

“Another point is that there is no duality concerning Viṣṇu’s name, form and qualities.

(54)
viṣṇu-haite pṛthak-rūpe nā mānibe kabhu
advaya-akhaṇḍa-viṣṇu cinmayatve vibhu

“One should not think that Viṣnu is different from His form. Viṣṇu is non-dual, complete, transcendental, and infinite.

(55)
ajñānete yadi haya dvaita-upadrava
nāmābhāsa haya tāra prema asambhava

“If, due to ignorance, one is troubled by the misconception of duality (as regards the Lord’s name, form and qualities) then nāmābhāsa will occur and the attainment of prema will be impossible.

(56)
sad-guru-kṛpāya sei anartha-vināśa
bhajite bhajite śuddha-nāmera prakāśa

“By the mercy of a genuine guru, this anartha will be destroyed. By continually engaging in bhajana, śuddha-nāma will eventually manifest.

Māyāvādīra kutarka o aparādha
(The Fallacious Arguments and Offence of the Māyāvādīs)

(57)
mata-vāda-jñāne dvaita haila pravartana
aparādha haya āra nahe nivartana

“If duality (concerning Kṛṣṇa’s name, form and qualities), based upon the ideology of certain philosophies, is introduced then an offence is committed which cannot be retracted.

(58)
māyāvādī bale brahma haya para-tattva
nirviśeṣa-nirvikāra-nirākāra-sattva

“Māyāvādīs state, ‘The Supreme Truth is Brahman, which is devoid of qualities, unchangeable, and without form.

(59)
viṣṇu-rūpa, viṣṇu-nāma māyāya kalpita
māyā-antardhāne viṣṇu hana brahma-gata

“‘Viṣṇu’s forms and names are the imaginary creations of māyā. With the disappearance of māyā, Viṣṇu merges into Brahman.’

(60)
e-saba kutarka mātra satya śūnyavāda
para-tattve sarva-śakti abhāva-pramāda

“All these are simply fallacious arguments and in truth they are śūnyavāda.* To claim that the Supreme Truth is devoid of all potencies is madness.

* Translator’s Note: Śūnyavāda refers to Buddhism. According to Padma Purāṇa (Uttara-khaṇḍa 25.7) the māyāvāda philosophy is actually covered Buddhism (pracchanaṁ-bauddham) due to its nihilistic conclusion of the ātmā’s total annihilation.

(61)
śaktimān brahma yei, sei viṣṇu haya
nāmera vivāda-mātra vedera nirṇaya

“Brahman is the possessor of all potencies and He is Viṣṇu. The only difference is in their names – this is the verdict of the Vedas. (11)

(11) Māyāvādīs are narrow-minded. Observing that there is variety in the material world, they assume that spiritual existence must have no variety. Because they have incomplete faith, they imagine that Brahman is without rasa and dry. They cannot accept that Brahman naturally possesses names, forms, qualities, and pastimes. Considering this, they think that Brahman becomes known as Viṣṇu. Māyāvāda is very unfortunate for the jīvas, and pure devotees stay far away from that narrow doctrine and believe in the name, form, qualities and pastimes of Bhagavan.

Viṣṇu o brahma-tattvera sambandha
(The Relationship Between Viṣṇu and Brahma Tattva)

(62)
viṣṇu para-tattva tāra nirviśeṣa dharma
saviśeṣa dharma saha haya eka marma

“Viṣṇu is the Supreme Reality. He possesses an intrinsic feature without qualities and an intrinsic feature with qualities – yet He remains one.

(63)
viṣṇura acintya-śakti virodha-bhañjana
anāyāse kari’ kare saundarya sthāpana

“Viṣṇu’s acintya-śakti (inconceivable potency) dispels all contradictions and easily establishes His beauty. (12)

(12) Fully accepting the Supreme Lord’s special acintya-śakti, which does not establish nirviśeṣa exclusively, all opposing arguments are cast far away.

(64)
jīva-buddhi sahajete ati alpatara
acintya-śaktira bhāva nā kare gocara

“By nature, the intelligence of the jīva is very meagre. They cannot fathom the acintya-śakti.

(65)
nija-buddhye cāhe eka sthāpite īśvara
khaṇḍa-jñāne pāya, brahma-tattvete avara

“Desiring to establish the Supreme Controller with their intelligence, they only attain partial knowledge of the lowest conception of Brahman.

(66)
viṣṇura parama pada chāḍi’ devārcita
brahme baddha haya nāhi bujhe hitāhita

“If they reject the divine feet of Viṣṇu and worship the Devas, or if they are attached to Brahman, they will never understand what is beneficial for them and what is not beneficial. (13)

(13) Viṣṇur – those who reject Viṣnu’s feet, which are worshipped by all the Devatās, have a fragmented intellect and, being bound only to an imaginary Brahman, they cannot comprehend what is beneficial and what is not beneficial.

(67)
cinmaya-svarūpa-jñāna ye bujhite jāne
viṣṇu, viṣṇu-nāma-guṇa eka kari’ māne

“Those who understand this knowledge concerning the transcendental nature of the Supreme know that Viṣṇu and His name and qualities are one.

(68)
ei-ta viśuddha jñāna śrī-kṛṣṇa-svarūpa
sambandha buddhite labhi’ bhaje nāma-rūpa

“This is pure, transcendental knowledge of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s form and inherent nature. When one receives knowledge of sambandha (one’s relationship with Kṛṣṇa), one worships Him in the form of the Holy Name.

Śiva o viṣṇura ki rūpe abheda-buddhi karibe
(Understanding How Śiva and Viṣṇu are Non-different)

(69)
jaḍa-nāma, jaḍa-rūpa-guṇe yei bheda
se-bheda cit-tattve nāi eita prabheda

“There are differences between material names, forms and qualities. Within cit-tattva (spiritual reality), there is no difference amongst these.

(70)
viṣṇu-tattve bheda-jñāna anartha-vikāra
śivete viṣṇute bheda ati avicāra

“To cultivate bheda-jñāna (the understanding of differentiation between the Lord’s name, form etc.) in regards to viṣṇu-tattva, is an anartha and an aberration. To consider Śiva to be distinct from Viṣṇu is a great error. (14)

(14) It is faulty to consider differentiation in regards to viṣṇu-tattva. If one thinks that Śiva and the other Devatās are independent of Viṣṇu, then this consideration of difference arises.

Bhakta o māyāvādīra ācāra o pravṛtti bheda
(The Difference in the Conduct and Tendencies of a Devotee and a Māyāvādī)

(71)
nāmaika-śaraṇa yei bhakta mahājana
ekeśvara kṛṣṇe bhaji’ chāḍe anya jana

“A devotee who is a mahājana takes exclusive shelter of the Holy Name. He worships Kṛṣṇa as the only Supreme Controller and rejects anyone else.

(72)
anya-deva, anya-śāstra nindā nāhi kare
kṛṣṇa-dāsa bali’ anye pūje samādare

“He does not criticise other Devas and other śāstra. He worships and regards them as servants of Kṛṣṇa. (15)

(15) Why doesn’t a devotee of Kṛṣṇa criticize other Devas and other śāstra? Because he throws dry logic far away. Other śāstra try to establish the superiority of other Devas only to give approval to the eligibility of the path that some jīvas take. All the śāstras are trying to make them qualified in transcendental reality in order to make them into devotees of Kṛṣṇa; therefore one should not criticize different Devatās and śāstra. That criticism is an offence. Rejecting the notion of bheda-jñāna (that the Devas are independent controllers) one will attain the mercy of pure kṛṣṇa-bhakti.

(73)
prati-dina gṛhi-bhakta nirmālya arpaṇe
deva-pitṛ-sarva-jīve karena tarpaṇe

“Each day a householder devotee offers remnants (of Kṛṣṇa) in order to please the Devas, Pitṛs, and all the jīvas.

(74)
yathā yathā anya-deve karena darśana
kṛṣṇa-dāsa bali’ tāṅre karena vandana

“Whenever he sees other Devas, he considers them to be servants of Kṛṣṇa and offers them respect.

(75)
māyāvādi-gaṇa yadi viṣṇu-pūjā kare
prasāda-nirmālya bhakta nāhi laya ḍare

“If māyāvādīs perform worship of Viṣṇu, out of fear, the devotees will not accept such prasāda remnants.

(76)
māyāvādī hari-nāme aparādhī haya
tāhāra pradatta pūjā hari nāhi laya

“Māyāvādīs are offenders to hari–nāma. Whatever worship they offer is not accepted by Hari.

(77)
anya-deva nirmālya grahaṇe aparādha
śuddha-bhakti-sādhane sarvadā sādhe vāda

“Accepting the remnants of other Devas is an offence. In the practice of śuddha-bhakti such remnants are always avoided.

(78)
tabe yadi śuddha-bhakta śrī-kṛṣṇa pūjiyā
anya-deve pūjā kare tat-prasāda diyā

“However, if a pure devotee worships Śrī Kṛṣṇa, he may also worship other Devas and then offer them that prasāda (which was offered to Kṛṣṇa).

(79)
se-prasāda grahaṇete nāhi aparādha
sei-rūpa devārcane nāhi bhakti-vādha

“To accept such prasāda is not an offence. When worship of the Devas is done in this way, it is not an obstacle to bhakti.

(80)
śuddha-bhakta nāma-aparādhī nāhi haya
nāma kari’ prema pāya, nāme deya jaya

“A pure devotee is never an offender to the Name. He chants the Holy Name, attains prema, and the Name bestows success upon him.

Ei aparādhera pratikāra
(The Remedy for this Offence)

(81)
pramāde yadyapi haya anye viṣṇu-jñāna
tabe anutāpe kari viṣṇu-tattva-dhyāna

“However, if out of foolishness one thinks Viṣṇu to be equal to others then, repenting, one should meditate upon viṣṇu-tattva.

(82)
śrī-viṣṇu-smariyā kari aparādha kṣaya
yatne dekhi, āra nā se-aparādha haya

“By remembrance of Śrī Viṣṇu, one’s offence will be removed. Then one should be careful not to commit that offence again. (16)

(16) There is no greater penance in the world than the remembrance of Viṣṇu. Throughout the Vedas it is stipulated that brāhmaṇas who are in danger should take darśana of Viṣṇu’s feet. It is said that remembering kṛṣṇa-nāma and taking darśana of Viṣṇu’s feet are the same.

(83)
pūrva-doṣa-kṣamā-śīla bhaktera bāndhava
dayāra sāgara kṛṣṇa kṣamāra arṇava

“Kṛṣṇa is an ocean of forgiveness and an ocean of mercy. He is the friend of the devotees and is forgiving – He will pardon their previous mistakes.

(84)
bahu-deva-sevi-saṅga kariba varjana
ekeśvara vaiṣṇavera kariba pūjana

“Abandoning the company of those who worship many Devas, a Vaiṣṇava worships the one Supreme Controller.

(85)
hari-dāsa-pade bhaktivinoda ye jana
hari-nāma-cintāmaṇi tāṅhāra jīvana

Hari-nāma Cintāmaṇi is the life of Bhaktivinoda – that personality who resides at the feet of Hari Dāsa.

iti śrī-hari-nāma-cintāmaṇau
devāntare svātantrya-jñānāparādha nāma pañcamaḥ paricchedaḥ

Thus ends the fifth chapter of Śrī Hari-nāma Cintāmaṇi entitled,
‘The Offence of Considering the Devās to be Independent.’