Hari-nāma Cintāmaṇi – Chapter 8

tathārtha-vādo hari-nāmni kalpanam

Giving an imaginary interpretation to hari-nāma or considering the glories of the Name to be imaginary.

(1)
jaya gaura-gadādhara śrī-rādhā-mādhava
jaya gaura-līlā-sthalī jāhnavī vaiṣṇava

Glories to Gaura-Gadādhara and Śrī Rādhā-Mādhava! Glories unto the places of Gaura’s pastimes! Glories to the Gaṅgā and the Vaiṣṇavas!

(2)
hari-nāme artha-vāda kalpanā cintana
pañcamāparādha prabho śrī-śacīnandana

(Hari Dāsa continued:) “O Lord Śacīnandana, the fifth offence is to give an interpretation to hari–nāma, or to consider its glories to be exaggerated or imaginary. (1)

(1) Engaging in semantics in relation to hari-nāma is opposed to all the śāstra. “The glories of hari-nāma that have been written are not real, but semantics and exaggeration have been used in order to create nāma-ruci (a taste for the Name).” Actually, the glories of karma-kāṇḍa and jñāna-kāṇḍa that have been written are all exaggeration to give people a taste for the results they produce, but it is not so with nāma. Interpretation in relation to the Holy Name is an offence.

Nāma mahimā (The Glories of Nāma)

(3)
smṛti kahe helāya śraddhāya nāma laya
kṛṣṇa tāre kṛpā kari hayena sadaya

“The smṛti says that Kṛṣṇa is merciful to anyone who chants nāma with faith, or even with neglect.

(4)
nāmera sadṛśa jñāna nāhika nirmala
nāmera sadṛśa vrata nāhika prabala

“There is no knowledge as pure as the Holy Name. There is no vrata as powerful as the Holy Name.

(5)
nāmera sadṛśa dhyāna nāhi e jagate
nāmera sadṛśa phala nāhi kona mate

“There is no meditation in this world like that of the Holy Name. There is no philosophy that gives a result like that of the Holy Name.

(6)
nāmera sadṛśa tyāga kona rūpe naya
nāmera sadṛśa sama kabhu nāhi haya

“There is no form of renunciation like that of the Holy Name. There is nothing equal to the Holy Name.

(7)
nāmera sadṛśa puṇya nāhi e saṁsāre
nāmera sadṛśa gati nā dekhi vicāre

“There is no piety in this world like that of the Holy Name. I do not consider that there is any destination like that of the Holy Name.

(8)
nāma-i parama mukti nāma ucca-gati
nāma-i parama śānti nāma ucca-sthiti

“The Name is the highest type of liberation. The Name is the highest type of destination. The Name is the highest type of peace. The Name is the highest situation.

(9)
nāma-i parama bhakti nāma śuddhā mati
nāma-i parama prīti nāma parā smṛti

“The Name is the highest type of bhakti. The Name is the highest type of love. The Name is the highest type of remembrance.

(10)
nāma-i kāraṇa tattva nāma sarva-prabhu
parama ārādhya nāma guru-rūpe vibhu

“The Name is the ultimate cause. The Name is the Lord of all. The Name is the most worshippable, and the Name appears as the greatest guru.

Kṛṣṇa-nāmera sarvottamatā (Kṛṣṇa’s Name is the Greatest of All)

(11)
sahasra viṣṇu nāmera tulya haya eka rāma nāma
tina rāma nāma tulya eka kṛṣṇa nāma

“A thousand Names of Viṣṇu equals one Name of Rāma, and three Names of Rāma equals one Name of Kṛṣṇa.

Nāmera arthavāda naraka gamana avaśya ghaṭe (Those Who Use Semantics with the Name Certainly Enter a Hellish Condition)

(12)
śruti gaṇa nāmera māhātmya sadā gāya
nāmera cit-tattva bali jagate jānāya

“The verses of the śruti eternally sing the glories of the Name. They explain to the world about the transcendental nature of the Name.

(13)
śruti smṛti pradarśita nāmera ye phala
tāhe arthavāda kare pāṣaṇḍa prabala

“Those who think the descriptions in the śruti and smṛti concerning the results obtained from the Name are exaggeration are extreme offenders.

(14)
hari-nāme arthavāda ye adhama kare
se pāpiṣṭha narakete paci’ paci’ mare

“Those who consider the glories of hari–nāma to be exaggerated are contemptible. Such wicked persons constantly burn and suffer in a hellish condition.

(15)
ye bale nāmera phala-śruti satya naya
nāme ruci dite mātra tata phala kaya

“They say, ‘Whatever the śruti says about the results of chanting the Name is not true! It is only there to give nāma–ruci (a taste for the Name) so that people get a result.

(16)
śāstrera tātparya āra jīva hitāhita
se adhama nāhi jāne bujhe viparīta

“Such fallen persons have no understanding of the meaning of the śāstra, nor do they know what is favourable or unfavourable. Everything is the opposite for them. (2)

(2) Someone who has no bhakti-sukṛti never has faith in bhakti-tattva. Within the process of bhakti, chanting the Name is the best thus without sukṛti, a taste for the Name can never appear. Those without sukṛti do not believe in the descriptions of the Name’s infinite results. One who is attached to only one part of the śāstra cannot understand the true meaning of the śāstra.

Nāmera phala satya. Tāhāte arthavādera prayojana nāi (The Results of the Name are Real. There is no Necessity to Exaggerate Them)

(17)
karma-kāṇḍa āche ta kaitava svārtha-jñāna
bhakti-tattve nāme tāhā nahe vidyamāna

“Karma-kāṇḍa contains deceitful knowledge to satisfy one’s own desires. But in bhakti–tattva, and in chanting the Holy Name, these things do not exist. (3)

(3) The word kaitava means dhūrtatā (deceptive).

(18)
karma-kāṇḍa phala-śruti rocanārtha jāni
bhakti-tattve phala-śruti nitya satya māni

“I know that the results described in karma–kāṇḍa are meant to charm people. I consider the results found in bhakti–tattva to be eternal and real.

(19)
nāma-tattve śāṭhya nāhi pāya kabhu sthāna
nijera nāhika svārtha nāma kari dāna

“There is no such deceit in nāma–tattva. The Name does not fulfil selfish desires.

Karma-phalera arthavāda aparityājya (One Should Not Abandon the Idea that the Results of Karma are Exaggerated)

(20)
nāma dāna śraddāvāne yei jana kare
kṛṣṇa-dāsya kare sei svārtha parihāre

“One who has faith in the benefits given by nāma engages in service to Kṛṣṇa. He rejects selfish desires.

(21)
karma karāile yājakera artha lābha
ataeva tāhe kaitavera ta prabhāva

“Yājakas (Vedic priests) achieve benefits from performing karma, thus they are influenced by deceit.

(22)
veda-smṛti nāma-phala ananta vākhāne
svārtha-buddhi śūnya se ye tāhā nāhi māne

“The Vedas and smṛti describe unlimited results from the Holy Name. This does not mean that the Name is devoid of personal benefits. (4)

(4) Svārtha–buddhi (personal benefits) refers to that mentality by which the jīvas endeavour to advance spiritually.

(23)
karma saba śubhāśubha jaḍera āśraye
jaḍa-maya-phala yāce yajamāna caye

“All karma produces good and bad results wherein one takes refuge in matter. Thus, a yajamāna (a performer of karmika rituals) requests results that are completely material.

(24)
karma-phala dūre pheli’ yebā kare karma
hṛdaya viśuddha tāra haya ei marma

“When someone casts aside the results of karma, but continues to engage in it, this means that their heart is becoming purified. *

* Translator’s Note: In this verse, karma refers to one’s varṇāśrama duties. When one engages in such activities out of social obligation but is detached from the results, one is on the path of purification.

(25)
viśuddha-hṛdaye ātma-rati sunirmala
udaya haiyā haya kramaśaḥ prabala

“Such a person with a pure heart experiences transcendental pleasure in the ātmā, and gradually that becomes stronger. (5)

(5) Ātma-rati means taking pleasure in ātmā–tattva (the reality of the self), and thus having aversion to anything unconnected with the ātmā.”

Nāma cinmaya, tāhāte arthavāda haite pāre nā (The Name is Spiritual, it Does Not Need Any Interpretation)

(26)
nāma sei ātma-rati nije upasthita
sādhana kālete sādhya vastura vihita

“That ātma–rati appears from the Name, then during the course of one’s sādhana, one attains the object of attainment.

(27)
karmera carama phala nāma-rasa haya
sādhu-rūpe anuṣṭhita karmete niścaya

“The ultimate result of one’s activities should be nāma–rasa. The activities observed by a sādhu should certainly culminate in this.

(28)
ataeva caudda-loka bhramiyā brāhmaṇa
yei phala nāhi pāna nāma tāhā hana

“Therefore, although he may roam the fourteen worlds, even a brāhmaṇa will not attain this result of tasting the Holy Name.

(29)
nāma-phala sarvopari avaśya haibe
karmī jñānī hiṁsā kari nāme ki karibe

“Indeed, the results from nāma are above all others. How can karmīs or jñānīs harm the Name?

Nāmābhāse sarva-karma o brahma-jñānera phala haiyā thāke (By Nāmābhāsa one Attains All the Results from Karma and Brahma-Jñāna)

(30)
sarva-karma-phala nāmābhāse labdha haya
sarva-jñāna-phala nāmābhāsete milaya

“Nāmābhāsa awards all the results of karma, and through nāmābhāsa one attains all the results of jñāna.

(31)
ābhāse milila yadi eta ucca phala
nāma vastu tato’dhika pradāne prabala

“If one comes in connection with even a semblance of the Name (ābhāsa), this produces a higher result. The Name has the power to award so much more (than karma and jñāna). (6)

(6) The results from nāmābhāsa are greater than those from karma and jñāna. When the results of nāmābhāsa are such, then the results achieved from the direct (pure) Name must be greater. Is there any doubt in this?

(32)
ataeva śāstre yata nāma phala gāya
śuddha-nāmāśrita jana niścaya tā pāya

“Therefore, the śāstra sings about the results of the Holy Name. Those persons who take shelter of śuddha-nāma certainly obtain them.

Nāma-phale yāhāra sandeha tāhāra maṅgala nāi (Those Who Doubt the Results of Nāma Attain No Auspiciousness)

(33)
ihāte sandeha yāra se adhama jana
nāma aparādhe tāra avaśya patana

“Those who doubt this are the most despicable of men. They certainly fall down due to this nāmāparādha.

(34)
vede rāmāyaṇe āra bhārate purāṇe
ādi antye madhye hari-nāmere vākhāne

“In the beginning, middle and end of the Vedas, Rāmāyaṇa, Mahābhārata and the Purāṇas, only hari–nāma is spoken of.

(35)
nāma-phala śruti-vākya anādi niścala
tāhe arthavāda kalpanāra kibā phala

“The results of nāma are found in the words of the śruti which have no beginning and are unchangable. How can such results be exaggerated or imaginary?

Karma-jñānera śakti apekṣā ananta-guṇa-śakti nāme āche (The Potency of the Name has Unlimited Qualities That Are Greater Than the Potencies of Karma and Jñāna)

(36)
nāma nāmī eka nāme diyā sarva-śakti
sarvopari kariyācha tava nāma-bhakti

“The Name and the Named are one, and You have invested all Your potencies in the Name. Above all other methods, You have stressed that nāma–bhakti is the highest of all.

(37)
tumita svatantra-tattva sarva-śaktimān
tomāra icchāya yata vidhira vidhāna

“You are the independent Reality and the Possessor of all potencies. By Your desire, laws are put in place.

(38)
karmake karecha jaḍa āra brahma jñāne
diyācha nirvāṇa-śakti svatantra vidhāne

“You have situated matter within karma and nirvāṇa-śakti (the power of impersonal liberation) within brahma-jñāna, because you are independent.

(39)
icchāmaya tumi prabhu svīya nāmākṣare
arpiyācha saba śakti āra ke ki kare

“O Lord, being free to act according to Your desires, You have placed all Your potencies in the syllables of the Holy Name. Having invested all Your powers there, what more can be given? (7)

(7) “You are the autonomous Supreme Person, possessed of independent desires. You have invested all Your potencies in Your Name – what can be the objection from anyone?

(40)
ataeva tava nāma sarva-śaktimān
nāme arthavāda nāhi karibe vidvān

“Therefore Your Name possesses all potencies. A wise person will never impose mundane interpretations upon the Name.

Tad-aparādhera pratikāra (The Remedy for this Aparādha)

(41)
nāme arthavāda aparādha ghaṭe yadi
dante tṛṇa dhari yāi vaiṣṇava-saṁsadi

“If one makes the offence of giving interpretations to the Name, one should place a blade of grass between his teeth and approach an assembly of Vaiṣṇavas. (8)

(8) Vaiṣṇava saṁsadi means an assembly of Vaiṣṇavas that discusses kṛṣṇa-kathā.

(42)
aparādha jānāiyā vaiṣṇava-caraṇe
kṣamā māgi kākuti kariyā ṛju-mane

“One should fall at the Vaiṣṇavas’ feet and inform them of his offence. Being straightforward with them, one should shed tears and beg forgiveness.

(43)
nāmera mahimā jñātā bhāgavata jana
kṣamā kari kṛpā kari dibe āliṅgana

“The devotees, who are well aware of the glories of the Name, will show forgiveness and compassion, and embrace him.

(44)
nāme arthavāda āra kalpana-manana
kabhu nāhi habe citte māyā viḍambana

“One should never give a mundane interpretation to nāma, and think that the glories of the Name are imaginary. This is the deception of Māyā. (9)

(9) Those who do not believe in nāma attempt to give interpretations to it, yet this is only the deception of Māyā.

(45)
arthavāda-kārī saha haile sambhāṣaṇa
sa-cele jāhnavī-jale kariba majjana

“If one converses with someone who gives mundane interpretations to the Name, one should jump into the waters of the Gaṅgā with all his clothes in order to become purified. (10)

(10) One should never look at the faces of all those persons who give mundane interpretations to nāma. If somehow during the course of events, one converses with such a person, one should immediately bathe in the Gaṅgā. When the Gaṅgā is not close by, then one should bathe in some other pure water wearing one’s clothes. Otherwise one should perform mānasa–snāna (bathe mentally) and in this way one will become purified.

(46)
kṛṣṇa priyā vaṁśī kṛpā bharasā yāhāra
hari-nāma cintāmaṇi tāra alaṅkāra

One who has faith in the mercy of Śrī Vaṁśīvadana Ṭhākura (the avatāra of Kṛṣṇa’s beloved flute) decorates himself with this Hari-nāma Cintāmaṇi.

iti śrī-hari-nāma-cintāmaṇau arthavādāparādha-vicāro
nāma aṣṭamaḥ paricchedaḥ

Thus ends the Eighth Chapter of Śrī Hari-nāma Cintāmaṇi
entitled, ‘A Deliberation Upon the Offence of Giving Interpretations to the Holy Name.’