Hari-nāma Cintāmaṇi – Chapter 9

nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir
na vidyate tasya yamair hi śuddhiḥ

The desire to perform pāpa on the strength of the Name, cannot be purified by any type of regulation. *

*Editors Note: Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura uses the Sanskrit word pāpa in this chapter which has no English equivalent. Generally, pāpa is translated as ‘sin’ but this is not technically correct. In the Abrahamic context, sin means a transgression against God. Pāpa however suggests an activity that directly or indirectly causes suffering to oneself or others, pollutes one’s consciousness and accrues negative karma. Due to the unique context of the word pāpa, we have used it throughout this chapter.

(1)
gaura-gadādhara jaya jāhnavā-jīvana
jaya jaya sītādvaita jaya bhakta-gaṇa

Glories to Gaura-Gadādhara and the Life of Jāhnavā (Nityānanda). Glories to Sītā and Advaita and the devotees.

Nāma-grahaṇe samasta anartha dūra haya (Taking the Name Removes all Anarthas)

(2)
hari-dāsa bale nāma śuddha-sattva-maya
bhāgyavān jīva kare nāmera āśraya

Hari Dāsa said, “The Name is comprised of pure goodness (śuddha-sattva). A fortunate jīva will take shelter of the Name.

(3)
ati śīghra tāhāra anartha dūre yāya
hṛdaya-daurbalya āra sthāna nāhi pāya

“Very quickly his anarthas will go far away. His weakness of heart will not be able to remain.

(4)
nāme dṛḍha haile nāhi haya pāpe mati
pūrva pāpa dagdha haya citta śuddha ati

“With firm attachment to the Name, he will not be inclined to perform pāpa. His previous pāpā will be burned and his consciousness will become extremely pure.

(5)
pāpa āra pāpa-bīja pāpera vāsanā
avidyā tāhāra mūla e tina yantranā

“In relation to pāpa there is pāpa-bīja (the seed of pāpa), pāpa-vāsanā (the tendency to perform pāpa), and avidyā (ignorance), which is at the root of these three and causes misery. (1)

(1) Pāpa–bīja or pāpa–vāsanā stems from avidyā , and from pāpa–vāsanā comes pāpa. These three things bring suffering to the bound jīvas.

(6)
sarva-jīve dayā āsi haibe udaya
jīvera maṅgala ceṣṭā satata karaya

“Mercy to all jīvas manifests in his heart and he always makes endeavours for their auspiciousness.

(7)
jīvera santāpa kabhu sahite nā pāre
yāhe paratāpa yāya tāra ceṣṭā kare

“He cannot tolerate the suffering of the jīvas. He tries to relieve them of their miseries. (2)

(2) Paratāpa means miseries created by other jīvas.

(8)
viṣaya-pipāsā ati tuccha mane haya
indriya-lālasā tāra citte nāhi raya

“The thirst for material pleasure becomes very weak. The desires of the senses cannot remain in his heart.

(9)
kanaka-kāminī ceṣṭā prati ghṛṇā kare
yathā dharma lābhe tuṣṭa thāki prāṇa-dhare

“He becomes disgusted with endeavours to achieve wealth and women. He maintains his life by being satisfied by whatever he attains through dharma.

(10)
bhakti anukūla saba karaye svīkāra
bhakti pratikūla nāhi kare aṅgīkāra

“He accepts all activities favourable for bhakti. He does not accept those activities unfavorable for bhakti.

(11)
kṛṣṇa rakṣā-kartā ekamātra bali jāne
jīvane pālana-kartā kṛṣṇa ihā māne

“He thinks, ‘I know Kṛṣṇa as my only protector. Kṛṣṇa is the protector of my life.’

(12)
ahaṁ mama buddhy-āsakti nā rākhe hṛdaye
dīna-bhāve nāma laya sakala samaye

“In his heart he does not retain mental attachments of `I’ and `mine’. With a humble mood, he chants the Name at all times (3)

(3) In this material body, “I” and “mine” are mental attachments.

(13)
svabhāvataḥ yāra ei rūpa nāmāśraya
pāpe mati pāpācāra tāhāra ki haya

“Naturally, whoever takes shelter of the Name in this way can neither think wicked thoughts nor perform pāpa.

Pūrva-pāpa o pāpa-gandha śīghra dūra haya (Previous Pāpa and the Trace of Pāpa Flee Very Quickly)

(14)
pūrva dṛṣṭa-bhāva tāra krame haya kṣīṇa
pavitra svabhāva śīghra haibe pravīṇa

“His previous propensities gradually become diminished. His nature quickly becomes purified and he becomes intelligent.

(15)
ei sandhi-kāle pūrva-pāpera sambandha
thākite-o pāre kichu dina pāpa-gandha

“During this time there may still be some connection to one’s previous pāpa, and for a while a trace of these misdeeds remain. (4)

(4) One becomes attracted to the Name. There is a previous state and a present state, and the condition between these two states is known as the sandhi-kāla (the period of time in-between). During that time, one is not attracted to perform any new pāpa. During the course of one’s practice, the trace of pāpa is gradually eliminated.

(16)
nāmera saṁsarge yata sumati udaya
haye sei pāpa-gandha śīghra kare kṣaya

“As a proper connection with the Name appears, any trace of one’s pāpa is rapidly destroyed.

(17)
pratijñā karecha nātha arjuna nikaṭe
mora bhakta kabhu nāhi paḍibe saṅkaṭe

“The Lord promised Arjuna: ‘My devotee will never fall into danger.’

(18)
saṅkaṭa samaye āmi haiba sahāya
ataeva pāpa yāya tomāra kṛpāya

“At the time of danger, I will help. Thus, by My mercy, the results of your misdeeds will flee.’

(19)
jñāna-mārgī kaṣṭe pāpa kariyā damana
tavāśraya chāḍi śīghra hayata patana

“Those on the path of jñāna struggle to subdue their pāpa, and because they reject Your shelter, they quickly fall down.

(20)
tava padāśraya yāra sei mahājana
vighna nā pāibe kabhu siddhānta vacana

“Those great personalities who take shelter of You will never be impeded. That is the conclusive statement (of the śāstra).

Pramāde pāpa upasthita haile tāhāra prāyaścittera prayojana nāi (Atonement is not Required for One Who Engages in Pāpa Out of Foolishness)

(21)
yadi kabhu pramāde ghaṭaya kona pāpa
bhakta tabu nāhi sahe prāyaścitta tāpa

“If out of foolishness, a devotee engages in some pāpa, he does not need to perform the austerities of prāyaṣcitta (atonement). (5)

(5) If a devotee commits any pāpa due to delusion, then there is no need for atonement.

(22)
se pāpa kṣaṇika nāhi pāya avasthiti
nāma-rase bhese yāya nā deya durgati

“Such momentary pāpa cannot remain. Immersed in nāma–rasa, he will not meet any misfortune.

Nāmāśrayī nūtana pāpa vicāra kariya karile nāma-bale pāpācaraṇa haya (Considering New Pāpa Committed by One who has Taken Shelter of the Name, and Performing them on the Strength of the Name)

(23)
kintu yadi kona jana nāme kari bala
ācare nūtana pāpa se jana cañcala

“But if someone engages in new pāpa on the strength of chanting, such a person is unsteady.

(24)
se kevala kapaṭatā kariyā āśraya
nāma-aparādha pāya śoka-mṛti-bhaya

“His taking shelter (of the Name) is only a pretence and due to nāma–aparādha, he only attains misery, death and fear.

Pramāda o vicārita karmera bheda (The Difference Between Acts Performed Out of Delusion and Acts performed Deliberately)

(25)
pramāda ghaṭanā āra vicārita karme
sampūrṇa prabheda āche bhakti-śāstra marme

“Actions performed out of foolishness and those done deliberately are completely different. This is revealed in the bhakti-śāstra. (6)

(6) There are two kinds of pāpa, in other words, those that are sudden and caused by foolishness, and vice which is done deliberately. For example, “I will engage in this one misdeed” – before it is actually done, one has thought about it with a steady mind. There are many differences between these two types.

Nāmāśrayīra pāpa karā dūre thākuka, pāpe mati haile-i nāmāparādha haya (The Pāpa of One who Takes Shelter of Nāma Remains Far Away, One who is Absorbed in Thinking of Pāpa Makes an Offence to the Name)

(26)
saṁsārī mānava yebā ācaraye pāpa
prāyaścitta āche tāra āra anutāpa

“While in this material world, a human who engages in pāpa should repent and perform atonement.

(27)
kintu nāma-bale yadi pāpe kare mati
prāyaścitta nāhi tāra baḍa-i durgati

“But if someone engages in pāpa on the strength of chanting the Name, he cannot perform any atonement and becomes most unfortunate.

(28)
bahu yama yātanādi pāile-o tāra
sei aparādha haite nā haya uddhāra

“Even after experiencing many hellish punishments by Yama, he cannot be delivered from this offence.

(29)
pāpa mati-mātre haya e-rūpa yantranā
pāpācāre yata doṣe tāra ki gaṇanā

“Even if he thinks of engaging in pāpa he will be punished in that way, so who can calculate his difficulties if he actually performs pāpa?

Pravañcaka śaṭhera nāma-bharasāya pāpa-kriyā markaṭa-vairāgya mātra (A Deceiver who Makes a False Show of Faith in the Name, But Engages in Pāpa is Simply a Monkey-Renunciant)

(30)
śāstre śuniyāche nāma yata pāpa hare
koṭi janme mahā-pāpī karite nā pāre

“It is heard in the śāstra that the Holy Name eliminates more pāpa than the greatest reprobate can commit in millions of births.

(31)
pañca-vidha pāpa mahā-pātaka avadhi
nāmābhāse yāya śāstra gāya niravadhi

“The five types of pāpa, up to the greatest of pāpa (mahā–pātaka), flee from nāmābhāsa. The śāstra says this continuously.

(32)
sei ta bharasā kari pravañcaka jana
śaṭhatā kariyā nāma karaye grahaṇa

“A deceiver who believes (in these statements) may deceptively take up the Holy Name.

(33)
kaṣṭera saṁsāra chāḍi vairāgīra veśe
kanaka kāminī āśe phire deśe deśe

“Abandoning the taxing life of this world, he may wear the garments of a renunciant. Desiring wealth and women, he wanders from place to place.

(34)
tumi ta balecha prabhu markaṭa-vairāgī
kāminī sambhāṣi phire dharma gṛha tyāgī

“O Lord, You have referred to such people as ‘markaṭa-vairāgīs’ (monkey-renunciants). He repeatedly talks with women while pretending to have renounced his home. (7)

(7) In relation to Choṭa Hari Dāsa, the Lord’s condemnation of “markaṭa-vairāgīs” is described in detail in the Caritāmṛta. A renunciant who chats with women is a markaṭa-vairāgī.

Niṣkapaṭa nāmāśraya nā karile ei aparādha anirvārya (Those Who Cannot Take Shelter of the Name with Duplicity Will Inevitably Commit this Offence)

(35)
vairāgyera chale keha gṛhe kāṭe kāla
sambhāṣya nā haya saba viśvera jañjāla

“Those persons who roam around as renunciants, but simultaneously live in the fashion of a householder are not fit to be spoken to. They ruin the entire world.

(36)
gṛhe thāku vane yāu tāte nāhi doṣa
niṣpāpe karuk nāma pāiyā santoṣa

“A person may remain at home, or in the forest—there is no fault in that. He should live a life devoid of any pāpa, chant the Name, and be satisfied. (8)

(8) A devotee who takes shelter of the Holy Name may remain at home, or in the forest. There is no dispute. If one’s home is favourable for the cultivation of taking shelter of the Name, then it is better than the bhikṣu-āśrama (sannyāsa), but if it is unfavourable for the cultivation of taking shelter of the Name, a Vaiṣṇava should leave home.

(37)
nāma bale pāpa mati mahā-aparādha
tāhāte majile haya bhakti-tattve bādha

“It is a great offence to commit pāpa on the strength of chanting the Holy Name. Being absorbed in that, such persons are prohibited from entering bhakti–tattva.

Nāmābhāsi-vyakti-gaṇa ei kapaṭa lokera saṅge aparādhī hana (Those Persons who Chant Nāmbhāsa that Associate with Such Deceivers will Make this Offence)

(38)
nāmābhāsī janera ku-saṅga yadi haya
tabe ei aparādha ghaṭibe niścaya

“If those who chant nāmābhāsa accept their impious association, then they will certainly commit this offence.

(39)
śuddha nāmodaya yāra hṛdaye haibe
ei nāma aparādha tāra nā ghaṭibe

“When śuddha-nāma rises in the heart, then they will not make this offence.

Śuddha-nāmāśrita vyaktira daśa-vidha aparādha sparśa kare nā (The Ten Kinds of Offences Cannot Touch One who Takes Shelter of Śuddha-Nāma)

(40)
śuddha-nāmāśrita jane aparādha daśa
kona-rūpe kona-kāle nā kare paraśa

“For one who takes shelter of śuddha-nāma, the ten offences do not touch them in any way or at any time.

(41)
nāmāśrita jane nāma sadā rakṣā kare
aparādha kabhu tāra nā haite pāre

“The Holy Name always protects those who take shelter of Him. Such persons never make offences.

(42)
yata dina śuddha-nāma nā haya udaya
tata dina aparādha ākramaṇe bhaya

“During that time while śuddha-nāma has not yet arisen, one may still fear an attack from offences.

(43)
ataeva nāmābhāsī yadi bhāla cāya
nāma bale pāpa-buddhi haite palāya

“Therefore, if one is chanting nāmābhāsa and desires to improve, one should flee from the mentality of engaging in pāpa on the strength of chanting the Name.

Kata dina sāvadhāne aparādha parityāga karā cāi? (How Long Does it Take to Abandon this Dangerous Offence?)

(44)
śuddha-nāmāśrita-jana-saṅga-bala dhari
aparādha satarkatā sarvadā ācari

“Taking strength from associating with those who have take shelter of śuddha-nāma, one should always be cautious to avoid offenses. (9)

(9) ‘Saṅga-bala’ means strength from associating with pure Vaiṣṇavas.

(45)
śuddha-nāma yāra mukhe tāra dṛḍha mana
kṛṣṇa haite vicalita nahe ekakṣaṇa

“When śuddha-nāma appears in one’s mouth, the mind becomes resolute. It never deviates from Kṛṣṇa, even for a moment.

(46)
ataeva nāme bala yata-dina naya
tata dina aparādhe karibeka bhaya

“Thus, on those days when one does not feel strength from the Holy Name, one should fear these offences.

(47)
viśeṣa yatane pāpa-buddhi dūra kari
aharniśi mukhe balibeka hari hari

“Especially one should endeavour to keep the offence of harbouring thoughts of engaging in pāpa at a distance. Day and night one’s mouth should chant, ‘Hari! Hari!’

(48)
śrī-guru-kṛpāya habe susambandha-jñāna
kṛṣṇa-bhakti kṛṣṇa-nāma tāhāte vidhāna

“By the mercy of Śrī Guru, one will attain true sambandha-jñāna, kṛṣṇa-bhakti, and kṛṣṇa-nāma.

Ei aparādha haile tāhāra pratikāra (The Remedy for this Offence)

(49)
yadyapi pramāde nāma-bale pāpa-buddhi
śuddha vaiṣṇavera saṅge kari tāra śuddhi

“If one foolishly harbours the mentality of engaging in pāpa on the strength of chanting the Name, one should purify himself through association of pure Vaiṣṇavas.

(50)
pāpa-spṛhā vāṭapāra pathe āsi’ dhare
viśuddha vaiṣṇava-gaṇa patha rakṣā kare

“Desires to engage in pāpa are like robbers lying in wait on the road. The pure Vaiṣṇavas protect the road. (10)

(10) “Vāṭapāra” are those who steal on the road.

(51)
uccaiḥ-svare ḍāki rakṣakera nāma dhari
palāibe bāṭapāḍa āsibe praharī

“One loudly calls out to these guards by chanting the Name, then the guards come, and the robbers flee.

(52)
ādare balibe bhāi nāhi kara bhaya
āmi ta rakṣaka tava śuna mahāśaya

“O brothers! Chant with love and do not fear. Listen, O respected gentlemen, the Lord has said, ‘I am your protector.’

(53)
kevala vaiṣṇava-pada-dāsya-vrata yāra
hari-nāma-cintāmaṇi pāya sei chāra

One who vows to exclusively serve the feet of the Vaiṣṇavas, thinking himself as useless as ashes, sings this Hari-nāma Cintāmaṇi.

iti śrī- hari-nāma-cintāmaṇau nāma-bale pāpa-buddhir
nāma navamaḥ paricchedaḥ

Thus ends the Ninth Chapter of Śrī Hari-nāma Cintāmaṇi
entitled, ‘The Mentality of Performing Pāpa on the Strength of the Holy Name.’