Nice devotional song in glorification of lord Rāma
Song: kīrtana E’tīruga nanu
Author: rāmadāsu
etīruga nanu daya cūcedavo ina vaṁśottama rāmā
nātaramā bhava sāgara mīdanu nalina dalekṣaṇa rāmā
I dont know in which manner you will show your mercy tome, O Rama noblest king of the surya dynasty, is it possible for me to swim across the ocean of worldly problems? O lotues-eyed Rama.
śrī raghu nandana sītā ramaṇā śritajana poṣaka rāmā
kāruṇyālaya bhakta varada ninu kannadi kānupu rāmā || 1||
O Raghunandana, son of Raghu, O lord of Sita, O Rama, protector of the helpless. You are the abode of kindness, boon-giver to your devotees. (Mother Kousalya is fortunate to give birth to you.) To see you, is the real sight!
muripemuto nā swāmi nīvani munduga delpiti rāmā
maravaka abhimānamuncu nī marugu jocchitini rāmā || 2||
Oh Rāma, I already declared with pride that you are my Lord. I stepped into your fold seeking for your unfailing love.
krūra karmamulu neraka jesiti neramu leñcaku rāmā
dāridryamu parihāramu seyave daiva śikhāmaṇi rāmā || 3||
Please don’t find fault with me for the evil acts committed due to ignorance. Please do not count those sins O Rāma! Please remove my distress, O Rama, you are the supreme gem.
guruḍavu nāmadi daivamu nīvani guru śāstrambulu rāmā
guru daivambani yerugaka tirigeḍu krūruḍa naitini rāmā || 4||
You are my Teacher and my Lord. You are the master of all knowledge.
Oh Rama I ignorantly lived like a cruel person.
tāndavamuna kakhilāṇḍa koṭi brahmāṇḍa nāyakā rāmā
bandhanamuna nīnāmamu dalachina brahmānandamu rāmā || 5||
Oh Rama, you are the Lord of the Cosmos. Thinking of your name itself bestows bliss during imprisonment.
vāsava kamala bhava sura vandita vāradhi bandhana rāmā
sārchita mākabhaya mosangave daśarathi raghu rāmā || 6||
Indra, Brahma, and other celestial beings bow to you. You built a bridge on the sea. Oh Rama the son of Dasaratha, I pray to you, why don’t you make me fearless?
vāsava nuta rāmadāsa poṣaka vandanam ayodhya rāmā
bhasura vara sadguṇa mulu kalgina bhadrādrīśvara rāmā || 7||
Praised by Indra, sustainer and protector of Rāmadāsu, my obeisances to you O Rama of Ayodhya. You are luminous with noble qualities. Oh Rama, you are the Lord of Bhadradri.
dāsārcita mā kabhaya mosaṅgave dāśarathī raghu rāmā
Worshipped by your devotees please give us protection from fear, O son of Dasaratha, Rama of the Raghu clan!
Bhadrachala Rāmadāsu (1608-1682)
Rāmadāsu, originally named Kancharla Gopanna, was born in Nelakondapalli of Andhra Pradesh. His uncle, a minister of the Golconda King Tāne Shah, appointed him as a revenue officer of Bhadrachalam. He was so much devoted to Rāma that he spent a lot of the state money for the temple in Bhadrachalam. He was kept in jail for the offense, but he continued singing songs in praise of Rāma known as Rāmadāsu Kīrtanalu. The legend says that Lord Rāma came in disguise and repaid the money to Tanīshah, whereby Rāmadāsu was released. Most of his kīrtanas are in Telugu, and some are in Sanskrit. They are all full of bhakti rasa.
ONE SHOULD CHANT THE BONA FIDE SONGS RECEIVED FROM THE DISCIPLIC SUCCESSION. In Bhagavad-gītā it is said that the chanting is powerful when one follows the disciplic succession (evaṁ paramparā-prāptam imaṁ rājarṣayo viduḥ [Bg. 4.2]). MANUFACTURING MANY WAYS OF CHANTING WILL NEVER BE EFFECTIVE. HOWEVER, CHANTING THE SONG OR THE NARRATION LEFT BY THE PREVIOUS ĀCĀRYAS (MAHĀJANO YENA GATAḥ SA PANTHĀḥ) IS EXTREMELY EFFECTIVE, AND THIS PROCESS IS VERY EASY. Therefore in this verse Prahlāda Mahārāja uses the word añjaḥ (“easily”). Accepting the thoughts of exalted authorities through disciplic succession is certainly much easier than the method of mental speculation, by which one tries to invent some means to understand the Absolute Truth. The best process is to accept the instructions of the previous ācāryas and follow them. Then God realization and self-realization become extremely easy. By following this easy method, one is liberated from the contamination of the material modes of nature, and thus one can certainly cross the ocean of nescience, in which there are many miserable conditions. By following in the footsteps of the great ācāryas, one associates with the haṁsas or paramahaṁsas, those who are completely freed from material contamination. Indeed, by following the instructions of the ācāryas one is always freed from all material contamination, and thus one’s life becomes successful, for one reaches the goal of life. This material world is miserable, regardless of one’s standard of life. Of this there is no doubt. Attempts to mitigate the miseries of material existence by material methods will never be successful. One must take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness to become really happy; otherwise happiness is impossible. One might say that becoming advanced in spiritual life also involves tapasya, voluntary acceptance of some inconvenience. However, such inconvenience is not as dangerous as material attempts to mitigate all miseries.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/sb/7/9/18
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WE SHALL STICK ONLY TO THE VAISNAVA STANDARD SET FOR US BY THE GREAT ACARYAS AND SAINTLY PERSONS, NAMELY, THE HARE KRISHNA MANTRA AND OTHER MANTRAS WHICH I HAVE TAUGHT TO YOU, BUT WE SHALL NOT PRODUCE SOMETHING ARTIFICIAL BY WRITING AND PLAYING OUR OWN SONGS AS WE LIKE.
Also, as you have requested, I shall be very much pleased to install Lord Jagannatha in the temple on the Sunday, 30th July, before continuing onwards.
Hoping this will meet you in good health,
Your ever well wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
Aksoja dasa Brahmacari
c/o ISKCON Amsterdam
ACBS/sda
* it can be performed besides kirtan.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/letters/los_angeles/june/25/1972/aksoja_1
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720821SB.LA Lectures
Uttama, uttama means udgata-tama. This material world is tama, ignorance, darkness. And Krsna is beyond this material world; therefore He is called para. Para means transcendental. SO UTTAMA-SLOKA. SO WHEN WE OFFER OUR PRAYERS TO KRSNA, THEY ARE NOT ORDINARY WORDS. THEREFORE THOSE WHO ARE NOT LIBERATED SOUL, THEY CANNOT OFFER PRAYERS ACTUALLY. WE HAVE TO REPEAT THE PRAYERS OFFERED BY LIBERATED SOUL, NOT BY ORDINARY MAN. Because he is not yet UTTAMA, he is not yet in the TRANSCENDENTAL platform. Therefore WE DON’T ALLOW SONGS WHICH ARE NOT SUNG BY LIBERATED SOULS like Bhaktivinoda Thakura, Narottama dasa Thakura. They are liberated souls. WE DON’T ALLOW ANY LITERATURE WHICH IS NOT GIVEN BY LIBERATED SOUL. Literatures, they are always following Vedic principles. Vedas, the original transcendental literature, and any literature which is produced under the guidance of Vedic literature, that is also nice. That is perfect. THEREFORE WHENEVER WE WRITE SOMETHING, WE GIVE IMMEDIATELY VEDIC EVIDENCE. WE GIVE SOME SANSKRIT VERSE. THIS MEANS THAT WE ARE NOT MANUFACTURING OURSELF. What we have heard from the parampara system, from higher authorities, we are presenting, simply, in our own language, and the evidence is this Vedic verse. This is perfect literature.
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There is no offense in chanting this Pañca-tattva, but there is offense if you do not properly chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. There are ten kinds of offenses, you know. But in chanting śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda, there is no aparādha. You chant in any way; you’ll get the result. This is the difference, taste. This is variety. Although there is no difference by chanting śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda and Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, mahā-mantra, but still by chanting this Pañca-tattva, you’ll get immediately, quickly, result. Therefore our process is to chant the holy names of the Pañca-tattva and then we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. That is perfect. AND NEITHER MIXING. THE MIXING TASTE IS CALLED RASĀBHĀSA. RASĀBHĀSA. AND WE DON’T MANUFACTURE ANYTHING. JUST FOLLOW. WE DISAGREE WITH THE PERSONS WHO CHANT THAT BHAJA NITĀI-GAURA RĀDHE-ŚYĀMA. NO. WE MUST FOLLOW STRICTLY. MAHĀJANO YENA GATAḥ SA PANTHĀḥ [CC. MADHYA 17.186]. WE CANNOT MANUFACTURE SIMPLY FOR SOME WORLDLY CHEAP REPUTATION AND PRESTIGE. IF WE MANUFACTURE SOMETHING, THAT WILL NOT HELP US. We must follow. Mahājano yena. Dharmasya tattvaṁ nihitaṁ guhāyāṁ mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ. We must follow the mahājanas. So you’ll find in the Caitanya-caritāmṛta, the Kavirāja Gosvāmī, in every chapter he begins, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda, jaya advaita…, gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. This is the process.
Link to this page: https://prabhupadabooks.com/classes/cc/adi/7/5/mayapur/march/07/1974
Note: Regarding authorized songs, you may inform George that authorized songs
means the songs which were sung or composed by self-realized Acaryas. It is an
injunction in the Vaisnava regulations that unauthorized songs or statements
should never be heard.
Letter to: Syamasundara
—
Los Angeles
25 February, 1970
70-02-25
London
My Dear Syamasundara,
Please accept my blessings. I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter dated
22 February, 1970, and noted the contents carefully.
In the meantime I have posted another letter in which I have given hints
how George can write the foreword. I want that he may write the foreword by
his personal experience, otherwise, I could write one for him if he so desires.
Regarding authorized songs, you may inform George that authorized songs
means the songs which were sung or composed by self-realized Acaryas. It is an
injunction in the Vaisnava regulations that unauthorized songs or statements
should never be heard. The comparison is given that milk, although very
nutritious food, if it is touched by the tongue of a serpent, it acts like poison.
So I am giving herewith a few lines of authorized songs which you may deliver
to George. They are as follows:
1. Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
2. Hari Haraye Namah Krsna Yadavaya Namah
Yadavaya Madhavaya Kesavaya Namah
3. Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Hay
Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Hay
Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Raksa mam
Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Krsna Pahi mam
Krsna Kesava Krsna Kesava Krsna Kesava Raksa mam
Rama Raghava Rama Raghava Rama Raghava Pahi mam
So these songs were sung by Lord Caitanya Himself, therefore they are the
most authorized songs.
I am very glad to learn that he has given up composing nonsense songs, it is
a great advancement of his spiritual life. But as he has got the aptitude for
writing songs, I shall be very glad to give him many such themes of songs on
which he can write in his own language and expression. I am giving below one
theme:
“My Dear Lord, I have simply wasted my privileges of human form of life.
This life was meant for understanding Krsna Consciousness and the pastimes
of Lord Krsna with Radharani, but I did not take care of this important
business of life. Therefore I have not only wasted my valuable time, but also I
have willingly drunk poison for committing suicide. My heart is always in
blazing fire because of my association with material sense enjoyment, and I did
not fix up my mind in the Krsna Consciousness movement which is imported
directly from the kingdom of God. This Krsna Consciousness movement is
inaugurated by Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda Who are Krsna and
Balarama respectively. They have descended very kindly to reclaim all fallen
souls of this age of whom the typical examples are the two brothers Jagai and
Madhai. Now, forgetting all mistakes that I have committed in my past life, I
humbly surrender unto You, my Lord Krsna the Son of Nanda Maharaja, and
also to Srimati Radharani the daughter of King Vrsabhanu. So both of You are
present together, and I fully surrender unto You. Please do not reject me as I
have no other shelter except Yourselves.”
Perhaps you have heard, and George has also heard, my song on this theme,
“Hari Hari bifale janama gonainu . . .” So if George can compose a nice song in
his own words, and sings, I am sure it will be an epoch making incident. There
are many hundreds of thousands of such themes, and if he wants to introduce
such songs propitious for pushing Krsna Consciousness movement, that will be
very nice.
The transcendental vibration OM is also authorized, but is specifically sung
by the impersonalists. Although there is no incongruity, still because we are
preaching the personal feature of God, we shall not chant Hari Om.
Regarding the castle which George has acquired, certainly it can be turned
to a nice Krsna Consciousness asrama, and you can help him your best in the
same pattern as you have developed our 7 Bury Place. But I do not know
whether George will like to install Radha Krsna Murtis in that asrama. In case
he likes to do so, then you and your wife, Malati, will have to take care of the
Deities as nicely as possible. I do not know in which way George wants to
conduct this asrama, and on hearing from you further on this subject, I can
give you nice plans. Our general plan is always the same—chanting, dancing
and distributing Prasadam. This program can be reduced or enhanced
according to one’s financial equipment. If George is actually prepared to spend
50% of his income, and thus become a typical example to other European
householders, then I shall be able to give him a plan for organizing this asrama
so much so that it will be very, very attractive to everyone.
As you say that George wants to invite famous people from all over the
world to come there and get Krsna Consciousness, in that case, we shall
cooperate with him with full vigor. And if George believes in my potency to
spread God-consciousness, then it will be a full program of cooperation.
So I am glad that you are going to Paris, and just try to find out a suitable
place for our temple there. Regarding Krsna book, our printing cost will be
$2.00 per book, so we have no objection if you can sell at $6.00 per copy. But
here the opinion is that such a nice book with so many pictures, priced at
$10.00 is very cheap. So I think if we keep the price $8.00 that will be nice.
And so far selling in Europe by yourself, we can discount the price up to 40%
and you can sell in your own way. But how it will be possible that the price is
printed $8.00 here and $6.00 in Europe? That will be very much contradictory.
Another process is to paste a small label for the European equivalent of $6.00
over the printed price of $8.00.
Regarding Mayapur center, when the building will be constructed there,
probably your valuable service will be required. Let us hope for that auspicious
moment.
Yes, I am sure that when George takes seriously into Krsna Consciousness,
he will do many things desirable out of his own accord, because Krsna is sitting
in everyone’s heart and thus when a devotee is willing to serve, He gives
dictation from within. So when George will help establish temples, it will be a
great achievement.
I have already acknowledged that the “Govindam” record is very nice, and I
am sure it will be appreciated. Devananda also has liked it and says that the
sound will be very attractive to the young people especially.
Regarding the presentation of “Govindam” as well as other mantras, the
vibration is always pure. I will give the theme and if the sound is Westernized
that does not matter. But another point is that this specific sound of Kirtana
as I sing is also another introduction of art that can be intermingled with
Western art, and such combination will certainly be appreciated. But so far I
know that the Kirtana tune is a specific representation of Gaudiya Vaisnavas
and this tune is appreciated all over India as unique. They say that the Kirtana
tune is the specific gift of Bengal, and that is a fact. So why not utilize this
tune in the Western countries under the able guidance of such expert
musician as George?
If you arrange, I will certainly come during Rathayatra. You will have to
arrange for passages for at least two men, coming and going.
I am very glad to learn about the activities of your nice daughter. I am sure
she will be a great devotee and great preacher also in future. I want that on
this Krsna culture the whole world can be united.
Our Caitanya Almanac is being published. In the meantime, I am sending
you one sheet. Keep it carefully for guidance. I think it is better to keep it with
Yamuna because she is in charge of Deity worship.*
Hope this will meet you in good health.
2746
Your ever well-wisher,
A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami
*I have received one letter from Yamuna and she requires the list.
ACBS:db