By Sampradāya-saṁrakṣaka Śrī Śyām Dās Baba Mahārāj
My Gurudeva used to say: you have to scrutinize the whole līlā of Śrīla Prabhupāda very carefully. From every angle we must try to realize all aprakṛta-līlās of Śrīla Prabhupāda. And by his mercy, everything can be realized—provided our dedication unto the lotus feet of Śrīla Prabhupāda is genuine. We cannot compromise with anyone regarding Gauḍīya-siddhānta-vicāra and seva. Śrīla Prabhupāda always used to say that—
“We Gauḍīyas must maintain some specialty.”
By this, Śrīla Prabhupāda meant—specialty regarding seva and siddhānta. If ever we make compromise with sahajiyās, then surely we will have to abandon something good and accept something bad, which is impossible in the path of śuddha-bhakti-dhārā as shown by Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura and Śrīla Prabhupāda.
Do not lose your level; maintain the standard. If we follow strict rules and regulations in the beginning and become habituated, then later it will be very easy. If we love Prabhupāda, I cannot say Prabhupāda is too tough. Love means all in all. If I love Prabhupāda, then there can be no compromise.
Even in the material world, let me give one example: there was a girl from a very rich family who fell in love with a poor motor mechanic. Her father told her:
“I cannot accept you as my daughter if you marry that man.”
But the girl replied:
“Love is love. I cannot throw him away simply because he is poor. If the situation demands, I can even leave you and go with him.”
And so she left her father to live with her husband, even though she had never been accustomed to such a life. Why was it possible? Because of love.
In the same way, our guruvarga came from high families, but when they discovered the nectar of Śrīla Prabhupāda, they were ready to dedicate their whole lives and possessions. The unique love of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī was so strong—so strong—that nothing could stand as an impediment before Her love for Kṛṣṇa. That is the mystery of great love.
Śrīla Prabhupāda Had Strict Orders That Everybody Must Chant One Lakh Harināma Every Day
By Śrīla Bhaktivedānta Vāmana Gosvāmī Mahārāja
Param-pūjya Śrī Narahari-sevā-vigraha Prabhu was affectionate toward everyone, from the elders to the youngest members of the maṭha. I had the fortune of closely observing him when I joined in 1931. He was truly the mātṛ—the mother—of Śrī Caitanya Maṭha and the Gauḍīya Mission. He took care of all the residents’ needs, assuming responsibility for cooking, cleaning, serving, and more.
I never once saw him exhausted! He was always engaged in rendering service. Though time was never sufficient, still he gave utmost heed to the orders of his Gurudeva. Śrīla Prabhupāda had strict orders that everybody must chant one lakh of harināma every day.
Because he never found enough time during the day to finish his rounds, he used to complete them late at night. Yet, after a whole day of hard labor, he would become drowsy. I personally heard from his mouth that in such times he tied a rope from his śikhā to a log of wood kept for cooking. Whenever his head would droop, the tug on his śikhā would wake him, and he would again engage in chanting harināma. Such was the severity of his sādhana.
We Know Very Well How Our Six Gosvāmīs Were Absorbed Day and Night in Chanting Nāma
kṛṣṇa–kīrtana–gāna–nartana–parau premāmṛtāmbho–nidhī
dhīrādhīra–jana–priyau priya–karau nirmatsarau pūjitau
śrī–caitanya–kṛpā–bharau bhuvi bhuvo bhārāvahantārakau
vande rūpa–sanātanau raghu–yugau śrī–jīva–gopālakau
(Śrī Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭakam 1)
Perpetually immersed in singing, dancing, and heartfelt kīrtana of Śrī Kṛṣṇa’s name, form, qualities, pastimes, associates, and realm, the Six Gosvāmīs embody the ocean of nectarean love. Dear to both gentlemen and ruffians, always engaged in pleasing activities, and completely free from envy, they are adored by all. They are the recipients of Śrī Caitanya’s immense mercy, and they therefore remove the burden of the earth through distributing bhakti-rasa. I worship the Six Gosvāmīs: Śrī Rūpa, Śrī Sanātana, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa, Śrī Jīva, and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa.
saṅkhyā–pūrvaka–nāma–gāna–natibhiḥ kālāvasānī–kṛtau
nidrāhāra–vihārakādi–vijitau cātyanta–dīnau ca yau
rādhā–kṛṣṇa–guṇa–smṛter madhurimānandena sammohitau
vande rūpa–sanātanau raghu–yugau śrī–jīva–gopālakau
(Śrī Ṣaḍ-gosvāmy-aṣṭakam)
They passed their time by daily chanting a fixed number of holy names, singing specific songs, and offering regulated obeisances to saints, deities, and the Lord’s pastime places. Thus they fully conquered the urges of eating, sleeping, recreation, and so forth. Always considering themselves unlimitedly lowly and insignificant, they became enchanted in sweet rapture by remembering the qualities of Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. I worship Śrī Rūpa, Śrī Sanātana, Śrī Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa, Śrī Raghunātha dāsa, Śrī Jīva, and Śrī Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmīs.
We also find a very sweet līlā of Śrīman Mahāprabhu in Nīlācala Purī, at Gambhīrā Mandira. Once Mahāprabhu tried to stop His tongue from its incessant chanting of harināma by holding it with His own hand, even during bodily functions (deha-kriyā). Small Gopāla, curious, asked about this unusual behavior. Mahāprabhu explained:
“O Gopāla! What to do? I cannot stop My tongue from chanting harināma even during deha-kriyā.”
Then little Gopāla replied like a guru:
“O Prabhu, what is wrong if someone chants harināma even during deha-kriyā?”
Hearing this, Mahāprabhu laughed and declared:
“From today, everyone will call you Guru.”
From this līlā, we learn the supreme glory of harināma-prabhu.
Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura wrote in Hari-nāma-cintāmaṇi (Ch. 15):
“Nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ means that a sādhaka naturally develops a taste for constantly singing and chanting the holy name of Śrī Kṛṣṇa. This taste is not forced, nor dependent on rules, but arises from the inner attraction of the soul. As long as offenses (aparādhas) remain, one cannot have this spontaneous relish. By śraddhā, sādhu-saṅga, and anartha-nivṛtti, the heart becomes purified, and then the jīva experiences genuine ruci in nāma.”
In Bhajana-rahasya (commentary to the 5th verse of Śikṣāṣṭaka — ayi nanda-tanuja kiṅkaraṁ…), he says:
“Ruci is the stage where the devotee’s taste for the name becomes so steady that it continues even without effort. At this stage, nāma-gāna (singing and chanting of Kṛṣṇa’s name) becomes the natural life of the sādhaka.”
Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda emphasized that chanting one lakh (64 rounds) daily is the practical demonstration of nāma-gāne sadā ruciḥ.
In his Upadeśāmṛta Anuvṛtti (commentary on Rūpa Gosvāmī’s text), he writes:
The symptom of nāma–gāne sadā ruciḥ is that one cannot remain without nāma. But since ruci does not come immediately, one must chant a fixed number daily—one lakh (64 rounds)—regardless of taste. This discipline (niyama) is not artificial; it prepares the heart for the natural flow of ruci. When ruci appears, nāma–saṅkīrtana becomes as natural as breathing. Without nāma, the devotee feels lifeless.
Prabhupāda said:
“A real Vaiṣṇava cannot live a moment without kīrtana of the holy name. If one chants only when convenient, he has not yet attained ruci. A fish cannot live without water; a devotee cannot live without nāma.” (The Harmonist, 1928, Vol. 26)
Gauḍīya-goṣṭhī-pati Paramahaṁsācārya-varya Śrī Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Gosvāmī Ṭhākura Prabhupāda further said:
“Gaurasundara states that Bhagavān is truly served in the home of one who chants a lakh of names daily. The Lord accepts food and other offerings made to Him by such a devotee. Conversely, if a disciple does not chant a lakh of names per day, the Lord does not bless him by accepting his offerings. Every single devotee must daily chant a lakh of names; otherwise he will soon become attached to various forms of sense gratification and thus will be incapable of serving the Lord. For this reason, all sheltered by Śrī Caitanya-deva daily chant at least one lakh; otherwise Gaurasundara will not accept the offerings made to Him.”
(Caitanya-bhāgavata 3.9.121, commentary)
Prabhupāda repeatedly insisted that all devotees must daily chant at least one lakh of harināma. To those disciples who asked him for permission to reduce their quota due to lack of time, he instructed them to somehow or other make time. To some pūjārīs at Śrī Caitanya Maṭha who pleaded insufficient time, he firmly rejoined:
“No excuses. Every day one lakh of harināma must be chanted; otherwise Mahāprabhu will not accept even water. What is the value of arcana if Mahāprabhu is not properly served?”
At the same time, he engaged all maṭha-vāsīs in multifarious services, explaining that sevā and mālā (chanting on beads) are non-different, and that a sincere service attitude is the essence of chanting. Without cultivating such sincerity, even chanting day and night is of little value.
He told his disciples:
“During the day remain busy in service. Due to other engagements you might not chant a lakh, but that should remain your lakṣya (aim). If sometimes you are too busy during the day to chant on your mālā, then instead of taking rest at night, chant. If you cannot finish your prescribed japa, then sleep less and chant. Do not increase your time for sleeping—increase your chanting. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ—always chant the holy name. Wake up with the holy name, chant throughout the day, and go to sleep with the holy name. If you practice this, naturally you will also chant while sleeping.”