First Period of Devotional Practice (1st Yāma Sādhana)

[Therefore, glow of the Holy Name can destroy all sins and deliver conditioned souls from worldly bondage. As for instance Śrī Bhakti-Rasāmṛta-Sindhu, Dakṣiṇ Part, 1/103:- ]

That person is addressed as Guṇa-nidhe (one who is richly endowed with good qualities), who has got the aptitude to utter without delay, the Holiest Divine Name ‘Kṛṣṇa’, greatest Redeemer of all redeemers, with firm faith, without hypocrisy and with simple-heartedness. Why? Because the glow of the Holy Name Kṛṣṇa, like the glimpse of the light of Sun at dawn, entering into the cave of his heart, will destroy all great sins and nescience.

Srila Bhaktivinode Thākur’s instruction (His own writing in Bengali):-

Kṛṣṇa is the Supreme Redeemer. His Lotus Feet should be worshipped with firm faith and without deceitfulness. Glow of the Holy Name, like dawn of sunrise, entering into the heart, will destroy all great sins and remove all kinds of nescience— deep darkness. Gradual sequential development of the pastimes of Kṛṣṇa is narrated in Śikṣāṣṭaka. By this sequence of bhajan, pastimes will be manifested. At first, the first verse of Śikṣāṣṭaka is to be practised for some days. Thereafter you become eligible for practice of second verse.

Then by careful practice of the four verses of Śikṣāṣṭaka, gradually you acquire maturity in bhajan. After that, be eligible for achieving your realized eternal spiritual form by practising the fifth verse. Being well-established in the fifth verse, get the service of the Lotus Feet of Rādhārāni by attaining realized form. Advancement of bhajan will begin from this and will be developed. After being competent in realizing the transcendental sweet ecstatic feelings through practice of sixth verse, your attachment for ulterior reverse desires will be removed totally. Then actually you will be entitled to get eternal realized spiritual form. When eight principal modes of transcendental ecstatic feelings will be revealed, the criterion of your attainment of safety region is achieved. Without the manifestation of these ecstatic feelings, if any aspirant poses to get that realized state, it will be cause of disaster to him due to lack of intrinsic spiritual force from within.

If the aspirant wants to get realized state, he should very carefully accept the gradual procedure, strictly following the direction of pure devotee— sādhu, which is the only way of getting eternal pure devotional wisdom. After being eligible for getting eternal realized spiritual form, by sincere bhajan the aspirant can attain easily transcendental blissful service of eight periods of pastimes of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Service of eight periods of pastimes of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa will be gradually manifested by incessantly thinking, remembering and singing of the eight verses of Śikṣāṣṭaka. By this devotional practice, all ulterior desires will be removed, the highest wealth of Transcendental Divine Love will be achieved and undercurrent flow of desires for Caturvarga—the four objects of human pursuits— mundane virtue, wealth, sensuous enjoyment and desire for salvation will disappear.

1st verse of Śrī Śikṣāṣṭaka

Chanting of the Holy Name Śrī Kṛṣṇa, completely, loudly in the company of devotees and without tenfold offences, which can bestow seven attainments— viz. cleansing of the mind-mirror, extinguishing of the forest fire of birth, death and threefold afflictions, bestowing eternal soothing benefit like moonlight, life of spiritual learning i.e. awakening of the real self, increasing of the ocean of bliss, bestowing at every step sweet taste of complete transcendental ambrosia, holy immersion of body-mind-real self— be supremely glorified.

Śikṣāṣṭaka Song 1 ~

Thinking of Kṛṣṇa-līlā (pastimes of Kṛṣṇa)

At the close of night absorbing meditation of the break of sleep of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa in their secret grove (Awakening song). Provision for relishing Kṛṣṇa-līlā— Transcendental sweet pastimes of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa can only be relished by Citta (mind) gradually. [Citta indicates store of thoughts. Actually, there is no synonym of ‘Citta’ in English.]

Vṛndā Devi apprehending day-break sends Śuk-Śārikā (male and female parrots) and other birds to start chirping to awaken Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. Here chirping indicates sweet singing of the glories of Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. There is competition between Śuk and Śārikā to sing the glories of Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā more than each other. When Śuk sings more qualities of Kṛṣṇa, devotees on behalf of Kṛṣṇa are satisfied, but when female parrot Śārikā sings glories of Rādhārāni more than Kṛṣṇa, the personal associates of Rādhārāni become happy. In this way, competition of singing continues. By hearing this sweet competition of songs and also sweet songs of the gopīs, Rādhārāni is awakened and opens her eyes but Kṛṣṇa is not awakened. Kṛṣṇa remains with closed eyes. So long, gopīs had the responsibility to awaken Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, but when Rādhārāni is awakened, their responsibility to awaken Kṛṣṇa is over. Rādhārāni is worried and afraid seeing the light of the Sun increasing, but she cannot push Kṛṣṇa to wake-up for fear of offence. There is one female monkey of the name ‘Kakkhati’ to serve Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa, by her own capacity and she wants permission of the gopīs to make a harsh loud sound to awake Kṛṣṇa. But gopīs are not giving permission considering by hearing her harsh voice, Kṛṣṇa will be disturbed. But Kṛṣṇa is gracious to all, He wants to give scope of service to all devotees without considering their qualities. Kṛṣṇa does not open His eyes and gopīs are compelled to allow female monkey to make a harsh sound. On hearing the harsh sound, Kṛṣṇa opens His eyes. Kṛṣṇa and Rādhā looking at each other with wistful eyes— both are afraid thinking it is high time to return to their respective houses. They quickly run to their respective houses and entering into their houses go to bed to sleep. By the influence of Yogamāyā, Nanda Mahārāja, Yaṣodā Devi, mother-in-law of Rādhārāni ‘Jatilā’ and her husband ‘Āyan Ghoṣ’ cannot detect them.

Lila kirtan one ~