Namaù oà viñëu-pädäya- Bonafide Praëäma Mantra of Guru…?!?
Question- MAHÄRÄJA JÉ, in Iskcon, they chant mantra- ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya kåñëa-preñöhäya bhü-tale’. MAHÄRÄJA JÉ, is this Praëäma mantra, being chanted from the very starting of Gauòéya Vaiñëavism?
MAHÄRÄJA JÉ: How old is Gauòéya Vaiñëavism Sampradäya? It’s approximately 500+ years. Gauòéya Vaiñëava Sampradäya is at least 500 years old. And how old is Iskcon and Gauòéya Maöha? That is 100 or 150 years. So, the first 400 years or so, there was no ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’ in any entire Gauòéya Vaiñëava Sampradäya. No one did this Praëäma Mantra for any of their Gurus.
There were so many Siddha Gurus in the past and they were thinking about Rädhä Kåñëa’s holé pastimes, playing colours and all of their clothes were drenched with the holé colours and they were right there in the Lélä. And even in this body, their body was drenched with the colours.
And there were many Siddha Mahätmäs. They were giving garland to the Divine Couple and mercifully, when they got their Prasädé garland in the Lélä.. they were so fixed up in their meditation that, when they got up from their meditation, they saw that same garland on their body. Even for those siddha Mahätmäs, no one has the praëäma mantra. The biggest of all, greatest of all Devotees, no one has got any Praëäma Mantra.
You can go to Navadvépa, you can go to Våëdävana, you can go to Rädhäkuëòa, any place of your choice and see if there is any Praëäma mantra for any Gauòéya Vaiñëava Äcärya ever. You won’t find any. There is no praëäma mantra. This was invented by Bhakti Siddhänta Jé. He invented some Praëäma mantra of Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura also. And the strange part is he is not even a disciple of Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura. And he invented the Praëäma mantra of Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura. Lalita Prasäda Öhäkura, who is son of Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura and though He is also direct disciple of Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura, he never does Praëäma mantra of Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura. There is no Praëäma mantra of Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura.
I spoke to the devotees in their lineage. Do you chant any of Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura’s mantra, Praëäma mantra? They say – “We don’t have all this stuff.”
I asked, “Did your Guru– Lalita Prasäda Öhäkura chanted this Praëäma mantra? They said, “No no, we don’t do all this stuff. This is done by Iskcon, Gauòéya Maöha.”
So, I have spoken directly to the disciples of, grand disciple of Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura. I asked them and I have recordings of them, as well. “Do you chant any ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’ mantra in your lineage?” They said- “No, no we don’t do all this. This is all by Iskcon, Gauòéya Maöha.”
This is totally new. In all Sampradäya, not just in Gauòéya Sampradäya, if you go to any Bonafide Sampradäya, you will never find any ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’ mantra for any guru in any Sampradäya. This is totally new, something recently invented. Absolutely not required. The mantra which is being chanted for Gurudeva is
ajïäna timirändhasya jïänäïjana çaläkayä
cakñur unmilitaà yena tasmai çré gurave namaù
(Prema Bhakti Candrikä 1)
I offer my respectful obeisances to my Gurudeva who enlightens me with knowledge and removes the darkness of ignorance.
Gurudeva does this thing. And all Gurus do the same, so there is no reason to put ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’. Also, they offer bhoga by this ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’. Before offering, they do this “namaù oà viñëu-pädäya”.
First of all, bhoga is not offered this way ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’, not in any Sampradäya. And you do ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’ and you offer a plate of bhoga to Rädhä Kåñëa and after a while, you pick up the plate and you think it is Prasäda. This is not so. Because in Gauòéya Vaiñëava Sampradäya, first we, Gauòéya Vaiñëava offer food, thälé, plate to Lord Kåñëa. He eats whatever we offer and after that, Prasädé of Sri Kåñëa is given to Rädhärani. Sri Kåñëa Prasädé is what Rädhäräné eats in the Spiritual World as well. Rädhäräné eats only the remnants of Lord Kåñëa in the Spiritual World also, whether it is morning or night. Rädhäräné, even at the time of dinner, She won’t eat anything, until and unless, Kåñëa Prasädé comes.
During the noontime also, at Rädhäkuëòa, She eats only Kåñëa Prasädé, morning also. Even the çarabata She drinks, the drink, fruit drink, even the çarabata She drinks, is Kåñëa Prasädé. So, you offer fruit and you think (claps), “Rädhä Çyämasundara Mahäprasäda ké Jaya.” This is not so. This is not so.
First of all, there is no ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’, while offering. And offering is done by Béja mantras. The Béja mantras, which you get on Dékñä, by that you offer food to Lord Kåñëa first. Why are we telling all this?
Those who are hearing this live and who are going to hear it later also. See, you have given your life in Gauòéya Vaiñëava Sampradäya. Some have given 20 years, some have given 40 years in this Sampradäya and some have given 50 years. So, when you have given your life, at least have some sense that you should know the basic things – How to offer food to the Lord? At least, this thing we must understand. Why are we blind fanatic followers?
Go to any Sampradäya of your choice. We are not saying follow us. We are saying- stop fanaticism. Don’t become a fanatic follower. Go to any Sampradäya in Våëdävana, Navadvépa, anywhere. Go and see with your own eyes. Is there any Praëäma mantra for any Guru? Is any devotee doing any ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’ beside Iskcon and Gauòéya Maöha?
And, not even the son of Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura is doing ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya ‘.
Why are we blind followers? And you think this ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’ is only for 3-4 people? Jagannätha Däsa BäbäJé, Gaura Kiçora Däsa BäbäJé, Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura and others. If ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’ was so bonafide then, can anyone ask Bhakti Siddhänta and their Institution, what is the Praëäma mantra of Gaura Kiçora Däsa BäbäJé Mahäräja? BäbäJé Mahäräja’s Guru? If this Praëäma mantra was so right, then Gaura Kiçora Däsa BäbäJé Mahäräja must also be doing some Praëäma mantra of his Guru. What is that Praëäma mantra? And what is the Praëäma mantra of Guru of Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura? Is it mentioned somewhere in any of their books? They have got so many books, so many cantos, so many books, so many books. Is there any Praëäma mantra of Guru of Jagannätha Däsa BäbäJé?
They are here just to fill off whims and fancies. They, neither Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura ever did any ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’ for any of his Guru, nor Gaura Kiçora Däsa BäbäJé did ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’ for any of his Guru. Nor Jagannätha Däsa BäbäJé did ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’ for His, any of his Guru. Nor any Siddha Guru does any ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’ in Gauòéya Vaiñëava Sampradäya and no one does any ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’ in any Sampradäya. Then, why are we following this blindly?
We bow down to the Deities and then, we do stuff ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’ for this Guru, and that Guru, my Guru, then institutional Guru, then to Rädhä-Kåñëa. It takes so long and is absolutely not required.
You go to any, ask any great saint, how do you do the Praëäma mantra of Deities? At least, you should know how to do Praëäma to the Deities. You are giving your life. Please have mercy on yourself. Forget giving mercy to others, järe dekhe täre kahe kåñëa upadeça. Have mercy upon yourself. At least, know how to offer food, at least, know how to offer Praëäma to the Deities.
First one guru ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’, then another guru’s ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’. Assumingly after five generations, there will be so many ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäyas’ in your lineage. At least you take 10 mins to do Praëäma in front of one Deity. ‘Namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’, then Guru ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’. Then ten “namaù oà viñëu-pädäya”. Then four liners and then this and that. And top of it, it is not required. Other than your organization, this cult called Iskcon and Gauòéya Maöha, no one does that. On the entire planet only these people do that. Different species! Why do they do it? What do they do? Shocking !
If you are doing something which has never been done in the entire Gauòéya Vaiñëava Sampradäya, it is very clear that you are not in anugatya. Your Gaura Kiçora Däsa BäbäJé never did this ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’. Jagannätha Däsa BäbäJé never did this, Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura never did this. You are putting all of Them in Your altar. And calling yourself, that you are following the çikñä. How can someone follow this ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’ and call them their çikñä Gurus?
They bestowed Siddha Praëälé, you don’t. And you are calling yourself a follower of all three of these Siddha Mahätmäs?
Very respectfully, we are asking this simple question: please tell what ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’, Gaura Kiçora Däsa BäbäJé Mahäräja used to do? Very respectfully, very humbly with straw in our teeth, we are begging you a question. Please tell us what Praëäma mantra ‘namaù oà viñëu-pädäya’, Bhakti Vinoda Öhäkura used to do? Is there any, is this question not bonafide? You must have this common sense plus courage plus intelligence to know what your previous Gurus also did or you are doing something totally new???