Haridas Thakura;Please constantly chant Hare Krishna

[Paramananda das]

dear devotess
please accept my humble obaisences
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Yesterday was the disapperance day of Srila Haridas Thakura.
 
Srila Narottama das Thakura has sung:
rupa-raghunatha-pade hoibe akuti
kabe hama bujhabo se jugala-piriti


When shall I be very much eager to study the books left by the Six Gosvamis, headed by Shrila Rupa Gosvami and Shrila Raghunatha dasa Gosvami? By their instruction I shall be able to properly understand the loving affairs of Radha and Krishna.
and in another bhajan in his Prarthana:

krishnadasa kaviraja rasika bhakata-majha
jenho kaila chaitanya-carita
gaura-govinda-lila sunite galaye sila
tahate na haila mora cite



Among the devotees Krishnadasa Kaviraja is extremely expert at relishing the transcendental nectar of the mellows of love of God. When the stones hear his Chaitanya-charitamrita and Govinda-lilamrta, they begin to melt in ecstasy. In spite of this, I cannot appreciate him within my heart.

So Caitanya Caritamrta is such an important book.Srila Haridas Thakura would daily chant 192 rounds of Japa, Srila Prabhupada has stated 64 rounds can be chanted in 5 hours so ,Srila Haridas Thakura must have spend minimum 15 hours a day chanting.
In Prema Vilasa it is stated:

From Prema-vilasa Chapter 17: Shrila Narottama to Shrila Kaviraja on the direct process to achieve love of Krishna:

prabhura achaye sankhya tina laksha nama;
eka laksha bhaktagane kaila kripa dana.

"Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu standard was to chant 3,00,000 names everyday. But He very mercifully awarded His devotees the process of chanting a minimum of 1,00,000 names of Krishna daily.

shri rupa kaila laksha granthera varnana;
tathapiha karila laksha nama grahana.

"Shrila Rupa Goswami has explained and quoted from over 100,000 different scriptures. Even though he was such a great scholar and devotee he himself chanted 100,000 Holy Names daily.

Srila Haridas Thakura also chanted 300.000 names daily (192 rounds)
Śrī Caitanya Caritāmṛta Ādi 10.43
haridāsa-ṭhākura śākhāra adbhuta carita
tina lakṣa nāma teńho layena apatita

TRANSLATION
The twentieth branch of the Caitanya tree was Haridāsa Ṭhākura. His character was wonderful. He used to chant the holy name ofKṛṣṇa 300,000 times a day without fail.
PURPORT
Certainly the chanting of 300,000 holy names of the Lord is wonderful. No ordinary person can chant so many names, nor should one artificially imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura's behavior. It is essential, however, that everyone fulfill a specific vow to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇamantra. Therefore we have prescribed in our Society that all our students must chant at least sixteen rounds daily. Such chanting must be offenseless in order to be of high quality. Mechanical chanting is not as powerful as chanting of the holy name without offenses. It is stated in the Caitanya-bhāgavata, Ādi-khaṇḍa, Chapter Two, that Haridāsa Ṭhākura was born in a village known as Buḍhana but after some time came to live on the bank of the Ganges at Phuliyā, near Śāntipura. From the description of his chastisement by a Muslim magistrate, which is found in the Sixteenth Chapter of the Ādi-khaṇḍa of Caitanya-bhāgavata, we can understand how humble and meek Haridāsa Ṭhākura was and how he achieved the causeless mercy of the Lord. In the dramas performed by Lord CaitanyaMahāprabhu, Haridāsa Ṭhākura played the part of a police chief. While chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra in Benāpola, he was personally tested by Māyādevī herself. Haridāsa Ṭhākura's passing away is described in the Antya-līlā of Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Eleventh Chapter. It is not definitely certain whether Śrī Haridāsa Ṭhākura appeared in the village named Buḍhana that is in the district of Khulnā. Formerly this village was within a district of twenty-four pargaṇas within the Sātakṣīrā division.

CC Ādi 10.44: There was no end to the transcendental qualities of Haridāsa Ṭhākura. Here I mention but a fraction of his qualities. He was so exalted that Advaita Gosvāmī, when performing the śrāddha ceremony of his father, offered him the first plate.
CC Ādi 10.45: The waves of his good qualities were like those of Prahlāda Mahārāja. He did not even slightly raise an eyebrow when persecuted by the Muslim ruler.
comment: actually Hari Das Thakura is also a incarnation of Prahlada Maharaja as stated by Kavi Karnapure in his Gaura Ganodessa Dipika: Rcika Muni's son Brahma Mahatapah, and Prahlada Maharaja combined to appear as Haridasa Thakur in Lord Chaitanya's pastimes.
And also all our Acaryas has accepted Haridas Thakura as the incarnation of Lord Brahma,Srila Prabhupada has also mentioned this CC Antya lila chapter 11
TEXT 25
“loka nistarite ei tomara ‘avatara’ namera mahima loke karila pracara
TRANSLATION
“Your role in this incarnation is to deliver the people in general. You have sufficiently preached the glories of the holy name in this world.”
PURPORT
Haridasa Thakura is known as namacarya because it is he who preached the glories of chanting hari-nama, the holy name of God. By using the words tomara avatara (”your incarnation”), Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu confirms that Haridasa Thakura is the incarnation of Lord Brahma. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura says that advanced devotees help the Supreme Personality of Godhead in His mission and that such devotees or personal associates incarnate by the will of the Supreme Lord. The Supreme Lord incarnates by His own will, and, by His will, competent devotees also incarnate to help Him in His mission. Haridasa Thakura is thus the incarnation of Lord Brahma, and other devotees are likewise incarnations who help in the prosecution of the Lord’s mission.

CC Ādi 10.46: After the passing away of Haridāsa Ṭhākura, the Lord Himself took his body on His lap and danced with it in great ecstasy.
CC Ādi 10.47: Śrīla Vṛndāvana dāsa Ṭhākura has vividly described the pastimes of Haridāsa Ṭhākura in his Caitanya-bhāgavata. Whatever has remained undescribed I shall try to explain later in this book.
CC Ādi 10.48: One subbranch of Haridāsa Ṭhākura consisted of the residents of Kulīna-grāma. The most important among them wasSatyarāja Khān, or Satyarāja Vasu, who was a recipient of all the mercy of Haridāsa Ṭhākura.


see also
http://caitanyacaritamrta.com/antya/3/en

we find this sloka in Antya lila chapter 17
prabhu kahe,–”kon vyadhi, kaha ta’ nirnaya?” tenho kahe,–”sankhya-kirtana na puraya”
TRANSLATION
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu further inquired from Haridasa, “Can you ascertain what your disease is?” Haridasa Thakura replied, “My disease is that I cannot complete my rounds.”
PURPORT
If one cannot complete the fixed number of rounds he is assigned, he should be considered to be in a diseased condition of spiritual life. Srila Haridasa Thakura is called namacarya. Of course, we cannot imitate Haridasa Thakura, but everyone must chant a prescribed number of rounds. In our Krsna consciousness movement we have fixed sixteen rounds as the minimum so that the Westerners will not feel burdened. These sixteen rounds must be chanted, and chanted loudly, so that one can hear himself and others.

my comment:
The fact is that many have a hard time to even finish their 16 rounds
 
 
my comment : 16 rounds is really a bare bare minimum ,Srila Prabhupada has stated

Prabhupada: Then he should try to chant Hare Krsna mantra, instead of
sixteen rounds, sixty-four rounds. That is the way. Sixteen round is
the minimum. Otherwise Haridasa Thakura was 300,000. So you have to
increase.

SP Morning Walk, May 14, 1975, Perth
 
"In 1967 at San Francisco, Shrila Prabhupada asked [Mukunda dasa], 'What is your definition of Krishna?' I said, 'Krishna is God. he is the Supreme Being. Our duty is to worship and serve Him.' Swamiji [Shrila Prabhupada] seemed fairly satisfied, and then he said, 'You must chant sixty-four rounds per day on you beads.'

"I was shocked at this and could not answer. I did not know if there was any need to answer. I just kept looking at Swamiji, and he looked at me. After some time he said, 'Or at least you can chant thirty-two rounds a day.' Still silence. I considered it to be very difficult to chant even sixteen rounds. I was wondering how I could possibly chant thirty-two rounds. After some time, Swamiji said, 'At the very you must chant sixteen rounds every day.'" (Shrila Prabhupada Lilamrta)

If after 20 and 30 and some 40 years being devotees and one is still only chanting the minimum 16 ,this person is blessed by Haridas Thakura to have at least maintained this much, but we should take his full mercy and chant more. Best is on such a holy apperance day of Haridas Thakura to do Harinama all day long, distribute Srila Prabhupadas books and chant 192 rounds of japa. We chant 16 with lots of pride thinking we have become the greatest this is not humility and thus the 16 rounds will never increase.16 rounds is not enough to constantly remember Krsna otherwise Lord Caitanya would only have chanted this much, so the standard is set by Lord Caitanya.
We can also see from this chapter how Haridas Thakura did not finish his prasadam untill he had chanted all his 192 rounds:
Lord Caitanya ordered his personal servant Govinda to daily bring Mahaprasadam to Haridasa Thakura:
eka-dina govinda maha-prasada lana haridase dite gela anandita hana
One day Govinda, the personal servant of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, went in great jubilation to deliver the remnants of Lord Jagannatha’s food to Haridasa Thakura.
TEXT 17
dekhe,–haridasa thakura kariyache sayana manda manda kariteche sankhya-sankirtana
When Govinda came to Haridasa, he saw that Haridasa Thakura was lying on his back and chanting his rounds very slowly.
TEXT 18
govinda kahe,–”utha asi’ karaha bhojana” haridasa kahe,–”aji karimu langhana”
“Please rise and take your maha-prasada,” Govinda said. Haridasa Thakura replied, “Today I shall observe fasting.
TEXT 19
“sankhya-kirtana pure nahi, ke-mate khaiba? maha-prasada aniyacha, ke-mate upeksiba?”
“I have not finished chanting my regular number of rounds. How, then, can I eat? But you have brought maha-prasada, and how can I neglect it?”
my comment: This is the proper standard of service to Radha Krsna one should not take prasadam before one has completed ones perscribed rounds in Haridas Thakuras case 192, also in the worship of Salagram sila and Govardhana silas there is sever reactions if one does not complete ones puja before taking prasadam and by noon it should be completed the latest
TEXT 20
eta bali’ maha-prasada karila vandana eka ranca lana tara karila bhaksana
TRANSLATION
Saying this, he offered prayers to the maha-prasada, took a little portion, and ate it.
my note on this: The only reason Haridas Thakura took this Mahaprasadam as brought by Govinda was because it came on the instruction of Lord Caitanya, so for Haridas Thakura to refuse it would not be proper,otherwise he would have kept it untill his rounds where finished.
Regarding taking and offering prasadam Lord Caitanya had a very strict rule he would not accept prasadam from anyone that did not chant 64 rounds (100.000 names):

"se janera nama ami bali 'lakshesvara'
tatha bhiksha amara, na yai anya ghara."

"Lord Gauranga continued-I call such a person a laksheshvara. I only accept meals in such a person's house. I never go anywhere else."
(121) prabhu bale,-"jana, 'lakshesvara' bali kare?
prati-dina laksha-nama ye grahana kare"

"Do you know who is a laksesvara? He is someone who chants one laksa or 100,000 holy names (64 rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra) everyday.
"The Krsna consciousness movement prescribes sixteen rounds daily because people in the Western countries cannot concentrate for long periods while chanting on beads. Therefore the minimum number of rounds is prescribed. However, Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to say that unless one chants at least sixty-four rounds of japa (100,000 names), he is considered fallen (patita). According to his calculation, practically every one of us is fallen, but because we are trying to serve the Supreme Lord with all seriousness and without duplicity, we can expect the mercy of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is famous aspatita-pavana, the deliverer Of the fallen." (NOI mantra 5 p.)
Can one still be in maya after chanting 64 rounds why not but the change is less, and if one also carefully do not overeat prasadam and honor prasadam properly this helps control the mind and senses Vaco vegam..etc
Devotional service starts with the tongue chanting and taking on Krsna prasadam.
But we are a preaching movement so this constant chanting is no excuse for not doing Harinama and distributing Srila Prabhupadas books,we
should not hide in an office wether in a regular job or a temple and simply be a
Bureaucrat,and take a salary .Srila Prabhupada has stated I have come to create vaisnava heroes not this sitting down class of men that will not preach.
And so many times Srila Prabhupada would say distribution of my books is the real preaching, so we in ISKCON have to promote this and make sure all temples distribute His Divine Graces books more and more..This along with constant chanting will please Srila Prabhupada, ,Haridas Thakura and Lord Caitanya
your servant
 Paramananda das
Bureaucrats makes money and devotees makes others devotees,this requires Krsna sakti ,and that comes from chanting without offences
and the best amount is minimum 64 or more
Jaya Haridas Thakura
Managers of temples are glorious if they increase the sankirtana movement even best by personal example this is Haridas Thakuras line showing by teaching and example,being a manger is not the goal in KC becoming a suddha vaisnava is, if one can become both no problem.Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura was also an administator and a suddha vaisnava, Haridas Thakura was simply showing us to chant purely this is te perfect example.Lord Brahma offended Krsna during Brahma Vimohana lila and came to Navadvipa to atone,there Lord Caitanya told him he would appear as his devotee Haridas Thakura, this is a drop in the ocean of the glories of Haridas Thakura.Even Lord Caitanya described the glories of Haridas Thakura as if with five mouths, then what to speak of an ignorant person like me, ours is a most feeble attempt and hope it pleases the vaisnavas
and Srila Prabhupada,Haridas Thakura and Nitai Gauranga

Official Name: None
Author: Gopala Krsna Dasa
Book Name: None
Language: Oriya

LYRICS:
(refrain)
rādhā kṛṣṇa nāma cintāmaṇiki
bhaja-re mānasa sadā eṇiki

(1)
pāilu śrī guru-devaṅka kṛpāru
āge kara jaya-śrī pūraṇīki

(2)
sa-rasa cetana pūrṇa sanātana
bāsa yā-a-nā-re āu keniki

(3)
nāhiṅṭi antara abhidhā nāmara
ḍāka mathāpare yoḍi pāṇiki

(4)
svapana jāgare śuci aśucire
antaḥkaraṇare puṇi puṇīki

(5)
prema-bhakti rasa jāṅkara niryāsa
ethu baḷi āu nāhiṅ teṇiki

(6)
miḷilā ethara bhāḷilāra tora
kari nartana bajā kaphoṇiki

(7)
gopāḷa-kṛṣṇara prāṇa abasara
kāḷe bolāibu gale yeṇiki

TRANSLATION
(Refrain) O mind! Always chant the names of Radha and Krsna, which are fabulous gems that satisfy all desires.

1) By the mercy of Sri Gurudeva you have received these holy names. So go on chanting them, being filled with thoughts of their glories!

2) These names are sweet and blissful and are the full, eternal manifestation of the Supreme Lord. Be peaceful and satisfied and don’t think that you require anything else.

3) Just chant, all the time sprinkling upon your head the water of this understanding: There is no difference between these names and Radha-Krishna themselves.

4) Whether sleeping or awake, in a clean or unclean condition, remember these names again and again.

5) The essence of these holy names is the ecstatic rapture of prema-bhakti. Don’t consider it to be anything else.

6) Such names you have gotten that if you really understand your good fortune you will jump up and down, slapping your sides with your elbows out of happiness!

7) Gopal Krsna Dasa got this opportunity in his life! O my mind, wherever you may go and whatever you may do, always chant these holy names!

note: The Mahamantra is all names of Radha Krishna





see also http://www.salagram.net/parishad14.htm

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=doVWD67D_KE

http://nimaipandit.ning.com/profiles/blogs/kali-santarana-upanisad-and