During siddha-avesh, is the name chanted? -

Here is a response I sent to a fellow Vaishnava on his inquiry about whether siddha-mahAtmas still chant the holy names during absorption in service in their siddha-deha, and how this goes together with Sri Rupa's instruction to engage both the tongue and the mind in topics of Krishna and his dear companions.

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In regards to the question on whether the siddha-mahAtmas who are absorbed in manasi-sevA still chant the holy names in their mouths, we should note that there are three kinds of japa mentioned in Hari-bhakti-vilasa:

1. That which is audibly chanted,
2. That in which only the lips slightly move, and
3. That which is performed altogether in the mind.

The third kind of japa is very common among Gaudiya Vaishnavas.

During siddha-aveza, as the mahAtma realizes the nonduality between the names and the named, namely Radha-Krishna, the names assume the forms of the Divine Couple and present him with a wondrous display of pastimes. This is the perfection of nAma-japa, and at that time nAma-japa is certainly performed, though in a rather different manner from the mAnasika-japa of the regular sAdhaka.

Otherwise, at the time of japa when such deep and overwhelming absorption does not take place, the names are commonly remembered at the time of lIlA-smaraNa, and they keep vibrating on the background as the fabric of our remembrance. This holds true for both the sAdhaka and the siddha, but for the siddha, the perception of the depth of the names is very different.

Madhava - I like what you write -



I would love to know this rather different manner of japa - my guru never told me about this, neither have I experienced it before. Will you kindly share that with us.




I would also love to know about the depth of the holy name. Kindly include that as well, thank you.

It is not really a different "manner" in the sense of endeavoring to do something differently. I am merely referring to the depth of experience. An illiterate child may look at a book, a beginning student may look at a book, and the professor may look at a book. They are all essentially performing the same activity, but for the child, the activity does not produce much anything comprehensible, for the beginning student the activity will bring about a basic understanding of what is being described in the text, and for the professor, the entire world of the novel unfolds, as he is thoroughly acquainted with varieties of literary intricacies and is familiar with the genre. That is a rough parallel of what I'm talking about when discussing the depth of the name.

In his Bhakti-sandarbha (278), Sri Jiva delineates five stages of smaraNa.



In the description I wrote, I am primarily referring to the final stage of smaraNa, the equivalent of attaining siddhi. At the end of the anuccheda, Sri Jivapada gives an example of the stage of samAdhi (BhP 12.10.9), quoting the example of Shiva and Devi coming to meet Markandeya Rishi:



tatra hetuH ruddha-dhI-vRttir bhagavad-AviSTa-cittaH -- This obstruction of the functions of consciousness was caused by inner absorption in contemplating Bhagavan. Hence, it is rather unlikely a person who is stunned in a state of complete samAdhi would be much aware of anything else anymore but the object of our life-long contemplation, the aSTa-kAliya-lIlA-dhArA of Radha-Syama. Hence, even if at this stage the regular activity of nAma-japa ceases, nAma-japa is certainly being performed, as truly the nAma-yugala are dancing in their blossoming youth in the mind of the siddha-sAdhaka.

And yes, most of us have a long way to go, working our way up to dharaNa, cleaning up the heart to make it fit for proper remembrance. I have a feeling though, once that is properly accomplished, that the going gets smoother.



Aside the above, that primarily just referred to the sequential appearance of nAma-rUpa-guNa-lIlA. abhinnatvAn nAma-nAminoH.

Great - thank you Madhava.