Sri Nama Mahima - Glory of The Name

Vaisnava carane dandavat.

Let's start a thread with referances to the glory of Hari's name.
Here's one from Sri Sanatan Goswami's Brhad Bhagavatamrtam.

jayati jayati nAmAnanda-rUpaM murArer-
viramita-nija-dharma-dhyAna-pUjAdi-yatnam/
katham-api sakrd-AttaM muktidaM prANinAM yat
paramam-amRtam-ekaM jIvanaM bhUsanaM me//

All hail and glory to Murari in the form of his joyous name, which causes one to abandon one's socio-religeous duties, meditation, ritual worship and the like; yet somehow, without delay, it easily grants release ( from samsara) to all beings. Such is Hari's name, nay, it is the highest and singular ambrosia, my very life and my most precious adornment.

I really haven't read too much. (don't know many verses) But I did want to throw in my two cents

2nd verse from Sri Sri Siksastaka

namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis
tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah
etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi
durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah

O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names, like Krsna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.

From Stavamala

jIyAn-nAma murAreh
premamarandasya navyamaravindam/
bhavati yadAbhAso'pi
svAtijalaM muktimuktAyAh//

Glory be to the name of Murari! which like a blooming lotus, exudes the sweet nectar of prema. It's mere semblance is as a droplet which becomes the pearl of release from samsara.

Here's a versification from a tape by Dravida das.

All glory to the holy name of Krsna, Mura's foe!
That name's a blooming lotus with ambrosia overflowing;
The soothing balm of love of god which cures all pain and woe.
Just a dim reflection of that name, e'en slightly glowing,
Is like a drop of purest rain that falls within an oyster shell,
And brings about the pearl of liberation from this earthly hell.

Srijiva, keep throwing in tupence worth and it will mount up to a tidy sum.
Do you or anyone have Padyavali? There is a sloka there in the Nama mahima section about counting obsesively names, something like
just as a miser likes to count and collect and contemplate money, may we do like wise with Hari's names.

I truly hope those two pence count....
I have only my computer, with which I use to cheat and deceive wonderful devotees. I search for nectar (on Google) and post it...wondering if everyone will think I am learned and wise. Never the less... it is all I can do for now...my hope is that someone will get some benefit.

so here is two more pence worth

from Padma Purana:

nama cintamanih krsnas
caitanya-rasa-vigrahah
purnah suddho nitya-mukto
'bhinnatvan nama-naminoh

"The holy name of Krsna is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Krsna Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Krsna's name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Krsna Himself. Since Krsna's name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with maya. Krsna's name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Krsna and Krsna Himself are identical."

Since I am plagerizing...mayhaps I should also include the website I am cutting and pasting from?

Padma Purana is fine. That's funny, I'm doing what you say your doing, but I have the books in front of me also Even though my motives are, well, I don't even know, but I heard that discussing Hari katha will purify me

Jai!

or,

Right On! (as they say in Santa Cruz)



It is funny that this has come up, cause I was musing just this morning about how everyday I will pack some great book of this or that in my bag before coming to work...just in case I can find something in it to ask an intelligent question on, or find a snazzy quote to post... everyday...and I have yet to crack one open cause I am too darn busy between engraving and net surfing to do anything so advanced

The sloka you posted is wonderfull, but look you how long the translation is. It could be;
Krsna's name is cintamani, the very form of consciousness and rapture,
It is complete, immaculate, forever free; no distinction 'twixt name and namee.

Believe you me...the one I posted was the shorter translation I found!

I was thinking the same thing when I copied it...
"boy, they sure got alot out of that little stanza"

Sure. It's not uncommon for Bengali translators to do the same and they call it tatparya anuvad or an explanitory translation, which is great, but it's also nice to get the condenced essence of the original too. Anyway
Jaya Nitai!

It's been Revealing!

Hari bol!

bhakta-kokila Madanmohanji! Thanks for starting this thread.

madhura-madhuam etan
maGgalaM maGgalAnAM
sakala-nigama-vallI-sat-phalaM cit-svarUpaM
sakRd api parigItaM zraddhayA helayA vA
bhRgu-vara nara-mAtraM tArayet kRSNa-nAma

(from Skanda-PurANam)

Oh best of the Bhrigus! The Holy Name of Krishna is the sweetest of the sweet, the most auspicious of all auspicious things; it is the sacred fruit of the desire tree of the Vedas, and is entirely spiritual. It saves anyone who sings it even once, whether carelessly or in full conscious.

Here is a mantra to contemplate before counting Hari Nama.

nAma cintAmani-rUpam nAmaiva paramA gati/
nAmnah parataraM nAsti tasmAn-nAma upAsmahe//

Nama is cintamani rupam, nama is the ultimate goal,
There is nothing superior to nama. Therefore I worship nama.

(Sadhaka Kanthamala)

harernAma harernAma harernAma eva kevalam/
kalau nAstyeva nAstyeva nAstyeva gatir-anyathA//

Hari's name! Hari's name! certainly Hari's name alone,
In Kali there's no other means to reach the ultimate goal.

Caitanya Candramrta 67

caitanyeti kRpAmayeti paramodAreti nAnAvidha-
premAvezita-sarvabhUta-hRdayetyAzcArya-dhAmann-iti/
gaurANgeti gunArnaveti rasarUpeti svanAmapriyety-
azrAntaM mama jalpato janiriyaM yAyAd-iti prArthaye//

O my lord Caitanya! O meciful one! O the most highly magnanimous!
O you who cause varieties of ecstatic love to manifest in the hearts of all beings!
O abode of wonder and delight!
O fair-limbed Gauranga! O ocean of excellent virtues! O Rasa-embodiement!
O lord who are very much fond of your own names and epithets!
My prayer to you is that I may pass my life, ever unwearied, muttering and uttering your names.

just two more cents to contribute....
I like this one from CC Adi Lila 2.2:

krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-kala-pathojani-bhrajita
sad-bhaktavali-hamsa-cakra-madhupa-sreni-viharaspadam
karnanandi-kala-dhvanir vahatu me jihva-maru-prangane
sri-caitanya daya-nidhe tava lasal-lila-sudha-svardhuni

O my merciful Lord Caitanya, may the nectarean Ganges waters of Your transcendental activities flow on the surface of my desertlike tongue. Beautifying these waters are the lotus flowers of singing, dancing and loud chanting of Krsna's holy name, which are the pleasure abodes of unalloyed devotees. These devotees are compared to swans, ducks and bees. The river's flowing produces a melodious sound that gladdens their ears.

This one makes for sweet, mellow chanting:

jayatu jayatu devo devakI-nandano 'yaM
jayatu jayatu kRSNo vRSNi-vaMZa-pradIpaH
jayatu jayatu megha ZyAmalaH-komalAGgo
jayatu jayatu pRthvI-bhAra-nAZo mukundaH

All glories to this Personality of Godhead known as the son of Srimati Devakidevi! All glories to Lord Sri krsna, the brilliant light of the Vrsni dynasty! All glories to the Personality of Godhead, the hue of whose soft body resembles the blackish color of a new cloud! All glories to Lord Mukunda, who removes the burden of the earth!

(Raja Kulasekhara's Mukunda-Mala-Stotra, Text 2 (ACBS' rather stiff translation, I have no other)

I will try to find you a different translation of Kulasekhara Azhwar's Mukundamala Stotram

hA hanta cittabhuvi me paramoSarAyAM
sadbhaktikalpalatikANkuritA kathaM syAt/
hRdyekameva paramAzvasanIyamasti
caitanyanAma kalayanna kadApi zocyah//

Ah me alas! How will the potent seed
Of the desire-vine of unalloyed devotion,
Ever shoot forth in the barren field of my mind?
My heart cleaves to one great hope;
That taking to the repition of Caitanya's names,
Will thoroughly cleanse and make fertile my mind.

Caitanya Candramrta 53

I love this instruction from Lord Caitanya. I would have been begging Him to let me go with too

CC Madhya
TEXT 126

krpa kara, prabhu, more, yan toma-sange
sahite na pari duhkha visaya-tarange'

The brahmana begged Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu, "My dear Lord, kindly show me favor and let me go with You. I can no longer tolerate the waves of misery caused by materialistic life."

TEXT 127

prabhu kahe,----"aiche bat kabhu na kahiba
grhe rahi' krsna-nama nirantara laiba

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu replied, "Don't speak like that again. Better to remain at home and chant the holy name of Krsna always.


Madanmohan, I found from the Caitanya Candramrta to be particularly nice...
(but did not find the Bengali....still too rushed here at work )
61(?)
Who is this divine person showering millions of nectar oceans of intensely blissful, splendid, and sweet pure love of Krsna from the corners of His eyes, glistening with mercy? Who is this person whose fair-complexioned form is as splendid as a golden young plantain tree? Who is this person who has suddenly made my heart become so ardently devoted to His feet?

Here's the sloka

sAndrAnandojjvalarasamayapremapIyuSasindhoh
koTiM varSan kimapi karunAsnigdhanetrAncalena/
ko'yaM devah kanakakadalIgarbhagaurAngaSastih
ceto'kasmAt mama nijapade gARayuktaM cakAra//

incidently. this is for Nama Mahima eh?

this is my blunder for searching too fast, sharing too quick, and being thus silly.... yeah....

uddAma-dAmanakadAma-ganAbhirAmam-
ArAmarAmamavirAmagRhItanAma/
kAruNyadhAma kanakojjvalagauradhAma
caitanyanAma paramaM kalayAma dhAma//

Who is beautified with a garland of fully bloomed Damaka blossoms;
who is the source of delight to all the world; who sports in a sequestered garden; who utters the Rama nama sans intermission; who is the embodiement of compassion; whose radient fair complection resembles that of glistening gold; I contemplate that abode of brilliance by the name Caitanya.

Caitanya Candramrta 69

Prema Bhakti Candrika - Narottama Das Thakur

It is common in Orissa in Hindu society that the bride is initiated into the mahA-mantra during the wedding ceremony. There is a nice song they sing about the mahA-mantra:

rAma nAma laDDuA kRSNa-nAma ghI
hari nAma khanda kSIra ghori ghori pi

Rama's name is a laDDu, Krishna's name is ghee, and the name of Hari is sweet rice - mix them all together and drink!