The principle of Sri Guru. Studying Guru-tattva-vijnana of Sri Ananta Das Babaji Maharaja.
Week 3 - Hari-nama Mahamantra -
DharmaChakra - Mon, 02 May 2005 23:14:31 +0530
Harinama Mahamantra discussion points:
Higher or lower than diksa mantras?
How can it be taken by the uninitiated?
Madhava - Thu, 05 May 2005 22:15:45 +0530
One relevant topic under this heading is the question on whether Harinama-maha-mantra itself is sufficient for attaining the goal of life, or whether diksha is actually required.
We have already seen an interesting reference from
Anuccheda 284 of Bhakti-sandarbha in another ongoing thread. The following passage from the previous Anuccheda should also be of interest:
yadyapi zrI-bhAgavata-mate paJcarAtrAdivad arcana-mArgasyAvazyakatvaM nAsti, tad vinApi zaraNApatty-AdInAm ekatareNApi puruSArtha-siddher abhihitatvAt, tathApi zrI-nAradAdi-vartmAnusaradbhiH zrI-bhagavatA saha sambandha-vizeSaM dIkSA-vidhAnena zrI-guru-caraNa-sampAditaM cikIrSadbhiH kRtAyAM dIkSAyAm arcanam avazyaM kriyetaiva || Bhakti-sandarbha 283 ||
Although in the opinion of the Bhagavata Purana, the path of arcana, like the Pancaratra and so forth, is not necessary, since, even without that, one can achieve the goal of human life by one of the other methods like surrender (saranapatti) and the rest, still those who are following the path of Narada and others and who desire the particular relationship with the Lord that is effected at the feet of the guru by the rite of diksha necessarily perform arcana when diksha is completed.
DharmaChakra - Thu, 05 May 2005 23:25:49 +0530
QUOTE(Madhava @ May 5 2005, 12:45 PM)
One relevant topic under this heading is the question on whether Harinama-maha-mantra itself is sufficient for attaining the goal of life, or whether diksha is actually required.
We have already seen an interesting reference from
Anuccheda 284 of Bhakti-sandarbha in another ongoing thread. The following passage from the previous Anuccheda should also be of interest:
This is towards the question I was trying to get at with the question of how the maha-mantra can be taken by the uninitated. Babaji states that the uninitated can take the maha-mantra (specifically sankirtan) with the fruit of getting a genuine guru (eg. taking diksa). Once diksa has been taken, the focus of sankirtan changes to getting the fruit of prema. So, no diksa = no prema from harinama sankirtan?
Kalkidas - Fri, 06 May 2005 03:20:01 +0530
QUOTE(DharmaChakra @ May 5 2005, 08:55 PM)
This is towards the question I was trying to get at with the question of how the maha-mantra can be taken by the uninitated. Babaji states that the uninitated can take the maha-mantra (specifically sankirtan) with the fruit of getting a genuine guru (eg. taking diksa). Once diksa has been taken, the focus of sankirtan changes to getting the fruit of prema. So, no diksa = no prema from harinama sankirtan?
As far as I can understand, without diksa sadhaka can't receive knowledge about his svarupa and his personal relations with Sri Bhagavan. And lacking these two most important ingredients, how he is supposed to attain prema? Prema means personal relation. So, yes, no diksa = no prema from harinama sankirtan. But Srila Babaji Maharaja stresses the universality of Mahamantra - it works both before and after diksa - before diksa it's fruit should be receiving diksa from genuine guru (i.e., establishing relation with Bhagavan), and after diksa it's fruit should be prema. So, in long term we can say, that fruit of Mahamantra is prema.
Pursottam - Sun, 22 May 2005 03:39:16 +0530
As far as the practice of Hari-nama japa is concerned, general acceptance seems to be that diksa for the maha-mantra isn't required. Yet there is often talk about taking Hari-nama from a sadhu before diksa. Why is this? If the maha-mantra is effective on its own, is there a need to take it separately from a sadhu even if one knows it and performs japa of it?
If there is a need to take it in this way, is it something that has to be done in person? Can the mantra be taken over the phone, or perhaps non-verbally in a book or letter?