Srila Gour Govinda Swami was fond of referring to the Caitanya Caratamrita wherein its stated that Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu has infused the names with Vraja prema pure love of God , ..and He garlanded the whole world , in other words everyone can access and experience easily pure blissful love .
Srila Jiva Goswami in the Tattva Sandarbha says Lord Krishna accepts names given to Him by His devotees . He accepts names because of the Bhakti or devotion of His devotees. Mahāprabhu chanted many names of God , which He had accepted, when He appeared He enthuses them all with prema Rasa of Vrndavana.
So , although the names of God when chanted purely have always brought relationships with God ,when Mahāprabhu came , He revealed the most perfect of all spiritual relationships , the most perfect of all perfects . This trancendental experience is exhibited by the residents of Vrndavana, and they are all situated in pure spontaneous love free from any awe and reverence. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu brought newer and newer meaning to what it means to love God . He revealed all the mysteries of pure love and how to understand simply by chanting the names of God purely. Chanting is the means and the end of spiritual perfection the Gaudia Vaisnava acaryas say .The Pranaya of Manjari bhava , the servants of Srimati Radharani has been revealed, its they who understand the supreme abode of love , the heart of Srimati Radharani . Such intimacies are revealed through the process of chanting the names , this is the essence of Mahāprabhu’s teachings . Through the nine fold processes of devotion that are written by Srila Rupa Goswami , from the Srimad Bhagavatam and Pralada Maharaja’s teachings which begin with and end in chanting and meditations of Radha Krishna lila , everything is understood.
Our acaryas give indications of the newly enthused and spiritually surchanged and old Maha Mantra . With Hare Krishna coming first , instead of Hare Rama first . The competition of the love between the Radha Krishna of Vrndavana is revealed , but in their most perfect parakiya Rasa .
Sri Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted Hare Krishna and also many other names of God . Through the teachings of Mahaprabhu to Rupa Ragganatha and the Goswami’s of Vrndavana this Maha Mantra meditation has been revealed. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami made efforts to formalise and regulate , the methods of regulated chanting . Srila Ragganatha das set an example and chanted in scheduled ways , as did Haridas Thakur.
Srila BR Sridhar Swami says the above …in regards to some historical information.
Commenting on this enigma, Srila Sridhara Deva Gosvami Maharaja has stated as follows:
“The real importance of the Name is not to be found merely in the arrangement of its syllables, but in the deep meaning within that divine sound. Some scholars argue that in the Kali-santarana Upanisad, Lord Brahma says that the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is properly pronounced only when the Name of Rama precedes the Name of Krsna:
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare
hare krsna hare krsna krsna krsna hare hare
“In the Kali-santarana Upanisad, the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is given in that way. But to say that the Name of Rama must precede the Name of Krsna in the mantra is a superficial understanding.
“It is said that because it comes from the Upanisads, the Hare Krsna mantra is a Vedic mantra, and therefore, because the ordinary people may not have any entrance into Vedic mantras, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu readjusted this mantra by reversing the order of the words. In that way, it is said that the concern that it is a Vedic mantra is thereby cancelled, and so Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave it to all persons without breaching the injunctions of the Vedas. Some devotees in Uttar Pradesh who have great affection for Sri Caitanyadeva like to give this opinion. But Srila BR Sridhar Swami faith says that the mentioning of ‘Hare Rama’ first is only superficial. It concerns the idea that since the Rama avatara appeared first and the Krsna avatara afterwards, the Name of Rama, ‘Hare Rama,’ should come first in the maha-mantra.’
“A deeper reading will consider that when two similar things are connected together, the priority will be ordered not on the basis of historical precedent, but in consideration of the most highly developed conception. The Holy Name of Krsna is higher than the Holy Name of Rama. This is mentioned in the Puranas: three Names of Rama equal one Name of Krsna.’
“The Name of Krsna is superior to the Name of Rama. Where the two are connected together, the first position should be given to the one that is superior. Therefore, the Name of Krsna must come first in the maha-mantra. This is one point.’
“Another point is that within the eternal plane, everything is moving in a cyclic order. In an eternal cycle, which is first and which is next cannotbe ascertained, and so, in the eternal plane of lila, it cannot be determined whether Krsna is before Rama or Rama is before Krsna So, from that consideration also, since the Names of Krsna and Rama are eternal and unrelated to any historical event, we may begin the mantra from any place.’
“But above these considerations, our sampradaya has given another, higher consideration. A deeper understanding will reveal that the Hare Krsna mantra is not at all concerned with rama-lila.’
“In the Name of Rama within the Hare Krsna mantra, the Gaudiya Vaisnavas will find Radha-ramana Rama. That means, ‘Krsna, who gives pleasure (raman) to Srimati Radharani.’ In our conception, the Hare Krsna mantra is wholesale Krsna consciousness, not Rama consciousness.’
“Sri Caitanya’s highest conception of things is always svayam bhagavan, krsna-lila, radha-govinda-lila. That is the real purpose of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu’s advent and teachings. In that consideration, the Hare Krsna mantra does not mention the rama-lila of Ayodhya at all. There is no connection with that in the highest conception of the Hare Krsna mantra.’
“And the inner conception of the mantra is responsible for our spiritual attainment. When one pronounces the Name of Rama, if he means Dasarathi Rama, his attraction will take him there, to Ayodhya; if he means Parasurama, he will be attracted to another place. And if Rama means Radha-ramana Rama, he will go to Goloka. The inner conception of the devotee will guide him to his destination.” (Loving Search For The Lost Servant) of their devotion.
Mahāprabhu chanted many names of God , which He accepts and enthuses with Rasa .
So although names of God when chanted purely have always brought relationship with God , however Mahāprabhu has given new meaning , the Pranaya of Manjari bhava and the abode of love Srimati Radharani is somewhat revealed , through the names that Mahāprabhu has accepted.
Our acaryas give indication of the newly enthused and changed order of the Maha mantra. With Hare Krishna first , and the Radha Krishna of Vrndavana revealed , in their most perfect Rasa .
So Mahāprabhu chanted Hare Krishna and many other names , but through Rupa Ragganatha and the Goswami’s taught this Mantra ….and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Goswami made efforts to formalise and regulate , also Srila Ragganatha das chanted in scheduled ways , as did Haridas Thakur.
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