Mukunda-mala-stotra Verse 26

Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Mukunda-mālā-stotra 26

madhu ksharantīva mudāvahāni

SYNONYMS

tattvam — the truth; bruvānāni — which speak; param — supreme; parastāt — beyond everything superior; madhu — honey; ksharanti — dripping; iva — as if; mudā — joy; avahāni — bringing; prāvartaya — please recite; prāñjalih — with joined palms; asmi — I am; jihve — O tongue; nāmāni — the names; nārāyana-gocarāni — which refer to Lord Nārāyana.

TRANSLATION

My dear tongue, I stand before you with joined palms and beg you to recite the names of Lord Nārāyana. These names describing the Supreme Absolute Truth bring great pleasure, as if exuding honey.

PURPORT

At first our tongues may be unwilling to chant the Lord's names. Describing the neophyte chanter, Śrīla Bhaktivinoda Thākura states, "Some bear only the burden; others appreciate the true worth of things." Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī also recognizes the plight of the beginner and encourages him to pursue his chanting even though it seems dry and unpleasant: "The holy name, character, pastimes, and activities of Krishna are all transcendentally sweet like sugar candy. Although the tongue of one afflicted by the jaundice of avidyā, ignorance, cannot taste anything sweet, it is wonderful that if a person simply chants these sweet names carefully every day, a natural relish awakens within his tongue, and his disease is gradually destroyed at the root" (Nectar of Instruction 7).

We may also take heart in the example of Nāmācārya Haridāsa Thākura. Although born in a Muslim family, he received the mercy of the holy name and began to chant Hare Krishna constantly. In this way he achieved the highest perfection of love of Godhead. Indeed, he was such an exalted devotee that Lord Caitanya Himself praised him "as if speaking with five mouths." We cannot imitate Haridāsa Thākura, but it is encouraging to know that although one may be lowborn, one can overcome all obstacles by the mercy of the holy name. Moreover, Haridāsa Thākura always remained very humble and wanted to remain aware of his material disqualifications. He therefore did not want to associate too intimately with Lord Caitanya, and he did not attempt to enter the temple at Jagannātha Purī. Cultivating humility in the mood of Haridāsa Thākura is an absolute requirement for one who wishes to taste the nectar of the holy name and to chant constantly.

The honey within the holy name is remembrance of Krishna. That is why chanting the name brings ecstasy. As Śrīla Prabhupāda writes, "The more one chants the names of Krishna, the more one becomes attached. Thus service by śravana and kīrtana, hearing and chanting about Krishna, is the beginning. The next process is smarana — always remembering Krishna. When one is perfect in hearing and chanting, he will always remember Krishna. In this third stage he becomes the greatest yogī" (The Matchless Gift, p. 89). Whether we are still at the beginning stage of bhakti, afflicted with avidyā, or whether we are starting to appreciate "the true worth of things," let us all go on chanting the holy names of the Lord. And let us relish verses from the authorized devotees who tell us of the honey in the holy name, such as this one by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī:

jayati jayati nāmānanda-rūpam murārer

viramita-nija-dharma-dhyāna-pūjādi-yatnam

katham api sakrid āttam mukti-dam prāninām yat

paramam amritam ekam jīvanam bhūshanam me

"All glories, all glories to the all-blissful holy name of Śrī Krishna, which causes the devotee to give up all conventional religious duties, meditation, and worship. When somehow or other uttered even once by a living entity, the holy name awards him liberation. The holy name of Krishna is the highest nectar. It is my very life and my only treasure" (Brihad-bhāgavatāmrita 1.9).

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