Five of the sixty-four devotional service activities are particularly important: associating with devotees, chanting the holy names, listening to Srimad Bhagavatam, living in Mathura, and worshiping the deity with devotion. Of these five activities, the chanting of the holy names is the most important.
Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, in Hari-nama Cintamani, explained the glories of the holy name, the qualities needed for chanting, different varieties of namabhasa and namaparadha and, in short, the procedures for practicing bhajana. Srila Bhaktivinode Thakura, in the Bhajana-rahasya, elaborates the secrets for the practice of bhajana, and then introduces the opening page of this book as a sequel to the Hari-nama Cintamani.
The method of chanting the holy name of the Lord should be cultivated by both the sadhaka, the practicing devotee, and the siddha, the perfect devotee. As a result of chanting the holy names in association with devotees, the sadhaka gradually frees himself from the anarthas, develops firm faith, then ruci (taste) and consequently attachment to devotional service. He thus becomes fit for the practice of bhava and then of prema-bhakti. At this point he realizes that Krishna’s name is no different from Krishna and while chanting the maha-mantra Sri Sri Radha-Krishna are manifested in his heart along with all their Vrndavana associates.
This is a section of the book “Bhajana Rahasya”, by Bhaktivinode Thakura – EN ENGLISH.
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