Love And Not Logic Conquers

Grassy Lake, Alberta

“The best things in life aren’t things” is a saying that fits our lifestyle description quite well.  Daruka and I have every item we need to sustain our simple program.  It’s very little though – an old car, a small supply of food in a picnic cooler, our humble clothes (in my case, robes), our tent, and a bank card that withdraws from our account and then replenishes itself in an ever so ‘just enough’ manner.  We have our Gitas which purge our brains.

I should say there’s more though, there is the road and with it, the people.  One motorist stopped to talk, his name is Sibhu, and he’s from South India.  We got to discussing about the various forms of yoga – karma, bhakti, ashtanga, jnana.  Jnana refers to logic, or analytical processing.   Bhakti, the yoga of the heart is my prescription, which is also inclusive of the other forms of yoga.  Bhakti addresses love, not mundane, but divine love.  It may be interpreted as being emotional or sentimental.  My argument with Sibhu was a bhakti yogi is so trained to keep a lid on extreme emotions. Ultimately bhakti expresses emotions and appreciation for the Ultimate Source.

“Logic,” I explained, “does not conquer, but love does.  Love for the Divine is more powerful than logical thinking and philosophical speculation.”  Subhu also took the position that we have to go beyond a deity.  I agreed.  We can acknowledge the beyond factor in divine sound such as in chanting.  For the world in which we live, pure sound vibration transforms people.

I believe that Sibhu who admitted to not being raised in conventional ways couldn’t speak from a full devotional experience, yet he didn’t dismiss my position.  I met him on his way home from an evening shift, he works with the handicapped.  I hope that our paths will cross again.

I spoke of appreciation for the Divine Creator at a yoga centre in Medicine Hat and then I lead a Hare Krishna chanting session.  The group seemed to get absorbed and feel the love coming from their own mouths.

Our last stop before reaching our sleeping destination for the night and a second installment of trekking was at the home of Tarun Patel and family where warmth in the form of hospitality and fuel for the tummy put a glorious crown on the day.

31 KM

First, I would like to honor His Holiness Hrdayananda Dasa Goswami for his jolly disposition and his determination to assist his glorious master to his very best ability – which is considerably better than my own. Since he has encouraged and helped me in the past, I will attempt to reciprocate in a humble way – as a child might help his parents, or as we can worship the sun with a small lamp, or the Ganges with a bit of her own water.

Several sources published a “Q&A with Srila Acharyadeva on Raganuga Bhakti” in which Mahārāja brings up Aindra dāsa. The question to which Mahārāja will reply begins thus:

It is mentioned in Jaiva Dharma that without practicing raganuga bhakti (which specifically refers to following the vrajavasis in our siddha deha and not sadhaka deha) one cannot go back to Krsnaloka or Goloka Vrindavan but one can go to Dwaraka.

The parenthetical statement here – “(which specifically refers to following the vrajavasis in our siddha deha and not sadhaka deha)” – expresses a completely flawed understanding of what rāgānugā-sādhana actually is. The correct understanding, given from very early in ISKCON history by our founder acarya A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada in Nectar of Devotion, is expressed originally by Sri Rupa Goswami’s Sanskrit definition of how to practice rāgānugā:

In Rāgānugā Sādhana, service (seva) certainly (hi) takes place simultaneously in both (ca) the devotee’s internal (siddha-rupena) and external (sadhaka-rupena) form/identity. 

In simpler words, the devotee’s external deeds are infused with internal relevance, as a result of the devotee having a deep, internal sense of what those external deeds represent. The dichotomy between the siddha and sādhaka deha expressed by the person asking Mahārāja this question, does not reflect that actual definition of rāgānugā-sādhana. It is a misconception on the part of the questioner.

The rest of the question and answer is based on the misconception that there is  a dichotomy between internal and external practices, between preaching and practice. This is certainly neither the philosophy of Sri Rupa, nor any of his representatives, especially Srila Prabhupada and his disciple Aindra Prabhu. The entire main thrust of Aindra Prabhu’s book, for example, is to make this very point that there must be no dichotomy between deep practice and effective preaching.

Instead of correcting the fundamental flaw in the question, HDG answered the question as if it were valid. It was hopefully just an oversight on his part, as we tend to believe he must be aware of these essential, foundational definitions. If this error on the part of the questioner were corrected, there would have been no need for Mahārāja to say anything else. Nevertheless, he did say other things – and we would beg your kind attention as we discuss them. 

1. Srila Prabhupada states many times that his faithful disciples who assist his mission will go back to Vrindavana.

The context of this otherwise beautiful statement is that it is stated in opposition to the idea that one must practice rāgānugā-sādhana to be able to enter transcendental Vṛndāvana.

On one hand, Śrīla Prabhupāda made the statements Mahārāja mentions above. On the other hand it is clearly stated by Visvanatha Cakravarti (for example in Madhurya Kadambini), Bhaktivinode Thakur (for example, in Jaiva Dharma) and Srila Prabhupada himself (for example in Krishna Book and Nectar of Devotion) that the only path to Vrndavana is to follow the spontaneous, unbounded loving sentiments of an eternal resident of Vrndavana. This, however, is only an apparent contradiction, which is not very difficult to resolve.

Those disciples who “faithfully assist his mission” will faithfully understand his instructions as to the importance of practicing their devotional service in deep cognizance of its spiritual significance and relevance to developing an intimate relationship with Śrī Krishna (a.k.a. the “r” word: rāgānugā-sādhana). Such faithful disciples who assist his mission in that faithful mood will thus attain Sri Vrndavana’s Krishna Lila. It is not that by sweeping the temple or balancing the books but not chanting with the mood of pure love that one can “faithfully assist the movement” to a degree that warrants full reward. Partial assistance warrants partial rewards. People whose faith in and comprehension of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s mission remains partial will also receive benefit: eventually they will comprehend the essential importance of raganuga sadhana in the active preaching movement and will practice accordingly. THEN they will have fully faithfully, fully assisted the full movement of Srila Prabhupada, and will get the full reward: Krishna in Vrndavana.

2. In fact, those who devote themselves to Prabhupada’s service, and seriously practice bhakti-yoga, are coming to the stage of raganuga-bhakti.

I fully agree that Raganuga Sadhana and the service of Srila Prabhupada’s mission are identical, and certainly not mutually contradictory by any stretch of the imagination.

3. Preaching itself is raganuga-bhakti, not an inferior activity as some foolishly think.

I fully agree and would like to remind or perhaps inform HDG that this is in fact the main theme Aindra Prabhu believed in and attempted to communicate in his book.

4. The Bhagavatam does not explicitly state that we must practice a separate Raga-bhakti.

As established at the beginning, rāgānugā-sādhana is not a “separate practice.” Thus, the statement that Bhagavatam does not recommend it “as a separate practice” is highly misleading.

The Bhagavatam is cent-percent a book of rasa from start to finish, promoting the love of the vrajavasis for Krishna as the highest spiritual ideal, and constantly advising, inspiring and instructing us to cultivate a similar service mood by constant Samkirtan –  hearing and chanting about Krishna and the loving services the vrajavasis share with him.  This is the sum and substance of the Bhagavatam as well as the sum and substance of Raganuga sadhana – thus the two Bhagavatam and Raganuga sadhana are inseparable (as made crystal clear in the logo Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati instituted for the Gaudiya Math, for example).

In short, the Bhagavatam is the sourcebook for the depth of conception required of a genuine rāgānugā-sādhaka. That is its entire reason for existing.

Based on this misleading statement that “the Bhāgavatam does not explicitly state that we must practice a separate Raga-bhakti,” Mahārāja goes on to imply that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is satisfied with vaidhi-sādhana. I don’t want to directly argue with the Swāmī, whom I sincerely respect, but I cannot erase my knowledge of Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja’s well-known declaration of the very purpose and essential motive behind the avatāra of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu [recorded in the beginning of the third chapter of Caitanya Caritāmṛta's Ādi-līlā]:

Please note, that Krishna himself became Mahāprabhu because he felt that vaidhi-bhakti was insufficient. It does not bring souls to the intimate type of affection that he desires to enjoy; it does not lead to vraja-bhūmi – it is comparatively “feeble” – thus it can only lead to the four types of liberation available in Vaikuṇṭha, it cannot lead to the four mellows of loving devotional service relished only in vraja-bhūmi.

It is very important to carefully hear exactly what Mahāprabhu / Krishna intended to be the main heart and soul of rāgānugā-sādhana. The heart and soul of genuine rāgānugā-sādhana is “nāma-sańkīrtana, the congregational chanting of the holy name.” I think Hṛdayānanda dāsa Goswāmī will appreciate this – because I feel the he expressed an intuitive and realized understanding that real rāgānugā-sādhana is not “separate” or “fundamentally different” from the heart and soul of Śrīla Prabhupāda’s ISKCON: ”nāma-sańkīrtana, the congregational chanting of the holy name.”

5. …Are we really to believe that Krishna will deny His Vraja-dhama to those who give their lives to His pure devotee, Prabhupada?

We have to “believe” all the statements of of śāstra and reconcile them all into a non-dual realization. We have to believe Kṛṣṇadās Kavirāja, for example, quoting Krishna as saying that “Vaidhi-bhakti only leads to Vaikuṇṭha, not Vṛndāvana.” Therefore we have to understand that “giving our lives to Krishna’s pure devotee” is more than an external checklist of activities, and mannerisms. The most essential part of giving our life to Śrīla Prabhupāda is to perform nāma-saṁkīrtana as the heart and soul of rāgānugā-sādhana - the potent entity that will influse our external activities and mannerisms and duties with the spiritual relevance of an intimate connection to Śrī Krishna.

The intimate corners of Vraja dhama are denied even to Brahma, Shiva and Narada, what to speak of us. We have the credit that Śrīla Prabhupāda is our guru. But Brahmā, Śiva and Nārada also have similar credits. So if Vraja will be denied to them, shall we protest that it be denied to our dirty and puny selves? Vraja prema is the rarest commodity in existence (sudurlabha) because it controls Krishna (Sri Krishna karshini), therefore it is only given to a very rare few. Simply signing up for an organization and following its external morays will not convince Krishna to give us the keys to his most private abode, Sri Vrndavana.

I don’t mean to imply that “signing up” for ISKCON and going through the external checklists of membership is entirely irrelevant. It is quite relevant. This external adherence can purify us so that at some future point, in this life or the next, we can comprehend what rāgānugā sādhana really is, and understand the preaching mission more deeply – recognizing the inseparable nature of deep practice and deep preaching.  Then, by serving the preaching mission in the true “rāgānugā-preaching-mārga” of the nāma-saṁkīrtana movement, we can hope to qualify to beg for the mercy that opens the gateways even to the outermost edges of Sri Vrndavana Dhama.

6. Aindra Prabhu did great service. He also wrote a book in which he seems to insult all the preachers of the world and place himself above them as their teacher.

Since Hṛdayānanda dāsa Goswāmī appears not to know that the primary theme of Aindra’s book is the inter-supportiveness of preaching and practice, we doubt that he actually read the book very seriously. Thus we would advise him not to critique its content. In a way, we cannot slight Mahārāja for not being able to get to the essence of Aindra’s book. It is a difficult book to read, we admit – full of unbridled passionate ferocity. Therefore, by the grace of the vaiṣṇavas, we will soon present “A Book About Aindra’s  Book.” Also, we will soon be releasing an official biography of Aindra Prabhu which will set the passionate and colorful figure in good context. We invite and humbly beg ISKCON’s leaders and influential persons, such as HDG, to be merciful unto us by enjoying these forthcoming books thoroughly, despite their dauntingly dense devotional schedules. 

I never heard an Aindra kirtana in which he first chanted the pranama prayers to his guru, Prabhupada. It is unusual to never begin kirtan by thanking and honoring your own guru, who happens to be a nitya-siddha devotee.

This seems to imply that Aindra Prabhu disregards Srila Prabhupada, an insinuation that could not be more painful to hear, nor any further from the truth.

Mostly, one hears Aindra perform akhanda kirtan (“unbroken / 24-hour kirtan”) - in which it is a requirement that the mahā mantra not be mixed with any other mantras. Before every kīrtan, however, Aindra prabhu, and any member of the 24-hour Kirtan Mandal following Aindra’s express instructions, would pay obeisances before Srila Prabhupada’s vyasasana, chanting the “nama oṁ…” mantra, then pay obeisances to Gaura-Nitai chanting the “jaya śrī-kṛṣṇa caitanya…” mantra, then pay obeisances to Krishna-Balarāma and Rādhā-Śyāma before paying obeisances to the kīrtana-mandap, and only then sit down to perform kīrtan.

Also, do to the extreme devotion for Srila Prabhupada and Sri Sri Gaura Nitai in Aindra’s heart, he developed realizations of how the Hare Krishna mahāmantra does not exclude them from it’s meaning. He stated several times that at least half of the time he was chanting in this mood, rather than directly chanting the more obvious meanings of the mantra - wherein it directly refers to Rādhā Śyāmasundara.

Whenever Aindra would lead other kirtan, not akanda-kīrtan, for example mangala-arati, he would begin with “nama om…”

7. I suggest you read the Bhagavatam 6.17.28, which states that those actually devoted to the Lord do not worry about where they are going. They simply want to serve Krishna and they know that Krishna will reciprocate with their desire.

8. The essence of Vrindavana is selfless service, not trying to relish Krishna Lila. The essence of Vraja is forgetting any personal desire, including the desire to relish bliss, and rather doing whatever will please Krishna. 

We agree entirely. There is not a soul in all of Vaikuntha who has any significant self-interest, and there is certainly not a single soul in Vṛndāvana who has any scent of a trace of any self-interest. The reason for desiring Vrndavana is not for personal happiness, but because Krishna desires Vrajavasis. He is addicted to their superpowerful love.

With the desire to give Krishna what he wants most, we earnestly desire to desire genuine Vrndavana Bhakti.

I pray that Hṛdayānanda dāsa Goswāmī will look affectionately on my attempt to clarify these points, and that the gentle readers will be kind also with their evaluation of my meanings and my motives. If the dust from the feet of the followers of Hṛdayānanda dāsa Goswāmī, a dear associate of Śrīla Prabhupāda, should fall upon my head, it would be more of an honor than wearing Indra’s crown, …or even Rukminī’s.

Written on behalf of our dearest friend, Aindra Dasa
By an insignificant and unworthy servant,
Vraja Kishor Das Peapod

Once I was asked whether we should reduce our chanting if we are committing offenses to the Holy names and in this way avoiding or reducing our offenses.
"The first regulative principle is that one must chant the Hare Krsna maha−mantra loudly enough so that he can hear himself, and one must vow to chant a fixed number of rounds."

Sri Caitanya caritamrta Antya−lila 11.24 purport

Already 6,000 devotees have arrived at an old resort on the Black Sea for ISKCON Russia’s annual Sadha Sanga Festival. More are expected over the next few days. Once again I find myself immersed in the wonderful association of a sea of devotees, all blissfully chanting and dancing to the holy names of the Lord.

There are many who make as their destination different demigods, and by rigid performance of the strict respective methods they reach different planets known as Candraloka, Suryaloka, Indraloka, Maharloka, etc. But all such lokas, or planets, being creations of Krishna, are simultaneously Krishna and not Krishna. Such planets, being manifestations of Krishna’s energy, are also Krishna, but actually they serve only as a step forward for realization of Krishna. To approach the different energies of Krishna is to approach Krishna indirectly. One should directly approach Krishna, for that will save time and energy. For example, if there is a possibility of going to the top of a building by the help of an elevator, why should one go by the staircase, step by step?

Bhagavad Gita As It Is 9.18 purport

We naturally think of those close to us.

People can be close physically or emotionally. Because our senses perceive the physical reality around us, our thoughts easily go to those in our physical proximity. And we think of those emotionally close to us spontaneously, even if they aren’t close physically.

Rarely do we realize that Krishna is the closest to us both physically and emotionally.

Physically, Krishna is closer to us than anyone can ever be, even a person who holds us in the fondest, tightest embrace. Krishna resides permanently in our heart right next to us.

Emotionally too, Krishna is closer to us than anyone else. Unfortunately, we are not close to him because we don’t realize how much he loves us. Gita wisdom provides us that understanding.

Others who love us can care for us for at the most for one lifetime. But Krishna cares for us eternally through his immanent and transcendent features. In philosophical parlance, things existing within matter are called immanent and things existing beyond matter are called transcendent. The Bhagavad-gita (08.09) urges us to meditate on the immanent (anor aniyamsam) and transcendent (tamasah parastat) attributes of Krishna. Meditating thus opens our eyes to his love. He loves us so much that the transcendent Bhagavan becomes the immanent Paramatma to help us find our way to transcendence.

As the Paramatma, he accompanies us wherever we go, for as long as our journey through material existence continues. And when that journey ends, we enter into the care of Bhagavan, who resides eternally in the spiritual world.

Remembering Krishna’s immanence reassures us that he loves us even now, when our love for him is neither strong nor pure. Meditating on his unflinching, unfailing love gives us resilience on our march to transcendence.

***

08.09 - One should meditate upon the Supreme Person as the one who knows everything, as He who is the oldest, who is the controller, who is smaller than the smallest, who is the maintainer of everything, who is beyond all material conception, who is inconceivable, and who is always a person. He is luminous like the sun, and He is transcendental, beyond this material nature.

 

 

 

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Niranjana Swami — Kirtan on Janmastami, Almaty — August 28, 2013

I began by explaining that the mahāmantra is infinite, and so there are infinite varieties of meanings, explanations, and beautiful details within it. What I am explaining here is simply a comprehension of the mantra that I personally can somewhat grasp and recommend, as a result of the grace absorbed in the course of practicing devotional service for a little while under the unparalleled guidance of Śrīla Prabhupāda and his dedicated followers.

Three Words

There are sixteen words in the mantra:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

But if you look closely for a minute you’ll see that there are really only three unique words:

1. Krishna
2. Rāma
3. Hare

Understanding the mahāmantra begins by understanding these three words.

Krishna means enthralling, attractive, alluring and similar adjectives. The word “Krishna” means the person whom no other person can surpass in being charming, mesmerizing, and attractive.

Rāma means, delightful, pleasing, blissful, ecstatic and so on. The word “Rāma” denote the person whom no other person can surpass in pleasure, delight, ecstasy, and enjoyment.

My recommendation is to comprehend that both of these names refer to the same person (svayaṁ bhagavan śrī vrajendra-nandana śyāmasundara), although those with different devotional perspective may naturally feel otherwise, and I would respect their different outlook.

The word Hare refers to the energy (śakti) that has the power to bring us into contact with all-attractive, all-blissful Śyāmasundara. “Hare” is the power that makes it possible for Śyāmasundara to exhibit, experience, and expand his all-attractive, all-delightful inherent nature. And thus, “Hare” is the entity who makes it possible for you and I to participate in that ever-expanding exploration of beautiful pleasure.

Hare is the “glue” between your soul and Krishna.

When we approach Krishna to please him from a sweet, romantic point of view, we experience “Hare” to be Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Thus one can look at the altar, at the deities of Rādhā-Krishna, and see the words “Hare Krishna” and “Hare Rāma.” This is the paramount outlook, objectively speaking. Subjectively also, I recommend this outlook, but it is up to your heart to express its own devotional perspective. From other perspectives one can experience “Hare” to be other personifications of hlādinī-śakti. Even within the romantic perspective, Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī has so many infinite expansions – all of which exist within the transcendental vibration “Hare.”

Two Halves of the Mantra

The biggest pattern in the mahā-mantra divides it into two halves. The first half, “hare kṛṣṇa, hare kṛṣṇa, kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa, hare hare,” focuses on Krishna – the all-attractive. The second half, “hare rāma, hare rāma, rāma rāma, hare hare,” focuses on Rāma – the all-enjoying.

Why this order?

That is the Way of Love.

First there must be attraction, and then there can be enjoyment. A mundane example: first a girl must attract the desires of a boy, and after this is accomplished it is possible for there to be enjoyable romantic exchanges. The first half of a relationship is “Krishna” – attraction. The second half, after attraction is effective, is pleasure, “Rāma.”

So, the mantra is arranged in this order that we may express our emotions to Śyāmasundar something like this, “Oh Śyāma, please attract me to you! (Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare) And once you have me, please enjoy me to your heart’s content! (Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare).”

Never forget that all this – the attraction and enjoyment – does not take place independently of “Hare,” Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. Therefore the whole expression is directed towards her, and becomes, “Dear Śrī Rādhā, please make me attractive to Krishna (Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare), so that I might please him (Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare).” Furthermore, and of paramount importance, the whole context of being attractive and pleasing to Krishna takes place within the shelter and direction of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, not independent of Her.

This explanation is offered as a more detailed purport on Śrīla Prabhupāda’s basic instruction to chant with the mood, “O Lord, O energy of the Lord, please engage me in your service.”

Repetitions

Three words are repeated so many times that the mantra ends up with sixteen words. Why so much repetition?

It is to evoke more emotion in the chanter. When we call out a name two or more times in a row, it expresses great feeling. A lover may say the name of her beloved, but it is really special if she is not satisfied to say it just once, if she repeats it immediately: “My darling, O my darling.” Similarly when a mother feels very emotional about her child she will repeat the child’s name, often accompanied with a sigh. The song “Maria” from West Side Story is a fine example of this in ordinary literature.

So, out of a rise of emotion in the heart, we don’t just say “Hare Krishna / Hare Rāma” – we repeat: “Hare Krishna Hare Krishna / Hare Rāma Hare Rāma.” The first time expresses meaning, the second time expresses feeling.

Union and Separation

What remains to be explained now is the second half within each half of the mantra:

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

These portions of the mantra exist to introduce the dimension of “union and separation.” This is another important principle in the Way of Love. If there is only union – if two lovers can always very easily see each other all the time – their unity will gradually become cheaper (being so easy) and the unity they enjoy will lose some of its excitement and sparkle. On the other hand if two lovers can never see each other and are always separated it also reduces the beauty of the relationship – they will eventually begin to forget about one another, or develop emotional calluses to cope with the pain of separation. So the Way of Love dictates that union and separation must balance each other – then the relationship can be eternally dynamic and enchanting.

“Hare Krishna” expresses the union of Rādhā (Hare) and Śyāmasundara (Krishna). So does “Hare Rāma.” In both phrases, the two words naming Rādhā and Krishna are right next to each other, united. But the second line of each half of the mantra separates the divine couple. “Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare” they are not paired with one another, they are separate – and again repeated out of emotion.

This separation is not “cruel” – it is a service to their relationship, enhancing the value of their unity. They are not kept apart forever, because the very next line brings them back together.

Union: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna
Separation: Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare

Union: Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma
Separation: Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare

Thus those who have deeply realized the inner purports of this mantra describe it as “not only a yugala mantra (a mantra of the divine couple united), but a vipralambha-māyī yugala mantra (a mantra of the divine couple permeated with the dynamics of union and separation).” As such it is a mantra capable of unlocking the highest perceptions of ecstatic prema.

Always Chant

Effective chanting of a mantra requires contemplation of the meaning of the mantra. This is why Śrīla Prabhupāda endeavored to explain, theoretically and practically, the meaning of the mahā-mantra - and this is why our ācāryas like Bhaktivinode Ṭhākur recommend “mantra-artha-cinta” (contemplating the mantra’s meaning while chanting it). The meaning of the mantra should, by repetition, become so second nature that it is evoked naturally simply by hearing the mantra – it is not an artificial imposition on the mind, it arises naturally from the inherent content within the divine words themselves.

If even one soul amongst all the readers of this humble article begins to chant more purely, lovingly, and attentively as a result of reading it – then I will surely have pleased Śrī Guru and Gauranga, which is non-different than pleasing Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī. I one can please Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī there is nothing else let to want. I pray that at least one of you will grant me this blessing and improve your relationship with Krishna’s delightful names. May there be no other result from this sharing of what is uncommonly intimate and secret.

"...one must certainly be eager to render service to the Lord. This is the test. When one engages enthusiastically in the Lord's service, it is to be understood that he is reaping the results of chanting the names of Krsna and Hari."

Śrī Caitanya Caritāmrta Madhya 16.188 purport

Holy Name Meditation Podcast

By analyzing all these different energies of Krishna, one can ascertain that for Krishna there is no distinction between matter and spirit, or, in other words, He is both matter and spirit. In the advanced stage of Krishna consciousness, one therefore makes no such distinctions. He sees only Krishna in everything.

Since Krishna is both matter and spirit, the gigantic universal form comprising all material manifestations is also Krishna, and His pastimes in Vrndavana as two-handed Syamasundara, playing on a flute, are those of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.

Bhagavad Gita As It Is 9.19 purport