Real Narayana

Expressions researched:
"real Narayana"

CC Madhya-lila

Māyāvāda philosophy holds that the real Nārāyaṇa does not move because, being impersonal, He has no legs

CC Madhya 18.109, Purport: This is the viewpoint of Māyāvāda philosophy. Māyāvāda philosophy supports the impersonalist view that Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, has no form. One can imagine impersonal Brahman in any form—as Viṣṇu, Lord Śiva, Vivasvān, Gaṇeśa or Devī Durgā. According to the Māyāvāda philosophy, when one becomes a sannyāsī he is to be considered a moving Nārāyaṇa. Māyāvāda philosophy holds that the real Nārāyaṇa does not move because, being impersonal, He has no legs. Thus according to Māyāvāda philosophy, whoever becomes a sannyāsī declares himself Nārāyaṇa. Foolish people accept such ordinary human beings as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. This is called vivarta-vāda.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, he gives his commentation that he remembered real Nārāyaṇa after reference to the context. When he called for his child Nārāyaṇa, he remembered real Nārāyaṇa

Lecture on SB 1.16.7 -- Los Angeles, January 4, 1974: That is stated in the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. The Ajāmila upākhyāna, Ajāmila. Ajāmila was a great sinful man. So at the time of death, somehow or other, he remembered Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa. So he was very fond of his youngest child, and the Yamarāja, not directly, by sending his men, Yamadūta... So they are very fierceful. So at the time of death this Ajāmila saw fierceful creatures, very odd-looking. So he was very much afraid, "Who are they?" So he thought, because he was very much affectionate to his youngest child... So his name was Nārāyaṇa. He called him, "Nārāyaṇa, please come here. I am very much afraid." But just see the power of chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa. He immediately become eligible to go to Vaikuṇṭha. He did not mean Nārāyaṇa also isn't said. But Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura, he gives his commentation that he remembered real Nārāyaṇa after reference to the context. When he called for his child Nārāyaṇa, he remembered real Nārāyaṇa. Because in his boyhood, when he was... Up to his youthhood, he was very sincere devotee of Nārāyaṇa, a son of a brāhmaṇa. But he fell under the clutches of a prostitute.

Some commentator says that when he chanted "Nārāyaṇa," then all his reaction of sinful life immediately disappeared and he remembered real Nārāyaṇa

Lecture on SB 6.1.28-29 -- Honolulu, May 28, 1976: This Ajāmila was in the beginning a devotee. Later on he fell down. But Kṛṣṇa, Nārāyaṇa, is so kind that He gave him the dictation that "You keep your son's name as Nārāyaṇa," so that he'll be able to call the holy name Nārāyaṇa by calling his son. He was very much attached to the youngest son, whose name was Nārāyaṇa. So, unconsciously, he was chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, although he never meant that he's calling real Nārāyaṇa. He's asking his son, Nārāyaṇa, "My dear son, Nārāyaṇa, please come here, take your food, sit down here, play here, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa, Nārāyaṇa." This was practice. This opportunity was given to Ajāmila that, although he fell down from his standard of devotional service, but he got the opportunity of chanting "Nārāyaṇa." Ante nārāyaṇa smṛtiḥ [SB 2.1.6]. And when we are afraid of something, so we chant, we call somebody who is very dear. This is very psychological. So when he was too much afraid of this Yamadūta, unconsciously he chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa. So somehow or other he remembered Nārāyaṇa. Some commentator says that when he chanted "Nārāyaṇa," then all his reaction of sinful life immediately disappeared and he remembered real Nārāyaṇa. Because he, in his boyhood, was trained up as a Vaiṣṇava by his father, so some... There is big comments on this incidence. Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has written three or four pages about this. So his opinion is that as soon as he chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa, immediately he remembered real Nārāyaṇa. That this child Nārāyaṇa... "I'm calling my child, how he'll be able to save me from the hands of this Yamadūta." He remembered that "Nārāyaṇa, if He kindly helps me, then I can be saved." Immediately there was response. Immediately there is response. Yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajanty ante kalevaram [Bg. 8.6]. In the Bhagavad-gītā it is said that at the time of death, whatever your mental condition is, that will act.

So Nārāyaṇa is so kind that although he did not mean real Nārāyaṇa—he was meaning his son—but the affection was there for Nārāyaṇa

Lecture on SB 6.2.8 -- Vrndavana, September 11, 1975: So Nārāyaṇa is so kind that although he did not mean real Nārāyaṇa—he was meaning his son—but the affection was there for Nārāyaṇa. So Nārāyaṇa is so kind that consciously or unconsciously, if you chant the holy name of the Lord, it goes to your credit. Just like sometimes when you walk in the street, people say "Hare Kṛṣṇa!" So this is also going to their credit. When they offer their respect to a Vaiṣṇava, that goes to their credit. When one comes in this temple, offers his obeisances, it goes to their credit, because Kṛṣṇa says, man-manā bhava mad-bhakto mad-yājī māṁ namaskuru [Bg. 18.65]. So some way or other, with some purpose even it is so... Generally people come with a purpose, that "I shall go to the temple, offer my respect to the Deity, and I shall ask this benediction." That is also good, even if he has come with a motive. So Nārāyaṇa or Kṛṣṇa is so kind. Kāmād bhayāt lobhāt... Or if one chants Nārāyaṇa name with śuddha, then what to speak?

Because he practiced sometimes before falling down, so by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra he immediately remembered that real Nārāyaṇa immediately

Lecture on SB 6.2.11 -- Allahabad, January 16, 1971: Devotee (2): (indistinct) ...was not prescribed... So how was it possible to chant the name at the time of death? Prabhupāda: No, when he was a boy he was doing everything. You have not heard? So svalpam apy asya dharmasya trāyate mahato bhayāt. Because he practiced sometimes before falling down, so by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra he immediately remembered that real Nārāyaṇa immediately, His pastimes, His form, everything, and therefore he became liberated. He had practiced. But for the time being his practice was stopped on account of bad association. But as soon as chanted... That is the advantage of a devotee. If you practice devotional service even for some time and if you fall down, then it will also help sometime. Nārada therefore says, tyaktvā sva-dharmaṁ caraṇāmbujaṁ harer bhajann apakvo 'tha patet tato yadi [SB 1.5.17]. He says that a person who takes to devotional service, giving up all his prescribed duties... Just like Kṛṣṇa says, sarva-dharmān parityajya mām ekaṁ śaraṇaṁ vraja [Bg. 18.66]. Now, in course of prosecuting the devotional service, even he falls down there is no loss. Because whatever he has done, that remains his credit. Whereas a person who is following the ritualistic principles but does not develop devotional service, what will be benefit? He may get a promotion to the heavenly planet. What is that gain?

Festival Lectures

Our Nārāyaṇa—that is real Nārāyaṇa, exalted—we cannot even compare with that supreme Nārāyaṇa with such demigods like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, what to speak of these rascals

name wrongly formatted Radhastami, Srimati Radharani\'s Appearance Day -- BG 18.5 -- London, September 5, 19730: Our Nārāyaṇa—that is real Nārāyaṇa, exalted—we cannot even compare with that supreme Nārāyaṇa with such demigods like Lord Brahmā, Lord Śiva, what to speak of these rascals. Yas tu nārāyaṇaṁ devaṁ brahma-rudrādi-daivataiḥ, samatvena vīkṣeta. Any person, rascal, if he thinks that Nārāyaṇa is equal to Lord Brahmā or Lord Śiva... There are Māyāvādīs. They say "Any demigod is as good as Viṣṇu. You can worship any demigod. It doesn't matter. You..." Because their ultimate understanding is that the Absolute Truth is impersonal, and you can imagine any form. It doesn't matter. You ultimately reach that impersonal, merge into the impersonal.

1970 Conversations and Morning Walks

Because actually when one chants Lord Kṛṣṇa's name, Lord's name, immediately he remembers Lord's form, activities, pastimes, everything. That is natural

Room Conversation -- December 13, 1970, Indore:

Himāvatī: Śrīla Prabhupāda? I just have one question about the ending, that Ajāmila, he was calling the name of his youngest son.

Prabhupāda: Nārāyaṇa.

Himāvatī: He was thinking but he was calling out to him, and after calling, he was reminded of his early life, of his worshiping the real Nārāyaṇa.

Prabhupāda: Nārāyaṇa.

Himāvatī: And therefore Nārāyaṇa saved him. Isn't that true?

Prabhupāda: Yes. Yes.

Himāvatī: Not that he was simply calling and Nārāyaṇa had to save him...

Prabhupāda: But simply calling, "Nārāyaṇa," he reminded, he remembered. Remembered. Yes.

Himāvatī: He remembered the real Nārāyaṇa.

Prabhupāda: Because actually when one chants Lord Kṛṣṇa's name, Lord's name, immediately he remembers Lord's form, activities, pastimes, everything. That is natural.

Himāvatī: Not that he was unconsciously just chanting and the Lord saved him in that way, but he actually remembered the Lord.

Prabhupāda: That is the remark of Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura. But according to others' opinion, even simply by chanting, that is sufficient. In the Bhāgavata it is stated like that. But Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura has remarked that this chanting referred to the context. Immediately he remembered Nārāyaṇa.

That is their Ramakrishna Mission. They also are doing that same thing. Daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā, like that. Why daridra? Why not real Nārāyaṇa? Just like this morning we read nārāyaṇa-pade

1973 Conversations and Morning Walks

Morning Walk -- December 20, 1973, Los Angeles:

Hṛdayānanda: Then his argument would be that he is trying to teach a lesson that the higher...

Prabhupāda: No, no, no. He may say nonsense. The fact is this. That if he is sama-darśinaḥ, equal, then why he is particularly aiming to the lower class? That means he is not sama-darśinaḥ. He has not come to the stage. He is simply talking nonsense. Sama-darśinaḥ means he is equal to everyone. That is sama-darśinaḥ. Sama-darśinaḥ does not mean to get a cheap adoration, popularity, I go to the poor. That is their Ramakrishna Mission. They also are doing that same thing. Daridra-nārāyaṇa-sevā, like that. Why daridra? Why not real Nārāyaṇa? Just like this morning we read nārāyaṇa-pade. Never said daridra-nārāyaṇa-pade. To the great. Surrender does not mean to the lower. Does it mean surrender? Surrender, this relationship means that to whom I surrender, he is greater than me. And to the lower, mercy. These two words. One who is lower than me, I may show my mercy, but one who is greater than me, there is the question of surr... [break] (end)