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A lecture by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
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"...kala-niyamena tisthan
nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu
krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.39]
ramante yogino 'nante
satyanande cid-atmani
iti rama-padenasau
param brahmabhidhiyate
[Cc. Madhya 9.29]
Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan [Bs. 5.39]." Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, Vamana, Parasurama, Balarama, Buddha -- there are innumerable incarnation of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, ramadi, of whom Lord Ramacandra is the chief. So ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan [Bs. 5.39]. Krishna simultaneously existing with His innumerable incarnation like Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, ity adi. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan nanavataram akarot [Bs. 5.39]. So Krishna accepted so many innumerable incarnations, but the Supreme Personality, parama-purusa, is Krishna. Ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu, krsnah svayam, krsnah svayam samabhavat [Bs. 5.39]. In spite of His coming in different multi-incarnations, He personally also descends. Krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo [Bs. 5.39]. The Supreme Personality. Govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami. This is the prayer offered by Lord Brahma.
Then again, in the Satvata Purana the explanation of Rama is given. Rama, the word comes from the ram-dhatu, ramante. Ramante means fulfilling desires. So ramante yogino 'nante. Those who are yogis.... Karmi, jnani and yogi. And amongst the yogis, the bhakti-yogi is the topmost.
yoginam api sarvesam
mad-gatenantar-atmana
sraddhavan bhajate yo mam
sa me yuktatamo matah
[Bg. 6.47]
So yogis, they are not interested with material enjoyment because material enjoyment is temporary. So ramante yogino 'nante. Everyone is seeking after happiness, blissful life. But those who are less intelligent, mudha, they are satisfied with temporary so-called happiness of material existence. But yogis are not like that. Yogis are interested in the permanent happiness. Ramante yogino 'nante, not ante.
Antavanta ime dehah. Anta means this body. Antavanta ime deha nityasyoktah saririnah: [2.18] "But within the body, the proprietor of the body is nitya." So nityo nityanam. If I am nitya, eternal, then I should be interested in eternal happiness. But the eternal happiness is not possible to enjoy by this body. Therefore it is said, ramante yoginah anante. So ananta-ramana, that is the description of Rama. Rama means ananta-ananda, unlimited happiness. Iti rama-padenasau param brahmabhidhiyate [Cc. Madhya 9.29]. Rama is param brahma, and Krishna is also param brahma. Krishna is recognized by Arjuna after understanding Bhagavad-gita, param brahma param dhama pavitram paramam bhavan [Bg. 10.12]. So there is no different between Rama and Krishna. Krishna is also param brahma and Rama is also param brahma. [break] ...day of Lord Ramacandra. So we Vaisnava, we have equal faith and obeisances to all visnu-murtis, ramadi-murtisu, Rama, Nrsimha, Varaha, Narayana, Mahavisnu.... There are advaitam acyutam anadim ananta-rupam [Bs. 5.33]. But we Gaudiya Vaisnava or Madhva-Gaudiya Vaisnava, we are worshiper of Lord Krishna murti. Lord Ramacandra's murti and Krishna's murti, there is no difference. But as I have already explained, Krishna param brahma full-fledged, and Lord Ramacandra is also param brahma, but He did not exhibit His full-fledged opulence. So these are very confidential things, but still, on the birthday of Lord Ramacandra we offer our respectful obeisances at His lotus feet so that He may be merciful upon us to bestow His bhakti, devotional service.
We are all fallen souls. We have no power to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But as it is directed by the sastra, sevonmukhe hi jihvadau svayam eva sphuraty adah [Brs. 1.2.234]. So although there is no difference between Sri Rama and Sri Krishna, but one devotee is attracted by one feature of the Lord, and the other is attracted by other feature. Sometimes it so happened that Krishna disappeared from the rasa dance and the gopis were very much eager to find out Krishna again. So when they were too much eager to see Krishna where He is, Krsna appeared as Narayana, four-handed Narayana. The gopis saw narayana-murti but did not become attracted by Him. All the gopis said, "Oh, He is Narayana. Let us offer our respect," and they went away. Actually there is no difference between Krishna and Narayana. But gopis were not very much interested with Narayana. They wanted Krishna, although there is no difference between Narayana and Krishna. Similarly, although there is no difference between Rama and Krishna, some devotees are attracted with rama-murti and some devotees are attracted with krsna-murti. But factually there is no difference.
But in the sastras it is said that if you chant the name of Visnu, Visnu-sahasra-nama, by chanting one thousand times Lord Visnu's name is equal to one name of Rama. And by chanting three times the name of Lord Rama it is equal to one name of Krishna. This is the verdict of the sastra. So when we chant Hare Krishna, Rama is there already, three times. It is not that because we are chanting Hare Krishna we are neglecting Rama, no. With each Krishna name there are three times Rama name. That is the verdict of the Krishna.
Besides that, we are chanting also Hare Rama. Hare Rama and Sita-Rama the same thing. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna or Hare Rama Hare Rama, there is no difference. This is also rama-nama, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. In the sastras it is recommended, Agni Purana, Brahmanda Purana, Kali-santarana Upanisad, the
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
[My dear Lord, and the spiritual energy of the Lord, kindly engage me in Your service. I am now embarrassed with this material service. Please engage me in Your service.]
Besides that, when we chant Krishna's name, we chant also Lord Rama's name. Just like in the prayer offered by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu,
krsna krsna krsna krsna
krsna krsna krsna he
krsna krsna krsna krsna
krsna krsna krsna he
krsna krsna krsna krsna
krsna krsna raksa mam
krsna krsna krsna krsna
krsna krsna pahi mam
rama raghava rama raghava
rama raghava raksa mam
krsna kesava krsna kesava
krsna kesava pahi mam
So devotees, they always chant together Krishna's name and Rama's name. So when there is question of rama-nama, there is Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. That is rama-nama.
So there is no partiality, that "These people are simply after Krishna." Of course, we are little more attached to Krishna, but that does not mean we do not know who is Lord Ramacandra. We know that He is also Krishna Himself in His different feature of pastime.
ramadi-murtisu kala-niyamena tisthan
nanavataram akarod bhuvanesu kintu
krsnah svayam samabhavat paramah puman yo
govindam adi-purusam tam aham bhajami
[Bs. 5.39]
Now let us begin our regular class (begins chanting Jaya Radha-Madhava.)
(Srila Prabhupada lecture, Bombay, April 1, 1974 )
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