Srila Prabhupada Appearance Day Special Issue !!!

Volume II Issue 14

APPETIZER
No… No… No… We are not talking about the 7 wonders of this material world
but about the 7 wonders of the spiritual world i.e. 7 wonders of the holy names of
the Lord. The names of the Lord, “Hare, Krishna, and Rama” are invested with His
full potencies. Singing God’s names, therefore, is to contact Him through the medium
of transcendental sound. Thus, the effect of chanting is the same as the effect of di-
rectly associating with the Lord. The following is the translation of the verse in
which Lord Chaitanya beautifully describes seven transcendental results which are
attained by chanting the holy names.

MAIN COURSE
“Glory to the Sri-Krishna-sankirtana, which cleanses the heart of all the dust accu-
mulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and
death. Ths sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large be-
cause it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental
knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we
are always anxious. (Sri Shikshastakam 1)”

Although many books have been written and many lectures have been delivered explaining the theological implications
of this verse, we won’t go much into the details but would try to present a simple summary of the seven wonders of
chanting Hare Krishna. They’re as follows:
The chanting of Krishna’s name is a purifying agent that cleanses our
hearts of envy, the root cause of our descent to this world and other bad quali-
ties we have acquired like lust, greed and anger.

As it purifies the heart, Krishna’s name also protects sincere chanters from
any further contamination from the worldly energy and those affected by it.

Chanting awakens pure devotion to Krishna, the soul’s dormant propen-

sity to serve the Lord with Love; and further chanting revives the loving de-
votion that qualifies one for the greatest good fortune—Krishna’s associa-
tion.

A result of acquiring devotion is that devotees become illuminated with

spiritual knowledge. Further chanting matures that knowledge into realiza-
tion, which in time reveals devotees’ original position in one of the five rela-
tionships with Krishna.
 As much as the heart is relieved of unwanted habits, to that degree we be-
come devoted to Krishna; as much as devotion is firmly fixed in our hearts,
to that degree we acquire realized knowledge; and as much as the heart is
illumined by both devotion and knowledge, to that degree we taste spiritual
happiness. In this way the ocean of bliss swells.
Chanting frees conditioned souls of the illusion of identifying themselves
with their body and mind, and establishes them in the cooling reality that
they’re eternal spiritual entities.
When devotees finally achieve the perfection of chanting, they taste the full
nectar of loving devotion to Krishna. A nectar that makes the bliss of libera-
tion seem insignificant.

DESSERT
Interesting! Isn’t it?

His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna
Consciousness, commonly known as, Srila Prabhupada by his followers, went to United States at an advanced age of
70 to distribute the holy names of the Lord and tell the ignorant mass of people about these 7 wonders. Amazingly He
did it successfully. In just 10 years, He opened up 108 temples around the world to preach the holy names of the Lord.
He inspired thousands by his personal example and is still inspiring and changing millions by the teachings he left in
his books, which are available in more than seventy International languages. Even today, more than 30 years after his
physical disappearance from this mortal world, his wonderful ISKCON society is distributing the holy names of the
Lord through its more than 800 centers in about 175 countries around the globe!!

Srila Prabhupada appeared in this world to fulfill the prophecy of Lord Chaitanya that His name will be heard in
every town and every village of the world and he did it successfully. We dedicate this issue unto the Lotus Feet of
Srila Prabhupada on his divine 112th appearance day (25th August 2008).

the HIGHER TASTE

An ISKCON Delhi Publication
In loving service to
His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness
Magazine Committee: Director: Mohan Rupa Das, Author & Editor: Nandagopal Jivan Das, Design & Layout: Avyanga Das