The Garland of Prema-nama

Description

The Garland of Prema-nama

A lecture on Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā 17.34-36 given by Śrī Śrīmad Gour Govinda Swami Mahārāja on 7 April, 1995, in Bhubaneswar, India.

Prema-bhakti is the essence of bhakti. If we prepare a garland of flowers, one thread is required and it is woven together. Similarly, when the question of nāma-prema-mālā comes, what is the thread of that garland? That thread is prema. The mālā is woven together with the thread of prema. It is nāma-prema-mālā. The example is the japa-mālā. With our japa-mālā we are chanting. That means you should chant this holy name feeling acute pangs of separation from Kṛṣṇa. Then your chanting will be offenceless and the pure name will come out.
This is the most hidden topic in Goloka. It was not given at any time before, but when Mahāprabhu came He gave it, golokera prema-dhana, hari-nāma-saṇkīrtana. It does not belong to this material world. It belongs to Goloka Vṛndāvana.”