Krishna has so many rasika names like Radhanatha, Radha-kanta, Rasabihari, and so on. All these names of Krishna are there within the Hare Krishna mantra. Ordinary people take the word “Hare” to mean only the Lord, but devotees know that Hare means Radhika who attracts Krishna and brings Him to Her favorite pastime places. He is stolen by Radha. He also takes Her to places like Radha-kunda. So we should always chant the names of the Hare Krishna mantra with awareness of all these inner meanings, and then the maha-mantra becomes a rasa ocean.
Rupa Gosvami’s verse also advises us to be in Vrindavana when we chant, not in any other place. And if we cannot be there physically, then our minds must be there, because outside Vrindavana, the spontaneous remembrance of Radha-Krishna’s pastimes may not come. If we are actually in Vrindavana, then the trees and creepers of places like Seva-kunja, Ter Kadamba, Vamsivata, Radha-kunda—they will all remind us of Krishna’s pastimes.
When water is in its liquid state, anything we put into it will easily become wet. But when water becomes ice, it is very hard to enter. Similarly, our concentration should be so thick that material desires cannot act. Unless it is very thick, krishna-prema will not come.
(_Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name_)
JAPA POEM
This quote is a synopsis of Rupa Gosvami’s Verse 8 of _Upadesamrta_ which
was translated by Prabhupada as _The Nectar of Instruction_.)
The tongue can
control the strong
mind by alway
chanting the holy name.
We should not only
chant the Name, but the
qualities and pastimes
of Radha and Krishna. “If
we speak about Krishna
according to what Prabhupada
has taught, the chanting
and devotional service will all be easy.”
Radha and Krishna will naturally
appear in our japa;
we do not have to
add Them separately.
But if we have material
desires, then
even if we try to chant
the desires will all come to mind.