krsna varnam tvisakrsnam
sangopangastra parsadam
yajnaih sankirtana- prayair
yajanti hi su-medhasah
“In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Krishna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krishna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions.” (SB 11.5.32)
World Holy Name Week in Ujjain
When the immediate neighbours of Sri Sri Radha Madan Mohan Mandir lay their drowsy heads upon their pillows at night, they can hear the kirtan from the temple. Later when they heave their sleepy bodies from their one side to the other, still the Holy Names are being gently sung. Rising in the morning, gobbling their breakfast chappati, Hari Nama still fills their ears – if they are willing to listen. This is the power of Harinama Sankirtan – even though you may have no interest, still it will fill your subconscious being with bliss. Suddenly your day at the office, school or college seems so much more peaceful. You may never realise it, but every day, 24 hours, shifts of devotees perform kirtan, defying Nidra devi, to fill the ether with the transcendental sound vibration of the Holy Name.
At the urging and encouragement of His Holiness Bhakti Charu Swami Maharaja, the devotees of ISKCON Ujjain took up the challenge of World Holy Name Week with great enthusiasm and determination.
World Holy Name Week stretches from 2 – 11 September 2009 and includes the auspicious 50th anniversary of Srila Prabhupada’s sannyasa initiation. Srila Prabhupada's greatest desire was to spread the chanting of the holy names all over the world. During Srila Prabhupada Centennial in 1996, the GBC established the World Holy Name Day to fulfil his desire.
“Thus one is understood to be an eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead if he considers himself an eternal servant of the holy name and in this spirit distributes the holy name to the world. One who chants in that spirit, without offences, is certainly elevated to the platform of understanding that the holy name and the Personality of Godhead are identical. To associate with the holy name and chant the holy name is to associate with the Personality of Godhead directly.” (Chaitanya Charitamrita Adi lila 8.16 purport)
Here in Ujjain devotees and congregation members have sincerely pledged their rounds in support of the World Holy Name Japathon. Some devotees have pledged 128 rounds, while most are doing 64, 32 or 25 rounds daily. Every round counts and even children have committed themselves to 4, 8 and even 16 rounds. Altogether ISKCON Ujjain has pledged 108.4 million repetitions of the holy name, hopefully done with love and introspection.
The World Holy Name organisers hope to set a record breaking 100 billion repetitions of the holy name during this time. If only the Guinness book of World Records knew of the enormous record happening right under their noses. But then who cares to be included in a book full of the useless endeavours of mundane people too bored with life to search for the Ultimate Truth and instead wastes their time to see who can eat the most snails or hot dogs or whatever.
“If just 4,020 devotees commit to chanting 16 rounds of japa with the Maha mantra (Hare Krishna mantra) for each of the 9 days of the World Holy Name Week we will surpass this goal! If 40,200 devotees chant 16 rounds the number they will say the Holy Name over 1,000,000,000 (One Trillion) times. We don’t expect everyone to chant 16 rounds. We hope that you chant just a little more than usual for this special week. If you are not chanting, yet commit 1 or 2 or 3 rounds. If you chant 16 rounds daily commit 17, etc.
Here’s how we calculated the above. You say a Holy Name 16 times for each chant of the Maha Mantra. 108 repetitions of the Maha mantra are called a round. The counting of the rounds is done with japa mala beads. When you commit to chant 16 rounds each day for the 9 days of the World Holy Name Week you will say the holy name 248,832 times. Now multiply 248,832 by 4020. (worldholynameweek.org)
Every day a merry little band of Ujjain devotees set out on Harinama through the suburbs around the temple, freely distributing Sri Krishna’s Holy Name. A worldwide Harinama was planned for September 4th and devotees from every nook and cranny of this here earth went on joyful Harinama processions. In Ujjain the plan was to go on a 7 km walk with Srila Prabhupada leading us in a decorated horse drawn carriage. It seemed Lord Indra had other plans and devotees got caught in one of the heaviest monsoon downpours this season. Not letting a few drops of H2O deter them, they continued resolutely and returned 3 hours later looking somewhat bedraggled but utterly blissful.
naca, gao, bhakta-sange kara sankirtana
krsna-nama upadasi’ tara’sarva-jana
“My dear child, continue dancing, chanting and performing sankirtana in association with devotees. Furthermore, go out and preach the value of chanting krsna-nama, for by this process you will be able to deliver all fallen souls.” (CC Adi 7, Text 92)
The Ujjain Chanters also participated in the global internet kirtan with 2 slots, one on Saturday 5 September at 4:30 pm and the other on Sunday 6 September at 1:30 pm.
World Holy Name Week 2009 in Ujjain will be remembered for the determination and resolve the devotees had shown in chanting their rounds and the jubilantly high spirits in which they performed sankirtan for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada.
Please enjoy this little slideshow with us.