(Kadamba Kanana Maharaja, 19th Spetember 2012, Cape Town, South Africa)
Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura was explaining that actually the Nama, or the name, depends on the Dhama. The Nama depends on the Dhama. But, we heard that the holy name is not depending on anything! We heard that the holy name is completely independent; it doesn’t require any other supporting activity. It is like the bhakti-lata – a creeper that grows without support. Normally creepers grow on walls and trees but the bhakti-lata doesn’t need any support… it grows on its own. But Srila Bhaktisidhanta Sarasvati Thakura points out that Nama is always residing in the Dhama therefore the chanting of the holy name will bring us to the Dhama. And then in the Bhakti Sandarbha, Srila Jiva Goswami points out that the Dhama, or Mathura as he says, is not a location but is a state of consciousness. Of course, there is a location but one cannot even enter the location without being in that state of consciousness.
