(Vintage painting of Lord Rama, Sita, Lakshman and Hanuman)
"We are all fallen souls. We have no power to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead. But as it is directed by the śāstra, sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ (Brs. 1.2.234). So although there is no difference between Śrī Rāma and Śrī Kṛṣṇa, but one devotee is attracted by one feature of the Lord, and the other is attracted by other feature. Sometimes it so happened that Kṛṣṇa disappeared from the rāsa dance and the gopīs were very much eager to find out Kṛṣṇa again. So when they were too much eager to see Kṛṣṇa, where He is, Kṛṣṇa appeared as Nārāyaṇa, four-handed Nārāyaṇa. The gopīs saw nārāyaṇa-mūrti but did not become attracted by Him. All the gopīs said, 'Oh, He is Nārāyaṇa. Let us offer our respect,' and they went away. Actually there is no difference between Kṛṣṇa and Nārāyaṇa. But gopīs were not very much interested with Nārāyaṇa. They wanted Kṛṣṇa, although there is no difference between Nārāyaṇa and Kṛṣṇa. Similarly, although there is no difference between Rāma and Kṛṣṇa, some devotees are attracted with rāma-mūrti and some devotees are attracted with kṛṣṇa-mūrti. But factually there is no difference.
But in the śāstras it is said that if you chant the name of Viṣṇu, viṣṇu-sahasra-nāma, by chanting one thousand times Lord Viṣṇu's name is equal to one name of Rāma. And by chanting three times the name of Lord Rāma it is equal to one name of Kṛṣṇa. This is the verdict of the śāstra. So when we chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Rāma is there already, three times. It is not that because we are chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa we are neglecting Rāma. No. With each Kṛṣṇa name there are three times Rāma name. That is the verdict of the śāstra.
Besides that, we are chanting also Hare Rāma. Hare Rāma and Sītā-Rāma the same thing. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa or Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, there is no difference. This is also rāma-nāma, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. In the śāstras it is recommended, Agni Purāṇa, Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Kali-santaraṇa Upaniṣad, the
Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Hare
Besides that, when we chant Kṛṣṇa's name, we chant also Lord Rāma's name. Just like in the prayer offered by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu,
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa he
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa rakṣa mām
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa
kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa pāhi mām
rāma rāghava rāma rāghava
rāma rāghava rakṣa mām
kṛṣṇa keśava kṛṣṇa keśava
kṛṣṇa keśava pāhi mām
So devotees, they always chant together Kṛṣṇa's name and Rāma's name. So when there is question of rāma-nāma, there is Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. That is rāma-nāma.
So there is no partiality, that 'These people are simply after Kṛṣṇa.' Of course, we are little more attached to Kṛṣṇa, but that does not mean we do not know who is Lord Rāmacandra. We know that He is also Kṛṣṇa Himself in His different feature of pastime."
(Srila Prabhupada Lecture, Bombay, April 1, 1974)
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