PLEASE ANSWER US

Anenu is Hebrew for "please answer us."
(recorded in the 1930's)

SIKSASTAKA

VERSE 2

              nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis
                  tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ
              etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi
                  durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgah

TRANSLATION

     O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names like Krishna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by chanting Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.

     Friday night. The observance of the Jewish Sabbath begins at Sundown. Friday night and all day Saturday are to be spent in prayer and meditation on God. I go to the senior retirement village where my father lives to observe the Sabbath with him and the small circle of people who attend the ceremony... seniors ranging in age from 85 to 95. 
     After the short service and few songs I set up my laptop and show videos to enliven us in the mood of devotion. As in the verse above, "You have hundreds and millions of names...There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names." When we grasp the essence of love of God we are able to relish it wherever we find it, not being bound by this culture or that time and circumstance. 
     Tonight was especially sweet. One video in particular was so stirring that I could not keep from tears. The cantor sings with so much devotion and so beautifully. Seeing my emotions the other people also began to show some emotions and there were others with tears. We could all experience the wonderful spirit of love and devotion for the Lord that was coming from the sincere singing of the cantor. 
    One of the woman commented how it was good to cry for God...good for the soul. One of the men agreed that the more we listen to the devotional songs and prayers the more we experience something wonderful. 
     There is an ocean of ecstasy and we can access it. Lord Chaitanya has made it easy for us, more easy than it has ever been before, hearing and chanting the glories of the Lord with love and devotion especially together. As Lord Jesus has instructed... Whenever two or more are gathered together in My Name, I appear. The love and devotion is the essential ingredient. That ingredient is supplied by the Lord's arrangement through His devotee. Such a devotee will show symptoms of love of God. Their love for God can be seen.