When the PanchaTattva came into this world, they broke the lock on the storehouse of love of God – premānanda. They went inside – they drank to their full satisfaction and then they began to distribute that, but previously it remained locked! So, in other yugas although the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha mantra was there – still it was very difficult to attain Krishna prem, through that chanting, but now by the edit mercy of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, that is very easily attained (Sanskrit) and very quickly results are obtained in this with the help of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, difficult things become easy. That is our saving grace, but even that seems to be difficult. Even if we see what Lord Caitnaya is giving – even that is not easy - chant the Hare Krishna is very difficult. Apparently six four rounds from the Caitanya Bhagavad as a reference Lord Caitanya was invited by different Brahmanas and he said:“I will not accept any offerings from anyone who is not a lakhpati “.
A lakh pati is those who have hundred thousands rupees in those days, an incredible fortune. So nobody could do that. Then he explained what he meant with the lakhpati- that a lakhpati means one who is chanting sixty four rounds. So, that is where the standard of sixty four rounds has its roots and Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura wasn’t exactly demanding it from everyone, but he was saying:
“ If you don’t chant sixty four rounds, then you are fallen”.
In the Gaudīya Math they recommended to chant a minimum of four. We still see some who have come from the Gaudīya Math and started initiating people who do four rounds and it cause a riot in the West, and how can they initiate those who do four rounds?
‘Well are you getting it cheaper? The same goods cheaper next door?’
‘ Hey! Wait a minute I am not going to pay four times as much! Hey, I am buying it for four rounds!’
Well No! It is not necessarily that we are buying the same product. At four rounds were Srila Bhaktisiddhanta’s minimum - and at four round what are you purchasing? At least the connection - the connection with sampradāya and gradual purification, but when Srila Prabhupada brought down the sixty four rounds that Caitanya Mahaprabhu desired, then he lowered the threshold of Lord Caitanya’s mercy. We are getting the same mercy that was available for sixty four at sixteen by Prabhupada’s arrangement and by Prabhupada’s prayer!
(Kadamba Kanana Swami, Melbourne, March 2011)
