Quotes from Śrī Nāmāmṛta
1. The Holy Name Benefits All Human Society
Chanting of the holy name evokes the Vaikuṇṭha atmosphere, freeing
the world from material hankering, envy and anxiety:
[Pracetās to Lord Viṣṇu]: Whenever pure topics of the
transcendental world are discussed, the members of the audience
forget all kinds of material hankerings, at least for the time being.
Not only that, but they are no longer envious of one another, nor
do they suffer from anxiety or fear.
Vaikuṇṭha means "without anxiety," and the material world means
full of anxiety. As stated by Prahlāda Mahārāja: sadā samudvigna-
dhiyām asad-grahāt. The living entities who have accepted this
material world as a residence are full of anxiety. A place immediately
becomes Vaikuṇṭha whenever the holy topics of the Personality of
Godhead are discussed by pure devotees. This is the process of
śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ [SB 7.5.23], chanting and hearing about
the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. As the Supreme Lord Himself confirms:
nāhaṁ tiṣṭhāmi vaikuṇṭhe
yogināṁ hṛdayeṣu vā
tatra tiṣṭhāmi nārada
yatra gāyanti mad-bhaktāḥ
"My dear Nārada, actually I do not reside in My abode, Vaikuṇṭha,
nor do I reside within the hearts of the yogīs, but I reside in that place
where My pure devotees chant My holy name and discuss My form,
pastimes and qualities."
Because of the presence of the Lord in the form of the transcendental
vibration, the Vaikuṇṭha atmosphere is evoked. This atmosphere is
without fear and anxiety. One living entity does not fear another. By
hearing the holy names and glories of the Lord, a person executes
pious activities. Śṛṇvatāṁ sva-kathāḥ kṛṣṇaḥ puṇya-śravaṇa-kīrtanaḥ
(S.B. 1.2.17). Thus his material hankerings immediately stop. This
saṅkīrtana movement started by the Society for Krishna
Consciousness is meant for creating Vaikuṇṭha, the transcendental
world that is without anxiety, even in this material world. The method
is the propagation of the śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam process throughout the
world [SB 7.5.23]. In the material world everyone is envious of his
fellow man. Animalistic envy exists in human society as long as there
is no performance of saṅkīrtana-yajña, the chanting of the holy names
—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma,
Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 4.30.35
2. The Holy Name is All-auspicious
The saṅkīrtana movement of chanting the holy name is the most
auspicious activity in the universe:
[Śukadeva Gosvāmī to King Parīkṣit]: Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued:
My dear King; the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to
uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore the chanting
of the saṅkīrtana movement is the most auspicious activity in the
entire universe. Please try to understand this so that others will take it
seriously.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.3.31
3. The Holy Name is Ever Fresh
Because the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra is spiritual, chanting never becomes
hackneyed or tiresome:
In the material world we are simply chewing the chewed, throwing it
away, picking it up and then chewing it again. Spiritual variety is not
like this. Spiritual variety is ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam: it is
constantly increasing. It is even greater than the ocean, because the
ocean does not increase. The shores of the ocean are set; they have
certain limits. However, the ocean of bliss is constantly increasing.
The more we enter into that spiritual bliss, the more we become
joyful.
The young people in the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa
mantra all the time. If this mantra were material, how long would they
chant it? It is not possible to chant a material name for very long
because the chanting would become hackneyed and very tiresome. No
one could be satisfied simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa unless Hare
Kṛṣṇa itself were spiritual. We may chant, "Mr. John, Mr. John, Mr.
John," but after an hour we will be fed up. However, the more we
become spiritually advanced, the more bliss we will derive from
chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.
Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūti
4. The Holy Name Frees One from the Reactions to
Sins
a) The chanting of the holy name is the best means to atone for
sinful activities because it attracts the attention and protection
of the Supreme Lord:
[The Viṣṇudūtas to the Yamadūtas]: The chanting of the holy name of
Lord Viṣṇu is the best process of atonement for a thief of gold or
other valuables, for a drunkard, for one who betrays a friend or
relative, for one who kills a brāhmaṇa, or for one who indulges in sex
with the wife of his guru or another superior. It is also the best method
of atonement for one who murders women, the king or his father, for
one who slaughters cows, and for all other sinful men. Simply by
chanting the holy name of Lord Viṣṇu, such sinful persons may attract
the attention of the Supreme Lord, who therefore considers, "Because
this man has chanted My holy name, My duty is to give him
protection."
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.2.9-10
b) A single uttering of "Kṛṣṇa" wipes away the results of all sinful
activities:
In the Viṣṇu-dharma there is a statement glorifying this process
of congregational chanting: "My dear King, this word 'Kṛṣṇa' is
so auspicious that anyone who chants this holy name
immediately gets rid of the resultant actions of sinful activities
from many, many births." That is a fact. There is the following
statement in Caitanya-caritāmṛta: "A person who chants the holy
name of Kṛṣṇa once can counteract the resultant actions of more
sinful activities than he is able to perform." A sinful man can
perform many, many sinful activities, but he is unable to
perform so many that they cannot be wiped out by one single
uttering of "Kṛṣṇa."
The Nectar of Devotion
5. By Chanting the Holy Name, the Mind Becomes
Controlled
When the mind is finally trained to the point where it will think of
nothing but Kṛṣṇa, it will attain peace and will become very tranquil.
praśānta-manasaṁ hy enaṁ
yoginaṁ sukham uttamam
upaiti śānta-rajasaṁ
brahma-bhūtam akalmaṣam
"The yogī whose mind is fixed on Me verily attains the highest
happiness. By virtue of his identity with Brahman, he is liberated; his
mind is peaceful, his passions are quieted, and he is freed from sin."
(Bg. 6.27)
The mind is always concocting objects for happiness. I am always
thinking, "This will make me happy," or "That will make me happy.
Happiness is here. Happiness is there." In this way the mind is taking
us anywhere and everywhere. It is as though we are riding on a
chariot behind an unbridled horse. We have no power over where we
are going but can only sit in horror and watch helplessly. As soon as
the mind is engaged in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness process—specifically
by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare
Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—then the wild horses of
the mind will gradually come under our control.
On the Way to Kṛṣṇa
6. The Holy Name Eradicates Material Desires and
Sinful Activity
Anyone, anywhere, can easily take to this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement; one
need only chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, observe the rules and
regulations, and stay free from the contamination of sinful life. Even
if one is sinful and cannot give up sinful life immediately, if he chants
the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra with devotion and faith he will certainly
be freed from all sinful activities, and his life will be successful.
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 9.10.51
7. The Holy Name Evokes Love of God
a) The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is so attractive that anyone who chants
it—including all living entities, moving and nonmoving, and
even Lord Kṛṣṇa Himself—becomes imbued with love of Kṛṣṇa.
This is the effect of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra.
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Antya-līlā 3.268
b) [Lord Caitanya to Satyarāja]: "By chanting the holy name of the
Lord, one dissolves his entanglement in material activities. After
this, one becomes very attracted to Kṛṣṇa, and thus dormant love
for Kṛṣṇa is awakened."
Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā 15.109
8. The Holy Name Benefits Even Lower Species of
Life
Not only is the chanter of the mahā-mantra purified, but the heart of
anyone who happens to hear the transcendental vibration of Hare
Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare
Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare is also cleansed. Even the souls
embodied in lower animals, insects, trees and other species of life also
become purified and prepared to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious
simply by hearing the transcendental vibration. This was explained by
Ṭhākura Haridāsa when Caitanya Mahāprabhu inquired from him
how living entities lower than human beings can be delivered from
material bondage. Haridāsa Ṭhākura said that the chanting of the holy
names is so powerful that even if one chants in the remotest parts of
the jungle, the trees and animals will advance in Kṛṣṇa consciousness
simply by hearing the vibration.
The Nectar of Instruction Text 4
9. The Holy Name Protects One from Danger and
Fear
When chanting the mahā-mantra, we are completely safe, even in this
most dangerous position. We should always be aware that in this
material world, we are always in a dangerous position. Śrīmad-
Bhāgavatam confirms: padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām [SB
10.14.58]. In this world, there is danger at every step. The devotees of
the Lord, however, are not meant to remain in this miserable,
dangerous place. Therefore we should take care to advance in Kṛṣṇa
consciousness while in this human form. Then our happiness is
assured.
The Path of Perfection
10. Chanting of the holy name frees one from hellish
conditions
In the Narasiṁha Purāṇa it is said that as the hellish inhabitants began
to chant the holy name of the Lord they began to be elevated from
hell toward heaven. Durvāsā Muni has also supported this view:
mucyeta yan-nāmny udite nārako 'pi. "Simply by chanting the holy
name of the Lord all the inhabitants of hell became released from their
hellish persecution."
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.9.36
