# Love and Ecstasy Liberation and freedom from sinful reactions are merely by-products of chanting the holy name. The real result is ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa. By offenseless chanting, one awakens dormant love of Godhead and experiences transcendental ecstasy. --- ## The Holy Name Evokes Love of God **Liberation is an insignificant result—awakening ecstatic love is the true benefit:** It was mentioned in the assembly that Haridāsa Ṭhākura chanted the holy names of Kṛṣṇa 300,000 times a day. Thus all the learned scholars began to discuss the glories of the holy name. Some of them said, "By chanting the holy name of the Lord, one is freed from the reactions of all sinful life." Others said, "Simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord, a living being is liberated from material bondage." **Haridāsa Ṭhākura protested, "These two benedictions are not the true result of chanting the holy name. By actually chanting the holy name without offenses, one awakens his ecstatic love for the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa.**" —*Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā* [[cc/antya/3/176|3.176-86]] --- **The holy name brings love for Kṛṣṇa:** ![[cc/antya/3/268|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]] —Cc. [[cc/antya/3/268|Antya 3.268]] --- ![[cc/adi/8/28|As a result of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one makes such great advancement in spiritual life that simultaneously his material existence terminates and he receives love of Godhead]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/8/28|Ādi 8.28]] --- **By chanting offenselessly, one attains love of Godhead:** ![[cc/antya/4/71|Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most important is to always chant the holy name of the Lord. If one does so, avoiding the ten kinds of offenses, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead]] —Cc. [[cc/antya/4/71|Antya 4.71]] --- **When one is on the transcendental stage of chanting, he attains love of God:** By chanting the holy name of the Lord one can directly associate with the Supreme Lord by sound vibration. As one practices this sound vibration, he passes through three stages of development: the offensive stage, the clearing stage and the transcendental stage. In the offensive stage one may desire all kinds of material happiness, but in the second stage one becomes clear of all material contamination. **When one is situated on the transcendental stage, he attains the most coveted position—the stage of loving God.** Lord Caitanya taught that this is the highest stage of perfection for human beings. —*Teachings of Lord Caitanya* --- **By chanting, one is freed from material activities and develops love for Kṛṣṇa:** ![[cc/madhya/15/109|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]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/15/109|Madhya 15.109]] --- **Chanting the holy name initiates the flow of waves of love for Kṛṣṇa:** ![[cc/antya/20/11|Simply by chanting the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, one can be freed from all undesirable habits. This is the means of awakening all good fortune and initiating the flow of waves of love for Kṛṣṇa]] —Cc. [[cc/antya/20/11|Antya 20.11]] --- **If one is expert in chanting the holy name, he will without fail attain love of Godhead:** The Lord then told Sanātana Gosvāmī that the association of good devotees, engagement in the transcendental service of the Lord, the understanding of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, and residence in a holy place like Vṛndāvana or Mathurā are all very important for elevation to the transcendental plane. **One need not attain all five of these items; if one is expert in just one of them, he will, without fail, be elevated to the stage of love of Godhead.** —*Teachings of Lord Caitanya* --- **The great fruit of love of Godhead is distributed through the medium of chanting the mahā-mantra:** ![[cc/adi/9/48#purport|We are most confident of the success of the distribution of the great fruit of love of Godhead through the medium of chanting of the mahā-mantra]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/9/48|Ādi 9.48]] Purport --- **How chanting the holy name elevates one to the position of ecstatic pure devotional service:** ![[cc/antya/20/13|By performing congregational chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, one can destroy the sinful condition of material existence, purify the unclean heart and awaken all varieties of devotional service]] —Cc. [[cc/antya/20/13|Antya 20.13-14]] --- **By associating with pure devotees engaged in chanting, one develops pure love for Kṛṣṇa:** These are practical examples of how one can develop to the stage of ecstatic love simply by the association of pure devotees. **It is essential, therefore, that one constantly associate with pure devotees who are engaged morning and evening in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. In this way one will get the chance to purify his heart and develop this ecstatic pure love for Kṛṣṇa.** —*The Nectar of Devotion* --- **Whereas Lord Rāma's name gives liberation, Lord Kṛṣṇa's name gives ecstatic love:** ![[cc/antya/3/257#purport|The Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, however, gives liberation and at the same time offers shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa. If one takes shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa after liberation, he develops his dormant ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. That is the highest perfection of life]] —Cc. [[cc/antya/3/257|Antya 3.257]] Purport --- ## The Holy Name Evokes Ecstasy **Offenseless chanting of the holy name brings ecstasy:** [Lord Caitanya to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī]: "Since I received this order from My spiritual master, I always chant the holy name, but I think that by chanting and chanting the holy name I have been bewildered. While chanting the holy name of the Lord in pure ecstasy, I lose Myself, and thus **I laugh, cry, dance and sing just like a madman.**" When My spiritual master heard all this, he smiled and then began to speak. **"It is the nature of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra that anyone who chants it immediately develops his loving ecstasy for Kṛṣṇa."** —*Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/7/75|7.75-83]] --- **One who chants offenselessly develops symptoms of ecstasy and becomes eligible to enter the kingdom of God:** ![[sb/3/15/25#purport|When one is free from all ten offenses in chanting the holy name of God, he develops the ecstatic bodily features called pulakāśru]] —SB [[sb/3/15/25|3.15.25]] Purport --- **By hearing the holy name, the devotee is merged in transcendental bliss:** ![[cc/madhya/10/140|In conclusion, dealings in affection with the Supreme Personality of Godhead bring happiness many millions of times greater than dealings with Him in awe and veneration. Simply by hearing the holy name of the Lord, the devotee is merged in transcendental bliss]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/10/140|Madhya 10.140]] --- **The holy name enables one to taste the full nectar of transcendental life:** ![[cc/antya/20/12|The chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa expands the blissful ocean of transcendental life. It gives a cooling effect to everyone and enables one to taste full nectar at every step]] —Cc. [[cc/antya/20/12|Antya 20.12]] --- **One who chants the holy name is blessed by Kṛṣṇa and experiences devotional ecstasy:** [Lord Caitanya to Amogha]: "Therefore, Amogha, get up and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra! If you do so, Kṛṣṇa will unfailingly bestow mercy upon you." After hearing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and being touched by Him, Amogha, who was on his deathbed, immediately stood up and began to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. **Thus he became mad with ecstatic love and began to dance emotionally.** While Amogha danced in ecstatic love, he manifested all the ecstatic symptoms—trembling, tears, jubilation, trance, perspiration and a faltering voice. —*Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā* [[cc/madhya/15/277|15.277-79]] --- **Chanting brings one to the spiritual platform of ecstasy:** By practical experience also, one can perceive that by chanting this mahā-mantra, or the Great Chanting for Deliverance, **one can at once feel a transcendental ecstasy coming through from the spiritual stratum.** In the beginning, there may not be the presence of all transcendental ecstasies, which are eight in number. These are: (1) being stopped as though dumb, (2) perspiration, (3) standing up of hairs on the body, (4) dislocation of voice, (5) trembling, (6) fading of the body, (7) crying in ecstasy, and (8) trance. **But there is no doubt that chanting for a while takes one immediately to the spiritual platform, and one shows the first symptom of this in the urge to dance along with the chanting of the mantra.** —*The Science of Self-Realization* --- **A small attachment for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa can arouse devotional ecstasy even in a neophyte:** Rūpa Gosvāmī has stated that the five kinds of devotional activities—namely, residing in Mathurā, worshiping the Deity of the Lord, reciting Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, serving a devotee, and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra—are so potent that **a small attachment for any one of these five items can arouse devotional ecstasy even in a neophyte.** —*The Nectar of Devotion* --- **If materialistic persons would chant the holy name, they would taste sweet nectar:** ![[cc/adi/2/2#purport|If they were to use their dry tongues to chant the holy name of the Lord—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—as exemplified by Lord Caitanya, they would taste sweet nectar and enjoy life]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/2/2|Ādi 2.2]] Purport --- **By the simple process of chanting, one's transcendental bliss simply increases:** If you cultivate this knowledge of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then it will increase. That is certified by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu. **Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam.** Ānanda means "pleasure," "transcendental bliss," and ambudhi means "ocean." In the material world we see that the ocean does not increase. **But if one cultivates Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then his transcendental bliss will simply increase.** Ānandāmbudhi-vardhanam. And I shall always remind everyone that the process is very simple. Anyone can chant, anywhere, without taxation or loss, but the gain is very great. —*The Science of Self-Realization* --- **A pure devotee absorbed in chanting merges into the ocean of love of Kṛṣṇa:** To realize our relationship with Kṛṣṇa, we have but to follow in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya and His chief associates, the Six Gosvāmīs—Śrī Rūpa, Sanātana, Śrī Jīva, Gopāla, Raghunātha dāsa, and Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa. These Gosvāmīs were always engaged in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and dancing in ecstasy. They taught that **when one is merged in kṛṣṇa-kīrtana, or the chanting of the holy names of Kṛṣṇa, he merges into the ocean of love of Kṛṣṇa.** —*The Science of Self-Realization* --- **A devotee should long for the day when symptoms of ecstasy will appear:** While chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu sometimes fainted and remained unconscious for many hours... This is the perfectional stage of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra and eating the fruit of love of Godhead, as exhibited by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. **One should not artificially imitate this stage, but if one is serious and sincerely follows the regulative principles and chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the time will come when these symptoms will appear.** Tears will fill his eyes, and he will be unable to chant distinctly the mahā-mantra, and his heart will throb in ecstasy. —*Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/9/49|9.49-52]] --- **The whole universe becomes ecstatic by the influence of the transcendental vibration:** ![[sb/6/5/22#purport|In this way, by the influence of the transcendental vibration of the holy name of God, the whole universe becomes ecstatic]] —SB [[sb/6/5/22|6.5.22]] Purport --- **Nāma-saṅkīrtana makes the world dance in ecstasy:** ![[cc/adi/3/19|I shall personally inaugurate the religion of the age—nāma-saṅkīrtana, the congregational chanting of the holy name. I shall make the world dance in ecstasy, realizing the four mellows of loving devotional service]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/3/19|Ādi 3.19]] --- **Those who have tasted the nectar of chanting do not care for any other spiritual bliss or material comforts:** [The personified Vedas said:] "Pure devotees seek only the association of paramahaṁsas, or great liberated devotees, so that they can continually hear and chant about Your glories. For this purpose the pure devotees are prepared to sacrifice all comforts of life... **Those who have tasted the nectar of devotion by relishing the transcendental vibration of chanting Your glories, Hare Kṛṣṇa... do not care for any other spiritual bliss or for material comforts, which appear to the pure devotee to be less important than the straw in the street.**" —*Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead* --- **The bliss derived from chanting is far greater than impersonal Brahman realization:** ![[cc/adi/7/97|Compared to the ocean of transcendental bliss which is tasted by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, the pleasure derived from impersonal Brahman realization [brahmānanda] is like the shallow water in a canal]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/7/97|Ādi 7.97]] --- ## Chanting in the State of Ecstasy **In the stage of bhāva, the devotee is strongly attached to chanting:** ![[cc/madhya/23/32|Due to having a great relish for the holy name, one is inclined to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra constantly]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/23/32|Madhya 23.32-34, 37-38]] --- **An advanced devotee experiences ecstasy in chanting the holy name:** ![[sb/11/2/40|When a person is actually advanced and takes pleasure in chanting the holy name of the Lord, who is very dear to him, he is agitated and loudly chants the holy name. He also laughs, cries, becomes agitated and chants just like a madman, not caring for outsiders]] —SB [[sb/11/2/40|11.2.40]] --- **While chanting, a pure devotee manifests symptoms of ecstasy:** ![[cc/adi/7/87|It is a characteristic of love of Godhead that by nature it induces transcendental symptoms in one's body and makes one more and more greedy to achieve the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord]] —Cc. [[cc/adi/7/87|Ādi 7.87-90]] --- **A pure devotee, absorbed in the Supreme Lord, chants loudly like a madman:** ![[sb/7/7/35|When one chants the holy name of the Lord in ecstasy, not caring for outward social conventions, it is to be understood that he is ātmamati. In other words, his consciousness is turned toward the Supreme Personality of Godhead]] —SB [[sb/7/7/35|7.7.35]] --- **Ecstatic chanting as a symptom of actual love of Godhead:** ![[cc/madhya/25/139|Now hear from Me what actual love of Godhead is. It is the prime object of life and is symptomized by bodily trembling, tears in the eyes, chanting and dancing]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/25/139|Madhya 25.139]] --- **Physical symptoms of ecstasy produced by chanting the holy name:** ![[cc/antya/20/36|My dear Lord, when will My eyes be beautified by filling with tears that constantly glide down as I chant Your holy name? When will My voice falter and all the hairs on My body stand erect in transcendental happiness as I chant Your holy name?]] —Cc. [[cc/antya/20/36|Antya 20.36]] --- **Effects of the ecstatic chanting of the name of Kṛṣṇa:** "I do not know how much nectar the two syllables 'Kṛṣ-ṇa' have produced. **When the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is chanted, it appears to dance within the mouth. We then desire many, many mouths. When that name enters the holes of the ears, we desire many millions of ears. And when the holy name dances in the courtyard of the heart, it conquers the activities of the mind, and therefore all the senses become inert.**" —*Vidagdha-mādhava* (1.15), by Rūpa Gosvāmī, cited in Cc. [[cc/antya/1/99|Antya 1.99]] --- **The spiritual master experiences ecstasy in chanting the holy name:** > *mahāprabhoḥ kīrtana-nṛtya-gīta* > *vāditra-mādyan-manaso rasena* > *romāñca-kampāśru-taraṅga-bhājo* > *vande guroḥ śrī-caraṇāravindam* **"Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always gladdened by the saṅkīrtana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.** Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his hair stands on end, he feels quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master." —*Śrī Śrī Gurv-aṣṭaka* (verse 2), by Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura --- **Those who chant in spontaneous ecstatic love can taste the sweetness of Kṛṣṇa's pastimes:** ![[cc/madhya/21/119|The transcendental mellows generated from the dealings between the gopīs and Kṛṣṇa cannot be tasted by fruitive activity, yogic austerities, speculative knowledge, regulative devotional service, mantra-yoga or meditation. This sweetness can be tasted only through the spontaneous love of liberated persons who chant the holy names with great ecstatic love]] —Cc. [[cc/madhya/21/119|Madhya 21.119]] --- **[← Back to Śrī Nāmāmṛta](wiki/compile/sri-namamrita)**