## Chapter III The Practice of the Holy Name ### 1. The Three Stages of Chanting The three stages of chanting the holy name: The simple process of offenselessly chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord will gradually promote one very soon to the stage of emancipation. There are three stages in chanting the holy name of the Lord. The first stage is the offensive chanting of the holy name, and the second is the reflective stage of chanting the holy name. The third stage is the offenseless chanting of the holy name of the Lord. In the second stage only, the stage of reflection, between the offensive and offenseless stages, one automatically attains the stage of emancipation. And in the offenseless stage, one actually enters into the kingdom of God, although physically he may apparently be within the material world. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/2/2/30|2.2.30]]* There are three stages in chanting the holy name of the Lord—the offensive stage, the stage of lessening offenses, and the pure stage. When a neophyte takes to the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra, *he generally commits many offenses. There are ten basic offenses, and if the devotee avoids these, he can glimpse the next stage, which is situated between offensive chanting and pure chanting. When one attains the pure stage, he is immediately liberated. This is called *bhava-mahādāvāgni-nirvāpaṇam. As *soon as one is liberated from the blazing fire of material existence, he can relish the taste of transcendental life. *— The Nectar of Instruction Text 7* There are three stages in chanting the holy name of the Lord. In the first stage, one commits ten kinds of offenses while chanting. In the next stage, *nāmābhāsa, *the offenses have almost stopped, and one is coming to the platform of pure chanting. In the third stage, when one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *without offenses, his dormant love for Kṛṣṇa immediately awakens. This is the perfection. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/5/24/20|5.24.20]]* The nāmābhāsa stage of chanting elevates one to the position of offenseless chanting: **[Chand Kazi to his orderlies]: "'The Hindus chant the name Hari because that is the name of their God. But you are Muhammadan meat-eaters. Why do you chant the name of the Hindus' God?' The meat-eater replied, 'Sometimes I joke with the Hindus. Some of them are called Kṛṣṇadāsa, and some are called Rāmadāsa. Some of them are called Haridāsa. They always chant "Hari, Hari," and thus I thought they would steal the riches from someone's house. Since that time, my tongue always vibrates the sound "Hari, Hari." I have no desire to say it, but still my tongue says it. I do not know what to do.' Another meat-eater said, 'Sir, please hear me. Since the day I joked with some Hindus in this way, my tongue chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa hymn and cannot give it up. I do not know what mystic hymns and herbal potions these Hindus know.'"** Sometimes demoniac nonbelievers, not understanding the potency of the holy name, make fun of the Vaiṣṇavas when the Vaiṣṇavas chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra. *This joking is also beneficial for such persons. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, *Sixth Canto, Second Chapter, [[sb/6/2/14|verse 14]], indicates that the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra, *even in joking, in the course of ordinary discussion, in indicating something extraneous, or in negligence, is called *nāmābhāsa, *which is chanting that is almost on the transcendental stage. This *nāmābhāsa *stage is better than *nāmāparādha. Nāmābhāsa *awakens the supreme remembrance of Lord Viṣṇu. When one remembers Lord Viṣṇu, he becomes free from material enjoyment. Thus he gradually comes forward toward the transcendental service of the Lord and becomes eligible to chant the holy name of the Lord in the transcendental position. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/17/197|17.197-202]]* ### 2. Offensive Chanting of the Holy Name The TEN Offenses Against the Holy Name **The ten offenses against the holy name:** **There are offenses to be considered while chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Therefore simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa one does not become ecstatic.** There are ten offenses to avoid in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra. *The first offense is to blaspheme great personalities who are engaged in distributing the holy name of the Lord. It is said in the *śāstra *(*Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta* *Antya-līlā* [[cc/antya/7/11|7.11]]),* kṛṣṇa-śakti vinā nahe tāra pravartana:* one cannot distribute the holy names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *unless he is empowered by the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one should not criticize or blaspheme a devotee who is thus engaged. The second *nāmāparādha *is described as follows: > śivasya śrī-viṣṇor ya iha guṇa-nāmādi-sakalaṁ dhiyā bhinnaṁ paśyet sa khalu hari-nāmāhita-karaḥ In this material world, the holy name of Viṣṇu is all-auspicious. Viṣṇu's name, form, qualities and pastimes are all transcendental absolute knowledge. Therefore, if one tries to separate the Absolute Personality of Godhead from His holy name or His transcendental form, qualities and pastimes, thinking them to be material, that is offensive. Similarly, to think that the names of demigods such as Lord give to be as good as the name of Lord Viṣṇu—or in other words, to think Lord Śiva and the other demigods to be other forms of God and therefore equal to Viṣṇu—is also blasphemous. This is the second offense at the lotus feet of the Lord. The third offense at the lotus feet of the holy name, which is called *guror avajñā, is *to consider the spiritual master to be material and therefore envy his exalted position. The fourth offense *(śruti-śāstra-nindanam) *is* *to blaspheme Vedic literatures such as the four *Vedas *and the *Purāṇas. *The fifth offense *(tathārtha-vādaḥ) *is* *to consider the glories of the holy name to be exaggerations. Similarly, the sixth offense *(hari-nāmni kalpanam) *is* *to consider the holy name of the Lord to be imaginary. The seventh offense is described as follows: > namno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhir na vidyate tasya yamair hi śuddhiḥ To think that since the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *can counteract all sinful reactions one may therefore go on with his sinful activities and at the same time chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *to neutralize them is the greatest offense at the lotus feet of *hari-nāma.* The eighth offense is stated thus: > dharma-vrata-tyāga-hutādi-sarva-śubha-kriyā-sāmyam api pramādaḥ. It is offensive to consider the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *to be a religious ritualistic ceremony. Performing religious ceremonies, following vows and practicing renunciation and sacrifice are all materialistic auspicious activities. The chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *must not be compared to such materialistic religiosity. This is an offense at the lotus feet of the Lord. The ninth offense is described as follows: > aśraddadhāne vimukhe 'py aśrṇvati yaś copadeśaḥ śiva-nāmāparādhaḥ It is an offense to preach the glories of the holy name among persons who have no intelligence or no faith in the subject matter. Such people should be given the chance to hear the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra, *but in the beginning they should not be instructed about the glories of the spiritual significance of the holy name. By constant hearing of the holy name, their hearts will be purified, and then they will be able to understand the transcendental position of the holy name. The tenth offense is as follows: > śrutvāpi nāma-māhātmyaṁ yaḥ prīti-rahito naraḥ ahaṁ-mamādi-paramo nāmni so 'py aparādha-kṛt If one has heard the glories of the transcendental holy name of the Lord but nevertheless continues in a materialistic concept of life, thinking, "I am this body and everything belonging to this body is mine [*ahaṁ mameti* SB [[sb/5/5/8|5.5.8]]]," and does not show respect and love for the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra, *that is an offense. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ā*di-līlā* [[cc/adi/8/24|8.24]]* Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī instructs that chanting of the holy name of the Lord should be loudly done, and it should be performed offenselessly as well, as recommended in the *Padma Purāṇa. *One can deliver himself from the effects of all sins by surrendering himself unto the Lord. One can deliver himself from all offenses at the feet of the Lord by taking shelter of His holy name. But one cannot protect himself if one commits an offense at the feet of the holy name of the Lord. Such offenses are mentioned in the *Padma Purāṇa *as being ten in number. The first offense is to vilify the great devotees who have preached about the glories of the Lord. The second offense is to see the holy names of the Lord in terms of worldly distinction. The Lord is the proprietor of all the universes, and therefore He may be known in different places by different names, but that does not in any way qualify the fullness of the Lord. Any nomenclature which is meant for the Supreme Lord is as holy as the others because they are all meant for the Lord. Such holy names are as powerful as the Lord, and there is no bar for anyone in any part of the creation to chant and glorify the Lord by the particular name of the Lord as it is locally understood. They are all auspicious, and one should not distinguish such names of the Lord as material commodities. The third offense is to neglect the orders of the authorized *ācāryas *or spiritual masters. The fourth offense is to vilify scriptures or Vedic knowledge. The fifth offense is to define the holy name of the Lord in terms of one's mundane calculation. The holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord Himself, and one should understand the holy name of the Lord to be nondifferent from Him. The sixth offense is to interpret the holy name. The Lord is not imaginary, nor is His holy name. There are persons with a poor fund of knowledge who think the Lord to be an imagination of the worshiper and therefore think His holy name to be imaginary. Such a chanter of the name of the Lord cannot achieve the desired success in the matter of chanting the holy name. The seventh offense is to commit sins intentionally on the strength of the holy name. In the scriptures it is said that one can be liberated from the effects of all sinful actions simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord. One who takes advantage of this transcendental method and continues to commit sins on the expectation of neutralizing the effects of sins by chanting the holy name of the Lord is the greatest offender at the feet of the holy name. Such an offender cannot purify himself by any recommended method of purification. In other words, one may be a sinful man before chanting the holy name of the Lord, but after taking shelter in the holy name of the Lord and becoming immune, one should strictly restrain oneself from committing sinful acts with a hope that his method of chanting the holy name will give him protection. The eighth offense is to consider the holy name of the Lord and His chanting method to be equal to some material auspicious activity. There are various kinds of good works for material benefits, but the holy name and His chanting are not mere auspicious holy services. Undoubtedly the holy name is holy service, but He should never be utilized for such purposes. Since the holy name and the Lord are of one and the same identity, one should not try to bring the holy name into the service of mankind. The idea is that the Supreme Lord is the supreme enjoyer. He is no one's servant or order supplier. Similarly, since the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord, one should not try to utilize the holy name for one's personal service. The ninth offense is to instruct those who are not interested in chanting the holy name of the Lord about the transcendental nature of the holy name. If such instruction is imparted to an unwilling audience, the act is considered to be an offense at the feet of the holy name. The tenth offense is to become uninterested in the holy name of the Lord even after hearing of the transcendental nature of the holy name. *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *2.1.11 There are ten principal offenses which can be committed against the holy name. The first is to blaspheme the great devotees who have tried to spread the glories of the holy name throughout the world. The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is nondifferent from Kṛṣṇa, and one who attempts to spread the holy names throughout the world is beloved of Him. Kṛṣṇa Himself does not tolerate offenses against His pure devotees. The second offense is to deny that Lord Viṣṇu is the Absolute Truth. There is no difference between His name, quality, form, pastimes and activities, and one who sees a difference is considered an offender. The Lord is Supreme, and no one is equal to or greater than Him. Consequently if one thinks that the Lord's names are nondifferent from the names of demigods, he offends. The Supreme Lord and the demigods should never be considered on the same level. The third offense is to consider the bona fide spiritual master to be a common man. The fourth offense is to blaspheme Vedic literature and authorized scriptures like the *Purāṇas. *The fifth offense is to consider the glories attributed to the holy names to be exaggerations. The sixth offense is to concoct perverted theories about the holy name. The seventh offense is to commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy name. It is understood that by chanting the holy names one is free from sinful reactions, but this does not mean that one should act sinfully on the strength of chanting. That is the greatest offense. The eighth offense is to consider that religious rituals, austerity, sacrifices or other forms of renunciation are equal to chanting the holy name. Chanting the holy name is as good as associating with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Pious activities are only means to approach the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and they can even be performed for some material reason. The ninth offense is to preach the glories of the holy name of God to a faithless person who is not interested in hearing them. The tenth and last offense is to maintain material attachment even after hearing and chanting the holy names of God. The idea is that by chanting the holy name without offense, one can obtain elevation to the liberated platform. On the liberated platform one is freed from all material attachments. Thus if one chants the holy names and still has material attachments, he must be committing some offense. *— Teachings of Lord Caitanya* **The offenses against the chanting of the holy name are as follows:** **(1)** To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name of the Lord. **(2)** To consider the names of demigods like Lord Śiva or Lord Brahmā to be equal to, or independent of, the name of Lord Viṣṇu. (Sometimes the atheistic class of men take it that any demigod is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu. But one who is a devotee knows that no demigod, however great he may be, is independently as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore, if someone thinks that he can chant "Kālī, Kālī!" or "Durgā, Durga!" and it is the same as Hare Kṛṣṇa, that is the greatest offense.) **(3)** To disobey the orders of the spiritual master. **(4)** To blaspheme the Vedic literature or literature in pursuance of the Vedic version. **(5)** To consider the glories of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa to be imagination. **(6)** To give some interpretation on the holy name of the Lord. **(7)** To commit sinful activities on the strength of the holy name of the Lord. (It should not be taken that because by chanting the holy name of the Lord one can be freed from all kinds of sinful reaction, one may continue to act sinfully and after that chant Hare Kṛṣṇa to neutralize his sins. Such a dangerous mentality is very offensive and should be avoided.) **(8)** To consider the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa one of the auspicious ritualistic activities offered in the *Vedas *as fruitive activities *(karma-kāṇḍa*). **(9)*** *To instruct a faithless person about the glories of the holy name. (Anyone can take part in chanting the holy name of the Lord, but in the beginning one should not be instructed about the transcendental potency of the Lord. Those who are too sinful cannot appreciate the transcendental glories of the Lord, and therefore it is better not to instruct them in this matter.) **(10)** To not have complete faith in the chanting of the holy names and to maintain material attachments, even after understanding so many instructions on this matter. Every devotee who claims to be a Vaiṣṇava must guard against these offenses in order to quickly achieve the desired success. *— The Nectar of Devotion* Comments on Individual Offenses Against the Holy Name **One should neither engage in, nor hear, blasphemy of devotees:** Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī Prabhu has quoted many passages from authentic scriptures and has ably supported the statements in the matter of offenses at the feet of the holy name.... Quoting from the *Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa, *Śrī Gosvāmījī says that one should neither blaspheme the devotee of the Lord nor indulge in hearing others who are engaged in belittling a devotee of the Lord. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/2/1/11|2.1.11]]* One should not equate the name of the Lord with those of the demigods: As far as distinguishing the Lord's holy name from the names of the demigods, the revealed scriptures disclose (*Bg*. [[bg/10/41|10.41]]) that all extraordinarily powerful beings are but parts and parcels of the supreme energetic, Lord Kṛṣṇa. Except for the Lord Himself, everyone is subordinate; no one is independent of the Lord. Since no one is more powerful than or equal to the energy of the Supreme Lord, no one's name can be as powerful as that of the Lord. By chanting the Lord's holy name, one can derive all the stipulated energy synchronized from all sources. Therefore, one should not equalize the supreme holy name of the Lord with any other name. Brahmā, Śiva or any other powerful god can never be equal to the Supreme Lord Viṣṇu. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* [[sb/2/1/12|2.1.12]]* **[Devahūti to Lord Kapila]: Oh, how glorious are they whose tongues are chanting Your holy name!...** It is specifically said here, *tubhyam: *"unto You only." One must chant God's name, not, as the Māyāvādī philosophers say, any name, such as a demigod's name or the names of God's energies. Only the holy name of the Supreme Lord will be effective. Anyone who compares the holy name of the Supreme Lord to the names of the demigods is called *pāṣaṇḍī *or an offender. *— *Śrīm*ad-Bhāgavatam [[sb/3/33/7|3.33.7]]* **Guru-aparādha is the most grievous offense against the holy name:** While describing the system of protection for the creeper of devotional service, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has especially stressed protection from offenses unto the lotus feet of Vaiṣṇavas. Such offenses are called *vaiṣṇava-aparādha. Aparādha *means "offense." If one commits *vaiṣṇava-aparādhas, *all of his progress in devotional service will be checked. Even though one is very much advanced in devotional service, if he commits offenses at the feet of a Vaiṣṇava, his advancement is all spoiled.... Therefore one should be very careful about committing offenses at the feet of a Vaiṣṇava. The most grievous type of *vaiṣṇava-aparādha is *called *guru-aparādha, *which refers to offenses at the lotus feet of the spiritual master. In the chanting of the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this *guru-aparādha is *considered the most grievous offense. *— *Śrīm*ad-Bhāgavatam [[sb/4/21/37|4.21.37]]* **A disciple who lacks faith in his spiritual master or who acts independently from him cannot attain success in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa:** It appears from the talks of Lord Caitanya that a person who cannot keep his faith in the words of the spiritual master and who acts independently cannot attain the desired success in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. In the Vedic literatures it is stated that the import of all transcendental literature is revealed to one who has unflinching faith in the Supreme Lord and his spiritual master. Lord Caitanya firmly believed in the statements of His spiritual master, and He never neglected the instructions of His spiritual master by stopping His *saṅkīrtana *movement. Thus the transcendental potency of the holy name encouraged Him more and more in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, the *mahā-mantra.* *— Teachings of Lord Caitanya* **Worshipers of impersonalists are guilty of the offense of blaspheming the Vedic literature:** While describing one of the offenses against chanting the holy names, an offense called *śruti-śāstra-nindana *(blaspheming the Vedic literature), Jīva Gosvāmī states in his *Bhakti-sandarbha: yathā pāṣaṇḍa-mārgeṇa dattātreyarṣabha-devopāsakānāṁ pāṣaṇḍinām. *Worshipers of impersonalists like Dattatreya are also *pāṣaṇḍis.* *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta* Madhya-līlā* [[cc/madhya/18/115|18.115]]* **Māyāvādīs offend the holy name by differentiating it from the Lord Himself:** A name which represents an object of this material world may be subjected to arguments and experimental knowledge, but in the absolute world a name and its owner, fame and the famous, are identical, and similarly the qualities, pastimes and everything else pertaining to the Absolute are also absolute. Although Māyāvādīs profess monism, they differentiate between the holy name of the Supreme Lord and the Lord Himself. For this offense of *nāmāparādha *they gradually glide down from their exalted position of *brahma-jñāna, *as confirmed in the *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *([[sb/10/2/32|10.2.32]]): > āruhya kṛcchreṇa paraṁ padaṁ tataḥ patanty adho 'nādṛta-yuṣmad-aṅghrayaḥ Although by severe austerities they rise to the exalted position of *brahma-jñāna, *they nevertheless fall down due to imperfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Although they profess to understand the Vedic *mantra, sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma *("everything is Brahman"), they are unable to understand that the holy name is also Brahman. If they regularly chant the *mahā-mantra, *however, they can be relieved from this misconception. Unless one properly takes shelter of the holy name, he cannot be relieved from the offensive stage in chanting the holy name. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/7/74|7.74]]* **To think that glorification of the holy name is an exaggeration or to interpret the glories of the holy name are offenses against the holy name:** **Once the Lord explained the glories of the holy name to the devotees, but some ordinary students who heard Him fashioned their own interpretation. When a student interpreted the glories of the holy name as a prayer of exaggeration, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, greatly unhappy, immediately warned everyone not to see the student's face henceforward.** When Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu explained the glories of the transcendental potency of the Lord's holy name, the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra, *one unfortunate student said that such glorification of the holy name was an exaggeration in the *śāstras *to induce people to take to it. In this way the student interpreted the glories of the holy name. This is called *artha-vāda, *and it is one of the ten offenses at the lotus feet of the holy name of the Lord.... The holy name is identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one who distinguishes between the Lord and His name is called a *pāṣaṇḍī, *or nonbeliever, an atheistic demon. Glorification of the holy name is glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should never attempt to distinguish between the Lord and His name or interpret the glories of the holy name as mere exaggerations. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/17/72|17.72-73]]* One must not sin with the intention of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa to neutralize the reactions: The chanting of the holy name is so auspicious that it can free everyone from the reactions of sinful activities. One should not conclude that one may continue to sin with the intention of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa to neutralize the reactions. Rather, one should be very careful to be free from all sins and never think of counteracting sinful activities by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra, *for this is another offense. If by chance a devotee accidentally performs some sinful activity, the Lord will excuse him, but one should not intentionally perform sinful acts. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/6/3/31|6.3.31]]* **Along with the devotees from Bengal came a gentleman named Kālīdāsa. He never uttered anything but the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. Kālīdāsa was a very advanced devotee, yet he was simple and liberal. He would chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa while performing all his ordinary dealings. When he used to throw dice in jest, he would throw the dice while chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa.** In this connection Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura warns the men of this age not to imitate the jesting of a *mahā-bhāgavata *like Kālīdāsa. If someone imitates him by playing with dice or gambling while chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra, *he will certainly become a victim of offenses unto the holy name. As it is said, *hari-nāma-bale pāpe pravṛtti: *one must not commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra. *Playing with dice is certainly gambling, but it is clearly said here that Kālīdāsa did this only in jest. A *mahā-bhāgavata *can do anything, but he never forgets the basic principles. Therefore it is said, *vaiṣṇavera kriyā-mudrā vijñeha nā bujhaya:* [Cc Madhya[[cc/madhya/23/39|23.39]]]* *"No one can understand the activities of a pure devotee." We should not imitate Kālīdāsa. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Antya-līlā *[[cc/antya/16/5|16.5-7]]* The holy name is so spiritually potent that simply by chanting the holy name one can be freed from the reactions to all sinful activities. What, then, is to be said of those who chant the holy name regularly or worship the Deity regularly? For such purified devotees, freedom from sinful reaction is certainly assured. This does not mean, however, that one should intentionally commit sinful acts and think himself free from the reactions because he is chanting the holy name. Such a mentality is a most abominable offense at the lotus feet of the holy name. *Namno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ: *the* *Lord's holy name certainly has the potency to neutralize all sinful activities, but if one repeatedly and intentionally commits sins while chanting the holy name, he is most condemned. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 6.13.8-9* In the *Skanda Purāṇa *there is a statement about submission and humbleness. It is stated there: "My dear Lord, there is no sinful living entity who is more of a sinner than myself. Nor is there a greater offender than myself. I am so greatly sinful and offensive that when I come to confess my sinful activities before You, I am ashamed." This is a natural position for a devotee. As far as the conditioned soul is concerned, there is no wonder that he has some sinful activities in his past life, and this should be admitted and confessed before the Lord. As soon as this is done the Lord excuses the sincere devotee. But that does not mean that one should take advantage of the Lord's causeless mercy and expect to be excused over and over again, while he commits the same sinful activities. Such a mentality is only for the shameless persons. Here it is clearly said, "When I come to confess my sinful activities I become ashamed." So if a person is not ashamed of his sinful activities and continues to commit the same sinful activities with the knowledge that the Lord will excuse him, that is a most nonsensical proposition. Such an idea is not accepted in any part of the Vedic literature. It is a fact that by chanting the holy name of the Lord one becomes washed clean of all sinful activities from his past life. But that does not mean that after being washed off, one should again begin sinful activities and expect to be washed again. These are nonsensical propositions and are not admitted in the devotional service. Someone may think: "For a whole week I may commit sinful activities, and for one day I will go to the temple or church and admit my sinful activities so that I can become washed off and again begin my sinning." This is most nonsensical and offensive and is not acceptable to the author of *Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu.* *— The Nectar of Devotion* The powerful holy name of the Lord can certainly deliver one from sinful effects, but one who desires to utilize this transcendental potency of the holy name of the Lord in one's sinister activities is the most degraded person in the world. Such persons are never excused by the Lord or by any agent of the Lord. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/2/1/12|2.1.12]]* [Mahārāja Parīkṣit] compared atonement to an elephant's bathing. The elephant may take a very nice bath in the river, but as soon as it comes onto the bank, it throws dirt all over its body. What, then, is the value of its bathing? Similarly, many spiritual practitioners chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *and at the same time commit many forbidden things, thinking that their chanting will counteract their offenses. Of the ten types of offenses one can commit while chanting the holy name of the Lord, this offense is called *nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ, *committing sinful activities on the strength of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra.* *— The Nectar of Instruction Text 1* One should not think that because the holy name of Kṛṣṇa can nullify sinful activities, one may commit a little sinful activity and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa to nullify it. This is the greatest offense *(nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ). *The members of some religious orders go to church and confess their sins, but then they again commit the same sinful activities. What then is the value of their confession? One may confess, "My Lord, out of my ignorance I committed this sin," but one should not plan, "I shall commit sinful activities and then go to church and confess them, and then the sins will be nullified, and I can begin a new chapter of sinful life." Similarly, one should not knowingly take advantage of the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *to nullify sinful activities so that one may then begin sinful acts again. We should be very careful. Before taking initiation, one promises to have no illicit sex, no intoxicants, no gambling, and no meat-eating, and this vow one should strictly follow. Then one will be clean. If one keeps oneself clean in this way and always engages in devotional service, his life will be a success. *— Teachings of Queen Kuntī* For those who want to be initiated in this Society for Kṛṣṇa consciousness, there are four principles: no illicit sex, no intoxication, no meat-eating, and no gambling. We don't say, "No sex." But we do say, "No illicit sex." If you want sex, get married and have Kṛṣṇa conscious children. "No intoxication" means not even taking tea or coffee—to say nothing of other intoxicants. And there is no gambling and no meat-eating (including fish and eggs). Simply by following these four basic rules and regulations, one becomes immediately uncontaminated. No further endeavor is necessary. As soon as one joins this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement and follows these rules and regulations, material contamination is immediately removed, but one must be careful not to be contaminated again. Therefore these rules and regulations should be followed carefully. Material contamination begins with these four bad habits, and if we manage to check them, there is no question of contamination. Therefore, as soon as we take to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, we become free. However, we should not think that because Kṛṣṇa consciousness makes us free, we can again indulge in these four bad habits and get free by chanting. That is cheating, and that will not be allowed. Once we are freed, we should not allow ourselves to become contaminated again. One should not think, "I shall drink or have illicit sex and then chant and make myself free." *— The Path of Perfection* **It is an offense to consider the holy name to be an ordinary pious activity:** **One who says that ten million aśvamedha sacrifices are equal to the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa is undoubtedly an atheist. He is sure to be punished by Yamarāja.** In the list of the ten kinds of offenses in chanting the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hare Kṛṣṇa, the eighth offense *is dharma-vrata-tyāga-hutādi-sarva-śubha-kriyā-sāmyam api pramādaḥ. *One should never consider the chanting of the holy name of Godhead equal to pious activities like giving charity to *brāhmaṇas *or saintly persons, opening charitable educational institutions, distributing free foodstuffs and so on. The results of pious activities do not equal the results of chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa. The Vedic scriptures say: > go-koṭi-dānaṁ grahaṇe khagasya prayāga-gaṅgodaka-kalpa-vāsaḥ yajñāyutaṁ meru-survarṇa-dānaṁ govinda-kīrter na samaṁ śatāṁśaiḥ **"Even if one distributes ten million cows in charity during an eclipse of the sun, lives at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamunā for millions of years, or gives a mountain of gold in sacrifice to the *brāhmaṇas, *he does not earn one hundredth part of the merit derived from chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa."** In other words, one who accepts the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa to be some kind of pious activity is completely misled. Of course, it is pious; but the real fact is that Kṛṣṇa and His name, being transcendental, are far above all mundane pious activity. Pious activity is on the material platform, but chanting of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa is completely on the spiritual plane. Therefore, although* pāṣaṇḍīs *do not understand this, pious activity can never compare to the chanting of the holy name. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ā*di-līlā* [[cc/adi/3/79|3.79]]* To consider the chanting of the holy name to be an auspicious religious ceremony is an offense: In the list of offenses in the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, it is said, *dharma-vrata-tyāga-hutādi-sarva-śubha-kriyā-sāmyam api pramādaḥ:* to consider the chanting of the holy name of the Lord equal to the execution of some auspicious religious ceremony is an offense. According to the materialistic point of view, observing a religious ceremony invokes an auspicious atmosphere for the material benefit of the entire world. Materialists therefore manufacture religious principles to live comfortably and without disturbance in executing their material activities. Since they do not believe in the existence of God, they have manufactured the idea that God is impersonal and that to have some conception of God one may imagine any form. Thus they respect the many forms of the demigods as different representations or manifestations of the Lord. They are called *bahv-īśvara-vādīs, *or followers of thousands and thousands of gods. They consider the chanting of the names of the demigods an auspicious activity. Great so-called *svāmīs *have written books saying that one may chant any name—Durgā, Kālī, Śiva, Kṛṣṇa, Rāma, and so on—because any name is all right to invoke an auspicious atmosphere in society. Thus they are called *pāṣaṇḍīs*—unbelievers. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/17/212|17.212]]* **While chanting the holy name, one should not desire material advancement:** **[Īśvara Purī to Lord Caitanya]: **"**'Religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation are known as the four goals of life, but before love of Godhead, the fifth and highest goal, these appear as insignificant as straw in the street.'"** While chanting the holy name of the Lord, one should not desire the material advancements represented by economic development, religiosity, sense gratification and ultimately liberation from the material world. As stated by Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the highest perfection in life is to develop one's love for Kṛṣṇa *(premā pumartho mahān śrī-caitanya-mahāprabhor matam idam*). When we compare love of Godhead with religiosity, economic development, sense gratification and liberation, we can understand that these achievements may be desirable objectives for *bubhukṣus, *or those who desire to enjoy this material world, and *mumukṣus, *or those who desire liberation from it, but they are very insignificant in the eyes of a pure devotee who has developed *bhāva, *the preliminary stage of love of Godhead. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/7/84|7.84]]* Effects of Offensive Chanting **The holy name eradicates sins, but if one offends the holy name, he will not be delivered:** In the *Padma Puraṇa *it is stated that even a person whose life is completely sinful will be completely protected by the Lord if he simply surrenders unto Him. So it is accepted that one who surrenders unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead becomes freed from all sinful reactions. And even when a person becomes an offender unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself, he can still be delivered simply by taking shelter of the holy names of the Lord: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. In other words, the chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa is beneficial for eradicating all sins; but if one becomes an offender to the holy names of the Lord, then he has no chance of being delivered. *— The Nectar of Devotion* **An offense at the lotus feet of the holy name is extremely dangerous:** **Once the Lord explained the glories of the holy name to the devotees, but some ordinary students who heard Him fashioned their own interpretation. When a student interpreted the glories of the holy name as a prayer of exaggeration, Śri Caitanya Mahāprabhu, greatly unhappy, immediately warned everyone not to see the student's face henceforward. Without even changing His garments, Lord Caitanya, with His companions, took bath in the Ganges. There He explained the glories of devotional service.** There are many kinds of offenses, but the offense known as *nāmāparādha, *an offense at the lotus feet of the holy name, is extremely dangerous. The Lord therefore warned everyone not to see the face of the offender. He immediately took a bath in the Ganges with all His clothes to teach everyone to avoid such a *nāmāparādha. *The holy name is identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/17/72|17.72-74]]* **Without chanting offenselessly, one cannot properly advance in Kṛ**ṣ**ṇa consciousness:** One should know for certain that without chanting the holy name of the Lord offenselessly, one cannot be a proper candidate for advancement in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. *— The Nectar of Instruction Text 5* **If one commits offenses against the holy name, he will not achieve attachment for chanting:** **[Lord Caitanya to Svarūpa Dāmodara and Rāmānanda Rāya]: "...My dear Lord, although You bestow such mercy upon the fallen conditioned souls by liberally teaching Your holy names, I am so unfortunate that I commit offenses while chanting the holy name, and therefore I do not achieve attachment for chanting."** *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Antya-līlā* [[cc/antya/20/16|20.16]]* **If one chants the holy name offensively, one does not achieve love for the Supreme Lord:** **If one chants the exalted holy name of the Lord again and again and yet his love for the Supreme Lord does not develop and tears do not appear in his eyes, it is evident that because of his offenses in chanting, the seed of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa does not sprout.** *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta* Ādi-līlā *[[cc/adi/8/29-30|8.29-30]]* **If one chants with offenses, even many lifetimes of chanting will not bring him love of Godhead:** **If one is infested with the ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, despite his endeavor to chant the holy name for many births, he will not get the love of Godhead which is the ultimate goal of this chanting.** Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says in this connection that unless one accepts Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, although one goes on chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *for many, many years, there is no possibility of his attaining the platform of devotional service. One must follow strictly the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu given in the *Śikṣāṣṭaka:* > tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc Ādi [[cc/adi/17/31|17.31]]] **"One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly." *(Śikṣāṣṭaka *3)** One who follows this direction, being freed from the ten kinds of offenses, becomes successful in Kṛṣṇa consciousness and ultimately reaches the platform of loving service to the Personality of Godhead. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi *[[cc/adi/8/16|8.16]]* **If one chants without trying to give up offenses, the real creeper of bhakti will be stunted by the unwanted creepers of sense gratification, etc.:** **[Lord Caitanya to Rūpa Gosvāmī]: "When a person receives the seed of devotional service, he should take care of it by becoming a gardener and sowing the seed in his heart. If he waters the seed gradually by the process of śravaṇa and kīrtana [hearing and chanting], the seed will begin to sprout...The gardener must defend the creeper by fencing it all around so that the powerful elephant of offenses may not enter. Sometimes unwanted creepers, such as the creepers of desires for material enjoyment and liberation from the material world, grow along with the creeper of devotional service. The varieties of such unwanted creepers are unlimited. Some unnecessary creepers growing with the bhakti creeper are the creepers of behavior unacceptable for those trying to attain perfection, diplomatic behavior, animal killing, mundane profiteering, mundane adoration and mundane importance. All these are unwanted creepers. If one does not distinguish between the bhakti-latā creeper and the other creepers, the sprinkling of water is misused because the other creepers are nourished while the bhakti-latā creeper is curtailed."** If one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *while committing offenses, these unwanted creepers will grow. One should not take advantage of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *for some material profit. As mentioned in verse 159: > 'niṣiddhācāra', 'kutīnāṭī', jīva-hīṁsana' 'lābha', 'pūjā', 'pratiṣṭhādi' yata upaśākhā-gaṇa The unwanted creepers have been described by Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. He states that if one hears and chants without trying to give up offenses, one becomes materially attached to sense gratification. One may also desire freedom from material bondage like the Māyāvādīs, or one may become attached to the *yoga-siddhis *and desire wonderful yogic powers. If one is attached to wonderful material activities, one is called *siddhi-lobhī, *greedy for material perfection. One may also be victimized by diplomatic or crooked behavior, or one may associate with women for illicit sex. Others may make a show of devotional service like the *prākṛta-sahajiyās, *or one may try to support his philosophy by joining some caste or identifying himself with a certain dynasty, claiming a monopoly on spiritual advancement. Thus with the support of family tradition, one may become a pseudo guru or so-called spiritual master. One may become attached to the four sinful activities—illicit sex, intoxication, gambling and meat-eating, or one may consider a Vaiṣṇava to belong to a mundane caste or creed. One may think, "This is a Hindu Vaiṣṇava, and this is a European Vaiṣṇava. A European Vaiṣṇava is not allowed to enter the temples." In other words, one may consider Vaiṣṇavas in terms of birth, thinking one a *brāhmaṇa *Vaiṣṇava, a *śūdra *Vaiṣṇava, a *mleccha *Vaiṣṇava and so on. One may also try to carry out a professional business while chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *or reading *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, *or one may try to increase his monetary strength by illegal means. One may also try to be a cheap Vaiṣṇava by chanting in a secluded place for material adoration, or one may desire mundane reputation by making compromises with nondevotees, compromising one's philosophy or spiritual life, or one may become a supporter of a hereditary caste system. All these are pitfalls of personal sense gratification. Just to cheat some innocent people, one makes a show of advanced spiritual life and becomes known as a *sādhu, mahātmā *or religious person. All this means that the so-called devotee has become victimized by all these unwanted creepers and that the real creeper of *bhakti-latā-bīja *has been stunted. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/19/152|19.152]], [[cc/madhya/19/157|157-60]]* **If one chants the holy name without proper understanding, just to make a show, he will never attain perfection in chanting:** **[Lord Caitanya to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī]: "I firmly believe in these words of My spiritual master, and therefore I always chant the holy name of the Lord, alone and in the association of devotees. That holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa sometimes causes Me to chant and dance, and therefore I chant and dance. Please do not think that I intentionally do it. I** **do it automatically."** It is to be understood that when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted and danced, He did so by the influence of the pleasure potency of the spiritual world. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu never considered the holy name of the Lord to be a material vibration, nor does any pure devotee mistake the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra* to be a material musical manifestation. Lord Caitanya never tried to be the master of the holy name; rather He taught us how to be servants of the holy name. If one chants the holy name of the Lord just to make a show, not knowing the secret of success, he may increase his bile secretion, but he will never attain perfection in chanting the holy name. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ā*di-līlā* [[cc/adi/7/95-96|7.95-96]]* **One should avoid those who offend the chanting of the holy name:** One should avoid...those who offend the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra.* *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/22/131|22.131]]* Other Instructions Concerning Offensive Chanting **Due to not being freed from material contamination, a non-Vaiṣṇava brāhmaṇa cannot chant the holy name offenselessly:** **[Lord Caitanya to Amogha]: "...When a person's heart is cleansed of all contamination, he is able to chant the mahā-mantra, Hare Kṛṣṇa. Therefore, Amogha, get up and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra! If you do so, Kṛṣṇa will unfailingly bestow mercy upon you."** Whoever understands Brahman is called a *brāhmaṇa, *and when a *brāhmaṇa *engages in the Lord's devotional service, he is called a Vaiṣṇava. Unless one comes to understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his realization of impersonal Brahman is imperfect. A *brāhmaṇa *can chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *on the platform of *nāmābhāsa, *but not on the platform of pure vibration. When a *brāhmaṇa *engages in the Lord's service, fully understanding his eternal relationship, his devotional service is called *abhidheya. *When one attains that stage, he is called a *bhāgavata *or a Vaiṣṇava. This indicates that he is free from contamination and material attachment....A *brāhmaṇa *may be a very learned scholar, but this does not mean that he is free from material contamination. A *brāhmaṇa's *contamination, however, is in the mode of goodness. In the material world, the three modes are goodness, passion and ignorance, and all of these are simply different gradations of contamination. Unless a *brāhmaṇa *transcends such contamination and approaches the platform of unalloyed devotional service, he cannot be accepted as a Vaiṣṇava. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā* [[cc/madhya/15/276|15.276-77]]* ### 3. Offenseless Chanting of the Holy Name General Instructions **One should avoid offenses against the holy name:** **[Lord Caitanya to Sanātana Gosvāmī]: "...One should avoid offenses against devotional service and the holy name."** The eleventh item is to avoid offenses when rendering devotional service and chanting the holy names. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/22/117|22.117]]* Mechanical chanting is not as powerful as offenseless chanting: Mechanical chanting is not as powerful as chanting of the holy name without offenses. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ā*di-līlā* [[cc/adi/10/43|10.43]]* **The offenseless chanter of the holy name is as auspicious as the Lord and can purify the world:** The offenseless chanter of the holy name of the Lord is as auspicious as the Lord Himself, and the movement of pure devotees of the Lord all over the world can at once change the troublesome face of the world. Only by the propagation of the chanting of the holy name of the Lord can we be immune from all effects of the Age of Kali. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 1.16.32-33* How to Develop Offenseless Chanting **Repeated chanting brings one to the stage of offenseless chanting:** The chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *is* *recommended even for persons who commit offenses, because if they continue chanting they will gradually chant offenselessly. By chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *without offenses, one increases his love for Kṛṣṇa.... Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura quotes this verse from the *Padma Purāṇa:* > *nāmāparādha*-*yuktānāṁ* nāmāny eva haranty agham aviśrānti-prayuktāni tāny evārtha-karāṇi ca Even if in the beginning one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *with offenses, one will become free from such offenses by chanting again and again. *Pāpa-kṣayaś ca bhavati smaratāṁ tam ahar-niśam: *one becomes free from all sinful reactions if one chants day and night, following the recommendation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/6/3/24|6.3.24]]* **To become free from offenses to the holy name, one must continue to chant constantly and also humbly offer prayers in glorification of the holy name:** While chanting the holy name of the Lord, one should be careful to avoid ten offenses.... There is no way to atone for any of these offenses. It is therefore recommended that an offender at the feet of the holy name continue to chant the holy name twenty-four hours a day. Constant chanting of the holy name will make one free of offenses, and then he will gradually be elevated to the transcendental platform on which he can chant the pure holy name and thus become a lover of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is recommended that even if one commits offenses, one should continue chanting the holy name. In other words, the chanting of the holy name makes one offenseless. In the book *Nāma-kaumudī *it is recommended that if one is an offender at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava, he should submit to that Vaiṣṇava and be excused; similarly, if one is an offender in chanting the holy name, he should submit to the holy name and thus be freed from his offenses.... One should be very humble and meek to offer one's desires and chant prayers composed in glorification of the holy name, such as *ayi mukta-kulair upāsyamānam *and *nivṛtta-tarṣair upagīyamānād* [SB [[sb/10/1/4|10.1.4]]]*. *One should chant such prayers to become free from offenses at the lotus feet of the holy name. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* 7.5.23-24* **By developing one's service attitude toward the Lord, one can come to chant without offense:** Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended that everyone chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *just to cleanse the dust from the heart. If the dust of the heart is cleansed away, then one can actually understand the importance of the holy name. For persons who are not inclined to clean the dust from their heart and want to keep things as they are, it is not possible to derive the transcendental result of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra*. One should, therefore, be encouraged to develop his service attitude toward the Lord, because this will help him to chant without any offense. And so, under the guidance of a spiritual master, the disciple is trained simultaneously to render service and at the same time to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra*. As soon as one develops his spontaneous service attitude, he can immediately understand the transcendental nature of the holy names of the *mahā-mantra*. *— The Nectar of Devotion* **One can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa offenselessly by developing genuine humility:** Devahūti shows us the process for understanding transcendental subject matters. It is not by challenge but by submission. The entire *bhakti *process is a process of submission. That is also Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching: > *tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ * [Cc Ādi [[cc/adi/17/31|17.31]]] If one is interested in advancing in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu advises that one be humbler than the grass and more tolerant than the trees. One should not be very proud of his intelligence but should give all respect to others. In this way, one can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa offenselessly. *— Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūti* **When one realizes that the holy name and the Lord are identical, he can chant offenselessly:** When one realizes that the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Supreme Person, he becomes completely eligible to chant the holy name of the Lord. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/7/73|7.73]]* **The holy name cannot be chanted offenselessly by one who is not pure:** It is said in the *Padma Purāṇa: *"There is no difference between the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself. As such, the holy name is as perfect as the Lord Himself in fullness, purity and eternity. The holy name is no material sound vibration, nor has it any material contamination." The holy name cannot, therefore, be chanted offenselessly by one who has failed to purify his senses. In other words, materialistic senses cannot properly chant the holy names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra. *But, by adopting this chanting process, one is given a chance to actually purify himself so that he may very soon chant offenselessly. Caitanya Mahāprabhu has recommended that everyone chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *just to cleanse the dust from the heart. If the dust of the heart is cleansed away, then one can actually understand the importance of the holy name. For persons who are not inclined to clean the dust from their heart and want to keep things as they are, it is not possible to derive the transcendental result of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra.* *— The Nectar of Devotion* Effects of Offenseless Chanting **By chanting offenselessly, one comes to realize that the Lord and His name are nondifferent** Offenseless chanting leads to realization of oneness of the holy name and the Lord Himself: The chanting of the holy names of Kṛṣṇa is so sublime that if one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *offenselessly, carefully avoiding the ten offenses, he can certainly be gradually elevated to the point of understanding that there is no difference between the holy name of the Lord and the Lord Himself. *— The Nectar of Instruction Text 5* One must come to the understanding that the holy name of the Lord and the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself are identical. One cannot reach this conclusion unless one is offenseless in chanting the holy name. By our material calculation we see a difference between the name and the substance, but in the spiritual world the Absolute is always absolute; the name, form, quality and pastimes of the Absolute are all as good as the Absolute Himself. As such, one is understood to be an eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead if he considers himself an eternal servant of the holy name and in this spirit distributes the holy name to the world. One who chants in that spirit, without offenses, is certainly elevated to the platform of understanding that the holy name and the Personality of Godhead are identical. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ā*di-līlā* [[cc/adi/8/16|8.16]]* **To realize that Kṛṣṇa and His name are nondifferent, one has to chant the holy name offenselessly:** Unless one is advanced in *kṛṣṇa-prema, *love of Kṛṣṇa, he cannot see or understand. By the blunt material senses, we cannot even understand the name of Kṛṣṇa. People are always asking, "Why are these people chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa?" They cannot understand, although Kṛṣṇa realization begins with the name. The name of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa are nondifferent, but we cannot realize this intellectually. We have to practice chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa to realize it. When we actually advance in devotional service and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *offenselessly, we will realize that Kṛṣṇa and His name are nondifferent. *— Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūti* Other effects of offenseless chanting **The meaning and effect of offenseless chanting:** **[Sūta Gosvāmī to the sages at Naimiṣāraṇya]: And what to speak of those who are under the direction of the great devotees, chanting the holy name of the Unlimited, who has unlimited potency? The Personality of Godhead, unlimited in potency and transcendental by attributes, is called the ananta [Unlimited].** One who chants the holy name of the Lord under the direction of a pure devotee can at once get free from the disadvantages due to a lower-caste birth. A pure devotee of the Lord does not commit any offense while chanting the holy name of the Lord. There are ten different offenses in the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. To chant the holy name under the direction of a pure devotee is offenseless chanting. Offenseless chanting of the holy name of the Lord is transcendental, and, therefore, such chanting can at once purify one from the effects of all kinds of previous sins. This offenseless chanting indicates that one has fully understood the transcendental nature of the holy name and has thus surrendered unto the Lord. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/1/18/19|1.18.19]]* **Offenseless chanting awakens one's original dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness and is the beginning of sādhana-bhakti:** The process of devotional service—beginning with chanting and hearing—is called *sādhana-bhakti. *This includes the regulative principles that are intended to awaken one to devotional service. Devotional service is always dormant in everyone's heart, and by the offenseless chanting of the holy names of the Lord, one's original dormant Kṛṣṇa consciousness is awakened. This awakening to Kṛṣṇa consciousness is the beginning of *sādhana-bhakti. *This can be divided into many different parts, including faith, association with devotees, initiation by the spiritual master, engagement in devotional service under the instructions of a spiritual master, steadiness in devotional service and the awakening of a taste for devotional service. In this way, one can become attached to Kṛṣṇa and His service, and when this attachment is intensified, it results in ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā* [[cc/madhya/19/177|19.177]]* **By chanting offenselessly, one gets immediate shelter at Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet:** **Śri Caitanya Mahāprabhu further advised Subuddhi Rāya: "Begin chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, and when your chanting is almost pure, all your sinful reactions will go away. After you chant perfectly, you will get shelter at the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa."** The ten kinds of offenses should be considered. In the beginning, when one is initiated into the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra, *there are naturally many offenses. However, the devotee should be very careful to avoid these offenses and chant purely. This does not mean that the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *is* *sometimes pure and sometimes impure. Rather, the chanter is impure due to material contamination. He has to purify himself so that the holy names will be perfectly effective. Chanting the holy name of the Lord inoffensively will help one get immediate shelter at Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. This means that by chanting purely, one will immediately be situated on the transcendental platform. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā* [[cc/madhya/25/199|25.199]]* **One can come to the bhāva stage only by offenseless chanting of the holy name:** **[Śaunaka Ṛṣi to Sūta Gosvāmī]: Certainly that heart is steel-framed which, in spite of one's chanting the holy name of the Lord with concentration, does not change when ecstasy takes place, tears fill the eyes and the hairs stand on end.** The whole process of spiritual culture is aimed at changing the heart of the living being in the matter of his eternal relation with the Supreme Lord as subordinate servant, which is his eternal constitutional position. So with the progress of devotional service, the reaction of change in the heart is exhibited by gradual detachment from the sense of material enjoyment by a false sense of lording it over the world and an increase in the attitude of rendering loving service to the Lord.... It is expected by all means that by discharging regulated devotional service one must manifest the change of heart. If there is no such change, the heart must be considered steel-framed, for it is not melted even when there is chanting of the holy name of the Lord. We must always remember that hearing and chanting are the basic principles of discharging devotional duties, and if they are properly performed there will follow the reactional ecstasy with signs of tears in the eyes and standing of the hairs on the body. These are natural consequences and are the preliminary symptoms of the *bhāva *stage, which occurs before one reaches the perfectional stage of *prema, *love of Godhead. If the reaction does not take place, even after continuous hearing and chanting of the holy name of the Lord, it may be considered to be due to offenses only. That is the opinion of the *Sandarbha. *In the beginning of chanting of the holy name of the Lord, if the devotee has not been very careful about avoiding the ten kinds of offenses at the feet of the holy name, certainly the reaction of feelings of separation will not be visible by tears in the eyes and standing of the hair on end. The *bhāva *stage is manifested by eight transcendental symptoms, namely inertness, perspiration, standing of hairs on end, failing in the voice, trembling, paleness of the body, tears in the eyes and finally trance.... real, steady *bhāva *is definitely displayed in the matter of cessation of material desires *(kṣānti*),* *utilization of every moment in the transcendental loving service of the Lord *(avyartha-kālatvam* [Cc *Madhya *[[cc/madhya/23/18 19 1974|23.18-19]]]),* *eagerness for glorifying the Lord constantly *(nāma-gāne sadā ruci* [*Cc Madhya *[[cc/madhya/23/32|23.32]]]),* *attraction for living in the land of the Lord *(prītis tad-vasati-sthale*),* *complete detachment from material happiness *(virakti), *and pridelessness *(māna-śūnyatā). *One who has developed all these transcendental qualities is really possessed of the *bhāva *stage, as distinguished from the stonehearted imitator or mundane devotee. The whole process can be summarized as follows: The advanced devotee who chants the holy name of the Lord in a perfectly offenseless manner and is friendly to everyone can actually relish the transcendental taste of glorifying the Lord. And the result of such realization is reflected in the cessation of all material desires, etc., as mentioned above. The neophytes, due to their being in the lower stage of devotional service, are invariably envious, so much so that they invent their own ways and means of devotional regulations without following the *ācāryas. *As such, even if they make a show of constantly chanting the holy name of the Lord, they cannot relish the transcendental taste of the holy name. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* [[sb/2/3/24|2.3.24]]* **One who chants offenselessly develops symptoms of ecstasy and becomes eligible to enter the kingdom of God:** [Lord Brahmā to the demigods]: Persons whose bodily features change in ecstasy and who breathe heavily and perspire due to hearing the glories of the Lord are promoted to the kingdom of God, even though they do not care for meditation and other austerities.... When one is free from all ten offenses in chanting the holy name of God, he develops the ecstatic bodily features called *pulakāśru. Pulaka *means "symptoms of happiness," and *aśru *means "tears in the eyes." The symptoms of happiness and tears in the eyes must appear in a person who has chanted the holy name offenselessly. Here in this verse it is stated that those who have actually developed the symptoms of happiness and tears in the eyes by chanting the glories of the Lord are eligible to enter the kingdom of God. *— *Śrīm*ad-Bhāgavatam [[sb/3/15/25|3.15.25]]* **By offenseless chanting, one attains God realization, develops mystic powers and, ultimately, becomes a confidential devotee of the Lord:** **[Nārada Muni to Śrīla Vyāsadeva]: Thus he is the actual seer who worships, in the form of transcendental sound representation, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu, who has no material form. brāhmaṇa, thus by the Supreme Lord Kṛṣṇa I was endowed first with the transcendental knowledge of the Lord as inculcated in the confidential parts of the Vedas, then with the spiritual opulences, and then with His intimate loving service.** Communion with the Lord by transmission of the transcendental sound is nondifferent from the whole spirit Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. It is a completely perfect method for approaching the Lord. By such pure contact with the Lord, without offense of material conceptions (numbering ten), the devotee can rise above the material plane to understand the inner meaning of the Vedic literatures, including the Lord's existence in the transcendental realm. The Lord reveals His identity gradually to one who has unflinching faith, both in the spiritual master and in the Lord. After this, the devotee is endowed with mystic opulences, which are eight in number. And above all, the devotee is accepted in the confidential entourage of the Lord and is entrusted with specific service of the Lord through the agency of the spiritual master. A pure devotee is more interested in serving the Lord than in showing an exhibition of the mystic powers dormant in him. Śrī Nārada has explained all these from his personal experience, and one can obtain all the facilities which Śrī Nārada obtained by perfecting the chanting process of the sound representation of the Lord. *— *Śrīm*ad-Bhāgavatam [[sb/1/5/38|1.5.38-39]]* **One who sincerely chants the holy name without offense is better than a brāhmaṇa:** **Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu then glanced with mercy at the Muhammadan governor. Giving him assurance, He asked him to chant the holy names Kṛṣṇa and Hari.** It is Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's mercy that He advises everyone—even *caṇḍālas, mlecchas *and *yavanas*—to chant the holy name of the Lord.... Whoever follows Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's instructions will certainly be purified, and one who sincerely chants the holy name offenselessly is already more than a *brāhmaṇa.* *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/16/187|16.187]]* **When one chants the holy name offenselessly, he can make disciples all over the world:** When one is completely fit to chant the holy name [offenselessly], he is eligible to make disciples all over the world, and he actually becomes *jagad-guru. *Then the entire world, under his influence, begins to chant the holy names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra. *Thus all the disciples of such a spiritual master increase in attachment for Kṛṣṇa, and therefore he sometimes cries, sometimes laughs, sometimes dances and sometimes chants. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/7/83|7.83]]* Even Unintentional Chanting Can be Offenseless If Not Performed to Counteract Sinful Activities **Even unintentional chanting can be offenseless if not performed to counteract sinful activities:** **[The Viṣṇudūtas to the Yamadūtas]: Ajāmila has already atoned for all his sinful actions. Indeed, he has atoned not only for sins performed in one life but for those performed in millions of lives, for in a helpless condition he chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa. Even though he did not chant purely, he chanted without offense, and therefore he is now pure and eligible for liberation. The Viṣṇudūtas continued: Even previously, while eating and at other times, this Ajāmila would call his son, saying, "My dear Nārāyaṇa, please come here." Although calling the name of his son, he nevertheless uttered the four syllables nā-rā-ya-ṇa. Simply by chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa in this way, he sufficiently atoned for the sinful reactions of millions of lives.** Previously, when engaged in sinful activities to maintain his family, Ajāmila chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa without offenses. To chant the holy name of the Lord just to counteract one's sinful activities, or to commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the holy name, is offensive *(nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ). *But although Ajāmila engaged in sinful activities, he never chanted the holy name of Nārāyaṇa to counteract them; he simply chanted the name Nārāyaṇa to call his son. Therefore his chanting was effective. Because of chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa in this way, he had already vanquished the accumulated sinful reactions of many, many lives. In the beginning he was pure, but although he later committed many sinful acts, he was offenseless because he did not chant the holy name of Nārāyaṇa to counteract them. One who always chants the holy name of the Lord without offenses is always pure. As confirmed in this verse Ajāmila was already sinless, and because he chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa he remained sinless. It did not matter that he was calling his son; the name itself was effective. *— *Śrīm*ad-Bhāgavatam [[sb/6/2/7|6.2.7-8]]* **Even though he was sinful, Ajāmila's casual chanting was inoffensive because it was not performed to counteract his sinful activities:** Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura's commentary to texts nine and ten of this chapter form a dialogue concerning how one can become free from all sinful reactions simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord.... Ajāmila had named his son Nārāyaṇa, and because he loved the boy very much, he would call him again and again. Although he was calling for his son, the name itself was powerful because the name Nārāyaṇa is not different from the Supreme Lord Nārāyaṇa. When Ajāmila named his son Nārāyaṇa, all the reactions of his sinful life were neutralized, and as he continued calling his son and thus chanting the holy name of Nārāyaṇa thousands of times, he was actually unconsciously advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One may argue, "Since he was constantly chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa, how was it possible for him to be associating with a prostitute and thinking of wine?" By his sinful actions he was bringing suffering upon himself again and again, and therefore one may say that his ultimate chanting of Nārāyaṇa was the cause of his being freed. However, his chanting would then have been a *nāma-aparādha. Nāmno balād yasya hi pāpa-buddhiḥ: *one who continues to act sinfully and tries to neutralize his sins by chanting the holy name of the Lord is a *nāma-aparādhī, *an offender to the holy name. In response it may be said that Ajāmila's chanting was inoffensive because he did not chant the name of Nārāyaṇa with the purpose of counteracting his sins. He did not know that he was addicted to sinful actions, nor did he know that his chanting of the name of Nārāyaṇa was neutralizing them. Thus he did not commit a *nāma-aparādha, *and his repeated chanting of the holy name of Nārāyaṇa while calling his son may be called pure chanting. Because of this pure chanting, Ajāmila unconsciously accumulated the results of *bhakti. *Indeed, even his first utterance of the holy name was sufficient to nullify all the sinful reactions of his life. To cite a logical example, a fig tree does not immediately yield fruits, but in time the fruits are available. Similarly, Ajāmila's devotional service grew little by little, and therefore although he committed very sinful acts, the reactions did not affect him. In the *śāstras *it is said that if one chants the holy name of the Lord even once, the reactions of past, present or future sinful life do not affect him. To give another example, if one extracts the poison fangs of a serpent, this saves the serpent's future victims from poisonous effects, even if the serpent bites repeatedly. Similarly, if a devotee chants the holy name even once inoffensively, this protects him eternally. He need only wait for the results of the chanting to mature in due course of time. *— *Śrīm*ad-Bhāgavatam 6.2 "Supplementary note"* ### 4. One Must Receive the Holy Name from Proper Spiritual Authorities **The holy name must be received from spiritual sources:** **One has to learn about the beauty and transcendental position of the holy name of the Lord by hearing the revealed scriptures from the mouths of devotees. Nowhere else can we hear of the sweetness of the Lord's holy name.** It is said in the *Padma Purāṇa, ataḥ śrī-kṛṣṇa-nāmādi na bhaved grāhyam indriyaiḥ* [*Cc Madhya* [[cc/madhya/17/136|17.136]]]*. *Chanting and hearing of the transcendental holy name of the Lord cannot be performed by the ordinary senses. The transcendental vibration of the Lord's holy name is completely spiritual. Thus it must be received from spiritual sources and must be chanted after having been heard from a spiritual master. One who hears the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra* must receive it from the spiritual master by aural reception. Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī has forbidden us to hear the holy name of Kṛṣṇa chanted by non-Vaiṣṇavas, such as professional actors and singers, for it will have no effect. It is like milk touched by the lips of a serpent, as stated in the *Padma Purāṇa:* > avaiṣṇava-mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyaṁ sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ As far as possible, therefore, the devotees in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement gather to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa in public so that both the chanters and the listeners may benefit. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Antya-līlā* [[cc/antya/1/101|1.101]]* **One should receive the holy name from spiritual authorities:** **[Śukadeva Gosvāmī to King Parīkṣit]: King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge.** Here it is mentioned that one should constantly chant the holy name of the Lord after hearing it from authorities. This means that hearing from the authorities is the first essential. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/2/1/11|2.1.11]]* **The transcendental sound must be received through a representative of the disciplic succession:** Communion with the Lord by transmission of the transcendental sound is nondifferent from the whole spirit Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. It is a completely perfect method for approaching the Lord.... There is no bar for chanting this transcendental sound by anyone, provided it is received through Nārada's representative, coming down by the chain of disciplic succession, or the *paramparā *system. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/1/5/39|1.5.39]]* **If not received through the chain of disciplic succession, the holy name does not act:** One may receive a published *mantra* anywhere, but unless it is accepted through the chain of disciplic succession, the *mantra* does not act. It is said by authoritative sources that any *mantra* chanted without having been received from the disciplic succession has no efficacy. *— *Śrīm*ad-Bhāgavatam 4.8.53* **The disciple receives the authority to chant the holy name from the spiritual master:** **[Lord Caitanya to Prakāśānanda Sarasvatī]: "'My dear child, continue dancing, chanting and performing saṅkīrtana in association with devotees. Furthermore, go out and preach the value of chanting kṛṣṇa-nāma, for by this process You will be able to deliver all fallen souls.' Saying this, My spiritual master taught Me one verse from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. It is the essence of all the Bhāgavatam's instructions; therefore he instructed Me this verse again and again. '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 agītāted and loudly chants the holy name. He also laughs, cries, becomes agītāted and chants just like a madman, not caring for outsiders.' I firmly believe in these words of My spiritual master, and therefore I always chant the holy name of the Lord, alone and in the association of devotees. That holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa sometimes causes Me to chant and dance, and therefore I chant and dance. Please do not think that I intentionally do it. I do it automatically."** **A person who cannot keep his faith in the words of his spiritual master but acts independently never receives the authority to chant the holy name of the Lord. It is said in the *Vedas:*** > yasya deve parā bhaktir yathā deve tathā gurau tasyaite kathitā hy arthāḥ prakāśante mahātmanaḥ [ŚU 6.23] **"Only unto those great souls who have implicit faith in both the Lord and the spiritual master are all the imports of Vedic knowledge automatically revealed."** This Vedic injunction is very important, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu supported it by His personal behavior. Believing in the words of His spiritual master, He introduced the *saṅkīrtana *movement, just as the present Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement was started with belief in the words of our spiritual master. He wanted to preach, we believed in his words and tried somehow or other to fulfill them, and now this movement has become successful all over the world. Therefore faith in the words of the spiritual master and in the Supreme Personality of Godhead is the secret of success. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu never disobeyed the orders of His spiritual master and stopped propagating the *saṅkīrtana *movement.... It is to be understood that when Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu chanted and danced, He did so by the influence of the pleasure potency of the spiritual world. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu never considered the holy name of the Lord to be a material vibration, nor does any pure devotee mistake the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *to be a material musical manifestation. Lord Caitanya never tried to be the master of the holy name; rather He taught us how to be servants of the holy name. If one chants the holy name of the Lord just to make a show, not knowing the secret of success, he may increase his bile secretion, but he will never attain perfection in chanting the holy name. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu presented himself in this way: "I am a great fool and do not have knowledge of right and wrong. In order to understand the real meaning of *Vedānta*-*sūtra, *I never followed the explanation of the Śaṅkara-sampradāya or Māyāvādī *sannyāsīs. *I'm very much afraid of the illogical arguments of the Māyāvādī philosophers. Therefore I think I have no authority regarding their explanations of *Vedānta*-*sūtra. *I firmly believe that simply chanting the holy name of the Lord can remove all misconceptions of the material world. I believe that simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord one can attain the shelter of the lotus feet of the Lord. In this age of quarrel and disagreement, the chanting of the holy names is the only way to liberation from the material clutches. "By chanting the holy name," Lord Caitanya continued, "I become almost mad. However, after inquiring from My spiritual master I have come to the conclusion that instead of striving for achievement in the four principles of religiosity (*dharma*)*, *economic development (*artha*)*, *sense gratification (*kāma*)* *and liberation (*mokṣa*)*, *it is better if somehow or other one develops transcendental love of Godhead. That is the greatest success in life. One who has attained love of Godhead chants and dances by his nature, not caring for the public." This stage of life is known as *bhāgavata-jīvana, *or the life of a devotee." Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, "I never chanted and danced to make an artificial show. I dance and chant because I firmly believe in the words of My spiritual master. Although the Māyāvādī philosophers do not like this chanting and dancing, I nevertheless perform it on the strength of his words. Therefore it is to be concluded that I deserve very little credit for these activities of chanting and dancing, for they are being done automatically by the grace of the Supreme Personality of Godhead." *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā *[[cc/adi/7/92|7.92-96]]* **The holy name should be received from, and chanted under the direction of, the bona fide spiritual master:** [The transcendental sound representation] should be received from the transparent agency of the bona fide spiritual master, and the chanting may be practiced by the direction of the spiritual master. That will gradually lead us nearer to the Lord. This method of worship is recommended in the *pāñcarātrika *system, which is both recognized and authorized. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* [[sb/1/5/38|1.5.38]]* **One can understand the glories of the holy name by the mercy of the spiritual master:** The holy name and the Lord are identical. One who is completely free from the clutches of *māyā *can understand this fact. This knowledge, which is achieved by the mercy of the spiritual master, places one on the supreme transcendental platform. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu presented Himself as a fool because prior to accepting the shelter of a spiritual master He could not understand that simply by chanting one can be relieved from all material conditions. But as soon as He became a faithful servant of His spiritual master and followed his instructions, He very easily saw the path of liberation. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/7/73|7.73]]* **The spiritual master delivers the disciple from māyā by initiating him into the chanting of the holy name:** It is the spiritual master who delivers the disciple from the clutches of *māyā *by initiating him into the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra. *In this way a sleeping human being can revive his consciousness by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. In other words, the spiritual master awakens the sleeping living entity to his original consciousness so that he can worship Lord Viṣṇu. This is the purpose of *dīkṣā, *or initiation. Initiation means receiving the pure knowledge of spiritual consciousness. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā* [[cc/madhya/9/61|9.61]]* **One must receive the mahā-mantra from a guru, who makes it more powerful:** **[Lord Śiva to the sons of King Prācīnabarhi]: Now I shall chant one mantra which is not only transcendental, pure and auspicious, but is the best prayer for anyone who is aspiring to attain the ultimate goal of life. When I chant this mantra, please hear it carefully and attentively.** Lord Śiva voluntarily came to bless the sons of the king as well as do something beneficial for them. He personally chanted the *mantra *so that the *mantra *would be more powerful, and he advised that the *mantra *be chanted by the king's sons (*rāja-putras*). When a *mantra* is chanted by a great devotee, the *mantra *becomes more powerful. Although the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra* is powerful in itself, a disciple upon initiation receives the *mantra *from his spiritual master, for when the *mantra* is chanted by the spiritual master, it becomes more powerful. Lord Śiva advised the sons of the king to hear him attentively, for inattentive hearing is offensive. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/4/24/31|4.24.31-32]]* **Being preserved and transmitted through disciplic succession, the holy names of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Lord Caitanya have as much potency now as during the physical appearance of Lord Caitanya:** **Although Śri Caitanya Mahāprabhu did not manifest His natural ecstatic love, everyone became a pure devotee simply by seeing and hearing Him.** Śrila Rūpa Gosvāmī has described Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu as *mahā*-*vadānya*-*avatāra, *the most munificent incarnation. Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is not physically present now, simply by chanting His holy name (*śrī*-*kṛṣṇa*-*caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi*-*gaura*-*bhakta*-*vṛnda*) people throughout the world are becoming devotees. This is due to the ecstatic chanting of the holy name of the Lord. It is said that a pure devotee can see the Lord every moment, and because of this he is empowered by the Lord. This is confirmed in *Brahma*-*saṁhitā: premāñjana*-*cchurita-bhakti*-*vilocanena santaḥ sadaiva hṛdayeṣu vilokayanti* [Bs 5.38]*. *Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu appeared five hundred years ago, but it cannot be said that now the potency of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra* is less powerful than it was in His presence. By hearing Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu through the *paramparā *system, one can be purified. Therefore in this verse it is said: *tathāpi tāṅra darśana*-*śravaṇa*-*prabhāve. *It is not that everyone is able to see Kṛṣṇa or Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu physically, but if one hears about Him through books like *Śrī Caitanya*-*caritāmṛta *and through the *paramparā *system of pure Vaiṣṇavas, there is no difficulty in becoming a pure Vaiṣṇava, free from mundane desires and personal motivations. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/17/51|17.51]]* ### 5. The Chanting of a Pure Devotee Is Especially Effective **The chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra should be heard from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord:** When the *mantra* is chanted by a pure devotee of the Lord in love, it has the greatest efficacy on hearers, and as such this chanting should be heard from the lips of a pure devotee of the Lord, so that immediate effects can be achieved. *— The Science of Self-Realization* **Chanting of the holy names by pure devotees is very attractive and effective:** **[King Pratāparudra to Gopīnātha Ācārya and Sārvabhauma Bhaṭṭācārya]: The king said, "Upon seeing all these devotees, I am much astonished, for I have never seen such an effulgence. Indeed, their effulgence is like the brilliance of a million suns. Nor have I ever heard the Lord's names chanted so melodiously."** Such are the symptoms of pure devotees when they are chanting. All the pure devotees are as bright as sunshine, and their bodily luster is very effulgent. In addition, their performance of *saṅkīrtana* is unparalleled. There are many professional chanters who can perform congregational chanting with various musical instruments in an artistic and musical way, but their chanting cannot be as attractive as the congregational chanting of pure devotees. If a devotee sticks strictly to the principles governing Vaiṣṇava behavior, his bodily luster will naturally be attractive, and his singing and chanting of the holy names of the Lord will be effective. People will appreciate such *kīrtana *without hesitation. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/11/94|11.94-95]]* **Simply by hearing the holy name chanted by a pure devotee, one is purified of all sinful activities and becomes eligible to render devotional service:** **[Haridāsa Ṭhākura to a prostitute]: "Tomorrow I will surely finish, and my vow will be fulfilled. Then it will be possible for me to enjoy with you in full freedom."** Haridāsa Ṭhākura never wanted to enjoy the prostitute, but he tricked her to deliver her by giving her a chance to hear the holy name of the Lord while he chanted. Pure devotees chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra, *and simply by hearing this chanting from a purified transcendental person, one is purified of all sinful activities, no matter how lowborn or fallen one may be. As soon as one is thus completely free from the reactions of sinful activities, he is eligible to render devotional service to the Lord. This is the process for engaging the fallen souls in devotional service. As Lord Kṛṣṇa says in *Bhagavad*-*gītā *([[bg/7/28|7.28]]): > *yesāṁ tv anta*-*gataṁ pāpaṁ janānāṁ puṇya-karmaṇām* te dvandva-*moha*-*nirmuktā* bhajante māṁ dṛḍha-*vratāḥ* **"Persons who have acted piously in previous lives and in this life, whose sinful actions are completely eradicated and who are freed from the duality of delusion, engage themselves in My service with determination."** *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Antya-līlā* [[cc/antya/3/126|3.126]]* **Devotional service begins with hearing the holy name chanted by a pure Vaiṣṇava:** Because living entities are minute, atomic parts and parcels of the Lord, devotional service is already present within them in a dormant condition. Devotional service begins with *śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam* [SB 7.5.23]*, *hearing and chanting. When a man is sleeping, he can be awakened by sound vibration; therefore every conditioned soul should be given the chance to hear the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *chanted by a pure Vaiṣṇava. One who hears the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *thus vibrated is awakened to spiritual consciousness, or Kṛṣṇa consciousness. In this way one's mind gradually becomes purified, as stated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu (*ceto*-*darpaṇa*-*mārjanam* [Cc Antya [[cc/antya/20/12|20.12]]])*. *When the mind is purified, the senses are also purified. Instead of using the senses for sense gratification, the awakened devotee employs the senses in the transcendental loving service of the Lord. This is the process by which dormant love for Kṛṣṇa is awakened. *— *Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/22/105|22.105]]* **The offenseless chanting of a pure devotee can purify hundreds and thousands of other people:** **When someone heard the chanting of the holy name from the mouth of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and someone else heard this chanting from that second person, and someone again heard this chanting from the third person, everyone in all countries became a Vaiṣṇava through such disciplic succession. Thus everyone chanted the holy name of Kṛṣṇa and Hari, and they danced, cried and smiled.** The transcendental power or potency of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra* is herein explained. First, the holy name is vibrated by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. When someone hears from Him directly, he is purified. When another person hears from that person, he also is purified. In this way the purification process is advanced among pure devotees. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and no one can claim His potency. Nonetheless, if one is a pure devotee, hundreds and thousands of men can be purified by his vibration. This potency is within every living being, provided he chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *offenselessly and without material motives. When a pure devotee chants offenselessly, another person will become a Vaiṣṇava, and from him another Vaiṣṇava will emerge. This is the *parampara *system. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā* [[cc/madhya/17/48-49|17.48-49]]* ### 6. One Should Not Hear the Holy Name from a Nondevotee **One must not hear the holy name chanted by non-Vaiṣṇavas:** Śrī1a Sanātana Gosvāmī has forbidden us to hear the holy name of Kṛṣṇa chanted by non-Vaiṣṇavas, such as professional actors and singers, for it will have no effect. It is like milk touched by the lips of a serpent, as stated in the *Padma Purāṇa:* > *avaiṣṇava*-*mukhodgīrṇaṁ pūtaṁ hari-kathāmṛtam* śravaṇaṁ naiva kartavyaṁ sarpocchiṣṭaṁ yathā payaḥ *Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta* *Antya-līlā *[[cc/antya/1/101|1.101]] **One should avoid hearing the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra chanted by a nondevotee:** As far as possible, chanting from the lips of nondevotees should be avoided. Milk touched by the lips of a serpent has poisonous effects. *— The Science of Self-Realization* ### 7. Where and When One Should Chant One can chant anywhere and anytime **The Lord's holy name must be heard, glorified, and remembered always and everywhere:** **[Śukadeva Gosvāmī to King Parīkṣit]: King, it is therefore essential that every human being hear about, glorify and remember the Supreme Lord, the Personality of Godhead, always and everywhere.** All the great *ācāryas, *like Rāmānuja, Madhva, Caitanya, Sarasvatī Ṭhākura or even, in other countries, Muhammad, Christ and others, have all extensively glorified the Lord by chanting always and in every place. Because the Lord is all-pervading, it is essential to glorify Him always and everywhere. In the process of glorifying the Lord there should be no restriction of time and space. This is called *sanātana-dharma *or *bhāgavata*-*dharma. Sanātana *means eternal, always and everywhere. *Bhāgavata *means pertaining to Bhagavān, the Lord. The Lord is the master of all time and all space, and therefore the Lord's holy name must be heard, glorified and remembered everywhere in the world. That will bring about the desired peace and prosperity so eagerly awaited by the people of the world. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/2/2/36|2.2.36]]* **Kṛṣṇa consciousness can be cultivated anywhere and everywhere, without material arrangements, by chanting the mahā-mantra:** It may be questioned herein how the child can be fully Kṛṣṇa conscious within the womb of the mother without any paraphernalia with which to execute Kṛṣṇa consciousness. It is not necessary to arrange for paraphernalia to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viṣṇu ... One does not need any material arrangement to cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness. One can cultivate Kṛṣṇa consciousness anywhere and everywhere, provided he can always think of Kṛṣṇa. The *mahā-mantra, *Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, can be chanted even within the abdomen of one's mother. One can chant while sleeping, while working, while imprisoned in the womb or while outside. This Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot be checked in any circumstance. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/3/31/21|3.31.21]]* **One can chant the holy name anytime and anyplace:** **[Lord Caitanya to Svarūpa Dāmodara and Rāmānanda Rāya]: "Regardless of time or place, one who chants the holy name, even while eating or sleeping, attains all perfection."** *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Antya-līlā *[[cc/antya/20/18|20.18]]* **[Lord Caitanya to Svarūpa Dāmodara and Rāmānanda Rāya]: "...there are no hard and fast rules for remembering [the holy names] ..."** *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Antya-līlā *[[cc/antya/20/16|20.16]]* **One can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa anywhere:** We have only to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare twenty-four hours daily. There is no fast rule and regulation. We can chant in the street or on the subway, in our home or in our office. *— The Path of Perfection* Other Instructions **Nāma-saṅkīrtana can be performed at home, with a small group of friends or with many people in public:** At a public *kīrtana* one person can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, while a group listens, and at the end of the *mantra*, the group can respond, and in this way there is a reciprocation of hearing and chanting. This can easily be performed in one's own home, with a small group of friends or with many people in a large public place. *— The Perfection of Yoga* **Chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra before the Deity is a regulative principle of Deity worship:** In the *Hari*-*bhakti*-*vilāsa *(Eleventh *Vilāsa, *verses 127-40) there is a vivid description of what is required in Deity worship. There are sixty-four items mentioned.... (50) The Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *and approved songs should be sung. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā* [[cc/madhya/24/334|24.334]]* **Upon rising in the early morning one should immediately chant the holy name and thus become auspicious and transcendental:** In the early morning hours (known as *brāhma*-*muhūrta*)* *one should get up and immediately chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra, *or, at least, "Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa." In this way, one should remember Kṛṣṇa. Some *ślokas *or prayers should also be chanted. By chanting, one immediately becomes auspicious and transcendental to the infection of material qualities. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/24/331|24.331]]* **Either in danger or happiness, a devotee constantly chants the mahā-mantra:** **[Maitreya to Vidura]: Dhruva Mahārāja, seeing that these uncommon personalities were direct servants of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, immediately stood up. But, being puzzled, in hastiness he forgot how to receive them in the proper way. Therefore he simply offered obeisances with folded hands and chanted and glorified the holy names of the Lord.** Chanting of the holy names of the Lord is perfect in every way. When Dhruva Mahārāja saw the Viṣṇudutas, the direct associates of Lord Viṣṇu, four-handed and nicely decorated, he could understand who they were, but for the time being he was puzzled. But simply by chanting the holy names of the Lord, the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra, *he could satisfy the uncommon guests who had all of a sudden arrived before him. The chanting of the holy name of the Lord is perfect; even though one does not know how to please Lord Viṣṇu or His associates, simply by sincerely chanting the holy name of the Lord, everything becomes perfect. A devotee, therefore, either in danger or happiness, constantly chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra. *When he is in danger he is immediately relieved, and when he is in a position to see Lord Viṣṇu or His associates directly, by chanting this *mahā-mantra *he can please the Lord. This is the absolute nature of the *mahā-mantra. *Either in danger or in happiness, it can be chanted without limitation. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/4/12/21|4.12.21]]* ### 8. One Must Chant the Holy Name Constantly **The chief object of constant remembrance for all living entitles is the holy name (etc.) of the Lord:** **[Lord Caitanya to Rāmānanda Rāya]: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu asked, "What should all living entities constantly remember?" Rāmānanda Rāya replied, "The chief object of remembrance is always the holy name of the Lord, His qualities and pastimes."** *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/8/252|8.252]]* **Following the Lord's order, a devotee chants His holy name incessantly:** **One day Vallabha Bhaṭṭa said to Advaita Ācārya, "Every living entity is female [prakṛti] and considers Kṛṣṇa her husband [pati]. It is the duty of a chaste wife, devoted to her husband, not to utter her husband's name, but all of you chant the name of Kṛṣṇa. How can this be called a religious principle?" Advaita Ācārya responded, "In front of you is Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the personification of religious principles. You should ask Him, for He will give you the proper answer." Hearing this, Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu said, "My dear Vallabha Bhaṭṭa, you do not know religious principles. Actually, the first duty of a chaste woman is to carry out the order of her husband. The order of Kṛṣṇa is to chant His name incessantly. Therefore one who is chaste and adherent to the husband Kṛṣṇa must chant the Lord's name, for she cannot deny the husband's order. Following this religious principle, a pure devotee of Lord Kṛṣṇa always chants the holy name. As a result of this, he gets the fruit of ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa."** *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta* Antya-līlā *[[cc/antya/7/103|7.103-8]]* **Kṛṣṇa, in the Bhagavad-gītā, recommends constant chanting:** My dear Professor Staal: ... I am surprised to see that in the last paragraph of your letter you say, "It is an indisputable fact that the *Bhagavad*-*gītā *(not to mention the *Vedas*)* *does not require such constant chanting." I think that you have missed the following verse in the *Bhagavad*-*gitā, *apart from many other similar verses: > *satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ yatantaś ca dṛḍha-vratāḥ* namasyantaś ca māṁ bhaktyā nitya-*yuktā upāsate *[*Bhagavad-gītā* [[bg/9/14|9.14]]] The engagement of the great souls, freed from delusion and perfect in their realization of God, is described here: *satataṁ kīrtayanto māṁ—*they are always (*satatam*)* *chanting (*kīrtayantaḥ*)* *My glories and—*nitya*-*yuktā upāsate—*always worshiping Me (Kṛṣṇa). So I do not know how you can say "indisputable." ... By devotional service, by understanding well the Supreme Personality of Godhead, one can go to His abode and never come back again to this material condition. How is it possible? The answer is, simply by chanting His name constantly. This is accepted by the exemplary disciple, Arjuna, who has perfectly learned the conclusion of spiritual science from the *yogeśvara, *the master of mystic knowledge, Kṛṣṇa. Recognizing Kṛṣṇa to be the Supreme Brahman, Arjuna addresses Him, *sthāne hṛṣīkeśa...:* "The world becomes joyful hearing Your name, and thus do all become attached to You." [*Bg* [[bg/11/36|11.36]]] *— The Science of Self-Realization* **One should chant the holy name of the Lord constantly:** **[Lord Śiva to the sons of King Prācīnabarhi]: Therefore, sons of the king, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hari, is situated in everyone's heart. He is also within your hearts. Therefore chant the glories of the Lord and always meditate upon Him continuously.** The word *asakṛt *is significant, for it means not just for a few minutes but continuously. That is the instruction given by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His *Śikṣāṣṭaka. Kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ:* [*Cc Ādi *[[cc/adi/17/31|17.31]]] "The holy name of the Lord should be chanted twenty-four hours daily." Therefore in this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we request the devotees to chant at least sixteen rounds on their beads daily. Actually one has to chant twenty-four hours daily, just like Ṭhākura Haridāsa, who was chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra* three hundred thousand times daily. Indeed, he had no other business. Some of the Gosvāmīs, like Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, were also chanting very rigidly and also offering obeisances very rigidly. As stated in Śrīnivāsācārya's prayer to the Six Gosvāmīs (*Śaḍ*-*gosvāmy*-*aṣṭaka*)*: saṅkhyā*-*pūrvaka*-*nāma*-*gāna*-*natibhiḥ kālāvasānī*-*kṛtau. *The word *saṅkhyā*-*pūrvaka *means "maintaining a numerical strength." Not only was Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī chanting the holy name of the Lord, but he was also offering obeisances in the same prolific numbers. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* [[sb/4/24/70|4.24.70]]* **One should aspire to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra constantly:** In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we are teaching our followers to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *continuously on beads. Even those who are not accustomed to this practice are advised to chant at least sixteen rounds on their beads so that they may be trained. Otherwise, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu recommended: > tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc Ādi [[cc/adi/17/31|17.31]]] "One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly." *Sadā* means "always." Haridāsa Ṭhākura says, *nirantara nāma lao: *"Chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *without stopping." *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta* Antya-līlā *[[cc/antya/3/137|3.137]]* **A devotee always has a taste for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa:** There is a verse in which Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī says, *avyartha*-*kālatvam:* [Cc *Madhya *[[cc/madhya/23/18 19 1974|23.18-19]]]* *a devotee should be very much careful to see whether his time is being spent unnecessarily. He should ask himself, "Am I now engaged in *māyā's *service or Kṛṣṇa's service?" This is a symptom of an advanced devotee. *Nāma*-*gāne sadā ruciḥ: *such a devotee is never tired of chanting, singing, or dancing. The word *sadā *means "always," and *ruci *means "taste." A devotee always has a taste for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa: "Oh, very nice. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare." This is taste. Of course, this taste takes time to awaken, but when Rūpa Gosvāmī was chanting he was thinking, "I have only one tongue and two ears. What can I appreciate of chanting? If I could have millions of tongues and trillions of ears, then I could relish something by chanting and hearing." Of course, we should not imitate him, but the devotees of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must at least be very careful to complete their sixteen rounds, their minimum amount of prescribed chanting. *Nāma*-*gāne sadā ruciḥ: *we have to increase our taste for singing and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. *— Teachings of Queen Kuntī* **To always remember Kṛṣṇa and never forget Him is possible by constantly chanting the holy name:** **"'Kṛṣṇa is the origin of Lord Viṣṇu. He should always be remembered and never forgotten at any time. All the rules and prohibitions mentioned in the śāstras should be the servants of these two principles.'"** This verse is a quotation from the *Padma Purāṇa. *There are many regulative principles in the *śāstras *and directions given by the spiritual master. These regulative principles should act as servants of the basic principle—that is, one should always remember Kṛṣṇa and never forget Him. This is possible when one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra. *Therefore one must strictly chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *twenty-four hours daily. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/22/113|22.113]]* **Constant chanting of the mahā-mantra is the means for continuously remembering Kṛṣṇa:** Those who are intelligent, however, are not concerned with the four-fold miseries of material life, but with elevation to the spiritual planets. One who is continuously in trance (*nitya*-*yuktasya yoginaḥ*)* *does not divert his attention to anything else. He is always situated in trance. His mind is always filled with the thought of Kṛṣṇa, without deviation (*ananya*-*cetāḥ satatam*)*. Satatam *refers to anywhere and anytime. In India I lived in Vṛndāvana, and now I am in America, but this does not mean that I am out of Vṛndāvana, because if I think of Kṛṣṇa always, then I'm always in Vṛndāvana, regardless of the material designation. Kṛṣṇa consciousness means that one always lives with Kṛṣṇa on that spiritual planet, Goloka Vṛndāvana, and that one is simply waiting to give up this material body. *Smarati nityaśaḥ *means "continuously remembering," and for one who is continuously remembering Kṛṣṇa, the Lord becomes *tasyāhaṁ sulabhaḥ—*easily purchased. Kṛṣṇa Himself says that He is easily purchased by this *bhakti*-*yoga *process. Then why should we take to any other process? We can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare twenty-four hours daily. There are no rules and regulations. One can chant in the street, in the subway, or at his home or office. There is no tax and no expense. So why not take to it? *— Beyond Birth and Death* **To become free from offenses to the holy name, one must continue to chant constantly:** While chanting the holy name of the Lord, one should be careful to avoid ten offenses.... There is no way to atone for any of these offenses. It is therefore recommended that an offender at the feet of the holy name continue to chant the holy name twenty-four hours a day. Constant chanting of the holy name will make one free of offenses, and then he will gradually be elevated to the transcendental platform on which he can chant the pure holy name and thus become a lover of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. It is recommended that even if one commits offenses, one should continue chanting the holy name. In other words, the chanting of the holy name makes one offenseless. In the book *Nāma*-*kaumudī *it is recommended that if one is an offender at the lotus feet of a Vaiṣṇava, he should submit to that Vaiṣṇava and be excused; similarly, if one is an offender in chanting the holy name, he should submit to the holy name and thus be freed from his offenses. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *7.5.23-24* **Repeated chanting brings one to the stage of offenseless chanting:** The chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra* is recommended even for persons who commit offenses, because if they continue chanting they will gradually chant offenselessly. By chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *without offenses, one increases his love for Kṛṣṇa.... Śrīla Viśvanātha Cakravartī Ṭhākura quotes this verse from the *Padma Purāṇa:* > *nāmāparādha*-*yuktānāṁ nāmāny eva haranty agham aviśrānti-prayuktāni* tāny evārtha-*karāṇi ca* Even if in the beginning one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *with offenses, one will become free from such offenses by chanting again and again. *Pāpa*-*kṣayaś ca bhavati smaratāṁ tam ahar*-*niśam: *one becomes free from all sinful reactions if one chants day and night, following the recommendation of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/6/3/24|6.3.24]]* **Sankīrtana-yajña, the chanting of the holy name, should be performed constantly, all over the world:** Mahārāja Bārhiṣat dived very deeply into the fruitive activities of sacrifice. This means that as soon as he finished one *yajña *in one place, he began performing another *yajña *in the immediate vicinity. At the present moment, there is a similar need to perform *saṅkīrtana-yajña *all over the world. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement has started performing *saṅkīrtana*-*yajña *in different places, and it has been experienced that wherever *saṅkīrtana*-*yajña* is performed, many thousands of people gather and take part in it. Imperceptible auspiciousness achieved in this connection should be continued all over the world. The members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement should perform *saṅkīrtana*-*yajñas *one after another, so much so that all the people of the world will either jokingly or seriously chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, and thus they will derive the benefit of cleansing the heart.... It is not possible at the present moment to perform repeated *yajñas *as Mahārāja Bārhiṣat performed, but it is within our means to perform *saṅkīrtana*-*yajna, *which does not cost anything. One can sit down anywhere and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. If the surface of the globe is overflooded with the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra, *the people of the world will be very, very happy. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/4/24/10|4.24.10]]* **An advanced devotee (madhyama-bhāgavata) is distinguished from a neophyte by his constant chanting of the holy name (and by his stressing the importance of chanting):** **[Inhabitant of Kulīna-grāma to Lord Caitanya]: The inhabitant of Kulīna-grāma said, "Please let me know who is actually a Vaiṣṇava and what his symptoms are." Understanding his mind, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu smiled and gave the following reply. "A person who is always chanting the holy name of the Lord is to be considered a first-class Vaiṣṇava, and your duty is to serve his lotus feet."** Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that any Vaiṣṇava who is constantly chanting the holy name of the Lord should be considered to have attained the second platform of Vaiṣṇavism. Such a devotee is superior to a neophyte Vaiṣṇava who has just learned to chant the holy name of the Lord. A neophyte devotee simply tries to chant the holy name, whereas the advanced devotee is accustomed to chanting and takes pleasure in it. Such an advanced devotee is called *madhyama*-*bhāgavata, *which indicates that he has attained the intermediate stage between the neophyte and the perfect devotee.... An intermediate devotee is greatly attracted to chanting the holy name, and by chanting he is elevated to the platform of love. If one chants the holy name of the Lord with great attachment, he can understand his position as an eternal servant of the spiritual master, other Vaiṣṇavas and Kṛṣṇa Himself. Thus the intermediate Vaiṣṇava considers himself *kṛṣṇa*-*dāsa, *Kṛṣṇa's servant. He therefore preaches Kṛṣṇa consciousness to innocent neophytes and stresses the importance of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra.* *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/16/71|16.71-72]]* **Pure devotees in the renounced order should have no other occupation than chanting the holy name:** **[Lord Caitanya to Govinda dāsa]: "A** **person in the renounced order should always chant the holy name of the Lord. He should beg some alms to eat, and he should sustain his life in this way."** As stated in the *Hari*-*bhakti*-*vilāsa *at the end of the Twentieth Vilāsa (366, 379, 382): > kṛtyāny etāni tu prāyo gṛhinām dhanināṁ satām likhitāni na tu tyakta- parigraha-mahātmanām > *prabhāte cārdha*-*rātre ca madhyāhne divasa-kṣaye* kīrtayanti hariṁ ye vai te taranti bhavārṇavam > *evam ekāntināṁ prāyaḥ kīrtanaṁ smaraṇaṁ prabhoḥ kurvatāṁ parama-prītyā* kṛtyam anyan na rocate A well-to-do householder Vaiṣṇava cannot live like a person in the renounced order who completely takes shelter of the holy name. Such a householder should chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa in the morning, at midday and in the evening. Then he will be able to cross beyond nescience. Pure devotees in the renounced order, however, who fully surrender to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, should chant the holy name of the Lord with great love and faith, always thinking of Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet. They should have no other occupation than chanting the holy name of the Lord. In the *Bhakti*-*sandarbha, *Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī says: > yadyapi śrī-*bhāgavata*-*mate pañca*-*rātrādivad*-*arcana-mārgasyāvaśyakatvaṁ nāsti, tad vināpi śaraṇāpatty*-*ādīnām ekatarenāpi puruṣārtha*-*siddher abhihitatvāt.* **”A person in the renounced order should always chant the holy name of the Lord. He should beg some alms to eat, and he should sustain his life in this way.** *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Antya-līlā *[[cc/antya/6/223|6.223]]* **One who chants the holy name of the Lord constantly during one's life can, at the time of death, return home, back to Godhead:** **[Śukadeva Gosvāmī to King Parīkṣit]: While suffering at the time of death, Ajāmila chanted the holy name of the Lord, and although the chanting was directed toward his son, he nevertheless returned home, back to Godhead. Therefore if one faithfully and inoffensively chants the holy name of the Lord, where is the doubt that he will return to Godhead?** At the time of death one is certainly bewildered because his bodily functions are in disorder. At that time, even one who throughout his life has practiced chanting the holy name of the Lord may not be able to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *very distinctly. Nevertheless, such a person receives all the benefits of chanting the holy name. While the body is fit, therefore, why should we not chant the holy name of the Lord loudly and distinctly? If one does so, it is quite possible that even at the time of death he will be properly able to chant the holy name of the Lord with love and faith. In conclusion, one who chants the holy name of the Lord constantly is guaranteed to return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/6/2/49|6.2.49]]* **At ISKCON's world center in Māyāpur, there should be constant chanting of the holy names of the Lord:** **When the saṅkīrtana movement thus started, no one in Navadvīpa could hear any other sound than the words "Hari! Hari!" and the beating of the mṛdaṅga and clashing of hand bells.** The International Society for Krishna Consciousness now has its world center in Navadvīpa, Māyāpur. The managers of this center should see that twenty-four hours a day there is chanting of the holy names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra, *with the addition of *haraye namaḥ, kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ, *for this song was a favorite of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. But all such *saṅkīrtana *must be preceded by the chanting of the holy names of the five *tattvas-śrī*-*kṛṣṇa*-*caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī*-*advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi*-*gaura*-*bhakta*-*vṛnda. *We are already accustomed to chant these two *mantras—śrī*-*kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī*-*advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi*-*gaura-bhakta*-*vṛnda *and Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Now, after these, the other two lines—namely, *haraye namaḥ, kṛṣṇa yādavāya namaḥ/ gopāla govinda rāma śrī*-*madhusūdana—*should be added, especially in Māyāpur. Chanting of these six lines should go on so perfectly well that no one there hears any other vibration than the chanting of the holy names of the Lord. That will make the center spiritually all-perfect. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/17/123|17.123]]* **Instead of closing the churches, they could be given to the devotees, who would chant the holy name there twenty-four hours a day:** Instead of keeping the churches closed, why not give them to us? We would chant the holy name of God there twenty-four hours a day. In many places we have bought churches that were practically closed because no one was going there. In London I saw hundreds of churches that were closed or used for mundane purposes. We bought one such church in Los Angeles. It was sold because no one came there, but if you visit this same church today, you will see thousands of people. *— The Science of Self-Realization* ### 9. Devotees Must Chant (at Least) Sixteen Rounds Daily **The first regulative principle is that one must chant a fixed number of rounds:** **[Lord Caitanya to Haridāsa Ṭhākura]: "Now that you have become old," the Lord said, "you may reduce the number of rounds you chant daily. You are already liberated, and therefore you need not follow the regulative principles very strictly."** Unless one has come to the platform of spontaneous love of God, he must follow the regulative principles. Ṭhākura Haridāsa was the living example of how to follow the regulative principles. Similarly, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was also such a living example. In the *Ṣaḍ*-*gosvāmy*-*aṣṭaka *it is stated: *saṅkhyā*-*pūrvaka*-*nāma*-*gāna*-*natibhiḥ kālāvasānīkṛtau. *The Gosvāmīs, especially Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, strictly followed all the regulative principles. The first regulative principle is that one must chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *loudly enough so that he can hear himself, and one must vow to chant a fixed number of rounds. Not only was Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī chanting a fixed number of rounds, but he had also taken a vow to bow down many times and offer obeisances to the Lord. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Antya-līlā *[[cc/antya/11/24|11.24]]* **Following in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya, the Six Gosvāmīs and Haridāsa Ṭhākura, devotees in the line of Lord Caitanya must chant a fixed number of rounds (sixteen) daily:** **[Lord Nityananda to Lord Caitanya]: "Since Your two hands will always be engaged in chanting and counting the holy names, how will You be able to carry the water pot and external garments?"** From this verse it is clear that Caitanya Mahāprabhu was chanting the holy names a fixed number of times daily. The Gosvāmīs used to follow in the footsteps of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, and Haridāsa Ṭhākura also followed this principle. Concerning the Gosvāmīs—Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Sanatana Gosvāmī, Śrīla Raghunātha Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī, Śrīla Jīva Gosvāmī, Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa Gosvāmī and Śrīla Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī-Śrīnivāsa Ācārya confirms: *saṅkhyā-pūrvaka*-*nāma*-*gāna*-*natibhiḥ. *(*Ṣaḍ*-*gosvāmy*-*aṣṭaka,* 6)* *In addition to other duties, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced the system of chanting the holy name of the Lord a fixed number of times daily, as confirmed in this verse (*tomāra dui hasta baddha nāma*-*gaṇane*)*. *Caitanya Mahāprabhu used to count on His fingers. While one hand was engaged in chanting, the other hand kept the number of rounds. This is corroborated in the *Caitanya*-*candrāmṛta *and also in Śrīla Rūpa Gosvāmī's *Stava*-*mālā:* > *badhnan prema*-*bhara*-*prakampita*-*karo granthīn kaṭīḍorakaiḥ saṅkhyātuṁ nija-loka*-*maṅgala*-*hare*-*kṛṣṇeti nāmnām japan (Caitanya*-*candrāmṛta,* 9) > *hare kṛṣṇety uccaiḥ sphurita*-*rasano nāma*-*gaṇanā kṛta-granthi*-*śreṇī*-*subhaga*-*kaṭi*-*sūtrojjvala*-*karaḥ *(*Caitanyāṣṭaka,* 5) Therefore devotees in the line of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu must chant at least sixteen rounds daily, and this is the number prescribed by the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Haridāsa Ṭhākura daily chanted 300,000 names. Sixteen rounds is about 28,000 names. There is no need to imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura or the other Gosvāmīs, but chanting the holy name a fixed number of times daily is essential for every devotee. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/7/37|7.37]]* **Of all the regulative principles, the spiritual master's order to chant at least sixteen rounds is most essential:** One may have other duties to perform under the direction of the spiritual master, but he must first abide by the spiritual master's order to chant a certain number of rounds. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we have recommended that the neopyte chant at least sixteen rounds. This chanting of sixteen rounds is absolutely necessary if one wants to remember Kṛsṇa and not forget Him. Of all the regulative principles, the spiritual master's order to chant at least sixteen rounds is most essential. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/22/113|22.113]]* **The devotee should not divert his attention from the basic principle of chanting sixteen rounds daily, according to the prescribed principles:** **The Lord, being satisfied, instructed [Tapana Miśra] about the object of life and the process to attain it. He instructed him that the basic principle of success is to chant the holy name of the Lord [the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra].** The Kṛsṇa consciousness movement is based upon this instruction of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu that one must chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *regularly and according to the prescribed principles. We simply ask our Western students to chant at least sixteen rounds a day, but sometimes we find that they fail to chant even these sixteen rounds, and instead they bring many austere books and a worshiping method that diverts their attention in so many ways. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's cult is based upon the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra. *Lord Caitanya first advised Tapana Miśra to fix his mind in this chanting. We, the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, must strictly follow this advice of Caitanya Mahāprabhu. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā *[[cc/adi/16/15|16.15]]* **The devotees of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must be very careful to complete their sixteen rounds:** A devotee always has a taste for chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa: "Oh, very nice. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare." This is taste. Of course, this takes time to awaken, but when Rūpa Gosvāmī was chanting he was thinking, "I have only one tongue and two ears. What can I appreciate of chanting? If I could have millions of tongues and trillions of ears, then I could relish something by chanting and hearing." Of course, we should not imitate him, but the devotees of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement must at least be very careful to complete their sixteen rounds, their minimum amount of prescribed chanting. *Nama*-*gāne sadā ruciḥ: *we have to increase our taste for singing and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. *— Teachings of Queen Kuntī* **Śrīla Prabhupāda requests all his students to chant sixteen offenseless rounds of the mahā-mantra, following the regulative principles:** The *Bṛhan*-*nāradīya Purāṇa *repeatedly emphasizes the chanting of the holy name so that people may take it seriously and thus free themselves from the clutches of *māya. *It is our practical experience in the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement all over the world that many millions of people are factually coming to the spiritual stage of life simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *regularly, according to the prescribed principles. Therefore our request to all our students is that they daily chant at least sixteen rounds of this *harer nāma *[*Cc Ādi *[[cc/adi/7/76 1974|7.76]]] *mahā-mantra *offenselessly, following the regulative principles. Thus their success will be assured without a doubt. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/17/23|17.23]]* **Students of this Hare Kṛṣṇa movement must chant at least sixteen rounds daily:** **The twentieth branch of the Caitanya tree was Haridāsa Ṭhākura. His character was wonderful. He used to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa 300,000 times a day without fail.** Certainly the chanting of 300,000 holy names of the Lord is wonderful. No ordinary person can chant so many names, nor should one artificially imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura's behavior. It is essential, however, that everyone fulfill a specific vow to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra*. Therefore we have prescribed in our society that all our students must chant at least sixteen rounds daily. Such chanting must be offenseless in order to be of high quality. Mechanical chanting is not as powerful as chanting of the holy name without offenses. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/10/43|10.43]]* **Although Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī prescribed sixty-four rounds, the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement prescribes sixteen because of Westerners' inability to concentrate for long periods:** The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement prescribes sixteen rounds daily because people in the Western countries cannot concentrate for long periods while chanting on beads. Therefore the minimum number of rounds is prescribed. However, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī used to say that unless one chants at least sixty-four rounds of *japa *(one hundred thousand names), he is considered fallen (*patita*)*. Ac*cording to his calculation, practically every one of us is fallen, but because we are trying to serve the Supreme Lord with all seriousness and without duplicity, we can expect the mercy of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is famous as *patita*-*pāvana, *the deliverer of the fallen. *— The Nectar of Instruction Text 5* **Haridāsa Ṭhākura would not even accept prasāda or sleep until he finished his daily rounds:** Ṭhākura Haridāsa would not even accept *prasāda *nor even sleep for a moment without finishing his daily routine of chanting with his beads three hundred thousand names. *— Bhagavad-gītā As It Is [[bg/6/17|6.17]]* **Chanting a fixed number of rounds on beads is necessary for everyone, even a paramahaṁsa:** Mādhavendra Purī left the temple and sat down in the village marketplace, which was vacant. Sitting there, he began to chant. In the meantime, the temple priest laid the Deity down to rest. Although Mādhavendra Purī was not interested in eating and sleeping, his interest in chanting the *mahā-mantra *was as acute as if he were an aspiring transcendentalist rather than a *paramahaṁsa. *This means that even in the *paramahaṁsa *stage, one cannot give up chanting. Haridāsa Ṭhākura and the Gosvāmīs were all engaged in chanting a fixed number of rounds; therefore chanting on beads is very important for everyone, even though one may become a *paramahaṁsa. *This chanting can be executed anywhere, either inside or outside the temple. Mādhavendra Purī even sat down in a vacant marketplace to perform his chanting. As stated by Śrīnivāsa Ācārya in his prayers to the Gosvāmis: *nāma*-*gāna*-*natibhiḥ. *A *paramahaṁsa *devotee is always engaged in chanting and rendering loving service to the Lord. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/4/125|4.125]]* **An uttama-adhikari chants the prescribed number of rounds on japa beads:** When a neophyte devotee is actually initiated and engaged in devotional service by the orders of the spiritual master, he should be accepted immediately as a bona fide Vaiṣṇava, and obeisances should be offered unto him. Out of many such Vaiṣṇavas, one may be found to be very seriously engaged in the service of the Lord and strictly following all the regulative principles, chanting the prescribed number of rounds on *japa *beads and always thinking of how to expand the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Such a Vaiṣṇava should be accepted as an *uttama*-*adhikārī, *a highly advanced devotee, and his association should always be sought. *— The Nectar of Instruction Text 5* **Dealings with the material world for spreading the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are spiritual, as long as one daily chants sixteen rounds of the mahā-mantra:** In our preaching work, we deal with so much property and money and so many books bought and sold, but because these dealings all pertain to the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, they should never be considered material. That one is absorbed in thoughts of such management does not mean that he is outside of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one rigidly observes the regulative principle of chanting sixteen rounds of the *mahā*-*mantra *every day, his dealings with the material world for the sake of spreading the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement are not different from the spiritual cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. *— *Śrīm*ad-Bhāgavatam [[sb/5/16/3|5.16.3]]* **By chanting sixteen rounds of the mahā-mantra (etc.) one gets spiritual strength with which to preach Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world:** **[Chand Kazi to the devotees of Lord Caitanya]: "For so long you did not follow the regulative principles of the Hindu religion, but now you are following them with great enthusiasm. May I know by whose strength you are doing so?"** It appears that from the aggression of Vaktiyāra Khiliji in Bengal until the time of Chand Kazi, Hindus, or the followers of the Vedic principles, were greatly suppressed. Like the Hindus in present-day Pakistan, practically no one could execute the Hindu religious principles freely. Chand Kazi referred to this condition of Hindu society. Formerly the Hindus had not been straightforward in executing their Hindu principles, but now they were freely chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra. *Therefore it must have been by the strength of someone else that they were so daring. Actually, that was the fact. Although the members of the so-called Hindu society had followed the social customs and formulas, they had practically forgotten to execute their religious principles strictly. But with the presence of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu they actually began following the regulative principles according to His order. That order is still existing, and anywhere and everywhere, in all parts of the world, one can execute it. That order is to become a spiritual master under the direction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by following the regulative principles, chanting daily at least sixteen rounds of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra, *and preaching the cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness all over the world. If we adhere to the order of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, we shall get spiritual strength without a doubt, and we shall be free to preach this cult of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement and not be hampered by anyone. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā *[[cc/adi/17/126|17.126]]* **If one regularly chants one's prescribed rounds, he is gradually elevated to the uttama-adhikari platform:** Everyone begins his devotional life from the neophyte stage, but if one properly finishes chanting the prescribed number of rounds of *hari*-*nāma, *he is elevated step by step to the highest platform, *uttama-adhikārī.* *— The Nectar of Instruction Text 5* **One who cannot complete his assigned number of rounds is in a diseased condition of spiritual life:** **Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu further inquired from Haridāsa, "Can you ascertain what your disease is?" Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, "My disease is that I cannot complete my rounds."** If one cannot complete the fixed number of rounds he is assigned, he should be considered to be in a diseased condition of spiritual life. Śrīla Haridāsa Ṭhākura is called *nāmācārya. *Of course, we cannot imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, but everyone must chant a prescribed number of rounds. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement we have fixed sixteen rounds as the minimum so that Westerners will not feel burdened. These sixteen rounds must be chanted, and chanted loudly, so that one can hear himself and others. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta* Antya-līlā *[[cc/antya/11/23|11.23]]* **Chanting the holy name 300,000 times daily like Haridāsa Ṭhākura is for the liberated soul. It should not be imitated:** **Haridāsa Ṭhākura constructed a cottage in a solitary forest. There he planted a tulasī plant, and in front of the tulasī he would chant the holy name of the Lord 300,000 times daily. He chanted throughout the entire day and night.** Haridāsa Ṭhākura used to chant the holy name on his beads 300,000 times daily. Throughout the entire day and night, he would chant the sixteen names of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra. *One should not, however, imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, for no one else can chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *300,000 times a day. Such chanting is for the *mukta*-*puruṣa, *or liberated soul. We can follow his example, however, by chanting sixteen rounds of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra *on beads every day. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Antya-līlā *[[cc/antya/3/100|3.100]]* ### 10. One Develops a Taste for Chanting by Chanting **Chanting the holy name, which is nectarean and eternal, enthuses one to chant more and more:** The sound of this material world and that of the spiritual world are completely different. The sound of the spiritual world is nectarean and eternal, whereas the sound of the material world is hackneyed and subject to end. The sound of the holy name—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare—everlastingly increases the enthusiasm of the chanter. If one repeats monotonous material words, he will feel exhausted, but if he chants Hare Kṛṣṇa twenty-four hours a day, he will never feel exhausted; rather, he will feel encouraged to continue chanting more and more. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/3/21/22|3.21.22]]* **The more one chants the names of Kṛṣṇa, the more he becomes attached to chanting:** Once one has attained the spiritual platform, it is material service that actually becomes disgusting. For example, if one chants Hare Kṛṣṇa throughout his life, he will not grow tired of the names, but if one chants a material name over and over, he will soon become disgusted. The more one chants the names of Kṛṣṇa, the more he becomes attached. *— Kṛṣṇa Consciousness: The Matchless Gift* **Although a person in ignorance has no taste for chanting the holy name, if he chants, he will develop a taste for the chanting:** **The holy name, character, pastimes and activities of Kṛṣṇa are all transcendentally sweet like sugar candy. Although the tongue of one afflicted by the jaundice of *avidyā* [ignorance] cannot taste anything sweet, it is wonderful that simply by carefully chanting these sweet names every day, a natural relish awakens within his tongue, and his disease is gradually destroyed at the root.** The holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, His quality, pastimes and so forth are all of the nature of absolute truth, beauty and bliss. Naturally they are very sweet, like sugar candy, which appeals to everyone. Nescience, however, is compared to the disease called jaundice, which is caused by bilious secretions. Attacked by jaundice, the tongue of a diseased person cannot palatably relish sugar candy. Rather, a person with jaundice considers something sweet to taste very bitter. *Avidyā* (ignorance) similarly perverts the ability to relish the transcendentally palatable name, quality, form and pastimes of Kṛṣṇa. Despite this disease, if one with great care and attention takes to Kṛṣṇa consciousness, chanting the holy name and hearing Kṛṣṇa's transcendental pastimes, his ignorance will be destroyed and his tongue enabled to taste the sweetness of the transcendental nature of Kṛṣṇa and His paraphernalia. Such a recovery of spiritual health is possible only by the regular cultivation of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. *— The Nectar of Instruction Text 7* ### 11. To Be Effective, Chanting Should Be Accompanied by the Four Regulative Principles **The chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra will be effective if accompanied by the austerity of giving up the four sinful activities:** **[Śukadeva Gosvāmī to King Parīkṣit]: For a few months the sons of Prajāpati Dakṣa drank only water and ate only air. Thus undergoing great austerities, they recited this mantra: "Let us offer our respectful obeisances unto Nārāyaṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is always situated in His transcendental abode. Since He is the Supreme Person [Paramahaṁsa], let us offer our respectful obeisances unto Him."** From these verses it is apparent that the chanting of the *mahāmantra *or the Vedic *mantras *must be accompanied by severe austerities. In Kali-yuga, people cannot undergo severe austerities like those mentioned herein—drinking only water and eating only air for many months. One cannot imitate such a process. But at least one must undergo some austerity by giving up four unwanted principles, namely illicit sex, meat-eating, intoxication and gambling. Anyone can easily practice this *tapasya, *and then the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *will be effective without delay. One should not give up the process of austerity. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *6.5.27-28* ### 12. Before Chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa Mahā-mantra, One Should Chant the Pañca-tattva Mahā-mantra **To chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one should first take shelter of the Pañca-tattva mahā-mantra:** **If one chants the exalted holy name of the Lord again and again and yet his love for the Supreme Lord does not develop and tears do not appear in his eyes, it is evident that because of his offenses in chanting, the seed of the holy name of Kṛṣṇa does not sprout. But if one only chants, with some slight faith, the holy names of Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda, very quickly he is cleansed of all offenses. Thus as soon as he chants tbe Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, he feels the ecstasy of love for God.** Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura remarks in this connection that if one takes shelter of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu and Nityānanda, follows Their instructions to become more tolerant than the tree and humbler than the grass, and in this way chants the holy name of the Lord, very soon he achieves the platform of transcendental loving service to the Lord, and tears appear in his eyes. There are offenses to be considered in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra, *but there are no such considerations in chanting the names of Gaura-Nityānanda. Therefore, if one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *but his life is still full of sinful activities, it will be very difficult for him to achieve the platform of loving service to the Lord. But if in spite of being an offender one chants the holy names of Gaura-Nityānanda, he is very quickly freed from the interactions of his offenses. Therefore, one should first approach Lord Caitanya and Nityānanda, or worship Guru-Gaurāṅga, and then come to the stage of worshiping Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa.... It should be noted in this connection that the holy names of Lord Kṛṣṇa and Gaurasundara are both identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Therefore one should not consider one name to be more potent than the other. Considering the position of the people of this age, however, the chanting of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's name is more essential than the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *because Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the most magnanimous incarnation and His mercy is very easily achieved. Therefore one must first take shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by chanting *śrī-kṛṣṇa*-*caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī*-*advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura*-*bhakta*-*vṛnda.* *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/8/29-30|8.29-31]]* **By chanting the Panca-tattva mahā-mantra one becomes free of offenses in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra:** **Whether he is offensive or inoffensive, anyone who even now chants śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānanda is immediately overwhelmed with ecstasy, and tears fill his eyes.** It is very beneficial to chant the names *śrī*-*kṛṣṇa*-*caitanya prabhu nityānanda *before chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra *because by chanting these two holy names *śrī*-*kṛṣṇa*-*caitanya prabhu nityānanda *one immediately becomes ecstatic, and if he then chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra *he becomes free of offenses. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/8/22|8.22]], [[cc/adi/8/24|24]]* **By chanting the Pañca-tattva mahā-mantra, one is blessed with the competency to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra without offense:** When chanting the names of the Pañca-tattva, one should fully offer his obeisances: *śrī*-*kṛṣṇa*-*caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī*-*advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi*-*gaura*-*bhakta*-*vṛnda.* By such chanting one is blessed with the competency to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra *without offense. When chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra, *one should also chant it fully: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/7/168|7.168]]* **To derive the full benefit of chanting the mahā-mantra, one should first chant the Pañca-tattva mahā-mantra:** As preachers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we first offer our obeisances to Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu by chanting this Pañca-tattva *mantra; *then we say, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. There are ten offenses in the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, but these are not considered in the chanting of the Panca-tattva mantra, namely *śrī*-*kṛṣṇa*-*caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī*-*advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi*-*gaura*-*bhakta*-*vṛnda*. Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is known as *mahā-vadānyāvatāra*, the most magnanimous incarnation, for He does not consider the offenses of the fallen souls. Thus to derive the full benefit of the chanting of the *mahā-mantra* (Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare), we must first take shelter of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, learn the Pañca-tattva *mahā-mantra*, and then chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra*. That will be very effective. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/7/4|7.4]]* **Before chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra, one should first offer respects to the Pañca-tattva by chanting the Pañca-tattva mahā-mantra:** Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Śrīvāsa Ṭhākura and all other devotees of the Lord. I fall down to offer them respect. I worship their lotus feet. Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī teaches us first to offer respect to the Pañca-tattva—Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya Mahāprabhu, Nityānanda Prabhu, Advaita Prabhu, Gadādhara Prabhu and Śrīvāsa and other devotees. We must strictly follow the principle of offering our respects to the Pañca-tattva, as summarized in the *mantra*-*śrī*-*kṛṣṇa*-*caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī*-*advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi*-*gaura*-*bhakta*-*vṛnda*. At the beginning of every function in preaching, especially before chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra*—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—we must chant the Pañca-tattva's names and offer our respects to them. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/8/4|8.4]]* ### 13. One Must Distinctly Pronounce the Holy Name **When chanting, one must very distinctly pronounce the mahā-mantra:** Chanting involves the activities of the upper and lower lips as well as the tongue. All three must be engaged in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra. *The words "Hare Kṛṣṇa" should be very distinctly pronounced and heard. Sometimes one mechanically produces a hissing sound instead of chanting with the proper pronunciation with the help of the lips and tongue. Chanting is very simple, but one must practice it seriously. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/17/32|17.32]]* **If one has chanted distinctly during his life, it is quite possible that even at the time of death he will be able to chant with faith and love:** While the body is fit, one should chant the holy name of the Lord loudly and distinctly. If one does so, it is quite possible that even at the time of death he will be properly able to chant the holy name of the Lord with love and faith. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/6/2/49|6.2.49]]* ### 14. One Must Chant Loudly Enough to Hear Oneself **The first regulative principle is that one must chant a fixed number of rounds, chanting loudly enough to hear oneself:** **[Lord Caitanya to Haridāsa Ṭhākura]: "Now that you have become old," the Lord said, "you may reduce the number of rounds, you chant daily. You are already liberated, and therefore you need not follow the regulative principles very strictly."** Unless one has come to the platform of spontaneous love of God, he must follow the regulative principles. Ṭhākura Haridāsa was the living example of how to follow the regulative principles. Similarly, Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī was also such a living example. In the *Ṣaḍ*-*gosvāmy*-*aṣṭaka *it is stated: *saṅkhyā*-*pūrvaka*-*nāma*-*gāna*-*natibhiḥ kālāvasānīkṛtau. *The Gosvāmīs, especially Raghunātha dāsa Gosvāmī, strictly followed all the regulative principles. The first regulative principle is that one must chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra *loudly enough so that he can hear himself, and one must vow to chant a fixed number of rounds. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta* Antya-līlā *[[cc/antya/11/24|11.24]]* **If one has chanted loudly during his life, it is quite possible that even at the time of death he will be able to chant with faith and love:** While the body is fit, one should chant the holy name of the Lord loudly and distinctly. If one does so, it is quite possible that even at the time of death he will be properly able to chant the holy name of the Lord with love and faith. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* [[sb/6/2/49|6.2.49]]* ### 15. One Must Chant in Humility **Explanation of the "tṛṇād api sunīcena" verse of Śikṣāṣṭaka:** **To chant the holy name always, one should be humbler than the grass in the street and devoid of all desire for personal honor, but one should offer others all respectful obeisances. A devotee engaged in chanting the holy name of the Lord should practice forbearance like that of a tree. Even if rebuked or chastised, he should not say anything to others to retaliate. For even if one cuts a tree, it never protests, nor even if it is drying up and dying does it ask anyone for water... "One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others, can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord." Raising my hands, I declare, "Everyone please hear me! String this verse on the thread of the holy name and wear it on your neck for continuous remembrance." One must strictly follow the principles given by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu in this verse. If one simply follows in the footsteps of Lord Caitanya and the Gosvāmīs, certainly he will achieve the ultimate goal of life, the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa.** This practice of forbearance (*tṛṇād api sunīcena*) is very difficult, but when one actually engages in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra, *the quality of forbearance automatically develops. A person advanced in spiritual consciousness through the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *need not practice to develop it separately, for a devotee develops all good qualities simply by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *regularly.... When chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra, *in the beginning one may commit many offenses, which are called *nāmābhāsa *and *nāma-aparādha. *In this stage there is no possibility of achieving perfect love of Kṛṣṇa by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra. *Therefore one must chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra *according to the principles of the above verse, *tṛṇād api sunīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā.... *Chanting is very simple, but one must practice it seriously. Therefore the author of *Caitanya*-*caritāmṛta, *Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī, advises everyone to keep this verse always strung about his neck. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/17/26|17.26-28]], [[cc/adi/17/31|31-33]]* **A Vaiṣṇava is able to tolerate insults from others because he is simply interested in humbly chanting the holy name without disturbance:** **[Haridāsa Ṭhākura to an assembly of scholars]: "All of you may now go to your homes. May Lord Kṛṣṇa bestow His blessings upon you all. Do not be sorry because of my being insulted."** From this statement by Haridāsa Ṭhākura, it is understood that a pure Vaiṣṇava never takes anyone's insults seriously. This is the teaching of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. > tṛṇād api sunicena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc Ādi [[cc/adi/17/31|17.31]]] **"One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street. One should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige and ready to offer all respects to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly."** A Vaiṣṇava is always tolerant and submissive like trees and grass. He tolerates insults offered by others, for he is simply interested in chanting the holy name of the Lord without being disturbed. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Antya-līlā* [[cc/antya/3/207|3.207]]* **Success in chanting of the holy name depends fully upon humility:** **Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu continued, "O Svarūpa Dāmodara Gosvāmī and Rāmānanda Rāya, hear from Me the symptoms of how one should chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra to awaken very easily one's dormant love for Kṛṣṇa. One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor but is always prepared to give all respect to others, can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord. These are the symptoms of one who chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa maha-mantra. Although he is very exalted, he thinks himself lower than the grass on the ground, and like a tree, he tolerates everything in two ways. When a tree is cut down, it does not protest, and even when drying up, it does not ask anyone for water. The tree delivers its fruits, flowers and whatever it possesses to anyone and everyone. It tolerates scorching heat and torrents of rain, yet it still gives shelter to others. Although a Vaiṣṇava is the most exalted person, he is priceless and gives all respect to everyone, knowing everyone to be the resting place of Kṛṣṇa. If one chants the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa in this manner, he will certainly awaken his dormant love for Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet."** *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Antya-līlā* [[cc/antya/20/20|20.20-26]]* **One can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa offenselessly by developing genuine humility:** Devahūti shows us the process for understanding transcendental subject matters. It is not by challenge but by submission. The entire *bhakti *process is a process of submission. That is also Caitanya Mahāprabhu's teaching: > tṛṇād api su-nīcena taror api sahiṣṇunā amāninā mānadena kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ [Cc Ādi [[cc/adi/17/31|17.31]]] If one is interested in advancing in chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Caitanya Mahāprabhu advises that one be humbler than the grass and more tolerant than the trees. One should not be very proud of his intelligence but should give all respect to others. In this way, one can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa offenselessly. *— Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūti* **The easiest way to control the mind is to chant Hare Kṛsṇa in all humility:** **[Arjuna to Lord Kṛṣṇa]: For the mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it is, it seems to me, more difficult than controlling the wind.** The mind is so strong and obstinate that it sometimes overcomes the intelligence, although the mind is supposed to be subservient to the intelligence. For a man in the practical world who has to fight so many opposing elements, it is certainly very difficult to control the mind. Artificially, one may establish a mental equilibrium toward both friend and enemy, but ultimately no worldly man can do so, for this is more difficult than controlling the raging wind. In the Vedic literature (*Kaṭha Upaniṣad* 1.3.3-4) it is said: > ātmānaṁ rathinaṁ viddhi śarīraṁ ratham eva ca buddhiṁ tu sārathiṁ viddhi manaḥ pragraham eva ca > *indriyāṇi hayān āhur viṣayāṁs teṣu gocarān ātmendriya-mano*-*yukto* bhoktety āhur manīṣiṇaḥ **"The individual is the passenger in the car of the material body, and intelligence is the driver. Mind is the driving instrument, and the senses are the horses. The self is thus the enjoyer or sufferer in the association of the mind and senses. So it is understood by great thinkers."** Intelligence is supposed to direct the mind, but the mind is so strong and obstinate that it often overcomes even one's own intelligence. Such a strong mind is supposed to be controlled by the practice of *yoga, *but such practice is never practical for a worldly person like Arjuna. And what can we say of modern man? The simile used here is appropriate: one cannot capture the blowing wind. And it is even more difficult to capture the turbulent mind. The easiest way to control the mind, as suggested by Lord Caitanya, is chanting "Hare Kṛṣṇa," the great *mantra *for deliverance, in all humility. The method prescribed is *sa vai manaḥ kṛṣṇa*-*padāravindayoḥ:* [SB 9.4.18]* *one must enage one's mind fully in Kṛṣṇa. Only then will there remain no other engagements to agitate the mind. *— Bhagavad-gītā As It Is [[bg/6/34|6.34]]* **The efficacy of the holy name depends on the quality of feeling of the chanter:** **[Queen Kuntī to Lord Kṛṣṇa]: My Lord, Your Lordship can easily be approached, but only by those who are materially exhausted. One who is on the path of [material] progress, trying to improve himself with respectable parentage, great opulence, high education and bodily beauty, cannot approach You with sincere feeling.** Being materially advanced means taking birth in an aristocratic family and possessing great wealth, an education and attractive personal beauty. All materialistic men are mad after possessing all these material opulences, and this is known as the advancement of material civilization. But the result is that by possessing all these material assets one becomes artificially puffed up, intoxicated by such temporary possessions. Consequently, such materially puffed-up persons are incapable of uttering the holy name of the Lord by addressing Him feelingly, "O Govinda, Kṛṣṇa." It is said in the *śāstras *that by once uttering the holy name of the Lord, the sinner gets rid of a quantity of sins that he is unable to commit. Such is the power of uttering the holy name of the Lord. There is not the least exaggeration in this statement. Actually the Lord's holy name has such powerful potency. But there is a quality to such utterances also. It depends on the quality of feeling. A helpless man can feelingly utter the holy name of the Lord, whereas a man who utters the same holy name in great material satisfaction cannot be so sincere. A materially puffed-up person may utter the holy name of the Lord occasionally, but he is incapable of uttering the holy name in quality. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/1/8/26|1.8.26]]* ### 16. One Must Chant with Respect and Veneration **Knowing that Śrī Kṛṣṇa is present in His name, pure devotees chant with full respect and veneration:** Devotees of the Personality of Godhead know that Śrī Kṛṣṇa son of the King of Vraja, is the Absolute Truth. They do not discriminate between Śrī Kṛṣṇa's name, form, quality and pastimes. One who wants to separate the Lord's absolute name, form and qualities must be understood to be lacking in absolute knowledge. A pure devotee knows that when he chants the transcendental name Kṛṣṇa, Śrī Kṛṣṇa is present as transcendental sound. He therefore chants with full respect and veneration. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā *[[cc/adi/2/11|2.11]]* ### 17. One Must Have Faith in the Holy Name **A madhyama-adhikārī has firm faith in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra:** While giving instructions to Sanātana Gosvāmī, Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu divided devotional service into three categories. > *śāstra*-*yukti nāhi jāne dṛḍha, śraddhāvān 'madhyama-adhikārī' sei mahā*-*bhāgyavān* **"A person whose conclusive knowledge of the *śāstras* is not very strong but who has developed firm faith in chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *and who is also undeterred in the execution of his prescribed devotional service should be considered a *madhyama-adhikārī. *Such a person is very fortunate."** (*Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta* *Madhya-līlā* [[cc/madhya/22/67|22.67]])* *A *madhyama*-*adhikārī *is a *śraddhāvān, *a staunchly faithful person, and he is actually a candidate for further advancement in devotional service. *— The Nectar of Instruction Text 5* **He who chants the holy name with faith is a Vaiṣṇava:** **[Satyarāja to Lord Caitanya]: Upon hearing this, Satyarāja said, "How can I recognize a Vaiṣṇava? Please let me know what a Vaiṣṇava is. What are his common symptoms?" Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, "Whoever chants the holy name of Kṛṣṇa just once is worshipable and is the topmost human being."** Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura says that simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa once, a person becomes perfect. Such a person is understood to be a Vaiṣṇava. With such faith and belief, one may begin a life of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, but an ordinary person cannot chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa with such faith.... One should understand that the name Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa are identical. Having such faith, one must continue to chant the holy name. When one is situated on the neophyte platform, one cannot understand the devotional ingredients of a pure, unalloyed devotee. However, when the novice engages in devotional service—especially in Deity worship—and follows the order of a bona fide spiritual master, he becomes a pure devotee. Anyone can take advantage of hearing about Kṛṣṇa consciousness from a pure devotee and thus gradually become purified. A devotee who believes that the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord is a pure devotee, even though he may be in the neophyte stage. By his association, others may also become Vaiṣṇavas.... even a neophyte devotee is superior to the *karmīs *and *jñānīs *because he has full faith in chanting the holy name of the Lord. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/15/105|15.105-6]]* ### 18. One Must Become a Servant of the Holy Name **One must become the servant of the holy name:** In the spiritual world the Absolute is always absolute; the name, form, quality and pastimes of the Absolute are all as good as the Absolute Himself. As such, one is understood to be an eternal servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead if he considers himself an eternal servant of the holy name and in this spirit distributes the holy name to the world. One who chants in that spirit, without offenses, is certainly elevated to the platform of understanding that the holy name and the Personality of Godhead are identical. To associate with the holy name and chant the holy name is to associate with the Personality of Godhead directly. In *Bhakti*-*rasāmṛta*-*sindhu *it is clearly said: *sevonmukhe hi jihvādau svayam eva sphuraty adaḥ* [*Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu*. 1.2.234]*. *The holy name becomes manifest when one engages in the service of the holy name. This service in a submissive attitude begins with one's tongue. *Sevonmukhe hi jihvādau: *One must engage his tongue in the service of the holy name. Our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is based on this principle. We try to engage all the members of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement in the service of the holy name. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta Ā*di-līlā *[[cc/adi/8/16|8.16]]* ### 19. The Process of Chanting Is Very Simple One can perform kīrtana without musical instruments by clapping and chanting: Anyone can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. There is no need for instruments, although Caitanya Mahāprabhu introduced the *mṛdaṅga *(drum) and *karatālas *(cymbals). Otherwise, clapping in itself is sufficient. Anyone can sit down with his family, clap hands and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. This *saṅkīrtana* is very easy to perform. *— Teachings of Lord Kapila, the Son of Devahūti* **The process of chanting is very simple:** So this process of *hari*-*kīrtana* is very simple: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. Actually there are only three words: *Hare, Kṛṣṇa, *and *Rāma. *But they are very nicely arranged for chanting so that everyone can take the *mantra *and chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. Since we have started this movement in the Western countries, Europeans, Americans, Africans, Egyptians, and Japanese are all chanting. There is no difficulty. They are chanting very gladly, and they are getting the results. What is the difficulty? We are distributing this chanting free of charge, and it is very simple. *— The Science of Self-Realization* **The process of chanting requires only a tongue and ears:** The *bhakti*-*yoga *process should be completed in this life, because in this life we have all the instruments necessary to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious. We have *mṛdaṅgas *and cymbals and tongues with which to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa. Even if we don't have *mṛdaṅgas *and cymbals, we have a tongue. No one has to purchase a tongue. We also have ears with which to hear the sound that the tongue vibrates. Therefore we have all the instruments we need with us—a tongue and ears. We have only to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa and use our ears to hear this vibration, and all perfection will be there. We don't have to become highly educated scientists or philosophers. We have only to chant and hear. *— The Path of Perfection* ### 20. The Pure Brahmacari Engages Fully in the Chanting of the Holy Name **The pure brahmacari engages fully in harer nāmānukīrtanam:** **[Lord Kṛṣṇa]: Some of them sacrifice the hearing process and the senses in the fire of the controlled mind, and others sacrifice the objects of the senses, such as sound, in the fire of sacrifice.** The *brahmacārīs, *or students under the care of a bona fide spiritual master, control the mind by abstaining from sense gratification. They are referred to in this verse as sacrificing the hearing process and the senses in the fire of the controlled mind. A *brahmacārī *hears only words concerning Kṛṣṇa consciousness; hearing is the basic panciple for understanding, and therefore the pure *brahmacārī* engages fully in *harer nāmānakīrtanam*—chanting and hearing the glories of the Lord. He restrains himself from the vibrations of material sounds, and his hearing is engaged in the transcendental sound vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa. *— Bhagavad-gītā As It Is [[bg/4/26|4.26]]* **The brahmacārī must chant the holy name upon rising in the morning:** In the morning, the first duty of a *brahmacārī *seeking spiritual elevation is *huta*-*hutāśana, *to offer sacrificial oblations to the Supreme Lord. Those engaged in *brahmacarya *cannot sleep until seven or nine o'clock in the morning. They must rise early in the morning, at least one and a half hours before the sun rises, and offer oblations, or in this age, they must chant the holy name of the Lord, Hare Kṛṣṇa. As referred to by Lord Caitanya, *kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā: *there is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative, in this age, to chanting the holy name of the Lord. The *brahmacāri *must* *rise early in the morning, and, after placing himself, should chant the holy name of the Lord. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *3.21.45-47* ### 21. Householders Can Conduct Chanting at Home **Even householders can achieve perfection by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra:** **[Nārada Muni to King Yudhiṣṭhira]: The process of chanting the holy name of the Lord is so powerful that by this chanting even householders [gṛhasthas] can very easily gain the ultimate result achieved by persons in the renounced order. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira, I have now explained to you that process of religion.** This is a confirmation of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Anyone who takes part in this movement, regardless of what he is, can gain the topmost result achieved by a perfect *sannyāsī, *namely *brahma-jñāna** *(spiritual knowledge). Even more important, he can advance in devotional service. Mahārāja Yudhiṣṭhira thought that because he was a *gṛhastha *there was no hope of his being liberated, and therefore he asked Nārada Muni how he could get out of material entanglement. But Nārada Muni, citing a practical example from his own life, established that by associating with devotees and chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra, *any man in any condition of life can achieve the highest perfection without a doubt. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/7/15/74|7.15.74]]* **Rather than leave his family, a householder can purify his household situation by regularly chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra:** **[Kūrma to Lord Caitanya]: The brāhmaṇa begged Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu, "My dear Lord, kindly show me favor and let me go with You. I can no longer tolerate the waves of misery caused by materialistic life." Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu replied, "Don't speak like that again. Better to remain at home and chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa always. Instruct everyone to follow the orders of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa as they are given in the Bhagavad-gītā and Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. In this way become a spiritual master and try to liberate everyone in this land." Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu further advised the brāhmaṇa Kūrma, "If you follow this instruction, your materialistic life at home will not obstruct your spiritual advancement. Indeed, If you follow these regulative principles, we will again meet here, or, rather you will never lose My company." At whosoever's house Śrī Caitanya accepted His alms by taking prasāda, He would convert the dwellers to His saṅkīrtana movement and advise them just as He advised the brāhmaṇa named Kūrma.** One must become freed from the materialistic way of life. One has to merge himself in the ocean of transcendental bliss. In other words, one cannot relish transcendental bliss without being freed from the materialistic way of life. It appears that the *brāhmaṇa *named Kūrma was materially happy, for he expressed his family tradition as *janma-kula*-*dhana.* Now, being glorified, he wanted to leave all these material opulences. He wanted to travel with Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. According to the Vedic way of civilization, one should leave his family after attaining fifty years of age and go to the forest of Vṛndāvana to devote the rest of his life to the service of the Lord.... It is not advisable in this Age of Kali to leave one's family suddenly, for people are not trained as proper *brahmacārīs *and *gṛhasthas. *Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advised the *brāhmaṇa *not to be too eager to give up family life. It would be better to remain with his family and try to become purified by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *regularly under the direction of a spiritual master. This is the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. If this principle is followed by everyone, there is no need to accept *sannyāsa. *In the next verse Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu advises everyone to become an ideal householder by offenselessly chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *and teaching the same principle to everyone he meets.... Many people come and inquire whether they have to give up family life to join the Society, but that is not our mission. One can remain comfortably in his residence. We simply request everyone to chant the *mahā*-*mantra: *Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. If one is a little literate and can read *Bhagavad*-*gitā As It Is *and *Śrīmad*-*Bhāgavatam, *that is so much the better. These works are now available in an English translation and are done very authoritatively to appeal to all classes of men. Instead of being engrossed in material activities, people throughout the world should take advantage of this movement and chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra *at home with their families. One should also refrain from sinful activities—illicit sex, meat-eating, gambling and intoxication.... The real purpose of human life is to attain the spiritual platform and return to Godhead. That is the *summum bonum *of spiritual realization. The Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is trying to elevate human society to the perfection of life by pursuing the method described by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in His advice to the *brāhmaṇa *Kūrma. That is, one should stay at home, chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *and preach the instructions of Kṛṣṇa as they are given in *Bhagavad*-*gītā *and *Srīmad*-*Bhāgavatam.... *If one simply follows the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, under the guidance of His representative, and chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra, *teaching everyone as far as possible the same principle, the contamination of the materialistic way of life will not even touch him. It does not matter whether one lives in a holy place like Vṛndāvana, Navadīpa or Jagannātha Purī or in the midst of European cities where the materialistic way of life is very prominent. If a devotee follows the instructions of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, he lives in the company of the Lord. Wherever he lives, he converts that place into Vṛndāvana and Navadvīpa. This means that materialism cannot touch him. This is the secret of success for one advancing in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.... The cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is explained here very nicely. One who surrenders to Him and is ready to follow Him with heart and soul does not need to change his location. Nor is it necessary for one to change status. One may remain a householder, a medical practitioner, an engineer or whatever. It doesn't matter. One only has to follow the instruction of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *and instruct relatives and friends in the teachings of *Bhagavad*-*gītā *and *Śrīmad*-*Bhagavatam.* *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/7/126|7.126-30]]* **One can make home life pleasant by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa:** As for detachment from children, wife and home, it is not meant that one should have no feeling for these. They are natural objects of affection, but when they are not favorable to spiritual progress, then one should not be attached to them. The best process for making the home pleasant is Kṛṣṇa consciousness. If one is in full Kṛṣṇa consciousness, he can make his home very happy because this process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness is very easy. One need only chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, accept the remnants of foodstuffs offered to Kṛṣṇa, have some discussion on books like *Bhagavad*-*gītā *and *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, *and engage oneself in Deity worship. These four things will make one happy. One should train the members of his family in this way. The family members can sit down morning and evening and chant together Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. If one can mold his family life in this way to develop Kṛṣṇa consciousness, following these four principles, then there is no need to change from family life to renounced life. *— Bhagavad-gītā As It Is [[bg/13/8-12|13.8-12]]* **Kṛṣṇa conscious householders should hold saṅkīrtana festivals in their homes by distributing prasāda, talking about Kṛṣṇa, and holding congregational chanting of the holy name:** **During the day the devotees discussed subject matters concerning Kṛṣṇa, and at night there was a great festival of congregational chanting it the house of Advaita Acārya. Mother Śacī cooked with great pleasure, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, along with the devotees, accepted the prasāda with great pleasure. In this way all the opulences of Advaita Ācārya—His faith, devotion, home, riches and everything else—were successfully utilized in the worship of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu.** Advaita Ācārya set an ideal example for all householder devotees in His receiving of Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His devotees and in His execution of a daily festival at His home. If one has the proper means and wealth, he should occasionally invite the devotees of Lord Caitanya, who are engaged in preaching all over the world, and hold a festival at home simply by distributing *prasāda *and talking about Kṛṣṇa during the day and holding congregational chanting for at least three hours in the evening. This procedure must be adopted in all centers of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. Thus they will daily perform *saṅkīrtana-yajña*. In *Śrīmad*-*Bhāgavatam *([[sb/11/5/32|11.5.32]]) the daily performance of *saṅkīrtana-yajña* is recommended for this age (*yajñaiḥ saṅkīrtana*-*prāyair yajanti hi sumedhasaḥ*)*. *One should worship Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu and His four associates, the Pañca-tattva, by distributing *prasāda *and holding congregational chanting. Indeed, that *yajña* or sacrifice is most recommended in this Age of Kali. In this age, other *yajñas* are not possible to perform, but this *yajña* can be performed everywhere and anywhere without difficulty. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/3/201 1974|3.201-3]]* **One who feels he cannot live in the temple can practice Kṛṣṇa consciousness at home by chanting the mahā-mantra, etc.:** **Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested them all to return home and begin chanting the holy name congregationally. He also requested them to worship Kṛṣṇa, chant His holy name and discuss His holy pastimes.** The cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement, is very nicely explained by Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu authoritatively. It is not that everyone has to take *sannyāsa *like Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Everyone can execute the cult of Kṛṣṇa consciousness at home, as ordered by the Lord. Everyone can congregationally chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra. *One can also discuss the subject matter of *Bhagavad*-*gītā *and *Śrīmad*-*Bhāgavatam *and install Deities of Radha-Kṛṣṇa or Gaura-Nitāi or both and worship Them very carefully in one's own home. It is not that we have to open different centers all over the world. Whoever cares for the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement can install Deities at home, and, under superior guidance, worship the Deity regularly, chanting the *mahā-mantra *and discussing *Bhagavad*-*gītā *and *Śrīmad*-*Bhāgavatam. *We are teaching in our classes how to go about this. One who feels that he is not yet ready to live in a temple or undergo strict regulative principles in the temple—especially householders who live with wife and children—can start a center at home by installing the Deity, worshiping the Lord morning and evening, chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and discussing *Bhagavad*-*gītā *and *Śrīmad*-*Bhāgavatam. *Anyone can do this at home without difficulty, and Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu requested all the devotees present there to do so. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/3/190|3.190]]* ### 22. A Neophyte Devotee Should Not Retire to a Secluded Place to Chant **Sitting in a solitary place to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra is not recommended for neophytes:** **[Lord Caitanya to Kāśī Miśra]: "Please give that room to Me, for I have need for it. Indeed, I shall remember the lotus feet of the Lord sitting in that solitary place."** This statement of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is significant. *Nibhṛte vasiyā tāhāṅ kariba smaraṇa:* "I shall sit down there in that solitary place and remember the lotus feet of the Lord." Neophyte students are not to imitate sitting in a solitary place and remembering the lotus feet of the Lord by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra. *We should always remember that it was Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself who wanted such a place, either for Himself or Haridāsa Ṭhākura. No one can suddenly attain the level of Haridāsa Ṭhākura and sit down in a solitary place to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra *and remember the lotus feet of the Lord. Only an exalted person like Haridāsa Ṭhākura or Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is personally exhibiting the proper behavior for an *ācārya, *can engage in such a practice. At the present moment we see that some of the members of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness are tending to leave their preaching activities in order to sit in a solitary place. This is not a very good sign. It is a fact that Śrila Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura has condemned this process for neophytes. He has even stated in a song: *pratiṣṭhāra tare, nirjanera ghare, tava hari*-*nāma kevala kaitava. *Sitting in a solitary place intending to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra* is considered a cheating process. This practice is not possible for neophytes at all. The neophyte devotee must act and work very laboriously under the direction of the spiritual master, and he must thus preach the cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Only after maturing in devotion can he sit down in a solitary place to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra *as Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu Himself did. Although Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, He nonetheless traveled all over India continuously for six years and then retired at Jagannātha Purī to teach us a lesson. Even at Jagannātha Purī the Lord chanted the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra *in a great meeting at the Jagannātha temple. The point is that one should not try to imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura at the beginning of one's transcendental life. One must first become very mature in devotion and thus receive the approval of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. Only at such a time may one actually sit down peacefully in a solitary place to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra *and remember the lotus feet of the Lord. The senses are very strong, and if a neophyte devotee imitates Haridāsa Ṭhākura, his enemies (*kāma, krodha, lobha, moha, mada *and *mātsarya*)* *will disturb and fatigue him. Instead of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra, *the neophyte will simply sleep soundly. Preaching work is meant for advanced devotees, and when an advanced devotee is further elevated on the devotional scale, he may retire to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *in a solitary place. However, if one simply imitates advanced spiritual life, he will fall down, just like the *sahajiyās *in Vṛndāvana. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/11/176|11.176]]* **The neophyte devotee must not give up preaching to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa in solitude:** When disciples are grown up and are able to preach, the spiritual master should retire and sit down in a solitary place to write and execute *nirjana*-*bhajana. *This means sitting silently in a solitary place and executing devotional service. This *nirjana*-*bhajana, *which is the silent worship of the Supreme Lord, is not possible for a neophyte devotee. Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura never advised a neophyte devotee to go to a solitary place to engage in devotional service. Indeed, he has written a song in this connection: > duṣṭa mana, tumi kisera vaiṣṇava? pratiṣṭhāra tare, nirjanera ghare, tava hari-nāma kevala kaitava **"My dear mind, what kind of devotee are you? Simply for cheap adoration you sit in a solitary place and pretend to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa* mahā*-*mantra, *but this is all cheating."** Thus Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura advocated that every devotee, under the guidance of an expert spiritual master, preach the *bhakti *cult, Kṛṣṇa consciousness, all over the world. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/4/28/44|4.28.44]]* **One should not merely chant in a secluded place (and fall down) but should preach:** Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura sings, > duṣṭa mana, tumi kisera vaiṣṇava? pratiṣṭhāra tare, nirjanera ghare, tava hari-nāma kevala kaitava **"My dear mind, what kind of Vaiṣṇava are you? Simply for false prestige and a material reputation you are chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *in a solitary place."** In this way people who do not preach are criticized. There are many Vaiṣṇavas in Vṛndāvana who do not like preaching; they chiefly try to imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura. The actual result of their so-called chanting in a secluded place, however, is that they sleep and think of women and money. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/4/29/1b|4.29.1b]]* **One should not retire prematurely to Vṛndāvana for pretentious solitary chanting of the holy name:** Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī has advised Mahārāja Parīkṣit in the beginning of the Second Canto that every conditioned soul should engage himself in hearing and chanting the transcendental pastimes of the Lord. Śrīla Śukadeva Gosvāmī also informed King Parīkṣit that previously many other kings and emperors went to the jungle to prosecute severe austerities and penances in order to go back home, back to Godhead. In India, it is still a practice that many advanced transcendentalists give up their family lives and go to Vṛndāvana to live there alone and completely engage in hearing and chanting of the holy pastimes of the Lord. This system is recommended in the *Śrīmad*-*Bhāgavatam, *and the Six Gosvāmīs of Vṛndāvana followed it, but at the present moment many *karmīs *and pseudodevotees have overcrowded the holy place of Vṛndāvana just to imitate this process recommended by Śukadeva Gosvāmī. It is said that many kings and emperors formerly went to the forest for this purpose, but Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura Gosvāmī Mahārāja does not recommend that one take up this solitary life in Vṛndāvana prematurely. One who goes prematurely to Vṛndāvana to live in pursuance of the instructions of Śukadeva Gosvāmī again falls victim of *māyā*, even while residing in Vṛndāvana. To check such unauthorized residence in Vṛndāvana, Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura has sung a nice song in this connection, the purport of which is as follows: "My dear mind, why are you so proud of being a Vaiṣṇava? Your solitary worship and chanting of the holy name of the Lord are based on a desire for cheap popularity, and therefore your chanting of the holy name is only a pretension. Such an ambition for a cheap reputation can be compared to the stool of a hog because such popularity is another extension of the influence of *māyā*." *— Kṛṣṇa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead* **Unless one is extremely advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one will be influenced by the modes of nature if one tries to chant in a solitary place:** There are many who like to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *in a silent, solitary place, but if one is not interested in preaching, talking constantly to the nondevotees, the influence of the modes of nature is very difficult to surpass. Therefore unless one is extremely advanced in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, one should not imitate Haridāsa Ṭhākura, who had no other business than chanting the holy name always, twenty-four hours a day. Prahlāda Mahārāja does not condemn such a process; he accepts it, but without active service to the Lord, simply by such methods one generally cannot attain liberation. One cannot attain liberation simply by false pride. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* [[sb/7/9/46|7.9.46]]* **One should not try to imitate exalted personalities like Haridāsa Ṭhākura by chanting in a solitary place:** Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura explains in his *Anubhāṣya,* "A person who has attracted the attention of the spiritual master by his sincere service likes to dance and chant with similarly developed Kṛṣṇa conscious devotees. The spiritual master authorizes such a devotee to deliver fallen souls in all parts of the world. Those who are not advanced prefer to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *in a solitary place." Such activities constitute, in the language of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura, a type of cheating process in the sense that they imitate the activities of exalted personalities like Haridāsa Ṭhākura. One should not attempt to imitate such exalted devotees. Rather, everyone should endeavor to preach the cult of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu in all parts of the world and thus become successful in spiritual life. One who is not very expert in preaching may chant in a secluded place, avoiding bad association, but for one who is actually advanced, preaching and meeting people who are not engaged in devotional service are not disadvantages. A devotee gives the nondevotees his association but is not affected by their misbehavior. Thus by the activities of a pure devotee even those who are bereft of love of Godhead get a chance to become devotees of the Lord one day. In this connection Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura advises that one discuss the verse in *Śrīmad*-*Bhāgavatam, naitat samācarej jātu manasāpi hy anīśvaraḥ *([[sb/10/33/30|10.33.30]]), and the following verse in *Bhakti-rasāmṛta*-*sindhu *(1.2.255): > anāsaktasya viṣayān yathārham upayuñjataḥ nirbandhaḥ kṛṣṇa-sambandhe yuktaṁ vairāgyam ucyate One should not imitate the activities of great personalities. One should be detached from material enjoyment and should accept everything in connection with Kṛṣṇa's service. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/7/92|7.92]]* **Kṛṣṇa consciousness does not mean to become inert and to chant the holy name in a secluded place:** Sometimes Kṛṣṇa consciousness is misunderstood to be inertia, and one with such a misunderstanding often withdraws to a secluded place to become fully Kṛṣṇa conscious by chanting the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa. But without being trained in the philosophy of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, it is not advisable to chant the holy name of Kṛṣṇa in a secluded place where one may acquire only cheap adoration from the innocent public. *— Bhagavad-gītā As It Is [[bg/3/1|3.1]]* ### 23. One Should Not Concoct Chants and Mantras **One does not have to search for or concoct a name of God to chant. The śāstras recommend particular names such as the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra:** **[Svāyambhuva Manu said, in trance]: The entire cosmic manifestation is the body of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the Absolute Truth, who has millions of names and unlimited potencies....** The Lord's activities are many, and according to His activities He has many names. He appeared as the son of Mother Yaśodā, and also as the son of Mother Devakī, and therefore He is named Devakī-nandana and Yaśodā-nandana. *Parāsya śaktir vividhaiva śrūyate:* [Cc Madhya 13.65, [[cc/madhya/13/65|purport]]]* *the Lord has a multitude of energies, and therefore He acts in multifarious ways. Yet He has a particular name. The *śāstras *recommend which names we should chant, such as Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare. It is not that we have to search for some name or manufacture one. Rather, we must follow the saintly persons and the *śāstras *in chanting His holy name. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/8/1/13|8.1.13]]* **One should chant the mahā-mantra and not concoct new types of chanting:** *Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet:* [SB [[sb/12/3/51|12.3.51]]]* *simply by chanting the holy name of Kṛṣṇa, one is liberated and returns home, back to Godhead.... One should not, however, manufacture different types of chanting. One should adhere seriously to the chanting of the holy name as recommended in the scriptures: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *7.5.23-24* **One should not concoct a mahā-mantra of one's own:** Taking advantage of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, there are many unscrupulous devotees who manufacture a *mahā-mantra *of their own. Sometimes they sing, *bhaja nitāi gaura rādhe śyāma hare kṛṣṇa hare rāma *or *śrī*-*kṛṣṇa*-*caitanya prabhu nityānanda hare kṛṣṇa hare rāma śrī rādhe govinda. *Actually, however, one should chant the names of the full Pañca-tattva (*śrī*-*kṛṣṇa*-*caitanya prabhu nityānanda śrī*-*advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi*-*gaura*-*bhakta*-*vṛnda*)* *and then the sixteen words Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, but these unscrupulous, less intelligent men confuse the entire process. Of course, since they are also devotees they can express their feelings in that way, but the method prescribed by Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu's pure devotees is to chant first the full Pañca-tattva *mantra *and then chant the *mahā*-*mantra—*Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/7/4|7.4]]* **Concocted chants cannot help us advance in devotional service:** **I thus explain the truth of the Pañca-tattva. One who hears this explanation increases in knowledge of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. While chanting the Pañca-tattva mahā-mantra, one must chant the names of Śrī Caitanya, Nityānanda, Advaita, Gadādhara and Śrīvāsa with their many devotees. This is the process.** The Pañca-tattva is a very important factor in understanding Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu. There are *sahajiyās *who, not knowing the importance of the Pañca-tattva, concoct their own slogans such as *bhaja nitāi gaura, rādhe śyāma, japa hare kṛṣṇa hare rāma *or *śrī kṛṣṇa caitanya prabhu nityānanda hare kṛṣṇa hare rāma śrī rādhe govinda. *Such chants may be good poetry, but they cannot help us to go forward in devotional service. In such chants there are also many discrepancies, which need not be discussed here. Strictly speaking, when chanting the names of the Pañca-tattva, one should fully offer his obeisances: *śrī*-*kṛṣṇa*-*caitanya prabhu ninyānanda śrī*-*advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi*-*gaura*-*bhakta*-*vṛnda. *By such chanting one is blessed with the competency to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra *without offense. When chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra, *one should also chant it fully: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. One should not foolishly adopt any of the slogans concocted by imaginative devotees. If one actually wants to derive the effects of chanting, one must strictly follow the great *ācāryas. *This is confirmed in the *Mahābhārata. Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ:* [*Cc Madhya *[[cc/madhya/17/186|17.186]]]* *"The real path of progress is that which is traversed by great *ācāryas *and authorities." *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Ādi-līlā* [[cc/adi/7/168|7.168-69]]* ### 24. Results of Giving Up Chanting **The attraction of chanting the holy name is so powerful that only an animal can give it up:** **[King Pṛthu to Lord Viṣṇu]: My dear highly glorified Lord, if one, in the association of pure devotees, hears even once the glories of Your activities, he does not, unless he is nothing but an animal, give up the association of devotees, for no intelligent person would be so careless as to leave their association. The perfection of chanting and hearing about Your glories was accepted even by the goddess of fortune, who desired to hear of Your unlimited activities and transcendental glories.** The glorification of the Supreme Lord can be very much appreciated by the Aryan family. Although there is no bar for others, the members of the Aryan family very quickly catch the essence of spiritual life.... Presently these descendants of the Aryan family are taking this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement very seriously. Others who are associating with them and hearing the chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra *from the lips of pure devotees are also becoming captivated by the transcendental vibration. Transcendental vibrations are very much effective when chanted among Aryans, but even though one does not belong to the Aryan family, he will become a Vaiṣṇava simply by hearing the *mantra *because the vibration has great influence over everyone.... The impersonalist may ask why one should bother chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *continually for so many years instead of stopping and trying for *kaivalya, *liberation, or merging into the existence of the Lord. In answer, Mahārāja Pṛthu maintains that the attraction of this chanting is so great that one cannot give up the process unless he is an animal. This is the case even if one comes in contact with this transcendental vibration by chance. Pṛthu Mahārāja is very emphatic in this connection—only an animal can give up the practice of chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa. Those who are not animals but actually intelligent, advanced, human, civilized men cannot give up this practice of continually chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam* [[sb/4/20/26|4.20.26]]* **One who cannot complete his assigned number of rounds is in a diseased condition of spiritual life:** **[Lord Caitanya and Haridāsa Ṭhākura]: Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu further inquired from Haridāsa, "Can you ascertain what your disease is?" Haridāsa Ṭhākura replied, "My disease is that I cannot complete my rounds."** If one cannot complete the fixed number of rounds he is assigned, he should be considered to be in a diseased condition of spiritual life. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Antya-līlā *[[cc/antya/11/23|11.23]]* **If we neglect the regulative principle of chanting the mahā-mantra, we will eventually fall down:** **[Śukadeva Gosvāmī to King Parīkṣit]: ...Being attached to raising the deer, Mahārāja Bharata forgot the rules and regulations for the advancement of spiritual life, and he gradually forgot to worship the Supreme Personality of Godhead. After a few days, he forgot everything about his spiritual advancement.** From this we can understand how we have to be very cautious in executing our spiritual duties by observing the rules and regulations and regularly chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā*-*mantra. *If we neglect doing this, we will eventually fall down. We must rise early in the morning, bathe, attend *maṅgala*-*ārati, *worship the Deities, chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra, *study the Vedic literatures and follow all the rules prescribed by the *ācāryas *and the spiritual master. If we deviate from this process, we may fall down, even though we may be very highly advanced.... Even if one is in the renounced order, he should never give up the regulative principles. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/5/8/8|5.8.8]]* **Even if one is highly elevated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, if he stops chanting, his devotional creeper will dry up:** Kṛṣṇa is within you, and as soon as Kṛṣṇa sees that you are very sincere, that you are seeking, He sends a bona fide spiritual master. This combination of Kṛṣṇa and the spiritual master is the cause of one's receiving the seed of Kṛṣṇa consciousness. The seed is there. If you have a very nice seed of a rose bush, what is your duty? If you have a seed of any nice plant, it is your duty not to lock it up in the safety vault of a bank. Your duty is to sow it in the ground. Where should you sow that seed? If you have information of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you just sow it in your heart. Not in this earth, but in the earth within yourself. And after sowing a seed you have to pour a little water on it, so that water is hearing and chanting. Once the seed is sown in the heart, just pour on a little water, and it will grow. This process should not be stopped by the thought that because one is initiated there is no need of hearing and chanting. It should go on continuously. If you stop pouring water on a plant, it will dry up; it will not produce any fruit. Similarly, even if you are highly elevated in Kṛṣṇa consciousness, you cannot stop this process of hearing and chanting because *māyā* is so strong, so powerful, that as soon as she sees, "Ah, here is an opportunity," at once you will dry up. By the process of pouring water, that plant of Kṛṣṇa consciousness grows.... If you continue this chanting and hearing process, you will grow and grow and actually reach Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet and there relish His association. *— Kṛṣṇa Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System* **If a devotee fails to chant the holy name, he will fall into the material conception of life:** We have witnessed that some of our contemporaries who are supposed to be great preachers have gradually fallen into the material conception of life because they have failed to chant the holy name of the Lord. *— The Nectar of Instruction Text 5* ### 25. Chanting at the Time of Death **One should pray to the Lord to be able to chant His holy name at the time of death:** **[The priests at King Nābhi's sacrifice to Lord Viṣṇu]: Dear Lord, we may not be able to remember Your name, form and qualities, due to stumbling, hunger, falling down, yawning or being in a miserable diseased condition at the time of death when there is a high fever. We therefore pray unto You, Lord, for You are very affectionate to Your devotees. Please help us remember You and utter Your holy names, attributes and activities, which can dispel all the reactions of our sinful lives.** The real success in life is *ante nārāyaṇa-smṛtiḥ* [SB [[sb/2/1/6|2.1.6]]]—remembering the holy name, attributes, activities and form of the Lord at the time of death. Although we may be engaged in the Lord's devotional service in the temple, material conditions are so tough and inevitable that we may forget the Lord at the time of death due to a diseased condition or mental derangement. Therefore we should pray to the Lord to be able to remember His lotus feet without fail at the time of death, when we are in such a precarious condition. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/5/3/12|5.3.12]]* **If one has chanted loudly and distinctly during his life, it is quite possible that even at the time of death he will be able to chant with faith and love:** **[Śukadeva Gosvāmī to King Parīkṣit]: While suffering at the time of death, Ajāmila chanted the holy name of the Lord, and although the chanting was directed toward his son, he nevertheless returned back to home, back to Godhead. Therefore if one faithfully and inoffensively chants the holy name of the Lord, where is the doubt that he will return to Godhead?** While the body is fit, [one should] chant the holy name of the Lord loudly and distinctly. If one does so, it is quite possible that even at the time of death he will be properly able to chant the holy name of the Lord with love and faith. *— *Śrīm*ad-Bhāgavatam [[sb/6/2/49|6.2.49]]* **Those who are strong in Kṛṣṇa consciousness by always chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra can remember Kṛṣṇa at the time of death:** If, in our healthy condition, we think of the lotus feet of the Lord and die, it is most fortunate. In old age, at the time of death, the throat sometimes becomes choked with mucus or blocked by air. At such time the sound vibration of Hare Kṛṣṇa, the *mahā-mantra*, may not come out. Thus one may forget Kṛṣṇa. Of course, those who are strong in Kṛṣṇa consciousness cannot possibly forget Kṛṣṇa at any stage because they are accustomed to chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra*, especially when there is a signal from death. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/4/28/15|4.28.15]]* **It is by Kṛsṇa's grace that one can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa at the time of death:** According to a Bengali proverb, whatever spiritual progress one makes in life will be tested at the time of death. In *Bhagavad*-*gītā* ([[bg/8/6|8.6]]) it is also confirmed: > *yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad-bhāva*-*bhāvitaḥ* Those who are practicing Kṛṣṇa consciousness know that their examination will be held at the time of death. If one can remember Kṛṣṇa at death, he is immediately transferred to Goloka Vṛndāvana, or Kṛṣṇaloka, and thus his life becomes successful.... Every devotee desires to give up the body while it is sound physically and mentally. This desire was also expressed by King Kulaśekhara in his *Mukunda-mālā*-*stotra:* > *kṛṣṇa tvadīya*-*padapaṅkaja*-*pañjarāntam adyaiva me viśatu mānasa-rāja*-*haṁsaḥ* prāṇa-*prayāṇa*-*samaye kapha*-*vāta*-*pittaiḥ* kaṇṭhāvarodhana-*vidhau smaraṇaṁ kutas te * [MM 33] King Kulaśekhara wanted to give up his body while in a healthy state, and he thus prayed to Kṛṣṇa to let him die immediately while he was in good health and while his mind was sound. When a man dies, he is generally overpowered by mucus and bile, and thus he chokes. Since it is very difficult to vibrate any sound while choking, it is simply by Kṛṣṇa's grace that one can chant Hare Kṛṣṇa at the time of death. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/4/23/13|4.23.13]]* **The Lord enables the yogi-devotee to chant His holy name at the time of death and thus go back to Godhead:** **[Bhīśma to King Yudhiṣthira]: The Personality of Godhead, who appears in the mind of the devotee by attentive devotion and meditation and by chanting of the holy name, releases the devotee from the bondage of fruitive activities at the time of his quitting the material body.** A yogi-devotee of the Lord engages himself twenty-four hours daily in the service of the Lord so that his whole attention is engrossed with the thoughts of the Lord in ninefold devotional service.... By such practice of yoga, or linking up in the service of the Lord, one is recognized by the Lord Himself.... The Lord calls such a rare devotee the best amongst all the *yogīs. *Such a perfect *yogī* is enabled by the divine grace of the Lord to concentrate his mind upon the Lord with a perfect sense of consciousness, and thus by chanting His holy name before quitting the body the *yogī *is at once transferred by the internal energy of the Lord to one of the eternal planets where there is no question of material life and its concomitant factors. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/1/9/23|1.9.23]]* **By chanting the holy name, one becomes fearless at the time of death:** [The] principles of *vaidhi-bhakti *are also described in *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, *Second Canto, First Chapter, [[sb/2/1/35|verse 35]], where Śukadeva Gosvāmī instructs the dying Mahārāja Parīkṣit as to his course of action. Mahārāja Parīkṣit met Śukadeva Gosvāmī just a week before his death, and the king was perplexed as to what should be done before he was to pass on. Many other sages also arrived there, but no one could give him the proper direction. Śukadeva Gosvāmī, however, gave this direction to him as follows: "My dear king, if you want to be fearless in meeting your death next week (for actually everyone is afraid at the point of death), then you must immediately begin the process of hearing and chanting and remembering God." *— The Nectar of Devotion* **By chanting the holy name at the time of death, one enters the spiritual sky:** **[The sages to Dhruva Mahārāja]: ...The holy name of the Lord is as powerful as the Lord Himself. Therefore, simply by chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord, many men can be fully protected from fierce death without difficulty. Thus a devotee is saved.** By the grace of the Lord, if a devotee, at the time of death, can simply chant His holy name—Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—simply by chanting this *mahā*-*mantra, *he immediately surpasses the great ocean of the material sky and enters the spiritual sky. He never has to come back for repetition of birth and death. Simply by chanting the holy name of the Lord, one can surpass the ocean of death. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/4/10/30|4.10.30]]* **One who chants the holy name upon accidental death is saved from hellish life after death:** **[The Viṣṇudūtas to the Yamadūtas]: If one chants the holy name of Hari and then dies because of an accidental misfortune, such as falling from the top of a house, slipping and suffering broken bones while traveling on the road, being bitten by a serpent, being afflicted with pain and high fever, or being injured by a weapon, one is immediately absolved from having to enter hellish life, even though he is sinful.** As stated in *Bhagavad*-*gītā *([[bg/8/6|8.6]]): > *yaṁ yaṁ vāpi smaran bhāvaṁ tyajaty ante kalevaram taṁ tam evaiti kaunteya sadā tad-bhāva*-*bhāvitaḥ* **"Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, that state he will attain without fail."** If one practices chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra, *he is naturally expected to chant Hare Kṛṣṇa when he meets with some accident. Even without such practice, however, if one somehow or other chants the holy name of the Lord (Hare Kṛṣṇa) when he meets with an accident and dies, he will be saved from hellish life after death. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/6/2/15|6.2.15]]* **By constantly chanting the holy name for Mādhavendra Purī, Īśvara Purī helped Mādhavendra Purī remember the holy name at the time of death:** **Īśvara Purī, the spiritual master of Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, performed service to Mādhavendra Purī, cleaning up his stool and urine with his own hand. Īśvara Purī was always chanting the holy name and pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa for Mādhavendra Purī to hear. In this way he helped Mādhavendra Purī remember the holy name and pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa at the time of death.** *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Antya-līlā *[[cc/antya/8/28|8.28-29]]* **Even if one cannot chant at the time of death, he still receives all benefits of chanting performed during his life:** At the time of death one is certainly bewildered because his bodily functions are in disorder. At that time, even one who throughout his life has practiced chanting the holy name of the Lord may not be able to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra *very distinctly. Nevertheless, such a person receives all the benefits of chanting the holy name. While the body is fit, therefore, why should we not chant the holy name of the Lord loudly and distinctly? ...one who chants the holy name of the Lord constantly is guaranteed to return home, back to Godhead, without a doubt. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *[[sb/6/2/49|6.2.49]]* ### 26. Other Instructions on the Practice of the Holy Name **On Ekādaśī day, one should increase one's chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa:** One should generally accept the following principles to properly execute devotional service: ... (9) observe fasting on Ekādaśī day. (This occurs on the eleventh day after the full moon and the eleventh day after the new moon. On such days no grains, cereals or beans are eaten; simply vegetables and milk are moderately taken, and chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa and reading scriptures are increased.) *— Teachings of Lord Caitanya* **Chanting the holy name before the tulasī plant has immense spiritual potency:** **Haridāsa Ṭhākura constructed a cottage in a solitary forest. There he planted a tulasī plant, and in front of the tulasī he would chant the holy name of the Lord 300,000 times daily. He chanted throughout the entire day and night.** Without difficulty one can sit down anywhere, especially on the bank of the Ganges, Yamunā or any sacred river, devise a sitting place or cottage, plant a *tulasī, *and before the *tulasī* chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra *undisturbed.... the process of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mahā-mantra* with a vow before the *tulasī* plant has such great spiritual potency that simply by doing this one can become spiritually strong. Therefore we request the members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement to follow Haridāsa Ṭhākura's example rigidly. Chanting sixteen rounds does not take much time, nor is offering respects to the *tulasī *plant difficult. The process has immense spiritual potency. One should not miss this opportunity. *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Antya-līlā *[[cc/antya/3/100|3.100]]* **The more people present at kīrtana the better:** In India there are sacred places where *yogis *go to meditate in solitude, as prescribed in *Bhagavad*-*gītā. *Traditionally, *yoga *cannot be executed in a public place, but insofar as *kīrtana—mantra*-*yoga, *or the *yoga *of chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra: *Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare—is concerned, the more people present, the better. When Lord Caitanya Mahāprabhu was performing *kīrtana *in India some five hundred years ago, He organized in each group sixteen persons to lead the chanting, and thousands of persons chanted with them. *— The Perfection of Yoga* **There is no need for mental speculation or intellectual adjustment for chanting the mahā-mantra:** This chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa *mantra* is enacted from the spiritual platform, and thus this sound vibration surpasses all lower strata of consciousness—namely sensual, mental, and intellectual. There is no need, therefore, to understand the language of the *mantra, *nor is there any need for mental speculation nor any intellectual adjustment for chanting this *mahā*-*mantra. *It is automatic, from the spiritual platform, and as such, anyone can take part in the chanting without any previous qualification. *— The Science of Self-Realization* **One may chant the name of the form of the Lord to which one is attracted under the guidance of a pure devotee of that particular form of the Lord (although chanting the name Kṛṣṇa under the guidance of a pure devotee of Kṛṣṇa is especially recommended):** The transcendental holy name of the Lord may be heard and chanted accordingly to the attraction of the devotee. One may chant the holy name of Lord Kṛṣṇa, or one may chant the holy name of Lord Rāma or Nṛsiṁhadeva (*rāmādi*-*mūrtiṣu kalā*-*niyamena tiṣṭhan* [Bs 5.39])*. *The Lord has innumerable forms and names, and devotees may meditate upon a particular form and chant the holy name according to his attraction. The best course is to hear of the holy name, form and so on from a pure devotee of the same standard as oneself. In other words, one who is attached to Kṛṣṇa should chant and hear from other pure devotees who are also attached to Lord Kṛṣṇa. The same principle applies for devotees attracted by Lord Rāma, Lord Nṛsiṁha and other forms of the Lord. Because Kṛṣṇa is the ultimate form of the Lord (*kṛṣṇas tu bhagavān svayam* [SB [[sb/1/3/28|1.3.28]]])*, *it is best to hear about Lord Kṛṣṇa's name, form and pastimes from a realized devotee who is particularly attracted by the form of Lord Kṛṣṇa. In *Śrīmad*-*Bhāgavatam, *great devotees like Śukadeva Gosvāmī have specifically described Lord Kṛṣṇa's holy name, form and qualities. *— *Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam *7.5.23-24* **If one cannot bathe in water he can bathe by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra:** **Prātaḥ-kṛtya means that one should evacuate regularly and then cleanse himself by taking a bath.... Actually householders and vānaprasthas should bathe two times a day (prātar-madhyāhnayoḥ snānaṁ vānaprastha-gṛhasthayoḥ). A sannyāsī should bathe three times daily, and a brahmacārī may take only one bath a day. Whenever one is not able to bathe in water, he can bathe by chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra.** *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā* [[cc/madhya/24/331|24.331]]* **Twelve names of Lord Viṣṇu should be recited while applying tilaka:** **[Lord Caitanya to Sanātana Gosvāmī]: "When putting the twelve tilaka marks on the twelve places of the body, one has to chant the mantra consisting of these twelve Visnu names. Also, when one anoints the different parts of the body with water, these names should be chanted as one touches each part of the body."** While marking the body with *tilaka, *one should chant the following *mantra, *which consists of the twelve names of Lord Viṣṇu. > *lalāṭe keśavaṁ dhyāyen nārāyaṇam athodare vakṣaḥ-sthale mādhavaṁ tu* govindaṁ kaṇṭha-kūpake viṣṇuṁ ca dakṣiṇe kukṣau bāhau ca madhusūdanam trivikramaṁ kandhare tu vāmanaṁ vāma-*pārśvake *śrīdharaṁ vāma-*bāhau tu *hṛṣīkeśaṁ tu kandhare pṛṣṭhe ca padmanābhaṁ ca kaṭyāṁ dāmodaraṁ nyaset **"When one marks the forehead with *tilaka, *he must remember Keśava. When one marks the lower abdomen, he must remember Nārāyaṇa. For the chest, one should remember Mādhava, and when marking the hollow of the neck one should remember Govinda. Lord Viṣṇu should be remembered while marking the right side of the belly and Madhusūdana should be remembered when marking the right arm. Trivikrama should be remembered when marking the right shoulder, and Vāmana should be remembered when marking the left side of the belly. Śrīdhara should be remembered while marking the left arm, and Hṛṣīkeśa should be remembered when marking the left shoulder. Padmanābha and Dāmodara should be remembered when marking the back."** *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/20/202|20.202]]* **One should stamp the holy names of the Lord on his body:** **[Lord Caitanya to Sanātana Gosvāmī]: "In the morning, one should regularly brush his teeth, take his bath, offer prayers to the Lord and offer obeisances to the spiritual master. One should render service to the spiritual master and paint one's body in twelve places with ūrdhva-puṇḍra [tilaka]. One should stamp the holy names of the Lord on his body, or one should stamp the symbols of the Lord, such as the disc and club."** *— Śrī Caitanya-caritāmṛta *Madhya-līlā *[[cc/madhya/24/332|24.332]]*