# Hearing and Chanting *On śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ—the primary processes of devotional service* --- ### Nine Processes > There are nine kinds of devotional services, of which: śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam, arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyaṁ sākhyam ātma-nivedanam. These are different nine processes. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam. Śravaṇam means hearing, and kīrtanam means chanting. Chanting. So by this process. Just like I chant and you hear, and you chant and I hear. Parasparam. Bodhayantaḥ parasparam. This is the factual activities of devotion in devotional society. — [[spoken/1966/660909le.ny|Lecture on Mahā-mantra, New York, 1966]] --- ### Realized Through Chanting > This bodhayantaḥ parasparam: I chant, you hear, and you chant, I hear. By this process, the transcendental name, the sound incarnation of the Supreme Lord, becomes manifest, manifest so that we can realize God simply by chanting and hearing. Simply by chanting and hearing that will be realized. — [[spoken/1966/660909le.ny|Lecture on Mahā-mantra, New York, 1966]] --- ### Kīrtana Means Glorifying > This Bhagavad-gītā reading is also kīrtana and when you write something about God that is also kīrtana. Kīrtana means. The Sanskrit word is kīrtaye iti—glorifying. So anyway, when you glorify the Supreme Lord. Kīrtana does not mean that you can glorify anyone and everyone. No. That is not kīrtana. Kīrtana is defined in the śāstra as śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ—you have to hear and chant about the Supreme Lord. — [[spoken/1966/661128bg.ny|Bhagavad-gītā 9.14–15, New York, 1966]] --- ### Only Method in This Age > That is the only method in this age. By chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, one's... The reservoir of understanding will be cleared. And then you can receive..., he can receive the spiritual knowledge. Without cleansing the heart it is very difficult to understand and receive spiritual knowledge. — [[spoken/1970/701219sb.sur|Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 6.1.34–39, Surat, 1970]] --- ### Simply by Chanting > Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya, it is particularly mentioned. That simply by chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa mukta saṅga he becomes liberated. He becomes liberated. — [[spoken/1966/661128bg.ny|Bhagavad-gītā 9.14–15, New York, 1966]] --- ### No Rules and Regulations > So, it is for out of mercy the Lord has given you this age. That you take this simple process because you cannot execute any other process very nicely. But this process you can execute very nicely anywhere, any circumstances, any place, any condition. There is no condition, no rules, no regulation. Simply chant Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare. — [[spoken/1966/661128bg.ny|Bhagavad-gītā 9.14–15, New York, 1966]] --- ### Engaged Twenty-Four Hours > So, what is the qualification of great soul, that is defined here in the Śrīmad-Bhagavad-gītā. Satataṁ kīrtana, he is engaged 24 hours in glorifying the Lord. This is also kīrtana, just like we perform kīrtana with musical sign, sound. This is also. — [[spoken/1966/661128bg.ny|Bhagavad-gītā 9.14–15, New York, 1966]] --- ### Transcendental Sound Incarnation > So this sound, this Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, is the sound representation of the Supreme Lord. The sarvaṁ khalv idaṁ brahma, the whole thing, either material or spiritual, whatever we have got experience, nothing is separated from the Supreme Absolute Truth. — [[spoken/1966/660909le.ny|Lecture on Mahā-mantra, New York, 1966]] --- ### No Alternatives > If you want to realize the Supreme Truth, then you must chant this: Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare / Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare, whenever you get... Harer nāma harer nāma harer nāma eva kevalam: "Only this." And if you think, "Oh, only this? Why not other?" No. Kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā. Nāsty eva means "There is no alternative." And He repeats this: "no alternative, no alternative, no alternative," three times. — [[spoken/1966/660909le.ny|Lecture on Mahā-mantra, New York, 1966]] --- ### Continues Eternally > Because you are eternal and your body is eternal. Similarly, your kīrtana performance is also eternal. Your kīrtana performance is also eternal. Not that after you get liberation you stop it. Rather when you get liberation, oh you chant it with more devotion, with more ecstasy. — [[spoken/1966/661128bg.ny|Bhagavad-gītā 9.14–15, New York, 1966]] --- *10 quotes from Śrīla Prabhupāda on hearing and chanting* [[wiki/quotes|Back to Quotes]]