Nine Verses To Improve Our Faith In Chanting

[Guest guest]

Dear Vaishnavas,

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Srila Gurudeva.

  Last year, when I was very fortunate to be able to hear Gurudeva Maharaja's classes for some days in London, the first class I attended was on SB 6.3.24, given the 4th of July, 2008. Maharaja instructed us to read, write down and learn that verse, together with the slokas quoted by Srila Prabhupada in the purport about chanting, as well as SB 6.3.29, which makes a total of nine verses. As Maharaja has taught us (from the Granthraj posting " Convincing the mind to chant " ), our mind has to be convinced to chant by factual arguments from shastra. Indeed, Maharaja is most kindly showering upon us evidences from Srila Prabhupada's books, so that we are bound to be liberated if we simply accept these to extinguish our forest fire of material life.

1. etaavataalam agha-nirharanaaya pumsaam   sankirtanam bhagavato guna-karma-naamnaam   vikrusya putram aghavaan yad ajaamilo 'pi   naaraayaneti mriyaamana iyaaya muktim

Therefore it should be understood that one is easily relieved from all sinful reactions by chanting the holy name of the Lord and chanting of His qualities and activities. This is the only process recommended for relief from sinful reactions. Even if one chants the holy name of the Lord with improper pronunciation, he will achieve relief from material bondage if he chants without offenses. Ajamila, for example, was extremely sinful, but while dying he merely chanted the holy name, and although calling his son, he achieved complete liberation because he remembered the name of Narayana. (Shrimad Bhaagavatam- SB-6.3.24)

2. saayam praatar grnan bhaktyaa / duhkha-graamaad vimucyateIf one always chants the holy name of the Lord with great devotion in the evening and in the morning, one can become free from all material miseries. (SB 1.3.29)

3. anudinam idam aadarena shrnvanOne can achieve liberation if one hears the holy name of the Lord constantly, every day with great respect. (SB 4.23.39)

4. shravanam kirtanam dhyaanam / harer adbhuta-karmanah   janma-karma- gunaanaam ca / tad-arthe 'khila-ceshtitam

One should always chant and hear about the extraordinarily wonderful activities of the Lord, one should meditate upon these activities, and one should endeavor to please the Lord. (SB 11.3.27)

5. paapa-kshayas ca bhavati smarataam tam ahar-nisamOne can become free from all sinful reactions simply by remembering the lotus feet of the Lord day and night [ahar-nisam] . (Vishnu Purana 1.17.78)

6. tasmaat sankirtanam vishnor / jagan-mangalam amhasaam   mahataam api kauravya / viddhy aikaantika-nishkrta m

Sukadeva Gosvami continued: My dear King, the chanting of the holy name of the Lord is able to uproot even the reactions of the greatest sins. Therefore the chanting of the sankirtana movement is the most auspicious activity in the entire universe. Please try to understand this so that others will take it seriously. (SB 6.3.24)

7. naamaaparaadha- yuktaanaam / naamaany eva haranty agham   avishraanti- prayuktaani / taany evaartha-karaani ca

Even if in the beginning one chants the Hare Krsna mantra with offenses, one will become free from such offenses by chanting again and again. (Padma Purana)

8. harer nama harer nama / harer namaiva kevalam   kalau nasty eva nasty eva / nasty eva gatir anyathaa

In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way. (Brhan-naradiya Purana 38.126)

9. jihvaa na vakti bhagavad guna-naamadheyam   cetas ca na smarati  tac-caranaar avindam   krsnaaya no namati yac-cira ekadaapi   taan aanayadhvam asato ‘krta-vishnu- krtyaan

My dear servants, please bring to me only those sinful persons who do not use their tongues to chant the holy names and qualities of Krishna, whose hearts do not remember the lotus feet of Krishna even once, and whose heads do not bow down even once before Lord Krishna. Send me those who do not perform their duties toward Vishnu, which are the only duties in human life. Please bring me all such fools and rascals. (SB 6.3.29)

Maharaja said that this proves that at least we are saved from Yamaraja, as long as we keep on chanting; so we should continue with our devotional activities and preach to the best of our capacity and that will bring all auspiciousness.

Granthraj

-- At the present moment our minds are polluted with the dirt accumulated over millions and millions of lifetimes of sense gratification. Even though our original pure nature is eternal, full of knowledge, and full of bliss, due to our mental contamination we are presently suffering in the realm of temporality, ignorance, and misery. By the purificatory process of chanting the holy names of God we can revive our original, pure nature and thus relish the sweetest happiness at every minute.

Chant:Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare HareHare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare