The Practice of the Holy Name

Govindaram · November 28, 2003

NAM 3.1: 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.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 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 Kåñëa 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-mahädävägni-nirväpaëam. 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, nämäbhäsa, the offenses have almost stopped, and one is coming to the platform of pure chanting. In the third stage, when one chants the Hare Kåñëa mantra without offenses, his dormant love for Kåñëa immediately awakens. This is the perfection.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 5.24.20

The nämäbhäsa 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 Kåñëadäsa, and some are called Rämadäsa. Some of them are called Haridäsa. 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 Kåñëa 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 Vaiñëavas when the Vaiñëavas chant the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra. This joking is also beneficial for such persons. Çrémad-Bhägavatam, Sixth Canto, Second Chapter, verse 14, indicates that the chanting of the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra, even in joking, in the course of ordinary discussion, in indicating something extraneous, or in negligence, is called nämäbhäsa, which is chanting that is almost on the transcendental stage. This nämäbhäsa stage is better than nämäparädha. Nämäbhäsa awakens the supreme remembrance of Lord Viñëu. When one remembers Lord Viñëu, 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.

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 17.197–202

NAM 3.2: Offensive Chanting of the Holy Name

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 Kåñëa mantra. Therefore simply by chanting Hare Kåñëa one does not become ecstatic.

There are ten offenses to avoid in chanting the Hare Kåñëa mahä-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 çästra (Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 7.11), kåñëa-çakti vinä nahe tära pravartana: one cannot distribute the holy names of the Hare Kåñëa mahä-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 nämäparädha is described as follows:

çivasya çré-viñëor ya iha guëa-nämädi-sakalaà

dhiyä bhinnaà paçyet sa khalu hari-nämähita-karaù

In this material world, the holy name of Viñëu is all-auspicious. Viñëu’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 the names of demigods such as Lord give to be as good as the name of Lord Viñëu—or in other words, to think Lord Çiva and the other demigods to be other forms of God and therefore equal to Viñëu—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 avajïä, is to consider the spiritual master to be material and therefore envy his exalted position.

The fourth offense (çruti-çästra-nindanam) is to blaspheme Vedic literatures such as the four Vedas and the Puräëas.

The fifth offense (tathärtha-vädaù) is to consider the glories of the holy name to be exaggerations.

Similarly, the sixth offense (hari-nämni kalpanam) is to consider the holy name of the Lord to be imaginary.

The seventh offense is described as follows:

namno baläd yasya hi päpa-buddhir

na vidyate tasya yamair hi çuddhiù

To think that since the Hare Kåñëa mantra can counteract all sinful reactions one may therefore go on with his sinful activities and at the same time chant the Hare Kåñëa mantra to neutralize them is the greatest offense at the lotus feet of hari-näma.

The eighth offense is stated thus:

dharma-vrata-tyäga-hutädi-sarva-çubha-kriyä-sämyam api pramädaù.

It is offensive to consider the chanting of the Hare Kåñëa 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 Kåñëa mahä-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:

açraddadhäne vimukhe ’py açrëvati

yaç copadeçaù çiva-nämäparädhaù

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 Kåñëa 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:

çrutväpi näma-mähätmyaà

yaù préti-rahito naraù

ahaà-mamädi-paramo

nämni so ’py aparädha-kåt

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 [ahaà mameti SB 5.5.8],” and does not show respect and love for the chanting of the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra, that is an offense.

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 8.25

Çréla Jéva Gosvämé 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 Puräëa. 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 Puräëa 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 äcäryas 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.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 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 Kåñëa is nondifferent from Kåñëa, and one who attempts to spread the holy names throughout the world is beloved of Him. Kåñëa Himself does not tolerate offenses against His pure devotees. The second offense is to deny that Lord Viñëu 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 Puräëas. 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 Çiva or Lord Brahmä to be equal to, or independent of, the name of Lord Viñëu. (Sometimes the atheistic class of men take it that any demigod is as good as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Viñëu. 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 “Kälé, Kälé!” or “Durgä, Durga!” and it is the same as Hare Kåñëa, 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 Kåñëa 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 Kåñëa to neutralize his sins. Such a dangerous mentality is very offensive and should be avoided.)

(8) To consider the chanting of Hare Kåñëa one of the auspicious ritualistic activities offered in the Vedas as fruitive activities (karma-käëòa).

(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 Vaiñëava 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:

Çréla Jéva Gosvämé 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 Märkaëòeya Puräëa, Çré Gosväméjé 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.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.1.12

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. 10.41) that all extraordinarily powerful beings are but parts and parcels of the supreme energetic, Lord Kåñëa. 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. Brahmä, Çiva or any other powerful god can never be equal to the Supreme Lord Viñëu.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.1.12

[Devahüti 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 Mäyävädé 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 päñaëòé or an offender.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 3.33.7

Guru-aparädha is the most grievous offense against the holy name:

While describing the system of protection for the creeper of devotional service, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu has especially stressed protection from offenses unto the lotus feet of Vaiñëavas. Such offenses are called vaiñëava-aparädha. Aparädha means “offense.” If one commits vaiñëava-aparädhas, 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 Vaiñëava, his advancement is all spoiled.… Therefore one should be very careful about committing offenses at the feet of a Vaiñëava. The most grievous type of vaiñëava-aparädha is called guru-aparädha, 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-aparädha is considered the most grievous offense.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 4.21.37

A disciple who lacks faith in his spiritual master or who acts independently from him cannot attain success in chanting Hare Kåñëa:

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 Kåñëa. 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 saìkértana movement. Thus the transcendental potency of the holy name encouraged Him more and more in chanting Hare Kåñëa, the mahä-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 çruti-çästra-nindana (blaspheming the Vedic literature), Jéva Gosvämé states in his Bhakti-sandarbha: yathä päñaëòa-märgeëa dattätreyarñabha-devopäsakänäà päñaëòinäm. Worshipers of impersonalists like Dattatreya are also päñaëòis.

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Madhya-lélä 18.115

Mäyävädés 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 MäyävädŽs profess monism, they differentiate between the holy name of the Supreme Lord and the Lord Himself. For this offense of nämäparädha they gradually glide down from their exalted position of brahma-jïäna, as confirmed in the Çrémad-Bhägavatam (10.2.32):

äruhya kåcchreëa paraà .à tataù patanty

adho ’nädåta-yuñmad-aìghrayaù

Although by severe austerities they rise to the exalted position of brahma-jïäna, they nevertheless fall down due to imperfect knowledge of the Absolute Truth. Although they profess to understand the Vedic mantra, sarvaà khalv idaà brahma (“everything is Brahman”), they are unable to understand that the holy name is also Brahman. If they regularly chant the mahä-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.

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 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, Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu, greatly unhappy, immediately warned everyone not to see the student’s face henceforward.

When Çré Caitanya Mahäprabhu explained the glories of the transcendental potency of the Lord’s holy name, the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra, one unfortunate student said that such glorification of the holy name was an exaggeration in the çästras to induce people to take to it. In this way the student interpreted the glories of the holy name. This is called artha-väda, 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 päñaëòé, 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.

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 17.72–73

One must not sin with the intention of chanting Hare Kåñëa 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 Kåñëa 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 Kåñëa 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.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.3.31

Along with the devotees from Bengal came a gentleman named Kälédäsa. He never uttered anything but the holy name of Kåñëa. Kälédäsa was a very advanced devotee, yet he was simple and liberal. He would chant the holy name of Kåñëa while performing all his ordinary dealings. When he used to throw dice in jest, he would throw the dice while chanting Hare Kåñëa.

In this connection Çréla Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté Öhäkura warns the men of this age not to imitate the jesting of a mahä-bhägavata like Kälédäsa. If someone imitates him by playing with dice or gambling while chanting the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra, he will certainly become a victim of offenses unto the holy name. As it is said, hari-näma-bale päpe pravåtti: one must not commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting the Hare Kåñëa mantra. Playing with dice is certainly gambling, but it is clearly said here that Kälédäsa did this only in jest. A mahä-bhägavata can do anything, but he never forgets the basic principles. Therefore it is said, vaiñëavera kriyä-mudrä vijïeha nä bujhaya: “No one can understand the activities of a pure devotee.” We should not imitate Kälédäsa.

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Antya-lélä 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 baläd yasya hi päpa-buddhiù: 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.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 6.13.8–9

In the Skanda Puräëa 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-rasämåta-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.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam 2.1.12

[Mahäräja Parékñit] 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 Kåñëa mahä-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 nämno baläd yasya hi päpa-buddhiù, committing sinful activities on the strength of chanting the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra.

The Nectar of Instruction Text 1

One should not think that because the holy name of Kåñëa can nullify sinful activities, one may commit a little sinful activity and chant Hare Kåñëa to nullify it. This is the greatest offense (nämno baläd yasya hi päpa-buddhiù). 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 Kåñëa 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 Kunté

For those who want to be initiated in this Society for Kåñëa 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 Kåñëa 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 Kåñëa 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 Kåñëa consciousness, we become free. However, we should not think that because Kåñëa 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 açvamedha sacrifices are equal to the chanting of the holy name of Lord Kåñëa is undoubtedly an atheist. He is sure to be punished by Yamaräja.

In the list of the ten kinds of offenses in chanting the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Hare Kåñëa, the eighth offense is dharma-vrata-tyäga-hutädi-sarva-çubha-kriyä-sämyam api pramädaù. One should never consider the chanting of the holy name of Godhead equal to pious activities like giving charity to brähmaëas 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 Kåñëa.

The Vedic scriptures say:

go-koöi-dänaà grahaëe khagasya

prayäga-gaìgodaka-kalpa-väsaù

yajïäyutaà meru-survarëa-dänaà

govinda-kérter na samaà çatäàçaiù

“Even if one distributes ten million cows in charity during an eclipse of the sun, lives at the confluence of the Ganges and Yamunä for millions of years, or gives a mountain of gold in sacrifice to the brähmaëas, he does not earn one hundredth part of the merit derived from chanting Hare Kåñëa.”

In other words, one who accepts the chanting of Hare Kåñëa to be some kind of pious activity is completely misled. Of course, it is pious; but the real fact is that Kåñëa 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 Kåñëa is completely on the spiritual plane. Therefore, although päñaëòés do not understand this, pious activity can never compare to the chanting of the holy name.

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 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-tyäga-hutädi-sarva-çubha-kriyä-sämyam api pramädaù: 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-éçvara-vädés, or followers of thousands and thousands of gods. They consider the chanting of the names of the demigods an auspicious activity. Great so-called svämés have written books saying that one may chant any name—Durgä, Kälé, Çiva, Kåñëa, Räma, and so on—because any name is all right to invoke an auspicious atmosphere in society. Thus they are called päñaëòés—unbelievers.

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 17.212

While chanting the holy name, one should not desire material advancement:

[Éçvara Puré 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 Mahäprabhu, the highest perfection in life is to develop one’s love for Kåñëa (premä pumartho mahän çré-caitanya-mahäprabhor 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 bubhukñus, or those who desire to enjoy this material world, and mumukñus, or those who desire liberation from it, but they are very insignificant in the eyes of a pure devotee who has developed bhäva, the preliminary stage of love of Godhead.

Çré Caitanya-caritämåta Ädi-lélä 7.84