Chanting about Kṛṣṇa - Śravaṇaṁ Kīrtanam Viṣṇoḥ
The human tongue is constantly vibrating, usually concerning itself with temporary, mundane affairs. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the supreme perfection of human life is achieved simply by changing the subject matter of our vibration: by constantly hearing and chanting about the name, fame, and pastimes of Lord Kṛṣṇa.
The Foundation of Devotional Service
According to Vedic literature, there are nine primary processes of devotional service, but they all begin with the tongue and the ear. Śrīla Prabhupāda emphasizes that śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam—hearing and chanting about Kṛṣṇa—is the absolute foundation upon which all other spiritual progress is built.
- The nine kinds of devotional service are hearing about Krsna, chanting about Him, remembering Him, offering service to His lotus feet, offering Him worship in the temple, offering prayers to Him.
- When there is hearing, there must also be speaking or chanting. So we speak and chant about Krsna (sravanam kirtanam visnoh). And as soon as one becomes expert in hearing and chanting, the next stage is smaranam, thinking or meditation.
- The more one chants the names of Krsna, the more he becomes attached. Thus service by sravanam and kirtanam, hearing and chanting about Krsna, is the beginning. The next process is smaranam - always remembering Krsna.
- According to the authorized version of Srimad-Bhagavatam, one has to hear and chant about Lord Visnu (Krsna) only.
The Cleansing of the Heart
The material heart is heavily encrusted with layers of lust, anger, and accumulated sinful reactions. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that because Kṛṣṇa is non-different from His name, chanting His glories acts as a powerful transcendental detergent, immediately washing away all material contamination.
- If a devotee at all wants to cleanse his heart, he must chant and hear the glories of the Lord, Sri Krsna (srnvatam sva-kathah krsnah). This is a simple process. Krsna Himself will help cleanse the heart because He is already seated there.
- If one simply chants the holy name of Krsna, this holy name will rise within one's heart like the powerful sun and will immediately dissipate all the darkness of ignorance.
- Sri Krsna, the Personality of Godhead, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear His messages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.
- Although Sisupala was always envious of Krsna, he frequently uttered the name of Krsna and always thought of the beautiful features of Krsna. Thus by constantly thinking and chanting of Krsna he was cleansed of the contamination of his sinful activities.
The Ecstasy of the Pure Devotees
For liberated souls, chanting is not a rigid duty but an irrepressible expression of love. Śrīla Prabhupāda describes how the eternal residents of Vṛndāvana, such as the gopīs and Mother Yaśodā, pass their days in a state of continuous, blissful intoxication, completely absorbed in chanting about Kṛṣṇa's pastimes.
- After this incident, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, surrounded by His dear friends and the animals, returned to His home. As usual, the gopis began to chant the glorious pastimes of Lord Krsna with great feeling, for they were chanting from the heart.
- All the gopis assembled to chant the transcendental qualities of Krsna very loudly, and they began to wander from one forest to another like madwomen.
- It appears that mother Yasoda and Rohini could not be separated from Krsna and Balarama even for a moment. They used to pass their time either by taking care of Them or by chanting about Their pastimes. Thus mother Yasoda and Rohini looked very beautiful.
- Who can describe the damsels of Vraja? They were all seated on the carts and were very beautifully dressed with ornaments and costly saris. They chanted the pastimes of child Krsna as usual.
The Perfection of the Age of Kali
The Vedic scriptures assert that the spiritual practices of previous ages—such as silent meditation or grand sacrifices—are practically impossible to execute in the current, degraded age. Śrīla Prabhupāda confirms that Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu has made spiritual perfection incredibly easy simply by introducing the congregational chanting of Kṛṣṇa's names.
- In this Age of Kali, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu has descended to preach the religion of Krsna consciousness. Therefore the chanting of the holy names of Lord Krsna is the religious principle for this age.
- Whatever is achieved by meditation in Satya-yuga, by the performance of yajna in Treta-yuga or by the worship of Krsna's lotus feet in Dvapara-yuga is also obtained in the Age of Kali simply by chanting the glories of Lord Kesava.
- Caitanya Mahaprabhu says, gives you the easiest method. He says that "In this age simply chant Krsna and you'll get all perfection."
- And it is very easy. And you can do in happy mood. And what is the process? We chant Hare Krsna and eat Krsna-prasada and study Bhagavad-gita philosophy, hear nice musical sounds. Is it very difficult? Is it very difficult? Not at all.
Personal Association Through Sound
God is not separated from His creation, nor is He inaccessible to His devotees. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that because the Absolute Truth is non-different from His sound vibration, chanting about Kṛṣṇa is identical to directly associating with Him face-to-face.
- That is the easiest way. By chanting Krsna, you are associating with Krsna. Because Krsna is absolute, so Krsna and Krsna's name, no difference.
- By chanting and hearing of Krsna we can actually associate with Him, for He is absolute and nondifferent from His names, qualities, forms and pastimes.
- His (Krsna's) name, fame, quality, form, pastimes and entourage are all identical to the Lord, and therefore chanting the glories of the Lord invokes the personal presence of the Lord.
- While addressing Arjuna He (Krsna) says, "Anyone who is engaged in chanting My transcendental name must be considered to be always associating with Me. And I may tell you frankly that for such a devotee I become easily purchased."
The Ultimate Mission
The true purpose of human life is to escape the cycle of birth and death and return to the spiritual sky. Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that this mission is effortlessly achieved if we simply utilize our tongue to continuously vibrate the glories of the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
- Tongue has got two functions, namely to vibrate to speak something, and to taste something. So you engage. You simply engage your tongue for chanting and glorifying Krsna, and eat prasadam, then the two tongue's business will be finished.
- Brahma said, "If a person always keeps in touch with You (Krsna) by hearing and chanting Your glories and offers the results of his work for Your satisfaction only, he very easily and happily attains entrance into Your supreme abode."
- O Krsna, those who continuously hear, chant and repeat Your transcendental activities, or take pleasure in others' doing so, certainly see Your lotus feet, which alone can stop the repetition of birth and death.
- If one simply chants and hears the topics of Krsna, one's life will change; he will see a new light, and his life will be successful.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Śrīla Prabhupāda establishes that śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam viṣṇoḥ—hearing and chanting about Lord Kṛṣṇa—is the absolute lifeblood of spiritual existence. In the deeply contaminated Age of Kali, the rigorous yogic practices of previous millennia are impossible to execute. Therefore, Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu mercifully introduced the congregational chanting of Kṛṣṇa's holy names and pastimes as the sole, effortless means of deliverance. Because Kṛṣṇa is absolute, His name and His pastimes are identical to Him; thus, chanting immediately invokes the Lord's purifying presence within the heart. This transcendental sound vibration burns away the accumulated sins of countless lifetimes, dissolving the false ego and dissipating the darkness of material ignorance. For pure devotees like the gopīs and Mother Yaśodā, chanting is not a regulatory duty but a spontaneous, ecstatic explosion of love that completely eclipses all material concerns. Ultimately, if the conditioned soul simply agrees to change the subject matter of their daily vibration—abandoning mundane topics to instead constantly glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead—their heart will be fully cleansed, and their return back home, back to Godhead, is absolutely guaranteed.
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Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Chanting about Krsna. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience Śrīla Prabhupāda's teachings in their direct, verbatim form.