Chanting the Name
«O devotees, hear about the dharma in the Age of Kali: there is no duty other than chanting the Name of Sri Krsna.
«‘Sri Saunaka said, «We have heard that the glories of uttering the Name are greatly astounding. Just by uttering the Name, the soul attains the supreme abode. So now, please describe the rules for chanting the Name.»
«‘Sri Suta said, «Saunaka, listen to me. I will recount for you a conversation about the path to liberation: I will relate to you what Narad previously enquired about from Sanat Kumar.
«‘«Once, having heard about the various types of dharma and the violations against dharma, Narad, with joined palms, enquired from the peaceful-hearted Sanat Kumar, who was seated on the bank of the Yamuna.»
«‘Sri Narad said, «O favourite of the Lord, please tell me how the violations against dharma made by the soul that you have described may be counteracted?»’
«Sometimes they stop counting and chant the Name without counting. Understand clearly that the word ‘utterance’ refers to both of these types of chanting.
«Soft utterance is called japa, and loud utterance is called kirtan. Both are considered ways to practise remembrance and chanting, but howsoever the Name is taken, the way of doing so in which there is true glorification of the Name is certainly the proper method to glorify the Name.
«Chanting the Name is the eternal duty of the soul: it is the primary activity of the soul both in this world and in the spiritual world.
«Chanting the Name is the means to liberation for the conditioned souls and is the eternal engagement of the liberated souls.
«Non-devotional duties mentioned in the religious scriptures, rites that do not have a devotional purpose, renunciation that is not an expression of detachment produced by devotion, and mundane, non-devotional sacrifices — the scriptures say that all of these pious activities are favourable to devotion because they have some connection with the Lord. In the Age of Kali, however, they have all become material activities; losing their favourableness to devotion, they have all become corrupted.
«So, in the Age of Kali, there is no duty other than chanting the Name. O devotees, listen!
«With the strength produced by devotion, carefully avoid all violations against chanting the Name that you find.— books Sri Sri Prema-vivarta / Chapter 19. A Collection of Hidden Truths about the Name
«Chanting the Name, however, is a supramundane, spiritual engagement. In the practising stage, the Name is the means, and in the perfectional stage, the Name is the primary engagement.
— books Sri Sri Prema-vivarta / Chapter 19. A Collection of Hidden Truths about the Name
See also Name