Glories of Hare Krishna Maha Mantra – An excerpt from Srila Jagadananda Pandita’s ‘Sri Prema Vivarta‘

Why chant Hare Krishna? What are the Glories of Hare Krishna Maha Mantra? – Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu quotes from the scriptures to explain the glories of chanting the Holy name of Krishna.

Diseases, Anxieties & Calamities

The Fear of terrible diseases or the fear of being punished by the King is driven away by chanting the Holy Name of Narayana.

mahavyadhi-samach-chhanno
raja-vadhopapiditah
narayaneti sankirtya
niratanko bhaven narah
(Vahni Purana)
–
Living beings who are troubled with terrible diseases or oppressed by kings grow fearless by chanting the Holy Name of Narayana.

All kinds of diseases, sufferings, along with troubles and calamities are destroyed by chanting the Holy Name of Lord Hari.

sarva-roga-upasamanam sarvopadrava-nasanam
santidam sarva aristanam harer nama anukirtanam
(Brhad Vishnu Purana)
–
Chanting the Holy Name of the Supreme Lord Hari heals all diseases, ends all troubles and subdues all disasters.

Just as the mighty wind scatters the clouds, and the rising sun certainly dissipates the darkness – similarly the Holy Name of the Lord drives away the calamities that torment the living beings on the strength of its potency. These are the words of Vyasadeva.

sankirtyamano bhagavan anantah
srutanubhavo vyasanam hi pumsam
pravisya cittam vidhunoty asesam
yatha tamo ’rko ’bhram ivati vatah
(Srimad Bhagavatm, 12.12.48)
–
When a living entity chants about the Infinite Supreme Personality of Godhead, or hears about His prowess, the Lord enters their hearts and cleanses away their misfortunes, just as the sun dispels the darkness or as a powerful wind scatters the clouds.

(The following is an excerpt from Srila Jagadananda Pandita’s ‘Prema Vivarta‘)

The Glories of the holy name of Krishna are endless

One day at the house of Kasi Mishra, a devotee named Krishnadasa revealed some of his personal feelings to Lord Chaitanya.
He said, ‘If I am allowed to ask, please enlighten me about the glories of the holy name of Lord Krishna, the depths of which even the likes of Brahma and Shiva cannot comprehend’.

Lord Chaitanya replied, ‘The Glories of the holy name of Krishna are endless. Even Lord Krishna does not know the limits of it. So what to speak of an ordinary living entity?
I can tell you whatever I have heard from the scriptures. Listen with faith, and you shall be delivered from this material world.
The Holy Name of Krishna eradicates all sins, heals all diseases, relieves one of all miseries, and eliminates obstacles posed by Kali Yuga.
The Holy Name of Krishna even delivers the residents of Hell and nullifies reactions to all kinds of sins and offenses.
The accomplishment of all pious activities is simply a pastime of the Holy Name.
The Sun-like Holy Name shines more radiantly than the Vedic scriptures.
All the Vedic scriptures declare that chanting the Holy Name of the Lord is superior to visiting the Holy places or performing any pious activity.
The Holy Name of the Supreme Lord is the bestower of the ultimate desire (of liberation). It is all-powerful and blesses the world with joy. Such is its wonderful nature.
One who chants the holy Name becomes worshipable to the entire world. The Holy Name is the shelter of the hopeless and the redeemer of the fallen.
The Holy Name of the Supreme Lord is worshipable at all places and always. It bestows all kinds of liberation, entrance unto Vaikuntha (Spiritual world) and love of Sri Hari, the Supreme Lord.
The Sruti and the Smriti scriptures contain numerous proofs that Chanting the Holy Name of the Supreme Lord is the sole purpose of human life and the principal means of attaining devotion (bhakti)’.

All glories to the nectar of the holy name of Sri Krishna ! Param vijayate Sri Krishna sankirtanam !!! Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu recites from Padma Purana, Swarga Khanda, Chapter forty-eight and cites the discussion between Narada Muni and Sanat Kumara, to describe the ten offenses to the holy name.

(Mahaprabhu quotes Narada muni)

Sri Narada muni said
‘Ke te paradhha vipendra namno bhagavatah krtah
Vinighnanti nrnang krtyang prakrtang hy-anayanti cha’
–
(Mahaprabhu paraphrases Narada’s words) ‘O Gurudeva Sanat Kumar, please enlighten me about the various offenses that can be committed against the holy name of the Lord.

Chanting the holy name of the Lord is certainly the principal duty of the living entity. Please tell me about the offenses that rob the living entity of this chief duty.

Offenses make one take to the chanting of the holy name as a mundane activity and make one waste this auspicious practice for trivial mundane results’.

(Mahaprabhu quotes Sanat Kumar)

Sri Sanat Kumar uvacha
satang ninda namnah param aparadham vitanute
yatah khyating yatang katham u sahate tad-vigarham
sivasya sri-visnor ya iha guna-namadi-sakalang
dhiya bhinnang pasyet sa khalu hari-namahita-karah
–
(Mahaprabhu paraphrases Sanat Kumara’s words) ‘If you understand the ten offenses unto the holy name individually, you shall be able to overcome them.
This verse discusses two such offenses against the holy name. Avoid them and try to chant the holy name in an offenseless way’.