In general, when we attempt to make a phone call to a very important person how much we try to:
- Take care of surroundings without disturbance and for proper signal
- Go to a closed room or a secluded place for clear voice
- Cautiously and Consciously wait for his response
- Keenly observe the status of dialing to ringing to connecting till the person responds to our call
- Discard all other activities and with all attention we are ready with a humble response
The idea is, when we chant the holy names of God "Krishna" - we are calling The Supreme Personality of Godhead Krishna Himself. Then how much we have to be cautious and conscious while Chanting His Holy names.
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura elaborately describes the stages of chanting the holy name in his Hari-nama-chintamani:
- Chanting that is full of ignorance and with offenses is known as nama-aparadha.
- The next stage, which still contains imperfections, is known as nama-abhasa, or the shadow of the holy name. This is the stage in which one can attain freedom from sins and even liberation.
- But one can attain pure Krishna-Prema only by chanting without offense, a stage known as Shuddha-nama, or the pure chanting of the holy name.
Of course, holy name is so powerful that even by chanting with offense, gradually he becomes pure. Therefore we should not give up chanting. Any circumstances, we should go on chanting Hare Krishna. But the warning is that if we keep us on the material platform, then it will be not possible to understand Krishna, His holy name, His attribute, His form, His activities.
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