Benefits of Nam sankirtana

Benefits of Nam sankirtana

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

iti sodasakam namnam kali-kalmasa-nasanam

natah parataropayah sarva-vedesu drsyate

The sixteen names of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra: hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare destroy all the inauspiciousness of the age of Kali. This is the conclusion of all the Vedas. (Kali-santarana Upanisad from Krishna Yajur Veda)

sanketyam parihasyam va

 stobham helanam eva va

vaikuntha-nama-grahanam

 asesagha-haram viduh

One who chants the holy name of the Lord is immediately freed from the reactions of unlimited sins, even if he chants indirectly [to indicate something else], jokingly, for musical entertainment, or even neglectfully. This is accepted by all the learned scholars of the scriptures.

(Srimad-Bhagavatam, 6.2.14)

nama sankirtana deva tarakam brahma drsyate

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

The nama sankirtana(public chanting) of Hare Krishna maha-mantra delivers a complete revelation of all of spiritual reality. (Brahmanda Purana 6.59-60)

mukti-hetuka tāraka haya 'rāma-nāma'

'kṛṣṇa-nāma' pāraka hañā kare prema-dāna

"The holy name of Lord Rāma certainly gives liberation, but the holy name of Kṛṣṇa transports one to the other side of the ocean of nescience and at last gives one ecstatic love of Kṛṣṇa." (Chaitanya-charitamrita, Antya-lila 3.257

harir eva samaradhyah sarva deve suresvarah

hari nama maha mantrair nasyatpapa pisacakam

All the grievous sins of one who worships Lord Sri Hari, the Lord of all lords, and chants the holy name, the maha-mantra, are removed. (Padma Purana, Svarga Khanda 50.6)

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

sodasaitani namani dvatrimsad varnakani hi

kalau yuge maha-mantrah sammato jivatarane

varjayitva tu namaitad durjanaih parikalpitam

chandobaddham susiddhanta viruddham nabhyaset padam

tarakam brahma-namaitad brahmana gurunadina

kalisantaranadyasu sruti-svadhigatam hareh

praptam sri brahma-sisyena sri naradena dhimata

namaitad-uttamam srauta-paramparyena brahmanah

utsrjyaitan-maha-mantram ye tvanyat kalpitam padam

mahanameti gayanti te sastra-guru langhanah

tattva-virodha-sanprktam tadrsam daurjanam matam

sravatha pariharyam syadatma-hitarthina sada

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare

hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

“Hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare, hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare: This sixteen-name, thirty-two syllable mantra is the maha-mantra in the age of Kali by which all living beings can be delivered. One should never abandon chanting this maha-mantra and take to other so-called purificatory processes which are practiced by rascals, or engage in chanting other metrical compositions of the name of Krishna that are against the pure conclusions of the scriptures, or are filled with rasabhasa. About this divinely spiritual maha-mantra, which delivers one from material existence, the original guru, Lord Brahma, has said, kali-santararadi srutite, "The srutis have declared this mantra to be the best means of deliverance in the age of Kali". Having all heard this from Brahma, the sons and disciples of Brahma, beginning with Narada, all accepted the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and, having meditated on it, attained perfection.” (Ananta-samhita)

Ananta-samhita is part of the Narada Pancaratra")

The maha-mantra is further mentioned in Chaitanya Charitamrita 1.7.83 (krishna-nama maha-mantrera), Chaitanya-charitamrita 3.9.56 ('hare krishna, hare krishna' kahe avisrama), Narada Pancaratra, etc.

hare krishna krsneti krsneti mukhyan

mahascarya-namavali-siddha-mantran

krpa-murti-caitanya-deva upagitan

kadabhyasya vrndavane syan krtarth

“When will my heart become satiated by perfecting the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra in Sri Vrndavana Dhama, which the most merciful Sri Caitanyadeva personally chanted and distributed to the fallen souls out of compassion? This wonderful maha-mantra is mixed with the mellows of love and is the chief and the perfection of all other mantras. They are full of spiritual energies and glories.” (Sri Vrindavana Mahimamrta by Srila Prabodhananda Sarasvati 17.89)

hare krishna rama nama gana dana karinim

soka moha lobha tapa sarva vigna nasinim

pada padma lubdha bhakta vrnda bhakti dayinim

gaura murtim asu naumi nama sutra dharinim

"He makes the gift of the song of the names 'Hare, Krishna and Rama', and destroys all obstacles such as sorrow, delusion, greed and suffering. He gives the devotional service of Lord Krishna to the multitude of devotees who are eager for the shelter of His lotus feet. I fall down swiftly to offer my prostrated obeisances to the Lord in His golden form, who holds a string of meditation beads." (Srila Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya, Susloka-Satakam 23)

sri-radhar bhave ebe gora avatar

hare krishna nam gaura korila pracar

(Vasudev Ghosh's bhajan "Jaya Jagannatha Sacira-nandana", text 4)

Chaitanya-bhagavata Madhya-khanda 23.75-80: (trans. Kusakratha Das)

75. The Lord personally taught them, "Please happily hear from Me the maha-mantra of Lord Krishna's names. It is:

76. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

77. The Lord said, "Regularly chant japa of this maha-mantra.

78. In this way you will attain all perfections. Chant at any time and in any circumstance. There are no other rules for chanting.

79. Gather together, five or ten, in your own homes, clap hands and sing kirtana of these holy names.

80. You may also sing these words:

haraye namah krishna yadavaya namah gopala govinda rama sri-madhusudana

('I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna. He is the descendant of the Yadu family. Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto Gopala, Govinda, Rama and Sri Madhusudana.' Also see Chaitanya-charitamrita 2.26.64)

81. Gathering at home with parents, wife, and children, please sing kirtana in this way."

japato hari namani sthane sata-gunadhikah

atmanam ca punaty-uccair-japan srotrn-punati ca

"Compared to that person who is attached to chanting japa, the person who performs loud chanting of the holy name of Sri Hari is one hundred times better. This is because the person who chants japa purifies himself, whereas the person who chants the holy name loudly in kirtana purifies himself, all those who are with him, and everyone else who hear the holy vibration." (Naradiya Purana, Prahlada-vakya)

pasu-paksi-krma-adi balite na pare

sunile se harinama ta'ra saba tare

japile se krishna-nama apani se tare

ucca-sankirtane para-upakare kare

ata eva ucca kari' kirtana karile

sata-guna phala haya sarva-sastre bole

"The animals, birds, and insects cannot chant the holy name, but by hearing the holy name chanted they can benefit. Chanting the japa of the holy name of Krishna purifies oneself, but the loud sankirtana of the holy name of Krishna benefits all living beings. Therefore, loudly chant the holy name of Krishna in kirtana, and you will get one hundred times the benefit of chanting japa. This is the verdict of all the sastras." ( Chaitanya-bhagavata 1.16, Haridasa Thakura speaking)

"Listen my dear Misra, in Kali-yuga there is no need for severe penances or performance of opulent sacrifices; whoever worships the Supreme Lord Krishna he be crowned with fortune and success. So go back to your home and worship Lord Krishna with undeviating faith and attention, giving up falsehood and pretensions. By chanting the holy name of Lord Hari, Krishna, you will simultaneously obtain both the proper spiritual practice and the ultimate goal. In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way. I am repeating this great chant for deliverance to you. This consists of sixteen names of the Supreme Lord with thirty two syllables: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. By constantly chanting and worshiping this Maha Mantra, your heart will feel the first blossoming of love and God; then gradually you will understand the truth about the proper spiritual path and the ultimate spiritual goal." ( Chaitanya-bhagavata 1.14, Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu speaking to Tapana Misra)

In his purport to Caitanya-bhagavata Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati says very clearly that Haridasa Thakura chanted either loudly or softly and that is why his cave became Vaikuntha.

Chaitanya-bhagavata 1.16.172:

tabe haridasa ganga-tire gopha kari'

thakena virale ahar-nisa krishna smari'

"Then Haridasa went and found a cave on the bank of the Ganges. He remembered Krishna day and night as he resided alone in the cave."

Purport: "While remaining in a solitary cave on the bank of the Ganges at Phuliya, Srila Thakura Mahasaya loudly chanted the names of Krishna and passed his days and night remembering the pastimes of the Lord. Sometimes he would chant the sixteen name, thirty-two syllable, maha-mantra loudly (uccaihsvare), and sometimes he would chant softly (mrdusvare). Every day he would complete the chanting of three hundred thousand holy names, or in a year he would chant one hundred million names of Hari. Some people consider that chanting the names of Krishna in a solitary place is in the category of "upamsu-japa," or "chanting very mildly." They say that this maha-mantra, or chanting the holy names of the Lord, should not be heard by others; only the person who is chanting should hear. If the lips move, or if the holy names are recited, then they will automatically be heard by others. But if such persons lack faith in the Vaisnavas who chant the holy names of the Lord, then by the influence of Kali they dare to quarrel with those Vaisnava chanters."