The maha-mantra is capable of dissolving sins and removing impediments. The maha-mantra removes sufferings and diminishes the detriments that are so charactersitic of Kali-yuga. It redeems the unredeemable residents of hellish planets and nullifies the inevitable sinful reactions carried over from previous births. The maha-mantra purifies offenses and is the quintessence of all trancendental activities, shining more brilliantly than the Vedas. The scriptures declare that the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is the highest spiritual activity, higher than making pilgrimages to the holiest of places. The maha-mantra is omnipotent and benedicts the chanter with unimaginable good fortune-Its very nature is that It elevates one to experience divine bliss. The chanter is no ordinary person, for he becomes worthy of the entire world’s praise. The maha-mantra is the only means of salvation for the fallen conditioned souls, and It is always worshippable for It offers the much desired liberation, exalts one to the supreme spiritual abode and blesses the chanter with transcendental love of Godhead, Shri Hari. The shruti and smriti contain proofs of the maha-mantra’s sublime position. It is the supreme destination of all spiritual aspirations and the mainstream of the current of bhakti (devotional service).
One of the inherent characteristics of the maha-mantra is that It destroys all sins. Hear first the different, authoritative conclusions on the subject. Take note of Ajamila, the example of a sinner, who on his deathbed unconsciously called out, “Narayana’, the Supreme Lord’s name. The innumerable sins he had committed in countless lives were immediately absolved
The Bhagavatam 6.2.7 states that Ajamila had already atoned for all his sinful actions. Indeed, he has atoned not only for sins performed in one life but for those performed in millions of lives, for in a helpless condition he chanted the holy name of Narayana. Even though he did not chant purely, he chanted without offenses, and therefore he is now pure and eligible for liberation
If one chants the maha-mantra and then dies because of an accidental misfortune, such as falling from the top of a house, slipping and suffering broken bones while traveling on the road, being bitten by a serpent, being afflicted with pain and high fever, or being injured by a weapon, one is immediately absolved from having to enter hellish life, even though he is sinful. (Bhag 6.2.15)
The Laghu Bhagavatamrita states that the maha-mantra is the only real friend of the living entity. By the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one very easily uproots all sinful reactions that have been accumulated not only in this lifetime but also for many past lives and which are yet to mature into fruition.
The Kurma Purana states that the process of chanting the maha-mantra has the power to eradicate all the accumulated and sinful reactions and much more, so much so that the maha-mantra can absolve more sinful reactions than one is even capable of committing
The Skanda Purana states that all the sins committed through actions, mind, words and body can be permanently nullified in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.
The Brhan-naradiya Purana states that the scriptures proclaim unequivocally that the maha-mantra is the cure for all diseases. O resident of Puri, I say it is true, trust Me. Just chant the names of Govinda, Acyutananda, Krishna, Madhusudana etc. Chant the maha-mantra with feeling from the heart and with tears flowing from the eyes. This will rid you of all material diseases and sufferings.
The Shrimad-Bhagavatam Mahapurana 12.12.48 states that when people properly glorify the Supreme Personality of Godhead by chanting the maha-mantra or simply hear about His power, the Lord personally enters their hearts and cleanses away every trace of misfortune, just as the sun removes the darkness or as a powerful wind drives away the clouds.
The Skanda Purana states: Just go on chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Do not be inhibited by external rules such as those overning cleanliness, the maha-mantra is fully independent of all such material prescriptions and It is the supremely purifying agent-cleansing everything but without becoming affected in any way.
The Vaishnava Cintamani states that ritualistic religious
practices like yajna, charity, sacred baths and chanting of Vedic hymns are all
regulated by rules of time, cleanliness etc. To consider that the chanting of
the maha-mantrais subject to the same restrictions is a gross blunder. There
are no hard and fast rules for chanting. Therefore, everyone chant the
maha-mantra at all times.
For the yogi who is searching for peace of mind,
tranquility and freedom from fear, the only quick and effective way is to chant
the maha-mantra.
Bhag 2.1.11 states: O King, constant chanting of the Hare
Krishna maha-mantra after the ways of the great authorities is the doubtless
and fearless way of success for all, including those who are free from all
material desires, those who are desirous of all material enjoyment, and also
those who are self-satisfied by dint of transcendental knowledge.
The Skanda Purana states that the Hare Krishna
maha-mantrais the most magnanimous deliverer of souls. The maha-mantra alone
offers the living entity sure and easy liberation. One needs to chant the
maha-mantra or the name of Lord Hari just once, and immediately become an
eligible candidate for liberation.
The Padma Purana states that anyone who chants the
maha-mantra or the name of Narayana even once with a pure heart, having
conquered sleep and lethargy, is liberated and is in constant communion with
the Lord.
A living entity, enmeshed in the abysmal ocean of repeated
birth and death, even if unconsciously or unknowingly chants the maha-mantra,
he becomes immediately liberated and personified fear being afraid of the
maha-mantra goes away.
Bhag 1.1.14 states: Living beings who are entangled in the
complicated meshes of birth and death can be freed immediately by even
unconsciously chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, which is feared by fear
personified.
Bhag 3.9.15 states: Let me take shelter of the lotus feet
of Him whose incarnations, qualities and activities are mysterious imitations
of worldly affairs. One who invokes His transcendental names in the form of the
maha-mantra, even unconsciously, at the time he quits this life, is certainly
washed immediately of the sins of many, many births and attains Him without
fail.
In the Vishnu Purana it is stated: In our normal activities
of eating, sleeping, sitting, dreaming, etc. to chant the maha-mantra, will
completely nullify the ill effects of Kali-yuga and is the perfection of
speech. Even if a persons chants Hare Krishna indifferently, he will attain
that state beyond all material fear and lamentation. He will eventually reach
Vaikuntha, the supreme goal.
In the Varaha Purana it is stated: If somehow or other one
chants the maha-mantra, Krishna is attracted to him and He showers him with
causeless mercy. Even a ghostly haunted drunkard, miserably suffering numerous
health disorders simply chants the maha-mantra, then liberation is immediately
within his easy reach.
The Padma Purana states: Chanting the maha-mantra is the
highest goal of this human form of life. It is the supremely opulent and
auspicious goal of life.
The Prabhasa-khanda states: “The maha-mantra is the most
auspicious of all auspicious things. It’s form is transcendental and is the
ultimate fruit of the desire tree of the Vedas. Thus whoever chants the maha-mantra
either with faith or negligently is immediately delivered. This is the
conclusion of all the Vedic scriptures.
The Vaishnava Cintamani states that amongst the different
limbs of bhakti, chanting of the maha-mantra is, according to all the scriptures,
the most efficacious. Astanga-yoga necessitates much arduous physical and
mental exercise in order to remember (smarana) the Supreme Lord Vishnu. But
simply by moving the lips and chanting is the best form of glorification and
rememberance of the Supreme Lord. Therefore chanting is higher than only mental
rememberance of the Lord. Because while chanting, shravana, kirtana and
smarana, all three limbs of bhakti-yoga are accomplished.
The Vaishnava Cintamani furthur states that one who has
worshipped the Deity of the Lord for atleast a thousand lifetimes, and in each
life having taken proper brahminical initiation, is able to constantly vibrate
the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.
The Vishnu Purana states that: The supreme goal which was
attained in Satya-yuga by years of prolonged meditation; in Treta-yuga by
performing extensive yajnas, in Dvapara-yuga by opulent and scrupulous Deity
worship; in Kali-yuga the same results are easily achieved simply by chanting
the maha-mantra.
The Skanda Purana states that the hallmark of a
maha-bhagavata (the most elevated devotee) in Kali-yuga is that he chants the
Hare Krishna maha-mantra constantly.
The Brhan-naradiya Purana states that the extraordinary
result derived from chanting the transcendentally empowered and eternal Hare
Krishna maha-mantra just a few times cannot be satisfactorily described, even
by great personalities like Lord Shiva or Lord Brahma. So marvellous is the
maha-mantra that immediately upon chanting or hearing It, the chanter attains
the supreme destination.
In the Adi Purana, Lord Krishna said to Arjuna, ‘O Arjuna!
Listen attentively. When the living entity chants the maha-mantra which is made
up of My own names, I never forget this act. I become so obliged to such a
person that I Myself begin chanting the name of that person who is chanting the
maha-mantra not finding any other means to repay his debt. There is no vow like
the chanting of the maha-mantra. no knowledge like It, no meditation which
comes anywhere near It, and no other result equal to It. No penance is equal to
It, and nothing is as potent or powerful as the maha-mantra. Chanting the
maha-mantra is the greatest act of piety and the supreme refuge. Even the words
of the Vedas do not possess sufficient power to describe its magnitude.
Chanting is the highest path to liberation, peace and eternal life. It is the
pinnacle of all kinds of devotion, the heart’s joyous proclivity and attraction
and the best form of rememberance of the Supreme Lord. The maha-mantra has
appeared solely for the benefit of the living entities as their Lord and
master, their supreme worshipable object and their spiritual guide and mentor.
There are no limits to the glories of the Hare Krishna
maha-mantra. Just by hearing It once, even a pukkasa, the lowest of mankind can
be saved.
Bhag 6.16.44 states: My Lord, it is not impossible for one
to be immediately freed from all material contamination by seeing You. Not to
speak of seeing You personally, merely by hearing the holy name in the form of
the maha-mantra only once, even candalas, men of the lowest class, are freed
from all material contamination. Under the circumstances, who will not be freed
from material contamination simply by seeing You?
The Varaha Purana states that whoever continuously chants
the maha-mantra, even in his sleep, can easily realise that the maha-mantra is
a direct manifestation of Krishna Himself, inspite of all bad influences of
Kali-yuga. This has been ordained by Lord Krishna Himself.
The Nrsingha Purana states that one who constantly chants
the maha-mantra and in this way remembers the Lord, even though living in this
material ocean of nescience, is like the lotus, which is born in the water but
is untouched by it: it’s position is transcendental. This great soul is capable
of liberating all the suffering residents of the hellish planets.
The Prabhasa-khanda states that the maha-mantra is the
prime and the most secure shelter for the living entities. The maha-mantra can
eradicate endless offenses and liberate a person.
The Bhakti-rasamrita-sinduh, Purva-vibhaga 2.108 states
that the maha-mantra is a trancendental touchstone, a direct manifestation of
Krishna Himself, a fully cognisant Being, perfect, pure, eternally
independent-the maha-mantra and Krishna are identical.
The Rig Veda 1.56.3 states that one who philosophically
understands that the Lord’s holy name and His potencies are the same can
properly approach and worship the Supreme Lord with transcendental knowledge
and choice prayers.”
Shri Krishnadas, a resident of Puri-dhama, then humbly
enquired from Lord Chaitanya with folded hands: “Dear Lord, I have one
clarification to be made, which I place before Your lotus feet, after having
heard the supremely wonderful glories of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra directly
from You, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. I wonder why the chanting does
not give everyone the same result
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