Chanting Without Offense
The goal of the Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement is to bring people to the platform of chanting the holy name of God without offense. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that the holy name is like a seed; if it is watered by the process of hearing and chanting without being choked by the weeds of offenses, it will inevitably fructify into the flower of love of God.
The Immediate Effect
Śrīla Prabhupāda teaches that the power of the holy name is instantaneous for one who is free from offenses. Just as a pure devotee can create the atmosphere of Vaikuṇṭha or Vṛndāvana anywhere simply by chanting, any person who chants offenselessly immediately revives their original spiritual consciousness. There is no delay; the very moment the name is chanted purely, Kṛṣṇa reveals Himself.
- As soon as one chants the Hare Krsna Mantra with sincerity and without offence (you know there are ten kinds of offenses to the Holy Name which we are to avoid very, very carefully) his original Krsna consciousness is immediately revived.
- A pure devotee can create Vaikuntha or Vrndavana anywhere simply by chanting the glories of the Lord without offense.
- As we chant faultless, offenseless harer nama, Krsna reveals Himself.
Awakening Pure Love
While mechanical chanting may produce liberation or material benefits, only offenseless chanting awakens kṛṣṇa-prema, or pure love of God. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains that when a devotee chants without offense, they relish the reservoir of all pleasure, Kṛṣṇa. This stage is characterized by spiritual emotions, such as tears in the eyes and a melted heart, which are absent in those who are "hard-hearted" due to offenses.
- As soon as one comes to the platform of chanting pure Hare Krsna mantra, without any offense, he becomes immediately enhanced in love with Krsna, prema, krsna-prema.
- Chanting of Hare Krishna is not meant for achieving any other better thing than Krishna. But when we chant Hare Krishna without any offense, we relish Krishna, the Reservoir of all pleasure.
- If a person does not cry or exhibit bodily changes after chanting the holy name of God without offense, it is to be understood that he is hardhearted and that therefore his heart does not change even after he chants the holy name of God, Hare Krsna.
Protection and Deliverance
The protective power of the holy name is absolute. Śrīla Prabhupāda cites the example of Ajāmila, who chanted the name of Nārāyaṇa to call his son at the time of death. Because he did so without offense (even though it was not pure love), he was instantly delivered from the Yamadūtas. Similarly, any devotee who chants sincerely is protected by Kṛṣṇa, who helps them overcome the disorderly mind at the time of death.
- If a devotee chants the holy name even once inoffensively, this protects him eternally. He need only wait for the results of the chanting to mature in due course of time.
- My dear King, the order carriers of Visnu, the Visnudutas, immediately arrived when they heard the holy name of their master from the mouth of the dying Ajamila, who had certainly chanted without offense because he had chanted in complete anxiety.
- Krsna is also very kind. If you chant seriously, without offense, even the mental condition at the time of death is disordered, Krsna will help you how to chant without any offense. The only qualification is that we must be very sincere.
Freedom from Material Attachment
A significant result of offenseless chanting is complete detachment from material existence. Śrīla Prabhupāda warns that if one chants but maintains attachment to "unwanted creepers" like illicit sex, intoxication, or the desire for cheap popularity, they are committing offenses. True chanting creates a service attitude where the devotee cries to Rādhārāṇī and Kṛṣṇa to lift them out of the material energy.
- By chanting without offenses, the devotee cries to Radharani and Krsna to please lift him out of the material energy and put him into the spiritual energy, which is devotional service.
- The unwanted creepers have been described by Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura. He states that if one hears and chants without trying to give up offenses, one becomes materially attached to sense gratification.
- The idea is that by chanting the holy name without offense, one can obtain elevation to the liberated platform. On the liberated platform one is freed from all material attachment.
Conclusion
Śrīla Prabhupāda concludes that there is no other way to success in the Age of Kali than chanting the holy name. While mechanical chanting has some effect, perfection is achieved only when the devotee carefully avoids the ten offenses. By doing so, one transcends the material conception of life and enters the eternal pastimes of the Lord.
Dive Deeper into Śrīla Prabhupāda's Vani
Śrīla Prabhupāda lives within his instructions. This article is a summary of the profound truths found in the Vaniquotes category Chanting Without Offense. We invite you to visit this link to study the complete compilation and experience his teachings in their direct, verbatim form.