If anyone wants God realization, then they..., he must take to this process of chanting, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā. In the Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam also, it is said by Śukadeva Goswāmī when he was teaching it, Mahārāja Parīkṣit, about the symptoms of this kali-yuga. There are many symptom, just like you know how in the Twelfth Canto, Second, Third Chapter, the different types of faulty conditions of this yuga are mentioned there. For example, there is statement, svīkāra eva ca udvāhe: "In this Kali-yuga, simply by agreement the marriage ceremony will be performed." That is actually happening, especially in European country. Then, lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam. In the Kali-yuga... Just see how five thousand years they predicted that are happening now. Lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam: "If one keeps long hair, then he thinks that 'I have become very beautiful.' " So these things have been ensured, as practically these are being, European and American countries, the boys are keeping long hair. They have (indistinct) hair. Lāvaṇyaṁ keśa-dhāraṇam. So there are so many symptoms, everything. Now we have to wait for the last symptom, when there will be no milk, no sugar and no grains. That day, we shall have it. The Kali-yuga is so serious. But Sri Śukadeva Goswāmī said to Parīkṣit Mahārāja, kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ: "My dear King, although I have described so many faulty things in this age, there is one great benefit." Kaler doṣa-nidhe rājann asti hy eko mahān guṇaḥ. What is that? Kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya mukta-saṅgaḥ paraṁ vrajet (SB 12.3.51). Simply by chanting "Kṛṣṇa," kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya. Especially it is mentioned, kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya nāma. Not that, as you say something, any nāma you can do. No. Kṛṣṇasya. In another place also it is stated, śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ.
- śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ
- smaraṇaṁ pāda-sevanam
- arcanaṁ vandanaṁ dāsyam
- sakhyam ātma-nivedanam
- (SB 7.5.23)
These are the nine different kinds of executing devotional service. So kṛṣṇasya, viṣṇoḥ. The Ṛg Veda also says, oṁ tad viṣṇoḥ paramaṁ padaṁ sadā paśyanti sūrayaḥ. So the chanting means not that any name I select, I can chant. No. Chanting means kīrtanād eva kṛṣṇasya. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanam viṣṇoḥ. Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare/ Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.
So this prescription has been given by Lord Caitanya. He has described, paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam
- ceto-darpaṇa-mārjanaṁ bhava-mahā-dāvāgni-nirvāpaṇaṁ
- śreyaḥ-kairava-candrikā-vitaraṇaṁ vidyā-vadhū-jīvanam
- ānandāmbudhi-vardhanaṁ prati-padaṁ pūrṇāmṛtāsvādanaṁ
- (sarvātmā-snapanaṁ) paraṁ vijayate śrī-kṛṣṇa-saṅkīrtanam
- (CC Antya 20.12)
So my appeal is to you, and especially the two Justices, please try to understand, serious vicāra, not that whimsically to accept by sentiment. No. Vicāra. Vicāra means śāstra-vicāra. We have to accept the Vedic authorities, what the Vedic injunction is there. The Vedic injunction is,
- harer nāma harer nāma harer nāmaiva kevalaṁ
- kalau nāsty eva nāsty eva nāsty eva gatir anyathā
- (CC Adi 17.21)
So that is Vedic injunction. Just like from lawbook when you give evidence before the Justice, it is accepted law. That is in the law. Similarly, whenever there is reference in the Vedic literature, we have to accept. And practically we have seen people did not know the name of Kṛṣṇa three, four years ago, they are mad after Kṛṣṇa, the European, American. This is the practical fact. Therefore through the grace of Lord Caitanya, through the method given by Lord Caitanya, if we approach Kṛṣṇa it becomes very easy. That was the..., detected by Rūpa Goswāmī. Namo mahā-vadānyāya kṛṣṇa-prema-pradāya te (CC Madhya 19.53). Kṛṣṇa-prema. To attain Kṛṣṇa, to understand Kṛṣṇa is very difficult. Kṛṣṇa Himself says so.
- manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu
- kaścid yatati siddhaye
- yatatām api siddhānāṁ
- kaścin vetti māṁ tattvataḥ
- (BG 7.3)
So one does not understand what is Kṛṣṇa, then what to speak of loving Kṛṣṇa? If you don't understand somebody, how you will love him? But through the method given by Lord Caitanya, if we accept, it becomes so easy that even mlecchas and yavanas, who never heard of Kṛṣṇa, they are dancing in ecstasy for kṛṣṇa-prema. So if we actually want that siddhi, manuṣyāṇāṁ sahasreṣu kaścid yatati siddhaye (BG 7.3), that perfection of life, we must take to this Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement. It teaches how to surrender unto Kṛṣṇa. If we surrender to dog, forgetting Kṛṣṇa, we are under the clutches of māyā.