CC Adi These verses from Caitanya Caritamrta establish the chanting of the Holy Name as Yuga Dharma – the proces of self realization for Kali Yuga It is emphasized that no other process will be effective: “nasty eva, nasty eva, nasty eva…”

Process of Sadhana Bhakti 64 Items sadhana bhakti listed in NOD 10 important principles (pravritti) 10 secondary principles (nivritti) 44 Additional items First three most important – Accepting the shelter of the spiritual master – Becoming initiated by the spiritual master – Obeying the spiritual master with faith & devotion

Five Essential Items of bhakti The last 5 items of the 44 (BRS ) are considered particularly significant.  Serving the deity (murti sevane)  Hearing Srimad Bhagavatam (bhagavatam)  Associating with devotees (sadhu sanga)  Chanting Hare Krishna (Nama sankirtana)  Living in Mathura or a Holy place (mathura mandala)

Power of 5 practices  “The last five items have inconceivable and astonishing power. What to speak of having faith in these items, if there is just a little relationship with theses items, persons who are devoid of offenses can attain the level of bhava.” BRS  “The inconceivable power of these extraordinary five angas is such that it will manifest the state of bhava and its object, Krsna, at the same time.” BRS

Chanting King of all Practices “Among the angas of bhakti, which is ascertained as king?” This verse answers. Chanting the name of the Lord is the principle method. Among all angas, the chief ones are hearing, chanting, and remembering. Among these three, chanting is the chief. Among the different types of chanting – chanting the name of the Lord is supreme.” – Visvanatha Chakravarti Thakur – BRS commentary

Chanting Hare Krishna – The Yuga Dharma kåñëa-varëaà tviñäkåñëaà säìgopäìgästra-pärñadam yajïaiù saìkértana-präyair yajanti hi su-medhasaù  In the age of Kali, intelligent persons perform congregational chanting to worship the incarnation of Godhead who constantly sings the names of Krsna. Although His complexion is not blackish, He is Krsna Himself. He is accompanied by His associates, servants, weapons and confidential companions. – SB

Perfection obtained through sankirtana “Those who are actually advanced in knowledge are able to appreciate the essential value of this age of Kali. Such enlightened persons worship Kali-yuga because in this fallen age all perfection of life can easily be achieved by the performance of saìkértana.” – SB

Chanting in Kali yuga – Results  My dear King, although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, there is still one good quality about this age: Simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one can become free from material bondage and be promoted to the transcendental kingdom.  Whatever result was obtained in Satya-yuga by meditating on Visnu, in Treta-yuga by performing sacrifices, and in Dvapara-yuga by serving the Lord's lotus feet can be obtained in Kali-yuga simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. SB

Benefits of chanting – freedom from sinful reactions - liberation Living beings who are entangled in the complicated meshes of birth and death can be freed immediately by even unconsciously chanting the holy name of Krsna, which is feared by fear personified. SB A person who chants the holy name of Krsna once can counteract the resultant actions of more sinful activities than he is able to perform.“ – CC

Power of Holy Name – Story of Ajamila in Sixth Canto Yamaraja – Devotional service, beginning with the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, is the ultimate religious principle for the living entity in human society. My dear servants, who are as good as my sons, just see how glorious is the chanting of the holy name of the Lord. The greatly sinful Ajamila chanted only to call his son, not knowing that he was chanting the Lord's holy name. Nevertheless, by chanting the holy name of the Lord, he remembered Narayana, and thus he was immediately saved from the ropes of death.

Yamaraja’s Instruction Therefore it should be understood that one is easily relieved from all sinful reactions by chanting the holy name of the Lord and chanting of His qualities and activities. This is the only process recommended for relief from sinful reactions. Even if one chants the holy name of the Lord with improper pronunciation, he will achieve relief from material bondage if he chants without offenses. Ajamila, for example, was extremely sinful, but while dying he merely chanted the holy name, and although calling his son, he achieved complete liberation because he remembered the name of Narayana. SB

Develop love of Krsna by Holy Name By singing My names, a person will attain a position close to Me. I make this promise. That person, O Arjuna, purchases me. – Adi Purana (BRS The name of the Lord fulfills all desires like cintamani. It is the very form of Krsna. It is full of consciousness and rasa. It is complete, pure, and eternally liberated. This is because of the non- difference of the name and Krsna. – Padma Purana (BRS )

Namanukirtanam (Chanting following the authorities) Sri Sukadeva Goswami recommends the transcendental chanting of the holy name of the Lord. By offenseless chanting and hearing of the holy name of the Lord, one becomes acquainted with the transcendental form of the Lord, and then with the attributes of the Lord, and then with the transcendental nature of His pastimes, etc. Here it is mentioned that one should constantly chant the holy name of the Lord after hearing it from authorities. This means that hearing from the authorities is the first essential.  Purport, SB

Stages of Chanting Namaparadha (Offensive stage) namabhasa or abhasa rupa (clearing stage) Sudhanama (Pure stage –offenseless) Abhasa rupa – slight glimpse of devotional service Even in the stage of abhasa-rupa bhakti, all the reactions of sinful life are uprooted and vanquished. Srila Jiva Goswami expresses the opinion that even if one has a desire to commit sinful actions, the roots of that desire are vanquished merely by abhasa-rupa bhakti. SB purport