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Srila Prabhupada on Chanting the Holy Name
from Bhaktavatsala dasa

Path of Perfection: Chapter Ten: "The Path of Perfection"

"My Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, in Your holy name there is all good fortune for the living entity, and therefore You have many names, such as Krsna and Govinda, by which You expand Yourself. You have invested all Your potencies in those names, and there are no hard-and-fast rules for remembering them. My dear Lord, although You bestow such mercy upon the fallen, conditioned souls by liberally teaching Your holy names, I am so unfortunate that I commit offenses while chanting the holy name, and therefore I do not achieve attachment for chanting."

Teachings of Queen Kunti: Chapter Eight: "Let There Be Calamities"

Krsna, the transcendental holy name of God, has all potencies, Lord Caitanya said. Krsna has unlimited potencies, and similarly in the holy name of Krsna there are unlimited potencies. Krsna has thousands and thousands of names, of which the name Krsna is the chief, and there are no hard and fast rules for chanting. It is not that one must chant at a certain time. No. At any time one may chant. Furthermore, Krsna's name is identical with Krsna Himself. Therefore the holy name of Krsna is Krsna.

We should not think that Krsna is living in His abode, Goloka Vrndavana, and that His name is different from Him. In the material world, of course, in the material conception, a name is different from the fact it represents. But in the absolute world there are no such differences. The name is as potent as Krsna is. We have a tongue, and if we use this tongue to chant Hare Krsna, we shall immediately come directly in touch with Krsna, because the name Krsna and the person Krsna are not different. We may think that Krsna is far, far away, but in fact Krsna is within us. He is far away, but at the same time He is the nearest. But even if we think that Krsna is far, far away, His name is present. We can chant Hare Krsna, and Krsna will immediately become available. Krsna is available in this easy way, for which there are no hard and fast rules. We can chant at any time and immediately get Krsna. Just see the mercy of Krsna!

Teachings of Queen Kunti: Chapter Thirteen: "The Vital Force of the Universe"

"My dear Lord, You are so kind that You are giving me Your association in the form of Your holy name, and this holy name can be chanted in any situation." There are no hard and fast rules for chanting Hare Krsna.

"Madhya-lila": Chapter Thirteen, Text 200

Translation

The devotees offered their foods everywhere, in front and behind the car, on the two sides and within the flower garden. Wherever possible, they made their offering to the Lord, for there were no hard-and-fast rules.

"Antya-lila": Chapter Twenty, Text 16

Translation

My Lord, O Supreme Personality of Godhead, in Your holy name there is all good fortune for the living entity, and therefore You have many names, such as Krsna and Govinda, by which You expand Yourself. You have invested all Your potencies in those names, and there are no hard and fast rules for remembering them. My dear Lord, although You bestow such mercy upon the fallen, conditioned souls by liberally teaching Your holy names, I am so unfortunate that I commit offenses while chanting the holy name, and therefore I do not achieve attachment for chanting.

Prabhupada's Lectures: General - 1968

(ref. 680402LE.SF)

Never mind what you are. Stay in your position. Simply try to chant these sixteen words, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. You can try for one week. And there is no hard and fast rules. You can chant anywhere and everywhere. While walking you can chant, while driving you can chant.

Prabhupada's Lectures: General - 1969

(ref. 690512LE.COL)

We have got now this developed consciousness, human form of life. We should properly utilize it. That is our Krsna consciousness movement. We simply educating people, "Don't waste your valuable life, the human form of life. If you are missing this chance, you are committing suicide." That is our propaganda. Don't commit suicide. Take to this Krsna consciousness. And the process is very simple. You haven't got to take difficult processes like yoga system or philosophical, speculative system.

That is not possible in this age. That is... I am not speaking from my own experience, but I am taking the experience of big acaryas and big stalwart sages. They say that kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha. If you want to realize yourself, if you want to know what is your next life, if you want to know what is God, if you want to know what is your relationship with God, all these things will be revealed to you—this is real knowledge—by simply chanting this mantra, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. It is practical. We are not charging anything. We are not bluffing you that "I shall give you some something, secret mantra, and charge you fifty dollars." No. It is open for everyone. Please take it. That is our request. We are begging you, "Don't spoil your life. Please take this mantra. Chant wherever you like." It has no hard and fast rules you have to follow. Whenever you like, wherever you like, any condition of life...

Prabhupada's Lectures: General - 1969

(ref. 691224LE.BOS)

Therefore we have to accept any process which can make me joyful. That is stated in the Srimad-Bhagavatam. We have got... Simply we are not chanting by sentiment. We have got enough literature, philosophy, background. It is not that we are sentimentalist. But this is a fact, that if you simply... You do not require to read all this literature. If you can, it is very good, but if you have no time, simply chant these sixteen words, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Make an experiment. We are not charging anything. We are not cheating you that "Give me some fifty dollars or twenty dollars. I'll give you some secret mantra." No. It is open. You can take. Everyone can take. Everyone. We are chanting. You can chant with us and practice it, and there is no hard and fast rules and regulation. You can chant anyway, anywhere. Whether you are in the college, whether you're on the street, whether you are sleeping, lying, or whatever, you can chant.

Prabhupada's Lectures: General - 1971

(ref. 710626SP.PAR)

Caitanya Mahaprabhu says there is no hard and fast rules and regulations for this chanting. So you can chant the holy name of God anywhere, everywhere, and wherever it is possible. So suppose you are walking on the street or passing on the buses, but if you chant the holy name of God, especially Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, you will get much benefit without any loss of your money or without any hampering of your business.

Prabhupada's Lectures: General - 1971

(ref. 710716LE.DET)

So it is a very serious movement. You can take. Every one of you can take advantage of it. It is not very difficult to practice because our process is very simple. You come and chant with us Hare Krsna. Anyone can pronounce this word Hare Krsna. Actually we are seeing all over the world. There is no difficulty to chant this mantra. It is open. There is no secrecy that "I shall give you one mantra, a particular mantra for you." No. This mantra is one and it is equally applicable to everyone—to the learned, to the ignorant, to the white, to the black, to the old, to the youth. Everyone can chant. And actually it is happening. It is very easy. And chant Hare Krsna mantra and learn how to chant. There is... Of course, there is no hard and fast rules. You begin chanting in whatever condition you are and see the result. And so far examples, we have got our temples, we have got our devotees. How they are living, how their characters are being formed, how they are becoming purified, how their faces are becoming brighter, you try to see.

Letter to: Kirtanananda : 02-14-69

Los Angeles

Chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra can be done loudly or slowly, and in all conditions. There is no restriction. Lord Caitanya has said that there is no hard and fast rules for chanting this Maha Mantra.

Letter to: Revatinandana : 06-13-70

Los Angeles

Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is very kind to the fallen souls of the Kali Yuga and He is satisfied with chanting of Hare Krsna mantra. And for chanting the Hare Krsna mantra there is no hard and fast rules and regulations, so if you are absent for chanting Hare Krsna mantra somewhere else, it is as good as to chant the Hare Krsna mantra in the temple. Your chanting may not be stopped; it does not matter where you chant.