We don’t chant the name of the Lord, expecting some material relief. But we chant expecting something beyond that. Material relief automatically comes when spiritual satisfaction takes place. Material pain is due to the emptiness of heart. When the heart is full with God’s love, with bhakti, where is the question of material suffering? Haridas Thakur, a great saint who lived in the sixteenth century, explains that the gain of chanting the holy names is love of God; not liberation, which is just a reflection, a subordinate principle which is automatically attained when we love God. Just like when the sun is rising, even before the sun rises all darkness is dispelled. Similarly, through the chanting of the holy names even before the sun of love of God rises in our heart, automatically all darkness is dispelled and we attain liberation. But beyond this liberation is the bliss of entering into the kingdom of God. This is the supreme blessing of God upon all humanity—the treasure, which can be attained by chanting of His names: Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
By Radhanath Swami
