“The chanting of Hare Krishna is recommended for persons who commit offenses, because if they continue chanting they will gradually chant offenselessly. Even if in the beginning one chants the Hare Krishna mantra with offenses, one will become free from such offenses by chanting again.”
(_Padma Purana_, quoted in _S.B._ 6.3.32 purport)But there are other things to do also, and they are worth repeating. One has to lead a pure life. One has to read only sastra, including the books of the Six Gosvamis. (But I cannot tell you, “Don’t talk to anyone, don’t read mail, don’t travel.” I am aware this vrata is almost over, and already new schemes are entering my thoughts during japa—what I will do in a few days, where we will park our van at Villa Vrindavana, who we will meet there, what we will say, what it will be like, some nondevotee books I may order to help my writing form . . . This doesn’t help. It was better when I was deep in the midst of this vrata time and wrestling with only immediate distractions. And yet they too could not be overcome.)
I pin my hope on chanting itself and the mercy of the Vaisnavas.
They say sinful life has ended. Liberation is achieved by once chanting the name of the Lord. “As a result of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra, one makes such great advancement in spiritual life that simultaneously his material existence terminates and he receives love of Godhead. The holy name of Krishna is so powerful that by chanting even one name, one very easily achieves these transcendental riches.” (_C.c._, Adi 8.28, purport).
(_Begging for the Nectar of the Holy Name_)
JAPA POEM
I quote the _Padma Purana_ where
it says that if you chant
offensively but you go on chanting
repeatedly, then the offenses will go away.
“I pin my hopes on chanting itself
and the mercy of the Vaisnavas.”
I close with the quote from _Caitanya-caritamrta_
that the transcendental riches (termination
of material desires and
love of Godhead) are achieved
by just chanting
one name (_C.c._ Adi 8.28, purport)