Live the Bhāgavatam · SB 6.2.8
Mukti· LiberationChant Without Using the Name to Sin
“The Viṣṇudūtas continued: Even previously, while eating and at other times, this Ajāmila would call his son, saying, “My dear Nārāyaṇa, please come here.” Although calling the name of his son, he nevertheless uttered the four syllables nā-rā-ya-ṇa. Simply by chanting the name of Nārāyaṇa in this way, he sufficiently atoned for the sinful reactions of millions of lives.”
What the purport teaches
- Ajāmila repeatedly called his son Nārāyaṇa during ordinary activities. Even then, the name itself was effective in removing accumulated sinful reactions.
- Chanting merely to counteract sins, or committing sins on the strength of chanting, is offensive. Ajāmila was not chanting with either intention; he was calling his son.
- One who always chants the Lord's holy name without offenses is always pure. The effectiveness of Ajāmila's chanting did not depend on his intending to address the Lord.
Try this today
Chant the name Nārāyaṇa today, and refuse to use chanting as an excuse for one wrong action you feel tempted to do.
Ask yourself
Am I ever tempted to treat chanting as permission to continue wrongdoing?
Carry the question through the day, then answer it in your own words before sleep.
The study points, practice and question are short summaries drawn from Śrīla Prabhupāda's translation and purport. Read the full purport to go deeper.