So one may be not bewildered. They may criticize that it's too much, but it is not too much. It is actual fact. Actual fact. That is aparādha. One who thinks like that, that hari-nāma has not so much power that it can counteract, they are offender. For them it is not possible. But one who believes in the words of the śāstras, as it is stated here, for him it is actually effective. Artha-vāda. Out of ten offenses, artha-vāda, one who comments like that, that is artha-vāda, and that is offense. So those who are cultivating this chanting of Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra, they should have firm faith in the statement of the śāstras that chanting of harer nāma is so powerful.
- etenaiva hy aghono 'sya
- kṛtaṁ syād agha-niṣkṛtam
- yadā nārāyaṇāyeti
- jagāda catur-akṣaram
- (SB 6.2.8)
Now, it clearly says that catur-akṣaram, these four alphabet—nā, rā, ya, ṇa—four, nā, rā, ya, ṇa, that "Because he has uttered these four alphabets, Nārāyaṇa..." But he had no offense in chanting. He sincerely chanted offenseless chanting; therefore he became free immediately.
- etenaiva hy aghono 'sya
- kṛtaṁ syād agha-niṣkṛtam
- yadā nārāyaṇāyeti
- jagāda catur-akṣaram
- (SB 6.2.8)
(commentary:) Nanu karma syād guṇakaram harer nāmeti yuktam, yasya smṛtya ca nāmoktvā tapo-yajña-kriyādiṣu nūnaṁ taṁ pūrṇakaṁ yati sadyaḥ vande acyutam ity ādi-vacanam.(?) So Śrīdhara Svāmī is quoting from śāstras that baddha parikaratvena mokṣaya gamanam pratiti smṛte, na kevalaṁ prāyaścittaṁ harer nāma api tu satyayana...(?) (etc.) This is a quotation from smṛti-śāstra, that sakṛd uccaritaṁ yena hariti akṣara-dvayam. If anyone simply chants these two alphabets, ha, ri-hari—then baddha-parikaras tena mokṣaya gamanaṁ pratiti: "Although he is a conditioned soul, his path for liberation is open." Yasya smṛtya ca nāmoktvā tapa-yajña-kriyādiṣu, nūnaṁ taṁ pūrṇakaṁ yati sadyaḥ vande acyutam ity ādi-vacanam.(?) There is another quotation, that yasya smṛtya ca moktva tapo-yajña-kriyādiṣu. These are pious activities: austerity and sacrifice, tapas, yajña, and kriyā, pious activities. Everything is done simply by chanting this Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. There is no need of doing anything. Simply by chanting, one can achieve the result of japa, yajña, and other ritualistic performances prescribed in the Vedas. And this is specially advised to the karma-kāṇḍīyas, those who are very much fond of performing ritualistic ceremony. For them this instruction is specially meant, that if you chant simply Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra without any offense, then you'll get all the results of japa, yajña, and other ritualistic performances.