Guest (5): Swami, what is om?
Prabhupāda: Om is the concentrated name of God.
Guest (5): Can one say om instead of "Kṛṣṇa" and gain the same benefit?
Prabhupāda: Yes. But why instead of Kṛṣṇa? If one Kṛṣṇa is the same, why not Kṛṣṇa? Why stick to om? Om. Om is formless but Kṛṣṇa has got beautiful form, enjoying. And we are addicted to beautiful form. Why something (chuckling) which is not beautiful? Kṛṣṇa... Kṛṣṇa says in the Bhagavad-gītā, akṣarāṇām akāro 'smi: "Amongst the alphabets I am oṁkāra." So Kṛṣṇa says that "I am oṁkāra." So in one sense oṁkāra and Kṛṣṇa the same. But I can see Kṛṣṇa very beautiful and so many things, but I do not see in oṁkāra that thing. Therefore my preference should be to Kṛṣṇa. Why shall I stick to om? Yes.