If anything is repeatedly glorified in Srimad-Bhagavatam that should be taken

as the essence of Çrémad-Bhägavatam. The process of bhakti is glorified

throughout Srimad-Bhagavatam.

Chanting of the holy name of the Lord is one of the prime angas of bhakti. It is
also glorified throughout Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is glorified in the very first
chapter of Srimad-Bhagavatam. It is glorified in the middle of Srimad-
Bhagavatam in the form of Ajamila’s story.

The very last verse of Srimad-Bhagavatam ends with the glorification of the
process of nama-sankirtana.
GLORIES OF CHANTING
THE HOLY NAME
 Frees one from complications - SB 1.1.14

आपन्न: संसृतिं घोरां यन्नाम विवशो गृणन् ।

तत: सद्यो विमुच्येत यद्ब‍िभेति स्वयं भयम् ॥ १४ ॥

In the very first chapter of Srimad-Bhagavatam, while asking several

questions to Suta Goswami, Saunakadis Rishi glorify the holy name of the
Lord as the one that relieves one from saṁsāra.

Living beings who are entangled in the complicated meshes of birth and
death can be freed immediately by even unconsciously chanting the holy
name of Krishna, which is feared by fear personified.
 Ascertained by authorities as the Best - SB 2.1.11
एतन्निर्विद्यमानानामिच्छतामकु तोभयम् ।
योगिनां नृप निर्णीतं हरेर्नामानुकीर्तनम् ॥ ११ ॥

While answering the questions asked by Parīkṣit, Çukadeva

Gosvämé says that holy name is the best process ascertained by authorities

O King, constant chanting of the holy name of the Lord after the ways of the
great authorities is the doubtless and fearless way of success for all, including
those who are free from all material desires, those who are desirous of all
material enjoyment, and also those who are self-satisfied by dint of
transcendental knowledge.
In his commentary to this verse, Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura mentions
that among the aìgas of bhakti, hearing, chanting and remembering are the three
chief ones. Among those three, chanting is the chief. In chanting, however, there
is chanting of the Lord’s name, his qualities and his pastimes. Among those
anukértana is best. That means chanting the name according to (anu) one’s
bhakti. Or it means continuous chanting.
 Glorious - SB 3.33.7
अहो बत श्वपचोऽतो गरीयान्
यज्जिह्वाग्रे वर्तते नाम तुभ्यम् ।
तेपुस्तपस्ते जुहुवु: सस्‍नुरार्या
ब्रह्मानूचुर्नाम गृणन्ति ये ते ॥ ७ ॥
Oh, how glorious are they whose tongues are chanting Your holy name! Even if
born in the families of dog-eaters, such persons are worshipable. Persons who chant
the holy name of Your Lordship must have executed all kinds of austerities and fire
sacrifices and achieved all the good manners of the Āryans.
To be chanting the holy name of Your Lordship, they must have bathed at holy
places of pilgrimage, studied the Vedas and fulfilled everything required.
 Offers protection - SB 4.10.30
औत्तानपाद भगवांस्तव शार्ङ्गधन्वा
देव: क्षिणोत्ववनतार्तिहरो विपक्षान् ।
यन्नामधेयमभिधाय निशम्य चाद्धा
लोकोऽञ्जसा तरति दुस्तरमङ्ग मृत्युम् ॥ ३० ॥
When Dhruva Maharaja is fighting with Yaksas, he was attacked by their mystic weapons.
At that time great sages came and glorified the holy name of the Lord as the one that gives
protection.

All the sages said: Dear Dhruva, O son of King Uttānapāda, may the Supreme Personality
of Godhead known as Śārńgadhanvā, who relieves the distresses of His devotees, kill all
your threatening enemies. The holy name of the Lord is as powerful as the Lord Himself.
Therefore, simply by chanting and hearing the holy name of the Lord, many men can be
fully protected from fierce death without difficulty. Thus a devotee is saved.
 Relieves from the bondage - SB 5.1.35

नैवंविध: पुरुषकार उरुक्रमस्यपुंसां तदङ्‌घ्रिरजसा जितषड्‌गुणानाम् ।

चित्रं विदूरविगत: सकृ दाददीतयन्नामधेयमधुना स जहाति बन्धम् ॥ ३५ ॥

Sukadeva Gosvämé, while glorifying the activities of Priyavrata, in order to

emphasise that the great achievements of Priyavrata are not surprising, says
that because Priyavrata took shelter of the Lord he could accomplish these
achievements. This is not doubtful because even a lowly person if he takes
shelter of holy name will be immediately relieved from the bondage
My dear King, a devotee who has taken shelter of the dust from the lotus feet
of the Lord can transcend the influence of the six material whips — namely
hunger, thirst, lamentation, illusion, old age and death — and he can conquer
the mind and five senses.

However, this is not very wonderful for a pure devotee of the Lord because
even a person beyond the jurisdiction of the four castes — in other words, an
untouchable — is immediately relieved of bondage to material existence if
he utters the holy name of the Lord even once.
 Everything becomes faultless - SB 8.23.16

मन्त्रतस्तन्त्रतश्छिद्रं देशकालार्हवस्तुत: ।
सर्वं करोति निश्छिद्रमनुसङ्कीर्तनं तव ॥ १६ ॥
After Bali Mahārāja entered Sutala loka, Lord Vāmanadeva asked
Sukräcärya to explain the discrepancy in Bali while performing sacrifice.
Çukräcärya said that wherever Your holy name is chanted, everything
becomes faultless.

There may be discrepancies in pronouncing the mantras and observing the

regulative principles, and, moreover, there may be discrepancies in regard to
time, place, person and paraphernalia. But when Your Lordship's holy name
is chanted, everything becomes faultless.
 Just hearing holy name purifies - SB 9.5.16

यन्नामश्रुतिमात्रेण पुमान् भवति निर्मल: ।

तस्य तीर्थपद: किं वा दासानामवशिष्यते ॥ १६ ॥

Durvāsa Muni praises Ambaréña Mahäräja after seeing his great devotion.
Durvāsa Muni says that he exhibited his great qualities because of his
devotion.

What is impossible for the servants of the Lord? By the very hearing of His
holy name one is purified.
 Best learning - SB 7.5.23-24
श्रवणं कीर्तनं विष्णो: स्मरणं पादसेवनम् ।
अर्चनं वन्दनं दास्यं सख्यमात्मनिवेदनम् ॥ २३ ॥
इति पुंसार्पिता विष्णौ भक्तिश्चेन्नवलक्षणा ।
क्रियेत भगवत्यद्धा तन्मन्येऽधीतमुत्तमम् ॥ २४ ॥
When Hiraëyakaçipu asked about what was the best thing Prahlāda have learnt,
Prahlāda answered that the nine processes of bhakti, which includes hearing and
chanting of the name, were the best learning he had learnt in his life.
Prahlāda Mahārāja said: The nine processes are accepted as pure devotional
service. One who has dedicated his life to the service of Krishna through these
nine methods should be understood to be the most learned person, for he has
acquired complete knowledge
 Holy Name is understood only by devotional service - SB 10.2.36

न नामरूपे गुणजन्मकर्मभि-र्निरूपितव्ये तव तस्य साक्षिण: ।

मनोवचोभ्यामनुमेयवर्त्मनो देव क्रियायां प्रतियन्त्यथापि हि ॥ ३६ ॥

When the Supreme Lord entered the womb of mother Devaki, the devatas had
prayed to the Lord. In that they said that the auspicious name and form of the
Lord are not understood by speculation but can be understood only by
devotional service.

O Lord, Your transcendental name and form are not ascertained by those who
merely speculate on the path of imagination. Your name, form and attributes
can be ascertained only through devotional service.
 Destroys all sins - SB 12.13.23

नामसङ्कीर्तनं यस्य सर्वपापप्रणाशनम् ।

प्रणामो दु:खशमनस्तं नमामि हरिं परम् ॥ २३ ॥
The last verse of Çrémad-Bhägavatam points to the yuga dharma of Kaliyuga
which is nāma sankīrtana. This is also ascertained in the early chapters of the
Twelth canto where in it is said that in Kaliyuga, one will achieve all perfection
by Hari kīrtana.

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Hari, the congregational
chanting of whose holy names destroys all sinful reactions, and the offering of
obeisances unto whom relieves all material suffering. By seeing all these we can
understand that how Çrémad-Bhägavatam stresses the importance of chanting the
holy name.
 Chant In Any State of Mind : - SB 6.2.49

म्रियमाणो हरेर्नाम गृणन् पुत्रोपचारितम् ।

अजामिलोऽप्यगाद्धाम किमुत श्रद्धया गृणन् ॥ ४९ ॥

While suffering at the time of death, Ajāmila chanted the holy name of the
Lord, and although the chanting was directed toward his son, he nevertheless
returned home, back to Godhead. Therefore if one faithfully and inoffensively
chants the holy name of the Lord, where is the doubt that he will return to
Godhead?
 Essence of Srimad-Bhägavatam - SB 11.2.40
एवंव्रत: स्वप्रियनामकीर्त्या जातानुरागो द्रुतचित्त उच्चै: ।
हसत्यथो रोदिति रौति गाय - त्युन्मादवन्नृत्यति लोकबाह्य: ॥ ४० ॥
Sri Kavi, one of the nine Yogendras, says that by chanting the holy name one
can come to the stage of prema and exhibit different symptoms of ecstasy.
When Caitanya Mahāprabhu chants the mantra given by his guru, Ishwar Puri,
He exhibits several ecstatic symptoms.

Caitanya Mahaprabhu reports these symptoms he is experiencing to his guru.

His Guru confirms that these are symptoms of love developed by chanting the
holy names and he quotes a verse from eleventh Canto. This verse is also
glorified in Chaitanya Charitamrita as the essence of Çrémad-Bhägavatam
(bhāgavatera sāra ei)
HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE
HARE RAM HARE RAM RAM RAM HARE HARE