Hare Krishna Mahamantra: The Side Effects

(written on Nov 22, 2019)

(References: SP Lecture on SB 2.1.1)

When you begin to chant the Mahamantra immediately you begin to become purified because the Mahamantra is not a material noise, but a transcendental vibration that is the same as the Lord himself, who is the purest of the pure. Srila Prabhupada explains in the purport of BG 10.12-13, “In the Vedas the Supreme Lord is accepted as the purest of the pure. One who understands that Kṛṣṇa is the purest of the pure can become purified from all sinful activities. One cannot be disinfected from sinful activities unless he surrenders unto the Supreme Lord.”

When one first begins chanting the holy names, it is like sweeping a room full of dust. When you do so, the dust comes in to the air. However, by continuously sweeping, eventually the room becomes clean and free of dust. This dust is compared to the person’s thoughts. When a person initially begins to chants, they are constantly disturbed by their thoughts and their distracting mind, however if they keep chanting, in due time they will be able to taste the nectar of the holy names and will be cleansed of all material contamination.