Daily Devotion -Mar 13, 2026 (English)- Divine Chant
There is a vast difference between the names of worldly people and the names of God. What is it?
God always resides in His name with all His powers. Therefore, the benefit you receive from chanting God's name cannot be obtained even directly from God Himself.
This is because when God descends to the material world, He performs pastimes (leelas) that appear human-like. By witnessing or hearing about these leelas, you cannot even consider Him human, let alone recognize Him as God. For example, when Mother Sita was lost, Lord Ram asked the trees, mountains, and caves, "Did you see my wife passing by here?" No one in this world would behave this way when searching for their lost wife. When you observe such leelas, you judge God with your limited material intellect.
Sugama agama nānā carita suni muni mana bhrama hoī-
Upon seeing God's pastimes in which God appeared to have limited intellect, or seemed driven by desires, anger, or greed, even great yogis and sages became bewildered. Therefore, you cannot receive as much benefit from God Himself as you can from His name.
The reasons for this are -
- God's leelas are not visible in His name, which prevents you from exercising your limited intellect upon Him.
- Since God resides in His name, you are assured of receiving His benefit.
- You can chant God's name anywhere without fear, even in the most impure place. God's name will purify the impure place. God will not become impure. Countless souls approach God carrying the weight of countless sins, and He purifies them. God purifies the impure while remaining ever-pure Himself.
"God resides in His name." You do not truly accept this fact - Shri Maharaj Ji knows this. You might say that you know it, but there is a vast difference between knowing something and truly accepting it.
Even Shri Krishna, the Lord of infinite universes, chants the name "Radhey" and plays it on His flute. If you take the name "Radha" with faith, even once, you will become ecstatic. However, you do not even experience as much joy from chanting as you do from embracing your worldly relations. Why? Because you have not firmly established faith in the fact that God resides in His name. If you had this faith, attaining God would not take long.
Gauranga Mahaprabhu said - "namnamakari bahudha nija sarva shaktis tatrarpita" - "O Shri Krishna! You have infused all Your powers into Your name, but how unfortunate am I that I do not have faith in this fact." You do not receive the full benefit because of a lack of faith. One with little faith receives little benefit; one with greater faith receives greater benefit. If someone develops complete faith, then when they say 'Radhey' or 'Shyamsundar' even once, God will appear before them - He will have to come. Thus, if you chant His name with the faith that God resides in His name, attaining Him will not take long.
Therefore, Shri Maharaj Ji beautifully expresses this faith in his verse: "If You do not wish to come to me, that is fine. It does not matter. I have the power of Your name with me."
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