H arinam - sankirtana , or the congregational chanting of God’s holy name and the dis tribution of this name to others, is the only process of spiritual deliverance and pure happiness in this age, as described in the Vedic scriptures. To inundate the world with the chanting of the holy name of the Lord, and to glorify Lord Sri Cait anya Mahaprabhu–who established this process–Srila A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada instructed that akhan da, or non-stop harinama should be performed in Sri May apur, the holy birth place of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. In accordance with that instruction, the holy names of the Lord are sung twenty-four hours a day at what is known as Srila Prabhupada’s bhajan kutir. This was Srila Prabhu pada’s initial place of residence when the ISKCON Project of Sri Mayapur began. Additionally, during the day there are various harinama parties singing and dancing through out the campus and surrounding villages for the pleasure of the Lord. Tourists frequently participate in these joyful harinamas. “Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the incarnation of God head in this age has delivered the medicine for all prob lems of the world by his introducing the Sankirtan move ment. Sankirtan means to chant the Holy names of the Lord and to give up all other engagements. The chant ing is a process of purification. Just like we use soap to cleanse the body, this is material, but the chanting is spiri tual cleansing. The conclusion is that one should learn the art of chanting the Holy name of Krishna 24 hours a day and that alone is the remedy for all problems of material existence. How is it possible to chant 24 hours a day? Lord Caitanya gave the hint, ‘One can chant the holy name of God in a humble state of mind, thinking himself lower than the straw in the street, more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all kinds of sense of false prestige, and always ready to offer all respects to others. In such a humble state of mind one can chant the Holy name of God constantly.’” –Letter from Srila Prabhupada, August 29, 1973 28
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