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CC Antya 3.59

Text

nāmera akṣara-sabera ei ta’ svabhāva
vyavahita haile nā chāḍe āpana-prabhāva

Synonyms

nāmera — of the holy name; akṣara — letters; sabera — of all; ei — this; ta’ — certainly; svabhāva — the characteristic; vyavahita haile — even when improperly uttered; — do not; chāḍe — give up; āpana-prabhāva — their own spiritual influence.

Translation

“The letters of the holy name have so much spiritual potency that they act even when uttered improperly.

Purport

Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura states that the word vyavahita (“improperly uttered”) is not used here to refer to the mundane vibration of the letters of the alphabet. Such negligent utterance for the sense gratification of materialistic persons is not a vibration of transcendental sound. Utterance of the holy name while one engages in sense gratification is an impediment on the path toward achieving ecstatic love for Kṛṣṇa. On the other hand, if one who is eager for devotional service utters the holy name even partially or improperly, the holy name, which is identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead, exhibits its spiritual potency because of that person’s offenseless utterance. Thus one is relieved from all unwanted practices, and one gradually awakens his dormant love for Kṛṣṇa.