The more we hear about Krishna, the more we become purified. We cannot understand Krishna because we are not purified. But if you hear the Krishna name, Hare Krishna—Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare—if you chant and hear, you become purified. So why should we not take this simple method, as it is recommended in the shastra, harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam [“In this Age of Kali there is no other means, no other means, no other means for self-realization than chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name, chanting the holy name of Lord Hari.”] (Brhan-naradiya Purana 3.8.126, Cc Adi 17.21)? Simply chant Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, twenty-four hours? Kirtaniyah sada harih. [“One who thinks himself lower than the grass, who is more tolerant than a tree, and who does not expect personal honor yet is always prepared to give all respect to others can very easily always chant the holy name of the Lord.”] (Siksastaka 3, Cc Adi 17.31) You become perfect. . . .
Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah. [“O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of transcendental names, such as Krishna and Govinda, in which You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are no hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O My Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.”] (Siksastaka 2, Cc Antya 20.16) There are all potencies. And there are many names, not only one name. If you don’t like to chant Krishna’s name, then there are other names also—any name. Must be name of harer nama, nama, the name of Hari, not others. Harer nama. Then you get all the potencies. Namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis tatrarpita. And niyamitah smarane na kalah. And there is no consideration whether you shall chant in the morning or in the evening or while you are purified or not purified. Any circumstances, you can chant. Niyamitah smarane na kalah. There is no such consideration.
Krishna is available so cheaply for the people, especially, in this Age of Kali. Still, we are reluctant to chant the holy name. Therefore Chaitanya Mahaprabhu regrets, etadrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi: “Although You are so liberal and kind upon this fallen soul, still, unfortunate as I am, I am not inclined to chant this holy name.” This is our position—dog’s obstinacy. But if we do it, then we become purified.
—Srila Prabhupada, talk on Srimad-Bhagavatam 1.8.30, October 10, 1974, Mayapur