Now, when you chant Hare Krishna, if we chant mechanically, then the effect is different. I have already given you ten kinds of offenses there are in chanting Hare Krishna. So mechanical way of chanting is also another offense.
So offenseless chanting; Of course in the beginning, neophytes, we are apt to commit so many offenses. But we should be careful that the chanting should be offenseless.
Then we shall realize that Krishna is present by His name. He is present. You’ll realize and you’ll have the same effect as you expect by meeting Krishna personally.
You can see Krishna and you can hear Krishna. Because Krishna is absolute, there is no difference between seeing and hearing. That is the absolute sense.
People give more stress on the eye: “Oh, can you show me Krishna?”
Oh, can’t you hear Krishna? Why do you give…? This is also one sense, that is also another sense.
Do you think by seeing you’ll understand everything? You are seeing so many things daily. Do you understand? So this is all foolishness, that “Can you show me?” Now we have got so many senses. So perception through any sense, because He is absolute, the same effect. Either you see Him personally or you hear Him.
Rather, hearing is better because by seeing you cannot understand Krishna.
When Krishna was present, all people saw Him, but they could not understand Krishna.
But one who heard of Krishna even five thousand years after, just like we are hearing, we can understand Krishna as far as possible. So hearing is most important thing.
You’ll find in the Thirteenth Chapter, sruti parayana. Sruti parayana.
Sruti parayana means one who is very much eager to hear about Krishna, he’s a very nice qualified man. So hearing is very important thing than seeing or touching or smelling.
Hearing is very important. Hearing is so important.
When all other senses are not acting, sleeping, no other sense is acting, as soon as telephone bell is called, you get up. No other sense will act. So hearing is so perfect. Therefore according to Vedic principle this hearing is very important thing. Hearing. And one who is very much eager to hear about Krishna is very expert, because hearing is knowledge.
So if we hear Krishna, about Krishna, His name, His fame, then Krishna is present before us.