330
Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam
[Canto 4, Ch. 8]
Lord and at the same time chanting the  mantra  one becomes so perfect within seven days that he can see the human beings who fly in the sky. Nārada Muni used the word  japaḥ , which indicates that the  mantra  to be chanted is very confidential. One may ask, “If it is confidential, why is it mentioned in the writing of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam?” It is confidential in this sense: one may receive a published  mantra  anywhere, but unless it is accepted through the chain of discipline succession, the  mantra  does not act. It is said by authoritative sources that any  mantra  chanted without having been received from the discipline succession has no efficacy.
Another point established in this verse is that meditation should be carried on with the chanting of a  mantra . Chanting of the Hare Kṛṣṇa  mantra  is the easiest process of meditation in this age. As soon as one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa  mantra , he sees the forms of Kṛṣṇa, Rāma and Their energies, and that is the perfect stage of trance. One should not artificially try to see the form of the Lord while chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, but when the chanting is performed offenselessly the Lord will automatically reveal Himself to the view of the chanter. The chanter, therefore, has to concentrate on hearing the vibration, and without extra endeavor on his part, the Lord will automatically appear.
TEXT 54
ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय । 
  मन्त्रेणानेन देवस्य कुर्याद् द्रव्यमयी बुधः । 
  सपर्या विविधैर्द्रव्यैर्देशकात्विभागवित् ॥५४॥
om namo bhagavate vāsudevāya 
  mantreṇānena devasya 
  kuryād dravyamayīm budhaḥ 
  saparyām vividhair dravyair 
  deśa-kāla-vibhāgavit
om —O my Lord;  namaḥ —I offer my respectful obeisances;  bhagavate —unto the Supreme Personality of Godhead;  vāsudevāya —unto the Supreme Lord Vāsudeva;  mantreṇa —by this hymn or  mantra ;  anena —this;  devasya —of the Lord;  kuryāt —one should do;  dravyamayīm —physical;  budhaḥ —one who is learned;  saparyām —worship by the prescribed method;  vividhaiḥ —with varieties;  dravyaiḥ —paraphernalia;  deśa —according to country;  kāla —time;  vibhāgavit —one who knows the divisions.