50 Beyond Birth and Death

tual, but this ignorance can be removed by this pro-
cess of chanting Hare Krsna. How is this? A sleeping
man may be awakened by sound vibration. Although
a man may be for all intents and purposes uncon-
scious—he cannot see, feel, smell, etc.—the sense of
hearing is so prominent that a sleeping man may be
awakened just by sound vibration. Similarly, the
spirit soul, although now overpowered by the sleep
of material contact, can be revived by this transcen-
dental sound vibration of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna,
Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama,
Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Hare Krsna is simply an
address to the Supreme Lord and His energies. Hare
means energy, and Krsna is the Supreme Lord, so
when we chant Hare Kysna we are saying, “Oh
energy of the Lord, O Lord, please accept me.”’ We
have no other prayer for acceptance by the Lord.
There is no question of praying for daily bread, for
the bread is always there. Hare Krsna is but an
address to the Supreme Lord requesting Him to ac-
cept us. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu Himself prayed:

ayi nandatanuja kinkaram patitarn mam visame
bhavambudhau

krpay@ tava padda-pahkaja-sthita-dhilisadrsam vicin-
taya

“O son of Maharaja Nanda, I am Your eternal servi-
tor, and although I am so, somehow or other I have
fallen in the ocean of birth and death. Please, there-
fore, pick me up from this ocean of death and fix
me as one of the atoms of Your lotus feet.”
(Siksastakam, 5)
