Efficacy of Hari nama

Scriptures speak highly of the efficacy of Hari Nama and how its utterance helps jivatmas through the course of samsara. One may utter the name of the Lord without knowing its full significance. But just as each word or sound and its meaning are integral, the inherent value of Hari Nama is infinite and cannot be dissociated from the utterance, pointed out Sri M. A. Venkatakrishnan in a discourse.

The power to emit heat and scorch is inbuilt in fire and this cannot be regulated or withheld at any cost under any circumstance. So even if a child stretches its finger into a fire without being aware of this, the effect will have to be felt by the child. Likewise, uttering the Lord’s name is always efficacious whether one does it intentionally or otherwise, as is seen in the Ajamila episode in the Bhagavata Purana. Ajamila had called out to his last son Narayana out of sheer fright when the emissaries of Yama appeared at his deathbed, but was surprised to be saved by the messengers of Vishnu from Vaikunta. Though the incident might appear to be blown up significantly, it nevertheless motivates one to rely on the saving grace of the Lord’s name.

Draupadi’s call to Krishna also proves that help is assured to the sincere supplicant even if the Lord is not physically present. Gajendra’s plea for help shows how the Lord rushes to his rescue. Not only is Gajendra saved from the crocodile, but he is also granted liberation. Uttering the Lord’s name may not guarantee liberation straightaway. But repeated chanting gradually stirs bhakti and when bhakti takes root, one realises that the Lord who resides as the ‘antaratma’ is the only support and that the atma is His possession. Surrendering one’s atma at His feet, one slowly gets liberated.