This "John" is not actually your name, because you are spirit soul, eternal. But this "John" name is in relationship with this temporary body. As soon as this body is finished, the "John" name is finished. Then again, you take another body, you have got another name.

What's your name?

Looking for the real name

Nama means His name, His holy name. Adi, that is the beginning. To understand Krishna is to begin chanting His name, nama. Namadi. Adi means in the beginning. Therefore we recommend the students to chant Hare Krishna. Atah shri-krishna-namadi. Nama means after you understand or realize nama, then you'll understand His qualities, transcendental qualities. When, in the Vedic scripture, when it is said that the Absolute Truth is nirguna... Nirguna means... guna means quality, and nir means negative. And nir, nir, na arthe. Nir also used to ascertain. So nirguna can be used in two senses. The first sense is negative, "no guna, no quality," and the second is "it is difficult to ascertain."

So both can be applied in the understanding of the Absolute Truth. How? First thing, He has no quality. He has no quality means He has no material quality. He has no material quality. In the Vedic literature it is said that the Absolute Truth has no hands or legs, but He accepts everything. Now this acceptance, suppose if you are giving me something, if I accept, then it is supposed that I have got hands or I have got senses. So when in the Vedic literature it is said that the Absolute Truth has no hand or leg, that means He has no hand and leg as we conceive in this material world. When we speak of hand, immediately I think "my hand" or "your hand," but this is limited. So when we cannot adjust that God has got hands and also legs... In the Upanishads it is said that God, the Absolute Truth, Brahman, can walk so fast that even air cannot go so fast. In this way, there are descriptions. So that means, as stated in the Brahma-samhita, that ishvarah paramah krishnah sach-chid-ananda-vigrahah [Bs. 5.1]. His form, He has got form undoubtedly, but His form is different. The Mayavadi philosophers, whenever they think of form they think in terms of their own form. That is their defect.

Therefore it is said in the Bhagavata, atah shri-krishna-namadi. Shri-krishna-nama is not ordinary name. Nama means name. Shri-krishna-nama is transcendental, absolute. There is no difference between the name and person and object. Here, there is difference. The name and the object is different. Water and the name "water" and the substance water—different. I cannot satisfy my thirst simply by chanting "water, water." But by chanting Hare Krishna, I can realize God. That is the difference.

Therefore we have to purify our senses. These senses will give you opportunity to hear His transcendental name, to see His transcendental form, to understand His transcendental quality, and so many things. He has got His name, He has got His qualities, He has got His form. Then He has got His associates. Everything. Whatever we see in this material world, they are simply perverted reflection of the reality. Real form is there. Real name is there in the spiritual world.

Just like my name, "such and such," your name, "Mr. John." This "John" is not actually your name, because you are spirit soul, eternal. But this "John" name is in relationship with this temporary body. As soon as this body is finished, the "John" name is finished. Then again, you take another body, you have got another name. Therefore this is not your name. But Krishna, His name in the spiritual world and in this world, the same. His name does not change. Atah shri-krishna-namadi na bhaved grahyam indriyaih sevonmukhe hi jihvadau [Chaitanya-charitamrita Madhya 17.136]. By service attitude. The name, form, quality, associates, when we are in service attitude, they become revealed to us. It is not that... Just like we ask you, "What is your name?" So if I ask God, "O God, what is Your name?" God is not subject to our, such, I mean to say, challenging. You see? He will not reveal His name. You cannot understand. If you want to know God by your challenge, that "I can understand, I can see; therefore I shall see God, then I'll...," you'll never see Him. You'll never see. God is not under your challenge. Therefore the qualification of understanding God is surrender. Sarva-dharman parityajya mam ekam sharanam vraja [Bg. 18.66]. And the process of understanding God is from God, not from others. He's so great, how can you understand by your mental speculation?