The vibration of the holy names pierces through the coverings of the material universe and resonates in the heart of all the living beings, who are guided by Krishna residing in each and every one of them.

Sound Advice

Differentiating between mundane and spiritual sounds

When a man is sleeping, all his material assets—namely the vital energy, the senses for recording knowledge, the senses for working, the mind and the intelligence—cannot arouse him. He can be aroused only when the Supersoul helps him.

Purport: The explanation of Sankhya philosophy is described here in detail in the sense that the virat-purusha, or the universal form of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, is the original source of all the various sense organs and their presiding deities. The relationship between the virat-purusha and the presiding deities or the living entities is so intricate that simply by exercising the sense organs, which are related to their presiding deities, the virat-purusha cannot be aroused. It is not possible to arouse the virat-purusha or to link with the Supreme Absolute Personality of Godhead by material activities. Only by devotional service and detachment can one perform the process of linking with the Absolute.

Editor: The material senses are dull matter and cannot act independently. The life force animates this body, yet the life force also is not alone; Supersoul, or Krishna residing within the heart of the living entity, gives the impetus and intelligence for interaction of the mind and senses.

The Bhagavatam (above) points out that when a man's senses, mind and intelligence fail — as when someone falls unconscious or lies a coma or otherwise suffers a disconnect from his gross senses — he can be aroused or awakened only by the will of Supersoul.

At present, all of us in this material world are sleeping, unconscious of our actual identity as spirit soul, not this body. But by chanting and hearing the transcendental vibration of Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, our consciousness can be awakened.

Mundane sounds are not in the same category as the vibration of the Hare Krishna maha mantra. Srila Prabhupada explains:

This chanting, Hare Krishna, is imported from the transcendental abode of Goloka. Hari-nama-sankirtana. This chanting, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare..., this is not material vibration. This sound is... What is called? Captured? Just like we capture sound. The sound is in the air. So this sound... There are different layers of air, but this sound is in the highest layer, in the transcendental, spiritual layer, beyond this material world. From that sound it is captured. It requires strong machine to capture that sound. [Purport & Explanation to Hari Hari Biphale, Los Angeles, Dec 26, 1968]

The vibration of the holy names pierces through the coverings of the material universe and resonates in the heart of all the living beings, who are guided by Krishna residing in each and every one of them. Mundane sound might or might not revive someone from a sleeping or unconscious condition or give other apparently beneficial effects, but the spiritual sound of Hare Krishna awakens and energizes the living beings at their core as spiritual beings.