Why Is It Necessary For A PreacherTo Become Pure?

Why Is It Necessary For A PreacherTo Become Pure?
Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura
For preachers to become pure is extremely necessary. Singing the holy names is found everywhere, but when we go to hear them, we feel extremely sorry to see the impurity of the singers. Either they are chanting the holy names to stop the spread of disease in the village or they are chanting the holy names out of fear of Yamaraja. Such chanting, which comes from a heart that is polluted by thirst for liberation and material enjoyment, is the perverted reflection of the holy names. To achieve eternal auspi¬ciousness by such chanting is impossible. If the shopkeepers and vendors give up such desires, they can preach the pure holy names. If, how¬ever, they chant the holy names with a desire to either accumulate money, or name and fame, the very purpose of opening the marketplace for distributing the Lord’s holy names will not be fulfilled.
– (Viṣṇupriyā Pallī Magazine Vol. 2)
Perfection In Chanting
Srila Jagadananda Pandita
Chanting the holy name purely, on the other hand, is a perfect, and transcendental activity, thus entirely different from these other activities. On the stage of practice, or ‘sadhana’ the holy name is the only means (upaya) to reach the supreme absolute goal, Krishna. But when perfection in chanting is attained by (‘upeya’), chanting the holy name purely, then chanting itself becomes an indispensable necessity ‘sadhya’. Therefore, the holy name and the chanting process are both tran¬scendental, supremely spiritual and impossible to realise through any fruitive, mundane meth¬ods. Hence considering the chanting of the holy name of Krishna synonymous with cultivation of material knowledge, fruitive activities and other such mundane endeavours is a serious offense, or nāmāparādha.
– Prema-Vivarta – Srila Jagadananda Pandita; Translated by Sarvabhavana dasa