Those who have accepted the task of spreading the Hare Krsna maha−mantra in full Krsna consciousness should take this opportunity to deliver people very easily from the clutches of material existence. Our duty, therefore, is to follow the instructions of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and preach the Krsna consciousness movement all over the world very sincerely. This is the best welfare activity for the peace and prosperity of human society.
¯Srimad−Bhagavatam 8.5.23
The chanting of the holy name is Lord Caitanya's special concession to the animallike human beings of this age: Love of Krsna is not an easy thing to obtain, because by this love one can purchase Krsna, but Caitanya Mahaprabhu distributed this love of Krsna to anyone and everyone, even to the two drunkards Jagai and Madhai. Narottama dasa thakura has therefore sung:
dina−hina yata chilo hari−name uddharilo,
ta'ra saksi jagai−madhai
"Caitanya Mahaprabhu is so magnanimous that He delivered all kinds of sinful men simply by allowing them to chant the Hare Krsna mantra. The evidence of this is Jagai and Madhai."
At that time, of course, there were two Jagais and Madhais, but at the present moment, by the grace of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and His process of teaching, so many Jagais and Madhais are being delivered. If Caitanya Mahaprabhu is pleased, He can give krsna−prema, love of Krsna, to anyone, regardless of that person's qualification. If a person is giving charity, he can select anyone to take it.
Without the mercy of Caitanya Mahaprabhu, understanding Krsna is very, very difficult. Manusyanam sahasresu kascid yatati siddhaye (Bg. 7.3): out of many millions of people, hardly one tries to make his life spiritually successful. People simply work like animals, not knowing how to make a success of human life. One's human life is successful when one understands Krsna; otherwise one remains an animal. Anyone who is not Krsna conscious, who does not know who Krsna is, is no better than an animal. But Caitanya Mahaprabhu gave this concession to the fallen souls of this age: "Simply chant the Hare Krsna maha−mantra and you will be delivered." This is Caitanya Mahaprabhu's special concession (kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta−sangah param vrajet, S.B. 12.3.51).
¯Teachings of Queen Kunti
Lord Sri Krsna personally came as Lord Caitanya in order to distribute the process of chanting−the easiest means, in this age, to the highest perfection of life: Out of many thousands of persons who are in self−knowledge as to what and who they are, only one or two may be actually liberated. And out of many thousands who are liberated, only one or two may understand what and who Krsna is. So understanding Krsna is not such an easy job. Thus in this age of Kali, an age characterized by ignorance and chaos, liberation is out of the reach of practically everyone. One has to go through the whole ordeal of becoming civilized, then religious, and then one has to perform charities and sacrifices and come to the platform of knowledge, then to the stage of liberation, and finally, after liberation, to the understanding of what Krsna is... Practically speaking, this process is not very easy in this age of Kali. In Srimad−Bhagavatam a description is given of the people of this age. Their duration of life is said to be very short, they tend to be phlegmatic and slow and to sleep a great deal, and when they're not sleeping, they are busy earning money. At the most they only have two hours a day for spiritual activities, so what is the hope for spiritual understanding? It is also stated that even if one is anxious to make spiritual progress, there are many pseudospiritual societies to take advantage of him. People are also characterized in this age as being unfortunate. They have a great deal of difficulty mmeeting the primary demands of life−eating, defending, mating, and sleeping−necessities which are met even by the animals. Even if people are meeting these necessities in this age, they are always anxious about war, either defending themselves from aggressors or having to go to war themselves. In addition to this, there are always disturbing diseases and economic problems in Kali−yuga. Therefore Lord Sri Krsna considered that in this age it is impossible for people to come to the perfectional stage of liberation by following the prescribed rules and regulations. Thus out of His causeless mercy, Sri Krsna came as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu anddistributed the means to the highest perfection of life and spiritual ecstasy by the chanting of Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. This process of chanting is most practical, and it does not depend on whether one is liberated or not, or whether one's condition is conducive to spiritual life or not−whoever takes to this process becomes immediately purified. Therefore it is called pavitram (pure). Furthermore, for one who takes to this Krsna consciousness process, the seeds of latent reactions to his sinful actions are all nullified. Just as a fire turns whatever we put into it to ashes, this process turns to ashes all the sinful reactions of our past lives.
¯Raja−vidya: The King of Knowledge