Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
Whether we call God Buddha, Jehovah, Allah, Yahweh, or Krsna, the names of God stand as the source of every article we can put a name on.
As the old expression goes, "What's in a name?" Srila Prabhupada gives an illustration about the use of material names compared to chanting God's names. He explains that we can chant any name, for example "water," but no matter how many times we repeat "water," our thirst still won't be quenched. We'll just get bored and thirstier. Yet if we chant the holy names of God, as in the maha-mantra Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare because God and His name are nondifferent we will achieve God.
Krsna's presence must remain hidden to those who rest their faith in material names. Srila Prabhupada has written:
The whole material creation is a jugglery of names only; in fact, it is nothing but a bewildering creation of matter like earth, water and fire. The buildings, furniture, cars, bungalows, mills, factories, industries, peace, war or even the highest perfection of material science, namely atomic energy and electronics, are all simply bewildering names of material elements with their concomitant reactions of the three modes. Since the devotee of the Lord knows them perfectly well, he is not interested in creating unwanted things for a situation which is not at all reality, but simply names of no more significance than the babble of sea waves. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 2.2.3, purport)
Just to help establish these babblings, paid government servants assign registered trade marks and copyrights for names. Advertising firms and public relations agencies are paid to promote names and create fame for them.
But God is transcendental, and He's not trying to get a piece of the action. He has no need to sue anyone who uses His name. He is never depleted by any infringement. Rather, because He feels sorry that we're missing the responsibility of using our human intelligence, He appears in this age as Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu to establish the chanting of His holy names.
Lord Caitanya prayed, "O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names like Krsna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies."
While we mix in this world with names like John, Ashok, Mikhail, and Suzanne, our names usually don't reveal anything of our real identity. They're ust more material sounds to add to the babble. Yet Krsna's names describe His transcendental attributes and favourite activities, and we can relish His qualities and enter into His pastimes through His names.
What's in a name? Well, if you are asking about the names of God, you won't find the answer in any college textbook. Sure, the linguists have analysed every word ever uttered. And they have a very high regard for the use and maintenance of language. They are seeking a sort of perfection. Yet everything that they're searching for, that we're all searching for, is in Krsna's names. Karuna-devi dasi