Don’t take the Lord’s name in vain

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur

Pure devotees do not chant the Lord’s names to counteract sinful reactions, accumulate piety, attain heavenly pleasures, to mitigate famine, devastating epidemics, social unrest, disease, civil strife, or to obtain wealth or an earthly kingdom. Since the Lord is the Supreme Personality of Godhead, to ask him to fulfil our wishes is to treat him as our servant. This is an offense. Therefore, calling the Lord’s names for any reason other than to attain his devotional service is useless. Jesus Christ told us not to take the Lord’s name in vain.

However, this does not mean we do not need to always chant the Lord’s names — while sleeping, remaining awake, eating, or enjoying happiness. To chant the Lord’s name, begging for his service, is not a useless activity. It is our only duty.

But to make a show of chanting for some other purpose — in other words, to fulfil our own desires — is useless. We should not take to the chanting of the Lord’s names uselessly. We should not chant to attain religiosity, economic development, sense gratification, or liberation. Instead, we should always chant to attain the Lord’s service.