Mantras not received through the disciplic succession will be useless

“Śrīla Prabhupāda’s Kīrtana Standards,” installment 13

In a conversation with Śrīla Prabhupāda in 1969, the popular musician John Lennon said, “If all mantras are. . . just the name of God, . . . it doesn’t really make much difference, does it, which one you sing.”

In the course of replying, Śrīla Prabhupāda said:

[A] mantra should be captured from the disciplic succession. According to Vedic injunction, sampradāya vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ: “If the mantra does not come through disciplic succession, then it will not be active.” Viphala. Mantrās te viphalā.Viphala means “will not produce result.” Mantrās te viphalā matāḥ. So mantra has to be received through the channel; then it will act. Mantra cannot be manufactured. Mantra must be from the original Supreme Absolute, coming down through disciplic succession, channel. It has to be captured in that way, and then it will act. Sampradāya-vihīnā ye mantrās te niṣphalā matāḥ.¹

Notes:

1 Conversation with John Lennon, Yoko Ono, and George Harrison, September 11, 1969, London. The Sanskrit comes from the Padma Purāṇa. Viphala and niṣphala are the same in meaning.