In expressing your gratitude to God by chanting His name, you should do the chanting from the depth of your heart and not as a musical performance. Ravana, for instance, used to repeat the five-syllable Shiva Mantra, "Namah Shivaya" constantly but did not give up any of his demonic qualities because the recitation was done mechanically. On the other hand, Prahladha, though he was the son of a Rakshasa, repeated the Narayana Mantra, "Om Namo Narayana" continually with all his heart and soul. This served to save him from all the terrible ordeals to which his father, Hiranyakashipu, subjected him. He came out unscathed from all the ordeals by binding himself with the Lord's name in his heart. Every instrument of torture turned into the Lord's form. It must be noted that reciting the Lord's name with one's whole heart is true Smarana (contemplation). The chanting of the name should not be done to earn the approbation of others or for show. It is enough if one is able to please the Lord. In the process, one becomes united with the Divine.
Bagavan Sri Sri Sri Sathya Sai Baba
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