Importance of Hari Smaran

Hari smaran means remembering Hari (Vishnu). It is thinking about (or focusing thoughts on) Vishnu, His lilas, His form and things related to Him. Vishnu is present everywhere and in everyone’s heart. Therefore, smaran also means to see Him as present everywhere and in every living entities heart. When devotee sees Him present in everyone’s heart as Paramatma, the devotee remembers Him all the time as he sees Him all the time.

Remembrance is performed by mind and it is done by focusing mind upon Vishnu. Basically, it is independent of external or bodily actions. For example, Krishna asks Arjuna to fight the battle of Kurusetra remembering Him. In the battle, Arjuna is supposed to kill thousands of people and many of those people are his relatives for whom he has great affection. Killing them is one of the most difficult action for Arjuna. Still, Arjuna did it remembering Krishna. When action is performed with mind focused upon Krishna, then it is perfect and it does not bind us. Whereas even good action performed without mind focused upon Krishna may give us pious credit but it is failure in absolute perspective. For example, a person may do japa on bead. His mouth and tougue may speak Vishnu’s name and his hand may move the bead. Still, if his mind is not upon Krishna and wandering here and there and thinking about material objects, then that japa is done without remembrance. Therefore, our actions seemingly good or bad may be performed with or without remembrance. Remembrance is activity of mind and is independent of action. At every moment, our mind has a choice to remember Krishna or not to remember Him. We need to learn to exercise the choice of remembering Him. When we do so, our life becomes perfect. Japa and all the activities of devotion should be done with remembrance.

Importance of Hari Smaran (remembering Hari)

Smartavyah satatam visnur
Vismartavyo na jatucit
Sarve vidhi nisedhah syur
Etayor eva kinkarah

Vishnu should always be remembered and never forgotten at any moment. All the rules (actions to be performed) and prohibitions (actions not to be performed) should be the servants of these two principles. (Padma Purana)

Comment: Remembering Vishnu is aim (goal) of all our activities. It is also means of perfection. This means that we should decide which actions to do and which actions not to do based on how much they help us to remember Vishnu. Also, remembrance is also a measure of our spiritual advancement.

Sa hanis tan mahac chidram
Sa mohah sa ca vibhramah
Yan-muhurtam ksanam vapi
Vasudevam na cintayet

If even for a moment remembrance of Vasudeva is missed, that is the greatest loss, that is the greatest illusion, and this is the greatest anamoly. (Vishnu Purana)

Comment: This verse is from the perspective of the absolute perfection. From that perspective the moments which we spend not remembering Vasudeva are waste. How about devotional activities like japa, kirtan, puja etc done without remembrance? Are they waste? From absolute perspective, they are if done without remembrance.

nāradas tu tad-arpitākhilācāratā tad-vismaraṇe parama-vyākulateti
(Narada Bhakti Sutra 19)

According to Narada Muni, bhakti is offering all actions unto the Supreme Lord and feeling extreme distress in forgetting Him.

Om apavitrah pavitro va
Sarva-vastham gatopi va
Yah smaret pundarikaksam
Sa brahyabhyantrah sucih

Either pure or impure or having passed through all the conditions of material life, one who remembers the lotus eyed Krishna becomes externally and internally pure. (Guruda Purana)

Comment: Remembrance purifies our self and our actions and also, our body.

anta-kale ca mam eva
smaran muktva kalevaram
yah prayati sa mad-bhavam
yati nasty atra samsayah

And whoever, at the end of his life, quits his body, remembering Me alone, at once attains My nature. Of this there is no doubt. (BG 8.5)

yam yam vapi smaran bhavam
tyajaty ante kalevaram
tam tam evaiti kaunteya
sada tad-bhava-bhavitah

Whatever state of being one remembers when he quits his body, O son of Kunti, that state he will attain without fail. (BG 8.6)

tasmat sarvesu kalesu
mam anusmara yudhya ca
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
mam evaisyasy asamsayah

Therefore, Arjuna, you should always think of Me and at the same time carry out your prescribed duty of fighting. With your activities dedicated to Me and your mind and intelligence fixed on Me, you will attain Me without doubt. (BG 8.7)

abhyasa-yoga-yuktena
cetasa nanya-gamina
paramam purusam divyam
yati parthanucintayan

He who meditates on Me as the Supreme Personality of Godhead, his mind constantly engaged in remembering Me, undeviated from the path, he, O Prtha, is sure to reach Me. (BG 8.8)

ananya-cetah satatam
yo mam smarati nityasah
tasyaham sulabhah partha
nitya-yuktasya yoginah

For one who always remembers Me without deviation, I am easy to obtain, O son of Prtha, because of his constant engagement in devotional service. (BG 8.14)

ananya cintayanto mam
ye janah paryupasate
tesam nityabhiyuktanam
yoga-ksemam vahamy aham

But those who always worship Me with exclusively thinking about Me - to them I carry what they lack, and I preserve what they have. (BG 9.22)

mayy eva mana adhatsva
mayi buddhim nivesaya
nivasisyasi mayy eva
ata urdhvam na samsayah

Just fix your mind upon Me and engage all your intelligence in Me. Thus you will live in Me always, without a doubt. (BG 12.8)

yad-anudhyasina yuktah
karma-granthi-nibandhanam
chindanti kovidas tasya
ko na kuryat katha-ratim

With sword in hand, intelligent men cut through the binding knots of reactionary work [karma] by remembering the Personality of Godhead. Therefore, who will not pay attention to His message? (SB 1.2.15)

etavan sankhya-yogabhyam
sva-dharma-parinisthaya
janma-labhah parah pumsam
ante narayana-smratih

The highest perfection of human life, achieved either by complete knowledge of matter and spirit, by practice of mystic powers, or by perfect discharge of occupational duty, is to remember Narayana at the end of life. (SB 2.1.6)

srnavan grnan samsmarayams ca cintayan
namani rupani ca mangalani te
kriyasu yas tvac-caranaravindayor
avista-ceta na bhavaya kalpate

Even while engaged in various activities, devotees whose minds are completely absorbed at Your lotus feet, and who constantly hear, chant, contemplate and cause others to remember Your transcendental names and forms, are always on the transcendental platform, and thus they can understand the Supreme Personality of Godhead. (SB 10.2.37)

anyāśrayāṇāḿ tyāgo 'nanyatā
(Narada Bhakti Sutra 10)

Ananya bhakti means giving up all the shelters other than the Supreme Lord.