What is the significance of chanting the name of God?

Question - Gurudev, what is the significance of chanting the name of God? In Maharashtra, it is said that if one keeps chanting the name of Vittala with all his heart, he gets all the benefits of doing yoga.

Gurudev Sri Sri - We do it every evening in satsang, anyway. We are chanting the name of the Divine. Yes, as you by keeping on doing japa (chanting) come to a state of ajapa (practice of japa without the mental effort normally needed to repeat the mantra), you become calm and go beyond the chant, and beyond the name into a state of Samadhi. This is called Bhaava Samadhi. Bhaav Samadhi is a part, an aspect that should also be practiced. But without knowledge, bhakti (devotion) does not mature. Knowledge and devotion should go together.