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Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare

Hare

Chanting

Chanting japa is an essential process given by all the great Acaryas for the purification of the heart.

Chanting the Hare Krishna mantra purifies one, and this chanting is therefore recommended by Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu.
By chanting the names of Krishna, the mirror of the heart is cleansed.

Ceto-darpaa-mrjanam

As soon as ones heart is cleansed, the blazing fire of material existence is immediately extinguished.

bhava-mah-dvgni-nirvpaam

In this age, the process of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra is the only method by which to cleanse the sinful mind. When the mind is completely cleansed of all sinful reactions, one can then understand his duty in the human form of life. REF. SB 7.9.39

Therefore, chanting at least the prescribed sixteen rounds of Hare Krishna Maha-mantra daily, without fail, is an absolute must for every serious devotee.

Thus a devotee who sincerely and regularly chants his rounds every day, avoiding offenses, will make quick progress in the Krishna Consciousness.

yuga in the form of His holy Name.

Ka descends in this Kali-

kali-kle nma-rpe ka-avatra

It is said

When we chant the Holy Name, we are in coming in contact with the Supreme Lord, Sri Krishna, because Krishna is non-different from His Name.

We should always remember that if we can keep ourselves always in company with Krishna, we shall attain all perfection.

Therefore Caitanya Mahprabhu says:

nmnm akri bahudh nija-sarvaaktis tatrrpit niyamita smarae na kla

My dear Lord, You are so kind that You are giving me Your association in the form of Your holy name, and this holy name can be chanted in any situation. There are no hard and fast rules for chanting Hare Krishna.

Inattention while chanting

Bhaktivinod Thakur states that inattention or distraction while chanting is the root of all offenses.

Distraction in chanting produces a type of ILLUSION, causing serious offenses against the Holy Name.

When these offenses increase, the neophyte gradually loses interest in chanting the Holy Name.

There are 3 kinds of inattention:


Indifference or lack of attraction

Laziness Distraction

Indifference or Lack of attraction

Ordinarily a person is attached to so many things. Even while chanting, he feels attracted to them, thus remaining indifferent to the Holy Name.

Attachment to material things, thwarts our attachment to Krishna.

Srila Prabhupada explains

There are so many dangers in this material world that one may fall down from an exalted position at any time.

Yet, if one keeps himself always pure & steady by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, he will be safe without doubt.

SB 6.1.63 purport

Laziness

Laziness means to chant with a murky mind, or to stop chanting before finishing a round in order to attend to a so called important activity.

Another symptom is the strong urge to interrupt chanting for some rest.

Remedy of laziness is to cultivate a strong desire to chant our prescribed rounds very sincerely and attentively.

Our strong desire and eagerness to chant the Holy Name is most pleasing to Krishna and is the fundamental requirement for good japa.

Distraction

Distraction produces illusion, the cause of all other forms of inattentive chanting like laziness & lack of attention.

As a result, while chanting, the Holy Name will not really be heard & attention is rather caught by worldly topics.

If one is distracted, he should pray for Krishnas mercy.

Bhaktivinod Thakur admits that it is very difficult to overcome the anartha of distraction on ones own strength.

Therefore, it is essential to humbly and intensely pray for the Lords mercy.
By the mercy of the Lord it is possible.

Revival of the dormant affection or love of godhead however does not depend on the mechanical system of hearing & chanting, but

is solely and wholly depends on the causeless mercy of the Lord. When the Lord is fully satisfied with the sincere efforts of the devotee, He may endow him with His loving devotional service.

We need Krishnas mercy so that the Holy Name will appear on our tongues, being attracted to our sincere loving chanting.

Caitanya-caritmta (Madhya 22.31):

Ka srya-sama my haya andhakra yh ka, th nhi myra adhikra

MAYA is like the darkness, and Krishna is like the sun. Where Krishna appears, there can be no darkness.

Japa is a barometer of our spiritual life. So when our japa is strong, then we are spiritually strong.

Strong desire must manifest in the firm determination to chant ones prescribed quota of rounds every day, even in the midst of adverse and trying circumstances and also in the firm endeavor to improve ones quality of japa.

One must therefore be determined to do every act necessary to come to the standard of good japa qualitatively and quantitatively.

Attentive hearing is the most important aspect of japa. Srila Prabhupada explains :

...Concentrate fully on the sound vibration of the mantra, pronouncing each name distinctly... do not worry so much chanting fast, more important is hearing. Again, as you chant, try to hear each and every word very carefully...

One should Holy Name of the Lord with faith, enthusiasm and firm conviction on the statement of Lord Chaitanya that simply by chanting the Maha-mantra, one can be gradually elevated to the highest platform.

Since the mantra is transcendental sound vibration, it will act whether one knows the meaning of the mantra or not. Yet we must know what exactly we are praying when we chanting the Maha-Mantra.

Srila Prabhupada explains :


Our prayer of the Hare Krsna Maha-mantra means addressing Radha and Krishna for the being engaged in Their service. Hare Krsna means, Hare , O Radharani O Krsna! Please engage me in your service so that I can get relief from the service of maya

Since the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is a prayer, we must with full understanding of the meaning of mantra, chant in prayerful mood.

Our chanting must be like the desperate cry of a lost child crying for its mother. The mood should be one of the helplessness and utter dependence on Krishna.

One should note in this that connection One question is that chanting involves the activities sometimes asked by of the upper and lower lips as well devotees is whether they can as the tongue. All three must be think of the pastimes of engaged in chanting the Hare Krishna while doing japa. Krishna maha-mantra. The words Hare Krishna should be very distinctly pronounced and heard. Lets see what Srila Prabhupada says about this:

... So you cannot make any One should note in this connection between thatdistinction chanting involves the listening activities of the upper and lower lips as well to the sound and thinking of as the tongue. three must be the past All times. But the engaged inis chanting the Hare process to hear, and then Krishna maha-mantra . The words Krishnas pastimes, form, Hare Krishna should be very qualities etc.; will distinctly pronounced and heard. automatically come to mind...

One should note in this connection that chanting involves the activities ...Generally, it is the process of the upper and lower lips as well to simply chant and must hear,be but as the tongue. All three if Krishnas lila comes into engaged in chanting the Hare remembrance that is words very Krishna maha-mantra . The Hare Krishna should be very good. It should come distinctly pronounced and heard. automatically. Not that you

At another place Srila Prabhupada says:

are remembering artificially.

Srila Prabhupada explains

Chanting involves the activities of the upper and lower lips as well as the tongue. All three must be engaged in chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.
The words Hare Krishna should be very distinctly pronounced and heard.

Sometimes one mechanically produces a hissing sound instead of chanting with the proper pronunciation with the help of the lips and tongue. Chanting is very simple, but one must practice it seriously.

The chanting of the holy name is not, however, a mechanical process depending merely upon contemplative prowess.

It is a devotional art, a form of prayer, and thus one must chant with reverence and devotion.

The Hare Krishna mantra is a prayer for protection and deliverance, a prayer to the Lord for His divine presence and for the opportunity to serve Him.

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