Srila Prabhupada Japa tape - a reply to Gd

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> > > Thank you for your somewhat angry opinion and chastisements concerning

> > > our recent discussions about the origins and use of Srila Prabhupada's

> > > Japa Tape.

> > >

> > > Perhaps you have over-reacted a tad.

> > >

> > > For your information, I personally know a number of senior Sanyasis

> > > and Gurus who also prefer NOT to have Srila Prabhupada's wonderful

> > > japa tape playing loudly while they chant their japa. Are these men

> > > enamored by the material energy?

> > >

> > On the other hand, I have seen so many sanyassi-gurus who had their japa

> > tapes made and being heard by their disciples during japa time. I have

> > personally heard these in quite few occassions. Of course it is an

> > imitation of Srila Prabhupada's japa tape, hearing which can increase

> > one's absorption in the holy name.

>

> I think that the original Kurma prabhu's point was not about whether

> Prabhupada's japa tape helps someone to become more absorbed into his

> personal chanting of maha-mantra or not, but about making it a standard

> practice within our temples. Apparently we don't have any direct

> instructions either from Srila Prabhupada or from our acaryas on the

> matter. So in my humble opinion introducing any new things into our basic

> sadhana requires sabda pramana. To introduce a new standard in our temple

> rooms without any scriptural support just on pretext that it helps someone

> to become more absorbed (and that's quite subjective feeling) is somewhat

> speculative and goes against the principles given by Srila Prabhupada

> himself.

 

How do you conclude that this is a new thing? When I joined the temple

twenty-seven years ago, Srila Prabhupada's Japa tape was being played, and

it is continued to be played in many temples up till today. Hearing Srila

Prabhupada's japa tape in the temple during japa time is a sure protection

against hearing prajalpa that devotees often indulges in during japa in the

temple.