Gurvastaka standards

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Camp: Iskcon Krsna Balarama Mandir

DaNDavats Dear Madana Mohana and others. Jaya Krishna BalarAma!

Please accept my respectful obeisances. All Glories to Sreela PrabhupAda..

 

> Is it an accepted standard in ISKCON temples to chant Sri Gurvastaka's

> slokas twice during mangala-arati kirtana, like it is current in most

> ISKCON temples nowadays?

 

well in VEdic times the guru spoke (the slokas) once and the students

repeated twice.

 

in the old days It was (IMHO) an unspoken tradition "just mostly followed"

 

I think it was optional upto the individual kirtan leaders descretion if he

wanted to save the small time for more chanting of HK.

 

Was the system also current during the time Srila

> Prabhupada was physically present, or maybe it was established by him

> himself?

 

I heard that Harikesh used to quote Prabhupada in Mayapura as having said

something like this (I don't have exact) maybe JP Swami has it.

 

"Guruvastaka, then panca tattva mantra 3 times, then the vast majority of

the kirtan is left to Hare Krsna mahamantra kirtan all in the morning tune

(prabhati)."

 

He had said this purported after being unhappy that the Kirtan leaders were

chanting too much ":vande guroh sri Charanaravindam" again and again. with

no time for Hare Krsna mantra at all, or only 2 minutes at the end.

 

"nitai gaura haribol" etc, or "Nari Haraya namah" or "Krsna krsna krsna

he-Rama RAghava" etc too much.

 

>Are there any ISKCON temples where it was decided, for whatever

> reason, to sing the slokas only ones?

 

Prabably too many to count, but then again from what I remember that no TP I

came across, literally forced everyone either "only 2 times each".

 

I think that the only thing that *may be* suggested.

 

that IF the kirtan leader chants it 2 times each sloka fast enough, there

will be time for enough Mahamantra kirtan. He has to chop off the Hari

haraya namah etc, that's all.

 

aspiring for eternal service of Prabhupada's Krishna-BalarAma in Vrajadhama.

 

Vaishnava daasaanundaasaha,

 

TridaNDi BhikSu, Bhakti Visrambha MAdhava