Guest guest Posted April 11, 2000 Report Share Posted April 11, 2000 > Could this verse be referring to chanting of Gayatri? This whole section in HBV is about japa not gayatri: Here are the three preceding slokas and one following sloka: APAVITRA KARO'SUDDHAH PRAJALPAN NA JAPET KVACIT (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 17/137 from MANTRARNAVA) One should not hold japa beads or chant with dirty hands, in an unclean condition or while talking with others. ANASANAH SAYANO VA GACCHANN UTTHITA EVA VA RATHYAYAMA SIVE STHANE NA JAPET TIMIRA ANTARE UPANAD GUDHA PADO VA YANA SAYYAGATAS TATHA PRASARYA NA JAPET PADAVA UTKATASANA EVA VA (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 17/139,140 from MANTRARNAVA) Sitting without a seat, while lying down sleeping, while walking, while standing, while on a path, in impure places such a crematoriam or in dark areas are the forbidden circumstances to chant japa. Wearing shoes, climbing on a carrier, in the sleeping condition, spreading two legs, and on an impure asana, one should not chant japa. NA PADA PADAM AKRAMYA NA CAIVA HI TATHA KARAU NA CA ASAMA AHITA MANA NACA SAMSAYANO JAPET NA KAMPAYET SIRO GRIVAM DANTAN NAIVA PRAKASAYET (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 17/142 from YAJNAVALKYA SMRTI) While chanting japa, one should not let one's leg climb another leg and arm climb upon another arm, in an unsteady mind, or in a doubtful condition. While chanting, one should not shake his neck or head, and not to show one's teeth to others. TRIVIDHO JAPA YAJNAH SYAT TASYA BHEDAN NIVODHATA VACIKAS CA UPANSUS CA MANASAS CA TRIDHA MATAH TRAYANAM JAPA YAJNANAM SREYAN SYAD UTTAROTTARAH (HARI BHAKTI VILASA 17/155 from NRSINGHA PURANA) Japa yajna is of three kinds. Please listen. Chanting with a sound vibration, chanting with a murmuring condition and chanting within the mind. These three kinds of chanting are respectively one better than the other [chanting in the mind is best]. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 11, 2000 Report Share Posted April 11, 2000 > > One should not ... > >...the forbidden circumstances to chant japa.... > > > While chanting japa, one should not ... >Does all of it refer to chanting Hare Krsna? I've heard before that there is >no fast and strict rules regarding chanting. How does it go together with >all the above mentioned rules? Excellent point! What happened to this process being about *bhakti*, about what is in our hearts, and about developing our relationship with Krsna while chanting? If I have to constantly worry about where my hands and feet are, the position of the rest of my body, and even about wearing shoes - how is that going to help me think of and develop love for Krsna? It will just distract me and made me nervous. Besides, this constant quoting of rules that Prabhupada himself de-emphasized when he was teaching us (he certainly chanted japa both while walking and wearing shoes) somehow implies that we know better than him how to do this process. The way I understood it was that Prabhupada knew both us and the tradition and that he set up a process that was tailor made for us and that was perfect for our particular circumstance. So why introduce all these other rules now? Are those devotees who posted the rules implying that we don't need Prabhupada's guidance any more in terms of how best to chant japa? Ys, Madhusudani dasi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted April 19, 2000 Report Share Posted April 19, 2000 Our rule is "kirtaniya sada hari". That means that we should always be chanting anywhere and everywhere, in all circumstances. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.