Chanting Hare Krishna (Jappa)

[Svarupa]

This is a great site that encourages Jappa or the chanting of Hare Krishna.

 

All our spiritual problems in life comes down to the fact of Sadhana.

 

If we are NOT chanting 16 rounds at least a day, then how do we expect to have any spiritual strength to understand we are not this material body, and most importantly, we are NOT the mind we foolishly think we are??

 

Sadhana gives us the strength to see that others are not their material vessels as well and helps us see the living entity and Krishna in the region of the heart.

 

Poor Sadhana leads to listening to the mind, thinking you are the body, and exploiting others around you for your own profit, aderation and power.

 

 

<!-- Begin #content - Centers all content and provides edges for floated columns --><!-- Blog Header -->

Japa Group

 

 

 

 

Open discussions on chanting Hare Krsna

 

 

<!-- Begin #main - Contains main-column blog content -->

 

<ALIGN="CENTER">

German | Portuguese | Italian | Spanish | French | Russian | Chinese

 

 

 

 

 

6th September 2008

 

 

 

 

<!-- Begin .post -->Japa Prayers

This is a rather long post - and for that I apologise. However it has helped so much with my japa. It is taken from Mahanidhi Swami's book, entitled 'The Art of Chanting Hare Krishna.' There are prayers for before, during and after japa (although honestly I've thought of the prayers during japa of more of a mood). It helps keep me focussed and makes my japa more meaningful. I hope it will inspire and help others with their japa.

 

 

 

 

BEFORE JAPA:

"The beauty of bhakti-yoga, unlike other yoga systems, is that all progress depends more or less on the mercy of Guru and Krsna. In other yoga paths, one attains success by his personal prowess, austerity and endeavor. On the bhakti-marga, however, attaining the goal oiprema does not depend on the mechanical system of hearing and chanting; it depends solely on Krsna's causeless mercy.

 

 

Lord Gauranga says, guru-krsna-krpaya: by the mercy of guru and Krsna. When Sri Guru and Krsna are fully satisfied with one's sincere efforts, one may be blessed with divine wisdom and spiritual perfection. It is simply a question of mercy and nothing else. The path of devotion (bhakti-marga) depends completely on the mercy of the Lord. Therefore, one must seek the mercy-beg for it, hope for it and pray for it.

 

Gaudiya Vaisnavas understand this principle, so they always pray to Sri Guru and the merciful Vaisnavas past and present for mercy, blessings and guidance. This especially applies to chanting the holy name for which we have little or no taste or attraction. Heartfelt prayers will draw the attention of Krsna and His devotees. By their causeless mercy one will attain the power to chant and the taste to sustain it.

 

ekaki amdra, nahi pay a bala, hari-nama-sahkirtane

tumi krpd kori', sraddha-bindu diyd, deho' krsna-nama-dhane

 

"On my own, I have absolutely no strength to chant the holy name ** Please, O Vaisnava Thakura! Be merciful by giving nd grant me the great treasure of the holy name of lord hari. Please, O vaisnava Thakur! Be merciful by giving me one drop faith, and grant me the great treasure of the holy name of krishna (saranagati)

 

One will quickly attain spiritual perfection by selflessly worshiping the six G's: Guru, Gosvamis, Gauranga, Giriraja and Gandharvika-Giridhari. Realizing this, Krsna dasa Kaviraja prayed to the six Gosvamis to remove all impediments to his writing of Caitanya-caritamrta.

 

In the following purport, Srila Prabhupada describes how the six Gosvamis assist devotees by protecting them, destroying obstacles, and arranging for their service to Krsna."If a devotee seeks shelter at the lotus feet of the six Gosvamis, the merciful Gosvamis will certainly give the Lord's servitor all protection.

 

It is not astonishing that impediments are placed before those who are spreading the Krsna consciousness movement all over the world. Nevertheless, if we adhere to the lotus feet of the six Gosvamis and pray for their mercy, all impediments will be annihilated, and the transcendental devotional desire to serve the Supreme Lord will be fulfilled." (Cc. Antya 1.3-4 p.)

 

Devotees who understand the great power of the six Gosvamis will always pray for their mercy. Ours is the path of mercy, the path of grace, and there are no more merciful devotees than the six Gosvamis. May everyone receive the causeless mercy of the six Gosvamis, and go back home, back to Godhead.

 

In order to chant without offenses, subdue impediments, and progress steadily on the path oiprema, acaryas advocate reciting the following prayer to the six Gosvamis ten times every morning before chanting japa:

 

 

 

sri-rupa sanatoria bhatta-raghundtha, sri-jiva gopala-bhatta dasaraghundtha

ei chay gosdir kori carana vandan, jaha hoite bighna-nas abhistapuran

 

 

By the causeless mercy of the six Gosvamis-Sri Rupa, Sanatana, Raghunatha Bhatta, Sri Jiva, Raghunatha dasa and Gopala Bhatta-the obstacles to devotion can be removed, the service of Radha-Govinda Yugala can be attained, and all one's personal desires for Service can be fulfilled. (Nama-sankirtana, Narottama dasa Thakura)

 

One can also pray to Lord Nrsimhadeva to remove anarthas and aparadhas from the heart. The auspicious and most merciful Lord Nrsirhha has unlimited power to purify the heart, destroy obstacles to devotion, and bestow attraction for chanting Hare Krsna. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura shows the relationship between Nrsimhadeva's mercy and Radha-Govindaprema:

 

In Navadvipa-dhama, at the abode of Lord Nrsirhha known as Nrsirmha Puri or Devapalli, I will roll on the ground in ecstatic love, begging for unalloyed love of Krsna. In my heart reside duplicity, insincerity, the desire for fame, and the six enemies: lust, anger, greed, envy, illusion and madness (kama, krodha, lobha, matsarya, moha, mada).

 

I will pray at the feet of Lord Nrsimha, therefore, to purify my heart and give me the desire to serve Krsna. Weeping, I will beg at the lotus feet of Nrsimha that I may worship Radha-Govinda in Navadvipa, free from all obstacles. When will that Lord Hari, who strikes fear in fear personified, be pleased and bestow His mercy on me?

 

Although this form of the Lord is terrible for the evil, He is exceedingly auspicious for the devotees headed by Prahlada. When will Nrsimhadeva become pleased to mercifully speak to me, a worthless fool, and remove my fears?

 

"Lord Nrsirhha will say, 'Dear child, stay here happily in Gaura-dhama. Worship Radha-Govinda and develop attraction for the holy name. By the mercy of My devotees all obstacles will be transcended. With a purified heart just worship Radha-Govinda-the abodes of sweet nectar After speaking in this way, when will Lord Nrsirhha joyfully place His feet upon my head? At that moment, by the Lord's mercy,

 

 

 

I will exhibit symptoms of ecstatic love for Radha-Govinda, and roll on the ground before the door of His temple." (Navadvipa-bhava-taranga)

 

 

 

 

After praising Sri Guru, the Gosvamis and Lord Nrsirhha one should pray to Gaura-Nitai and the Panca-tattva for the ability to chant suddha-nama. Krsna dasa Kaviraja says the holy names Caitanya and Nityananda will quickly remove nama-aparadhas from faithful chanters:

 

 

 

 

caitanya-nitydnande nahi esaba vicara

natna laite prema dena, vahe asrudhara

 

 

 

 

"One will be cleansed of all offenses very quickly just by chanting the holy names of Caitanya and Nityananda with a little faith. Then as soon as one chants the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, he will attain prema and tears will flow from his eyes."(cc. Adi 8.31)

 

 

 

 

Every night during the Kartika month, a kirtana party walks around Radha-kunda. With wompers, mrdangas and contagious enthusiasm they wildly sing, "Jai Caitanya! Nitai-Caitanya! Jai Caitanya-Nitaiii!" When one hears this kirtana, he instantly feels lighthearted and flushed with joy.

 

 

 

 

Without thinking, one starts singing responsively. By the influence of Caitanya-Nitai, the maha-mantra soon pours out in waves of sweetness. All glories to the causeless mercy of Caitanya-Nitai!

 

 

 

 

sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nitydnanda sri-advaita

gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda.

 

 

 

 

"There are offenses to be considered in chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, but there are no such considerations in chanting the names of Gaura-Nityananda. Therefore, if one chants the Hare Krsna maha-mantra but his life is still full of sinful activities, it will be very difficult for him to achieve the platform of loving service to the Lord.

 

 

 

 

But if in spite of being an offender one chants the holy names of Gaura-Nityananda, he is very quickly freed from the interactions of his offenses." (ccAdi 8.31 p.) It is difficult to keep the rascal mind fixed on the sound of Krsna's holy name while chanting;'apa. And remembering Krsna's pastimes while chanting is even more difficult.

 

 

 

 

Therefore, one may feel discouraged in his attempts to rise to the platform of pure chanting in the face of so many anarthas and aparadhas. Fortunately, however, one can call upon "five friends" for help in chanting.

 

 

 

 

By receiving the causeless mercy of Lord Gauranga and His associates a blind chanter can see the Lord in the heart, a lame offender can scale a mountain of aparadhas, and a foul-mouthed fool can recite the honey sweet words of madhura-nama.

 

 

 

 

Reciting the following prayers before chanting japa will purify the mind, create a feeling of humility, and establish the mood of service (seva-bhava) in the heart. Meditate deeply on the meaning of these important prayers and try to memorize them. One can maintain the proper mood of humility during japa by remembering the meaning of these prayers while chanting Hare Krsna.

 

 

 

 

naharh vipro na ca nara-patir napi vaisyo na sudro

ndharh varni na ca grha-patir no vana-stho yatir va

kintu prodyan-nikhila-paramdnanda-purnamrtabdher

gopi-bhartuh pada-kamalayor ddsa-dasdnudasah

 

 

 

 

I am a pure spirit soul. I am not a brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya or a sudra. Nor am I a brahmacari, grhastha, vanaprastha or sannyasa. I am nothing more than a servant of the servant of the servant of the lotus feet of Sri Krsna, the maintainer of the gopis. Krsna is an ocean of nectar and the cause of universal transcendental bliss. He always exists with brilliance, (cc. Madhya 13.80)

 

 

 

 

I am by nature the eternal servant of Krsna. But because of my bad fortune, I have been inimical toward Krsna from time immemorial. Identifying with my body, I have been continuously wandering in the cycle of birth and death in the material world, suffering the burning three-fold miseries.

 

 

 

 

As a result of some unimaginable good fortune I have attained the mercy of my spiritual master, and now I know that I am Krsna's eternal servant. I am an infinitesimal spiritual being completely apart from the gross and subtle body. I have obtained the good fortune of serving the lotus feet of Sri Guru. Under his order,

 

 

 

 

I am following in his footsteps to serve the lotus feet of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Gandharvika-Giridhari [or the names of the your personal Deities],

 

 

 

 

O Radha-Govinda! I will adorn my neck with the incomparably beautiful garland of Your holy names. Please make tears fall uncontrollably from my eyes. Please once and for all free me from illusion and submerge me repeatedly in the waves of the nectar ocean of Your holy names.

 

 

 

 

Please protect me and give me unflinching devotion to Your lotus feet. I offer my continual obeisances Unto You. (paura Govindarcana Smarana Paddhati)

 

 

 

 

Oh glorious holy name of Krsna! Only you have the power to conquer lust, hatred and all other vices. Oh glorious holy name of Krsna! Make me forget the dualities of material existence arising from this material body. Oh glorious holy name of Krsna! Help me to forget the material world and reveal to me the sweet splendor of the spiritual world.

 

 

 

 

Oh glorious holy name of Krsna! Please take me to a secluded grove in Vrndavana wherein the fair and dark complexioned lovers are manifesting Their wonderful pastimes."(yadavana-mahimamrta, Sataka 7.40)

 

 

 

 

tvarh gopika vrsaraves tanayantike 'si

sevadhikarini guro nija-pdda-padme

dasyarh praddya kuru mam vraja-kanane sri-

rddhanghri-sevana-rase sukhiriim sukhdbdhau

 

 

 

 

O beloved spiritual master! You are always serving the lotus feet of the splendid gopika named Radha, the darling daughter of Vrsabhanu Maharaja. Please give me the qualification to serve your lotus feet, which are the abodes of pure devotional service.

 

 

 

 

By your mercy I will attain the eternal service of Sri Radha in the beautiful groves of Vraja-dhama. While serving the lotus feet of Radha I will taste a variety of blissful mellows (seva-rasa), and thereby drown in an ocean Of joy. (Pancaratra Pradipa)

 

 

 

 

DURING JAPA:

In the Caitanya-caritamrta, Ramananda Raya states that the names of Radha-Krsna (yugala-nama), or the Hare Krsna mantra are the topmost objects of worship:

 

 

 

 

'updsyera madhye kon upasya pradhdna?'

srestha upasya—yugala 'radha-krsna' nama'

 

 

 

 

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu asked, 'Among all worshipable objects, which is the chief?' Ramananda Raya replied, 'The chief worshipable object is the holy name of Radha-Krsna, the Hare Krsna mantra.' (cc. Madhya 8.256)

 

 

 

 

In this regard, Sanat-kumara-samhita states that recitation of the following five prayers quickly awards one the direct service of Radha-Krsna. Since the Hare Kimamaha-mantra is ayugala-man-tra, non-different from Radha-Krsna, one can also offer these prayers to the maha-mantra.

 

 

 

 

In this japa meditation technique, one should mentally repeat these prayers while simultaneously chanting japa.

 

 

 

 

ttp://japagroup.blogspot.com/2008/09/japa-prayers_4051.html