Why do I get shivers while chanting?

[JustRish]

Just curious. I get shivery when I chant. I just want to know if this is normal.

[Ravindran Kesavan]

It is normal and happens wqhen kundalini is activated.

Regards,

K.Ravindran

[JustRish]

 

It is normal and happens wqhen kundalini is activated.

Regards,

K.Ravindran

 

Thanks. But I do it silently in my mind. Is it still possible then?

[Ravindran Kesavan]

I guess that you mean that your chanting is silent in the mind not the shivering, right? Shoivering is verymuch physical right?

 

In fact Silent chanting is supposed to be more potent in mantra science . It acts on kundalini that way.

(However Bhakti yoga has a different perscription . Mantra is chanted loud as in singing the lord's song. No neecd to get confused over it. They atre different paths leading to different results. In bhakti yoga usually there is no kundalini raising, though it can happen in intense bhakti.)

 

Regartds,

K.Ravindran

[JustRish]

 

I guess that you mean that your chanting is silent in the mind not the shivering, right? Shoivering is verymuch physical right?

 

In fact Silent chanting is supposed to be more potent in mantra science . It acts on kundalini that way.

(However Bhakti yoga has a different perscription . Mantra is chanted loud as in singing the lord's song. No neecd to get confused over it. They atre different paths leading to different results. In bhakti yoga usually there is no kundalini raising, though it can happen in intense bhakti.)

 

Regartds,

K.Ravindran

 

Yes the chanting is very much silent. When I say shivering, I mean I get chills. And sometimes I also feel something heavy in my heart.

[Amlesh]

 

Thanks. But I do it silently in my mind. Is it still possible then?

Then it is no longer Chanting...

Chanting in silence is contradiction in itself.

 

anyways; shivering might occur out of intense Love for the Deity; but I don't what's your frame of mind and what's your conception of spirituality.

[Ravindran Kesavan]

Dear Justrish,

Do analise that the heaviness is due to the emotion that arise in your heart for the god. If no such direct correlation exists then it could be understood in termes of the pranic energy dynamics introduced by meditation.

 

It is also a good idea too have a medical check up of the heart. just to rule out any cardiac symptoms.

 

If there is no emotional explanation as well as medical cause then There is a third way to understand these phenominon. There are three bodies. The physical cellular body, (Stula sarira in sanskrit. Stula = gross) the Energy meridian body ( Prana sarira . Prana = vital energy Chi or qi energy in chinese) and mantra body (pranava sarira . Pranava = Sound in Sanskrit)

 

Pranava body is the causal boidy. When we alter this layer of our being it results in the changes in prana energy nmmeridian and that results in physical phenominon. Hence when you act on your mantra body it shows up in the physical phinominon.

 

Little more of these three bodies I am discussing in the forum "Does free will exist" You can read it in my today's and yester day's posts in that forum. (They are little longish posts and I am not repreting them here. )

 

Regards,

K.Ravindran

[JustRish]

 

Then it is no longer Chanting...

Chanting in silence is contradiction in itself.

 

anyways; shivering might occur out of intense Love for the Deity; but I don't what's your frame of mind and what's your conception of spirituality.

I did not realise that chanting has to be done in a certain way. Doing the Mantra silently in my mind works for me.

 

 

Dear Justrish,

Do analise that the heaviness is due to the emotion that arise in your heart for the god. If no such direct correlation exists then it could be understood in termes of the pranic energy dynamics introduced by meditation.

 

It is also a good idea too have a medical check up of the heart. just to rule out any cardiac symptoms.

 

If there is no emotional explanation as well as medical cause then There is a third way to understand these phenominon. There are three bodies. The physical cellular body, (Stula sarira in sanskrit. Stula = gross) the Energy meridian body ( Prana sarira . Prana = vital energy Chi or qi energy in chinese) and mantra body (pranava sarira . Pranava = Sound in Sanskrit)

 

Pranava body is the causal boidy. When we alter this layer of our being it results in the changes in prana energy nmmeridian and that results in physical phenominon. Hence when you act on your mantra body it shows up in the physical phinominon.

 

Little more of these three bodies I am discussing in the forum "Does free will exist" You can read it in my today's and yester day's posts in that forum. (They are little longish posts and I am not repreting them here. )

 

Regards,

K.Ravindran

Okay thank you, I will definately read the topic .. I don't think its a medical condition as it only happens when I do the chanting. The heavy feeling doesn't feel bad. I feel there is some sort of energy (good) there.

[Ravindran Kesavan]

Deare Just Rish,

Hope you dont mind my advise on the medical examination. You know when you do japa or some sort of meditation your breathing pattern changes automatically- It slows down. When this happens the supply of oxygen to the blood is reduced. This can affect the heart when there is any problem with the heart . It is better to rule out that possibility.

 

Regards,

K.Ravindran

[JustRish]

 

Deare Just Rish,

Hope you dont mind my advise on the medical examination. You know when you do japa r some sort of meditation your breathing pattern changes automatically It slows down. When thios happens the supply of oxygen to the blood is reduced. this can affect the heart when there is any problem with the heart . It is better to rule out that possibility.

 

Regards,

K.Ravindran

No I do not mind at all. As I said, I don't think there is a problem. But I guess its best to be on the safe side and have it checked out.

[bhaktajan]

You are simply having a sever drop in body temperature during meditation.

 

The lack of physical and even mental activities are allowing the body to cool to a temperature that approximates the room temperature you're in during meditation.

 

Many times I sit to do japa thinking, 'Ah, so comfortable! Then later it gets chilly due to temperature changes --so be prepared with a wrap, muffeler and wool hat [bTW the skull loses the greatest amount of body heat. Did you know that? The skull loses heat in a very subtle way without symtoms until a fever in seen.]

 

Extreme cold will famously make the Body and the Teeth/Jaw to "Shiver" uncontrollably to the point of embarrasment --your experience may just be the same, but to a lesser extent.

[bija]

When you are doing this silent meditation (chanting internally) could it simply be that things quieten down very much for you, and you simply become more aware of the body and its movement? ie, body sensations, cool chill etc.

 

Is your meditation stillness? I intuit that you seek quiet, peace, stillness etc through your chanting, and infact you attain those states quite easily?

[Amlesh]

 

I did not realise that chanting has to be done in a certain way.

 

Certain way? You said chant, right?

In fact, it is me who did not realise about chanting silently.

 

 

Doing the Mantra silently in my mind works for me.

 

[bija]

 

Loud Japa Benefits

In Baul-Sangit, Shrila Bhaktivinoda Thakura states:

 

maner mala japbi jakhan, mana,

keno korbi bahya visarjana

mane mane bhajan jakhan hoy,

prema uthle pade' bahya-dehe vyapta ho'ye roy;

abar dehe care, japay kore, dharay mala anuksana

1) My dear mind, when you chant japa on the mala within your mind, why do you cease the actions of chanting japa externally? When one performs qualified to perform bhajan within the mind, and prema factually arises internally, then the external body also becomes pervaded by those symptoms. Therefore the body rocks and sways, while one incessantly turns their beads in chanting japa.

 

In Chp 15 Bhajana-Pranali (which summarizes the whole process of japa) of Hari-nama-cintamani, he clearly states:

 

"By loudly and distinctly uttering (spastha uccharana) the names, he should chant and remember the meaning. Gradually the chanting will become clear, steady and blissful. At that point one should meditate on the three-fold bending form Lord Shyamasundara or Lord Gauranga while chanting."

 

"Devotees who thirst for Prema and are on the way to it sing and realise the Name by counting." (Nama Bhajan by Shrila Bhaktivinoda)

 

Loud chanting with raga or attachement is done even by the siddha devotees. Ofcourse it is a fact that smarana within the mind during chanting is only possible by a prolonged practice of loud chanting of the holy names of the Lord.

 

Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Prabhupada wrote in verse 19 of Vaishnava ke:

 

shridayitadasa kirtanete asa

kara uccaih svare harinama-rava

kirtana-prabhave smarana svabhave

se kale bhajana-nirjana sambhava

"This Shri-dayita dasa (Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura - the humble servant of the all-merciful Shrimati Radharani) simply desires to be absorbed in the nectar of Lord Krishna's holy names. My dear mind, now let us loudly chant the holy names of Krishna so we can continuously remain in the ocean of transcendental nectar.

 

The loud chanting of the holy names of Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna awakens the transcendental quality of natural spontaneous loving remembrance of Lord Gauranga-Krishna (including the Lord's form, qualities and pastimes). Only at that time does the confidential realization and pure practice of nirjana-bhajana (smarana on the mental level) in loving devotional service to Their Lordships Nityananda-Gauranga and Radha-Krishna become possible."

 

Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada, from an article in The Gaudiya, 1934:

 

"Those who have loudly chanted 100,000 Holy Names daily for fifteen or twenty years should know such things. The beginners need not hear these topics or they will misunderstand. These topics are for certain audiences, not for all. Also, it is said, apana bhajana-katha, na kahibe jatha-jatha, ‘One should not reveal one’s bhajana to others.’ If we disregard this instruction of our previous acaryas then there may be a permanent fall from the realm of devotional service."

 

Letter by Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta to one of his disciples:

 

“One should call on the Lord through the loud chanting of the Holy Names at all times. You should be vigilant to maintain your scheduled rounds on the beads while loudly chanting the holy name. This will effectively remove all anarthas. Then atheistic people will not be able to shake you with their blasphemy."

 

“I am pleased to hear that your enthusiasm for chanting the holy name has increased. Continually chanting the holy name loudly with perseverance will eradicate all anarthas. Then the form, qualities and pastimes of Shri Nama will automatically be revealed. The Lord and His holy name are non-different. But this fact can only be understood when one becomes freed from anarthas. Offenseless chanting will help us realize that chanting the holy name yields all perfections."

 

Shrila Prabhupada Lilamrita Chp 4:

 

"Sometimes as Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta paced back and forth chanting the Hare Krishna mantra aloud while fingering his beads, Abhay would enter the room and also chant, walking alongside his spiritual master."

 

Shrila Akinchana Krishnadasa Babaji Maharaja (godbrother of Shrila Pra bhupada) who was a topmost rasika Vaishnava used to loudly chant the japa of the Holy Names day and night.

 

In Prema Vilasa Chp 24, it is mentioned:

 

advaita prabhur pade loila sarana

tar thai bhakti sastre koilo adhyayana

advaitera sthane tinho hoila diksiti

tin lakho harinama jape diva rati

lakho harinama mane lakho kane sune

lakho nama ucca kori kore sankirtane'

 

"Haridasa Thakura took shelter of Advaita Acharya Prabhu's lotus feet and studied the bhakti shastras under Him. He became initiated by Advaita (diksha) and was chanting 300,000 Holy Names day and night. 100,000 Names loudly, 100,000 Names softly and 100,000 Names silently."

 

On the other hand in the Gaudiya Bhashya of Shri Chaitanya-Bhagavata Adi 16.172, Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada specifically mentions that Shrila Haridasa Thakura used to chant the 300,000 names either loudly or softly:

 

tabe haridasa ganga-tire gopha kari'

thakena virale ahar-nisa krishna smari'

 

"Then Haridasa went and found a cave on the bank of the Ganges. He remembered Krishna day and night as he resided alone in the cave."

 

Gaudiya Bhashya:

"While remaining in a solitary cave on the bank of the Ganges at Phuliya, Shrila Thakura Mahasaya loudly chanted the Holy Names and passed his days and night remembering the pastimes of the Lord. Sometimes he would chant the sixteen name, thirty-two syllable, maha-mantra loudly, and sometimes he would chant softly. Every day he would complete the chanting of three hundred thousand holy names, or in a year he would chant one hundred million names of Gaurahari.

 

"Some people consider that chanting the names of Krishna in asolitary place is in the category of "upanshu-japa," or "chanting very mildly." They say that this maha-mantra, or chanting the holy names of the Lord, should not be heard by others; only the person who is chanting should hear. If the lips move, or if the holy names are recited, then they will automatically be heard by others.

 

"But if such persons lack faith in the Vaishnavas who chant the holy names of the Lord, then by the influence of Kali they dare to quarrel with those Vaishnava chanters. Whenever the pure names of the Lord, glorified and chanted by sadhus who have taken full shelter of the names, do not enter the ears of others, it is called nirjana-bhajana.

 

"Such chanting of the names of Hari in a solitary place is intended only for one's own benefit, therefore such chanting yields no benefit for others. Even if the fixed number of holy names regularly chanted by a person who is inclined to the service of the Lord are chanted in a solitary place, faithful persons may still take advantage by secretly hearing from a distance."

 

TEXT 173

tina-laksa nama dine karena grahana

gopha haila tan'ra yena vaikuntha-bhavana

"He would chant the holy name of the Lord three hundred thousand times a day, and his cave was thus transformed into Vaikuntha."

 

[Note: The cave became Vaikuntha specifically because Shrila Haridasa Thakura was chanting the names loudly.]

 

Another difficulty in mental chanting is that it proceeds very slowly with proper pronunciation within, so completing 100,000 names daily which is the order of the Lord and the ideal for all Gaudiya Vaishnavas is very difficult and it may take more than 12 hours to do so which is greatly difficult to accomplish.

We have the following verse from the Naradiya Purana quoted by Shrila Haridasa Thakura in the Chaitanya-Bhagavata:

 

japato hari namani sthane sata-gunadhikah

atmanan ca punaty-uccair-japan srotrn-punati ca

 

"Compared to that person who is attached to chanting japa mentally, the person who performs loud chanting of the holy name of Shri Hari is one hundred times better. This is because the person who chants silent japa purifies himself, whereas the person who chants the holy name loudly purifies himself, all those who are with him, and everyone else who hear the holy vibration." (Shri Naradiya Purana, Prahlada-vakya)

 

Some quotes by Shrila Prabhupada:

 

sankhya-purvaka-nama-gana-natibhih kalavasanikrtau.

 

"The Gosvamis, especially Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, strictly followed all the regulative principles. The first regulative principle is that one must chant the Hare Krishna maha-mantra loudly enough so that he can hear himself, and one must vow to chant a fixed number of rounds." (Shri Chaitanya-charitamrita Antya-lila 11.24)

 

"While the body is fit, one should chant the holy name of the Lord loudly and distinctly. If one does so, it is quite possible that even at the time of death he will be properly able to chant the holy name of the Lord with love and faith." (Shrimad-Bhagavatam 6.2.49)

 

"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." (Shri Chaitanya-charitamrita Adi-lila 17.32)

 

CONCLUSION:

 

So on one hand the Hari Bhakti Vilasa quotes from Yajnavalkya Smriti as discussed in the Likhita Japa section that mental chanting is 1000 times (Sanatana Goswami) better than loud chanting and is equal to meditation and on the other hand Shri Prahlada Maharaja quotes in Naradiya Purana which was quoted by Shrila Haridasa Thakura in the Chaitanya Bhagavata that loud chanting is 100 times more beneficial than mental chanting because it benefits millions of living entities who even unknowingly happen to hear the sound vibration of the Holy Names.

So you will surely want to know the conclusion. Here it is:

(1) Mental chanting can only be bear fruit if one can properly recite and hear the Mantras within. But our hearts in the beginning stage are filled with so many material impressions and desires. So it is very difficult to properly hear the sound vibration mentally within in the neophyte stage. We may think we may be hearing inside but we are not actually chanting or hearing. So the change of our heart is very slow. It is only when one practices constant loud chanting for a period of at least five to ten years one can properly pronounce, hear and meditate on the Holy Names while chanting mentally. So unless one's heart is purified by many years of loud chanting and loud sankirtana, the Mental Japa is factually not possible.

(2) If one is chanting adequate number of rounds of the Holy Name loudly daily over a period of a few years then one can add some mental chanting to it without giving up the loud chanting. Like Haridasa Thakura was chanting 100,000 each loudly, softly and mentally.

(3) Mental chanting may be personally beneficial to us more than loud chanting when we can actually hear and meditate on the Holy Names and Mantras within with a pure heart but loud chanting is much more beneficial to all the souls of this world than silent chanting because even one devotee loudly chanting the holy names purifies and delivers the whole universe even if chanted purely or impurely.

 

All quotes of Shrila Prabhupada are copyrighted by the Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International.

[bija]

 

Likhita Japa (Writing and Mental Japa)In the Shri Hari-Bhakti-Vilasa compiled by Shrila Gopala Bhatta Goswami and commented on by Shrila Sanatana Goswami, we find the following description in Chapter 17:

 

atha japa-bhedah, tal-lakshanadi ca

 

Now, we will describe the three diverse kinds of Mantra Japa Yoga or chanting on beads and their characteristics.

 

narasimhe-

trividho japa-yajnah syat tasya bhedan nibodhata |

vacikash ca upamshush ca manasash ca tridha matah |

trayanam japa-yajnanam shreyan syad uttarottarah ||155||

 

The Narasingha Purana states : “The Japa Yajna or the sacrifice of chanting on beads is basically of three kinds. The differences in these three kinds of japa can be elucidated as follows. The first kind of Mantra Japa is known as Vacika (loud) Japa, second is called as Upanshu (murmuring) Japa and the third is known as Manasa (mental) Japa.”

 

yad ucca-nica-svaritaih spashta-shabdavad-aksharaih |

mantram uccarayed vyaktam japa-yajnah sa vacikah ||156||

 

“That Japa Yajna (sacrifice and yoga of chanting) which is performed by loudly and openly chanting the Mantra with clear and distinct pronounciation of the Syllables and Names in the Mantra and which is accompanied by the loud recitation of Mantra in a high or low or a melodious svarita tone is known as Vacika Japa.”

 

Digdarshini tika (commentary) by Shrila Sanatana Goswami:

 

ucca-nica-svaritaih uccena nicena tvaritena va udattanudatta-svarita-samjnaih svarair ity arthah | svarena yuktaih spashta-shabdavadbhir aksharaih |

ata eva vyaktam mantram uccarayed yat ||156||

 

“The Japa which is accompanied by loud, soft or melodious utterance of the mantra in udatta, anudatta or svarita notes with a high pitched accent is known as Vachika Japa. Since this kind of Japa is performed by the clear, loud, distinct (not slurred) pronounciation of the Mantra, therefore Vachika Japa has to be audibly uttered and thus can be heard clearly.”

 

shanair uccarayen mantram ishad aushthau pracalayet |

kincic chabdam svayam vidyad upamshuh sa japah smritah ||157||

 

“The second kind of Upanshu (murmuring) Japa Yoga is performed with the slow utterance and recitation of the Mantra with a little movement or murmuring of one’s two lips. Thus the sound vibration of the Mantra is very low and can be only heard by oneself.”

 

Digdarshini tika (commentary) by Shrila Sanatana Goswami:

 

svayam eva vidyaj janiyat shrinuyad ity arthah ||157||“Thus Upanshu Japa Yoga means that chanter himself or herself softly recites, hears and understands the meaning of the Mantra.”

 

dhiya yad akshara-shrenya varnad varnam padat padam |

shabdartha-cintanabhyasah sa ukto manaso japah ||158||

 

“Manasa Japa or Mental Japa means the repeated and intense practice of deep contemplation and meditation on the meaning of each and every word of the Mantra in one’s heart as one slowly progresses from one syllable or part of the Mantra to another while chanting it mentally.”

 

Digdarshini tika (commentary) by Shrila Sanatana Goswami:

 

varnad ekasmat kramenanya-varnam vyapya | evam padat padam vyapya |

ittham shabdasya arthasya ca yac cintanam anusandhanam tasya abhyasah punah punar avrittih ||158||

 

“Mental Japa means that one meditates with one pointed attention on each syllable of the Mantra. When the meaning of one syllable of the Mantra permeates the heart of the chanter during Mental Japa, then the chanter should move on to concentrate on the meaning of the next syllable of the Mantra. Then the mind should be focused on the divine meaning of a word of the Mantra and then one should go on to the next word of the Mantra. In this way the constant drilling and training of the mind and the heart by Mental Japa to repeatedly investigate, visualize and realize the transcendental meaning of each word of the Mantra through the process of deep and profound contemplation, reflection, and meditation on the Mantra is the most powerful form of Japa or chanting.”

 

tatra ca yajnavalkyah-

upamshu-japa-yuktasya tasmac-chata-guno bhavet |

sahasro manasah prokto yasmad dhyana-samo hi sah ||159||

 

In the Yajnavalkya Smriti , it is stated: “Upanshu (murmuring) Japa as described above is one hundred times qualitatively more powerful than Vachika (loud) Japa. Manasa (mental) Japa on the other hand is one thousand times more powerful because Mental Japa is on the same platform as Meditation.”

 

Digdarshini tika (commentary) by Shrila Sanatana Goswami:

 

upamshu-japa-yuktasya japah shata-gunah syad vacikaj japac chata-guno bhaved ity arthah ||159||

 

“The above statement that Upanshu Japa is one hundred times more powerful means that it is one hundred times more powerful than Vachika Japa.”

 

mantrarnave-

pashu-bhave sthita mantrah kevalam varna-rupinah |

saushumnadhvany uccaritah prabhutvam prapnuvanti hi ||160||

 

In the Mantrarnava, it is stated that: “Those who chant the Mantra while simply uttering the syllables but not meditating on their meaning, are chanting the Mantra in animalistic consciousness. But the utterance of the Mantra with profound contemplation on its meaning arising through the sushumna (subtle nerve channel) which runs from the base of the spine to the crown of the head enables the chanter to attain mastery and perfection over the art of chanting by the mercy of the Lord.”

 

Digdarshini tika (commentary) by Shrila Sanatana Goswami:

 

saushumnye sushumnakhya-nadi-sambandhini adhvani cchidra-marge uccaritah santah |

prabhutvam samarthyam ||160||

 

“When someone performs Japa Yoga with the sound vibration of the Mantra passing through and arising from the hole of the sushumna nadi (channel), then one becomes a sage and attains mastery and success in Japa Yoga chanting if one has the mercy of the Lord.”

 

na dosho manase japye sarva-deshe’pi sarvada |

japa-nishtho dvija-shreshthah sarva-yajna-phalam labhet ||161||

 

“There can never be any fault or defect whatsoever in Manasa or Mental Japa Yoga, and thus it can be performed in all places, at all times and in all circumstances. O best of the brahmanas! Thus that most fortunate person, who is staunchly and irrevocably engaged in Japa Yoga always achieves the sublime fruits of performing unlimited fire sacrifices at every moment.”

 

Digdarshini tika (commentary) by Shrila Sanatana Goswami:

 

ata eva manaso japah paramottama ity aha-na dosha iti |

dvija-shreshtha iti tatratya-vipranam sambodhanam |

dvija-shreshtha ity eka-vacananta-patho’pi kvacit ||161||

“Thus Manasa or Mental Japa Yoga is Paramottama, which means Supermost form of Japa Yoga, since it has no faults of any kind. Dvija-srestha is used in a singular tense in this verse to indicate the best of the brahmanas who engage in chanting Japa.”

 

ashucir va shucir vapi gacchams tishthan svapann api |

mantraika-sharano vidvan manasaiva sadabhyaset ||162||

 

“Thus one should incessantly practice the chanting of Mental Japa whether one is in a clean or unclean condition, moving or stationary, and sleeping or awake. In this way, one who takes exclusive shelter of the Mantra in all circumstances is a learned and self-realised soul.”

 

Digdarshini tika (commentary) by Shrila Sanatana Goswami:

 

mantraika-sharana ity anena purashcaranadi-paras tu yathokta-desha-kaladav evabhyased ity abhipretam ||162||

 

“Thus it is understood that one should take full shelter of Mental Mantra Japa, which is independent of preliminary purificatory rites, the place, time etc.”

 

kim canyatra-

manasah siddhi-kamais tu pushti-kamair upamshukah |

vaciko maranoccate prashasto japa iritah ||163||

 

In another scripture, it is stated: “If one desires siddhi or the supreme perfection of life, then one must engage in Mental Japa. If one desires spiritual and material prosperity, then one must engage in Upanshu or Murmuring Japa. And if one desires perfection at the time of death, then Vachika or Loud Japa is the most suitable.”

 

Vaishnaviya tantre-

japat shata gunam punyam rama nama pralekhane.

 

In the Vaishnaviya Tantra it is stated: “Writing the Mantra (like Rama Nama Mantra etc) with full concentration is one hundred times more beneficial and powerful than Japa chanting.”

 

Commentary by Swami Gaurangapada:

 

This is because while writing or inscribing the syllables of the Mantra one is forced to perform the deepest meditation on the form of the syllables of the Mantra. All the Vedic scriptures constantly state that the syllables of the the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra and are non-different from Their Lordships Shri Shri Nityananda Gauranga and Their Lordships Shri Shri Radha and Krishna Themselves.

 

Also while writing the Mantra, the chanter is forced to perform the concentrated Mental Japa and remembrance of the syllables of the Mantra which as described above is one thousand times more powerful than mental Japa. Therefore, Written Japa is one hundred thousand times (100 x 1000) more powerful than Vacika Japa or loud chanting.”

 

Thus the benefits of this Likhita Japa cannot be adequately described. Besides bringing about purity of the heart and concentration of the mind on the syllable form of God, Likhita Japa imparts the chanter with the power to control one’s senses, increases one’s power of concentration, memory and endurance and quickly grants one the qualification to see the divine form of Lord Gauranga-Krishna face to face while chanting. Mantra Shakti (potency) and its benefits are fully accessible and experienced by the chanter by the regular practice of Likhita Japa by writing a fixed time daily each of the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra. Recollection, Absorption, Meditation, Constant Rememberance and the Supreme Trance (samadhi) are the five progressive levels of Likhita Japa.

 

One simply requires a finger and some free space or a pen and paper or book to practice Likhita. It is the easiest and sublime bhakti and yoga. The procedure is very simple. Whether one is sitting, relaxing, walking or standing, one has to take one’s forefinger of the right hand and slowly write the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra in Sanskrit or in any other language anywhere in the empty free space in front of oneself or on paper with a pen while mentally chanting and concentrating on the Syllables of the Mantras. If one feels that it is embarrasing to write the Mantras in the space with the forefinger in front of others, one can do it with pen on paper or do it when one is alone.

 

The more bigger one can write the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra in the space in front of oneself or in a notebook or paper, the easier it is to mentally focus and concentrate on form of the syllables of the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra which are divine and non-different from Their Lordships Themselves. One can write on a piece of paper but if one writes in small size, the form of syllables is not easy to concentrate on while writing. Thus writing in space or on a paper or notebook with a bigger font size is recommended.

 

In the Varaha Purana, it is stated:

 

ashtottara-shataih purva pancashadbhis tu madhyama |

kanyasi panca-vimshatya parimanam vidhiyate ||73||

 

“One round of Mantra Japa should be either one hundred and eight times which is the best, or fifty times which is medium or twenty times which is the lowest.”

 

Thus Likhita Japa comprises of slowly writing the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra in free space in front of us with one’s forefingers with full concentration and full meditation on the transcendental syllables of the Mantras or writing the Mantras with a pen in a Japa notebook in an easily readable font size.

 

Likhita Japa enables us to develop a wonderful power of concentration and subdues the mind thus making us qualified to chant and sing the Nityananda, Gauranga and Hare Krishna Mahamantra with rapt attention with our mind and heart focused on the transcendental form of the Lord. Likhita Japa has to be performed daily for a few months to realize it's full benefit.

 

Thus Likhita Japa Yoga is a nice addition to the normal and primary daily chanting practice of the devotees. It is not meant to substitute the direct chanting of the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra on Tulasi beads but as an useful supplement to enhance the quality of and bring life and realization into our normal daily chanting. Try for yourself and experience the results!

 

Instantly experience the Akshara Parabrahma Lord Gauranga-Krishna i.e. the Lord Who is non-different from the form of the very syllables of His Holy Names by Likhita Japa. The transition from Syllable Meditation to Form Meditation is so easily and rapidly accomplished. By practicing Likhita Japa of the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra, it is guaranteed that one will quickly progress to the second stage of Mantra Yoga which is Rupa-Dhyana Japa very soon which is to directly realize the transcendental form of the Lord while chanting the the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas and the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

[Ramadasa]

I didn't get shivers when my kundalini rose. So I don't think that's it.

[Visitor]

I find this thread very interesting as i also feel it sometimes,.. but not only during mantra recitation. Sometimes when driving to work and listening to Krishna bhajans i get an ecstatic chill running through the back of my head and down/up my spine.

 

Most bizzarely recently i got a similar chill when playing garba the other day. I was thinking about the compassionate Goddess.