Importance of Chanting Hare Krishna Mantra by Sivaramaswami

[Guest guest]

The first type of Nama Sankirtan is japa , and the

japa that the devotees do in the temple room is just

that- congregational chanting of the holy name. For

one, devotees are chanting together , and other – they

are chanting aloud . The other type of chanting is

when we chant with instruments , either sitting down

doing bhajan-style chanting or standing up and

chanting and dancing in the presence of the deity. And

of course there is Harinama on the streets as well.

 

All of this chanting is important , public chanting in

one sense is more important because it benefits others

as well as benefiting ourselves , but we should

recognize that the quality of a vaisnava is his/her

taste for chanting Hare Krsna . We can measure our

advancement in devotional service by how much we are

attached to chanting Hare Krsna , by how much taste we

have for the Holy Name, how nicely we chant and of

course how we chant the holy name free from offense.

 

So, the mark of a vaisnava is his chanting and the

same way as runner is known by how he runs , a swimmer

by how he swims , a devotee is by how he chants.

 

In terms of japa, often devotees who are not temple

residents or don't come to temple programme every day,

japa can be something which is very easily sacrificed

into the fire of innatention –pramada . We chant

innatentively, fit in rounds either while driving cars

which is really completely bogus , sitting on public

transport-not so bad although really third class. Or

walking around the house doing all kinds of chores,

cooking – again bogus chanting , or while conversing /

doing other things .

 

And here I should make a distinction between chanting

ones rounds and chanting Hare Krsna . Chanting Hare

Krsna can be done any time, you can be chanting while

you are driving a car, while you are cooking although

it may not be so good as you may end up spitting into

what you are preparing for The Lord . But doing the

meditative japa which means that we do nothing else

but be absorbed and dedicate 2 hours of our day, 16

rounds to the Holy Name of The Lord . That needs to

be done as one would do worship, it needs to be done

with full attention , putting time aside for other

things , not squeezing it in, because Krsna is not

meant to be squeezed in. But it is meant to be done

with love, devotion, attention and care .

 

For householders Srila Prabhupada gave himself as a

personal example , he said that if devotees make a

point of chanting 4 rounds before every meal then in

that way they will always finish their rounds.

 

Prabhupada said you rise, chant 4 rounds when you get

up , chant 4 rounds before breakfast , noon and supper

or another 4 rounds before you go to sleep. So in that

way one always has time to chant 16 rounds but those 4

rounds should be patiently sat down with due

attention.

 

Devotees in the temple chanting japa together should

also be very attentive , not to be falling asleep .

Japa period is not about staying awake, that is not

what chanting Hare Krsna is about . It is about being

attentive to the sound vibration of the holy name ,

fully absorbed in the sweet sound of Hare Krsna and if

one becomes more advanced, allowing the sound

vibration of the Holy Name to take one into

rememberance of Krsnas form, pastimes and qualities.

 

I cant emphasize enough how important it is that

devotees do this nicely because if they don't then for

sure they wont be able to maintain the standard of

devotional service and ultimately they will fall down

from the devotional path . This is our process –

chanting Hare Krsna , it is the means by which we

purify our heart , by which we please Krsna .

It is the sacrifice which everyone is meant to perform

and if not done nicely then many years, many decades

can go by and we turn around and find out – " Wow! I

cant even chant Hare Krsna nicely. "

 

Often we see that devotees aren't even pronouncing the

words of the Maha Mantra properly or the syllables and

that is because their not being attentive . So, please

concentrate on the Holy Name when chanting japa – make

this your life and soul.

 

It is the single most important activity that we

perform.

 

Our japa beads, our japa bag , the activity of

chanting japa –these are our life and soul , they are

the essence of Krsna consciousness and by doing these

things nicely we should defiantly be assured of going

back to Godhead and advancing in devotional service .

By neglecting them, then we neglect our own welfare.

 

And then there is chanting during kirtan, chanting and

dancing in front of the deities, singing with

instruments in the temple. Srila Prabhupada wanted the

devotees to be doing this an hour or 2 a day . He said

Caitanya Mahaprabhu would be doing this 3 hours in the

morning and 3 hours in the evening . Unfortunatly,

because we have so many duties its found that

sometimes morning programme really curtails or cuts

short the kirtan to 20-30 minutes . And devotees get

used to that being THE kirtan and even then very often

they may walk out of the temple room during guru puja

..

 

We should be absorbed in kirtan however long it is or

however short it is and if possible we should have

extended kirtans on our days off , in the evenings.

Chanting Hare Krsna is a must, it is not something

that we try to get away from . We should try to do as

much of it as possible . And when we do that in the

company of enthusiastic devotees , it will lift us

beyond the influence of the material energy.

 

So, in New Vraja Dhama for instance we have annual

Holy Name days. One day dedicated to chanting Hare

Krsna . It's a wonderful experience , everyone loves

it and participating in such activities, Bhaktivedanta

Manor has regular long kirtans – a whole day of simply

chanting Hare Krsna . They invite Madhava prabhu and

some days Prana Bhandu prabhu has the whole afternoon

programme for just kirtan.

 

This is the type of thing that devotees need to be

absorbed in and they can judge their advancement in

Krsna consciousness by how much attachement they have

for participating in kirtan , sitting down , playing

instruments, being absorbed in the Holy Name and not

making a party out of it , but it is an offering of

love and devotion to the Lord that purifies and

cleanses the heart . And then of course, finally ,

chanting Hare Krsna in the streets , whereas this used

to be our daily activity in Krsna consciousness in the

late 60's / early 70's with the importance of book

distribution being emphasized. Unfortunatly it got

minimized, street sankirtan.

 

Srila Prabhupada wanted us to both things

simultaneously. He didn't want us to sacrifice one for

the other.

 

So, Saturday Harinama was a common thing in many

centres - in places like Soho St there is daily

Harinama. Devotees go out as much as possible , we

should try to do that type of activity . Its

beneficial for conditioned souls and very beneficial

for devotees that participate . But particularly ,

this is our means to distribute Krsna consciousness to

others and to be recognized by others. We want to be

recognized by others as Hare Krsnas – those who chant

Hare Krsna .

 

It's the way that people most fondly remember us.

 

They always ask – " How come your not always chanting

on the streets? " , " Where are you now chanting on the

streets ? " .

 

People like to see us there.

 

So, we should not disappoint Caitanya Mahaprabhu , we

should not disappoint the general public , but

whenever possible we should go out . As I mentioned

the other day , anyone can pick up a pair of karatalas

and go out on the street. Its an ideal activity for

any grhastas who are looking for some additional

enthusiasm in Krsna consciousness . Any sankirtan

devotee can also do it. The book distributor takes a

pair of karatalas and at the end of his sankirtan day

he chants for 10 minutes on the street . Its very

enlivening and beneficial for others, and of course

devotees can meet together, gather together . Either a

family, a groups of vaisnavas or an entire temple and

go out as often as possible, as regularly as possible

, and with the Harinama – distribute prasadam ,

distribute books , and in that way, give others the

opportunity to hear the Holy Name but to taste

prasadam and find out what Krsna consciousness is

about.

 

There is a lot to say about this .