Rounds

[Murray]

I must agree with livingentity that this is a wonderful thread. I have learnt much. I never knew why the thread was there after the eighth bead. I thought it was just the way it was made. Small to big, big to small, just chant!!!

[vsdprasad]

thanks gauracandraji,

How do we use counter beads while using them in the bag?

thanks,

-Prasad.

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

Not sure if I got your question right, but I tie the counter bead string to the base of the hanging loop on the bead bag. So its just above where your hand goes in to the bead bag.

[Guest guest]

yes, it is tied in the same way but I didn't know how to use them. I want to know how do we use the counter beads to count the number of rounds? Do we pull down the counter beads using left hand?

 

-Prasad.

[Priitaa]

Jndas,

 

This is a wonderful article you posted! Is there a link to it somewhere?

 

YS,

Prtha

 

>>>Here is something nice on Japa:

 

Srila Prabhupada On Chanting Japa

 

By Srutakirti Dasa

 

It is easy to understand that Srila Prabhupada enjoyed chanting japa. He always stressed to us the importance of chanting our 16 rounds. He told me that as a householder he used a simple process for completing 16 rounds that we could apply. He said, "When I was a householder I would chant 4 rounds before each meal and 4 rounds before retiring in the evening. In this way 16 rounds could be chanted without difficulty." He laughed and said, "If you don't take prasadam before chanting your 4 rounds then you will be sure to get them chanted." <<<

 

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

Yes, you use your left hand to pull the bead down so that you do not need to interrupt your chanting.

 

[Guest guest]

Haribol, great topic. I was taught to never cross over the main bead, to go back the other way. Also, as far as number of rounds, Srila Prabhupada had a key way for those not up to the 16 a day level. He would say, Chant one round a day, but never less, then two, but never less. To follow these teachings are non-different from the 16 round standard required for formal initiation.

 

Haribol, ys, mahaksadasa

[debbie]

When researching chanting, I had found this on the web.

 

How to Chant

 

Chant and Be Happy:

The Power of Mantra Meditation

based on the teachings of

His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Prabhupada

Founder-Acarya of the International Society for Krishna

Consciousness

 

How to Chant

There are no hard-and-fast rules for chanting Hare Krishna. The most

wonderful thing about mantra meditation is that one may chant

anywhere -- at home, at work, driving in the car, or riding on the

bus or subway. And one may chant at any time.

There are two basic types of chanting. Personal meditation, where

one chants alone on beads, is called japa. When one chants in

responsive fashion with others, this is called kirtana. Kirtana is

usually accompanied by musical instruments and clapping. Both forms

of chanting are recommended and beneficial.

To perform the first type of meditation, one needs only a set of

japa beads. These may be purchased from any Hare Krishna temple or

by filling out the coupon in the back of this book. Or, if you like,

you can make your own beads at home.

If you decide to make your japa beads, follow these simple

instructions:

Buy 109 large round beads (at least as big as a dime), and some

strong, thick nylon thread.

Tie a knot about six inches from the end of a long piece of the

thread and then string the beads, tying a knot after each one.

After stringing 108 beads, pull the two ends of thread through one

large master bead.

This bead is called the Krishna bead. Tie a knot next to it and

cut off the excess thread. You now have your own set of japa

beads.

To meditate with the beads, hold them in your right hand. Hold the

first bead with your thumb and middle finger and chant the complete

maha-mantra -- Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare

Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Then go to the

next bead, holding it with the same two fingers, again chanting the

entire mantra. Then go on to the next bead and then the next,

continuing in this way until you have chanted on all 108 beads and

have come to the Krishna bead. You have now completed "one round" of

chanting. Do not chant on the Krishna bead, but turn the beads

around and chant on them in the opposite direction, one after

another. Chanting on beads is especially helpful, for it engages the

sense of touch in the meditative process and helps you concentrate

even more on the sound of the mantra.

You may want to chant japa indoors, but you can chant just as

comfortably walking along the beach or hiking in the mountains. Just

bring your beads along with you. If you chant sitting down, you

should assume a comfortable position (preferably not Iying down or

slouching, for there's always the tendency to fall asleep). You can

chant as loudly or as softly as you like, but it's important to

pronounce the mantra clearly and loudly enough to hear yourself. The

mind may have a tendency to wander off to other matters when you

chant, for the mind is flickering and unsteady, always looking for

something new and pleasurable to absorb itself in. If your mind

wanders (to anything except Krishna and things related to Him),

gently bring it back to the transcendental sound vibration. It won't

be difficult, because the mind is easily satisfied when absorbed in

the divine sound of the Lord's holy names (unlike other meditational

practices, where one may be asked to fix his mind on "nothing" or

"the void").

One may chant japa at any time, but the Vedic literatures note that

certain hours of the day are most auspicious for performing

spiritual activities. The early morning hours just before and after

sunrise are generally a time of stillness and quietude, excellently

suited to contemplative chanting. Many people find it especially

helpful to set aside a certain amount of time at the same time each

day for chanting. Start with one or two "rounds" a day, and

gradually increase the number until you reach sixteen, the

recommended minimum for serious chanters.

While japa is a form of meditation involving you, your beads, and

the Supreme Lord, kirtana, on the other hand, is a form of group

meditation, where one sings the mantra, sometimes accompanied by

musical instruments. You may have seen a kirtana party chanting on

the streets of your city, for the devotees frequently perform this

type of chanting to demonstrate the process and allow as many people

as possible to benefit from hearing the holy names.

One may hold a kirtana at home with family or friends, with one

person leading the chanting and the others responding. Kirtana is

more of a supercharged meditational process, where in addition to

hearing oneself chant, one also benefits by hearing the chanting of

others. Musical instruments are nice, but not necessary. One may

sing the mantra to any melody and clap his hands. If you have

children, they can sing along as well and make spiritual

advancement. You can get the whole family together every evening for

chanting.

The sounds of the material world are boring, hackneyed and

monotonous, but chanting is an ever-increasingly refreshing

experience. Make a test yourself. Try chanting some word or phrase

for even five minutes. If you chant "Coca-Cola" over and over again,

even for a few minutes, it becomes practically unbearable. There's

no pleasure in it. But the sound of Krishna's names is

transcendental, and as one chants he wants to chant more and more.

[Gauracandra]

I think I heard this story on the "Memories" videos. I'm not much of a story teller, but basically Jayananda, a few months after taking initiation, was explaining how he was having difficulty chanting his 16 rounds and still getting work done. Turns out he was chanting once around the loop, and back again, and counting that as 1 round. So he was actually chanting 32 rounds. /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Guest guest]

What is the average time it takes to chant 16 rounds?

[Mxyzptlk]

When I was living in the Temples, 2 hours was about average for chanting 16 rounds. That comes to about 7 1/2 minutes per round. However, I did read somewhere that Srila Prabhupada had said that 6 minute or even 5 minute rounds are not uncommon once one has developed their focus and concentration and has acquired some taste for chanting. In that case, one might be able to chant 16 rounds in 1 1/2 hours. It's interesting, when I chant, I seem to chant faster rounds when I'm more enthusiastic and attentive, and slower rounds when I'm not so attentive. There's nothing at all wrong with chanting slow rounds, even if it takes us 10 minutes per round, provided it helps us to better concentrate on the sound vibration, as well as adopting the mood of a helpless child crying for the loving arms of its well-wishing mother.

[Govindaram]

Hare Krishna

 

Quote from Indas Prabhu:

He said that the way vaishnavas hold their japa (with the middle finger and the thumb) is a way to achieve perfection in devotional service.

 

And:

If you hold it with the forefinger and the thumb it is for cursing.

 

Guess which one I've been doing ALL THIS TIME! /images/graemlins/mad.gif

 

Thanks /images/graemlins/laugh.gif, I now know how to hold beads while chanting, takes little getting used to (not really its easy, but people always say that /images/graemlins/smirk.gif) but I <font color="red"> do </font color> feel its easier to chant with beads on the middle finger said above, everyone should try it NOW!

 

 

<font color="blue">O </font color> <font color="green"> Mind </font color> <font color="red"> Just </font color> <font color="orange">Worship </font color> <font color="black"> Krsna </font color>

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Here they are

 

The Hare krishna devotees

 

And all they talk about

 

is how to better chant:

[yasodanandana]

this is the most nice thread of this forum... thanks to have it "rescued"

 

for the "where to start" affair.. my guru maharaja Srila Bhativaibhava Puri Goswami very often shows and teachs how to chant.... he recommend to start from the big one

 

the thing i apperciated most of the srila prabhupada's speech is: There, I have finished my 16 rounds. Now I

can do any damn thing I want." /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

(i should give a leg to enter in a time machine and see this lila with my own eyes)

 

<font color="blue">dear devotees. please all of you give to me your benedition to never stop to chant hare krsna in this life and in the next ones </font color>

[gHari]

Thank you for resurrecting this thread which I somehow missed before. Fortunately my habit is about right, except for starting the day with the head bead. I have had to restring my beads a few times, now using nylon wire, but I didn't know about the gopi thread. I am glad I stumbled in here.

 

Today Krsna gave me a new beadbag and counters. Still blown away by all that excitement, this thread has just put the icing on the cake. And after I fashion a gopi thread, I will be dressed for going back to Godhead.

 

gHari

[Govindaram]

Hare Krishna

 

I was checking who's on line and came across a guest, checking out this thread, the Guests always search out nectar, makes it easier for me! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

 

Also thanks to Vsdprasad for this:

 

 

Now I can chant a round of Hare-Krishna before bed-time, on my hands /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[livingentity]

Hare Krsna!! /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Guest guest]

I pray to Sri Nama Prabhu that He may

bless me with the Divine liquid mellow taste

of the Holy Names

Please give me unalloyed devotion unto You,

so that I may forever go on chanting Your Holy Names

in the association of Your pure devotees.

 

--------------------------

Sarvabhauma Bhattacarya wrote one hundred beautiful verses glorifying Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu entitled :

Susloka-satakam.

 

Text 23 glorifies His gift of the holy name.

 

hare-krishna-rama-nama-gana-dana-karinim

soka-moha-lobha-tapa-sarva-vighna-nacinim

.-padma-lubdha-bhakta-vrinda-bhakti-dayinim

gaura-murtim acu naumi nama-sutra-dharinim

 

"I enthusiastically praise the Lord with a golden form, Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who is holding a knotted string in His hand for counting his japa recitation of the Hare Krishna mantra. He has made a gift of the song of that mantra, thereby destroying all obstacles such as sorrow, delusion, greed, and all kinds of suffering. He bestows bhakti on the many devotees who are greedy for the service of His lotus feet."

/images/graemlins/smile.gif /images/graemlins/smile.gif /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[theist]

scroll down to the next to last post on the first page and there vsdprasada prabhu has kindly left a chart on finger chanting.