The Magic of Sixty-four Rounds

[Guest guest]

"I am very glad to learn you are chanting 48 rounds. Actually it is all right that one should chant 64 rounds, even 16 rounds, so if one is able to chant more than 16 rounds up to 64, it is very good.

 

You fix up your rounds. Try to increase it but never decrease it."

 

Letter to: Indira (Iris Mendoza), Ekayani (Esther Mendoza), San Francisco 17 December, 1967

 

"I shall advise you again to chant always, increasing the counting, namely, 16 rounds is generally prescribed, but for the time being you can stop all other activities and increase the chanting to 64 rounds. Follow the rules and regulations strictly. If you want sex life, you are at liberty to get yourself married. But don't have illicit sex with some Maya's representative."

 

Letter to: Bhaktijana, Los Angeles, 12 February, 1968

 

"Also, Bhaktijana is there in N.Y., he may be nicely treated as he has come back, so he will understand the philosophy nicely. I have asked him to chant 64 rounds instead of 16."

 

Letter to: Brahmananda, Los Angeles, 15 February, 1968

 

"Yes, it is very good if you can chant 64 rounds; this is very nice if you can do it."

 

Letter to: Hamsaduta, Hawaii, 23 March, 1969

[Guruvani]

 

What I read is 100000 names as a requirement.

 

Let's see 1000000/108 (one round)/ 16 (names in the mantra) = 57.87037..

Where does the 64 come from?

 

Was Prabhupada misleading us with the 16 rounds which would be by my calculation 27648 names?

 

As an authorized agent of Krishna, Srila Prabhupada had the authority to establish whatever standard he deemed appropriate and make his own contract for deliverance.

 

Srila Prabhupada is the sat-guru.

He will personally deliver those devotees who accept him and his contract for deliverance.

 

If the authorized ambassador of Krishna agrees to a certain contract to deliver souls who chant 16 rounds and follow his principles, then that contract is as good as the contract of another agent who sets the standard at 64 rounds.

 

The different authorized agents of the highest domain all have the authority to make their own contract with the fallen souls according to what is acceptable to them as pure devotion to Krishna.

 

The sat-guru delivers the disciple back to Goloka.

The sat-guru is the Vishnuduta from Goloka.

 

Deliverance is the mercy of the sat-guru.

It is not a mechanical process.

 

The pure devotee, the sat-guru is more important than Krishna in the deliverance of the fallen souls.

It is the mercy of the sat-guru that delivers the fallen souls.

 

Even an authorized agent can set the standard at four rounds or one round or even one name.

It is up to the agent.

Gauranga has given them full power of attorney.

 

The crucial point is that the agent of divinity is truly authorized and has a personal relationship with Krishna.

 

Self-appointed agents have no real authority to make any contract with fallen souls.

They must be personally authorized by Mahaprabhu or Lord Nityananda.

[Janardan]

Well spoken Guruvani..

[Janardan]

 

As an authorized agent of Krishna, Srila Prabhupada had the authority to establish whatever standard he deemed appropriate and make his own contract for deliverance.

 

Srila Prabhupada is the sat-guru.

He will personally deliver those devotees who accept him and his contract for deliverance.

 

If the authorized ambassador of Krishna agrees to a certain contract to deliver souls who chant 16 rounds and follow his principles, then that contract is as good as the contract of another agent who sets the standard at 64 rounds.

 

The different authorized agents of the highest domain all have the authority to make their own contract with the fallen souls according to what is acceptable to them as pure devotion to Krishna.

 

The sat-guru delivers the disciple back to Goloka.

The sat-guru is the Vishnuduta from Goloka.

 

Deliverance is the mercy of the sat-guru.

It is not a mechanical process.

 

The pure devotee, the sat-guru is more important than Krishna in the deliverance of the fallen souls.

It is the mercy of the sat-guru that delivers the fallen souls.

 

Even an authorized agent can set the standard at four rounds or one round or even one name.

It is up to the agent.

Gauranga has given them full power of attorney.

 

The crucial point is that the agent of divinity is truly authorized and has a personal relationship with Krishna.

 

Self-appointed agents have no real authority to make any contract with fallen souls.

They must be personally authorized by Mahaprabhu or Lord Nityananda.

 

This was well spoken....

[Guest guest]

Tridandisvami Sri Srimad Bhaktivedanta Narayana Maharaja

YOU SHOULD TELL YOUR MIND...

1997 Badger, California (Part 3) Excerpt

When you chant you have no taste, and therefore sleepiness comes. But even if there is no taste you should force your mind by telling it, "I will not listen to you. I will have to give you a lesson. I will tie my sikha here, and then, oh, you will have to chant." This situation is likened to a boy who does not want to eat, and his mother forces him by hook or by crook. She somehow induces him to eat. Similarly, you should induce your mind by telling it, "You will have to chant harinama. I will not give you anything to eat if you have not chanted 16 rounds in the morning, sitting in one place."

 

We try to do more than 22 rounds in the morning in one sitting. You should tell your mind, "I will not give you anything to eat, and not even a drop of water to drink, if you do not chant. I know you are a very bad person, so I will whip you." By this you will see that after some days ruci (taste) will come and all diseases will go away. Then, at one sitting you will be able to chant one lakh (64 rounds) of harinama. There will be no need togo here or there, doing this or that. No sleepiness or idleness will come.

 

In between your harinama you can chant:

 

he krsna! karuna-sindho! dina-bandho! jagat-pate!

gopesa! gopika-kanta! radha-kanta! namo'stu te

 

["I offer my unlimited pranama unto You, O Krsna!You are the ocean of mercy, friend of the fallen, lord of creation, and master of the cowherd community! You are Gopi-kanta, beloved of the gopis, and above all you are Radha-kanta, the beloved of Srimati Radhika!"]

 

tapta-kancana-gaurangi! radhe! vrndavanesvari!

vrsabhanu-sute! devi! pranami hari-priye!

 

["O Gaurangi, whose complexion is like molten gold! O Radhe! Queen of Vrndavana! O daughter of Vrsabhanu Maharaja! O Devi! O dearmost of Hari! Pranama unto You again and again!"]

 

Chant in such a mood that tears will come:" O Radhe! O Krsna! O Harinama, you are Krsna Himself! O Radhika, You Yourself are Hare." Sit straight and sometimes weep. Then there will be no room for sleep. Also, while doing harinama, time to time chant:

 

bhajami radham aravinda-netram

smarami radham madhura-smitasyam

vadami radham karuna-bharadram

tato mamanyasti gatir na kapi

 

["I worship Radha who has lotus eyes, I remember Radha who has a sweet smile, and I speak of Radha who is melted with compassion. There is nothing else for me. She is my life and soul." (Sri Stavavali, Visakhanandadabhih stotram 131)]

 

Where is sleep? Where is kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and matsarya (lust, anger, greed, pride, illusionand envy)? They will all fly away. Sometimes you can utter, "There is no sinnerlike me. There is no one as wretched as me. You are giving everything, but I am so wretched that I am unaware of Your mercy." And sometimes you can chant:

 

namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis

tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah

etradrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi

durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah

 

["O Bhagavan! Yourholy name bestows all auspiciousness upon the living entities. Therefore, for the benefit of the jivas, You eternally manifest Your innumerable names, such as Rama, Narayana, Krsna, Mukunda, Madhava, Govinda, and Damodara. You have invested those names with all the potencies of their respective forms. Out of causeless mercy, You have not even imposed any restrictions on the chantingand remembrance of such names. Nonetheless, I am so unfortunate due to committing offenses that I have no attachment for Your holy name, which is so easily accessible and bestows all good fortune." (Sri Siksastakam, 2)]

 

Remember the meaning of this sloka and, weeping, pray, "You are endlessly merciful, and I am a wretched person. None are like me. You are the greatest in giving mercy, but I am such a person that does not take your mercy. O Prabhu, I need only Your mercy ? nothing else.

 

nayanam galad-asru-dharaya

vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira

pulakair nicitam vapuh kada

tava nama-grahane bhavisyati

 

["O Prabhu! When will my eyes be filled with streams of tears? When will my voice choke up? And whenwill the hairs of my body stand erect in ecstasy as I chant Your holy name?" (Sri Siksastakam, 6)]

 

When weeping in this way, where is lust, anger, greed and so on? They will fly away and there will be no idleness, sleepiness, or any other material impediment. You will be able to chant Hare Krsna for hours. Test this yourself. After some time you will be able to see that Parama-pujyapada Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja came to give this mood, and it will be automatically coming. This is Krsna consciousness. Krsna consciousness doesnot mean to control anyone? Only your mind is to be controlled. Do not try to control anyone; only try to control your bad mind. Do not criticize anyone. Give honor to others, thinking, "They all are more advanced than me. I am the most wretched." Criticize your mind and the bad activities you have performed. With this mood, chant Hare Krsna.

 

You can also think, "Why are my tears not coming? Why is my heart not melting? My heart is harder than stone and iron and steel. O nama, you are my only help, and yet I think, 'I am such a bona fide Vaisnava or Guru; I am now acarya. I can control everyone.' Oh, what to do?"

 

Then:

 

yugayitam mimesenacaksusa pravrsayitam

sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me

 

["O sakhi! In seperation from Govinda, even a moment seems like a millenium. Tears begin to shower from my eyes like rain from the clouds, and this entire world seems void." (Sri Siksastakam, 7 )]

 

You can think, "That mood is not here, but I want to follow. I want to have that mood ? a greed to follow the pure devotees in the line of Srila Rupa Gosvami." And then chant, thinking:

 

aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam

adarsanan marma-hatam karotu va

yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato

mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah

 

["Let Krsna tightly embrace this maidservant who is attached to the service of His lotus feet, and thus make me His very own. Or let Him break my heart by not being present before me. He is a debauchee and can do whatever He likes. Even if He cavorts with another lover directly in front of me, He is still my Prananatha. I have none other than Him." (Sri Siksastakam, 8)

 

Who is uttering this? Srimati Radhika. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is uttering the entire Siksastakam, and only very rare persons, bona fide Vaisnavas can give all these impressions in your heart. Such a person is actually siksa-guru.

 

When you chant you have no taste, and therefore sleepiness comes. But even if there is no taste you should force your mind by telling it, "I will not listen to you. I will have to give you a lesson. I will tie my sikha here, and then, oh, you will have to chant." This situation is likened to a boy who does not want to eat, and his mother forces him by hook or by crook. She somehow induces him to eat. Similarly, you should induce your mind by telling it, "You will have to chant harinama. I will not give you anything to eat if you have not chanted 16 rounds in the morning, sitting in one place."

 

We try to do more than 22 rounds in the morning in one sitting. You should tell your mind, "I will not give you anything to eat, and not even a drop of water to drink, if you do not chant. I know you are a very bad person, so I will whip you." By this you will see that after some days ruci (taste) will come and all diseases will go away. Then, at one sitting you will be able to chant one lakh (64 rounds) of harinama. There will be no need togo here or there, doing this or that. No sleepiness or idleness will come.

 

In between your harinama you can chant:

 

he krsna! karuna-sindho! dina-bandho! jagat-pate!

gopesa! gopika-kanta! radha-kanta! namo'stu te

 

["I offer my unlimited pranama unto You, O Krsna! You are the ocean of mercy, friend of the fallen, lord of creation, and master of the cowherd community! You are Gopi-kanta, beloved of the gopis, and above all you are Radha-kanta, the beloved of Srimati Radhika!"]

 

tapta-kancana-gaurangi! radhe! vrndavanesvari!

vrsabhanu-sute! devi! pranami hari-priye!

 

["O Gaurangi, whose complexion is like molten gold! O Radhe! Queen of Vrndavana! O daughter of Vrsabhanu Maharaja! O Devi! O dearmost of Hari! Pranama unto You again and again!"]

 

Chant in such a mood that tears will come:" O Radhe! O Krsna! O Harinama, you are Krsna Himself! O Radhika, You Yourself are Hare." Sit straight and sometimes weep. Then there will be no room for sleep. Also, while doing harinama, time to time chant:

 

bhajami radham aravinda-netram

smarami radham madhura-smitasyam

vadami radham karuna-bharadram

tato mamanyasti gatir na kapi

 

["I worship Radha who has lotus eyes, I remember Radha who has a sweet smile, and I speak of Radha who is melted with compassion. There is nothing else for me. She is my life and soul." (Sri Stavavali, Visakhanandadabhih stotram 131)]

 

Where is sleep? Where is kama, krodha, lobha, moha, mada and matsarya (lust, anger, greed, pride, illusionand envy)? They will all fly away. Sometimes you can utter, "There is no sinnerlike me. There is no one as wretched as me. You are giving everything, but I am so wretched that I am unaware ofYour mercy." And sometimes you can chant:

 

namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-saktis

tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalah

etradrsi tava krpa bhagavan mamapi

durdaivam idrsam ihajani nanuragah

 

["O Bhagavan! Yourholy name bestows all auspiciousness upon the living entities. Therefore, for the benefit of the jivas, You eternally manifest Your innumerable names, such as Rama, Narayana, Krsna, Mukunda, Madhava, Govinda, and Damodara. You have invested those names with all the potencies of their respective forms. Out of causeless mercy, You have not even imposed any restrictions on the chantingand remembrance of such names. Nonetheless, I am so unfortunate due to committing offenses that I have no attachment for Your holy name, which is so easily accessible and bestows all good fortune." (Sri Siksastakam, 2)]

 

Remember the meaning of this sloka and, weeping, pray, "You are endlessly merciful, and I am a wretched person. None are like me. You are the greatest in giving mercy, but I am such a person that does not take your mercy. O Prabhu, I need only Your mercy ? nothing else.

 

nayanam galad-asru-dharaya

vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira

pulakair nicitam vapuh kada

tava nama-grahane bhavisyati

 

["O Prabhu! When will my eyes be filled with streams of tears? When will my voice choke up? And whenwill the hairs of my body stand erect in ecstasy as I chant Your holy name?" (Sri Siksastakam, 6)]

 

When weeping in this way, where is lust, anger, greed and so on? They will fly away and there will be no idleness, sleepiness, or any other material impediment. You will be able to chant Hare Krsna for hours. Test this yourself. After some time you will be able to see that Parama-pujyapada Srila Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaja came to give this mood, and it will be automatically coming. This is Krsna consciousness. Krsna consciousness doesnot mean to control anyone ? only your mind is to be controlled. Do not try to control anyone; only try to control your bad mind. Do not criticize anyone. Give honor to others, thinking, "They all are more advanced than me. I am the most wretched." Criticize your mind and the bad activities you have performed. With this mood, chant Hare Krsna.

 

You can also think, "Why are my tears not coming? Why is my heart not melting? My heart is harder than stone and iron and steel. O nama, you are my only help, and yet I think, 'I am such a bona fide Vaisnava or Guru; I am now acarya. I can control everyone.' Oh, what to do?"

 

Then:

 

yugayitam mimesenacaksusa pravrsayitam

sunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me

 

["O sakhi! In seperation from Govinda, even a moment seems like a millenium. Tears begin to shower from my eyes like rain from the clouds, and this entire world seems void." (Sri Siksastakam, 7 )]

 

You can think, "That mood is not here, but I want to follow. I want to have that mood ? a greed to follow the pure devotees in the line of Srila Rupa Gosvami." And then chant, thinking:

 

aslisya va pada-ratam pinastu mam

adarsanan marma-hatam karotu va

yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato

mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparah

 

["Let Krsna tightly embrace this maidservant who is attached to the service of His lotus feet, and thusmake me His very own. Or let Him break my heart by not being present before me. He is a debauchee and can do whatever He likes. Even if He cavorts with another lover directly in front of me, He is still my Prananatha. I have none other than Him." (Sri Siksastakam, 8)

 

Who is uttering this? Srimati Radhika. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is uttering the entire Siksastakam, and only very rare persons ? bona fide Vaisnavas ? can give all these impressions in your heart. Such a person is actually siksa-guru.

[raga]

 

What I read is 100000 names as a requirement.

 

Let's see 1000000/108 (one round)/ 16 (names in the mantra) = 57.87037..

Where does the 64 come from?

64 is one of the traditional "round figures", like 108. One reaches 64 by making multiples of 2: 2-4-8-16-32-64. There's a bit more (six malas) atop the 58 to make up for goofs made on the way. Traditionally the saksi-mala (counter-beads) comes as a set of 4 and 16 beads on two sides. This adds up to 64 rounds.

 

If you feel the addition of six rounds is unfair or unscriptural, you are also welcome to do 57.87037 rounds, or 57 rounds and 14 mantras for ease of calculation. Stop the 58th round after the 14th bead to ensure you don't over-chant.

 

 

 

Was Prabhupada misleading us with the 16 rounds which would be by my calculation 27648 names?

I have no interest in commenting what he did or didn't do, though I've heard he initially did wish that all his disciples would chant 64 rounds. He wasn't misleading in giving a lower quota to those who couldn't do the full amount; something is more than nothing, with every name there is benefit. He did, however, also refer (in his Upadesamrita-vyakhya) to his guru's advice on the quantity of names to be chanted, noting that a quota short of 64 rounds counts as "fallen".

[Guest guest]

any picture of sudham pls?

[cbrahma]

How totally uninspiring

 

 

64 is one of the traditional "round figures", like 108. One reaches 64 by making multiples of 2: 2-4-8-16-32-64. There's a bit more (six malas) atop the 58 to make up for goofs made on the way. Traditionally the saksi-mala (counter-beads) comes as a set of 4 and 16 beads on two sides. This adds up to 64 rounds.

 

If you feel the addition of six rounds is unfair or unscriptural, you are also welcome to do 57.87037 rounds, or 57 rounds and 14 mantras for ease of calculation. Stop the 58th round after the 14th bead to ensure you don't over-chant.

 

 

 

I have no interest in commenting what he did or didn't do, though I've heard he initially did wish that all his disciples would chant 64 rounds. He wasn't misleading in giving a lower quota to those who couldn't do the full amount; something is more than nothing, with every name there is benefit. He did, however, also refer (in his Upadesamrita-vyakhya) to his guru's advice on the quantity of names to be chanted, noting that a quota short of 64 rounds counts as "fallen".

[raga]

 

How totally uninspiring

We each need to periodically assess why something inspires or uninspires us. It's a part of growth on the path, introspection is healthy.

[Puru Das, das anudas]

Dear Devarsirat Prabhu,

Greetings and dandavats. The heart medication I take daily also causes "dry mouth" and I simply drink a lot of water. I found that gatorade helps a lot as well. Try it. Srila Prabhupada was pretty clear on 16 well chanted audible rounds as a minimum for us. Read this verse and purport. Stay well and be in touch.

ys

pda

 

 

TEXT 23

TEXT

prabhu kahe,----'kon vyadhi, kaha ta' nirnaya?'

tenho kahe,----'sankhya-kirtana na puraya'

SYNONYMS

prabhu kahe--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; kon vyadhi--what disease; kaha ta' nirnaya--can you ascertain; tenho kahe--he said; sankhya-kirtana--fixed amount of chanting; na puraya--has not become complete.

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu further inquired from Haridasa, "Can you ascertain what your disease is?" Haridasa Thakura replied, "My disease is that I cannot complete my rounds."

PURPORT

If one cannot complete the fixed number of rounds he is assigned, he should be considered to be in a diseased condition of spiritual life. Srila Haridasa Thakura is called namacarya. Of course, we cannot imitate Haridasa Thakura, but everyone must chant a prescribed number of rounds. In our Krsna consciousness movement we have fixed sixteen rounds as the minimum so that the Westerners will not feel burdened. These sixteen rounds must be chanted, and chanted loudly, so that one can hear himself and others.

 

cc. Antya lila Ch. 11 txt 23

[Puru Das, das anudas]

". . . The first type of unsteady bhakti is utsaha-mayi. Utsaha means enthusiasm. When the student starts his studies, the teacher will encourage him by saying, "Oh, you are so good, so good. You are doing very nicely." After a few days the student thinks, "Oh, now I'm such a big scholar. I know everything." He is now so enthusiastic. Previously he was afraid to go to school, and now he takes his books and runs to school with great enthusiasm. In the same way, when the aspiring sadhaka first comes to the path of bhakti, he approaches Gurudeva and accepts harinama. Gurudeva says, "Oh, you cannot chant 64 rounds? No problem. Just do as many as you want. If somehow you can do 16 rounds, your material attachments will be destroyed and very quickly you will attain love for the lotus feet of Krsna." The disciple then becomes very enthusiastic and happy with his chanting and other duties, and he thinks, "Yes, I have started to do bhajana."

 

We are just like this. Even in our present stage we think, "I'm really doing bhajana now – fully." Somebody may be chanting one lakh of harinama (100,000 names or 64 rounds), but when the Guru instructs or chastises him, pointing his finger and telling him what he is doing wrong, his eyes open up in surprise. Gurudeva tells him, "Oh, you have so many desires and so much anger in your heart. You should follow the first verse of Upadesamrta­ – vaco vegam manasa krodha vegam. You should control your mind and your senses, your tongue, belly and genitals. And you should follow the second sloka – atyaharah prayasas ca. Don't over-eat, don't over-collect and don't over-endeavor for material things."

Then the disciple thinks, "Oh my God, I'm not doing any bhajana at all. I haven't even started," He understands his position for some time, but later he thinks, "I am a great scholar, so I don't need to go to Guru. I will just do bhajana on my own. There is no need to go to Guru." And he takes off. In this way, the new devotee is enthusiastic in the beginning, and later he becomes discouraged and his enthusiasm weakens. In the stage of bhajana-kriya, this is the type of unsteady bhakti called utsaha-mayi. . ."

 

excerpted from:

http://bvml.org/SBNM/lectures/20051021_tay.html

 

[A class from the Kartika lecture-course on Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura 's Madhurya Kadambini on October 21, 2005 in Vrndavana, India. The following class was given during the 2005 Vraja-mandala parikrama. On that day the devotees had visited the holy pastime place called Maan-sarovara, and Srila Narayana Maharaja gave hari-katha there. Then in the evening, at about 5:00 pm, he gave his regular class at Gopinatha Bhavan on the shore of Yamuna . In that class, attended by about 1,000 devotees from all over the world, he discussed more about Maan sarovara, and he also continued his lecture course on Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura's book, "Madhurya Kadambini." :]

[cbrahma]

Putting a pure devotee's instructions to all Westeners into question.

Jumping over Jagat-guru's head to instructions that were meant for a specific time and place.

The presumption cannot possibly inspire. It is pretentious and dangerous.

 

 

 

We each need to periodically assess why something inspires or uninspires us. It's a part of growth on the path, introspection is healthy.

[raga]

 

Putting a pure devotee's instructions to all Westeners into question.

Jumping over Jagat-guru's head to instructions that were meant for a specific time and place.

The presumption cannot possibly inspire. It is pretentious and dangerous.

His instruction was not for all Westerners and for all time. He is also not a jagat-guru that everyone must follow or else. He is the guru for you and for his followers. If I am not connected to him via a disciplic line, I am not jumping anywhere by observing the teachings of the acaryas as they have come down to me through parampara. We all respect Prabhupada no doubt, but his followers should have a broader sense of the tradition and respect that, too.

 

If you feel that the teachings of the acaryas contradict or compromize Prabhupada's teachings, it may be advisable to re-assess the way you approach Prabhupada and adjust your views to something more workable -- like many of his followers who have embraced the 64 rounds way seem to have done.

[cbrahma]

Prabhupada is jagat-guru.

 

 

His instruction was not for all Westerners and for all time. He is also not a jagat-guru that everyone must follow or else. He is the guru for you and for his followers. If I am not connected to him via a disciplic line, I am not jumping anywhere by observing the teachings of the acaryas as they have come down to me through parampara. We all respect Prabhupada no doubt, but his followers should have a broader sense of the tradition and respect that, too.

 

If you feel that the teachings of the acaryas contradict or compromize Prabhupada's teachings, it may be advisable to re-assess the way you approach Prabhupada and adjust your views to something more workable -- like many of his followers who have embraced the 64 rounds way seem to have done.

[raga]

 

Prabhupada is jagat-guru.

To each their own jagat.

[cbrahma]

It's not a cafeteria.

 

 

To each their own jagat.

[Guruvani]

Krishna decides who is Jagat Guru.

It is not up to all the little people to pick and choose who they want to appoint as Jagat Guru.

 

You don't get a guru by shopping around.

Krishna sends the guru to you when you are in need of a guru.

 

If you don't like the guru that Krishna sends you and you prefer to shop around for just the right guru for my personal preferences, well then good luck with all that.

[AncientMariner]

If you see a contradiction between two different Gurus and you decide to follow the words of the one you are more closely linked to are you committing Vaisnava aparadha against the other one?

[Tirisilex]

I can barely pull 3 rotations in 1 Hour.. I dont understand why the number of times is sooo important.. As long as your chaning.. I maybe only able to fit about 3 rotations but I still can chant for 2 hours.. Thats 2 Hours focusing on the Mantra.. As long as I'm focused during that time what difference does it make if I chant 6 rounds verses 16? Its still time spent getting closer to the Lord.

[gHari]

All chanting is good. A little "Nitai-Gaura" can change the day. Certainly 64 rounds reveals a different world than the 16 round world. One time is enough to realize this truth. Or perhaps it is just the desire to chant on and on that produces the wonderful effects. Certainly before we favour one opinion we must do 64 rounds - then there will be no debate about the magic of 64 rounds. But all chanting is good. A little "Nityananda-Gauranga" opens the eyes and lifts up the head. We are so fortunate, my friends.

[Guruvani]

 

If you see a contradiction between two different Gurus and you decide to follow the words of the one you are more closely linked to are you committing Vaisnava aparadha against the other one?

 

Your real obligation is to the spiritual master who's efforts are behind your own connection to Krishna consciousness.

 

If you don't give proper recognition to the acharya who's preaching mission is responsible for your own deliverance, then you are a sad sack.

 

Main thing is to give proper regard to the acharya who's work brought you in connection with Krishna consciousness.

 

All this other shopping around for gurus is just self-delusion.

[AncientMariner]

 

Your real obligation is to the spiritual master who's efforts are behind your own connection to Krishna consciousness.

 

If you don't give proper recognition to the acharya who's preaching mission is responsible for your own deliverance, then you are a sad sack.

 

Main thing is to give proper regard to the acharya who's work brought you in connection with Krishna consciousness.

 

All this other shopping around for gurus is just self-delusion.

 

 

That guru is Prabhupada then because if I hadn't been rumaging around in my brothers old books and come across one of Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gitas then I wouldn't know anything about Krishna Consciousness. Of course later in life I did run into some devotees in the Seattle airport that gave me a bunch more Prahbupada books.

[Guruvani]

 

That guru is Prabhupada then because if I hadn't been rumaging around in my brothers old books and come across one of Prabhupada's Bhagavad Gitas then I wouldn't know anything about Krishna Consciousness. Of course later in life I did run into some devotees in the Seattle airport that gave me a bunch more Prahbupada books.

 

SB 2.9.43 purport,

 

<!-- BEGIN TEMPLATE: bbcode_quote --> Quote:

<table border="0" cellpadding="6" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="border: 1px solid rgb(102, 102, 102); padding-left: 3ex; padding-right: 3ex;" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"> Brahmaji, as a disciple of the Supreme Lord, received the real knowledge and imparted it to his dear disciple Narada, and similarly Narada, as spiritual master, handed over this knowledge to Vyasa and so on. Therefore the so-called formal spiritual master and disciple are not facsimiles of Brahma and Narada or Narada and Vyasa. The relationship between Brahma and Narada is reality, while the so-called formality is the relation between the cheater and cheated.</td></tr></tbody></table>

[Shakti-Fan]

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[Guest guest]

Dandavads Puru Prabhu

 

I have a completely dry mouth permanently, i lost my saliva glands because of radio therapy and chemotherapy when i had troath cancer, so there is no wetness at all, my teeth are rotting also since then.

 

i spoke to Srila Narayana Maharaja about it in hollland and He told me to chant silently at the time.

 

unfortunately when He spoke to me I was very drowsy and absent minded because i just finished the treatment and was very ill.

 

Harernamanada Prabhu from germany send me a video recording of the conversation and i was able to listen to Gurudevas advice again.

 

He also said that soon I would be better and the cancer would be gone and that is excactly what happened.

 

So now I chant everyday in my mind, aided by Srila Prabhupadas jappa recording.

 

I often wondered what you are doing and I am glad for your reply here.

 

I hope you are doing well, maybe we can see each other again at the german festival.

 

Ys

 

Devarsirat das

p.w.w@ntlworld.com

 

Dear Devarsirat Prabhu,

Greetings and dandavats. The heart medication I take daily also causes "dry mouth" and I simply drink a lot of water. I found that gatorade helps a lot as well. Try it. Srila Prabhupada was pretty clear on 16 well chanted audible rounds as a minimum for us. Read this verse and purport. Stay well and be in touch.

ys

pda

 

 

TEXT 23

TEXT

prabhu kahe,----'kon vyadhi, kaha ta' nirnaya?'

tenho kahe,----'sankhya-kirtana na puraya'

SYNONYMS

prabhu kahe--Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu said; kon vyadhi--what disease; kaha ta' nirnaya--can you ascertain; tenho kahe--he said; sankhya-kirtana--fixed amount of chanting; na puraya--has not become complete.

TRANSLATION

Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu further inquired from Haridasa, "Can you ascertain what your disease is?" Haridasa Thakura replied, "My disease is that I cannot complete my rounds."

PURPORT

If one cannot complete the fixed number of rounds he is assigned, he should be considered to be in a diseased condition of spiritual life. Srila Haridasa Thakura is called namacarya. Of course, we cannot imitate Haridasa Thakura, but everyone must chant a prescribed number of rounds. In our Krsna consciousness movement we have fixed sixteen rounds as the minimum so that the Westerners will not feel burdened. These sixteen rounds must be chanted, and chanted loudly, so that one can hear himself and others.

 

cc. Antya lila Ch. 11 txt 23