Unhealthy Chanting

[krsna]

 

H.H Bhakti-Tirtha Swami

 

All weaknesses basically stem from inattentive chanting and conversely, our weaknesses and sins affect our chanting and our thoughts. It is all interconnected. When our consciousness is not at a high level, we will find it difficult to chant, or may even stop chanting altogether. However, the holy name helps us gain more strength to move through the various challenges and rise above the distractions that cause our minds to loose interest in the name. By chanting, we gain strength and determination and by serving nicely, we develop eagerness to chant. An interesting relationship exists between our japa and our other activities. The chanting is a good barometer to measure the quality of our lives and consciousness. If we have no desire to chant, it means that we are holding onto so many unhealthy attachments. The chanting is a plea to Krsna to free us from all unhealthy attachments and all distractions.

 

[Guest guest]

the most unhealty chanting is no chanting. so plz chant chant chant

[krsna]

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura in his Sri Caitanya Siksamrita describes the demons killed during Sri Krishna's Vrindavana pastimes and the anarthas (unwanted things) that they represent.

 

Putana - the pseudo guru

 

Sakatasura (the cart demon) - carrying the burden of a cart-load of old and new bad habits, lethargy and vanity.

 

Trinavarta (the whirlwind demon) - false pride which comes from material scholarship, which leads to bogus philosophies.

 

Deliverance of Nalakuvara and Manigriva (breaking the twin arjuna trees) - Arrogant pride which comes from puffed-up prestige, which is rooted in a madness for wealth.

 

Vatsasura (the calf demon) - a childish type of mentality which gives rise to a type of greediness which results in a wicked type of mischievousness.

 

Bakasura (stork demon) - Cunning duplicity, deceptiveness and false types of behavior.

 

Aghasura (the snake demon) - Cruelty and violence.

 

Brahma-vimohana Pastime (Lord Brahma steals the cowherd boys and calves) - mundane activities and speculative scholasticism.

 

Dhenukasura (the ass demon) - gross materialistic intelligence, ignorance of spiritual knowledge.

 

Kaliya (chastising the Kaliya serpent) - brutality and treachery.

 

Extinguishing the Forest Fire - Quarreling amongst Vaishnavas.

 

Pralambasura (killing the Pralamba demon) - lusty inclinations; desire for personal gain and honor.

 

Second Forest Fire - disturbance of religious principles and interference with religious people who are atheist.

 

Brahmanas Performing Sacrifice - indifference toward Krishna caused by pride because of one's status (position) in varnasrama.

 

Overcoming the Pride of Indra - demigod worship, and the tendency to think "I am Supreme."

 

Nanda Maharaja Captured by Varuna - thinking that spiritual life can be enhanced by intoxication.

 

Nanda Maharaja Swallowed by Vidyadhara (the snake) - rescuing the truth of Krishna consciousness from being swallowed by the impersonalists.

 

Sankhacuda (killing the conch-shell demon and getting the jewel that was stolen by him) - proneness toward acquiring name and fame, and desire for sensuous enjoyment, under the plea of devotion.

 

Aristasura (the bull demon) - pride arising from indulging in false religions invented by cheaters which causes neglect of devotional service (bhakti).

 

Kesi (the horse demon) - The feeling that "I am a great devotee and spiritual master."

 

Vyomasura (the demon in the sky) - associating with thieves and other rascals, and with people who put themselves forward as avataras.

 

Bhaktivinoda Thakura says: "The devotee who worships the holy name should first petition the Lord for the strength to cast out all these unfavorable tendencies and should pray thus before Lord Hari ( Balaram - Nityananda ) on a daily basis. By doing this regularly, the devotee's heart will eventually become purified. Sri Krishna has killed a number of demons which may arise in the kingdom of the heart, so in order to destroy these problems, a devotee must cry very humbly before the Lord and the Lord will then nullify all contaminations."

[krsna]

Hari Nama - The Glories of the Holy Name

 

Sri Nama-Mahatmya

 

What power does the Name of Krishna possess? My heart constantly burns in the fire of wordly desires, just like a desert schorched by the rays of the sun. The Holy Name, entering the core of my heart through the holes of my ears, showers unparalleled nectar upon my soul.

The Holy Name speaks from within my heart, moves onto the tip of my tongue, and constantly dances on it in the form of transcedental sound. My throat becomes choked up, my body shivers again and again, and my feet cannot remain still.

 

Rivers of tears flow from my eyes, perspiration completely soaks my body, all my skin thrills with rapture, my hair stand on end, and my complexion turns pale and discoloured. My mind grows faint, I begin to experience devastation, and my entire body is shattered in a flood of ecstatic emotions.

 

While causing such an ecstatic disturbance, the Holy Name showers liquid nectar on my heart and drowns me in the ocean of divine love of Godhead. He does not allow me to understand anything, for He has made me truly mad by having stolen away my mind and all my resources.

 

Such is the behaviour of Him in whom I have taken shelter. I am not capable of describing all this. The Holy Name of Krishna is independent and thus acts on His own sweet will. In whatever way He becomes happy, that is also my way of happiness.

 

The Holy name is the bud of the flower of divine love, and is the very abode of astonishing mellows. Such is the power He manifests that when His Holy Name starts to blossom a little further, it reveals His own divine form and qualities. Thus my heart is abducted and taken directly to Krishna.

 

Blossoming fully, the flower of the Holy Name takes me to Vraja and reveals to me His own love-dalliance. This Name gives to me my own eternal spiritual body, keeps me right by Krishna’s side, and completely destroys everything related to this mortal frame of mine.

 

The Name of Krishna is a transcedental touchstone, a mine of all devotional mellows. It is eternally liberated, and the embodiment of pure rasa. When all impediments to the pure chanting of the Holy Name are taken away and destroyed, then my happiness will know its true awakening.

 

From Saranagati by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura

 

[krsna]

So the chanting of Krishna's name is the only meditation, the only sacrifice,

the only worship in this Kali-age -

Name is the means, Name is the end.

 

But is should be noted with

the utmost care that Krishna's name is not mere combination or utterance of letters.

 

A similarity in utterance and appearance is not identity.

 

The fire and the glow-worm though similar

in appearance are not identical.

 

The minutest spark of fire set consciously or unconsciously,

seriously or playfully will instantaneously burn an inflammable thing, whereas a thousand glow-worms will not act in a thousand years.

 

Krishna's name is identical with Krishna Himself and

pregnant with all the properties and attributes of Krishna.

 

So His name, unlike all other names,

is full of energy, perfect, eternal, pure, devoid of illusion and eternally free.

 

Aurora is sufficient

to dispel the darkness of night and to drive the wild animals to their lairs and thieves and

dacoits to their resorts, enables us to distinguish the various objects of senses and ushers the

advent of the glowing lamp of heaven.

 

So does Namabhasa (the utterance of name avoiding

the ten profanations) stop poverty from planting our pillows with thorns, destroy our worldly

hankerings and dispel the illusory gloom,

so that we may see the Name face to face.

 

When the everburning lamp peeps out of the eastern horizon, its ever-effulgent rays make us see it face

to face and feel its golden rays and enable us to see all objects bathing therein.

 

The sun is seen and felt by us with its own rays and heat and not with the help of any other glowing object.

 

The brightest candles of the universe put together can not make the sun visible to us.

 

When our dreamy nights are at an end -

when we shake off the torpor, open our eyes,

turn them to the east,

we see the Name-sun with all his glory and beauty.

 

- Srila Bhaktisiddhanta;

from 'Vaisnavism : Real and Apparent'

[jagatpurush]

Srila Prabhupada Uvaca 15:

 

Devotee: "Srila Prabhupada, it's very difficult to control my mind when I chant. It wanders."

 

Srila Prabhupada: "So what is the controlling of mind? You have to chant and hear. That is all. You have to chant with your tongue, and the sound you hear. What is the question of mind?"

[krsna]

A Sweet Explanation

 

 

Note:

This is from the pen of a disciple of Srila Svarupa Damodara Goswami

the intimate personal secretary of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

 

 

Oh Radha, please attract my mind, and free me from this material world.

 

Oh Krishna, please attract my mind.

 

Oh Radha, please attract my heart by showing your sweetness.

 

Oh Krishna, purify my mind by giving knowledge of how to perform worship of you through your pure devotee.

 

Oh Krishna, give me steadiness to appreciate your name, qualities and pastimes.

 

Oh Krishna, may I develop a taste for serving you.

 

Oh Radha, please make me qualified for your service.

 

Oh Radha, please instruct me on how I can serve you.

 

Oh Radha let me hear you’re intimate pastimes with your beloved.

 

Oh Rama (Krishna), let me hear your intimate pastimes with your beloved.

 

Oh Radha, reveal to me your pastimes with your beloved.

 

Oh Rama, reveal to me your pastimes with your beloved.

 

Oh Rama, engage me in remembering your name, form, qualities and pastimes.

 

Oh Rama, please make me qualified or your service.

 

Oh Radha, be pleased with me.

 

Oh Radha, be pleased with me.

 

 

All glory to the ecstatic waves of devotion produced by the ocean of Krishna prema.

 

All glory to the Sri Krishna Sankirtan movement started by Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

and his followers.

 

 

Submitted for the pleasure of the devotees by Arijit Dasa

 

[krsna]

Explanation of the Mahamantra

By

Gopal Guru Goswami

 

 

(1)

hare - he hare, mac-cittam hrtva bhava-bandhanan mocaya |

 

Hare! O Hari, steal my mind and deliver me from bondage to this material world.

 

krsna - he krsna, mac-cittam akarsaya |

 

Krsna! O Krsna, attract my mind.

 

hare - he hare, sva-madhuryena mac-cittah hara |

 

Hare! O Hari! Capture my mind with the sweetness of your name, form and pastimes.

 

krsna - he krsna, sva-bhakta-dvara bhajana-jnana-danena mac-cittam sodhaya |

 

Krsna! O Krsna! Send me the association of your devotees who will purify my mind through instructions about your devotional service.

 

krsna - he krsna, nama-rupa-guna-liladisu man-nistham kuru |

 

Krsna! O Krsna! Give me unflinching faith in your name, form, qualities and pastimes.

 

krsna - he krsna, rucir bhavatu me |

 

Krsna! O Krsna! Give me a taste for your name, form, qualities and pastimes.

 

hare - he hare, nija-seva-yogyam mam kuru |

 

Hare! O Hari! Make me worthy to engage in your service.

 

hare - he hare, sva-sevam adisaya |

 

Hare! O Hara, Radha! Order me personally in the service you wish me to perform.

 

hare - he hare, sva-presthena saha svabhista-lilam sravaya |

 

Hare! O Hara, Radha! Give me the opportunity to hear about your own favorite pastimes with your beloved Lord

 

rama - he rama, presthaya saha svabhista-lilam mam sravaya |

 

Rama! O Rama! Give me the opportunity to hear about your own favorite pastimes with your beloved Radha.

 

hare - he hare, sva-presthena saha svabhista-lilam darsaya |

 

Hare! O Hara, Radha! Give me the opportunity to see your intimate pastimes with your beloved Lord.

 

rama - he rama, presthaya saha svabhista-lilam mam darsaya |

 

Rama! O Rama! Give me the opportunity to see your intimate pastimes with your beloved Radha.

 

rama - he rama, nama-rupa-guna-lila-smaranadisu mam yojaya |

 

Rama! O Rama! Engage me in hearing, chanting and remembering your name, form, qualities, pastimes.

 

rama - he rama, tatra mam nija-seva-yogyam kuru |

 

Rama! O Rama! As I enter into those pastimes by the path of meditation, make me worthy to engage in your service.

 

hare - he hare, mam svangikrtya ramasva |

 

Hare! O Hari! Please accept me and take pleasure from the service that I offer you.

 

hare - he hare, maya saha ramasva |

 

Hare! O Hari! Take pleasure in me and enjoy with me.

 

(2)

 

hare - krsnasya mano haratiti hara radha, tasyah sambodhane he hare |

 

Hare! Radha is known as Hara because she steals Krsna's mind. I call out to her, O Hare! O Radhe!

 

krsna - radhaya manah karsatiti krsnah, tasya sambodhane he krsna |

 

Krsna! The Lord is known as Krsna because he attracts Radha's mind. Therefore I call out to him, O Lord! O Krsna!

 

hare - krsnasya lokalajjadhairyadi sarvam haratiti hara radha, tasyah sambodhane he hare |

 

Hare! Radha steals Krsna's sense of public shame and his self-possession. She steals everything of his and is thus known as Hara. I therefore call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!

 

krsna - radhaya lokalajjadhairyadi sarvam karsatiti krsnah, tasya sambodhane he krsna |

 

Krsna! He drags away all of Radha's sense of shame and her self-possession. Therefore I call out to him, O Lord! O Krsna!

 

krsna - yatra yatra radha tisthati gacchati va tatra tatra sa pasyati krsno mam sprsati balat kancukadikam sarvam karsati haratiti krsnah, tasya sambodhane he krsna |

 

Krsna. Wherever Radha is standing, or wherever she happens to be going, she thinks, Krsna is watching me, he is touching me, he he is pulling on my bodice. He is pulling on me. I call out to him, O Lord! O Krsna!

 

krsna - punar harsatam gamayati vanam karsatiti krsnah, tasya sambodhane he krsna |

 

Krsna! Then Krsna makes her feel a thrill of excitement as he pulls her to the woods. I call out to him, O Lord! O Krsna!

 

hare - yatra krsno gacchati tisthati va tatra tatra pasyati radha mamagre parsve sarvatra tisthatiti hara, tasyah sambodhane he hare |

 

Hare! Wherever Krsna goes, wherever he is situated, he sees Radha in front of him, by his side, all around him. In this way she disturbs his mind. I call out to her, O Radhe. O Hare!

 

hare - punas tam krsnam harati sva-sthanam abhisarayatiti hara radha, tasyah sambodhane he hare |

 

Hare! She once again steals Krsna away, making him come to her kunja. She is thus known as Hara. I thus call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!

 

hare - krsnam vanam harati vanam agamayatiti hara radha, tasyah sambodhane he hare |

 

Hare! She once again steals Krsna away, making him come to her kunja. She is thus known as Hara. I thus call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!

 

rama - ramayati tam narma-niriksanadiniti ramah, tasya sambodhane he rama |

 

Rama! Krsna is known as Rama because he brings Radha pleasure with his joking words and his loving glances. I thus call out to him, O Krsna! O Rama!

 

hare - tatkalikam dhairyavalambanadikam krsnasya haratiti hara radha, tasyah sambodhane he hare |

 

Hare! She robs Krsna of the momentary self-control he is able to muster in her presence. She is thus known as Hara, and so I call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!

 

rama - cumbana-stana-karsanalinganadibhi ramate iti ramah, tasya sambodhane he rama |

 

Rama! Krsna delights in kissing Radha, in touching her breasts and in embracing her. He is thus known as Rama, and so I call out to him, O Lord! O Rama!

 

rama - punas tam purusocitam krtva ramayatiti ramah, tasya sambodhane he rama |

 

Rama! Krsna causes Radha to reach the pinnacle of sexual excitement, so that she becomes aggressively active in the love battle, like a man. He is thus known as Rama, and so I call out to him, O Lord! O Rama!

 

rama - punas tatra ramate iti ramah, tasya sambodhane he rama |

 

Rama! All this brings extra delight to Krsna. He is thus known as Rama, and so I call out to him, O Lord! O Rama!

 

hare - punah rasante krsnasya mano hrtva gacchatiti hara radha, tasyah sambodhane he hare |

 

Hare! Once again, at the end of the Rasa dance, as she leaves to return home, she steals Krsna's mind and takes it away with her. She is thus known as Hara, and I therefore call out to her, O Radhe! O Hare!

 

hare - radhaya mano hrtva gacchatiti harih krsnah tasya sambodhane he hare |

 

Hare! Krsna also steals Radha's mind, taking it with him as he leaves. He is thus known as Hari, and I call out to him, O Krsna! O Hare!

 

[krsna]

Another point established in this verse is that meditation should be carried on with the chanting of a mantra. Chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra is the easiest process of meditation in this age. As soon as one chants the Hare Krsna mantra, he sees the forms of Krsna, Rama and Their energies, and that is the perfect stage of trance. One should not artificially try to see the form of the Lord while chanting Hare Krsna, but when the chanting is performed offenselessly the Lord will automatically reveal Himself to the view of the chanter. The chanter, therefore, has to concentrate on hearing the vibration, and without extra endeavor on his part, the Lord will automatically appear.

__SB 4.8.53 {Purport extract}

 

The mumuksus, persons desiring to be liberated, do not depend on the pleasures of the senses; instead, they concentrate fully on becoming liberated by chanting the holy name of the Lord.

__SB 10.1.69 {Purport extract}

 

 

Everyone begins his devotional life from the neophyte stage, but if one properly finishes chanting the prescribed number of rounds of harinama, he is elevated step by step to the highest platform, uttama-adhikari.

__NOD 5 {extract}

 

 

When one fully engages in chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, he gradually realizes his own spiritual identity. Unless one faithfully chants the Hare Krsna mantra, Krsna does not reveal Himself..

__NOD 5 {extract}

 

 

At the present moment, attempts to engage in that type of yoga are artificial. Rather, the recommended method is chanting loudly and hearing Hare Krsna. Then, even if the mind is diverted, it will be forced to concentrate on the sound vibration "Krsna." It isn't necessary to withdraw the mind from everything; it will automatically be withdrawn, because it will be concentrated on the sound vibration.

__The Path of Perfection 5 {extract}

 

 

Srila Prabhupada: Yes, as soon as the mind wanders, we should immediately drag it back to concentrate on Krsna. While chanting, our mind sometimes wanders far away, but when we become conscious of this, we should immediately bring the mind back to hear the sound vibration of "Hare Krsna." That is called yoga-abhyasa, the practice of yoga. We should not allow our mind to wander elsewhere. We should simply chant and hear the Hare Krsna mantra, for that is the best yoga system.

__The Quest for Enlightenment 6 {extract}

 

 

Always meditating upon the lotus feet of Krsna. This Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama... As soon as we hear this sound, immediately we remember the form of Krsna. Immediately we concentrate on the lotus feet of Krsna. This chanting is perfect. But I am chanting and I am thinking of and planning something else, that is aparadha. But that does not mean we shall stop. But we should try, abhyasa-yoga, we should try to make it our habit by chanting the Hare Krsna mantra, we should immediately remember the form, quality, pastimes of Krsna. Tat-padamburuha-dhyanat. The lotus feet of Krsna, dhyanat, that is meditation.

 

__Srimad-Bhagavatam 7.7.28, Mombassa, September 11, 1971

[krsna]

Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakur

 

 

 

The name of Krishna on the lips of the supreme Lord (Sri Caitanya)realize the truth of whom they had been told by the scriptures. This was a most marvelous experience.

In this Iron Age it is only the name of Krishna appearing on lips of a bona fide sadhu who can lift the conditioned soul to the plane of the absolute. As a matter of fact even the scriptures also can only faintly describe the personality Godhead. The mere study of the scriptures can convey no full knowledge of the absolute as substantive entity. The name Krishna has the power to put the person on the absolute plane and endow the words of the revealed scriptures with their living meaning.

 

On the plane of the absolute all entities serve Godhead in infinite variety of forms and run harmoniously into, instead of clashing against, one another. Division of the person who once hears the name of Krishna undergoes this marvelous change. He can only then really believe in Godhead because he understands and sees whom he is to serve. He becomes in the substantive sense a bona fide theist or Vaisnava. -