Chanting Questions

[SusieQ]

Hi everyone!

 

I am wanting to start chanting but not sure about some details. I do not have a guru and have never been to a temple.

 

What kind of beads do I use? What else do I need to know?

 

Thanks,

SusieQ

[Guest guest]

use anything that you find useful to count 108 mahamantras

 

you can build your own mala with any kind of pearl (plastic, wood, metal..)

 

you can use a christian rosary .. two rosaries are 1 round

 

you can make crosses on a paper..

 

nothing else to know.... many thanks, in this way you are giving benefit to all mankind

[theist]

Hare Krishna SusieQ.

 

I hope you are already chanting and are not waiting for anything, even beads.

 

I am sure you know the Maha-mantra by now. Maha means great and mantra means mind delivering. This is the great maha-mantra for delivering our mind and consciousness back to it's original state of being fixed on Krishna and it has the power to awaken our natural love for the Lord which we have foolishly directed towards material objects.

 

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

 

Hare is a call for the mercy of the Lord. Everything in the spiritual world is personal and the Lord's mercy is also a person or Radha. We call for Her mercy to reveal Krishna to us and to engage us in His loving service.

 

Krishna means the all-attractive Person and is a name for the Supreme Lord. Rama is another of His name's and indicates the Lord is the resevoir of all spiritual pleasure.

 

Lord Caitanya taught that there are no hard and fast rules for chanting the unlimited names of God. But beads are very helpful. A full string of these beads are 108 in number and called japa beads. Beads help us keep focus by engaging our mind through the sense of touch as well as repeating the mantra and hearing the mantra.

 

When the mind does wander and we catch, it just bring it back to hearing the mantra.

 

You can find japa beads at Indiadivine's online devotee store called Matchless-gifts.

Here is a link to their page that offers beads.

 

http://www.matchless-gifts.com/catalog/default.php?cPath=31

 

There is also a link at the bottom of this page that takes you to their main store's main page. Just click on the picture.

 

Tulasi beads are best. Sandlewood is also nice. Rudraksha beads are usually used by Shiva devotees.

 

 

 

Here is a link to another devotee store Krishna Culture's where you can purchase a set. http://www.krishnaculture.com/cgi-bin/miva?Merchant2/merchant.mv+Screen=CTGY&Store_Code=KC&Category_Code=JAPAB

 

Have fun at every step of this process of God discovery through chanting, it is meant to be joyfully performed.

 

Hare Krishna

[SusieQ]

Thanks to both of you for your responses. Someone elsewhere said I can't use Tulsi beads to chant on because I am not initiated. Is this true?

[Guest guest]

SuzieQ hi,

There is no problem chanting on Tulasi-mala as a preparation, if we meditate on Tulasi devis' service attitude her inspiration can also help our progress, but our chanting to start with generally goes through an offensive stage, then Namabhas which is just the shadow of the Real living Name. It's probably better to start with a nice set of neem beads, as we can even commit offences to our Tulasi-mala.

But if we are serious about our spiritual life it is recommended to receive the proper Name, and for that we are advised to take Hari-Nam initiation from a genuine Guru who the Grace of God flows through like a soul transmission from master to disciple.

We all have different evolutions to take this very beneficial step, but there is no doubt a connection to a pure lover of Krsna will fast track your development in spiritual life. By all means seek out a pure spiritual master, and through service to their divine will perfection is assured.

 

If we are sincere Krsna will arrange a meeting with someone who can introduce us to the Lord of Lords in the form of His Holy Name which is non different from Himself.

 

All the best in your quest.

Hare Krsna

[perumal]

In general, using tulasi beads is ok. However, this depends on your status. If you are following 4 regulative principles of

[1] No meat eating

[2] No alcohol

[3] No gambling

[4] No illicit sex

than by all means do so.

Otherwise, better to start off with plain beads.

[theist]

 

Thanks to both of you for your responses. Someone elsewhere said I can't use Tulsi beads to chant on because I am not initiated. Is this true?

 

 

I never heard such a thing. Watch out for the intiation pushers.

 

Your primary guru is the Lord in your heart Who will lead you to His representative to hear from. Don't neglect prayer to the Lord for guidance to find guru if that is your desire.

 

Until then get a nice set of Tulasi beads, and chant and be happy.

 

Haribol

 

ps read my signature at the end of this post.

 

[theist]

Very interesting. I have never heard that before. Where did you hear that if I may ask.

[theist]

 

There is no problem chanting on Tulasi-mala as a preparation, if we meditate on Tulasi devis' service attitude her inspiration can also help our progress, but our chanting to start with generally goes through an offensive stage, then Namabhas which is just the shadow of the Real living Name. It's probably better to start with a nice set of neem beads, as we can even commit offences to our Tulasi-mala.

 

 

So if one doesn't "meditate on Tulasi devis' service attitude her inspiration can also help our progress..."then we shouldn't use Tulasi beads? Never heard that one before either.

 

Curious to know if you use Tulasi beads. Does that infer that you have crossed out of the offensive stage?

[theist]

http://www.harekrsna.com/practice/sadhana/morning/japa/japa.htm

 

"These are different, nine processes. Sravanam kirtanam. Sravanam means hearing, and kirtanam means chanting, chanting. So by this process... Just like I chant and you hear, and you chant and I hear. Parasparam. Bodhayantah parasparam. This is the factual activities of devotion in devotional society. This bodhayantah parasparam: I chant, you hear, and you chant, I hear. So by this process, the transcendental name, the sound incarnation of the Supreme Lord, becomes manifest, manifest so that we can realize God simply by chanting and hearing. Simply by chanting and hearing that will be realized. Of course, there are some rules and regulations for chanting, but in the beginning we haven't got to observe those rules and regulation at the present. First of all let us have the taste for chanting; then we shall be little careful that the rules and regulations are followed."

 

Srila Prabhupada Lecture, 09-08-66, New York

 

[Guest guest]

"Thanks to both of you for your responses. Someone elsewhere said I can't use Tulsi beads to chant on because I am not initiated. Is this true? "

 

that's partially true and, under a certain point of view right, because many gaudya vaishnava gurus and saints gave freely the first harinama initiation...: "so you want to chant?... well you are Krsna Dasi.. take the japa mala and chant more as you can"

 

even prabhupada was doing it in the first period of his mission in the west...

 

and that's a true and valuable initiation, it connects the disciple with krsna, and it is .... extremely nice, because everything a pure devotee decides and does is right and saint...

 

--

 

but now, following, for transcendental reasons, the doctrinal possibility to ask some requirements before first initiation, the majority of gurus ask, generally, ask them... so it is not often possibile to be initiated exactly when we find some interest in chanting the mahamantra in a meditative way (=differently from kirtan)

 

so it is obvious that chanting japa is possible anywhere and anytime following principles (no meat, non gambling, no intoxicatio, no illicit sex) or not.. but simply avoiding dirty places, like bathroom and with clean hands...

 

(and chanting is necessary to get the true interest in krsna consciousness that necessarily flows in the desire to have a personal guide.. otherwise there's no possibility to achieve the benefit that mahamantra can give.. the definitive going back to krsna in goloka)

 

obviously there can be doubts about using tulsi mala... my (NON CONCLUSIVE) opinion is that there's no harm.... because tulsi is sold freely in any devotee shop of every devotees organization, and in every place of pilgrimage.... and because transcendental gurus knows that the majority of their disciples, one time or another, will break some regulative principle..

 

so if tulsi japa was only for pure bhaktas............................

 

:-)

 

haribol---

 

[gHari]

Suzie,

 

I don't think it is even neccessary to have beads to start with. My best chanting was done without beads in my hands. It's all about heart, sincerity. String the Mahamantra around your heart and then listen.

 

gHari

 

[Guest guest]

the important thing, if we do not chant 24 hours.... is counting a regular number of mantras

 

this has to be done..

 

then one can chant, sing, shout, think, meditate the name as he wants

[gHari]

 

Sing the Song.