Guest guest Posted March 10, 2006 Report Share Posted March 10, 2006 Dear Srini, thank you so much for sharing this question and answer session with us. It has helped me very much. The discussion of the Gayatri mantra has helped me to understand what I am doing when joining in the sankalpa for Lalita. A little more about the effectivity of prayer: I can understand that a prayer is more effective if it is said with attention and if you know what you're actually saying. But with the Chandi I have a problem in that respect. Yesterday I chanted the Chandi. Now, the first part I know by heart from my puja practice, so everything is fine there. And then you get the appendices, some of which are relatively easy to chant and understand, like the Names of Durga or the Kavacam, but there are also difficult ones, where I stumble on the rhythm and have no clue as to what it is that I am saying. So I am very relieved when the story finally begins in Chapter One, because that I can understand (at least superficially). But then there are thirteen chapters, and I get distracted. I think about how much longer it is going to be, that I get thirsty, that I wish I had not started at all etc. And I realize I am distracted, offer the distractions to the Divine Mother, am ok for a while, get distracted again etc. etc. There are parts I don't understand at all, there are parts I can't get my tongue around, there are parts where I think 'I really must analyze this more fully with a dictionary', etc. Even though I have made a translation from Swamiji's version, I still can't chant and read my translation at the same time, so there are parts when I just carry on with only a faint idea of who is being killed by whom. And then, when the story is over, there are many more parts to be chanted. And I stumble along, get distracted, get bored etc. Thus, I now wonder about the effectiveness of it all, since I have both the distraction and lack of understanding. But I must say I have never sung with more feeling or enthusiasm as when I finally got to the Jaya Chandi song! That prayer must have gone up to heaven:) I hope I am not the only one with these difficulties and that it will get better with practice. Perhaps it would be a good idea to vary the practice: sometimes chanting, sometimes listening to the recording, sometimes reading and meditating on the meaning. Anyway, thank you again for posting, and strengthening my resolve to learn how to pray, with love, Henny , "srini_sadhu" <srini_sadhu wrote: > > Dear Brothers and Sisters, > > Om! > > My third question to Swamiji was, "Why do we chant the 1000 names of > Vishnu when a soul leaves its body?" > > Swamiji referred to the conversation between Bhishma and Yudhishtra > during the Mahabharata war. Bhishma was lying wounded on abed of > arrows and wiaiting for Uttarayana to commence. Uttarayana is the six > month period when the Sun makes its northern orbit. > > When Bhishma was so lying, Yudhistra aksed him several questions. > (Bhishma was one of the wisest men of his time and Lord Krishna had > suggested to Yudhishtra to seek Bhishma's counsel before the latter > passed away). One of the questions he asked was, by which japa does > one get released from the bonds of samsara, get liberated from the > cycle of birth and death. > > To this Bhishma replied, by chanting the 1000 names of Lord Vishnu. > > Thus, we chant the 1000 names of Lord Vishnu as a prayer that the > departed soul be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. > > Jai Maa! Jai Swamiji! > > with love and prayers > > srini > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 10, 2006 Report Share Posted March 10, 2006 Dear Henny, Jai Chandi Maa! Thank you very much for asking about Chandi Maa. We are all Her children. Before I chant the Chandi, I tell Chandi Maa that i am Her child and I want to always remember that I am Her child always. After that I mispronounce, get distracted, squirm, etc. I dont think She's mad at me. Only thing, I plan to keep at it everyday. You may mispronounce some verses, but you pronounce many correctly - isnt' that great! And about knowing the meaning, your idea to study some verses from time time is great. I myself would like to have a study time table in which I can study 5-10 verses a week. Jai Maa! Jai Swamiji! with love and respect srini > I can understand that a prayer is more effective if it is said with > attention and if you know what you're actually saying. But with the > Chandi I have a problem in that respect. Yesterday I chanted the > Chandi. Now, the first part I know by heart from my puja practice, so > everything is fine there. And then you get the appendices, some of > which are relatively easy to chant and understand, like the Names of > Durga or the Kavacam, but there are also difficult ones, where I > stumble on the rhythm and have no clue as to what it is that I am > saying. So I am very relieved when the story finally begins in Chapter > One, because that I can understand (at least superficially). But then > there are thirteen chapters, and I get distracted. I think about how > much longer it is going to be, that I get thirsty, that I wish I had > not started at all etc. And I realize I am distracted, offer the > distractions to the Divine Mother, am ok for a while, get distracted > again etc. etc. There are parts I don't understand at all, there are > parts I can't get my tongue around, there are parts where I think 'I > really must analyze this more fully with a dictionary', etc. Even > though I have made a translation from Swamiji's version, I still can't > chant and read my translation at the same time, so there are parts > when I just carry on with only a faint idea of who is being killed by > whom. And then, when the story is over, there are many more parts to > be chanted. And I stumble along, get distracted, get bored etc. Thus, > I now wonder about the effectiveness of it all, since I have both the > distraction and lack of understanding. But I must say I have never > sung with more feeling or enthusiasm as when I finally got to the Jaya > Chandi song! That prayer must have gone up to heaven:) I hope I am not > the only one with these difficulties and that it will get better with > practice. Perhaps it would be a good idea to vary the practice: > sometimes chanting, sometimes listening to the recording, sometimes > reading and meditating on the meaning. Anyway, thank you again for > posting, and strengthening my resolve to learn how to pray, > > with love, > Henny , "srini_sadhu" <srini_sadhu@> > wrote: > > > > Dear Brothers and Sisters, > > > > Om! > > > > My third question to Swamiji was, "Why do we chant the 1000 names of > > Vishnu when a soul leaves its body?" > > > > Swamiji referred to the conversation between Bhishma and Yudhishtra > > during the Mahabharata war. Bhishma was lying wounded on abed of > > arrows and wiaiting for Uttarayana to commence. Uttarayana is the > six > > month period when the Sun makes its northern orbit. > > > > When Bhishma was so lying, Yudhistra aksed him several questions. > > (Bhishma was one of the wisest men of his time and Lord Krishna had > > suggested to Yudhishtra to seek Bhishma's counsel before the latter > > passed away). One of the questions he asked was, by which japa does > > one get released from the bonds of samsara, get liberated from the > > cycle of birth and death. > > > > To this Bhishma replied, by chanting the 1000 names of Lord Vishnu. > > > > Thus, we chant the 1000 names of Lord Vishnu as a prayer that the > > departed soul be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. > > > > Jai Maa! Jai Swamiji! > > > > with love and prayers > > > > srini > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted March 11, 2006 Report Share Posted March 11, 2006 Dear Sriniji, thank you very much for reminding me that Chandi Maa is our Mother and that I too am Her child.I guess the recitation I did was a bit of a shock to the system (and in retrospect I see the Ego playing with my ambition to do this perfectly in order to prove I am 'good' and sincere), and when I read the thing about effectiveness being connected with concentration and understanding, discouragement and disappointment crept in. Ego wanted a pat on the shoulder and got a reminder that it cannot do anything by itself instead. But now I am very grateful because I realize what happened, and I can start again from there, asking Chandi Maa to help me. JAI MAA! JAI SWAMIJI! with love, Henny , "srini_sadhu" <srini_sadhu wrote: > > Dear Henny, > > Jai Chandi Maa! > > > Thank you very much for asking about Chandi Maa. > > We are all Her children. Before I chant the Chandi, I tell Chandi Maa that i am Her child and > I want to always remember that I am Her child always. After that I mispronounce, get > distracted, squirm, etc. I dont think She's mad at me. Only thing, I plan to keep at it > everyday. > > You may mispronounce some verses, but you pronounce many correctly - isnt' that great! > And about knowing the meaning, your idea to study some verses from time time is great. I > myself would like to have a study time table in which I can study 5-10 verses a week. > > Jai Maa! Jai Swamiji! > > with love and respect > srini > > > > I can understand that a prayer is more effective if it is said with > > attention and if you know what you're actually saying. But with the > > Chandi I have a problem in that respect. Yesterday I chanted the > > Chandi. Now, the first part I know by heart from my puja practice, so > > everything is fine there. And then you get the appendices, some of > > which are relatively easy to chant and understand, like the Names of > > Durga or the Kavacam, but there are also difficult ones, where I > > stumble on the rhythm and have no clue as to what it is that I am > > saying. So I am very relieved when the story finally begins in Chapter > > One, because that I can understand (at least superficially). But then > > there are thirteen chapters, and I get distracted. I think about how > > much longer it is going to be, that I get thirsty, that I wish I had > > not started at all etc. And I realize I am distracted, offer the > > distractions to the Divine Mother, am ok for a while, get distracted > > again etc. etc. There are parts I don't understand at all, there are > > parts I can't get my tongue around, there are parts where I think 'I > > really must analyze this more fully with a dictionary', etc. Even > > though I have made a translation from Swamiji's version, I still can't > > chant and read my translation at the same time, so there are parts > > when I just carry on with only a faint idea of who is being killed by > > whom. And then, when the story is over, there are many more parts to > > be chanted. And I stumble along, get distracted, get bored etc. Thus, > > I now wonder about the effectiveness of it all, since I have both the > > distraction and lack of understanding. But I must say I have never > > sung with more feeling or enthusiasm as when I finally got to the Jaya > > Chandi song! That prayer must have gone up to heaven:) I hope I am not > > the only one with these difficulties and that it will get better with > > practice. Perhaps it would be a good idea to vary the practice: > > sometimes chanting, sometimes listening to the recording, sometimes > > reading and meditating on the meaning. Anyway, thank you again for > > posting, and strengthening my resolve to learn how to pray, > > > > with love, > > Henny > > > > > > > > > > > > > > , "srini_sadhu" <srini_sadhu@> > > wrote: > > > > > > Dear Brothers and Sisters, > > > > > > Om! > > > > > > My third question to Swamiji was, "Why do we chant the 1000 names of > > > Vishnu when a soul leaves its body?" > > > > > > Swamiji referred to the conversation between Bhishma and Yudhishtra > > > during the Mahabharata war. Bhishma was lying wounded on abed of > > > arrows and wiaiting for Uttarayana to commence. Uttarayana is the > > six > > > month period when the Sun makes its northern orbit. > > > > > > When Bhishma was so lying, Yudhistra aksed him several questions. > > > (Bhishma was one of the wisest men of his time and Lord Krishna had > > > suggested to Yudhishtra to seek Bhishma's counsel before the latter > > > passed away). One of the questions he asked was, by which japa does > > > one get released from the bonds of samsara, get liberated from the > > > cycle of birth and death. > > > > > > To this Bhishma replied, by chanting the 1000 names of Lord Vishnu. > > > > > > Thus, we chant the 1000 names of Lord Vishnu as a prayer that the > > > departed soul be liberated from the cycle of birth and death. > > > > > > Jai Maa! Jai Swamiji! > > > > > > with love and prayers > > > > > > srini > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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