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| Chanting Hare Krishna on Beads |
We can follow Haridasa Thakura’s example, however, by chanting sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra on our beads every day and offering respect to the Tulasi plant. This is not at all difficult for anyone, and the process of chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra with a vow before the Tulasi plant has such great spiritual potency that simply by doing this one can become spiritually strong.
BEFORE we chant EACH round CHANT:
(1) NAMA OM VISNU-PADAYA KRSNA-PRESTHAYA BHUTALE SRIMATE BHAKTIVEDANTA SVAMIN ITI NAMINE. NAMAS TE SARASVATE DEVE GAURA VANI PRACARINE NIRVISESA SUNYAVADI PASCHATYA DESA TARINE.
(2) SRI-KRSNA-CAITANYA PRABHU-NITYANANDA SRI-ADVAITA GADADHARA SRIVASADI-GAURA-BHAKTA-VRNDA.
NOW begin.
(3) HARE KRSNA, HARE KRSNA, KRSNA KRSNA, HARE HARE. HARE RAMA, HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE.
Note: start with BIG bead.
680724IN.MON Prabhupada: You BEGIN FROM THIS BIG BEAD, Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, and then after finishing, begin second. In this way, there are 108, one, two, three. Come to this point, then begin from this point. Note: Don’t cross THE SUMMIT.(TURN ROUND IN OPPOSITE DIRECTION WHEN YOU REACH THE SUMMIT)
690325IN.HAW
Now you can chant, those who are initiated. (ceremony begins, chanting of om apavitrah) (break) …Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Then take another bead, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. In this way you come to this end. DON’T CROSS THIS SUMMIT. AGAIN BEGIN FROM THIS END. In this way chant daily sixteen rounds.
OUR OBEISANCES
Adi 7.4
“In the Age of Kali, people who are endowed with sufficient intelligence will worship the Lord, who is accompanied by His associates, by performance of sankirtana-yajna.” (Bhag. 11.5.32) Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is always accompanied by His plenary expansion Sri Nityananda Prabhu, His incarnation Sri Advaita Prabhu, His internal potency Sri Gadadhara Prabhu and His marginal potency Srivasa Prabhu. He is in the midst of them as the Supreme Personality of Godhead. One should know that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu is always accompanied by these other tattvas. THEREFORE OUR OBEISANCES TO SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU ARE COMPLETE WHEN WE SAY SRI-KRSNA-CAITANYA PRABHU NITYANANDA SRI-ADVAITA GADADHARA SRIVASADI-GAURA-BHAKTA-VRNDA. AS PREACHERS OF THE KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT, WE FIRST OFFER OUR OBEISANCES TO SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU BY CHANTING THIS PANCA-TATTVA MANTRA; THEN WE SAY HARE KRSNA, HARE KRSNA, KRSNA KRSNA, HARE HARE. HARE RAMA, HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE. THERE ARE TEN OFFENSES IN THE CHANTING OF THE HARE KRSNA MAHA-MANTRA, BUT THESE ARE NOT CONSIDERED IN THE CHANTING OF THE PANCA-TATTVA MANTRA, NAMELY, SRI-KRSNA-CAITANYA PRABHU-NITYANANDA SRI-ADVAITA GADADHARA SRIVASADI-GAURA-BHAKTA-VRNDA. SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU IS KNOWN AS MAHA-VADANYAVATARA, THE MOST MAGNANIMOUS INCARNATION, FOR HE DOES NOT CONSIDER THE OFFENSES OF THE FALLEN SOULS. THUS TO DERIVE THE FULL BENEFIT OF THE CHANTING OF THE MAHA-MANTRA (HARE KRSNA, HARE KRSNA, KRSNA KRSNA, HARE HARE. HARE RAMA, HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE), WE MUST FIRST TAKE SHELTER OF SRI CAITANYA MAHAPRABHU, LEARN THE PANCA-TATTVA MAHA-MANTRA, AND THEN CHANT THE HARE KRSNA MAHA-MANTRA. THAT WILL BE VERY EFFECTIVE.
Why 108?
670218CC.SF
Now, so there are Upanisads. Generally they take eleven Upanisads primarily, but there are 108 Upanisads. Sometimes the explanation is given that “WHY WE HAVE GOT 108 BEADS?” “BECAUSE THERE ARE 108 UPANISADS.” SO CHANTING OF HARE KRSNA WITH 108 BEADS MEANS THAT WE ARE SURPASSING THE STUDY OF 108 UPANISADS. ANOTHER MEANING IS THAT THERE ARE 108 DAMSELS WHO SERVED KRSNA WITH ALL RESPECT AT VRNDAVANA. SO THAT IS ALSO ANOTHER EXPLANATION, 108. WE ARE SERVING KRSNA’S SERVITORS, HUNDRED AND…, CHIEF DAMSELS OF, AT VRNDAVANA. So these 108 Upanisads are described, isa kena katha prasna munda mandukyo taittiri… You can count how many: Isopanisad, Kenopanisad, Kathopanisad, Prasnopanisad, Mundakopanisad, Mandukyopanisad, Taittiriyopanisad. Then aitareyas ca chandogya brhad-aranyakam tatha. Then Aitareya Upanisad, Chandogyopanisad, Brhad-aranyakopanisad, Brahmokaivalyopanisad, Jabalopanisad. There are so many Upanisads, 108 Upanisads. Aruneyopanisad, Garbho, Narayano, Hamsa. This Hamsaduta, the name, the Hamsa Upanisad, it comes from Hamsa. Garbho narayano hamso binduro narada sikah. Sika-upanisad, Narada Upanisad.
Note: RESPECT FOR BEADS
710718IN.DET Lectures
Come on. Next. Who’s this? Oh, all right. Then how many still remaining? All right. (chants japa) First of all grains mixed up. (more japa) Come on. Take your. Come on. Whose beads are lying on the floor there? Whose beads? OH, YOU NEVER PUT IT IN THE FLOOR. WHEN THERE IS NO BAG, YOU PUT LIKE THIS.
Note: engaging the sense of touch by touching the tulasi beads–tulasi is a pure devotee of the Lord.
SB 9.4.18-20
Maharaja Ambarisa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Krsna, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord’s temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Krsna or about Krsna. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Krsna, Krsna’s temples and Krsna’s places like Mathura and Vrndavana, HE ENGAGED HIS SENSE OF TOUCH IN TOUCHING THE BODIES OF THE LORD’S DEVOTEES, he engaged his sense of smell in smelling the fragrance of tulasi offered to the Lord, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord’s prasada. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Maharaja Ambarisa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.
BECOME SPIRITUALLY STRONG.
Antya 3.100
Haridasa Thakura used to chant the holy name on his beads 300,000 times daily. Throughout the entire day and night, he would chant the sixteen names of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. One should not, however, imitate Haridasa Thakura, for no one else can chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra 300,000 times a day. Such chanting is for the mukta-purusa, or liberated soul. WE CAN FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE, HOWEVER, BY CHANTING SIXTEEN ROUNDS OF THE HARE KRSNA MAHA-MANTRA ON BEADS EVERY DAY AND OFFERING RESPECT TO THE TULASI PLANT. THIS IS NOT AT ALL DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE, AND THE PROCESS OF CHANTING THE HARE KRSNA MAHA-MANTRA WITH A VOW BEFORE THE TULASI PLANT HAS SUCH GREAT SPIRITUAL POTENCY THAT SIMPLY BY DOING THIS ONE CAN BECOME SPIRITUALLY STRONG. Therefore we request the members of the Hare Krsna movement to follow Haridasa Thakura’s example rigidly. Chanting sixteen rounds does not take much time, nor is offering respects to the tulasi plant difficult. THE PROCESS HAS IMMENSE SPIRITUAL POTENCY. ONE SHOULD NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY.
Note: why the devotees who have accepted the envious (wanting to be worshiped as good as God – the position of acarya) role of so-called gurus and thus competeing against Srila Prabhupada in ISKCON have lost taste for chanting.
NoD 18
AS ATTACHMENT CAN BE INVOKED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF PURE DEVOTEES, SO ATTACHMENT CAN ALSO BE EXTINGUISHED BY OFFENSES COMMITTED AT THE LOTUS FEET OF PURE DEVOTEES. To be more clear, by the association of pure devotees attachment for Krsna can be aroused, but if one commits offenses at the lotus feet of a devotee, one’s shadow attachment or para attachment can be extinguished. This extinguishing is like the waning of the full moon, which gradually decreases and at last becomes dark. One should therefore be very careful while associating with pure devotees to guard against committing an offense at their lotus feet.
TRANSCENDENTAL ATTACHMENT, EITHER SHADOW OR PARA, CAN BE NULLIFIED BY DIFFERENT DEGREES OF OFFENSES AT THE LOTUS FEET OF PURE DEVOTEES. IF THE OFFENSE IS VERY SERIOUS, THEN ONE’S ATTACHMENT BECOMES ALMOST NIL, AND IF THE OFFENSE IS NOT VERY SERIOUS, ONE’S ATTACHMENT CAN BECOME SECOND CLASS OR THIRD CLASS.
DAILY WITHOUT FAIL
70-02-19 Letter: Sucandra
It is most important that our activities be regular or, in other words, on a schedule. EVERYONE SHOULD CHANT HIS BEADS SIXTEEN ROUNDS DAILY WITHOUT FAIL AND FOLLOW THE REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES STRICTLY. These basic Krsna Conscious duties are essential to be performed regularly, and they will give you the necessary strength of spirit to keep always fixed up in devotional service. As soon as a devotee is regularly engaged in this way, always engaged in Krsna Consciousness, Krsna will reveal the whole spiritual science from within the heart of such sincere devotee.
THIS IS THE ESSENTIAL PROCESS
70-03-06 Letter: Nityananda
PLEASE FOLLOW THE REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES STRICTLY, AND CHANT DAILY SIXTEEN ROUNDS OF BEADS REGULARLY WITHOUT FAIL. THIS IS THE ESSENTIAL PROCESS FOR DISSOLVING THE CLOUDS OF ILLUSION OR MAYA; AND WHEN THE CLOUD OF ILLUSION IS REMOVED, THEN WE CAN UNDERSTAND KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS PERFECTLY AND THAT IS THE HIGHEST PERFECTION OF HUMAN LIFE. So be fixed in devotional service, chant Hare Krsna mantra and be happy. I am waiting to hear of your further progress in spreading this Krsna Consciousness movement for the benefit of all concerned.
HELP ME
73-01-09 Letter: Hasyakari (Howard Bernd), Rathangapani (Randy Buchert), Varuthapa
My request to all of you is that you very seriously stick to the principles of devotional service as you have learned them, and especially observe strictly the four prohibitions and without fail always chant at least 16 rounds on your beads daily. In this way you will be always happy.
Now you have got the golden opportunity of this human form of life, and it is not by accident that you have met your spiritual master, so if you are actually intelligent you will stick very tightly to your position of Krsna Consciousness and go back to home, back to Godhead. The essential point to remember is that you should try always to please your spiritual master under every condition. That means to follow his orders and instructions very carefully. MY FIRST INSTRUCTION TO ALL OF MY DISCIPLES IS THAT THEY SHOULD HELP ME SPREAD THIS KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS MOVEMENT ALL OVER THE WORLD, UTILIZING THEIR ENERGY AS BEST THEY ARE ABLE TO DO IT. IN THIS WAY, KEEPING YOURSELVES ALWAYS ENGAGED IN KRSNA’S BUSINESS 24 HOURS, YOU WILL BECOME FREE FROM ALL ATTACHMENT TO MAYA BY KRSNA’S GRACE. JUST AS WHEN THE DARKNESS AND THE LIGHT COME TOGETHER, THE DARKNESS CANNOT STAND BEFORE THE LIGHT, SO MAYA CANNOT REMAIN IN THE PRESENCE OF KRSNA. ALWAYS REMEMBER THEREFORE TO CHANT HARE KRSNA AND THAT WILL SAVE YOU IN ALL CIRCUMSTANCES WITHOUT ANY DOUBT.
HE MUST BE SURE TO KEEP HIS VOW.
NoD 7
In the Naradiya Purana it is directed, “One should not accept more than necessary if he is serious about discharging devotional service.” The purport is that one should not neglect following the principles of devotional service, nor should one accept the rulings of devotional service which are more than what he can easily perform. FOR EXAMPLE, IT MAY BE SAID THAT ONE SHOULD CHANT THE HARE KRSNA MANTRA AT LEAST ONE HUNDRED THOUSAND TIMES DAILY ON HIS BEADS. BUT IF THIS IS NOT POSSIBLE, THEN ONE MUST MINIMIZE HIS CHANTING ACCORDING TO HIS OWN CAPACITY. GENERALLY, WE RECOMMEND OUR DISCIPLES TO CHANT AT LEAST SIXTEEN ROUNDS ON THEIR JAPA BEADS DAILY, AND THIS SHOULD BE COMPLETED. BUT IF ONE IS NOT EVEN ABLE TO CHANT SIXTEEN ROUNDS, THEN HE MUST MAKE IT UP THE NEXT DAY. HE MUST BE SURE TO KEEP HIS VOW. IF HE DOES NOT STRICTLY FOLLOW THIS OUT, THEN HE IS SURE TO BE NEGLIGENT. THAT IS OFFENSIVE IN THE SERVICE OF THE LORD. IF WE ENCOURAGE OFFENSES, WE SHALL NOT BE ABLE TO MAKE PROGRESS IN DEVOTIONAL SERVICE. IT IS BETTER IF ONE FIXES UP A REGULATIVE PRINCIPLE ACCORDING TO HIS OWN ABILITY AND THEN FOLLOWS THAT VOW WITHOUT FAIL. THAT WILL MAKE HIM ADVANCED IN SPIRITUAL LIFE.
YOUR LIFE will be SUBLIME.
69-10-08.Krs Letter: Krsna dasa
“We request you to chant HARE KRISHNA HARE KRISHNA, KRISHNA KRISHNA HARE HARE, HARE RAMA HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA HARE HARE, and your life will be SUBLIME.
YOUR LIFE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL
“710331LE.BOM Lectures
Or if you feel that you cannot read or you have no money to purchase book, never mind. Lord Caitanya has given you very simple path: CHANT HARE KRSNA, HARE KRSNA, KRSNA KRSNA, HARE HARE. HARE RAMA, HARE RAMA, RAMA RAMA, HARE HARE. IF YOU CHANT THIS MANTRA WITH FAITH AND DEVOTION, WITHOUT ANY OFFENSE, BUT SIMPLY BY CHANTING YOU WILL REALIZE YOURSELF, YOU WILL REALIZE GOD, KRSNA, AND YOUR LIFE WILL BE SUCCESSFUL. Ceto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. These are the statements of Vedic literature. Simply by chanting Hare Krsna mantra, one can cleanse his heart of all the dirty things. And as soon as the dirty things are moved, then you become liberated. Bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam. Immediately the blazing fire of material existence is extinguished.
These are the processes recommended in the Vedas. We are simply preaching the authorized principles of the Vedas, and we request you all to accept it. Not accept it blindly, but take it with all your reason and intelligence. Just like Caitanya-caritamrta says,
caitanyera dayara katha karaha vicara vicara karile citte pabe camatkara
It is not that we are forcing something. By force you cannot do anything. That is artificial. That is not… But it is a fact that in everyone’s heart there is Krsna consciousness because that is pure consciousness. Because we are part and parcel of Krsna, naturally, just like father and the son, there is an eternal relationship. Similarly, Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, we have got eternal relationship with Krsna. That is now covered by the dirty things of maya. But as soon as we remove, we cleanse these dirty things from our heart, then immediately we can understand what is Krsna and what is our relationship with spirit.
nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti sadhya kabhu naya/ sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya Everyone’s heart, there is Krsna bhakti. Otherwise, how these Europeans, Americans, Canadians, Japanese, they are taking to Krsna consciousness? We have Muhammadans also. Many Muhammadans, they are taking to Krsna consciousness. Therefore it is to be understood that Krsna consciousness, or love for Krsna, is existing in everyone’s heart. It is simply to be awakened. Nothing more. How it is awakened? Sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya. if you simply give your aural reception to the Krsna katha. Krsna katha means what is spoken by Krsna, the Bhagavad-gita, and Krsna katha means speeches and words which are spoken about Krsna. The Srimad-Bhagavatam is also Krsna katha, and Bhagavad-gita is also Krsna katha.
THE PROCESS HAS IMMENSE SPIRITUAL POTENCY.
Antya 3.100 The Glories of Srila Haridasa Thakura
Haridasa Thakura used to chant the holy name on his beads 300,000 times daily. Throughout the entire day and night, he would chant the sixteen names of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. One should not, however, imitate Haridasa Thakura, for no one else can chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra 300,000 times a day. Such chanting is for the mukta-purusa, or liberated soul. WE CAN FOLLOW HIS EXAMPLE, HOWEVER, BY CHANTING SIXTEEN ROUNDS OF THE HARE KRSNA MAHA-MANTRA ON BEADS EVERY DAY AND OFFERING RESPECT TO THE TULASI PLANT. THIS IS NOT AT ALL DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE, AND THE PROCESS OF CHANTING THE HARE KRSNA MAHA-MANTRA WITH A VOW BEFORE THE TULASI PLANT HAS SUCH GREAT SPIRITUAL POTENCY THAT SIMPLY BY DOING THIS ONE CAN BECOME SPIRITUALLY STRONG. Therefore we request the members of the Hare Krsna movement to follow Haridasa Thakura’s example rigidly. Chanting sixteen rounds does not take much time, nor is offering respects to the tulasi plant difficult. THE PROCESS HAS IMMENSE SPIRITUAL POTENCY. ONE SHOULD NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY.
