Re: Manasika japa

Sermons of the Guardian of Devotion
Volume Two

Compiled from eclectic discourses by
His Divine Grace
Srila Bhakti Raksaka Sridhara Deva Goswami Maharaja

Collected and Edited on the Divine Instructions of
His Holiness Swami B.S. Govinda
President Acarya of the
SRI CHAITANYA SARASWAT MATH

Devotee: You were talking about kirtana; I have read that Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura says that japa (private chanting) is also related to kirtana (congregational chanting, or preaching), and also that Srila Rupa Go�swami says there are three types of japa, namely manasika or mental, vacika or vocal, and upamsu or whispered. Which is proper for us, and which is the most effective?

Srila Guru Maharaj: In upamsu there is no sound, only movement of the lips; and in manasika there is no lip movement. You ask which is superior of the three types?

Devotee: Yes.

Srila Guru Maharaj: Whatever is internally real will be superior. Japa must be genuine, not imitative. Our attention should always be towards the negative side. If we can practice that in a real way, our promotion cannot be checked. But without qualification, if we are very eager to go upward, there will be a tendency to fall down. Dasyaya te mama raso 'stu raso 'stu satyam: "May I have the aspiration for servitude." For bhajana or internal Service, such a temperament should always be followed. Tad dasa-dasa-dasanam dasatvam dehi me prabho.
Promotion is inevitable if we always try to adhere to the lower duty. Eagerness for promotion is the enemy. That is for pratistha (renown), and that will undermine everything. Srila Prabhupada said that imitation arises from the attraction for pratistha or desire to hold the superior position and acquire a name for oneself. That is the great enemy. Don't fall prey to that pratistha, eagerness to hold the higher position. Rather, dainyam - humility, is the healthy sign of a devotee.

Devotee: Maharaj, we see in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa that sometimes the glories of silent chanting are mentioned, and then in other places we see that the glories of chanting very loudly, as in the case of Haridasa Thakura, are extolled. So, what is the adjustment?


Srila Guru Maharaj: Only a theoretical understanding won't help you much. Try to catch the spirit of the thing. When backed by the sadhu, the Guru of very high type, you can do anything. By the grace of his support, whatever kirtana, etc., you may do, will be effective. Meditating may have been praised as more efficient in a particular context, but if you venture to superficially try and chant in that way, the opposition will be so great you'll be nowhere - you will turn to be an atheist. It can happen if you don't have sufficient support to fight against the odds. Don't venture to attack the enemy when your position is weak. But when backed by the great generals and many munitions, you must march on. That will help us to engage in real kirtana.
The real factor is sadhu-sanga. It has association with the higher power. Otherwise, nothing has any value. The stand must be taken on the real plane - sadhu and sastra. We must cultivate the real thing. That is the all-important factor always to keep up the reality of the bhajana. For the weaker devotee, the sadhaka or aspirant, the greatest necessity is sadhu-sanga, and the Scriptures are necessary for knowledge. Sadhu-sastra-krpa. Then kirtana will be best.
    Vrndavana Dasa Thakura says that one feeds himself, another feeds thousands and feeds himself. Who's the greater? Kirtana is to cultivate oneself and help many others to cultivate at the same time. But when you have no capital of your own, if you go to preach you will meet such opposition, asat sanga, that the ankura, the bud, will be nipped. In that case, if you are kanistha-�adhikari, neophyte, don't go to attack others without vigorous backing. Kirtana means to preach, or to attack others in a sense. Don't venture, as kanistha adhikari. You'll be turned into an atheist. Only after passing through the proper stages - sravana dasa, varana dasa, sadhana dasa and prapana dasa (the phases of hearing, acceptance, practice, and attainment) - then you can preach independently (apana dasa). Otherwise, only with the help of someone in prapana dasa can you go to preach.
    We should have an immovable connection with reality, an absolute conception of reality. Such a stable position is necessary. Invulnerable. A sure position, what is what  - sambandha jnana. Then we shall be able to understand and harmonize the differences that we find in the writ�ings of the Acaryas; what applies where - under what circumstances a particular line has been advised to be taken up, and under what circumstances another has
been advised. Practical knowledge.

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