Monday, October 27, 2008
Janmastami Japa
It was Janmastami, the appearance day of Lord Krishna. Devotees rushed to the temple during Mangal Aarti. It was great to see such a large number of devotees chanting and it was blissful. During festivals, it would be wonderful to chant extra rounds, to get that extra special mercy!
I sat down with my beads and started chanting my rounds. Immediately after a few minutes, many devotees joined me and we all chanted with full concentration and it was so powerful! That was the day...I could relish the nectar of the Holy names....of course, association is very powerful.
By mercy of Guru, Panca Tattva, and Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha I chanted the whole day and by the end of the abhishekam, I was able to chant 108 rounds of the Maha Mantra (thanks to Rasa Rasika prabhu for his encouragement always).
By mercy of Guru, Panca Tattva, and Sri Sri Radha Gopinatha I chanted the whole day and by the end of the abhishekam, I was able to chant 108 rounds of the Maha Mantra (thanks to Rasa Rasika prabhu for his encouragement always).
Even after I was done with my chanting, the Holy name was still vibrating on my lips. That is the nectar of the Holy name. We want to experience the bliss every single moment....so good chanting really produces more chanting. This is surely a sign of advancement. Whenever I feel low or don't feel like chanting I just remember that day of Janmastami bliss and yeah, the taste is back again. That is the power of the Holy name.
There is a beautiful reply by Srila Prabhupada on japa:
"Regarding your first question, is it offensive to think of Krishna's Pastimes while chanting, I think you should know that it is not offensive, but rather it is required. One must try for the point when he simply hears Krishna and immediately all of Krishna, His Pastimes, His Form, His Quality, are in his thoughts. So to always be immersed in thoughts of Krishna this is our process. When we are full in Krishna then where there can be any chance for maya in us? So this is our duty to remember Krishna's Pastimes. One who cannot remember Krishna, let him always hear Hare Krishna and then when he has perfected this art, then always he will remember Krishna, His Activities, His Qualities, etc."
There is a beautiful reply by Srila Prabhupada on japa:
"Regarding your first question, is it offensive to think of Krishna's Pastimes while chanting, I think you should know that it is not offensive, but rather it is required. One must try for the point when he simply hears Krishna and immediately all of Krishna, His Pastimes, His Form, His Quality, are in his thoughts. So to always be immersed in thoughts of Krishna this is our process. When we are full in Krishna then where there can be any chance for maya in us? So this is our duty to remember Krishna's Pastimes. One who cannot remember Krishna, let him always hear Hare Krishna and then when he has perfected this art, then always he will remember Krishna, His Activities, His Qualities, etc."
Ref:(SPL 68/12/4)
Comment on this Post
No comments yet