The Science of Mantra Meditation

Sparks are beautiful as long as they are in the fire. Similarly, we have to remain in the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and always engage in devotional service, for then we shall always be brilliant and illuminating.

• The mantra For Everyone

  Caitanya Mahaprabhu introduced the chanting of:

  Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
  Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare

  as a great means of propaganda for spreading love of God. It is not that it is recommend only for Kali-yuga. Actually, it is recommended for every age. There have always been many devotees who have chanted and reached perfection in all ages. That is the beauty of this Krishna consciousness movement. It is not simply for one age, or for one country, or for one class of people. Hare Krishna can be chanted by any man in any social position, in any country and in any age, for Krishna is the Supreme Lord of all people in all social positions, in all countries, in all ages.

• Awakening Our Original Consciousness

  It is said in the Caitanya-caritamrta, "Pure love for Krishna is eternally established in the hearts of living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, the living entity naturally awakens." Since Krishna consciousness is inherent in every living entity, everyone should be given a chance to hear about Krishna. Simply by hearing and chanting sravanam kirtanam, one's heart is directly purified, and one's original Krishna consciousness is immediately awakened. Krishna consciousness is not artificially imposed upon the heart, it is already there. When one chants the Holy Name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, the heart is cleansed of all material contamination.

• Chanting: The Universal Religion

  In the present age quarrels take place even over trifles, and therefore the sastras [scriptures] have recommended for this age a common platform for realisation, namely chanting the Holy Names of the Lord. People can hold meetings to glorify the Lord in their respective languages and with melodious songs, and if such performances are executed in an offenceless manner, it is certain that the participants will gradually attain spiritual perfection without having to undergo more rigorous methods. All the people of the world will accept the Holy Names of the Lord as the common platform for the universal religion of mankind.

• Seeing God Through Sound

  Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare is a sound that is non-different from Krishna. The sound Krishna and the original Krishna are the same. There are things that we hear but do not see -- the wind may be whistling past our ears, and we can hear it, but there is no possibility of seeing the wind. Since hearing is no less an important experience or valid one than seeing, we can hear Krishna and realise His presence through sound. Sri Krishna Himself says, "I am not there in My abode, or in the heart of a meditating yogi, but where My pure devotees are singing." We can feel the presence of Krishna as we actually make progress.

• The Holy Name Acts Like Fire

  Fire will act, regardless of whether handled by an innocent child or by someone well aware of its power For example, if a field of straw or dry grass is set on fire either by an elderly man who knows the power of fire or by a child who does not, the grass will be burned to ashes. Similarly, one may or may not know the power of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra, but if one chants the Holy Name he will become free from all sinful reactions.

• Chanting Defeats Death

  By the grace of the Lord, if a devotee, at the time of death, can simply chant His Holy Names -- Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna HareHare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare -- simply by chanting this maha-mantra, he immediately surpasses the great ocean of the material sky and enters the spiritual sky. He never has to come back for repetition of birth and death. Simply by chanting the Holy Name of the Lord, one can surpass the ocean of death.

• Experiencing Ecstasy

  The transcendental ecstatic attachment for Krishna which results from perfectly understanding that Krishna's person and Name are identical iscalled bhava [ecstatic spiritual emotion]. One who has attained bhava is certainly not contaminated by the material nature. He actually enjoys transcendental pleasure from bhava, and when bhava is intensified, it is called love of Godhead. Lord Caitanya taught that the Holy Name of Krishna, called the maha mantra [great chanting for deliverance], enables anyone who chants it to attain the stage of love of Godhead, or intensified bhava.

• The Sound Incarnation of God

  Sometimes Krishna descends personally, and sometimes He descends as a sound vibration, and sometimes He descends as a devotee. There are many different categories of avatars [incarnations]. In the present age Krishna has descended in His Holy Name, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/ Hare Rama Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu also confirmed that in this age of Kali-yuga, Krishna had descended in the form of sound vibration. Sound is one of the forms which the Lord takes. Therefore it is stated that there is no difference between Krishna and His Name.

• Christ or Krishna The Name is The Same

  Christos is the Greek version of the word Krishna. When an Indian person calls on Krishna, he often says, "Krista." Krista is a sanskrit word meaning attraction. So when we address God as Christ, Krista or Krishna, we indicate the same all-attractive Supreme Personality of Godhead.When Jesus said, "Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name," that name of God was Krista or Krishna. Actually it doesn't matter -- Krishna or Christ -- the name is the same. The main point is to follow the injunctions of the Vedic Scriptures that recommend chanting the name of God in this age.Our request is that you please chant the name of God, the Bible also demands this. Everyone should cooperate and chant. If someone has a prejudice against chanting the name Krishna, then they can chant Christos or Krista -- there is no difference.

• Conclusion

  My humble request is that you, the readers of this book try, in your own lives to make Krishna the centre. As more and more people all over the world become Krishna consciousness the Golden Age and the perfect system of God centred government will automatically be put into place. My spiritual master,His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada has presented in English all of the important Vedic Scriptures, principally Bhagavad-gita As It Is and Srimad Bhagavatam. This book is only an insignificant introduction to the science of Krishna consciousness. I request that you study Srila Prabhupada's books and you will find all your questions answered, and much more. My only request is that you please read these books and make your life successful by chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Madhudvisah dasa

Changing the Face of the Earth
The Changing the Face of the Earth campaign is a world-wide program to bring about a solution to the problems currently faced by this planet and her inhabitants.

The Environment and Economic Development
In this age of rapidly increasing technology and automation the impression is we have made great advanced and are now in a far better position than the "primitive" civilisations of the past.

Karma and Consciousness
The law of karma describes the universe as an interconnected network in which every action causes a reaction to occur in the future. Material scientists understand the gross manifestation of this law in the form of physics, however, they have no idea of the workings of the same law on a more subtle platform.

Vegetarianism and Cow Protection
People are generally unaware of the importance of cows. Cows produce, in large quantities, the miracle food, milk. Milk is produced from the blood of the cow, however she is happy to give her blood transformed in a peaceful, non-violent way in the form of milk.

Plain Living and High Thinking
It is possible to live a comfortable, simple life in harmony with nature. All that is required is some land, cows and food grains. With these three necessities we can obtain everything required for a simple life.

The Varnasrama Social System
There is a natural system of social organisation which can bring about a peaceful society where everyone is happy. This system is described in the timeless Vedic literature of India and it is called Varnasrama dharma.

The Golden Age
This age is called Kali-yuga, or the dark iron age of quarrel and hypocrisy. It is considered a very unfortunate age as spiritual knowledge is covered and almost the entire population of the planet is performing inunlimited sinful activities.

The Science of Mantra Meditation
Sparks are beautiful as long as they are in the fire. Similarly, we have to remain in the association of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and always engage in devotional service, for then we shall always be brilliant and illuminating.