Chanting Hare Krishna on Japa Beads
There are no hard-and-fast rules for chanting Hare Krishna. The most wonderful thing about mantra meditation is that one may chant anywhere–at home, at work, driving in the car, or riding on the bus or subway. And one may chant at any time.
There are two basic types of chanting. Personal meditation, where one chants alone on beads, is called japa. When one chants in responsive fashion with others, this is called kirtana. Kirtana is usually accompanied by musical instruments and clapping. Both forms of chanting are recommended and beneficial.
You Need a Set of Japa Beads
To perform the first type of meditation, one needs a set of japa beads. These may be purchased from KrishnaStore.com:
Mantra Meditation Kit
Or, if you like, you can make your own japa beads at home.
If you decide to make your japa beads, follow these simple instructions:
- Buy 109 large round beads (at least as big as a dime), and some strong, thick nylon thread.
- Tie a knot about six inches from the end of a long piece of the thread and then string the beads, tying a knot after each one.
- After stringing 108 beads, pull the two ends of thread through one large master bead.
- This bead is called the Krishna bead. Tie a knot next to it and cut off the excess thread. You now have your own set of japa beads.
To meditate with the beads, hold them in your right hand. Hold the first bead with your thumb and middle finger (see illustration at the top of the article) and chant the complete maha-mantra—Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Then go to the next bead, holding it with the same two fingers, again chanting the entire mantra. Then go on to the next bead and then the next, continuing in this way until you have chanted on all 108 beads and have come to the Krishna bead.
You have now completed “one round” of chanting. Do not chant on the Krishna bead, but turn the beads around and chant on them in the opposite direction, one after another.
Chanting on beads is especially helpful, for it engages the sense of touch in the meditative process and helps you concentrate even more on the sound of the mantra.
You may want to chant japa indoors, but you can chant just as comfortably walking along the beach or hiking in the mountains. Just bring your beads along with you. If you chant sitting down, you should assume a comfortable position (preferably not lying down or slouching, for there’s always the tendency to fall asleep).
You can chant as loudly or as softly as you like, but it’s important to pronounce the mantra clearly and loudly enough to hear yourself. The mind may have a tendency to wander off to other matters when you chant, for the mind is flickering and unsteady, always looking for something new and pleasurable to absorb itself in. If your mind wanders (to anything except Krishna and things related to Him), gently bring it back to the transcendental sound vibration. It won’t be difficult, because the mind is easily satisfied when absorbed in the divine sound of the Lord’s holy names (unlike other meditational practices, where one may be asked to fix his mind on “nothing” or “the void”).
One may chant japa at any time, but the Vedic literatures note that certain hours of the day are most auspicious for performing spiritual activities. The early morning hours just before and after sunrise are generally a time of stillness and quietude, excellently suited to contemplative chanting. Many people find it especially helpful to set aside a certain amount of time at the same time each day for chanting. The recommended minimum for serious chanters is sixteen rounds. In the beginning you may find the chanting difficult but the more you chant Hare Krishna the more you become purified and the more you become attached to chanting Hare Krishna.
While japa is a form of meditation involving you, your beads, and the Supreme Lord, kirtana, on the other hand, is a form of group meditation, where one sings the mantra, sometimes accompanied by musical instruments. You may have seen a kirtana party chanting on the streets of your city, for the devotees frequently perform this type of chanting to demonstrate the process and allow as many people as possible to benefit from hearing the holy names.
One may hold a kirtana at home with family or friends, with one person leading the chanting and the others responding. Kirtana is more of a supercharged meditational process, where in addition to hearing oneself chant, one also benefits by hearing the chanting of others. Musical instruments are nice, but not necessary. One may sing the mantra to any melody and clap his hands. If you have children, they can sing along as well and make spiritual advancement. You can get the whole family together every evening for chanting.
The sounds of the material world are boring, hackneyed and monotonous, but chanting is an ever-increasingly refreshing experience. Make a test yourself. Try chanting some word or phrase for even five minutes. If you chant “Coca-Cola” over and over again, even for a few minutes, it becomes practically unbearable. There’s no pleasure in it. But the sound of Krishna’s names is transcendental, and as one chants he wants to chant more and more.
Enhancing Your Chanting
Although one receives immense benefit however and whenever one may chant Hare Krishna, the great spiritual masters who are authorities on chanting suggest that the practitioner employ certain practical techniques that will enhance the chanting and bring quicker results as well.
The more one chants, the more easily he will be able to follow the principles listed below, for as one chants, he gains spiritual strength and develops a higher taste. When one begins to relish spiritual pleasure from chanting, giving up bad habits that may hinder one’s spiritual progress becomes much easier.
1. Just by chanting Hare Krishna, one will automatically want to follow the four regulative principles of spiritual life:
A. No eating of meat, fish, or eggs.
B. No intoxication.
C. No gambling.
D. No illicit sex (sex outside of marriage or not meant for the procreation of God conscious children).
The four above-mentioned activities make it especially difficult for one to progress in spiritual life, because they increase one’s attachment to material things. Therefore they are not recommended for one who has taken up the chanting of Hare Krishna. The chanting is so powerful, however, that one may begin chanting at any stage, and the chanting will help one to make the necessary adjustments.
2. One should read Srila Prabhupada’s books every day, especially the Bhagavad-gita and Srimad-Bhagavatam. If one simply hears about God, His uncommon activities and transcendental pastimes, the dust accumulated in the heart due to long association with the material world will be cleansed. By regularly hearing about Krishna and the spiritual world, where Krishna enjoys eternal pastimes with His devotees, one will fully understand the nature of the soul, true spiritual activities, and the complete procedure for obtaining release from the material world.
3. In order to be more fully immunized against material contamination, one should eat only prasadam, vegetarian foods that have been spiritualized by being offered to the Supreme Lord. There is a karmic reaction involved when one takes the life of any living being (including plants), but the Lord Krishna states in the Bhagavad-gita that if one offers Him vegetarian foods, He will nullify that reaction.
4. One should offer the fruit of one’s work to the Supreme Lord. When one works for his own pleasure or satisfaction, he must accept the karmic reactions to his activities, but if one dedicates his work to God and works only for His satisfaction, there is no karmic reaction. Work performed as service to the Lord not only frees one from karma, but awakens one’s dormant love for Krishna.
5. As much as possible, one who is serious about chanting Hare Krishna should associate with other like-minded persons. This gives one great spiritual strength.
Srila Prabhupada has instructed that serious devotees must follow the four regulative principles mentioned earlier and chant each day on japa beads a minimum of sixteen rounds of the Hare Krishna maha mantra. Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the incarnation of Krishna who popularized the chanting of the holy names five hundred years ago in West Bengal, India, introduced the system of chanting a fixed number of rounds each day. Careful completion of sixteen rounds daily will help the disciple to remember Krishna always.
In essence the main principle of Krishna consciousness is to always remember Krishna and to never forget Krishna. And chanting Hare Krishna is the simplest way of maintaining this constant state of God consciousness, for the mystical potency contained in the mantra’s vibration will always keep you in touch with Krishna and your own original, spiritual nature.
All of Krishna’s innumerable spiritual potencies, including His transcendental pleasure principle, are contained in His holy names. Therefore, the pleasure you will feel as you begin to chant will be far, far greater than any material happiness you have ever experienced. And the more you chant Hare Krishna, the happier you will feel.
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.
Important Mantras to Chant First
As preachers of the Krishna consciousness movement, we first offer our obeisances to Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu by chanting this Panca-tattva mantra; then we say Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, 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 Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, 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. (Caitanya-caritamrta Adi-lila 7.4)
nama om visnu-padaya krsna-presthaya bhutale
srimate bhaktivedanta svamin iti namine
“I offer my respectful obeisances unto His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who is very dear to Lord Krishna, having taken shelter at His lotus feet.”
nirvisesa-sunyavadi-pascatya-desa-tarine
“Our respectful obeisances are unto you, O spiritual master, servant of Sarasvati Gosvami. You are kindly preaching the message of Lord Caitanyadeva and delivering the Western countries, which are filled with impersonalism and voidism.”
Panca-Tattva Maha-Mantra:
sri-krsna-caitanya prabhu-nityananda
sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrnda.
Hare Krishna Maha Mantra:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
We always have to chant Srila Prabhupada’s pranam mantras and the Panca-Tattva mantra before chanting Hare Krishna. But different devotees have different opinions on the fine details. Personally I chant Srila Prabhupada’s pranam mantras before I start chanting on beads and before chanting each round I chant the Panca-Tattva maha-mantra once. Some devotees suggest chanting Prabhupada’s pranam mantras also before every round and some other devotees will just chant Hare Krishna with no other mantras before each round.
These are small details and the main point is we have to chant Prabhupada’s pranam mantras and the Panca-Tattva maha-mantra before we chant the Hare Krishna mantra. Everyone agrees on this although different devotees may achieve this in slightly different ways. Personally I recommend you chant Srila Prabhupada’s pranam mantras before you start chanting on beads and chant the Panca-Tattva maha-mantra once before each round of the Hare Krishna mantra you chant.
Respect for Japa Beads
We need to respect our japa beads. They should be kept in a bead bag generally and we should not allow the beads to touch the floor or our feet and in general we should be careful with our japa beads. Although there are no rules and regulations as to where we can chant Hare Krishna, for example it is perfectly OK to chant Hare Krishna in the bathroom, we can not take our japa beads into the bathroom.
Become Spiritually Strong
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 Krishna 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.
Chant 16 Rounds Every Day Without Fail
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 Krishna 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 Krishna Consciousness, Krishna will reveal the whole spiritual science from within the heart of such sincere devotee. (70-02-19 Letter: Sucandra)
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 Krishna Consciousness perfectly and that is the highest perfection of human life. So be fixed in devotional service, chant Hare Krishna mantra and be happy. I am waiting to hear of your further progress in spreading this Krishna Consciousness movement for the benefit of all concerned. (70-03-06 Letter: Nityananda)
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 Krishna 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 Krishna 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 Krishna’s business 24 hours, you will become free from all attachment to maya by Krishna’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 Krishna. Always remember therefore to chant Hare Krishna and that will save you in all circumstances without any doubt. (73-01-09 Letter: Hasyakari )
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 Krishna mantra at least 100,000 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 16 rounds on their japa beads daily, and this should be completed. But if one is not even able to chant 16 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.
(Nectar of Devotion 7)
Immense Spiritual Potency
“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. (69-10-08 Letter: Krsna dasa)
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 Krishna maha-mantra. One should not, however, imitate Haridasa Thakura, for no one else can chant the Hare Krishna 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 Krishna 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 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. Therefore we request the members of the Hare Krishna 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. (Caitanya-caritamrta Antya-lila 3.100)
About the Author
Madhudvisa dasa My first contact with a Hare Krishna was a most merciful Mataji in Oxford Street, London who sold me a "Higher Taste" cook book in 1984 while I was on holidays there. I started seriously reading Srila Prabhupada's books in Australia 1985 and by 1986 Srila Prabhupada had convinced me "Krishna is the Supreme Personality of Godhead" and "we should surrender to Krishna." I joined the Hare Krishnas in Perth, Western Australia in 1986. Since then I have been chanting Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, reading and distributing Srila Prabhupada's books and preaching as much as I can. That's my life and full-time occupation now really. I like it more than anything I've ever experienced before. Srila Prabhupada's books are so amazing... Even after reading them all many times they're still fresh and new. They are truly transcendental! That's it really. Now I'm just hankering to once again see the world chant Hare Krishna, dance and feast and float away in the ecstasy of Lord Caitanya's Sankirtana movement as it did in Srila Prabhupada's physical presence. Let the whole world drown in the ecstatic flood of love of Krishna!
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Hare Krishna 🙏🏻 I have forgotten to mention that I have also started reading Bhagvatam and Bhagwat Gita daily- followed all regularise principles since 3-4 months. But I could not stop myself from getting into illicit relation with my child hood friend. I am clue less now Prabhu 🙏🏻. Am I not competent to chant any more and read about the lord’s pastimes ? Kindly help me 🙏🏻
Just keep on chanting Hare Krishna, keep on reading Prabhupada’s books, and recommit to strictly following the four regulative principles and chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra again. And stop it, the breaking of the regulative principles. And if you keep chanting Hare Krishna and keep reading Prabhupada’s books you will feel some spiritual pleasure that will give you the strength to stop it.
But we have to do something, service, we have to have service to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna to keep us occupied so we have no time for sense gratification.
We have to become so busy serving Srila Prabhupada and Krishna that we have no time for sense gratification.
“An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.” So as soon as we have no service, as soon as we are idle, then the mind comes up with so many plans for sense gratification.
So the solution is to be always, constantly, 24 hours a day, engaged in serving Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. It means chanting Hare Krishna 24 hours a day, reading the Srimad-Bhagavatam 24 hours a day, going out and selling Srila Prabhupada’s books to the fallen conditioned souls 24 hours a day, etc.
Of course in reality the material body needs a little sleep and some prasadam. So we should minimize it, like sleeping not more than 6 hours and only accepting Krishna prasadam…
You know. That’s the way. Keep ourselves constantly, 24 hours a day engaged in the service of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna, and we really have to do some practical service. No good just chanting Hare Krishna, of course for a pure devotee like Haridas Thakura, he could just chant Hare Krishna, but for us, that is not possible. We have to chant at least 16 rounds Hare Krishna mantra and engage our senses, our minds, our intelligence, our money, in the service of Srila Prabhupada 24 hours a day…
So that’s the way, the only way really. As soon as we are idle, as soon as we have no service, the mind will conjure up all sorts of material sense gratificatory desires and we will be in maya, lost….
Hare Krishna ! 🙏🏻
I have started doing 16 rounds daily- been almost 3 months – and using tulsi beads- I failed to follow the regulative principle – I had illicit sex – I am very guilty and wish to correct myself- am I not supposed to chant with tulsi beads anymore – kindly help me.
It is not very strange to fall down in our attempts at becoming Krishna consciousness. So the solution is to KEEP CHANTING HARE KRISHNA and feel regret and pray to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna for the strength to continue on in Krishna consciousness and to never fall down again. We need to constantly do this. Honestly at the moment the whole atmosphere is so surcharged with the demoniac, sense gratification spirit, it is very difficult to follow the principles and not amazing that devotees sometimes fall down. But we have to keep on CHANTING HARE KRISHNA and rectify ourselves and come back again to the point where we are chanting at lest 16 rounds every day, following the foru regulative principles and reading Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day. Then we will be successful in the end. But we can never give up, we can never stop chanting Hare Krishna. It is the chanting of Hare Krishna that gives us the strength to follow the regulative principles. So even if we are having problems following the regulative principles as long as we keep on chanting Hare Krishna we will quickly become rectified and be back again to following the principles. So NEVER STOP CHANTING HARE KRISHNA…
HARE Krishna 🙏 Prabhuji
I am chanting 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day and strictly following the 4 regulative principles, due to some unavoidable reasons I am taking onion garlic, can I Chant on tulasi beads?
Some people saying Chant on neem beads I tried to chant on Neem beads but I am not able to concentrate well, I used to chant on tulasi beads more comfortable with full concentration what to do Prabhuji Am I going to the right way, please throw some light on this… Hare Krishna 🙏
Yes. Chant on Tulsi beads. Don’t listen to the rascals. I know you are trying your best, and Krishna knows you are trying your best. So keep on trying your best and chant on tulsi beads and don’ listen to the naysayers.
Hare Krsna Prabhu,
I am chanting 16 rounds since few years and following 4 regulative principles
Only thing is currently I am eating onion garlic because that is cooked at home.
I personally want to chant on Tulasi Beads because I want my sense of touch to be engaged in touching a pure devotee…
I plan to shift to a bace or centre where only Prasad will be serve without onion garlic.
Till I shift can i chant on tulasi beads if i am consuming onion garlic?
Some people say you are disrespecting and offending tulasi maharani by eating onion garlic and chanting on her but i think how can Tulasi Maharani be contaminated in any way because she is always a pure devotee
So can i chant on tulasi beads Till I completely quit onion garlic?
Yes. You can chant on Tulsi beads. It is not so much the point of onion and garlic, it is the point of Krishna prasadam. That is the real problem. With or without onion and garlic, if it is cooked by non-devotees and not offered to Krishna you should not be accepting it. But in your case of course, you have no option, so as you say Srimati Tulsi Maharani will understand it and you can chant on Tulsi beads but when it is possible you can change your diet to prasadam. That is the real point. We need to be accepting Krishna Prasadam, then automatically there will be no onions or garlic, because the prasadam is cooked by devotees for Krishna and the devotees know that Krishna does not like onions or garlic, so foods cooked like that can’t be offered to Him, so they don’t use onions and garlic…
So I understand in your position you don’t have the option at the moment, but as you say, Tusli will understand, it is OK.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
I am following all 4 regulative principles, however onion and garlic are still served in the food as I live with my family.
Can I chant Hare Krishna Mahamantra following 4 regulative principles but consuming onion and garlic?
हरे कृष्ण
Hare Krishna 🙏🏻
My doubt is can I chant Hare Krishna mahamantra on neem beads will wearing shoes. I want to chant while traveling also, that’s why I’m asking this question.
Waiting for your response. Thank You.
Hare Krishna 🙏🏻
Of course you can. You can chant Hare Krishna mantra on tulsi beads while wearing shoes also.
You can chant Hare Krishna anywhere, anytime anyplace…
Hare Krishna!
Please accept my humble obeisances.
Can I chant Hare Krishna Mantra in “Counter Machine Digital – For Chanting Hare Krishna” and keep track of the count? or is it compulsory to do chanting using Japa Mala Beads only for better effect? Please advise. Thanks and Regards.
The idea is to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day and we need some system for keeping track of how many rounds we have chanted. So yes, of course, best to chant on Tulsi japa beads, because Srimati Tulsi Devi is a pure devotee of Krishna so while we are chanting Hare Krishna on Tulsi japa beads then we are touching, in direct contact, with a pure devotee of Krishna. So really I always chant on my japa beads. I can not imagine why, anyone, actually would want to chant on a clicker or a digital counting machine.
But sometimes, when I lost my beads or something, I have chanted rounds counting them on my fingers like you count when chanting gayatri mantra. Otherwise I have always chanted on my japa beads and I can not see any reason to do anything else. I never saw Srila Prabhupada chanting with a clicker.
But, you know, the main point is to chant 16 rounds and the japa beads are a counting mechanism, a way to keep track of how many rounds we have chanted, and if some devotees feel that they can not chant on japa beads in public or some other situation then of course it is perfectly OK to keep chanting and keep track of the number of rounds in some other way like with a clicker or a counter on his phone or on his fingers or any counting method at all.
The main point is to chant Hare Krishna and keep track of how many rounds you have chanted to make sure you chant at least 16 rounds every day without fail. So tulsi japa beads are by far the best to chant on, but if for some reason you can’t, then any other counting method will be OK.
Hare Krishna!
My mother doesn’t follow the rules and regulations strictly. She eats onion and garlic. Consumes tea/coffee etc
I thought only one who strictly followed the rules and regulations could wear Tulsi neckbeads and chant on Tulsi Japa Mala.
But heard from a senior Śrīla Prabhupāda disciple that this isn’t really so.
So what does Śrīla Prabhupāda say about this? Can one wear Tulsi neckbeads and chant on Tulsi Japa mala even though not strictly following rules and regulations of Krishna Consciousness?
And also if one follows 16-4 but isn’t formally initiated, can wear Tulsi Neckbeads and chant on Tulsi Japa Mala?
I’m not formally initiated and but i offered my Tulsi Neckbeads and Tulsi Japa Mala to Srila Prabhupada before wearing.
Awaiting your reply. Thank you.
Hare Krishna!
Hare Krishna Atiniv
Best to read Prabhupada’s books, so many “senior Prabhupada disciples” will speak all sorts of nonsense in the name of Prabhupada.
As far as wearing tulsi neck beads there is no strict rule. It is not written anywhere in Prabhupada’s books who can or can’t wear them. Only thing is traditionally the neck beads are given at the time of initiation. So at the time of initiation the spiritual master will chant on the japa beads of the new disciple and at that time the tulsi neck beads will also be given. So that is the system. These things are for devotees and given at the time of initiation.
In ISKCON a system developed where uninitiated devotees would wear one string of tulsi neck beads and initiated devotees would wear three.
But certainly for chanting on tulsi japa beads and wearing tulsi neck beads we should be devotees and devotee means chanting at least 16 rounds a day and following the four regulative principles.
So better not to worry so much what others are doing. If you are yourself chanting at least 16 rounds and following the four regulative principles you can chant on tulsi japa beads and wear tulsi neck beads. Because really, if you are actually doing these things, chanting 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day and strictly following the principles, you are, somehow, initiated, by Srila Prabhupada most likely, by reading his books and following his instructions. Because otherwise how are you chanting 16 rounds and following the four regulative principles?
So don’t worry too much what the advanced Prabhupada disciples and what others are doing. If you are chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day, reading Prabhupada’s books and following the four regulative principles, you can wear the tulsi neck beads and chant on the tulsi japa beads.
These days everything is messed up. So many bogus gurus saying so many bogus things.
So we just have to go on chanting Hare Krishna and being happy…
Hare Krishna Prabhu!
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I am about to buy on line on (KrishnaStore.com) a new a Japa mala to meditate. The one I had previously that I don’t longer have, had been activated and gifted by my master. I no longer live in the same country where my master live.
I was wondering if the new japa mala I will purchase on line will be already activated ?
I now live in an island of the French West Indies, in the Caribbean. I no longer have the guidance of a master and feel kind of lost (connection) or shutdown from ISK, but want again to keep on meditating and chanting Hare Krishna on beads. and stay connected with the Lord
Hare Krsihna Stephenie
It is not the beads that get activated, it is the devotee. So if you have been activated already then you can chant on any beads. So don’t worry about that. Japa beads don’t need to be ‘activated’.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Could we chant during menstrual periods by using neem or other beads?
Yes. There are no rules and regulations on chanting Hare Krishna mantra. We can, and should, chant Hare Krishna mantra always and everywhere in every situation. Yes, if there is some particularly contaminated situation you may want to chant on neem beads instead of tulsi beads but I always chant on Tulsi beads in every situation. Holy name of Krishna is so powerful that the chanting of the holy name of Krishna purifies everything. So in the presence of the pure chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra there is no impurity.
If neem beads are not possible can we use vaijyanti japa mala, shaligram mala or rudraksha mala or can we make our own mala with plastic beads sorry for a immature question please kindly guide me prabhu sorry for inconvenience
Yes. Anything will do. Tulsi is best, neem second best, but the point is not the beads, the point is the beads are a way of keeping track of how many rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra we have chanted in a day. So japa beads is a counting system. That is the point. The point is we vow to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day, so we need some sort of system to keep track of how many rounds we have chanted. So if you can’t get the tulsi or neem japa beads you can use any counting system, the point is to chant at least 16 rounds. But you can get the japa beads at KrishnaStore.com:
https://KrishnaStore.com
Ok prabhu thank you for replying Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna Prabhu!
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Perhaps you were busy earlier. I already asked this question, but you didn’t reply. So my doubt is when we change the Japa beads from old set to new set, what can we do with the old set of beads? I am asking this because, the present set of beads which I am using has loosened threads and it looks like it will get torn soon.
So if we we buy a new set of japa beads, what should we do with the old one?
Hare Krishna Kaushal
Of course japa beads can be restrung. So you can do that.
Or temples have “sacred throw out”. That is for prasada, like garlands, left over prasadam, etc. So they sometimes put in a river, or burry or burn.
So it is difficult these days. We are to busy to sit down and restring the beads. That is really what we should do, actually.
That is the correct answer, restring the beads.
But I am in the same position also. I have a set of japa beads now that are broken, but I am attached to them and still chanting on them…
I don’t like throwing them out. After all it is Srimati-Tulsi devi and I have chanted millions of rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra on them, they are nice and round and smooth now.
I think we should just restring the beads Prabhu.
I have never done it actually. I have a pile of old japa beads and tulsi beads. Also I don’t know what to do with them, except the correct thing to do is just restring them. Only the string is broken, the beads are fine.
So that is the correct answer. Restring the beads…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu!
Thanks for your reply, Prabhu. I will do as you suggested. I didn’t buy a new set so far. So I will chant in the same set of beads, and when problem occurs in the future, I will restring them.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji. Please accept my humble obeisance. Thank you for this article. But I have one doubt. Actually I started to chant Hare Krishna on Tulsi beads directly, though I was following the 4 regulative principles at that time too. I’m chanting since 3-4 months approximately. But now I’m confused if it was a right decision to directly chant on Tulsi beads and not practice on Neem beads. So if I continue to chant, now on Neem beads, so will it be alright to do so? Will there be any offence in doing that? Kindly guide. Sorry if I made any offence. AGTSP! Hare Krishna 🙇🏻♀️🙏
There is no offense in chanting Hare Krishna. There are many envious “devotees” who will try to discourage you from chanting Hare Krishna. If you are following the regulative principles and chanting Hare Krishna, then Srimati Tulsi Devi will be very happy with you. No need to be bothered with envious “devotees” who will tell you otherwise.
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Now I’ve got neem japa beads and plain bead bag for myself and some of my family members. I want to ask if there can be certain offenses in chanting on neem beads also or not. I do not mean the ten offenses I mean the offenses on the neem beads. I also have Tulasi beads but will chant on them only when I’m following the bssic principles and when I’m clean and in a proper place to carry Tulasi beads.
No, there are no offenses for chanting on neem beads.
Hare Krishna Prabhu .. Thank you so much for making us realise the value of the maha mantra.
I just have a question if a person has not taken Diksha or he/she doesn’t have japa beads then how can we get japa beads or what is the process or the right way to get Diksha.
You get japa beads from KrishnaStore.com:
https://krishnastore.com/other-items-tulsi-japa-beads-om-69_72.html
And get Srila Prabhupada’s books there as well and read Prabhupada’s books, follow the instructions you find him giving you in the books, and chant Hare Krishna. If you do it sincerely that is diksha.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu,
I have a question related to type of Japa beads.
Is it advisable to use rosewood beads mala for japa meditation for Hare Krishna mantra?
Thank you.
Hare Krishna Rose
Japa beads are a counting system. So yes. You can use rosewood beads to keep track of how many rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra you have chanted. The point is to chant Hare Krishna mantra at least 16 rounds a day.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
I reside in America, and I’m in my mid 40s, since I was a little kid I have always found my way to find books about Hinduism, and having the ability to perform certain Shaktis not being aware of them. Now as an adult I find relief, and the answers to my many questions which no other religion could even address, laughs is all I ever received from pastors, and preachers. In Hinduism I feel at home.
I have a couple of questions, I am a vegetarian, and I’m happily married to my wife whom I respect. No one else in my family is vegetarian, or practices Hinduism, and although they support my believe, practice, and love toward Hinduism we do not share the same eating habits, and there is a lot of meat been consumed in my home and around me, how can I handle this situation. Second question is tela te s ro my work, I am a stock trader, normally I start mu day with my yoga, Puja, and meditation, and then I begin my trading work. Is my work which I love doing, and which I have spent a long time training and learning in any way a violation of the rules.
Thank you for your answers.
Hare Krishna Luis
We don’t have to change our situation to be Krishna conscious. You can practice Krishna consciousness in your current situation and just follow the regulative principles yourself and chant the Hare Krishna mantra at least 16 rounds a day and read Srila Prabhupada’s books and keep on doing your work and Krishna will act in your life and give you the realization as to how He wants you to serve Him.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Haré Krishna Maduhdvisa Dasa,
Thank you for your response, I will do as you advised, I have been a devote of Paramahamsa Sri Nithyananda Swamiji, but although my love for him is always there, I feel something is not right, he is the light my prayers, and explanation to my confusion, he gave me the response I always sought for, and lastly, he is the reason I found myself under my crumbling world. Today I’m confused, I feel that there is more I need to find but he has initiated me and am I betraying him or my Lord SHIVA my wanting to know and follow HeadGod Krishna. Please tell what and how I should proceed, I feel the universe and only has given us the HeadGod in different occasions under different names, but, am I wrong by following my heart and wanting to learn what my heart feels is a must?
Thank you and I look forward to your kind response,
Nithyanandam!
Read Srila Prabhupada’s books. You will find all the answers you are looking for and much more in Prabhupada’s books.
https://krishnastore.com/books-srila-prabhupada-om-21_38.html
Hare Krishna Prabhuji, Dandawat Pranam🙏🏻I would like to inform you that I am chanting Mahamantra on Neem Japa Beads.But No Guru Diksha has been done yet.So my question is that:-Can Mahamantra be chant without Diksha?
Yes. Hare Krishna mahamantra always works. Read Srila Prabhupada’s books.
Hare Krishna ma’am
My question is, is it compulsory to do 16 mala everyday for beginners?
Hare krishna
Yes. Chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra is compulsory for anyone who wants to become Krishna conscious. It will not be possible to become Krishna conscious if we do not at least surrender to the four basic points: no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication and chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra.
Without these basic points there is no spiritual life, it is just imagination.
Hare krsna ! Can you pls tell me which japa mala is more auspicious for chanting mahamantra? Neem or tulsi japa mala
Tulsi. But only if you are strictly following the regulative principles. If not neem is better.
It can be difficult for me to chant the Hare Krishna mantra for longer than a few rounds even if I drink some water. My throat can become a bit sore. Are other mantras just as effective or should I try to work through the difficulty?
Hare Krishna Billy
Chant softly.
Thank-you. I am able to chant better and longer now.
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisnces
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Is it allowed to chant Hare Krishna on Tulasi beads before taking bath in the morning after passing stool? If not, then on Neem beads can we chant? Since I’m not initiated and I read in one of your comments that it is not recommended for non-initiated devotees, I feel I should be more careful about chanting on Tulasi beads. I always keep them in bead bag. I also water at least one Tulasi plant daily morning, circumambulate and offer obeisances daily.
Hare Krishna Aman
You can chant Hare Krishna any time in any condition. After all these years Aman why don’t you know this?
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Haribol!
Thank you so very much for being here to continue the Divine teachings of Swami Bhaktivedanta and Sri Krishna Caitanya. We are so blessed and lucky to have found this lineage still intact!
My question is in regard to praying directly to Swami Bhaktivedanta. Is it an offense to make my own prayer to him such as the following:
AUM namaste srīmate gosvāmī bhaktivedānta prabhu. Svāhā.
“Obeisances unto you all beautiful perfect master of the senses Bhaktivedanta. I surrender.”
I am attempting to teach myself Sanskrit using Swami Bhaktivedanta’s works, but I don’t wish to do it incorrectly.
Additionally, without being officially initiated in a ceremony, is it an offense to use the Gayatri mantra or the bīja mantra that I learned from the Srī Caitanya-Caritāmrta?
Finally, is it an offense to give oneself a spiritual name and a sacred thread? I am drawn to the notion of starting again in a sinless life as “second born”.
Thank you so much for answering our questions. I wish you eternal happiness and bliss in the continued service of the servants of Krishna. May it go on forever in love of Godhead.
Warmly,
Paul
Hare Krishna Paul
Yes. There is no point doing all these bogus things. You can’t initiate yourself. Forget all this rubbish and just READ SRILA PRABHUPADA’S BOOKS. STRICTLY FOLLOW THE 4 REGULATIVE PRINCIPLES [NO ILLICIT SEX, NO MEAT EATING, NO GAMBLING AND NO INTOXICATION] AND CHANT THE HARE KRISHNA MANTRA AT LEAST 16 ROUNDS EVERY DAY.
If you are not prepared to surrender and strictly follow these points at least there is no beginning of Krishna consciousness. So the point is we have to surrender and hear from Srila Prabhuapda and follow his instructions. That’s all. Don’t worry about anything else.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Madhudvisa dasa!
Thank you so much for your very quick response. I did not expect to get an answer so quickly.
With the utmost respect, you did not answer my question as to whether the prayer or the mantras were an offense. I understand your reasoning that all these things are bogus. I simply like them and wish to use them if they’re not an offense. This is in addition to the 16 rounds, the 4 regulative principles, and reading Prabhupāda’s books everyday. I learned about all of these things from his books and not from other online sources or ISKCON.
I truly am grateful for your guidance and willingness to answer our inquiries.
Wishing you very well,
Haribol
Paul
Hare Krishna Paul
You are only supposed to ask spiritual questions from someone that you have faith in, that they will give you the correct reply. We have to be humble and accept that we don’t know and approach someone who knows in that humble spirit. So my answer to your question is the answer I have already given. The things you think are nice are not authorized, they are your concoctions, and devotees who follow the Acaryas, who follow the authorized ways, they do not accept these concocted mantras, etc, even though you may compose some nice Sanskrit words, it is not authorized, for the mantras to be effective they have to be authorized and received from the proper source.
So you can not ask a question to a spiritual person and then say you don’t like the answer. You can request clarification if you don’t understand. But you can’t disagree with the answer. If you don’t have faith that the spiritual authority can properly answer your questions you should find someone that you do have faith in and ask them your questions.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Good morning Madhudvisa dasa.
I apologize that my last correspondence was received as insubordination. That was not my intention. You are correct that I sought more clarification. I went about it poorly. I do trust and value your teachings. I now understand that the kāma-gāyatrī and kāma-bīja as well as my prayer to Swami Bhaktivedānta are not offenses but are also not useful because they are not authorized.
I sincerely appreciate your time and response.
Thank you.
Warmly,
Paul
Hare Krishna hare Krishna Krishna Krishna hare hare hare ram hare ram ram ram hare hare. It’s very beautiful and inner peace
Hare Krishna Prabhu ji..
I want to start chanting with tulsi japa mala but i have some questions..
1. Is it mandatory that we must chant 16 rounds of TULSI japa mala daily..?
2. Also, can we chant with TULSI japa mala while being vegetarian only..?. means right now the situation is such that i can’t avoid to eat onion and garlic because they are everywhere in masalas and in almost all meals and i can’t convince my parents in home to avoid it.
Is it must that we should not chant with ‘TULSI’ japa mala while having these ingredients in meal. Please guide.. hare krishna .
Hare Krishna Prabhu
No. Chanting on tulsi mala is not essential and really is only recommended for initiated disciples. Better to start chanting on neem beads. They are also very very auspicious, Lord Caitanya was born underneath a neem tree.
The ‘must’ is chanting 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day. There is no ‘must’ for chanting on tulsi beads. And the other musts are no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication. Actually we should only accept Krishna prasadam, but if that is not possible for you in your current situation then at least you can still follow all these principles. There is always some imperfection in Kali-yuga but if you constantly chant Hare Krishna that will counteract the imperfections. But we can not commit sinful activities on the strength of chanting Hare Krishna, that is one of the ten offences in chanting the holy name. So we can not plan, that “I will do this sinful thing and later I will chant Hare Krishna and it will be counteracted.” This is offensive. But you are not doing that. Just do the best you can, Krishna understands your heart and understands you are trying your best to serve Him.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Should we wash our Tulasi japa mala with soap?
No. It should be soaked in oil when you first get it for some days, that will preserve it and make it strong, and then it should not need washing much but if you want to wash water will be sufficient.
Hare Krishna Prabhu! Tulasi japa mala that is older can also be soaked in oil or only new one?
Yes. Older one can be soaked in oil also.
Hare krishna
Kindly tell me how could I get rosary bag and holy book to enchant online here on India.
Thnx
We have Indian Krishna Store, you can get it there:
https://krishnastore.in/
Hare krishna prabhu
I wanted to know if the book distributions are still going on even in this situation of pandemic, as i am willing to make a little donation for the same, to the paypal link that you provided –
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Yes Prabhu, the book distribution is going on. We are distributing a lot of books on https://krishna.org and we have a lot of big printing projects in the works that we desperately need help with. And now restrictions are being removed so the street book distribution is starting up again and we are looking forward to a very big Summer of Book Distribution in 2020.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I also want to know the link through which I can make donations for book printing. Please let me know.
Hare Krishna Aman Prabhu
Thank you very much Prabhu, it would be a great help.
As I wrote in a previous comment I am hoping to get a proper donation, support system up and running at something like support.krishna.org or donate.krishna.org or something, you can suggest what you think would be a good URL. And I am hoping to get that up and running in the coming week.
Have you set this donation page up so I can donate for book printing?
No. I have not Prabhu. We don’t print the books. We purchase them from the publisher and we sell them to the distributors and the general public. We don’t make any profit, actually we make a loss on selling to the distributors, and we dramatically subsudise shipping cost, particularly for overseas orders. But it is going on. We need distributors to purchase the books.
The real problem is not printing, it is distributing. So what’s the point of collecting millions of dollars in donations to print books if you can’t distribute them?
So a much more practical thing from your side would be to purchase cases of Srila Prabhupada’s books from KrishnaStore.com:
https://krishnastore.com/books-wholesale-om-21_37.html
And distribute them. Work out how to distribute them yourself in the in the area where you live. Spend your money on the books and spend your time and energy and money distributing them. Even if you pay someone to distribute them, you know. You will get a return, the books sell for a lot more than they cost. So use your brain and energy and work out how to DISTRIBUTE Prabhupada’s original books.
So please Prabhu think of how to distribute Prabhuapda’s original books yourself, make a plan, purchase the books from KrishnaStore.com and distribute them. That is the best solution.
We need more distributors, then the distributors will purchase the books, more books will be printed and the distributors will buy them and distribute them. That is the loop we have to develop. So it is book distributors we need. If we have the distributors then there is no problem getting the Laksmi to print the books.
This idea of donating to print books is for the Christians, they are printing books no one is interested in purchasing. Prabhupada’s books, however, are in great demand, all you have to do is explain a little about the wonderful things inside Prabhuapda’s books, they will buy it, they will pay good money for it, and as soon as they read something in Prabhupada’s books they will like it, and they will come back for more books…
In the case of Prabhupada’s books the public are more than happy to pay a reasonable price for them, but it requires some sincere devotees to dedicate their time and energy to go out and just offer the books to the people and describe a little bit about the wonderful things inside Prabhupada’s books and just ask them if they can leave a bit of a contribution to help with the printing cost.
They are glad to get Prabhupada’s books and very happy to pay for the printing cost.
Hare Krishna Prabhu! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to your service!
I would also like to make donations (monthly, in fact) for original Srila Prabhupada book distribution. I had sent a while back a small donation to test the PayPal link and had asked (through PayPal) to know if it was received successfully before making it monthly but did not get a reply so stopped.
Also, there seem to be some technical glitches in KrishnaConnect.com. Are there plans to fix them? Or if I could work part-time on (I have experience in coding for my job but not HTML specifically but maybe can learn that) or maybe pay for it separately, to be fixed?
Thanks,
Haribol!
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Yes. We have to start a system for devotees to contribute to help print Srila Prabhupada’s books and to develop the websites. So many websites we have like KrishnaConnect.com, PrabhupadaBooks.com, AsItIs.com, KrsnaBook.com, this of course: Krishna.org, and of course KrishnaStore.com, and many others, and many ideas for many new sites as well. But we need technical people to work on them and develop them. We need to employ actually a team of designers and programmers.
So we need to get contributions from devotees who can help us to print and distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books and to develop the websites. So I am planning to start maybe support.krishna.org for devotees who can help support these projects.
Generally speaking, if you are not specifically experienced in the system that KrsihnaConnect.com is built on, it would be quite difficult for you to work on it. But there are experts, who know the particular system very well, and we can employ them, for a reasonable amount, and get the work done.
So we need the funding to pay the workers. And then we need to specify exactly what the problems are that need to be fixed, what improvements we need to make, etc. So you can certainly help with that. If you can work out exactly what problems there are on KrishnaConnect.com and exactly what new functionality we need to add, that would be very helpful. Because if we employ people to do the work then we have to very exactly specify what work we want them to do.
So I will try and get this support site up and running in the coming week and we can try to get devotees to contribute.
Actually there are hundreds of projects we need to do and they can be done because these days there are so many contractors out there looking for work, and we can find the skills we need, and generally quite reasonably priced, it just needs organisation and funding. So I can organize if devotees can provide the funding. And together we could do truly wonderful things for Srila Prabhupada and Krishna.
So I will work on this and get it started in the coming week and we shall see how it develops.
Thank you very much for your suggestions Prabhu.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu! Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Thank you very much for your reply. I look forward to that donation website. Yes, any website about Krishna is means to preach His glories and should be developed.
About technical problems for KrishnaConnect.com, this is what I noticed from my end:
1) Comments to posts are cut off after a specific number of characters.
2) Only a fixed number of posts are showing up.
3) Some posts cannot be liked or commented upon. It is understandable that sometimes the author may disable comments but I think it should still be able to be liked.
4) Hyperlinks do not show up properly in a post – there are ‘>’ characters, etc.
5) There are Unicode symbols like \ud83d \ude4f in comments which do not show up as proper characters.
Haribol!
Hare Krishna Prabhu
I will try and get this started soon. Right now I do not have the time personally to do all the things that need to be done on all the different websites so I have to somehow solve this problem in the near future.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu!
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Prabhu, there were 3 interesting conversations that came up in Krishnaconnect in which regard I humbly beg you to clarify. I would be really grateful.
1. Prabhu, Rath Yatra in India has been cancelled and I thought that it was sensible. Risking life unnecessarily (mass gatherings), I thought isn’t good since we must use it for Krishna’s service. If we get corona and die, then isn’t that insensible? While we can miss it (rath yatra) just once taking into account the current situation and use this life for much greater service in the future when things get better.
But is that wrong? Another devotee was of the opinion that the service of Lord Jagannath should be continued, in spite of material inconveniences of birth, death, old age, and disease and that acting for Krishna and dying while remembering Krishna is not an ‘unnecessary’ risk of ‘life’ and also that there is a great possibility we can go back to Godhead. Moreover, service to Krishna is eternal and never lost, even if we die.
Could I humbly ask you to clarify this.
Also Prabhu, in this regard, I had this doubt about book distribution. Does that also mean, despite the amount of contact involved in book distribution, we go ahead and continue distributing, but not wait for this pandemic to get over in spite of the risks involved?
2. Another interesting discussion was regarding Krishna’s “sanction” and Krishna’s “desire”. I thought that rath yatra being cancelled might be Krishna’s desire. But another devotee clarified that “It is true that everything is happening as per Krishna’s sanction, but that does not mean Krishna desires it. That would mean He desires all the evil deeds of the world. But no, it is our desire to disobey God that keeps us stuck in the material world, and Krishna is forced to sanction that. He desires everyone to go back to Godhead and live a life of eternity, knowledge, and bliss.”
Prabhu, this was very enlightening. So Krishna’s desire and sanction are totally different as per what I understood?
3. Finally Prabhu, there are many videos of other (other than Srila Prabhupada) devotees singing. Including on Krishnakirtan, Youtube, or even the video you shared “New Hare Krishna World Part 2”. Are we absolutely not supposed to hear these as there is no guarantee that they are pure devotees. While we are supposed to hear only pure devotees like Srila Prabhupada chanting?
Please forgive me for my ignorance and offenses or if I have annoyed you in any way. I am extremely foolish and fallen.
Your humble servant eternally,
Rukmini.
Hare Krishna Rukmini
As far as corona virus not many are dying actually. It is mainly old people who would die anyhow and people who are already sick with other things.
It is a great over-reaction and this virus is similar to a bad flu season.
But yes, ultimately everything goes on with the sanction of Krishna. It is karma ultimately. People are suffering because they have forgotten Krishna and have become sinful, totally materialistic, no longer worshipping God. So naturally they will suffer in so many ways more and more as they forget Krishna more and more.
Krishna does not desire these things, but we deserve them. We create all these bad things with our sinful activities and these bad things are the reactions to our sinful activities. So it is all created by us, not by Krishna.
As far as hearing from other devotees singing, yes, most are not pure devotees. So generally we should hear from Srila Prabhupada.
New Hare Krishna World, I shared it because it shows some world-wide preaching activities that were going on in ISKCON. These things have mostly stopped now, but we should not forget that our business is preaching, Sankirtan, chanting publicly:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Yes. The worship of Krishna should go on even if some people have got the flu.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Prabhu, I have one last request if you could kindly grant me. Please don’t chastise me.
Prabhu, I have always felt Srila Prabhupada by my side. And he is my eternal father doubtlessly.
Yet, I was always guided by you on my journey to being Krishna Conscious since I was small. And when I felt all alone in Srila Prabhupada’s service whether it be distributing Srila Prabhupada’s books or anything else, you always encouraged me SO MUCH! All along I knew you were there. I won’t drag much Prabhu, but I humbly desire one thing. Just like Srila Prabhupada, could you please remain by me always. I am afraid I don’t want to lose my best friends who were always by me.
Also, if I could be of some service to you, however trivial or cumbersome, please let me know and I would be the happiest to render it.
And yes Prabhu, extremely excited to be back distributing books! As long as life exists book distribution shall continue!
And hopefully one day road sankirtan as well!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Your humble servant eternally,
Rukmini
Yes. Just keep chanting Hare Krishna at least 16 rounds a day, read Prabhupada’s books, and preach, distribute books. That is all.
Hare Krishna! Chanting Hare Krishna is so powerful it brings you back to Krishna Consciousness from the most fallen conditions of miserable material life.
Hare krishna prabhuji, I’m oliver I want ask something if like everyday I just chanting 108 times day and night according to my time it’s not good? The second question ( if I don’t have a bead beg I can use only bead to chant, and what is the benefit of chanting mahamatra? There is not another prayer to pray or to ask lord krishna for his Devine help example for protection or when u sick, et..
Hare Krishna Oliver
We have to come to the point of chanting at least 16 rounds a day, that is 16 x 108 times of:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
And yes, you can chant on the beads without a bead bag. And benefit of chanting maha-mantra is that Krishna and His names are identical. So when you are chanting Hare Krishna mantra you are directly personally associating with Krishna. So it is very nice, to associate with Krishna personally like this. And association is very powerful. We develop the qualities of the people we associate with. So if we associate with Krishna by constantly chanting Hare Krishna then we will gradually develop all the good qualities of Krishna. We, the spirit souls, are parts and parcels of Krishna. So it is like a tiny spec of gold and a gold mine. There may be millions of tons of gold in the mind but a very small amount of gold in the spec, however the spec of gold and the tons of gold in the mine share the same qualities. Similarly we, the spirit souls, are qualitatively the same as Krishna, and we constitutionally have most of the qualities of Krishna. But these good qualities have become covered by our many lives of sinful activities in the material world. However by chanting this Hare Krishna maha mantra our hearts are cleansed and we can revive our original dormant spiritual qualities. So this is the power of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra.
Devotees do not ask Krishna for anything. Devotees know that Krishna is quite aware of their situation and they accept whatever tribulations that may come as Krishna’s mercy and do not ask Krishna to change anything. The Hare Krishna mantra can be translated as “Please Krishna engage me in Your service.” So that is all a devotee wants, to be engaged in the service of Krishna, and that is his only prayer.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhuji.
Should Panch Tattva Mantra be chanted on Krishna Bead?
No. We don’t chant on Krishna Bead.
HARE KRSNA PRABHUJI
MY QUESTION IS THAT IS IT IS NECCESARRY TO CHANT THE HOLY NAMES OF LORD ON BEAD OF JAPA MALA AFTER TAKING BATH?
No. You can chant Hare Krishna mantra anywhere, in any situation.
For the japa mala if it is tulsi beads then you should have some respect like keep in the bead bag for protection and at least you can wash your hands before chanting if they are not clean, etc. But the point is to chant Hare Krishna always. So that point we should not miss. So the point is to chant Hare Krishna, materially sometimes you may not be completely clean and pure, but that should not stop us from chanting Hare Krishna. The chanting of Hare Krishna is so powerful that it will purify any condition we find ourselves in.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Prabhu, should we have to chant along with Prabhupada’s 16 rounds chanting audio record at first. Is it not possible if we chant alone… I had been able to only like once or twice but fall down now totally. Sorry I don’t chant even one round now
You can play the Prabhupada japa tape while you chant or you can chant Hare Krishna also without the japa tape. It is up to you; whatever you find best. But main point is to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day and strictly follow the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication)
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Prabhu, can we make up rounds of more than one previous day? And can one do extra rounds for the next day if one knows he will not be able to do 16 rounds on next day/days? I try my best to complete at least 16 rounds every day until 12 midnight Prabhu but sometimes I’m not able to do it then I complete it on next day. Pls tell me Prabhu if this is allowed by Srila Prabhupada.
Yes
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Prabhu, has Prabhupada allowed to complete rounds on the next day by doing extra rounds if one could not complete 16 rounds on the previous day? Is it not a fall down if one completes rounds on the next day?
Yes. Prabhupada permitted catching up on the next day, but we should organize to chant 16 rounds every day, that is the vow we take, and we should do it. But if it happens and we can not then we should catch up.
Hare Krishna Prabhu ji Dandavat Pranam
By the grace of all the Vaishanv, Shri Guru Maharaj, Srila Prabhupad ji, Shri Shri Radharas Biharji, my wife has given birth to Krishna Das (Baby Boy) on Tuesday night. Please blessing to my entire family for we receive the blessings of Srimati Radharani and we can serve Guru Gaurang with devotion. Prabhuji can you also suggest the name for baby.
It is so wonderful to chant rounds, to hear the word and feel how it transforms to a sweet vibration in the mind and in all the body, indeed.
Jaya srila Prabhupada the living true Guru for occident, jaya Gouranga who has come for us and be aware of bugus gurus and cheap “bakhtas” because they are among us in great number.
Hare Krishna Prabhu!
I am a school student. So, right now, I am able to chant only 3 rounds daily, as I have a lot of work. But I am definitely planning to chant 16 rounds when I grow up.
Is this Ok?
Better to get up earlier in the morning and chant 16 rounds now. There is no guarantee we will still be here tomorrow. Life is short and we do not know when ours will end. So we have to train ourselves to be always remembering Krishna, never forgetting Krishna, and the beginning of this is chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily. So start doing it now and adjust the other things in your life around this.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji
How to stop sense gratification in our daily life. which is the best method for that.
your servent
Gour Vigraha Nath Das
All gloreist to A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupad
The only way for us to stop sense gratification is by being practically engaged in working for Krishna. We have to keep ourselves so busy working for Krishna that we have no time to think about sense gratification. That is the only way. We can not stop working. We just have to change from working for maya to working for Krishna.
Thank you for the information, very clear and understandable, as always, hari bol !!
Hare krishna prabhu ji.
I am arranged married with non devotee girl, with out any inform to my spiritual master. and now i will be become father after two months, but my wife chant the mahamantra on beads only 5 to 8 rounds alternate days becuse she has not felling well for some time due to pregnancy.
So what can i do this offence and can i introduce to her to my guru maharaj at this level.
please guide me prabhuji.
Your servent
Gour Vigraha natha Das
Hare Krishna Prabhu
It is OK, she is your wife now and having your son. So you need to guide her and yourself become strong in Krishna consciousness and if you are strong devotee you can help and guide your wife. Women are not so strong as men and many not always be able to follow everything so strictly. But you become strong and you follow strictly and give your wife support and encouragement.
Your guru should understand these things. If she is chanting on beads, then she is not a non-devotee. She is obviously at least favorable towards Krishna consciousness and if you, as her husband, become very pukka and fixed up devotee, then she will naturally follow you. So there is no need to do anything at this time that would cause your wife any unnecessary strain or stress. So it may be better to leave introducing her to your guru to after she has had your child. Pregnant woman is a delicate situation and in that situation you want to keep her comfortable and not introduce any extra stress, etc.
So I think just encourage her in Krishna consciousness. Read to her from Prabhupada’s books. Encourage her to chant as much as she feels comfortable chanting. And don’t worry. Whatever we have done in the past is already done and we can not change that. But we can change the future. So look to the future for a nice family life with your wife and children and try to make it a Krishna conscious household.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Thank you so much prabhuji.
Hare Krishna
Hare krishna Prabhuji, What will be do if we are forget the remaining japa, for example i m done my 12rounds outof 16 but 4 rounds i dont reminder when i was gone to my home, i was complete forget.
So what sacrifices for these most offence. Please guide me prabhu.
Your Servent
Gourvigraha nath Das (Girija Shankar Soni)
Hare Krishna Prabhu
If for some reason you miss some rounds on one day then chant extra rounds on the next day.
We should never miss. It is not difficult to chant 16 rounds. We have 24 hours to do it and it only takes about 3 hours, that leaves us with 21 hours for doing other things. So there is no excuse for not chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day. But if it happens sometimes then just make up for the the next day, chant 20 rounds the next day, or today, if you have not made them up yet.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare krishna prabhu
I have read the whole bhagavad gita as it is(1972) of srila prabhupada.
Now as you have said earlier somewhere that the process is read prabhupada’s books again and again, so i want to know that is it good to begin the book from some random chapter again, like I liked chapter 6 very much. So can I begin the entire book again from chapter 6 or say chapter 2 as chapter 1 is only description of the scene?
Or can i randomly read some chapter again to get more clear understanding of it?
Also i want to read some of this book daily as it keeps me motivated for Hare Krishna chanting everyday and prevents any bad and unfavorable thoughts from entering into my mind.
Your answer will be very valuable!!
Best to go back to the beginning and read the whole Bhagavad-gita again. You may prefer this chapter or that chapter. But that is our imperfect perception. Whole Bhagavad-gita is wonderful. We are not reading Prabhupada’s books for our enjoyment, we are not just going to pick the chapters we like and skip over the chapters we don’t like. That is the wrong mood. Our mood should be to submissively hear everything.
I suggest if possible you start again from the beginning and read it aloud, including chanting the Sanskrit verses aloud. In this way you will be hearing and chanting the Gita which is far more powerful than just reading in your mind.
And of course you need to make a program to read all of Prabhupada’s other books as well.
Hare krishna.. prabhu g.. i want to ask if i can chant sitting on bed… it makes my back pain more horrible if i chant on floor.. n as being pregnant it becomes more tough to sit on floor
Yes. You can chant Hare Krishna anywhere and at any time. There are no hard and fast rules about where you chant Hare Krishna. Just make sure you chant the Hare Krishna mantra every day at least 16 rounds. It doesn’t matter where you sit. Just make sure you chat at least 16 rounds every day…
Hare Krishna prabhu
I just came to know that in Krishnastore.com bhagavad gita along with guide to self realization and beyond birth and death is being sold. This bhagavad gita has 44 color plates.
The same bhagavad gita(1972) is being sold there which has 48 color plates(it is mentioned there).
So is there difference between the two books as first one has only 44plates and purport of very few verses are absent in the book??
The book is identical to original 1972 printing. All the same color plates, there are only 44, and all the same text, exactly the same… Just read it…
pamho agtacbsp nice article you may be don’t believe me but I been chanting 64 rounds daily of maha mantra hare krsna for many years did books distribution in india italy london etc…i was young at that time and used to do a lot service not just sankirtan i became chef in two govinda restaurants one in Milan city and the other one in Soho street n.10 yes was a different time place and circumstances nowadays I do just manasa seva gayatri three times daily guru like mangal artic etc.. like in the temple may be stop to pray verbally but I been trying seriously with 16 rounds to Sri narasimha deva and 16 to maha mantra hare krsna and I lost some faith because the female ghost in my yard sent to me by citesvara didn’t go away is still in my room even by chanting 16 rounds to Sri narasimha deva and 16 to maha mantra hare krsna I recite snsdk most of time anyway I hope to get back my lost loulyam kalatvam spiritual creepiness by keeping going manasa seva thank for the nice newsletter after ys acsd haribol
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada! Very nice. I also spent some time in Soho St temple and I am very attached to Sri Sri Radha Londonisvara. They are the first Radha-Krishna deities I ever saw. ‘
The thing is maya is very strong and once we are out of the association of devotees it can become very difficult for us to maintain our spiritual routine. And as soon as we slip a little it does not take long for maya to cover us over and we start acting like materialists again.
But the great fortune is that whatever devotional service we have ever performed is our eternal asset. Nothing we have ever done for Krishna and Srila Prabhupada is ever lost or forgotten. So, no matter how fallen we may have become, it is very easy for us to quickly regain whatever highest status of Krishna consciousness we ever achieved and continue advancing from that point. All we have to do is force ourselves to get out of bed before 4:00 in the mornings, chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day, strictly follow the four regulative principles and read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day.
‘
Prabhupada’s books are full of instructions for us to surrender to Krishna and serve Krishna. So we have to become engaged in some practical service for the pleasure of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. So we need to read Prabhupada’s books and understand exactly what service it is that Srila Prabhupada wants us to render. And then we have to surrender to Srila Prabhupada and render that service.
And if we are fully engaged in the service of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna like this and at the same time getting out of bed before 4:00 AM and chanting at least 16 rounds and following the four regulative principles and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books then maya and all her attendant ghosts and spirits will vanish, and we will be very ecstaticly engaged in Krishna consciousness..
It is up to us, we can suffer in maya or surrender to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna and swim in the ocean of bliss that is Krishna sankirtana…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna,
Can I chant Hare Krishna on others beads, example my sister is chanting Hare Krishna can I chant on the same beads which she chanted.
Yes. Chant Hare Krishna somehow or other. But you can get your own beads also if you are serious about chanting Hare Krishna. Why not get your own beads?
Hare Krishna Prabhu!
Dandavat pranam
Can I keep the beads or the bead bag on some paper or cloth which is kept on the floor, while chanting and can I keep the beads in some book while chanting? Mostly I have to hide the beads while chanting so I cannot chant like devotees in temple do. But I’m not sure if it is right to do.
Hare Krishna Aman
Yes. You can. The point of bead bag is to protect the beads. So there is no problem really if bead bag touches the ground, although many ISCKCON devotees will have a fit if they see it. But if you watch the videos of Srila Prabhupada offering obeisances to the deities in the temples you will see he lets his bead bag, with his beads inside touch the floor. You can not actually put the beads on the floor or take them into the bathroom or let them touch your feet, etc. But certainly you can make some arrangement to chant on them and if you need to put some paper on the floor and put the beads on that to chant on them that is OK.
We have to see the real point. And the real point is that we have to vow to chant at least 16 rounds a day. And the beads are a way of counting the number of rounds we have chanted. Also chanting on tulsi beads is very auspicious and helpful because Srimati Tulsi Devi is a pure devotee of Krishna so we are associating with her while chanting on tulsi beads so that is helpful.
So the real point is to chant Hare Krishna and count the number of rounds we have chanted. So you can adjust the details while still not actually putting the beads on the ground, etc. But you can put them on the ground inside the bead bag if you have to, or cover the ground with something and put the beads on that if you have to.
Devotees are supposed to take their beads with them everywhere and always chant on them but some demons in ISKCON stress so much on this importance of protecting the beads that they end up leaving their beads at home or in the temple, in fear of making some offense… This is and example of totally missing the point. The point is to keep the japa beads with us always and always chant Hare Krishna on them 24 hours a day. Kirtaniya sada hari. Also we are supposed to read the Bhagavatam 24 hours a day, nityam bhagavata sevaya. So we should aim for this. 24 hours a day engaged in Krishna consciousness. Either reading Prabhupada’s books, chanting Hare Krishna, preaching to others, speaking Krishna katha, cooking for Krishna, etc, etc, etc. Somehow we have to make a program in our lives so all the time, 24 hours a day, we are engaged in remembering Krishna, serving Krishna.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu!
Thank you very much. Now I have no doubts on chanting on beads. You have made everything very clear. I only have faith in your words. I have no contact with any other advanced devotees. Neither I can ascertain who is advanced and who is demon. I’m getting from you everything I need to take shelter of Srila Prabhupada. So I will not go anywhere else now.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji,
I have a doubt if I can chant the Maha mantra on beads when I have my periods.?
I don’t know, you will have to ask some mataji what is the standard for this. I know the matajis do not go on the alter during that time but obviously we have to chant Hare Krishna 16 rounds a day on beads in any case. The point is we can chant Hare Krishna anywhere, even in a totally unclean place. So there is no rule that you have to be clean to chant Hare Krishna. You can chant Hare Krishna in any situation. Certainly if you have a set of Neem beads you can chant on them in any situation. Tulsi we have to respect and keep clean. So obviously you can not stop chanting Hare Krishna, I don’t know what the matajis do, but if you feel you are not clean enough at this time to touch the Tulsi beads then get a set of neem beads and chant on them during this time.
Hare Krishna Prabhu!
Should we start chanting from the first bead if someone interrupts while chanting even if we have the japa beads in the hand or should we continue from the bead where we start? I have read one comment of yours in which you said we we only chant complete rounds so that I do by starting the round all over again if someone interrupts but when this happens very often then it takes a lot of time to complete 16 rounds. I hear Prabhupada and devotees chanting on beads during morning walk so I think we can continue chanting after speaking to someone if it is important but we should start all over again if we have left the beads from our hand. But I’m not sure what to do Prabhu. Please help.
Yes. You can keep on chanting if you still have your hands on the beads.
Hare Krishna Prabhuji!
Dandavat Pranam
Is there any such rule that one’s back should not be moving back and forth while chanting on beads? This I heard from two people here but it seems to be some ‘created’ by non-bonafide gurus. Please confirm this.
Hare Krishna Aman
Yes. They have created so many bogus rules and regulations.
No. There are no hard and fast rules when chanting Hare Krishna, that is Lord Caitainya’s declaration.
You can walk up and down, you can sit and chant, you can do anything really. The point is to chant and hear the Hare Krishna mantra attentively. That’s all.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhuji.
Thank you very much for confirming this.
Pranam guruji
What are the 10 offences in chanting hare Krishna mahamantra and why.
I had been chanting 16 rounds hare Krishna mahamantra without pancha tatva and pranam mantra as it was not made known to me.
I am knowing this from this news mail send to me yesterday.
I will be happy to know in details . so i can correct myself.
Pranam guruji
Hare krisna
Hare Krishna Sandip
Please read Srila Prabhupada’s ‘Nectar of Devotion’. You will find he spends Chapter 8 and 9 explaining the offenses in regard to chanting the Hare Krishna mantra and he explains it so much better than I could. So please read Srila Prabhupada’s books.
https://krishnastore.com/the-nectar-of-devotion-1972-edition-h-krishna-410.html
Hare Krishna Prabhuji
If one cannot chant 16 rounds for some days then can he complete those rounds in another few days? Suppose if one can chant only 8 rounds for 1 month then if he chants 24 rounds for next one month, will it be all right?
Anything is all right. But if you want to become Krishna conscious we have to surrender to the basic points at least: chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day, strictly follow the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication] and read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day. This is the beginning point of Krishna consciousness.
Hare Krishna Prabhu!
I’m realizing how important these basic points are. When I’m not following them I’m harassed by maya and as soon as I start following again everything is fine. I hope to become regular. I don’t want to remain in this material world for long. It is full of miseries. By Srila Prabhupada’s grace I’m realizing these things.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Hari bol!
Hare Krishna Aman
Yes. Me too. Maya is terrible and Krishna consciousness is wonderful. But maya is very expert at tricking us into her traps..
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna,
Thank you for the mail I’m receiving from you regularly. It’s really helpfull.
I would like to ask something if you could answer.
Well, I would like to know the rules for both Ekadasi and Dvadasi.
Like what we have to do, what is forbiden (not mentionning the food to eat) and what is the real practice.
Because I’ve read that one couldn’t sleep the day, eat just once in dvadasi, not brush the teeth, etc ….
thanks in advance to consider my question
Kind regards
Hare Krishna Jitesh
The point of Ekadasi is that it is a day which is very auspicious for the performance of devotional service. So on the ekadasi day the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra is more powerful and devotional service performed on the ekadasi day gives more benefit than on other days. So the point of ekadasi is to INCREASE CHANTING HARE KRISHNA, INCREASE READING PRABHUPADA’S BOOKS and INCREASE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE.
So on ekadasi we need to spend more time chanting Hare Krishna, and more time reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. So to get this extra time we need to sleep less and eat less. So the best thing is to not eat at all on ekadasi. We spend so much time eating normally and eating makes us tired and then we want to sleep. So on the ekadasi day we need to avoid eating and sleeping as much as possible so we can increase our chanting of Hare Krishna and reading.
That is the point of ekadasi.
Best thing is to eat nothing. But if we can not do that then we must fast at least from grains. But the idea is to minimize the eating as much as possible, eat nothing if possible. Because eating takes time and makes us sleepy, and we don’t want to waste time on the ekadasi day.
We do not observe anything special on the Dvadasi day except we break the ekadasi fast at breakfast time by accepting some grain prasadam.
So ekadasi rules are to minimize eating as much as possible, don’t eat anything if possible, and if you have to eat something then at least fast from grains. And increase your chanting of Hare Krishna and reading from Srila Prabhupada’s books and devotional service…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna,
Many thanks for your answer.
I’ve another question if I may ask you.
I would like to know the position of ISKCON about the vaganism.
In the veganism, all human uses about animals products is prohibited.
Is it right to do so?
Because, can’t drink milk and offer it to Krishna, wear leather products.
Thank you to consider my question.
Kind regards
Veganism is nonsense. Devotees are not vegans and vegans can not be devotees.
Devotee means he surrenders to Krishna. He accepts only Krishna Prasadam. And all Krishna prasadam has milk products in it. And veganism is a rubbish unsatisfying diet.
90% of vegans end up giving it up because it is an unsatisfying diet and they become meat eaters again.
So we are not vegans, devotees are not vegans. It is all American speculation, nonsense.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Der MAdhuvisa, which is the meaning fo the number of 108 x 16 chants oh the Maha Matra ‘Hare Krishna Hara Krishna, Hara Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama, HAre Rama , Hara Hare’.
Have this number any special or spiritual meaning?
Thank You very much
Krishna Blesses You!!!!
Nora
Krishna has 108 principal gopis and there are 108 Upanisads. These are the two things I have heard in this regard.
I have been wondering what 16 rounds consists of. Now, I know. Thank you for this information.
Theses words prabhu are not only spiritually informative, but also, serve as a Divine reminder for us. Besides, it’s very inspiring and uplifting. Please continue sending me like this. Thank you so much!
Thank you very much.
Hare Krishna, prabuji…When I start the “Hare Krishna” chant, do I need to do this below before I chant each round each time?? It this mandatory??
(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.
Hare Krishna Damien
(1) That is Srila Prabhupada’s pranam mantras. So we need to offer obeisances to Srila Prabhupada regularly. So that means bowing down in front of Srila Prabhupada, dandavat, and chanting these two mantras. So we have to do this at least 3 times daily and generally much more. For example when we get out of bed we will first offer our obeisances to Srila Prabhupada, on entering the temple we will offer our obeisances to Srila Prabhupada, before kirtan or aroti we chant these Prabhupada pranam mantras first and at the end we offer obeisances to Srila Prabhupada and chant his pranam mantras.
But we don’t chant them before each round of the Hare Krishna mantra.
(2) This is Panca-Tattva mana-mantra. This needs to be chanted before chanting Hare Krishna because Lord Caitanya is very merciful and does not consider any offense. There are offenses considered in the chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra but there are no offenses considered in chanting the Panca-Tattva mantra. So devotees always chant Panca-Tattva mantra before chanting Hare Krishna mantra. Many devotees [including me] chant this Panca-Tattva mantra before each round of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. It is not mandatory. As far as I know Srila Prabhupada did not do it. But it is mandatory to chant the Panca-Tattva mantra before chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. So if you do not chant it before each round you need to chant it before starting chanting. So I chant Panca-Tattva mantra once before chanting each round and I think most other devotees do this also.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna, Madhuvisa! Sorry, I’m confused…So, is it mandatory to chant the Panca-Tattva mantra or no? I’m confused with what you wrote below:-
“Many devotees [including me] chant this Panca-Tattva mantra before each round of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. IT IS NOT MANDATORY (caps mine). As far as I know Srila Prabhupada did not do it. But IT IS MANDATORY (caps mine) to chant the Panca-Tattva mantra before chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. So if you do not chant it before each round you need to chant it before starting chanting.”
Yes. You have to chant Panca-Tattva maha-mantra mantra before chanting Hare Krishna maha-mantra. So just do it.
Hare krishna prabhuji, i wanted to know after what time it is considered to be a “next day” . I wanted to know this in case i need to carry forward leftover rounds to the next day. We all know according to english calendar, next day starts after 12:00 am midnight. What about Vaishnav calendar?
Have Krishna. We can use the same standard. Next day is after midnight. But we should chant 16 rounds every day. If it is not possible for some reason then we need to chant the extra rounds the next day. Don’t complicate things. This is a very simple instruction. Just follow it.
Hare Krishna!
Comments section of Krishna.org is the best place for neophytes to find their answers. This question was in my mind for many days and I have stumbled upon this comment today to find my answer. Like this, I have found many answers.
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances.
Dandavat Pranam
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
In regards to chanting, when we chant on Japa Mala- if there is mistake in direction of chanting like anticlockwise instead of clockwise is there any offences? I often make this mistake. Just like I chant 3 rounds-clockwise-anticlockwise-clockwise, then after some time by mistake again chant clockwise. Will it be counted as offence?
Yours servant
Hrishikesh
Hare Krishna Hrishikesh
The point is to count the number of times you are chanting Hare Krishna to make sure that you are chanting at least 16 rounds every day.
So it is not an offense…
But how can you make this mistake? There is one large bead and 108 small beads and you just keep chanting Hare Krishna until you bump into the large bead and then you just reverse direction until you bump into the large bead again and then reverse direction, etc.. So I can not understand how you can do it any other way. But it does not matter what direction you chant on the beads. The point is it is a mechanism so you can keep track of how many rounds you have chanted.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances
Dandavat Pranam
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Thank you very much for your blessings and your kind reply.
I make the mistake in direction when I chant my rounds in parts during the whole day- some rounds in the Brahma muhurta then remaining rounds during the day. I forget which direction I chanted my last round in the morning. But if I chant the rounds in one sitting then I never make any mistake.
It doesn’t matter what direction you chant your rounds in. Just make sure you chant at least 16 rounds every day. Yes. Best thing chant 16 rounds all at once early in the morning but sometimes this is not possible so you have to chant 16 rounds during the day. And it does not matter which direction you chant them in… And if you do chant 16 rounds in the morning don’t stop chanting. We should be chanting Hare Krishna 24 hours a day. That is the goal. So if you chant 16 the chant another 16… Of course if you do not have service. We have to preach. We have to distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books. So many things we have to do. We have to cook for Krishna, we have to clean the temple of Krishna. So all these things can be accompanied by the chanting of Hare Krishna also.
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances.Dandavat Pranam
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
I presently am unable to offer any service.
I will chant more than 16 rounds daily.
Chanting Hare Krishna is also service, it is a prayer “Please Krishna engage me in Your service.” So if you keep chanting Hare Krishna Krishna will offer you some service. So then you can do it.
Hare krishna
is there a difference between chanting with or without the first 2 steps? hare krishna and rama are easy to say but the other words I find difficult.thanks
You have to chant the whole mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
It is very easy. If you find difficulty just practice and you will find it easy after practicing for ten minutes…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
There are in reality only the three words you said in the mantra: Hare, Krishna, Rama.
Hare Krishna Prabhu.
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
I have just recently brought a set of digital japa finger counter from krishnastore…And I am feeling very convenient to chant on them. Otherwise the surrounding people especially the college students disturb me very much. I do chant on my neem beads in the morning at least 1 round and other times in the day I chant on my japa clickerclicker. Is it OK to do so?
I have seen the discussions about this matter in krishnastore but I didnot come to any conclusion.
Prabhu please tell me if I am doing the right thing.
Hare Krishna Hrishikesh
Yes. It is OK. The important thing is to chant the Hare Krishna mantra at least 16 rounds a day. Although it is best to chant on japa beads the beads are really only a system to keep track of the number or rounds we have chanted. The main point is to chant the Hare Krishna mantra and keep track of the number of rounds we have chanted. So if the digital counter is making it more convenient to chant at college then that is very good. No problems.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu
All glories to Srila Prabhupada
Please accept my humble obeisances
Prabhu, if someone interrupts during chanting and I leave without completing the round should I start again from the beginning?
Yes. If you get interrupted you can start chanting again at the beginning. Or if you can not bear to to that at this stage you can keep your place and keep chanting. The main thing is to chant Hare Krishna. These are little details only. Main thing is to be determined to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day and actually do it.
if we are able to do just one round of chant in a day is it ok.
Hare Krishna Viswanath
Yes. Something is better than nothing. But the idea is to increase always. That is the spiritual nature. Krishna consciousness is anandam buddhi vardhanam, an ever-increasing ocean of transcendental bliss. So if you are actually chanting Hare Krishna you will not be able to only chant one round. And if you are serious you have to chant at least 16 rounds and strictly follow the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication]. This is the point where Krishna consciousness may begin. We can not expect to become Krishna conscious by chanting only one round a day. But chanting one round a day is a start and we have to start somewhere. So just keep on increasing and soon you will be chanting 16 rounds a day or more.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
I am a college student and I want to know what to know that due to busy schedule chanting 16 rounds is quiet not possible. Can you give me guidance how to make it possible and for me it is my starting and 1 round takes approx 17 minutes. Can you guide me how to make pace up and make chanting a possibility.
Hare Krishna!
You can get up early in the morning. If you get up before 4:00 AM you have all the morning hours for chanting Hare Krishna and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books.
As far as the speed of chanting you do not have to worry about it so much in the beginning. You just have to worry about chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day. And it may take some time of course to get to this. But you have to practice. And practice means chanting Hare Krishna. The more you chant Hare Krishna the more attentively you will be able to chant. I have been chanting for 25+ years and it still takes me about 3 hours a day to chant 16 rounds. Sometimes longer. But sometimes if I am very concentrated I can chant 16 rounds in 2 hours also. But not usually.
So the point is the time will reduce certainly down from 17 minutes to about 10 minutes for sure with a little practice.
That is all. You just have to organize your time and chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day and follow the four regulative principles and read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day. If we want to become Krishna conscious we just have to do these things and it does require some tapsaya, austerity, in the beginning to reorganize our time for this.
Most people waste a lot of time. Many people watch television and waste time on facebook and with their phones and texting. All this wasted time can be used for chanting Hare Krishna instead. Also most people have time when they could be also chanting like sitting on a bus or walking somewhere, there are so many opportunities where you can chant Hare Krishna…
So you just have to look at your own personal situation and work out where you can fit in the time for chanting Hare Krishna and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books.
Going to bed earlier and getting up very early in the morning is a very good way to find extra time. And that early morning time is very auspicious for chanting Hare Krishna…
You have to organize your own life and become determined to become Krishna conscious. It is possible for anyone but requires determination and dedication.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Is it compulsory to use japa beeds. My mind always chants hare Krishna. How can I make my mind stable at times it gets distracted. Please can you provide me guidance.
Yes. It is compulsory to chant at least 16 rounds every day on japa beads. Chanting is not done with the mind. It is done with the tongue. If your tongue is not chanting Hare Krishna and your ears are not hearing Hare Krishna then you are NOT chanting Hare Krishna. You can not ‘chant’ in your mind. That is impossible. You think in your mind, you can not chant in your mind. And the way to make your mind stable is to be always chanting Hare Krishna with your tongue and hearing it with your ears. This is the way.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Thank you
Hare Krsna Prabhu,
First of all thank you very much for your newsletters. These are like constant friend and companion in my life where I am the only one in my family who is trying to become a devotee of Krsna. I have started chanting from last 3 months. I am too sinful to chant on tulsi beads and for these I have secretly made neem japa beads on my own. I have one question: Can the counter beads made of material other than neem beads? Because it is a very tiresome work to carve beads with hands. It took me two weeks just to make 27 beads and have started chanting and simultaneously working on other 81 beads.
Hare Krishna Hrishikesh
It is very good you are chanting Hare Krishna Prabhu. Keep on chanting Hare Krishna. That is the main thing. And everything will become clear for you what to do.
As far as counting beads they are only for counting. It doesn’t matter what they are made of. It is just a way of keeping track of how many rounds you have chanted. So you can make them from anything that you can find that is convenient for you. They do not have to be made from neem. They can be anything at all.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krsna Prabhu,
Is it necessary to chant the Prabhupada mantra before chanting the Pancha Tattva Mantra?
Prabhupada delivered the whole world, but in the manra it is mentioned that he delivered only the western world -PASCHATYA DESA TARINE.What will the people belonging to the east chant?
Please forgive me if I am wrong by clearing the doubt.
Hare Krishna Hrishikesh
Yes. It is essential to chant the two Prabhupada pranam mantras before chanting the Panca-Tattva mantra. This is the way. We have to approach Krishna through the disciplic succession. We can not directly jump over Srila Prabhupada and not chant his pranam mantras.
Srila Prabhupada has delivered the whole world. Not just the Western part. You may not know but before Srila Prabhupada came to the West and delivered the Western world there was practically no interest in Krishna consciousness in India. Vrindavan was a deserted place. And Indians outside India had no temples. There was no interest by Indians in Krishna consciousness.
The Indians only started taking some interest in Krishna consciousness after they saw Srila Prabhupada’s great success in preaching Krishna consciousness in the West. And after delivering the Western countries in around 1970 Srila Prabhupada went back to India taking many of the books he had published and preached in India and delivered the Indians.
So do not worry your mind about Srila Prabhupada’s pranam mantras. They are perfect as they are. And they are to be chanted as they are by devotees everywhere, both in the West and in the East.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krisha Madhudvisa Prabhu,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
I have a question:
How much time should we allocate for our daily spiritual practices like chanting, reading Prabhupada’s books etc. I love to read Prabhupada’s books but I don’t find enough time for the purpose. What is the minimum time that we should dedicate to study scriptures? Is it ok to chant less and read more?
Kindly clarify my doubts.
Your servant,
Bhakta Sushant.
Hare Krishna Sushant
16 rounds of chanting Hare Krishna is the minimum. We can not become Krishna conscious if we don’t chant at least 16 rounds. As as far as how much time you should spend on spiritual life that is 24 hours a day, seven days a week. That is the process of Krishna consciousness. Always remember Krishna, never forget Krishna. So becoming Krishna conscious means adjusting our lives so our every action is service to Krishna and His pure devotee Srila Prabhupada.
That is the process. We have to become constantly, always Krishna conscious. And Srila Prabhupada is teaching us how to do this in his books. So obviously we have to read them. But we can not chant less than 16 rounds with the idea of reading the books more. We have to chant at least 16 rounds a day, read Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day and strictly follow the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication.] I think you may have heard me say this before. We have to surrender to the process. Not make excuses like chanting less to read more. If you do this you will only chant less and read less.
Krishna consciousness is a package deal. It works together. If we want it to work for us we have to surrender to and accept the whole package.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
HARE KRISHAN
can a lady in her manstrual cycle do chantting
Yes. There are no rules and regulations for chanting Hare Krishna, we can, and should, and must, chant Hare Krishna in any condition of life…
Hare Krishna Prabhu, (please reply)
I am from south india. In the hare krishna mantra when i chant rama, lord ramachandra comes to my mind naturally. I want to serve krishna by going back to goloka vrindavan. Is it that when i refer rama in the hare krishna mantra to lord ramachandra i will go to ayodhya dham even though i like krishna very much and have a desire to serve him??? I have tried referring rama in the hare krishna mantra to balarama or krishna (supreme enjoyer) but failed. I only want to serve krishna(krishna tu bhagavan svayam)and not even other forms of the lord. In his bhagavad gita purport srila prabhupad says “one should not divert his attention even to the other forms of the lord” but i say rama only ramachandra comes to my mind. I personally like to chant the name krishna than rama in the hare krishna mantra. Can we go back to goloka vrindavan even if i chant in this way by referring rama as lord ramachandra.
Please help me as i have noticed that this issue has affected my chanting very badly.
Hare Krishna Brijesh
The benefits of chanting the Hare Krishna mantra really have nothing to do with what comes into your mind while chanting. Ideally we should just be concentrating on hearing the words of the mantra and not letting our mind run on so many other subject matters. So it does not matter what you think the Hare Krishna mantra means, it is only important that you chant it and hear it at least 16 rounds a day and that you strictly follow the four regulative principles [no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication] and that you read Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day. That is all. So don’t worry. If you actually surrender to these things and follow them in due course of time the full meaning of the Hare Krishna mantra will be revealed to you.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu,
Thanks for your advice. I’ll try to practice in this way and see if I have some improvement. I’ll keep you posted
Hare Krishna MAdhudvisa Prabhu,
What is the actual system of offering bhoga to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna ?
Can we offer to their photographs if we dont have deities at home ?
And when we offer on a plate to Srila prabhupada and Krishna and after sometime when it has become prasadam does it have to be mixed with the contents in the vessels in which the bhoga has been cooked or is it that only the plate offered is prasadam and not the contents of the vessels in which it has been cooked ? I hope you see what i am trying to clear my confusion….
And since GOD is everywhere HE is also present within the deity and the photographs but is HE present everywhere as a person or as HIS energy ?
And is Srila Prabhupada also simultaneously present in all of his deities existing anywhere ? I mean the jiva is localized so how can jiva be present simultaneously everywhere in his deity form ?
Just cook the food with love and devotion to Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. What Krishna accepts is your love and devotion which you put into preparing the offering for Him. So just imagine Prabhupada and Krishna are coming to your house to eat and prepare a nice feast for them and feed them. That is all. If you cook with love and offer to the photo of Srila Prabhupada and Krishna then if you are really cooking for them and really offering the food to them with love and devotion they will accept your offering. Yes the photo of Krishna and the photo of Prabhupada and the deities are not different.
Do not bother your mind with all these things. Just develop real love for Srila Prabhupada and Krishna and cook them wonderful offerings…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
feel good to come in touch with with u all spiritually awakened people. i would like to thank you for the newsletters and the purpose u have undertaken.
hare krishna
Hare krishna,
I would like to know the matra before we started chanting could u please let me know.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
I am chanting Mantra + out 4 – 3 Principles i follow but i am always indulging in bisexual activities . how can ileave i tried for 3 years and more . Is it i am going to hell or is it i dont have his mercy Please reply .
It is difficult without living in the association of devotees. If we live in the association of non-devotees they are just interested in sex and we get contaminated by that also. Association is very powerful.
You have to at least want to stop and try to stop and I think that is only possible if you actually have some taste for chanting the Hare Krishna mantra and for devotional service. It will work if you actually read Srila Prabhupada’s books and follow the instructions in the books an actually chant without fail at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily. It is a very powerful process but if we don’t follow it doesn’t work. And of course it depends on the mercy of a pure devotee of Krishna. You have to get the mercy of Srila Prabhupada which means you have to hear from him, read his books and follow his instructions.
It is not easy. But the alternative of going to Hell is not a very good alternative either…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Answer me this, please, why offer food to Krishna if he doesn’t
need to eat.? He is God and self- sufficent.
Hare Krishna Peter
Krishna is self-sufficient. He does not need you to feed Him. But if you take the ingredients that He gives you and prepare a nice offering and offer it to Him He will accept the love that you are offering to Him. It is your expression of your love for Krishna that you want to cook something very nice for Krishna and offer it to Him. And if you do not do this, but instead cook for yourself, then you will be eating only sin and that will keep you trapped in the material world forever. So actually you benefit from cooking and offering food to Krishna because once Krishna has tasted the food it takes on a spiritual nature and when you eat the remnants, after it has been offered to Krishna, that prasadam will purify you and elevate you spiritually.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Hare Krishna !
I am really glad I found this thread, because I have few clarifications to make.
1. I live alone, I am working and I don’t cook. I eat outside everyday, three times a day. As you say, the food must be cooked and offered to the Lord, so in my case, what should I do ? As of now, before I eat, I say a small prayer thanking the Lord for the food and request him to kindly accept my breakfast,lunch and dinner, even the water or the chocolate I eat at times.
2. I have a Rudraksh mala on me and I wanted to know if I could use the same for chanting and meditating on the Maha Mantra. I understand that the Tulsi Mala is preferred and I can certainly buy one and use that for chanting, but in that case, what can I possibly do with my Rudraksh Mala ? At the end of the day, I just want to please my Lord.
3. I wish to join ISKCON, I am 26 years old and I am very sure that I want to join ISKCON full time. KIndly let me know the procedure.
4. Lastly, I get all these unwanted thoughts, note that they are not regular, but when they come, they pack a potent punch and leave me distressed. These thoughts are vile in nature and the minute they surface in my mind, I pray to the Lord. My guilt stems from the fact that I had these thoughts and I am unable to stop them. I don’t know how to stop them from coming.
Finally thank you very,very much for helping me out.
Hare Krishna !
Hare Krishna Raghu
Thanks for the good questions.
Really if you live alone it is better to cook for Srila Prabhupada and Krishna and offer the bhoga to Srila Prabhupada so you can accept the prasadam. Otherwise if you don’t cook for Srila Prabhupada and Krishna you have to eat food that is cooked by non-devotees and that will not be good for your consciousness and this is one source of the bad thoughts that you mention in your last question. When people cook their consciousness goes into the food so if someone with bad consciousness cooks and you eat it then you get contaminated by his consciousness. That is why devotees only accept Krishna prasadam.
Sometimes we are forced to eat food that is not cooked by devotees. We can not really offer this to Krishna because that would actually be an offense, offering food cooked by non-devotees. It is a personal thing and we are supposed to be making these offerings to please Srila Prabhupada and Krishna, not to just feed ourselves. But anyhow sometimes it happens that we have to eat food that is cooked by non devotees and in such cases we can, as you do thank Krishna for it, but you can not actually offer it to Krishna, it is not offerable if it is not cooked by devotees. You can get fruits, milk, yoghurt, etc, and those things are not cooked so you can offer them.
Anyhow it happens but it is not very good if you are doing this for three meals a day every day. The best thing is if you can somehow live with some other devotees and together you can cook and offer the bhoga to Srila Prabhuapda and Krishna..
This eating food cooked by non-devotees three times a day will be a big stumbling block for you in making spiritual advancement and will be the cause of at least some of the bad thoughts you are experiencing.
You can chant Hare Krishna on your rudraksha mala. The mala is ultimately a counting method. So if it has 108 beads you can use this to chant the Hare Krishna mantra on. You may like to get tulsi beads later but now the most important thing is to chant Hare Krishna so chant Hare Krishna on the mala that you have.
As far as joining ISKCON full-time I do not recommend that at present. ISKCON is very mixed up at the moment and I think they can not help you very much in regard to making spiritual advancement. They have changed so many things since Srila Prabhupada left our material vision in 1977 that what is left is very different now from what Srila Prabhupada originally set up… It is better if you read Srila Prabhupada’s books and chant Hare Krishna and become Krishna consciousness living outside the temples at the moment.
As far as stopping the bad thoughts coming you can not expect all the bad thoughts to stop immediately. We have a big store of these in our heart and they will come up. The best thing is to ignore them and not act on them and the more we are immersed in Krishna consciousness–chanting Hare Krishna and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books particularly–the more these bad thoughts will go away and be replaced by nice thoughts about Krishna. Krishna consciousness is a process and if you accept this process of chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and following the four regulative principles (no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication) and if you read Srila Prabhupada’s books seriously then you will make spiritual advancement and these bad thoughts will reduce more and more and ultimately go away.
We have to fill our life with Krishna and the more we are Krishna conscious the less bad thoughts will bother us.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna !
Thank you so much for your reply. Like you suggested, I do thank Krishna for the food and I also offered my food to Krishna all this while because truly, the food comes from him and I mean this spiritually. But again, I have made it a point to go to ISKCON near my house every day in the morning, so I eat the Krishna prasadam there and to associate more with the devotees like Prabhupada prescribed. I also got the permission to stay in ISKCON with a devotee over the weekend. That way, I will get to serve Krishna, the way all devotees serve him. And I have to seriously study Srila Prabhupada’s books along with chanting, that is the only way to control the mind and eat only Krishna prasadam, like you suggested.
As for the beads, I am using a neem bead right now, until I get initiated, I was asked to not use the Tulsi beads. And finally,please tell me why is not proper to join ISKCON at this moment ? I would like to live like a devotee and get an initiation, when I am fully ready. I understand a person living in a desert can also be a devotee of Krishna, but you see living out there gnaws at my consciousness. Sure you could always say that a Krishna conscious person will be safe even in the unholiest of places. But because I am interested in joining full time, I sincerely request you to tell me what must I do if like you suggested, ISKCON has lost all its yesteryear’s glory, when Srila Prabhupada was around. Life seems a bit more different than before. Serving Krishna is more important now, serving myself is not. But honestly, I still make mistakes and I am rectifying them or atleast trying to as much as I can.
Finally, a very big thanks for answering my questions.
Hare Krishna Raghu Prabhu
The rule is to accept the things that are favorable for our advancement in Krishna consciousness and to reject those things that are not favorable. And the only way we can actually advance in Krishna consciousness is by the mercy of a pure devotee of Krishna. So if ISKCON teach you to surrender to and serve Srila Prabhupada then that is good. But if they teach you to surrender to and serve someone else then unless that person is a pure devotee of Krishna your spiritual life will be ruined. ISKCON has ruined the spiritual lives of tens of thousands of devotees because they came to ISKCON attracted by Srila Prabhupada and looking for Krishna and ISKCON convince them that Prabhupada is dead and gone and they have to surrender to a ‘living guru’ and the history sadly shows that ISKCON’s living gurus at least so far we have seen have not been pure devotees with the spiritual potency to guide their disciples back home, back to Godhead. So this has been a great disaster for both the bogus gurus and their disciples.
So if you join ISKCON and accept a bogus guru and in that way effectively reject the authority of Srila Prabhupada then that will become an almost insurmountable obstacle on your spiritual path. There nothing more destructive to your spiritual life than accepting as your guru and surrendering to a person who is not capable of guiding you back home back to Godhead.
That is the great danger of associating with ISKCON and that is why at the moment I recommend you keep away from their association.
I know it may seem a little difficult for you to be Krishna conscious in your own house and for you to cook for Srila Prabhupada yourself and offer the bhoga. But then you will know that you are actually getting prasadam…
As you may have seen I have written elsewhere ISKCON have rejected the system of offering bhoga to the deities taught by Srila Prabhupada and now use a system which Prabhupada very clearly states that Krishna does not accept prasadam if it is offered in this way. So it is even doubtful if you can get prasadam at ISKCON these days…
It is up to you of course to do what you think is best but my advice is to stay away from ISKCON completely.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Jai Srila Prabhupada.
Hare krishna
We have a small temple at home now. I started chanting only last year and chant 108 beads once in the morning and once at night. My problem is, although I mostly take veg food, I wish to take chiken and egg sometime (like once in a week or so). Please advise whether I can still continue chanting with taking non-vegitarian or is it absolutely essential to completely avoid non-vegitarian food. Whenever I take non-veg, I take a bath and then chant, is it OK this way. Since we have been taking non-veg hitherto, I am finding it difficult to completely avoid taking non-veg. Your response will be highly appreciated on my personal email . Regards
Hare Krishna Kishore
Of course you should give up eating meat but if you can not that does not mean that you should stop chanting Hare Krishna. In any condition of life, no matter what, you should keep chanting Hare Krishna. That will give you the strength to improve, the strength to come to the proper platform. You can concentrate on trying to increase the chanting of Hare Krishna and instead of eating meat you can prepare a very nice offering to Krishna and if you make a nice offering like this and Krishna accepts your offering it will be much more satisfying than meat.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy! [no matter what]
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna, I do japa as shown in temple but want to know significance of keeping tulsi beads inside the bags while doing japa.
hare krishna
Hare Krishna Kalpana
The bead bag protects the beads but you can also put them around your neck and chant like that if you prefer. It is not a hard-and-fast rule that you have to chant with your beads in the bead bag. The main thing is to chant:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
and the beads are a system to enable you to keep track of how many times you have chanted the mantra. That is their purpose. And because they are tulsi beads and Srimati Tulsi devi is a pure devotee of Krishna touching her transcendental body while chanting Hare Krishna is also very helpful and purifying.
So out of respect for Srimati Tulsi devi it is good to keep the beads protected in the bead bag. Still if you find it easier to chant Hare Krishna with the beads out of the bag then you can do that also. But you have to be careful to not let the beads touch the floor or your feet as this would be offensive. So the bead bag protects from this sort of offense.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
hare Krishna prabhu
I would like to know the significance of numbers 8,16 and 32 in vaishnavism.
namaskar
HARE KRSNA
I AM NOT INITIATED AND MARRIED..AND DOING ONLINE BUSINESS..
SOMETIME AROUND 2006-7 I WAS ASSOCITED WITH DEVOTEES OF MAYAPUR AND BE ASPIRING DEVOTEE OF HH JAYAPATAKA SWAMI BUT LEFT MAYAPUR DHAM AND JAPA 16 ROUNDS AND FOLLOW 4 REGS…
MY QUESTION IS WHAT WILL BE MY FUTURE AS I HAVE FEAR FOR MY FUTURE FOR SOMETIME PROFIT OR SOMETIME LOSS IN BUSINESS CAN I BE ASSURE THAT DUE TO JAPA 16 ROUND I SHALL NEVER BE IN DEEP TROUBLE, PLEASE SUGGEST ME.. I DO JAPA WITH ATLEAST ONE ROUND BY TULSI BEADS AND REST BY TALLY.. ANIL
Hare Krishna Anil
The situation in ISKCON is like this Prabhu. And the situation in Kali-yuga is like this, many of us are separated from the holy dharm and the association of the Vaisnvas. But you are doing the right thing, pushing on with your Krishna consciousness no matter where you are. And the essential things are chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily, following the four regulative principles, reading Srila Prabhupada’s books and service. We have to find some practical service to do to please Srila Prabhuapda and Krishna. That is why Krishna consciousness is called “devotional service.” We have to use our energy to do something practical to serve Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. Of course chanting Hare Krishna is service. But it is a prayer also, “Please Krishna engage me in Your service.” So we should always be anxious to do the service when Krishna offers it to us.
Hare Krishna friends.
I have a small question, I have just started on the Krishna path. By lords grace I have been able to give up drinking and meat eating.However I am struggling to give up my attraction towards women, though my conscience stops me from falling however I would like your help on how to give up my attraction towards them. What should I do, please help me.
Hare Krishna.
Hare Krishna Manish
You can also be married in Krishna consciousness and have a wife and a family and in that way do very nice service by bringing Krishna conscious children into the world and training them up as nice devotees of Krishna.
But first it is best to be brahmacary for some time and the way to reduce your attraction to women is to increase your attraction to Krishna. It will happen automatically if you follow the process of saddhana-bhakti as it is described by Srila Prabhupada in his books.
You have to know that this attraction between man and women is very strong and is the shackles that maya uses to tie us to the material world. As long as we are thinking on the bodily concept of life, thinking that we can be satisfied by the so-called pleasures of our senses, we remain trapped in the material world.
Still Krishna says in the Bhagavad-gita that “I am sex life according to the regulative principles.” So there is a use for everything and there is a use for sex also, for bringing nice children into the world within marriage.
Marriage is also a samskara, vivaha-samskar. Samsakra means purificatory process. It is also a sort of austerity because at least the sex life is limited to the wife only and then according to the regulative principles.
So the real answer to your question is to become more Krishna conscious and as you become more attracted to Krishna you will become less attracted to maya. But if you feel that you need a wife and want to have a family there is no problem also in entering family life with the understanding that you and your wife will help each other advance in Krishna consciousness and will provide a nice Krishna conscious environment for your children.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna
Thank you very much. I have a another query. Lord Krishna has mentioned in the Gita that we should not focus on the fruits of our activities and just believe in the work provided to us by the Lord. So would like to ask you how can we devote all our actions to the Lord. I work in an MNC where on a daily basis I have to worry about productivity and quality. So how can I devote all my actions to Krishna? I really want to get rid of the concept of me being the doer. I know its Krishna that is pulling our strings.
Hare Krishna Manish
This idea that we are puppets and Krishna is pulling the strings is not actually correct.
A devotee would like that, and sometimes prays like that, “O Krishna please make me a puppet under your control.” But still Krishna is completely independent and we as parts and parcels of Krishna also have a little independence. Of course we are not the doers. But we do have desires. And if Krishna sanctions our desires the thing is done.
All these things are very nicely and elaborately explained in Srila Prabhuapda’s Bhagavad-gita As It Is. Please study it carefully and you will find the answers to all your questions there.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishana,
I love with Krishna from last 10 years and also chanting Holy Name Which was given by my spiritual master. With the chanting of this name I saw krishana only 1 time in dream but never again.
My question is that
If anybody chanting any other name of Krishna than Hare Krishna, will he found krishna or not?
Hare Krishna Alok
Everyone who is chanting Hare Krishna will find Krishna. But it takes different people different amounts of time. Some may find Krishna immediately, for others it may take millions of lifetimes. But if they are chanting Hare Krishna then they have started on the path back home, back to Godhead, and once you start on this part you will reach the destination… There may be many detours and distractions, but the nature of Krishna consciousness is that it will progress and everyone who is chanting Hare Krishna will ultimately make it back home, back to Godhead.
You know the chanting on the streets? is that equally rewarding as chanting with your beads? I hope so…coz sometimes I’m really lazy and don’t have the motivation to chant on my beads.
HARE KRSNA HARE KRSNA
KRSNA KRSNA
HARE HARE
HARE RAMA
HARE RAMA
RAMA RAMA
HARE HARE
Hare Krishna Shriya
If you have no attraction for chanting Hare Krishna on your beads your chanting of Hare Krishna on the street will be useless.
First we have to develop a real love for Krishna, a real attachment for chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. Otherwise chanting Hare Krishna on the street will just be a show and will have no real benefit for anyone.
There are so many sahajiyas in India and now all over the world who like to chant Hare Krishna or sing bhajans on the street. But unless they are actually sincere devotees strictly following the four regulative principles and chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily on their beads their public chanting will be quite useless.
We should not hear the chanting of Hare Krishna from non-devotees because milk touched by a serpent becomes poisonous.
You know snakes like to drink milk. But while they are drinking milk their poison mixes with the milk. So even though it is still milk if you drink it you will not get the good benefit of the milk. You will be poisoned and die.
So in Indian you know there are so many sahajiya kirtan groups and so many complete karmis who make a living by performing bhajans. These people have no concern for the actual spiritual principles. They do not follow the regulative principles, they have no regulated spiritual life, they have no proper spiritual guidance, they are not surrendered to or acting under any bona fide spiritual authority. So their kirtans are not having a good effect on the people who hear them. It is milk touched by the lips of a serpant.
So before you consider going out on the street and chanting Hare Krishna you have to be very nicely situated in Krishna consciousness yourself. At least strictly following the four regulative principles, chanting at least sixteen rounds a day of the Hare Krishna mantra on your beads, and seriously reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. When you are fixed-up then go out on the street and chant Hare Krishna and that will be very good for you and very good for the people who hear you chanting.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
i had not cooked a single time in my life.my mother is cooking food.can i offer food to srila prabhupada and krsna with devotion and love what my mother has cooked.i had not learned how to cook food.
If your mother is a devotee and is cooking for Srila Prabhuapda and Krishna you can offer it to Srila Prabhuapda and Krishna or she can offer it. But if she is cooking it for you then how can you offer it to Prabhupada? To offer the food it has to be cooked by a devotee.
So preach to your mother, if she is an Indian mother she is already knowing many things and will be open to this idea of cooking for Krishna. That is the Indian culture form time immemorial. You simply have to establish a small temple in your house with the pictures of Srila Prabhuapda, Panca-Tattva and Krishna and ask your mother to cook for Krishna and Srila Prabhupada, not for you, and she will do it and either she can offer or your can offer and the whole family can get the benefit of respecting Krishna Prasadam.
Also you can learn to cook Prabhu. You can see what your mother is doing and learn the same things so you can also make nice offerings to Krishna.
All devotees are expert cooks because obviously they have to cook for Krishna. It is OK if you are living with your mother but many times we are put in situations that unless we cook it and offer it to Prabhuapda and Krishna ourselves then there is no prasadam. And as devotees we can only eat Krishna-prasadam. So we have to be able to cook for Krishna.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
can i do all these duties at home
Yes, yes, yes… You can do all this at home. It is best to do it at home… Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is not encouraging His followers to suddenly change their position in life. He recommends “Stay in your position, simply add Krishna.”
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
how to think krsna 24 hours a day.when i am sleeping iam not be able to think krsna when iam in deep sleep.please explain the four regulative principles deeply.
It takes time prabhu, and most importantly surrender. If we dedicate our lives to Krishna, surrender to Krishna, always serve Krishna, only eat Krishna prasadam, only speak about Krishna, then gradually, even while sleeping we will dream about Krishna and chant Hare Krishna.
As far as the four regulative principles there is nothing elaborate to explain. We just have to follow them: no illici sex, sex is only permitted within marriage and the only for having children; no intoxication including tea, coffee and smoking; no meat eating; no gambling or unnecessary sporting activities.
So what is there to explain elaborately. We simply need to understand and follow.
how to offer food to lord krsna
It is easier to offer food to Srila Prabhupada. That is the way. We do not directly offer food to Krishna. we offer it to Srila Prabhupada and he offers it to Krishna via the discilpic succession.
The first thing is you have to cook it for Srila Prabhupada and Krishna. You ca not offer food cooked by non-devotees to Krishna.
It has to be prepared with love and devotion because it is actuay that love and devotion that Krishna accepts. It is not that Krishna is hungry and needs the food you are offering Him. He wants the love and devotion.
There are mantras to chant while offering food but you can also just chant Hare Krishna. You make up a plate for Srila Prabhupada and offer it to him in front of a photo and chant Hare Krishna.
can i split the 16 rounds of chanting hare krishna maha mantra per day.
Yes you can. You could chant 8 rounds in the morning and 8 rounds in the evening for example. As long as within the 24 hours you chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Keishna mantra.
Hare Krishna,
Thanks to the comments Mark and Madhudvisa . Part of my
problem I went off the vegetarian diet . I am sticking to it now .
It takes me twenty minutes to do one round. Is that too long- maybe it’s
because of the thoughts. At this rate I wouldn’t be be able to do 16 rounds.
By the way when I first got your emails the right hand margin was eating
into the print, my fault , I rectified that my clicking on the other print
icon on my computer . That’s why I tried to resign up again but it said I
was already signed up . Please send the original emails out again.
Not resign but re-sign . THANK you.
PS . As you said the way to control the genitals is through the tongue –
in other words watch what you eat !.
Hare Krishna Peter
Thanks for reading the mails. Yes. You are right, the way to control the genitals is through the tongue so watch what you eat. Actually we have to eat prasadam, food that has been first offered to Krishna. That has a very purifying and sanctifying effect on the mind, body and consciousness.
In the beginning it takes longer to chant. So if it takes you 20 minutes to chant one round that is OK. But keep chanting every day, keep practising and soon you will be able to chant one round in ten minutes or less. But it is important to hear clearly what you are chanting so don’t go faster than you can hear. But once you are practiced and your mind is a bit more peaceful you will be able to chant 16 rounds in two hours or so. I have always been a bit of a slow chanter but I prefer to hear the chanting, it used to take me around three hours to chant 16 rounds, now, after chanting for twenty-five years generally, as long as I am reasonably concentrating and undisturbed, I can chant 16 rounds in two hours. So it is not much of an effort to find two hours out of 24 to chant 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra.
So in the beginning it may take longer but you have to decide to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and follow the four regulative principles strictly. You need to set your mind on this goal. We may sometimes fail to reach the goal in the beginning but we should never give up trying for this goal.
And you can do it for sure. It is a very simple thing. It just requires you to pronounce the words “hare” “krishna” and “rama” loudly enough so you can hear them and just keep doing it until you have completed 16 rounds. Very quickly you will be able to do this in less than 3 hours.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Jai Srikrishna Madhudvisa dasa,
Thank you so much for answering. Now I know why we need to complete minimum 16 rounds daily.
Anagha
I have achieved my goal of chanting 16 rounds of Japa.
i am trying to concentrate my mind while chanting but somehow i am unable to concentrate my mind. I tried a lot and still trying but couldn’t and now a days, my spiritual life is going down and down. so please help me.
Hare Krsna. Maybe you should reduce your expectations at first. Try to chant just half of a complete round (54 beads) or even a quarter of a round (27 beads) at first and set your standard at that. Whatever you can chant, do it sincerely. If you do then Krsna will hear you and He will give you the desire to chant more. Remember Lord Caitanya said that there are no hard and fast rules for chanting. I think the ipmportant thing is to just try and do it. Good luck.
This is nonsense Mark.
You can not get attachment for chanting Hare Krishna without chanting Hare Krishna. If someone is not prepared to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily he is not going to get any attachment for chanting Hare Krishna.
This is called saddhana bhakti, and the process to get some attachment is to undergo the tapasya of chanting at least 16 roudns of the Hare Krishna mantra daily. It will not work unless you follow…
You have to at least follow the four regulative principles and chant 16 rounds a day… Otherwise you are not following the process and can not expect it to work…
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
“This is nonsense Mark.”
Well, thank you so very much for your kindness and direction.
Let me explain why I suggested chanting less.
I think it’s important to understand that not everybody is on the same spiritual platform. Many people including those who are newly attracted to Krsna consciousness, are very much stuck in the material world and attached to worldly things. For many, chanting for two hours a day just won’t work. They are not ready for it. But, if there is some desire, as expressed in the post by kazol Kshetri, then it’s much better to start off slowly and work up.
You said…”If someone is not prepared to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily he is not going to get any attachment for chanting Hare Krishna.”
I, with all due respect to you, think that is nonsense and sounds a bit self-righteous. Just because somebody isn’t prepared to chant the prescribed number of rounds that Prabhupada gave to his disciples does not mean that he/she can’t get any attachment to the chanting of the holy names. You can say the same thing about Prabhupada’s first disciples who did not/could not chant the previously prescribed number of rounds for initiated Vaisnava devotees which was 64. Are you going to say to somebody that if they don’t chant 64 rounds then they won’t get any attachment for Krsna’s holy names? No. Prabhupada adjusted the number to suit what he knew was the ability of his devotees at that time.
I’m not saying you should not chant 16 rounds. That would be ridiculous. I am saying that each person must chant according to their ability and realization. If they can’t chant 16 rounds then they will never be initiated as a Vaisnava into Prabhupada’s movement. But that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t chant at all. I can’t imagine Prabhupada or any elevated senior ISKCON devotee saying to someone that if they can’t chant 16 rounds then they will never get an attachment. Krsna said himself…
“In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution, and a little advancement on this path can protect one from the most dangerous type of fear.”
Lord Caitanya said that there are no hard and fast rules for chanting.
So, better to chant a little than not at all. If the chanting is done sincerely, then the desire to chant more will increase. Right? This is what we are taught in all the temples; at least the ISKCON temples that I have had the fortune to visit and be a part of. It was always said to new devotees to chant even a little. If you can only do one round then do that one round but don’t stop. Once you set the standard at one round you should continue to do one round a day until the desire increases. That’s what I was taught.
Anyway, I am rambling on here. Thank you, Madhudvisa dasa, for engaging me in talking about Krsna. For that I am deeply grateful. I hope I did not offend you in any way. If I did please forgive me.
All glories to Prabhupada.
AGTSP,
You are absolutely right Mark Prabhu but You shouldnt advise someone to chant half a round they should at least do 1 round a day at the very least for beginers isnt that would make sense instead of the half, let me know your views
YS divyesh
You have to instruct people to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily. They have to know this is the minimum standard. If they can not immediately chant 16 rounds a day then they may take some time to work up to this, that is OK. But it should always be very clear that to come to the platform of devotional service one has to be chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and strictly following the four regulative principles (no illicit sex life, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication). If people are not prepared to do this, chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra daily and follow the four regulative principles, there is no spiritual life, it is just imagination. If one can not surrender even to these simple basic things then where is his surrender? Where is his devotion? Of course if someone is sincerely trying to surrender and sincerely trying to chant 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra a day then that is another thing. But if on is sincerely trying to chant 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra a day he will chant 16 rounds a day. It is not a very difficult thing to do…. You just have to be prepared to spent the time and energy to do it. And if you are not prepared to do this there is no surrender, no devotion and no spiritual life.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
hare krishna madhudvisa dasa
please help me to distribute prabhupada’s books to all people
You just have to get the books and go out and present them to people and ask them to give you a donation to help with the printing cost. That is all you have to do. If you spend your time doing this you will distribute so many of Srila Prabhupada’s books and you will collect enough donations to pay for the books and to also support yourself financially so you can eat and get the strength to go out and distribute Srila Prabhupada’s books the next day.
Book Distribution Ki Jaya.
hare krishna madhudvisa dasa
my mother and father are not buying meditation beeds for me.they are shouting.without beeds can i chant hare krishna mantra 16 rounds
Beads are just for counting. You can count in some other way. You can use any other beads, you can make your own beads. Lord Caitanya used to chant, counting the rounds on his fingers. You can do that.
There is nothing that can stop you from chanting the Hare Krishna mantra and from getting some system to keep track of how many times you have chanted the mantra.
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
You can get two dishes and put 108 grains of rice on one and each time you chant the mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
you can take one grain of rice and put it on the other dish. So when all the grains are on the other dish you have chanted one round. Do that sixteen times and you have chanted 16 rounds. Who can stop you from doing this?
jay ganesh, Hare Krishna.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada, Nimai, and Nitai.
Hari Bol.
Dear Madhudvisa dasaji,
Is it ok to chant the mahamantra while watching tv or listening a conversation over the phone.
Please advice.
Hari Bol
Prasad
Hare Krishna Prasad
Yes and No. You can and should chant Hare Krishna everywhere and at all times so if you find yourself watching the television or speaking on the phone yes by all means you should be chanting Hare Krishna. However you can’t chant Hare Krishna while watching the television or having a phone conversation with attention. And inattentive chanting is one of the ten offenses.
There is nothing worthwhile on the television, nothing that will remind you of Krishna so why not turn off the television and just chant Hare Krishna?
On the phone or when other people are talking of course you can chant Hare Krishna and it will be nicer to hear the holy name than to hear them speaking gramiya katha, “village talk…”
We need to chant the Hare Krishna mantra with our tongues and hear it clearly with our ears. This is easier to do without distractions like the television.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
HARE KRISHNA
BHAJO RADHE GOVIND
Dear Prabhuji
please send me always very very nice thinking , which is i can say to other people for their impove in krishnabhakti.
your devotee
Manoj
I recently started the Maha Mantra. I had already got a set of beads – the mala , from Indian friends in the street. Years ago I did a postal
course on Kundalini Yoga , and I was forced off a vegetarian diet by my dad.My parents are dead years ago and I can indulge in a veggie diet.
I had bad effects from the kundalini and I am on injections now.
Cutting it short , I was turned on sexually by one round of the mantra. threetimes. I was going to quit , but I’m not depressed by the incident today and I think I could be purging samskaras ( bad karma ) . Will this pass and will my sexdrive diminish ( I want it to ). I nearlyquit from Madhudvisa’s emails . I signed up again.
Hare Krishna.
Please accept my humble obeisances…
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Chanting on beads…
One should follow the mahājana, the authorized person….”Mahājano yena gataḥ sa panthāḥ”…even Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Srila BhaktiVinoda Thakur, Srila Prabhupada and so many also chanted on beads. Now we have to just follow them….and chant on beads!!!
Hare Krishna!
Your humble servant,
Ashwini
Japa on the beads is truly the 2nd best thing one can do…. Best is of course, chanting in the streets.
I personally prefer chanting Hare Krishna Maha Mantra in a congregational chanting in the street.
jai shri Krishna,
I chant the Krishna maha mantra continously in my mind as long as im not talking or reading(without beads)…it just comes on automatically when im driving or walking ,eating, it comes on totally subconscience… What are the benefits of such chanting in the mind as opposed to chanting 16 rounds on a mala?? Bearing in mind im not a Krishna conscienceness follower(YET)… i merely listened to the chanting and it comes on naturally.
6 July 2010 KRSHNADHAM, OTTAWA, CANADA
HARE KRISHN HARI HRI BHOL
PAMHO, AGT SRI SRI GAURA NITAI AND AND AGT LORD KRISHNA
Chanting is a good medium for mind. Chanting with beads or/and without beads? The solution is simple. From childhood we need some instrument in front to understand what we are doing correctly. Similarly for spiritual advancement The Japa Mala is a must to get a clear and conscius understanding of the Maha Mantra. This will basically avaoid the mistakes, omission and/or leave concentration aside and think somethink else. We get clear consciusness.
Must is Mala to achieve results. Hope this clarifies the point
yours humble servant
hare krishna money
Why we need to complete 16 rounds of chanting?
Namaste,
Simple living and high thinking.
Simply, because our spiritual master has instructed us to do so. There is no need to go into elaborated technical explanations. That’s the greatness of acquiring knowledge thru a pure devotee of THE LORD. Anyway, notice there are 16 utterances of the holy name in the mahamantra. haribol.