29 December 2019

When we try to chant attentively the goal of japa sadhana is to meditate on the Lord and remembrance of the Lord.

nitya siddha krsna prema sadhya kabhu naya 
sravanadi-suddha-citte karaye udaya

Translation
“Pure love for Krsna is eternally established in the hearts of the living entities. It is not something to be gained from another source. When the heart is purified by hearing and chanting, this love naturally awakens.(CC. Madhya 22.107) Every jiva soul loves the Lord, but it's covered so we need to revive that Krsna prema.

We want to again experience the love of Lord. Every sadhaka wants to experience the loving devotional service to the Lord.

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare – Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

By chanting and hearing the Lord’s holy names it's possible. Many of our acaryas could experience Krsna prema.

nānā-śāstra-vicāraṇaika-nipuṇau sad-dharma-saḿsthāpakau
lokānāḿ hita-kāriṇau tri-bhuvane mānyau śaraṇyākarau
rādhā-kṛṣṇa-padāravinda-bhajanānandena mattālikau
vande rūpa-sanātanau raghu-yugau śrī-jīva-gopālakau

I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvamis namely Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri
Raghunatha Dasa Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, who are very expert in scrutinizingly studying all the revealed scriptures with the aim of establishing eternal religious principles for the benefit of all human beings. Thus they are honored all over the three worlds and they are worth taking shelter of because they are absorbed in the mood of the gopis and are engaged in the transcendental loving service of Radha and Krishna. [Sad Goswamiastakam 2]

The Gaudiya Vaisnavas in the whole world and also in Vrndavan. I am in Vrndavan today and we are celebrating disappearance day or tirobhava tithi mohotsava of Srila Jiva Goswami.

We call all of them as Prabhupada. All Sad Goswamis vrnda are Prabhupada, Rupa Goswami, Sanatana Goswami, Gopal Bhatta Goswami, Raghunath Dasa Goswami, Raghunath Bhatta Goswami and Jiva Goswami all are Prabhupada. We are celebrating the disappearance day of Srila Jiva Goswami. Today 422 – 423 years back in Radha Damodar temple where he was not just staying but serving the Lord. Today he took samadhi there. His Samadhi is still there in the temple.

acharyavan purusho veda "One who follows the Acaryas knows things as they are." (Candogya Upanishad, 6.14.2)

One who wants to become a bhakta should become acaryavan. Without Guru or you can call a sadhu, acarya. Acarya is a special designation. Spritual master is also acarya. So without spiritual master we can't know the Lord.

acharyavan purusho veda

Srila Jiva Goswami is our acarya. Gaudiya Vaisnavas accept Jiva Goswami as acarya. He is already an acarya. We are Rupanuga, followers of Rupa Goswami. Jiva Goswami took initiation from Rupa Goswami and also served his spiritual master. Jiva Goswami is second generation Goswami. He was the youngest among the Goswamis and he used to invite all the five Goswamis to Radha Damodar temple and

nana-sastra-vicharanaika-nipunau

The Sad Goswami would discuss different sastras there and also all of them wrote many books there. Amongst them Jiva Goswami was number one in writing books. He wrote 25 books and 4 lakh slokas. In the history of the world there was no one as intelligent as Jiva Goswami who wrote 4 lakh slokas. The Lord his number one and Srila Vyasdev was the second one. Except Srila Vyasdev there is no one in history who has written so many books and so many slokas.

What to say of Srila Jiva Goswami’s intelligence? So all these Goswamis are our acarya. Today is Srila Jiva Goswami’s disappearance day.

radha-krsna-padaravinda-bhajananandena mattalikau

They were always absorbed in their bhajan. Whenever they chanted Hare Krsna Hare Krsna they would experience separation from the Lord and they would run in the forests of Vrndavan saying, ‘Hare Krsna’. Srinivas Acarya has written Sad Goswamiastakam. It’s very nice.

krsnotkirtana-gana-nartana-parau premamrtambho-nidhi

Therein he writes the bhava the emotions of Sad Goswami.

he radhe vraja-devike cha lalite he nanda-suno kutah

Where are you O Radhe O Krsna? They would call Krsna Radha and not finding Them they would become morose.

sri-govardhana-kalpa-padapa-tale kalindi-vanye kutah

Are you at the base of Govardhana or on the bank of Jamuna. Where are you?

ghosantav iti sarvato vraja

They would keep calling the Lord chanting,

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare – Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

So all these Sad Goswamis are our acaryas. Acarya means that personality who teaches by his own example. All the Sad Goswamis and amongst them Srila Jiva Goswami has put so many ideals in front of us. He has written so many books.

acaryavan purusho veda

We could understand Krsna by reading his books or we can understand Srimad-Bhagavatam by reading his books. He has written 6 granthas known as Sad Sandarbha related to Srimad-Bhagavatam, Tatva Sandarbha, Parmatma Sandarbha, Samadhi Sandarbha, Priti Sandarbha etc. He has written commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam.

His book named Gopalcampu is very famous wherein he has described Vrndavan, Mathura and Dwarka lila. Harinamruta vyakaran is also famous. Reading those grathas is also our duty. So we pray to him wherever he is at this time. He is a Manjari. So today after his disappearance he entered Krsna lila. He is with Krsna now at this moment also.

yasya prasada bhagavat prasado yasyaprasadan na gatih kuto pi

We pray that we get Jiva Goswami’s mercy krpa and then it’s possible that we get the Lord's krpa.

Krsna se tomar, Krsna dite paro, tomar sakti aache ami to kangal Krsna Krsna boli dhayi
tava pache pache

We are beggars and you are enriched with Krsna. Krsna is with you with all His opulence. So we pray and bow down at the lotus feet of Jiva Goswami so that we can take forward his mission can serve Lord and also do our sadhana properly. So we beg at his feet for bhakti and sakti to achieve Radha Krsna which is the goal of our life.

Srila jiva Goswami ki …jai

28 December 2019

Avoid the second offence to the holy name

I am watching you chanting and the Lord also sees all of you chanting. When the Lord sees you all chanting the Lord becomes very happy. He not just sees you but He also listens to you. When the Lord listens, He knows or He is watching our thoughts and emotions also. And depending upon that the Lord is more pleased by someone and less pleased by someone. Lord sees your bhava. Lord is bhavagrahi so you should chant with love and attention. We should avoid nama-aparadha /offences against the holy name.

The second offence is:

To consider the names of demigods like Lord Siva or Lord Brahma to be equal to or independent of the name of the Lord Vishnu.

I was reading caritra of Chandi Dasa Vidyapati who was a great poet. Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to relish his poems. Such was Chandi Dasa. He has demonstrated his bhava bhakti, love for the Lord through his poems. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to like the poems of Chandi Dasa. So this Chandi Dasa was a great devotee of Durga Chandi. They were two brothers Chandi Dasa and his brother’s name is not mentioned. Chandi Dasa used to worship Chandi Devi and his brother used to worship Saligram Sila.

Chandi Dasa was rich. He had a farm, land and a big garden where he had many flowers and with those flowers he would worship Chandi Devi. But his brother who used to worship Saligram Sila did not have any garden. So he could not even offer flowers to the Lord.

One day Chandi Dasa’s brother saw a very special flower in the garden. He thought, ‘I wish I could offer this flower to my Saligram’. He not just thought it, but in his mind he offered the flower to his Saligram Sila. The next day Chandi Dasa was preparing the worship of his Chandi Devi. He went to the garden and picked the same flower which was offered to Saligram by his brother. He offered that flower to Chandi Devi who was very pleased. She knew that flower was offered to the Lord. She appeared and gave darsana to Chandi Dasa. Chandi Dasa was surprised, “What happened today? I worship you daily. I offer you flowers. What is so special today that you are so happy and giving me darsana?”

Chandi Devi said, “Thank you Chandi Dasa. Today you offered me prasadi flower of my Lord Saligrama or Narayan or Visnu. The flower which was offered to Him you have offered me today. So I am very happy.”

Chandi Dasa said, “So Narayan is more powerful than you?”
Chandi Devi, “Yes, Yes. He is my Swami, my Lord.”

aradhananam param devi visnor aradhanam param

Once Shivji had also told me this. So Chandi Devi is saying “Of all aradhana, visnu- aradhanam is the best."

bhoktaram yajna-tapasam sarva-loka-mahesvaram  [BG 5.29]

The only enjoyer whom we should try to please is Lord Visnu, Saligram, Sri Krsna. So from that day Chandi Dasa understood that he had wasted his lifetime.

radha-krishna na bhajiya, janiya suniya visha khainu

Chandi Dasa was lamenting. ‘I wasted by life. Why didn’t I worship Visnu since the beginning.’ He corrected himself and started the worship Lord Visnu. Demigods are not the Lord, they are not Visnu tattva. Demigods also worship Lord Visnu.

om tad visnoh paramam padam sada pasyanti surayah

These are the words of sastra. What do demigods do? om tad visnoh paramam padam. They meditate on the lotus feet of Lord Visnu. So Chandi Dasa’s name remained the same but Chandi Devi was pleased only when Lord Visnu’s prasada was offered to her. So Chandi Dasa became a great devotee of the Lord and he achieved the Lord’s love and devotional service by worship of Lord Visnu.

sa vai pumsam paro dharmo yato bhaktir adhokṣaje ahaituky apratihata (SB 1.2.6).

This is siddhanta of Bhagavatam. .Yato bhaktir adhoksaje. Lords name is Adhoksaja. Worshiping Him is param dharma. How should you worship Him? ahaituky apratihata. There should be no motive, no desire to enjoy or sense gratification. The devotees of demigods are not performing devotional service, but they are engaged in bhukti since in return they desire sense gratification. So the Lord’s worshippers are called bhaktas or yogis. On the other hand demigod worshipers are bhogi.

saar-saar-ko-gahi-rahe-thotha-dey-udaaye

The Lord’s devotees are saragrahi, that is they only accept the essence and throw away the useless. So we need to understand Visnu tattva and tattva of demigods. Their tattva of worship is different and the benedictions they give are also different. Worship of the Lord will enrich us with love of Godhead and worship of demigods will enrich us with lust. Your desires for material enjoyment may get fulfilled but you not get love of Godhead.

devan deva-yajo yanti mad-bhakta yanti mam api [BG 7.23]

Lord has said in Bhagavad gita, it’s very simple and very clear. Those who worship the demigods go to the planets of the demigods, but My devotees ultimately reach My supreme planet.

So where do you all want to go? Heaven or Vaikuntha or Golok? So try to understand who is Lord and who Demigod are? So to chant with attention one needs to avoid second offence to holy name. So I tried to explain this through the story of Chandi Dasa. Chandi Dasa was worshipping Chandi Devi but ultimately Chandi Devi only reformed him and directed him towards Visnu. Then he became a great devotee of Lord Visnu and achieved Krsna prema. And after achieving the love of Godhead he wrote poems filled with love that Caitanya Mahaprabhu liked his poems. Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to say “I want to hear Chandi Dasas poems.” So once he was Chandi Dasa and then he became Krsna Dasa. To understand this nicely and preach these things.

Jare dako tare kaho krsna upadesh

Keep distributing gita then people will understand the principles of devotion life. Many other siddhants are given in Bhagavat-gita by the Lord and Srila Prabhupada has explained them very nicely.

yanti deva-vrata devan
pitrn yanti pitr-vratah
bhutani yanti bhutejya
yanti mad-yajino 'pi mam [BG 9.25]

People are still worshipping demigods and not worshipping Lord. So many of them can turn to the Lord once they get Gita. So many of them are wasting their lives. Let this message reach to them and make them chant

Hare Krsna Hare Krsna
Krsna Krsna Hare Krsna
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

You are worshippers of the holy name.

Avoid these offences against the holy name so that their devotion is pure, attentive
and pleasing to the Lord.

26 December 2019

REAL SUCCESS OF LIFE!

How was your chanting ?
Don’t write on chat but you can write on ‘Let us chant together’ facebook. If you have some special experience or realisation then you can write down.

guhyam akhyati pracchati, shatvidham preeti lakshanam.

You can share confidential things from your heart whether pleasurable or which might be hurting you with your counsellor or friends or within this Loksanga or Let us chant together. You can share your opinions of either favourable or unfavourable circumstances, problems related to chanting and their solutions. It can be part of the discussion in this conference, but not in the chat session. You can write on Facebook. You can also discuss it locally with your counsellor or in the Bhakti Vriksha or youth group.
There should be discussion which Krsna called bodhayantah parasparam

mac-cittā mad-gata-prāṇā
bodhayantaḥ parasparam
kathayantaś ca māṁ nityaṁ
tuṣyanti ca ramanti ca

Translation
The thoughts of My pure devotees dwell in Me, their lives are fully devoted to My service, and they derive great satisfaction and bliss from always enlightening one another and conversing about Me. (BG 10.9)

He advises and expects from his devotees in this way. ’My devotees remind each other and make everyone hear the pastimes of Lord along with Instructions and glories of Hare Krishna chanting and many things. All this is a part of bodhayantah parasparam.

mat-citta, fix your mind and consciousness in me, my Lotus feet, Name, pastimes, Dham or in service of my devotees.

mac-cittah sarva-durgani
mat-prasadat tarisyasi
atha cet tvam ahankaran
na srosyasi vinanksyasi

Translation
If you become conscious of Me, you will pass over all the obstacles of conditional life by My grace. If, however, you do not work in such consciousness but act through false ego, not hearing Me, you will be lost.

If you remember me always, by my grace you will overcome all obstacles and difficulties and get your destination The way of fixing our consciousness in the Lord is chanting his holy name- Hare Krishna. Harer namaiva kevalam. Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu is the Supreme Lord and He has asked us to chant and do kirtana.

radha krishna bolo, sange calo,
ei-matra bhikha ca

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur used to say ‘I am a beggar, give me bhiksha’ and what bhiksha he is asking for ? To chant the glories of Radha Krsna and let’s go back home, back to Godhead.

sukhe duhkhe bhulo nako, vadane hari-nam koro re ( Gay Gaur Madhuri aware – from Gitavali of BVT)

Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur said ‘In happiness as well as distress, chant the holy names’. Usually we remember the Lord in distress. Sukh mein simran na kare koi – we forget the Lord in happiness. We say ‘Oh my God! at time of distress and thus remember the Lord and relatives in distress only.

grhe thako, vane thako, sada hari bole dako

In every situation one should chant and do kirtana, irrespective of which asram you belong to. You are not needed to be brahmachari or sannyasi. A grhasta can create his own asrama. Make your home an ashram, Grahasthashram like brahmachari ashram or sanyasi asrama. Don’t become grha-medhī. Make your grhasta life a grihasta asrama.

diva ca arthe haya ca rajan kutumb bharanen va punha

grha-medhi have been highly criticized by Sukadev Goswami. He said, ‘A home is a temple and those who don’t change their home into a temple or asrama, they are called grha-medhi. Nidraya – They spent time in sleeping night and day. They waste their time at night in maithun anand (sexual intercourse). They make their home a maithunagar and change their bhaktibhava into maithunibhava. They spend the night in eating.

Yesterday there were Christmas celebrations. They had a lot of alcohol, meat eating and what not! So, like that. This is a life of grha-medhi. Eating, sleeping, mating, defending keeps the whole world busy. For this business, money is required.

Sukadev Goswami says they spend the night in eating, sleeping, mating and defending and when the sun comes out, the day is spent in earning money which seems to be sweeter than honey. They remain busy all day in earning money and then all the money is used in eating, sleeping, mating and defending. Kali has been given a 5th place in black money which is used in eating, sleeping, mating and defending. He keeps such people engaged.

You can become grhasta and make your home as asrama not a home theatre. Keep chanting the holy names of the Lord always, irrespective of who you are – grhasta or brahmachari. Jivan haile sesa, na bhajile hrishikesh. We have to think that we have wasted this much life. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur reminds us that life is going on but we didn’t worship Hrishikesh.

manushya-janama paiya, radha-krishna na bhajiya
janiya suniya visha khainu

We have drunk poison intentionally.

So, life goes on and Lord has kept us alive. We have one more day. If we do only diva ca aarthe – as the night ends what they do? Kutumba bharanen va poonha Thank God! Lord has given us another opportunity to come to our senses. It’s a golden opportunity. We need to see these things and we can take some resolution as New Year is approaching. In this New Year in order to be happy, you may change something. You can sit together with members of your family or counsellor or brahmachari devotee and discuss. Accept the favourable and reject the unfavourable.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy. Game finished. How can we improve our chanting and get rid of offences. We should try to do mad-citta, attentive chanting.

radha-krishna-padaravinda-bhajananandena mattalikau
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau ( Shad Goswamiastakam)

Six Goswamis were immersed in the ocean of ecstasy of the chanting of the holy names of Radha Krsna. They are our heroes and leaders. We should follow their teachings. Srila Prabhupada taught us the same teachings of our Goswamis. He had shared the six goswamis teachings in his Gita or Bhagavad purport.

namas te sarasvate deve gaura-vani-pracharine

Srila Prabhupada spread their teachings all over the world. I offer my respectful obeisances unto his lotus feet. If we follow their teachings, then we will become Rupanugas. This is the only success of life.

25th December 2019- Japa Talk

Topic- Jiva Dharma

Today 333 participants are chanting with us. We have less devotees than they used to be earlier. Anyways, We welcome all participants. So, No chatting only Chanting in Japa session. May be people are not aware that live session has started, that is why the number of participants are less. Please you all share message that live session is started and they all join this.

Eklavya learned art from sculpture of Gurudev. He had confidence that his gurudev is with him. And he learned Dhanur Vidya. Vaani is better than vapuh. This live session Japa is also very important. Vapuh has its own limitations. Vaani doesnt have any limitation. One day this vapuh wont be there then we are only dependent on vaani seva. Once a disciple asked Srila Prabhupada : Between you and your book, who is better?
As he replied : My books are better than myself. My vapuh will no more one day but I will alive always through my books. If you distribute my books and people will read, I will always be alive in vaani form. My realisations and experiences are in my books and they all are eternal.
So, please Keep on joining Japa sessions whether it is live or recorded.

Happy Christmas to all of you.! Today whole world is having holiday and are in celebration mood. They all are in shopping moods. Hare Krishna devotees distribute BG and they give opportunity to others to buy BG. So, people may say that today we have bought BG. By distributing books, Hari Bhakta celebrates Christmas. Srila Prabhupada and Lord will be pleased if you will distribute books. In Bible it is said “Love the Lord with all there heart and all there strength.” Its like kayen manasa vacah, we serve Lord.

Dharam is one. Dharma is only one and it is prescribed by Supreme Lord. Dharmam tu sakshad Bhagavat praniyatama. What we call today as Dharma, is not Dharma. Its keep on changing. One day from Hindu to Muslim to Christianity but Dharma cannot be changed. It is eternal. One cannot be converted. Dharma cant be transformed. It is eternal. Every object has its own Dharma or nature like sugar is sweet. It will remain always sweet. Electricity has shock. So Every object and person has Dharma. Soul is also an object (vastu). Vastu comes from Vat Dhatu. Soul is alive not object. But we say Jiva is vastu. So it also has Dharma.

Bhaktivinoda Thakur explained Jaiva Dharma. Jiva’s greatest Dharma is devotional service on to Lord who is Adhokshaja. SB. Sa vai pamso paro dharma yato bhaktir adhokshaje. When living entities render devotional service to Lord, that is Dharma. Someone maybe Karma yogi,Astanga yogi but Karma yoga or any other is not Dharma. Bhakti is Dharma of all jeeva’s. In Goloka or Vaikuntha all render devotional service in various mellows. It might be Dasya ,Sakhya, Vatsalaya or Madhurya. So, all living entities have to render devotional service. This has been well explained in Bhagavad Dharma. This does not just belongs to Hindu but it is for all jiva’s. This sanatan or eternal religion is ever-existing. It is not a proprietorship of one person or caste. Dharma is beyond all this. Dehino asmin yatha dehe kaumaram yauvanam jara,tatha dehantara-praptir dhiras tatra na muhyati (BG 2.13)

We are all living entities. All living entites are part and parcel of Lord and they are eternal. Mamaivamso jiva-loke jiva-bhutah sanatanah ( BG 15.7) So, Lord said Give up all your religion. Sarva-Dharman Parityajya mam ekam Sharanam vraja (Bg 18.66). All jiva’s has to give up their so called faith and religion which might be incomplete and with some fault. So we asked all to give up their own religions. It doesnt mean leave Christianty or Islam etc. Such was not thought of Lord. 5000 years ago, at that time Islam or Christianity was not existing. Lord means that one should leave Bhukti, Mukti,Siddhi, Karma yogi,gyan yogi and taking the exclusive shelter of Lord. Surrendering unto the Lord is the Dharma of all living entities which is eternal.

I remember in 1971 in pandal program, some Hindu asked to Srila Prabhupada disciple if he has been converted from Christianity?
He replied : Now I have become better Christian.God is great, but how he is great we does not understand. When we met Srila Prabhupada, He make us understand that how God is great. It has been said in Bible ” to love God with all strength.” Earlier we were not doing that but now we are doing. We are killing animals, when it was prohibited in Bible “Thou shall not kill”. We were celebrating Christmas by eating meat. One who is meat-eater is not Christian. If you think by eating varities of meat they become happy. So, on Christmas they kill large amount of animals to eat meat. I was so called Christian. But now I am better Christian. Because I eat remnants of Lord. Patram pushpam falam toyam (BG 9.26). When I came in contact with ISKCON, I have become better Christian.

Krishna Consciousness is for all living entities. That is Bhagavad Dharma.

Lord is also one and Dharma is also one. We convinced of this. Once I was in toronto ,30-35 years ago, doing naam sankirtan on young street Canada. And were returning to Kheer Chor Gopinath temple. Same time,One person approached me and asked where are you going? I said I am going to temple. He opened Bible and said: You are not following Jesus. So you are not going to temple but going to hell. This should not happen hating fighting with each other on the by name of religion. No religion teach this. So distribute BG. Here I will stop. See you tomorrow.
Please approach others so that they can join this Japa session.
Hare Krishna!

24th December 2019

Topic- Glories of Bhagavad Gita

So lets start our Japa live conference. Please no chatting,only Chanting. This is the new rule for all of you, so that English transcription goes well. In this section, we can do only Harinaam means attentive chanting. Harinaam eva kevalam. If we chat during Japa conference then english listeners cannot read properly,thats why no chatting, only chanting. Today I want to do Live session but government stopped Internet. Kaliyuga is a sarva sadhan badhak, always evoke problems and disturbance in sadhana. Now I try to continue this live session of Japa talk. This is the month of Gita Jayanti, others have Christmas month, they do lots of shopping and spending money. Many hindus also celebrate Christmas, so they go for shopping. They are in buying mood. They purchase many things, so Hari-bhakta makes use of this season to distribute Bhagavad Gita. Gita cannot be sold or purchase. It is the most valuable gift. What is the value of BG? It is as much valuable as lord. Aishvarya samgrasya. When we distribute BG , they get vaani(instructions) of God. It is most valuable. So, please distribute books. There are still few days left in this month. Harinaam is also God and BG is also God. In this world, there is lack of Krishna consciousness. Until a jiva attains Krishna, he cannot be happy.

ekam shastram devaki-putra-gitam. Let there be one scripture only, one common scripture for whole world. Gita is spoken from the Lotus mouth of Lord, so it is not different from Lord. Who gave birth to BG?

Gita took birth from Krishna’s mouth. Krishna is complete, that is why, His vaani BG is also complete.
eko devo devaki-putra eva. Let there be one God for the whole world- Sri Krsna. So this we have to understand through BG. There is one God – Adi deva vibhu that is Krsna. That is why He says mam ekam sharanam vraja. World believes that there are many Gods. They give arguments, sabka maalik ek. But they do not know Who is that one God? That is only known by studying BG. Only by saying I believe in God is not enough. But we have to understand who is God? What are the qualities of God?

eko mantras tasya namani yani. One hymn, one mantra, one prayer- the chanting of His name: Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare. Harernaam eva kevalam. When we say only Krishna, it is incomplete. We have to say Radha and Krishna. Because they are non-different. Krishna is Shaktimaan and Radha is Shakti. There is no difference between Radha and Krishna. Adveta adi ananta rupam. But they have many forms. But Radha-Krishna is a adi rupa(Primeval form). In the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra, Hare refers to Radharani and Krishna is Krishna. God is only one. We get this Knowledge through BG.

Karmapy ekam tasya devasya seva. And let there be one work only- the service of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. So in Gita Mahatmaya, four things are emphasised:
1) ekam sastra- BG.
2) eko deva-Krishna
3) eko mantras – Hare Krishna Mahamantra
4) eko Karmapy- Devotional service

So when we study then we can know how can we unite all world. Vasudeva Kutumbhakam. We can see Srila Prabhupada has created ISKCON where whole world can live together. We see Hari Bhakti Mj, Narad Muni, Archana Bhakti, Krishna Deva Prabhu from Mauritius. They all belong to different countries but they are one family now. Srila Prabhupada Family, Radha- Krishna Family. You all must be experiencing this, that we are united nations of the spiritual world. Those who are studying BG, they understand that there is one God- Krsna, one mantra, one work. So, I stop here. You can think what I have said.

This is a food for thought. What is the result of our Studying BG? We all realised in ISKCON. If we distribute BG in more and more people, we will connect more new members in our family.All of you should expand Srila Prabhupada’s family, so please distribute BG. You can also send your scores “How many BG you have distributed?” in the end of this month. We will meet again.

Gita Jayanti ki Jai!
Arjuna- Krsna ki Jai!
Srila Prabhupada ki Jai!
Gaur premanande Hari Hari Bol!

19 DECEMBER 2019

The oneness of Krsna-Lila and Gaur-Lila

Hare Krsna!

namo maha-vadanyaya
krsna-prema-pradaya te
krsnaya krsna-caitanya-
namne gaura-tvishe namah

Sri Krsna Caitanya namne – I offer my respectful obeisances unto Lord Krsna. Krsnaya namaha – to which Krsna obeisances are being offered? krsnaya krsna-caitanya-namne -that Krsna whose name now has become Krsna Caitanya, or the one who has accepted the name as Krsna Caitanya. Unto such Krsna I offer my obeisances. We offer such prayers unto Him. Srila Rupa Goswami has offered such prayers. krsnaya krsna-caitanya- namne. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu is Himself Krsna. We talk of non-difference, ‘abhinnatva’. Krsna and Sri Krsna Caitanya are non different. So there is oneness between Krsna and Sri Krsna Caitanya.

We have to understand that not only are Krsna and Krsna Caitanya one, but even all the residents of Navadvip are non different from the Vrajavasis. Sri Krsna of Vrndavana is Sri Krsna Caitanya of Navadvip. Similarly Vrajavasis become Navadvip-vasis. Krsna incarnated as Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. So it is not that only Krsna incarnates and becomes Sri Krsna Caitanya, but all the Vrajavasis appear in the manifested pastimes of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

So the way Krsna incarnates as Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu I can almost say, that almost all the residents of Vraja appear in the pastimes of Caitanya Mahaprabhu and become residents of Navadvip. Those Vrajavasis appear in Krsna Lila and they help Krsna in those pastimes and all those who appear in Gaur Lila help Caitanya Mahaprabhu in His manifest pastimes. They become associates (parikar and parshad) of Mahaprabhu. So this non-difference should be understood properly. Residents of Navadvip and Vrajavasis are non different. Vrajavasis only become residents of Navadvip.

There was one associate of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu named Kavi Karnapur. You must have heard the name of Sivananda Sen. He was a special personality. Kavi Karnapur was his son and he has written a book named Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika. Kavi Karnapur received close association of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu when he was a small child to the extent that sometimes he used to lick the feet and toes of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu bestowed special mercy on Kavi Karnapur.

divya jnan hrde prokasito

When he grew up he wrote this book called Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika. Gaur gan means associates of Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Who are they? Or what is their identity in the Vrindavan pastimes of the Lord? Which role were they playing in those pastimes and now which role have they have taken in Gaura Lila. All the explanation about this is in his Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika. There was Parjanya Maharaja who was the grandfather of Krsna. He had five sons (Nand, Upanand Abhinanad etc. ) and all of them were known as Nanda. Out of those Nandas one was Nandababa. Parjanya Maharaja appeared in Bangladesh. Later after the appearance of Caitanya Mahaprabhu they migrated to East Bengal and West Bengal and then towards Navadvip. This Parjanya Maharaja appeared as Upendra Misra who had seven sons. One of them was Jagannatha Misra and Sri Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu was his son.

So this is for your information as to how Parjanya Maharaja of Vrindavan appeared as Upendra Mishra in Navadvip and his five sons in Vrindavan appeared as the 7 sons in Navadvip. Son of Nand became Nanda-Nandan. Similarly the son of Jagannatha Misra was Sri Krsna Caitanya. Then Balarama also appeared. Balarama hoila Nitai. You must have heard about the Chaturvyuha of Vasudev, Sankarsana, Pradyumna so they all appear in Navadvip. Even King Vrsabhanu of Barsana, who was the father of Radharani appeared in Navadvip. Kamsa of Mathura appeared as the Chand Kazi of Navadvip. Vyasadev who was there at the time of Krsna Lila becomes Vrindavan Das Thakur in Gaur-Lila. As Vyasadev he compiled Srimad-Bhagavatam and when he became Vrindavan Das Thakur he compiled Caitanya Bhagavat. Jay and Vijay also appeared as Jagai and Madhai. The whole team of so many cowherd boys including Sudama, Sridama, Subala all appeared in Gaur Lila.

Subala became Gauradas Pandit. So many Gopal friends who used to play with Krsna and Balarama appear in Gaur Lila. There were a team of Dvadas Gopala of Balarama and they all became associates of Nityananda. Gopis and manjaris of Vrindavan also join Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Rupa manjari becomes Rupa Goswami. In Vrindavan they were gopis or manjaris or women, and all the sad-goswamis are different gopis and manjaris. Someone is Rasa manjari and there is Manjulali manjari and like that there were many manjaris. And Yasoda maiya you can think. She becomes Saci Mata. Kavi Karnapur has very descriptively explained all these in his book called Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika. He explains as I explained to you earlier how Vrajavasis become residents of Navadvip. They all join in the sankirtana moment of Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Very unique and sweet pastime of Vrindavan is Rasa Lila. So all those gopis who participated in Rasa Lila participate in the sankirtana which includes singing and dancing with Krsna Caitanya Mahaprabhu. the whole night there would be kirtana and dance of Caitanya Mahaprabhu in Srivas Angana.

mahapraboh kirtana-nrtya-gita-
vaditra-madyan-manaso rasena
romanca-kampasru-taranga-bhajo
vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

TRANSLATION
Chanting the holy name, dancing in ecstasy, singing, and playing musical instruments, the spiritual master is always glad dened by the sankirtana movement of Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Because he is relishing the mellows of pure devotion within his mind, sometimes his hair stands on end, he feels quivering in his body, and tears flow from his eyes like waves. I offer my respectful obeisances unto the lotus feet of such a spiritual master.

So all join in the sankirtana movement of Mahaprabhu which is the religion for Kali Yuga. This way Caitanya mahaprabhu established sankirtana movement with the help of his eternal associates.

udilo aruna puraba-bhage,
dwija-mani gora amani jage,
bhakata-samuha loiya sathe,
gela nagara-braje ( Arunodaya kirtana by BVT in Gitavali)

Tribhanga Lalit Sri Krsna of Vrndavana used to play flute there and same Krsna in the form of Caitanya Mahaprabhu with

ajanu-lambita-bhujau kanakavadhatau
sankirtanaika-pitarau kamalayataksau
visvambharau dvija-varau yuga-dharma palau
vande jagat-priyakaro karunavatarau

He used to raise his hands. Carane nupur baje. There are anklets on His feet. He used to wear anklets in Vrndavana during Rasa pastime and in Navadvip also carane nupur baje. He wears anklets. Preme dhala dhala sonar anga carane nupur baje. There was the bliss of kirtana. So we all also have to join the kirtana of Mahaprabhu. This International Society of Krishna Consciousness lets us all reach the feet of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. For this reason Prabhupada revealed Navadvipa dhama to us and started Mayapur festival. He introduced Caitanya Mahaprabhu to the whole world. So now we are joining the sankirtana movement of Caitanya Mahaprabhu. Navadvipa is like an entrance and we will reach Vrndavana via Navadvipa. We join the sankirtana pastimes of Navadvipa of Mahaprabhu and we keep chanting and dancing and go back home to Vrndavana. This way we will return to Vrndavana.

Remember this much. I have given some glimpses of this book, but you can also read this book. This way we try to understand dhama-tattva, nama-tattva, or parshad-tattva.

janma karma ca me divyam
evam yo vetti tattvatah
tyaktva deham punar janma
naiti mam eti so ’rjuna

Translation
One who knows the transcendental nature of My appearance and activities does not, upon leaving the body, take his birth again in this material world, but attains My eternal abode, O Arjuna. (BG 4.9) This tattva is to be remembered always . We must understand this, because we should achieve perfection of our chanting.

During the day you all distribute books. While chanting we pray to the Lord seva yogyam kuru! Seva yogyam kuru – Make me eligible for seva. So nowadays which seva is going on? – Marathon. It’s the month of Gita-Jayanti. So there is seva of book distribution. So all of you while chanting pray to Caitanya Mahaprabhu to give you strength and intelligence so that you can do jare dakho tare kaho krsna upadesa . Bhagavad-Gita is Krsna Upadesh. So we have to distribute Gita.

Gaur Premanande Hari Haribol!

18th December 2019

Call the Lord’s Hotline. Chant the maha-mantra

Hare Krishna to all the chanters.

Krishna Balarama Ki Jai!

I am in Vrndavan so the names of Krsna Balaram is coming from my mouth. You have all been chanting on Zoom and now I am getting back on track. It will be purely a chanting session with no chat option. You are free to post your realisations on Let’s Chant Together Facebook page whenever you get time.

Keep chanting. It is the yuga dharma.

harer namaiva kevalam – there is no other way. You will have to chant till you chant with love, prema purvak japa, japa filled with love. Once you chant with love for the Lord you will not leave chanting. You won’t stop chanting. You will fall in love with the holy name. Now you don’t have love for the Lord or His name. So to revive the love for the Lord we are calling ‘Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna’. ‘Where are you, Krsna? I am Yours. Please accept me.’

seva yogayam kuru

Please make me eligible for Your service.

Today when I was about to start chanting Anadi Gaura Prabhu said to me “Look at the chanters whom you are addressing. So I looked at the camera. I was thinking I am ad-dressing the devotees

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

I am addressing all of you so I should look at you so that there is eye contact.This is right that I address you and make you hear the Hare Krishna maha-mantra. But while chanting the maha-mantra we are directly addressing the Lord. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna – all these 32 letters and 16 names of the maha-mantra is addressing the Lord. We don’t say Hara Krishna, we say Hare Krishna and that addresses Radharani. She at-tracts the heart of Krsna and of everyone so She is called Hara. But when we call Hara or if we want to attract Her attention we say Hare. So for addressing Hara we say Hare.

Krsna is also addressed as Lord Krsna. Krishnah, Ramah this grammar visarga the two dots, these are names. When you read the maha-mantra when it is written in Sanskrit or Devanagari you see those two dots after Krsna or Rama. There is 4 times Rama, 4 times Krishna, its not Krishnah, Ramah. I am explaining this because I want to tell you that its sambhodan, an address to the Lord. Once you remove visarga then that is sambhodhan Krsna Rama. While chanting we are addressing the Lord directly. We are calling the Lord. Whomever we call, we have to look at him. It should not be that you are calling someone and looking at someone else. We also have to remember that person whom we are calling then only is your calling complete and successful.

When we call Radha and Krsna we have to look at Them remembering Their Rupa, Guna, Lila Dhama. The Lord is all capable.

ksipram bhavati dharmatma
sasvac-chantim nigacchati
kaunteya pratijanihi
na me bhaktah pranasyati

Translation:
He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kunti, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes. (BG 9.31)

Sri Krsna asks Arjun to boldly declare that His devotees will never perish. Remember this and chant. Lord will surely protect.

dainya, atma nivedana, goptritve varana / avasya rakshibe krishna vishvasa palana

Translation:
1.Humility, 2. self-dedication, 3. accepting Him as one´s only maintainer and guardi-an, 4. having complete conviction that Krsna will surely protect us

Draupadi also called ‘He Krsna He Krsna’. As Draupadi is calling Krsna, she is also re-membering Krsna. The Lord protects His devotees. So remembering such a Lord who protects His devotees, remembering His Rupa, Guna, Lila she called and the Lord came.

sa hovaca hiranyagarbhah |
hare krshna hare krshna krshna krshna hare hare |
hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare ||
iti shodasakam namnam kalikalmashanasanam |
natah parataropayah sarvavedeshu drsyate ||

Translation:
Lord Brahma instructed Narada as follows: “The sixteen words of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra – Hare Krsna Hare Krsna Krsna Krsna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare – are especially meant for counteracting the sins of Kali-yuga. To save oneself from the contamination of Kali-yuga there is no other al-ternative, but to chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. After searching through all the Vedic scriptures one cannot find a method of religion for this age (Kali-yuga) so sublime as the chanting of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.”

The 16 names with which we call the Lord and directly address Him means there is no-body in between. Srila Prabhupada would say that chanting the maha-mantra is a tele-phone call to the Lord. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna is Krsna’s phone number. Does any-body have such a long phone number? It can only be the Lord’s number. So when you call the Lord, He attends your call. His line is the hotline, enabled 24 hours a day. So chanting means getting connected to the Lord.

Hare Krishna, He Krishna, how are You? How’s Your Rupa? He Radhe, how are You? How’s Your rupa? How are Your gunas? How is Your dhama? How are Your devotees? So all these things we remember and we call the Lord. We do nama smaran. Remember-ing His name means remembering the Lord.

sri-radhika-madhavayor apara madhurya-lila guna-rupa-namnam
prati-kshanasvadana-lolupasya vande guroh sri-caranaravindam

You all must have sung this in mangala arati. So while chanting we remember Nama, Rupa, Guna, Lila of the Lord.

We will continue at 6 am tomorrow morning.
Meet you then.

8 December 2019

Dear Devotees,

Hare Krishna.

Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
All glories to Srila Gurudev.

What an auspicious Sunday lies ahead of us tomorrow!

Tomorrow on 8 December 2019 we will celebrate Gita Jayanti, Mokasada Ekadasi and live chanting with Gurudev on the first anniversary of Zoom Let’s Chant Together.

December 8, 2018. Here we were in Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa at the Sri Krishna Goshala for a two day disciple retreat. Gurudev had just come from America and had this amazing idea to implement chanting with disciples and devotees all over. The rest as they say is history. Tomorrow marks the first anniversary of this Zoom Let’s Chant Together(with Lokanath Swami Maharaja).

It has been a while that we have been graced with Gurudev’s live presence during our morning japa sessions. Tomorrow on Gita Jayanti and Moksada Ekadasi Gurudev will be chanting with us again to celebrate this auspicious day. How fortunate can we really get? You are all aware that Gurudev is meant to be resting his voice till the end of December, yet tomorrow Gurudev will be chanting live with us.

Moksada Ekadasi is the anniversary of the most holiest of days when Lord Sri Krsna personally spoke the message of Bhagavad-Gita to all of humanity for all time through his beloved devotee Arjuna, on the battlefield of Kurukshetra at the place now known as Jyotisha tirtha. The Bhagavad-Gita was especially spoken in a time of crisis to teach us how we can experience and attain the highest perfection in times of the greatest crisis.

Let’s Chant Together. Let’s observe Ekadasi Together. Let’s celebrate Gita Jayanti Together, recall the wise words of Gita and remind ourselves of the Supreme Personality of Godhead and seek His blessings. This December Gita Jayanti Book distribution month is also especially the time to distribute Bhagavad-Gita As It Is in large numbers and be bestowed with ample blessings by Guru and Gauranga.

We all desire and pray for Gurudev’s personal association. Tomorrow morning we once again get that opportunity. Let’s start the day tomorrow in Gurudev’s association and make this auspicious day even more so.

My humble appeal is that we translate our gratitude to Gurudev by turning out in the largest number of participants that this japa session has ever seen. Please spread the word and we look forward to seeing you all tomorrow promptly on ‘Lets Chant Together’ at 5.30 am IST. Join us by clicking on this link:

https://zoom.us/j/9415113791

Thank you.

Your servant,

15 NOVEMBER 2019

CHANTING WITH PRANAYAM – Part 2

As we take in fresh air and retain it, it kind of makes the mind steady, fixed and focused. That kind of activity of the mind is achieved by following the cycle of taking a deep breath and then retaining it. We should observe the function of breathing and what goes into the mind very closely. They work in collaboration. If you could control your breath then you can control your mind. Aasan is also helpful in this process. When the body is in movement there also the mind functions. Sitting down is one kind of activity of the mind. If you sit at one place then it makes the mind more calm, peaceful and controlled. Sitting is the best posture. It is also associated with the mode of goodness. Sleeping is ignorance and running, walking is in the mode of passion. Sitting is goodness. We need to achieve that goodness of the mind for chanting. We need to transcend the three modes of material nature to achieve the state of pure goodness. We would like to have that state of mind to transcend to. The closest is goodness.

Sitting gives rise to goodness, lying down gives rise to ignorance and walking and running is associated with passion. The idea of having a particular aasan or goal is meditation. The goal is samadhi which is the final step. So all of these steps yam, niyam aasan are meant to serve and help the eighth step to reach the target of samadhi. They are favourable for it. The principal is that whatever is favourable we accept and whatever is unfavourable we reject. So we should watch favourable or near favourable aasan, kind of meditation, kind of breathing. What kind of breathing is favourable for my meditation?

Then there is pratyahar. It’s a big step during chanting. Pratyahar means prati- aahar. Normally we do aatyahar.

atyaharah prayasas ca
prajalpo niyamagrahah
jana-sangas ca laulyam ca
ṣadbhir bhaktir vinasyati

TRANSLATION:
One’s devotional service is spoiled when he becomes too entangled in the following six activities: (1) eating more than necessary or collecting more funds than required; (2) over endeavouring for mundane things that are very difficult to obtain; (3) talking unnecessarily about mundane subject matters; (4) Practicing the scriptural rules and regulations only for the sake of following them and not for the sake of spiritual advancement, or rejecting the rules and regulations of the scriptures and working independently or whimsically; (5) associating with worldly-minded persons who are not interested in Krsna consciousness; and (6) being greedy for mundane achievements. ( NOI verse 2)

Your bhakti is finished. You may lose your devotion if you are doing atyaharah. Eating or acquiring too much is atyaharah

ahara-nidra-bhaya-maithunam ca samanyam etat pashubhih naranam
dharmo hi tesham adhiko vishesho dharmena hina pashubhih samanah

TRANSLATION:
Eating, sleeping, fearing, and mating are the four principles of animal life. These are common both to animals and to human beings. But religion is the extra function of the human being. Without religion, human life is no better than animal life. – Mahabharata Aahar is eating. Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakur explains that when we talk of aahar we think of food tasted by the tongue. Every sense has its own aahar. Sound is food for the ears and form is food for the eyes. Smell is food for the nose and touch food for the skin. So there are five kinds of aahar. This ashtanga yoga in which anga means part. Alpahar means little, alpa means little and atyaharah is too much of aahar. In yogic principles we talked of ashtanga which means the 8 types out of which the fifth principle is atyaharah. The feeding of the senses and then controlling the minds is the fifth step in order to achieve meditation through dhyan, dharana and samadhi which means total absorption. Totally detached from everything and fully focused.

Chanting fully absorbed, interactive with the Lord. oThe soul is interacting with the Lord. The soul is thinking, feeling, willing, but it is all about the Lord – thinking about the Lord and having feelings about the Lord, executing the will of the Lord.

Speaking of aasan is just not the way you sit. Only that doesn’t make a aasan, but where you sit and how you sit and the whole surrounding where you sit and even time could be part of aasan. Time, place and circumstances is part of aasan. Part of aasan is also no mobiles around. Anything which tries to distract or feed you with something other than the process of chanting should be avoided. That is also the part of assan. So aasan pranayam pratyahar is a big step, an important step in order to facilitate you to go to the sixth step which is dhyan, remembrance from where your meditation kind of begins. It has already begun with pranayam, asana and you are kind of getting closer. So this pratyahar is a stumbling block. It doesn’t let you go to dhyan, remembrance, meditation. You are bombarded with so many thoughts and contemplations. There may be some fresh things around which could be forms, smells or sounds which could be unfavourable. You have to take care that everything is favourable. The mind is always there which is filled with previous impressions. What you have previously heard and eaten, touched and so on.

Those things begin giving ideas. Then the intelligence joins the mind and starts making strategies for the gratification of the senses. So we have to do this pratyahara.

Someone may say as Bhakti yogis we have nothing to do with pratyahara! Someone may think we are Bhakti Yogis. We have nothing to do with the aasan. Why should we do pranayam? It helps and is favourable. That is pratyahar. a Watch your breath also includes watching your mind. Who is going to watch? Who watches the mind in our body in our system? Intelligence!

indriyani parany ahur
indriyebhyah param mana
manasas tu para buddhir
yo buddheh paratas tu san

TRANSLATION
The working senses are superior to dull matter; mind is higher than the senses; intelligence is still higher than the mind; and he [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence. (BG 3.42)

Above the mind is intelligence. There is a whole hierarchy, so keeping an eye on the mind is the job of intelligence. In order for us to work on this pratyahara the function of intelligence comes in. You have good, sharp intelligence so watch and quickly analyse and prescribe also. Do this and don’t do this. Think like this! Get out! Intelligence should give orders very actively. But if you are sleeping then your intelligence is already turned off. It is not even taking notice. Your intelligence is not noticing that chanting has already stopped. Anyway, the main thing is dhyan,
dharana, samadhi. We could try this. Caitanya Mahaprabhu said that there are no hard and fast rules, but that does not mean there is lawlessness. Something has to be done. Some system has to be followed, whatever is favourable or whatever
helps. So this ashtanga yoga is one system.

Try it. It may work for you. If you follow that to some extent you will immediately start looking like yogis, doing something serious. With the devotees just doing japa, you don’t get the feel of doing something serious while chanting. I mean you can just go and interrupt him and he doesn’t mind. He is kind of waiting for someone to
come and interrupt him. Someone comes and just starts talking,”Hey! What is there? How is this?” We should concentrate on the sound vibration of :

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

Gaur Premanande Hari Hari Bol!

14th November 2019

CHANTING WITH PRANAYAM.

I was in Amsterdam and someone asked me how long yogis sit and meditate. How long can you sit thinking of nothing? I could have said 24 hours, but I said for 2 hours. Chant for 2 hours. Hearing that he was very impressed he bowed before me. I told him that while we are chanting it is expected that by chanting we are trying to focus, get fixed up, with no deviation or distraction. You are endeavouring for a perfect goal. Chanting and chanting with that endeavour with practice makes a man or woman perfect.

We are also a kind of looking like yogis – Bhakti-Yogis. Let’s say when we are chanting it should give the impression to others that this person is doing some meditation. But that is not the case many times. There are other impressions. We are so casual, and not many rules. And it is not only external, but also internal which others can’t see. Something externally also gets exhibited sometimes, some symptoms as Caitanya Mahaprabhu said,

nayanam galad asru dharaya
vadanam gadgada rudhaya gira
pulakair nicitam vapuh kada
tava nam grahane bhavisyati

O My Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing consulantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, when will the hairs me my body stand on the end at the recitation of your name. (Siksastakam Verse 6)

Tears are rolling down My cheeks, while I chant the holy names. When it is internally happening there is some external manifestation in terms of some symptoms like tears, voice getting choked up. That is the highest goal.

I had lately beentalking of this thing. This should give some shape or structure to our chanting, some form. These are some of the principles or practices of Ashtanga yoga which Krsna has presented in the 6th chapter of Bhagavad-gita. And there is the whole of patanjali yoga bhasyas. There are 6 darsanas – shad-darsanas. The goal is meditation or samadhi. The difference between ashtanga yogis and us is that they like to meditate on Paramatma in the heart, and devotees or Vaisnavas also meditate on the Lord. For the Vaisnavas Paramatma is not active. Paramatma doesn’t perform Lilas. Paramatma is just there to witness and not do a lot of things. You are moving and wandering about and He is stationary and interactive with the living entity. But also for the Vaisnavas:

premanjana-cchurita-bhakti- vilochanena
santah sadaiva hridayeshu vilokayanti
yam shyama-sundaram achintya-guna-svarupam
govindam adi-purusham tam aham bhajami

I worship Govinda, the primeval Lord, who is Syamasundara, Krishna Himself with inconceivable innumerable attributes, whom the pure devotees see in their heart of hearts with the eye of devotion tinged with the salve of love. Song
Name: Isvara Parama Krsna (Brahma Samhita,Verse 11)

Brahmaji said saintly persons , specially devotees meditate on the the Syamsundara form of the Lord. So there is some difference in the object of meditation. Ashtanga yogis like to meditate on the Paramatma form of the Lord while Vaisnavas especially Gaudiya Vaisnavas like to meditate on the beautiful Radha Syamsundara. Rest of the steps of yogis could be applied or followed by the devotees. I can be applied to the chanting by Vaisnavas.. We will not talk about yam niyam. Aasan, pranayam, pratyahar , dhyan, dharana ,samadhi if we follow this our process remains structured for our chanting. We follow this or are supposed to be following this knowingly or unknowingly. Whenever there are Japa
retreats, these things are talked about for attentive chanting.

I have also conducted Japa retreats many times. Sitting is the best position or aasan, Sukh aasan. There are so many aasans for chanting, but sukh aasan is good enough. You relax, sitting happily.

After aasan there is pranayam, breath control. Take a deep breath and chant as many times as you could manage, 3 times, 4 times. Some of them even manage five times in one breath. In yogas and aasanas a yoga instructor says ‘watch your breath’. So what we do during chanting is watch our chanting. Take a small quota of 3 mantras or 4 mantras , five mantras if you could manage, and you hear. Take a deep breath and chant. So you are not trying to hear 108 mantras at a time, but you hear small chunks. Whenever you are uttering a new mantra hear it properly from the beginning. In retreats it is stressed that when you begin with a new mantra pay attention at the beginning of the mantra and put stress on the beginning of it, ‘Hare Krishna’, and try to retain that in your memory. You are not only chanting
Krsna but also Hare. Hare Krishna!

Both nostrils help. This is one very foundational principle of the yoga practitioners. Breath then:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hae Rama
Rama Rama Hare Hare

Then breathe and again Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare…… This is very healthy at the same time, physically also beneficial as you end up doing also yoga asanas and breath control pranayama. You remain fresh if you chant like this. Take a deep breath and chant, again take a deep breath and chant and like that. \ By doing this tissues of the brain are oxygenised. Blood goes to the brain. One of your god brothers is teaching yoga. You can also learn and teach yoga. When we chant, it is not clear whether we are doing exaltation or inhalation. It is not distinctly clear. Half mantra then you are breathing in that means you are not retaining your breath. It is explained in the lungs there are several bags called alveoli. In the walls of this alveoli exchange of gases takes place. On the other side there is blood.

They say it is expected that the carbon dioxide from impure blood is taken into the alveoli which then goes out through the nose and oxygen gets filled the lungs and the blood gets purified, which is very, very important for the upkeep of the body, for the working of the body. So what this pranayam does, is as you have taken a deep breath which is full of oxygen and because you retain that it means your alveoli gets filled with oxygen. You hold that and it means you hold it for the action of exchange to take place so that the blood is purified. When the oxygen is coming out and going into the blood if you throw the air out then the whole process gets mixed up. Pranayam allows the process of breath purification. Then this purified blood filled with Oxygen moves through the whole body and you feel energised and also the nervous system becomes alert. If chanting is done in this way then that will keep you fresh and not drowsy.
These are the side benefits of chanting in this way along with pranayam.

To be continued …..