ARCHANA (Worship of the Deity Form of the Lord)

 

 

Sent to you by dinesh via Google Reader:

 

 

ARCHANA (Worship of the Deity Form of the Lord)

via Padyavali Dasi's Facebook Notes by Padyavali Dasi on 8/31/11

Once a great Muslim scholar by the name of Mullah Badaruddin Sahib came to debate with the vaisnavas of Godruma followers of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu. These vaisnava sadhus chose Goracanda dasa Pandita Babaji of Sri Mayapur to speak to Mullah and the following is part of this brilliant debate between both parties:

 

Mullah: We have heard that your first preacher, Chatanyadeva took all the faults out of the Hindu religion. Srill He was in favor of this 'byut' (imaginary form) worship, or worship of a material thing. We want to know form the Vaisnavas is: Why, after consulting the scriptures, have you not rejected this 'byut' worship?

 

Human beings are situated on different levels of knowledge and purity. A person situated in pure spiritual knowledge is able to worship the pure spiritual form of the Lord. Persons situated on lower levels of spiritual awareness understand the Lord to a lesser degree, and they who are on the lowest level cannot understand the Lord's spiritual nature at all. When he meditates on God, a person on the lowest level inevitably imagines that God has a material form with material qualities. To think that the Deity form of the Lord is a statue made of clay is the same as to meditate in the mind on a Supreme that one imagines to have a form made of matter.

 

Actually, for persons on that level of advancement, worship of the Deity form of the Lord is very beneficial. In fact, if there were no Deity worship, the people in general would be in an inauspicious condition. If an ordinary person eager to see God were not able to see the Deity form of the Lord, then he would lose hope that he would ever see the Lord. The followers of religions that forbid Deity worship are on a low level of spiritual advancement. They are materialistic and not interested in worshiping the Lord. Therefore Deity worship is the foundation of religion.

 

Pure and wise saints gaze on the form of the Supreme Lord. Their hearts purified by devotion, they know that the Deity form of the Lord is pure spirit. As the heart becomes more and more purified by devotion, the worshiper gradually comes to understand that the Deity form of the Lord is a spiritual form reflected within the realm of the material world. Thus the Deity form is the spiritual form of the Lord, a form that the great saints have arranged to be reflected within the material world. An advanced devotees can directly perceive that the Deity form is perfectly spiritual. An intermediate devotee thinks the Deity form is a mental image.

 

At first a neophyte devotee thinks the Deity is a statue made of material elements, but as he gradually become pure in heart, he also gradually comes to understand that the Deity is actually made of spirit. Therefore the Deity form of the Lord should be worshiped by all classes of devotees. To worship an imaginary form is forbidden. However, to worship the real eternal form of the Lord is very auspicious. Therefor the worship of the Deity of the Lord is established for all three classes of Vaishnavas. There is nothing wrong in it. On the contrary, it brings the greatest auspiciousness.

 

In Shrimad-Bhagavatam (11.14.26) the Supreme Lord Himself declares:

 

yatha yathatma parimrijyate 'sau

     mat-punya-gatha-shravanabhidhanaih

tatha tatha pashyati vastu sukshmam

     cakshur yathaivanjana-samprayuktam

 

     "When a person purifies his heart by hearing and singing pure songs describing Me, he gradually becomes able to see spirit. He becomes like a person whose eyesight is restored by medicinal ointment."

 

     In the material world the mind tends to be filled with material thoughts. In that condition the soul is not able to understand his true spiritual identity and he is also not able to serve the Supreme Lord, who resides in his heart as the Supersoul. By hearing and chanting the Lord's glories and by performing other kinds of devotional service, the soul gradually becomes powerful. Then the bonds of matter that hold him become slackened. As the bondage of matter becomes slackened, the soul becomes stronger, and in the course of time the soul becomes exalted. He can directly see spirit, and he can act on the spiritual platform.

 

Some say that one should far away all that has no relation to the Lord and one should act only to attain Him. However, one cannot become spiritual strong merely by dry knowledge. How can a conditioned soul get the power to suddenly renounce all that has no direct relation to the Lord? Can a prisoner in jail release himself simply by wishing to be free? the soul imprisoned in the material world has committed an offense to the Supreme Lord. He must find a way to lessen that offense. The spirit soul is by nature an eternal servant of Lord Krishna. The root of the soul's offense is that he has forgotten that. Therefore, somehow or other he should turn his mind to think of the Lord. By gazing at the Deity form of the Lord, hearing the description of the Lord's pastimes, and other devotional activities, the soul gradually revives his original spiritual nature.

 

The more the soul's original nature is revived, the more the soul can see spirit directly. Serving the Deity of the Lord, and hearing and chanting the Lord's glories are the only way for the neophyte devotee to make spiritual advancement. For this reason the great saints have established Deity worship in this world.

 

     Mullah: Is it not better to meditate on an imaginary within the mind than to make an imaginary Deity form out of the material elements?

 

     Goracanda: They are the same. When the mind is material, it thinks only of material things. You may say, Brahman, the Supreme, is all-pervading". Still, the material mind will think Brahman is like the material element ether, which is also all-pervading. However, if I continue to meditate on Brahman in that way, in the course of time the real truth about Brahman will be manifested in my heart. Time and space are material. If the mind's meditation is not beyond time and space, then how can the mind meditate on something that is beyond the material world.

 

Rejecting the Deity form as something made of earth, water, or other material elements, you meditate on an imaginary form of the Lord, a form made of time and space. That is worship of a material form of the Lord, a graven image of the Lord. A material so-called form of the Lord is not needed. The Lord is not material. His is spiritual. That is His nature. Therefore a process is given to the conditioned souls by which they can approach the spiritual Supreme Lord. By chanting the Lord's holy names, by narrating His pastimes, and by worshiping His Deity form, one gradually becomes more and more devoted to the Lord. When the worshiper attains pure devotion, he can see the spiritual form of the Supreme Lord. Philosophical speculation and fruitive work will not help one to see the Lord.

 

     Mullah: the Supreme Lord is different from matter. It is said that Satan introduced the worship of material things in order to trap the souls in the material world. Therefore I think it is not good to worship material things.

 

     Goracanda: The Supreme Personality of Godhead is one without a rival. No one can possible compete with Him. Everything in this material world was created by Him and is dependent on Him. The Supreme Lord may be worshiped in many different ways. He is pleased by all these different kinds of worship. It is not that He will become an enemy if someone worships Him a particular way. He is all-auspicious.

 

If you say that Satan does something, then I say that Satan does not have the power to do anything against the Supreme Lord's will. If Satan exists, then he must be an individual soul dependent on the Supreme Lord. However, I think that this Satan does not exist. Why not? Because in this material world nothing can ever be done to thwart the Supreme Lord's will. There is not a single individual soul who is not dependent on the Supreme Lord. You may ask, `What is the origin of sin?' I reply: The individual soul is by nature a servant of the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Awareness of this fact is knowledge. To forget this fact is ignorance.

 

If an individual spirit soul forgets this fact, then he sows the seed of sins in the field of his heart. A person who always remains a liberated associate of the Lord does not plant the seed of sin in his heart. Instead of imagining this mythological Satan, one should honestly see the ignorance in his own heart. Therefore, even if one worships the Supreme Lord as present in the material elements, he commits no offense. Therefore Deity worship is necessary for the neophyte devotee and the source of great auspiciousness for the advanced devotee. Therefore the idea that Deity worship is not good is only a theory of some thinkers. It is not at all supported by the pure scriptures.

 

     Mullah: Deity worship is not good for attaining love of God. It simply fills the mind with many material ideas.

 

     Goracanda: By studying the ancient history books we can see that your conclusion is wrong. many neophyte devotees begin their spiritual life by worshiping the Deity form of the Lord. As they continue the Deity worship in the association of the devotees, they gradually become advanced, and then they can directly see that the Deity is the spiritual form of the Supreme Lord Himself. Then they become plunged in a great ocean of spiritual love for the Lord. This is the undeniable truth: Association with the devotees of the Lord is the root of all that is good. By associating with spiritually advanced devotees of the Lord, one gradually attains spiritual love for the Lord. When one attains spiritual love for the Lord, the idea that the Deity form is material perishes. As one gradually becomes advanced, he attains great good fortune. Non-Aryan religions are generally opposed to deity worship. But look! How many followers of those religions have attained spiritual love for the Lord? They simply spend their time arguing with each other and hating each other. How can they understand loving devotion to the Lord?

 

     Mullah: If one has love for the Lord, then there is no fault in His worshiping the Deity. However, how can the worship of a dog, a cat, a snake, a debauchee, or some other kind of being be worship of the Supreme Lord? The honorable prophet has specifically forbidden worship of "byut".

 

     Goracanda: The people in general are grateful to God. Whether they sin or not, they have faith in the supremacy of God, and they bow down before the wonders that are displayed in this world. Prompted by their gratitude to God, the ignorant aborigines bow down before the sun, the river, the mountain, or anything that is very big and grand. They offer themselves to these things and they reveal their hearts to them. Although there is certainly a great difference between spiritual love for the Lord and the worship of material things, the bewildered people who show their gratitude to God by bowing down before these material things gradually attain a good result.

 

Therefore if you see with the eye of reason, you will not blame them for worshiping material things. If one meditates on a formless all-pervading God, or if without any spiritual love one offers namaz prayers or other prayers, then how is that different from worshiping a cat? It is our idea that one should do whatever is necessary to arouse one's love for God. If those neophytes are mocked or attacked, then the path of gradual spiritual advancement will be blocked. Dogmatic people refuse to honor the followers of other religions. They mock and attack others who do not worship in the same way they do. They make a great mistake.

 

     Mullah: Should it then be said that everything is God, and the worship of anything is the worship of God? Is the worship of sins worship of God? Is the worship of sinful desires worship of God? Is God pleased by any kind of worship?

 

     Goracanda: We do not say that everything is God. Rather, God is different from all else. Everything is created by God and dependent on Him. Everything has a relationship with God. By following the thread of that relationship, any thing may lead one to become curious about God. Therefore the sutra says:

 

     "Curiosity pushes one to taste things."

 

     Therefore this kind of curiosity gradually pushes one to try to experience what is spirit. You are all great panditas. If you are merciful and generous, you will understand what is the truth of this. We are only poor Vaishnavas. We do not like to enter into debates. If you give permission, we will now hear the musical play Shri Chaitanya-mangala.

 

     No one could understand what conclusion the mullah came to by hearing these arguments. After a short silence he said, "I am glad to hear your arguments. I will come on another day and ask about something else. Now it is late. We wish to return to our homes. After speaking these words, the mullah sahib and his followers mounted their horses and left for Satasaika Paragana. The babajis happily called out the holy names of Lord Hari, and entered the temple to hear the play Shri Chaitanya-mangala.

 

 

Things you can do from here:

• Subscribe to Padyavali Dasi's Facebook Notes using Google Reader
• Get started using Google Reader to easily keep up with all your favorite sites

 

 

Kalyana Kalpataru

PAMHO. AGTSP!

Please tell me why you uselessly adore and worship such false things in this world?

By Padyavali Dasi

 

Oh my dear mind, please tell me why you uselessly adore and worship such false things in this world? This material world is simply composed of five gross elements: earth, water, fire, air & ether, but the pure spirit soul somehow wants to keep himself in a most degraded condition of abject ruination by remaining within this unfathomable ocean of inauspiciousness.

The spirit soul actually lives beyond these five gross elements, and he is always spotlessly pure, devoid of material designations, and abounds in auspicious spiritual happiness. He is certainly a fit receptacle for pure love of Godhead, which is beyond the range of maya's illusions. Oh my dear mind, my dear friend! You are meant to be situated in pure transcendental existence as pure spirit soul, so I ask you now—why do you become enchanted and captivated again and again within this dull material universe?

Just become a little introspective for once, and try to keep in mind the fact that a pure spirit soul is actually eternal and full of nectar. Such intelligent judgements are quite befitting you. Reassuming your real form as pure soul, just remain always in Vrndavana under the shelter of Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

Make the worship of the Divine Couple your only object of pursuit. And in the company of Their most dear cowherd girlfriends and maidservants, just perform transcendentally joyful service unto Their pastimes for all of eternity. I am not able to predict the destination of those foolish souls who dare to neglect such a treasure as this conjugal service.

Padyavali Dasi :

  Reading from the Kalyana Kalpataru this evening I found this most beautiful jewel by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura and somehow I felt compelled to share it with all that can hear... please relish on this nectar

--
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

KKSblog.com - Service attitude

• Service attitude
• Special Treasure!
• Developing Nobleness and Saintliness
• Service to the holy name

Service attitude Posted: 01 Sep 2011 09:30 PM PDT Towards everyone, always have a service attitude. Whenever we see a vaisnava we should always think how can I serve this vaisnava. Every vaisnava is a very important person and must be treated special. If we could just have that service attitude then that would do it. When there's a service attitude then automatically we can chant Hare Krsna because then we get into the mood of taking shelter. (Kadamba Kanana Maharaj, August 2011, Germany)

Special Treasure! Posted: 01 Sep 2011 02:12 PM PDT (Kadamba Kanana Swami, Finland, 2011) By the association of the vaisnavas, we are getting mercy….we are getting purified…………………………..We can all take inspiration from each other! That's a nice thing about vaisnava association. It's not like top down. Everyone can take initiation from each other, because every devotee carries some special treasure!

Developing Nobleness and Saintliness Posted: 01 Sep 2011 01:47 PM PDT (Kadamba Kanana Swami, Finland, 2011) Once there was a hunter who was hunting in the forest, by killing different animals. Then he came upon a tiger and the roles became reversed. Instead of the hunter chasing animals, the tiger started to chase the hunter! The hunter was running for his life and went up the tree. He climbed up the tree and as he went up higher in the tree, there was a bear in that tree. The hunter looked at the bear and then he looked down at the tiger. Then the tiger spoke to the bear: "There is our mutual enemy! Kick him down and I will finish him off!" The bear said: "No! No I cannot do that because he came to my home, so he is my guest. I have to give him shelter. So no I can't kick him down". And the tiger said to the hunter: "Look, if you kick this bear down. I'll eat the bear and I won't eat you!" So the hunter kicked down the bear, and the bear was falling and falling. Then somehow or other he managed to grab a branch and was hanging onto the branch. He climbed back up and he was back into the tree, right at top. Then the tiger said: "Look at that hunter…you gave him shelter and he betrayed you! He just mercilessly kicked you down. See what kind of a character he is. Kick him down now and I will just finish him off!" The bear said: "No! I can't do that because he is still my guest, and even if he misbehaves, that doesn't give me a license to also misbehave". In this way our noble bear really showed integrity of character, which was extraordinary, and this is the result of saintliness. So not only are we meant to be servants of Krishna. Not only are we meant to engage in devotional service and follow the four regulative principles, but we are also meant to develop qualities of saintliness. It's not only about what we do…it is also about who we are. That we must also become very noble personalities like the bear, or like Sita…..and of course also like Hanuman!

Service to the holy name Posted: 01 Sep 2011 02:23 AM PDT Not only did Prabhupada introduce the chanting of the holy name but he also introduced rendering service to the holy name, which is service to the sankirtana movement. (Kadamba Kanana Maharaja, August 2011, Germany)

--
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com

The Holy Name is the Most Valuable Possession I Have-Must Read!!!

The Holy Name is the Most Valuable Possession I Have

Without the holy name I would practically have no spiritual life, no real happiness, no intimacy with Krishna, no peace of mind, and no ability to control my senses. My entire relationship with Krishna, the most important relationship in my life, is revealed through His holy name. Without the holy name I would be lost, miserable, spiritually weak and destitute. Yet sometimes I treat this most valuable relationship as a botheration, something that gets in the way of me doing "more important" things or "more desirable" things. What helps me in these times is to remember that I get to chant, that I want to chant, that I love to chant (deep down inside). To think I have to chant reinforces the idea thatchanting Krishna's lovely names is something I'd rather not be doing.

Bad Chanting Becomes the Norm

After chanting bad japa for extended periods of time, bad chanting starts to become my default setting. I then believe that due to the circumstances I am in this is the best I can do. Bad chanting thus reinforces itself with more bad chanting. And since bad chanting produces little or no nectar or realization, becoming Krishna conscious becomes more of a pie in the sky ideal than a possible reality. Chanting thus becomes totally a matter of duty and can easily become automatic, heartless, and robotic. Badchanting reinforces the belief that my chanting can't or won't get much better. The real problem is that I believe this and I am ok with this.

Killing Some Time While Chanting

My mind derives great pleasure from thinking. So I have a problem when I chant because while I am chanting my mind goes pleasure hunting and wants to contemplate so many interesting thoughts and not listen to the holy name.. This happens most often when I am bored with chanting. It is sometimes really difficult to just hear the mantra because my mind says, "This is not interesting. Think of something interesting, like, what you are going to say in your next class, or how you are going to do this or that project in new creative ways." My mind resists just listening to me chant because it's always looking for something to ponder, something to do. And when it starts pondering some interesting thoughts, even though my lips keep moving with the mantra, I disconnect myself from my chanting and live in my little mental dream world. I realize I often do this when I am bored chanting in order to "kill some time" during japa and keep myself entertained. After all, just thinking of the mantra and nothing else can sometimes be torture for the mind.

Give It All I Got

To the degree that I give my all and all to my chanting, to that degree Krishna reciprocates and thus bhakti increases in my heart. As one popular song of the sixties said, "The love you give is equal to the love you take." What I put into my japa is what I get back. Devotion doesn't come back where devotion is not put out (garbage in, garbage out).

My daughter is learning to play violin and to inspire her we watched a virtuoso eleven year old violinist on You Tube. This eleven year old was so good we couldn't believe it. As I watched in disbelief I thought, "If I took my japa as seriously as this kid takes her violin, I would be completely Krishna conscious by now. The reality is that if I only give 50% of my energy to my japa, then 50% is going somewhere else. If I want to properly chant and hear the holy names and reap the results that the holy name can offer, I need to give all my energy to my japa (both physical and mental). If I really value my relationship with Krishna, I will do this. And doing this shows Krishna how important that relationship is to me.


I Have No Time to Chant

Most of us who are raising families are challenged to find two undisturbed hours a day to solely focus on our rounds. Yet many of the activities that take our time away fromchanting are activities that we specifically have chosen to do. Afer the second retreat I thought that the reason I have so much on my plate that takes me away from chantingis simply because I don't like chanting enough. It's what Prabhupada calls the "self created burden." If I am finding it difficult to finish my rounds because of a lack of time, I am ultimately the one who chose to do all the activities that are getting in the way of my chanting. Even when I can't really avoid all the work and responsibilities, still I am the one who is organizing those activities in a way that chanting often takes a back seat to the other things I do.

The Mind is Like a Loud Truck

While I was chanting the other day, a truck drove by that was so loud that I couldn't even hear myself chant. As it got further away I could again hear the mantra coming out of my mouth. As this was happening I immediately thought that the truck is exactly like the mind. Sometimes the mind is so loud that I can't even hear myself chant. It just takes over and the maha mantra gets drowned out by the volume of my mind. When I think of controlling my mind, I think of turning down the volume on all of its chatter. Once that chatter stops, I can hear the maha mantra. When I constantly work on turning the volume down, eventually my mind starts to peacefully listen to the chanting.

The Acarya of Multi-Tasking Japa

Too often I chant like a robot. Maybe someday things will get so bad that we'll have japa robots and we can just put our beads in their hands and they will chant to a recording of our japa.

Although that sounds far fetched, I am like that robot. I have chanted Hare Krishna for so many years that I can do it my sleep, I can do it while driving, I can even do it while reading. I can do it while shopping, talking, sight seeing – you name it and I can do it and chant simultaneously. I am the acarya of multi-tasking japa. Chanting is so programmed into my cells that I can do it without even thinking about it. Someone might say, "Well that's good." No, it's horrible because I can do it without even being aware that I am doing it, what to speak of being aware that I am associating with Radha and Krishna. It's like someone shot Novocain in my heart and my heart has become numb and thus I am not feeling a thing while I chant.. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta said the name is not lip deep, it is heart deep.

Chanting is Boring

When I commit offences to the Holy Name, chanting becomes boring. In this consciousness chanting is tasteless, troublesome, and outright uninteresting, and it's the last thing I want to do. Thus I do it only out of duty while my mind is totally disengaged from chanting. My mood is simply to get my rounds finished as soon as possible. This is a sign to me that my spiritual life is lacking. When I don't do something to correct this, the bad chanting creates a domino reaction of less Krishna consciousness in my life, which then produces more bad chanting, which continues to produce less Krishna consciousness, which produces more bad chanting. And this could lead to something even worse than bad chanting. It could lead to no chanting.

Give Yourself A Gift

Prabhupada said the highest realization is to save yourself. I have so often neglected to chant well that I sometimes feel like I am dying of thirst for the nectar of the name. On the 64 rounds day (at the retreat, one day is reserved for 64 rounds and a vow of silence) I was finally taking the time to give myself the nectar that I so desperately needed. But because I had dried up so much over the years and thus was so thirsty, no matter how much I drank the name I still was thirsting for more. By the 64th round my thirst was just starting to become satisfied. 64 rounds is the most wonderful gift I have ever given myself. At least I should give myself the gift of 16 good rounds every day.

Does the Holy Name Really Work?

Yes, the holy name does really work. Well, let me restate that: The holy name does really work if I chant the holy name the way the holy name is meant to be chanted. If I don't properly chant the holy name, then I start thinking the chanting can't really uproot my deepest anarthas. Because I am not experiencing Krishna while I chant, I lose faith in the value and power of the holy name. Going to the retreat and being facilitated to chant some really good rounds was a major faith builder. The holy name began to work on me more deeply than ever. It was real, vibrant, active, and dynamic, as compared to the usual dead mantras I chant. Dead mantras were producing a dead Mahatma Das. But the maha mantra is a living thing and when I chant a living mantra I get life.

It's All About a Relationship

Although chanting revives our relationship with Krishna, chanting is also our relationship with Krishna. We are there with Radha and Krishna while we chant. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta said to welcome the holy name. Radha and Krishna come to me when I chant. Do I realize this when I chant? Do I welcome them and take care of them when they come? Do I worship them when they come? Or do I think, "Oh no, I still have six rounds left?" If I think this way, I simply take chanting as a process, a process that often I can't wait to end so I can get on to "more important" things.

Watering the Weeds Japa

Poor chanting can actually produce misery, guilt, unhappiness, frustration, boredom, lack of energy and a host of other negative emotions and experiences. When I chant badjapa it doesn't make me feel like I am a blissful spiritual being; it makes me feel defeated for not applying myself. It also makes me both upset with myself for failing to come closer to Krishna and guilty because I know my guru expects more of me and I could do better. It leaves me entering my day on a failed note. Wow! The very thing that is supposed to make me so happy when done properly has the potency to make me feel awful if not done well. Hopefully I can take this misery as a kick in the rear end and let it push me into chanting better rounds.

First Become Conscious, Then Become Krishna Conscious

It's amazing how many bad japa habits I have not confronted even though I know how much these habits hurt me. They exist, I see them destroying my good japa, yet I ignore them. They have a tendency to somehow camouflage themselves in a way that says, "I am here but don't worry about me." And I believe them and think, "Ok, I won't confront you. Why? Am I afraid it will be too difficult or too much work to change? I must think it's less painful to change than to suffer the consequences of bad japa? I was forced to become fully conscious of these habits, confront them and deal with them at the retreat. This was one of the best things I've ever done. If I didn't do this, I don't know how long these habits would have continued to undermine my potential for better japa.

What I Do Today Affects My Chanting Tomorrow

What I do when I am not chanting affects the quality of my rounds. For example, if I am critical of devotees (or even of non-devotees), it will be more difficult to chant good rounds. If my mind is engaged in activities from morning to night that have nothing to do with Krishna, my attraction to chanting the next day will diminish. However, if I make an effort to be as Krishna conscious as possible during the day, my rounds the next day are easier to chant and more relishable. My activities today are linked to the quality of myjapa tomorrow. One devotee told me that if he goes out and gives people the maha mantra, his rounds are always better the next day.

All I Want

When it comes down to it, all I want is to chant well, feel Krishna's presence while I chant, relish the nectar of the name, and be a servant of the name. Bhaktivinoda Thakura says there is nothing else in the three worlds but the holy name. Krishna has shown this to me by allowing me to observe other devotees' transformations (at the retreats) through good chanting. As their chanting improved, their desires changed. As they relished the sweetness of Krishna, they wanted more of it and realized this is all they really want. When Krishna is kind enough to give a drop of the taste of the nectar for which we are always anxious, we realize how much we have in our life that is not giving us this nectar (amrita-deathless) and how much we have in our life that is actually producing death.

Talks With Dad

I once read a book in which a woman said that the walks she took with her dad when she was young were the most valuable moments in her life because she learned so much from him during those walks. I have always felt the same way about japa. My time with the holy name is the most valuable time of my day. Good chanting always gives me realization, strength, determination, and taste. Those two hours with the holy name is the most valuable time of my day, and to waste those two hours on bad japa is the greatest loss. Once I blow those two hours with bad rounds, that's it; I can't buy them back. Thus, I miss the opportunity to have Dad really and enlighten me that morning.

Krishna Enchants Me

When I chant well and am relishing Krishna's name, then Krishna's form, words, and pastimes all become more attractive to me. On the evening of the 64 rounds day, Dravida Prabhu recited poems while showing slides of Krishna. Those pictures, one's I've seen many times before, all of a sudden were especially attractive and alluring to me. And those poems, although I've read them before, enchanted my mind like never before. My senses became purified and thus everything about Krishna became more attractive. And the wonderful consequence of this is that everything not related to Krishna became less attracted to me. That's Unacceptable

Bad chanting is unacceptable to me. I now have set the bar higher and when I go below the acceptable level, red flags go off in my mind. Poor chanting is not making me Krishna conscious, so I reject it. The consequences of poor chanting are so undesirable that simply being aware of those consequences gets me back on track. I have accepted unacceptable japa too often-and that's simply not acceptable any longer. If it is acceptable to me it means I am satisfied with poor chanting and not overly concerned about doing anything to improve. And if I am not concerned about improving my japa, it won't get better on its own.

Good Chanting Produces More Good Chanting

How do I know I have chanted good rounds? One of the best indicators for me is that when I finish my rounds I want to keep chanting because I am getting such a nice taste. If I am relieved to put my bead bag down after my last round, that's an indicator that my chanting is not being done properly. Good chanting always produces a taste to chant more. Prabhupada said sixteen rounds is the minimum; that constant chanting is the goal.

Courtesy : His Grace Mahatma Das(ACBSP)

--
Yours
Dinesh
Blog:http://dinesh-krsna.blogspot.com