What’s Wrong
Why do we fail to find taste, why do we lose the discipline to perform chanting and hearing as a daily duty of life? In the Harinama Chintamani, Bhakti Vinod Thakur analyzes this difficulty in regard to inattentive chanting of holy names. He states that if a neophyte devotee is not very scrupulous in taking up the practices of chanting and hearing, he will quickly grow distracted, and this will produce “a type of illusion,...
One should first take shelter of Gaura-Nityananda
If one only chants, with some slight faith, the holy names of Lord Caitanya and Nityananda, very quickly he is cleansed of all offenses. Thus as soon as he chants the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, he feels the ecstasy of love for God. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura remarks in this connection that if one takes shelter of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu and Nityananda, follows Their instructions to become more tolerant than the tree and...
Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta on mechanical chanting
"The holy name of Krishna means divine sound. It can be compared to a capsule of medicine. The capsule is not the medicine. Externally one capsule may look like another, but within one capsule maybe medicine and within another may be cyanide. The capsule itself is not the medicine. It is not the sound of Krishna’s name that is Krishna. Krishna is within the sound. The holy name must be be surcharged with the proper spirit...
Is Chanting a Prayer or a Meditation?
It is both because it enables us to fulfill the purpose of prayer, speaking to God, and the purpose of meditation, listening to God. How chanting is the best prayer Prayer is a universal practice by which people all over the world and through the ages have connected with God. By praying, they speak their heart to God and seek his blessings for solving their problems and fulfilling their desires. Vedic wisdom reveals God in his highest...
Man bitten by snake
The beginning of Krishna consciousness and devotional service is hearing, in Sanskrit called sravanam. All people should be given the chance to come and join devotional parties so that they may hear. This hearing is very important for progressing in Krishna consciousness. When one links his ears to give aural reception to the transcendental vibrations, he can quickly become purified and cleansed in the heart. Lord Caitanya...
