hare krishna,

prabhu i want to ask you why we need to chant at least 16 rounds, what is the importance of it? can we chant less than that and still get benefitted? please dont get offended because of this silly questins, these are outof curiosity only.

haribol.

it is the spiritual master who orders to chant a minimum number of rounds, the order of guru is our life and soul

very often the guru asks 16 rounds

you can have benefit even if you say "krsna" once in your life

I am always suprised with questions about chanting. Please forgive me for sounding blunt but the reason you chant the rounds is because your guru instructed you to do so. Has your guru ever steered you wrong before ? Does he present you with a reason to question him ?
For me each instruction from my guru is a blessing and a chance for me to learn.

Prabhu ji Hare Krishna.
Though my comments are un-related yet i wished to contribute for sake of curiosity!
i confess that i am not in a position to chant 16 rounds. But, have realised that what ever little bit (complete round) i can accomplish, for every word of the mantra, with my shut eyes i try my best to visualise the lotus feet of the Lord.Many a times i am successful and feel very sublime and contended.
Hare Krishna.

Hare Krishna!
PAMHO.AGTSP.

Prabhu, actually, there is no hard and fast rule as to what number we have to chant but its like we should chant a fix no of rounds daily without fail....
as far as 16 rounds are concerned, prabhupada made it a standard for getting initiated in ISKCON.
so,even if chant less than 16...but purely and offencelessely, then from our heart we will be encouraged to increase our rounds.....it happened with me although im still chanting offensively but the thing is that we should try our best to chant without offences,.....

and common....for matter of few extra rounds you cant remain uninitiated. it is said that real bhakti starts only after initiation.....so keep it up and go on .....chant 16 rounds daily....
Hari Bol
Your insignificant servant
Narender Nolakha

Chanting is not necessary. Rememberance of the Supreme is much more important.

you have no idea of the supreme so you cannot remember him in any way..

chanting is to ask for krsna service... and serving is remaining forever concentrated on krsna's desire..

so who chants he is remembering

remembering without chanting is a cheating

Cheating?

Does God have ears to hear the chanting?

Young people who truly have a good heart, can easily be led astray when someone has the need or desire to be obeyed. Has anyone instructed one to chant 16 rounds a day or fail somehow, while at the same time suggesting that one deny one's family of origin or commit other offences which harm the soul? Outward means of demonstrating spiritual practice are often not as beneficial as how we treat others.
Also, young people must be careful as some utilize japa and other repetitive practices to induce a kind of hypnotic state.
Do not accept teachings that make you feel guilty and shameful and a failure. No true teaching commands such things, ever.

Hare Krishna!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada! I offer my humble obeisance unto him!

"Do not accept teachings that make you feel guilty and shameful and a failure. No true teaching commands such things, ever"

Now, i have a question for the above statement, does it mean we can do anything we want in life- that everything is ok.

This is a typical attitude that is commonly found in the west. People say as long as we are happy we can do it. Then...ok....when i was a kid....i did not like to study but always fool around having fun...i hated discipline...if my parents failed to discipline me, then i wont be what iam today.

Sameway, the scriptures teach discipline of mind and thought and finally action and chanting of the holy name is to create discipline of the mind to behave properly and serve the Supreme.

I think this modern world and its social etiquettes are also a form of force and hypnosis, how many people live artficially to "FIT IN" into a group, isnt this artifical disposition on one self, while that is ok....why is it wrong to chant to control the mind....

Yes....if one commits a mistake, one has to repent and correct, if you say eating meat, having illicit sex, drinking and gambling money, all fun and enjoyment in this material world, then one has to feel shameful for his/her act.

If we do not correct ourselves of our mistake, then....there will be no end to the wrong doings, just imagine, due to our mistakes, we have all types of problems today from health to social to economic to environmental, why due to lack of self-control.

Chanting creates the self-control and not only that, it delivers one to the Spiritual world.

If everything is enjoyment....why is the state punishing prisoners for the bad deeds...why cant we allow them to ENJOY what they do... then...doesnt the law make them guilty and shameful..???

Haribol!

anand

harer nama harer nama harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasti eva nasti eva nasti eva gatir anyathä
(CC Adi 17.21)
Translation : "In this age of quarrel and hypocrisy the only means of deliverance is chanting the holy name of the Lord. There is no other way. There is no other way. There is no other way."

kali-käle näma-rüpe kåñëa-avatära
näma haite haya sarva-jagat-nistära
(CC Adi 17.22)
Translation : “In this Age of Kali, the holy name of the Lord, the Hare Krsna mahä-mantra, is the incarnation of Lord Krsna. Simply by chanting the holy name, one associates with the Lord directly. Anyone who does this is certainly delivered."

PURPORT TO THE VERSE WHICH I GAVE JUST NOW (17.23)
To emphasize something to an ordinary person, one may repeat it three times, just as one might say, “You must do this! You must do this! You must do this!” Thus the Båhan-näradéya Puräëa repeatedly emphasizes the chanting of the holy name so that people may take it seriously and thus free themselves from the clutches of mäyä. It is our practical experience in the Kåñëa consciousness movement all over the world that many millions of people are factually coming to the spiritual stage of life simply by chanting the Hare Kåñëa mahä-mantra regularly, according to the prescribed principles. Therefore our request to all our students is that they daily chant at least sixteen rounds of this harer näma mahä-mantra [Cc. Ädi 17.21] offenselessly, following the regulative principles. Thus their success will be assured without a doubt.