Fw: Remembering Srila Prabhupada - Srila Prabhupada on Chanting Japa

08-31-2003, 04:08 AM

Srila Prabhupada on Chanting JapaIt is easy to understand that Srila Prabhupada
enjoyed chanting japa. He always stressed to us the importance of chanting our
16 rounds. He told me that as a householder he used a simple process for
completing 16 rounds that we could apply. He said, "When I was a householder I
would chant 4 rounds before each meal and 4 rounds before retiring in the
evening. In this way 16 rounds could be chanted without difficulty." He laughed
and said, "If you don't take prasadam before chanting your 4 rounds then you
will be sure to get them chanted."In New Dwarka he said to me, "In the evening,
if I get tired, I walk and chant." Looking at me he said, "If you are tired,
then walk and chant like I do. Sometimes, if I am tired I pace back and forth
in the room. Simply, in one room you can do everything. If you are tired, you
can stand up and chant, like I do." It was very common to see Srila Prabhupada
walking around in his quarters or sitting in his rocking chair, chanting
rounds. Sometimes in the evening he would chant rounds while I was giving him
massage in bed. Sometimes, he would say, "There, I'm finished." Once in New
Dwarka I was in his sitting room cleaning around his desk. He was sitting
behind his desk chanting japa. As he pulled down a counter bead he looked at me
with a beautiful smile and said humorously, "There, I have finished my 16
rounds. Now I can do any damn thing I want." Sometimes devotees would ask Srila
Prabhupada about following certain rules in regards to Ekadasi or following
Catur mas. Srila Prabhupada responded, "My disciples, they cannot even chant 16
rounds and follow the principles. What is the use of these other rules and
regulations.First, just do these things. Do the simple things that I ask you to
do. Don't concern yourself with all these rituals. First, chant your 16 rounds
and follow the principles."One day a brahmacari entered Srila Prabhupada's room
and told him that he had fallen down with a woman. He told Srila Prabhupada that
perhaps he should get married. Srila Prabhupada answered, "Marriage. Why do you
think marriage is going to solve your difficulties? You should chant. Just
chant Hare Krishna. Chant your 16 rounds." There were so many times that
devotees went into Srila Prabhupada's room with a problem they were hoping he
would solve with some particular arrangement. His solution was always the same.
"Chant Hare Krishna, chant your 16 rounds." He developed the phrase, "Just do
it" long before Nike. He once told a disciple, "If there is some difficulty,
you chant loudly. If there is some agitation, chant out loud." One time it was
brought to his attention that a senior devotee was not attending Mangal Arati
or chanting rounds, at least with the other devotees. Srila Prabhupada said,
"Do it to set the example for the other devotees. You, yourself are very
advanced. You do not need to attend Mangal Arati but you should set the example
for those that require it."Thank you Srila Prabhupada for being the Acarya. You
always taught by example. You chanted rounds. You said three Gayatri mantras a
day, rose early in the morning and put tilak on your transcendental body. You
never asked any disciple to do something you were not doing yourself. You
always practiced what you preached. You showed us practically how a pure
devotee conducts himself. I have been in illusion since time immemorial but I
pray that I am never deluded into thinking that this process of devotional
service is only for the neophyte.- From the Srila Prabhupada Uvaca by HG
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