Srila Prabhupada On Chanting Japa

[Guest guest]

It 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 is 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 Prabhupda 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 tilaka 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.

 

YS, Srutakirti dasa

 

 

 

[bhaktachris 0]

thankyou Prabhupada for bringing this Hare Krishna Mantra to the west for our deliverance.

 

[Guest guest]

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!!!

[Guest guest]

All glories to Srila Prabhupada!The greatest soul ever lived. He has changed my life 360degrees.I owe him my entire life.Thankyou very much Srila Prabhupada for enrolling me into the organization of yours.You are the greatest&sweetest and I thank this forum for givving me the opportunity to express my feelings. All glories to Srila Prabhupada!Haribol!

I wish I was a much better person.Please, all Vaishnavas bless this fallen soul.I need all the blessings I can get to please Srila Prabhupada.

 

anand

[Guest guest]

I was freaked out by religion in my early days. As soon as I could I ran away. But I always knew in my heart there was something more than this. I searched through the Tarot Cards, The I Ching, Astrology, The Runes, Buddhism, then finally the dice roll of my fate had me living near a Hare Krishna temple. From the first time I got there and saw Prabhupada, I knew I loved that man intensely. Because so many people in our culture would say, "Stop smoking", but they had a cigarette in their hand. But if Prabhupada said throw away these cigarettes and do japa for Krishna instead, this will give you real peace of mind and solve all the problems of the world if we can get enough people to simply change their hearts.

I have loved reading all your books, I love your temples, I love the association of my now God Brother and God Sister devotees and my Gurudev who was also a great spiritual friend and disciple of Prabhupada.

Now I go back and study some of those systems I used to look at and find this sanatana dharma of Krishna is running through all of them. So, lets do as they say, unite all world religions under one roof of Sanatana Dharma, with Krishna at the helm of the ship. This way, we might avert the inedible for this hellish age of Kali we are in right now.

Hare Krishna, Chant and be Happy always

your servant

nandalal prabhu

[Guest guest]

Hare Krishna!

 

All glories to Srila PRabhupada! I offer my humble obeisances unto Him!

 

I am another anand just like my fellow devotee anand. His post was exactly what I wanted to write. I thank anand devotee to write exactly what I wanted to write. The fact that Srila Prabhupada was gracious enough to accept a useless guy like me into His movement. A guy who cannot do anything right and a guy who at present also has a lot of ego and arrogance. Srila Prabhupada has also changed my life 360 deg. My life was taking a deep fall and Prabhupada turned my life 360 deg. I have not met Prabhupada personally but I have always felt his comfort through his books. What a great soul! Surely he is my hero!!

 

He is the sweetest and loving person I have ever known, I was always saw him like a father I have never had. Prabhupada I cannot say thank you enough and I dont know how thank you. I love you with all my heart and I wish I can become a better devotee just to serve you. Frankly...I am not advanced enough to realise or relish Krishna and HIS name. But I have the motivation purely because of Srila Prabhupada!That is why I am in ISKCON till now. I wish the whole world realises the greatness and the hard work Srila Prabhupada put to save this world. If not for your endeavors..oh..great soul, I would have been nothing but a hypocrite trying to fool myself and others.

 

Please all devotees of Krishna and Srila PRabhupada, please bless me so I can become a better devotee. I need all the blessings I need.

 

I take this opportunity to thank Chicago ISKCON for their 2004 Janmashtami celebration.It was a blast, it was one of my best Janmashtamis. I loved the Kirtans,especially and the deities were awesome. I was really happy. Thank you Chicago devotees & ISKCON for making that happpen. Haribol!

 

anand

[Max_ 0]

All glory to Srila Prabhupada

It brings a tear to my eye how much he cared for us, and how much of his life he poured into translating books so we as Westerners could learn. He was a great great man and he will never be forgotten.

[Guest guest]

HareKrishna Max!

We as Indians have also learnt a lot from Srila Prabhupada.