watching tv while chanting

[Guest guest]

i am chanting while watching tv it makes me not think about anything alse. My son thinks its very bad and offensive but it helps me concentrate.

 

Is it ok to chant and watch tv at the same time?

[Guest guest]

I dont think so!

 

anand

[Guest guest]

When you are watching tv, your mind is on the program and not krishna.

 

The whole purpose of chanting is to focus the mind on krishna.

 

 

[Guest guest]

it is offensive

 

but can you do better?

 

if you cannot, better to chant with tv than to stop chanting

[sashin 0]

Is it a mundane program or some spiritual video or discourse ?

[Guest guest]

If your goal is to remember Krishna then it does not matter what you are doing, while chanting. You can remember Krishna at any time. But it does not mean that you should chant only when you are watching TV. Live without any doubts or fear...alwasys think Krishna as the ultimate goal. I am sure one day TV won't interest you anymore, as long as you continue to progress in your sipiritual journey.

[Guest guest]

I don't think it is possible to watch tv while simultaneously have your mind fixed on Krishna.

 

1. If it is mundane television then certainly you are not thinking of krishna. your eyes and ears are absorbing in whatever is coming out of the box.

 

2. If it is spiritual television (eg. images of srila prabhupada), and if it helps you concentrate, then do it. Thats perfectly ok.

 

Nanda

[Guest guest]

but he was also advised to think of Krishna while doing so. There is no reason for you to drop any activity or to separate the activity from chanting. Just do whatever you want, thinking of Krishna. That will suffice.

[Guest guest]

Quite interesting. Seems like there is a difference of opinion on this one. Can someone provide some quotes from Srila Prabhupada to help shed some light? Thankyou

[Guest guest]

Dvaitin the activity must be pleasing to krishna. Krishna asked Arjuna to fight in order to please him. With regards to watching television whilst chanting maha mantra kind of defeats the object (at least in my mind). Then again, if you absolitely cannot chant with the tv on then carry on. Better some form of chanting then no chanting at all. But remember that if you are at all serious about offensless chanting you will try to give this method up. The activity IS important especially in the neophyte stage. Activities that are not condusive to spiritual development must be sacrificed.

[Guest guest]

Dvaitin,

 

You are comparing Arjuna's fight for Krishna with the watching of Tv. My question is- Are you watching Tv for Krishna? and if yes in what way does watching Tv help in Krishna Consciousness or serving Krishna

 

If no, you cannot compare the battle of Arjuna for Krishna to your tv watching and hence watching and chanting should be slowly relinquished.

 

Haribol!

 

anand

[Guest guest]

I am not comparing the two, Arjuna's fight and the common guy watching TV. But it is not possible to live without doing some activity or seek entertainment; it is human nature. So wouldn't it be wise to think of Krisha while engaging in any activity, be it significant or trivial?

 

That way, even if you seek shallow entertainment, at least your mind will be on Krishna. And who knows, you might eventually give up that trivial activity and surrender completely to Krishna. Surrendering all at once is never easy...

[Guest guest]

You are correct Mr Dvaitin!

 

But, the whole point here is chanting and watching Krishna at the same time.

 

You are talking about thinking of Krishna and watching Tv at the same time. Chanting and thinking are 2 different methods of devotional service.

 

Chanting is not a mere exercise that you think of Krishna! No!!

 

CHanting requires utmost concentration and respect to the syllables of Hare Krishna and Rama and slowly learn to love them because Krishna and His names are non-different.

 

Chanting essentially meanse, we are asking Krishna to engage us in HIS service.

 

ALthought thinking is a service too, it is not like chanting where you are engaging other senses in the service too. So, chanting God's name and thinking about God are 2 different activities and hence these 2 are classified separtely in a list of devotional activities a devotee should perform.

 

it goes something like this...

 

Shravanam Kirtanam Sharanam......atma nivedhanam, dasyam, sakyam

 

Iam not sure how it goes but that sloka says, thinking and chanting are 2 different activities of the total 9 devotional activities and Lord Chaitanya has clearly said

chanting is the topmost method of deliverance in this age of Kali, so chanting supersedes thinking.

 

In that light, chanting should be taken seriously to advance in Krishna Consicousness and ofcourse, we dont chant the entire day, we chant a maximum of 2hours and if you cannot stop watching tv for 2 hours, then, it is difficult in the long run. Watch Tv after chanting...no one is stopping you!

 

So, yes, in other words, we have to pracitice chanting so our ears, and brain are thinking and listening KRISHNA.

 

Haribol!

 

anand

[Guest guest]

"But, the whole point here is chanting and watching Krishna at the same time"

 

I meant to say...."But the whole point is chanting and watching TV at the same time"

 

Haribol!

 

anand

 

[Thomas256 0]

Personally, I wouldn't have done this. The whole point of japa-meditation is to concentrate fully on the Lord Krsna, to submerse yourself fully in His Holy Names.

 

Haribol!