Japa-sesion with Banglore Devotees. The Science of Chanting Mantra

Understanding the science of mantra chanting

0:01I'm very happy to be with you this morning. And I will speak a few words about the science of chanting mantra in the Hare Krishna mantra. the harake mantra solving an e solapura.

0:21We should understand that this is not just ritual, it's a science which has a very deep understanding behind this practice. science which has uh a very deep uh understanding behind this practice.

0:38It could be nari or a pingy anime. The main problem which we have in this material world is our uncontrolled mind. mind. Nama the Jarawala Namata Irikre, Mikha Priya, Rachine and Namralak to put the Mudyadam.

1:00And this mind is wandering everywhere and it's always you know trying to enjoy the object of the senses of this world. always you know trying to enjoy the object of the senses of this world.

1:13And it actually ultimately creates a very But the foundation for our happiness is peacefulness of mind. uh the shingle multi some those of the Nala, Namakole, or some dosamilla, or uh the

1:44foundation for our happiness is peacefulness of mind.

1:56Krishna himself says in Bhagavad-gītā, aśāntasya kutas sukham, if you are not peaceful, if there is no śānti within your heart, how you can be happy. you are not peaceful, if there is no shanti within your heart, how you can be happy.

2:09If we are always agitated, if we're always disturbed, then there is no question of us being happy. we are always agitated, if uh we're always disturbed, then there is no question of us being happy.

2:34But at the same time, the nature of our mind and our existence, especially in Kali Yuga, sorry, okay, I don't know why, okay, but at the same time the nature of our and the nature of our existence, especially in this Kali Yuga, is there's always some disturbances there, we're always disturbed. in Kali Yuga. Sorry, okay, I don't know why.

2:46Okay. But at the same time the nature of our And the nature of our existence, especially in this Kali Yuga, is uh it's always some disturbances there, we're always disturbed.

3:07So what to do, there is this mindfulness movement which is propagating this movement, is propagating the meditation in the style of Buddhist, Buddhist style of meditation when you just try to sit and not to think at all. which are propagating this movement is propagating the meditation in the style of Buddhist, Buddhist style of meditation when you just try to sit and not to think at all.

3:29In the Mari Salayekangalerke, This There is very strong movement of Vipassana. They are, you know, teaching you how not to think at all. all.

4:07And it definitely has benefits. I talked with many people who went through this Vipassana, you know, seven days or ten days camp when you just sit and they say it's the most difficult thing in the world, just sit and not do anything and not to think anything, just to think about how you breathe in and out, in and out. know, seven days or ten days camp when you just sit and they say it's the most difficult thing in the world just sit and not do anything and not to think anything just to think about how you breathe in and out, in and out.

4:56But after going through this procedure, people become more peaceful. The problem is that after some time they become again agitated and they again have to go through this camp and so it doesn't give you a permanent solution. they again have to go through this camp and uh uh so uh it doesn't give you a permanent solution.

5:31And besides that, it's very, very difficult to do when you really have to not to think about anything because you know either you think about something or you sleep.

5:48No can there is no question of not thinking about anything. Therefore, this sort of meditation is not approved in the Vedic literature, in the Vedic scriptures. The meditation is very important.

6:23Dhyanna is very important, but uh this meditation without any object is extremely difficult to achieve.

6:31And even in Bhagavad-gītā, when Arjuna directly asks Krishna what is better to think about nothing or to think about something, Krishna says it's better to think about something rather than think about nothing.

Japa as the greatest Vedic sacrifice

6:52Babakita Krishna Krishna Bad, Arjuna, Babakita Krishna Takara, the Mari won the main and a carathicia, let the other than any cara easia. I mean Kate of a line caterpillar, Krishna wouldn't have the solar, the Mari Therefore this chapa meditation uh is was introduced

7:19and in Bhagavad-gītā Sri Krishna again says that among all the yagyas, among all the types of sacrifice, this Jappa sacrifice or soft chanting of the holy name or some mantras is the greatest. It's the biggest sacrifice which we can do.

7:44In the Javan Solva the Bahakita Purka Patrake, Krishna Bhakti Laptule and Java taken of the Solarana in the Vidula Mandarangal Soldray, Harikash Mamandandramas andala Mandrangal Soldade, Rumba Siranda Yarangal, Saranda Yaham Solita, Sudhikra. It means what does it mean that this is the greatest sacrifice?

8:10It means that there is There are so many different yagas, yagyas which are recommended in in the Vedas. But among all the recommended sacrifices, this is the greatest with the greatest results.

8:58And in the book called Mantranava which means the ocean of mantras, there is a very important verse which explains the science behind chanting, how we should chant so that the results would come to us.

9:26We all know that yayas is a very in one sense it's a very exact procedure. To get the result, you have to follow very meticulously all the details of the yagya Yanalon de Balan Karakina

9:44and the Yahan Y Pondumo Adoruba. Like any scientific experiment, if you want to get the proper result you, have to uh make sure that all the initial conditions of this experiment are in place.

10:02You you're doing everything exactly how it should be. Nama yad or vinyana area and the vinyana are to body more and the rumba would be a home cut in Seriav. So in this verse, simple verse, uh Shloka, there

10:26is a very important uh thing which we should remember while we're chanting the holy name, Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Ram, Hare Ram Ram Ram Hare Hare.

10:46So this slok is goes like this: Manaxam Haranam Shocham Monam Mantarka Chintanam Anirvidam Avyagratvam Anir vidow Japa sampati he tavaha. Here is the riasons for

11:06us to get Jappa Sampati the wealth which mantra can bring to us. Sorry, Mara. Can you uh uh Japasampati Hetawaha uh Here are the causes which bring about to us the wealth of chanting Japa.

11:44Because we're all chanting because we're all chanting because we want to get some results.

Mind control and cleanliness in japa

11:49So here are the uh the causes which bring us result of changing. The first is manaksamharanam. Mana samharanam. It basically means very simple thing which is very difficult to do.

12:22Habitually our mind will go into his while we're chanting, will try to go somewhere and try to enjoy some sense objects within the mind. It will remember something, it will go here, it will go there. So Manax Because

13:03you know the mind is always wondering, but if we say yes, yes, okay, what can I do? It will it is wondering. Let me think about something while I'm chanting.

13:16That's basically means that we don't understand the importance of this action and we are not attentive. We are we are allowing ourselves not to be attentive.

13:31Nama Manasang put themselves to Tona Nam the S from a governor my left. So the first thing is very calmly and quietly and in a very peaceful condition of mind. We should not be disturbed about it.

13:54Yes, that's what is going on. The mind wanders somewhere. We bring him back. Here is the sound.

14:00I have to concentrate on this sound. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare.

14:10Mudala in the Buddhadakuna in the Mandram, either leaving the uh in order to character Salatunam Abdulate Buddhivatum, I mean the Anasulapon Solate. So Manak Samharanam Shocham.

14:25Shocham means cleanliness. We should be clean. Shocham nah, Suttamarakam, I didn't have Sutta Marakam.

14:34But uh Shocham here can also mean that if you control your mind and try to bring the mind back on the changing of the holy name, it means that you're clean.

14:49Ana in a suttam abrina villain sutamala in a nana and two on the tona and sutra may samharanam so cham if you're doing this manak samharanam if you're getting your mind back on this mantra then you're clean.

15:10If you're not doing this you're not cleanasam harasolchomad

15:24And that's a very important statement because the main reason for us being unclean is this wandering of the mind when the mind is trying to enjoy different objects in the And

15:54that should be dun se regularly because uh when we are doing it regularly gradually gradually we will develop this habit that this is actually very nice and we will feel peacefulness in mind that the mind is clean and very happy.

16:19Namakiva Sandosumir Purum, Manasapunya Masu Tamara, Namaki or Pala Pala made sipani parko water or sandosum chatamipa.

16:28We all know that uh if we have some uncleanliness, some dirt, some toxins within our body, this is the cause of pain and the cause of disease.

16:41In the same way, when there is some dirt within our mind, it's the cause of pain And

17:05Therefore Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu also he says that the first result uh of proper changing is chatadharpana marjana your mind becomes clean.

17:30And in the third canto of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam it is said when our chitta, when our mind is clean then it will gradually gradually reflect the image of God. We don't have to do some separate endeavors for this.

17:51The reflection avet will come to vår mind on its own när it's klin.

Silent contemplation on mantra meaning

18:02Okay, I think Pujana Klang Popai Nana Papua Not a image ala guruam dana Namanasakara canadi lay Therya. Nama Sayarkiya Aduru And then the next line of this shloka, manaksamharanam socham, monam mantrarka chintanam.

18:37This is the next line. We have to be silent and when we and we have to think about the meaning of mantra. Mawn mantratha chintanam. So silent means that we should not talk.

19:01Sometimes people you know they chant Hare Krishna and they talk with somebody on they watch YouTube or do some other thing. Mauna means that we should be silent. It means this is the time when I'm speaking with God.

19:18I am not speaking with my wife. I'm not speaking with my husband, I am not speaking with my children, I am speaking with God, I am speaking with Krishna.

19:32Part of the part of the day, you know, are good. You have twenty-two hours a day to speak with your wife, with your husband, with your children, with your neighbors and watch YouTube and everything else.

20:00At least 2 hours you just speak with God and you will feel very happy. And God will feel very happy that finally you're speaking with Him. Now the number one, number appointment. And the another number.

20:37We all know when we are angry at somebody or when we want to punish somebody, we stop speaking with him. We say no, I I I don't I I will not speak with you anymore.

20:59And in the same way, many people in this world they never speak with God. They say no I I'm angry with you I don't want to speak with you know

21:12...the face of, so you know, when we're chanting japa, we are speaking with God. We are saying, here I am, I am I need you, I need you, I am very insignificant, I am with you.

21:28So this for two hours we should speak with God, not with somebody else. But also mounam, real mounam, real uh silence means mantra artha chintanam. Real silence means that we're thinking about the meaning of mantra.

22:13We have to be very clear who is Krishna, who is Rama, who is Hari, whom we are approaching or addressing uh by uh while chanting this mantra. And for that we should basically know Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam.

22:44If we want to know the meaning of Hare Krishna mantra, we should know the meaning or message of Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam. Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam Purana is basically the explanation of who is Krishna, who is God.

23:09Therefore, it's called Bhagavatam Purana, the Purana about God Yeah. It's it's not called Here is God as he is.

23:45Therefore, if we want to think about God, uh while we are chanting Hare Krishna mantra every day, we have also to read Bhagavad Purana every day.

24:07Then gradually gradually uh the real meditation on God will come to us and we will feel tremendous happiness because uh meditating on God who is a very happy person will also become happy.

24:34If we develop habit to bring our mind back to mantra, uh we develop peacefulness, we experience peacefulness.

24:53But when the real meditation on God will come during this jappa time, then it's not just peacefulness. It's a very positive and very strong feeling of happiness

Cultivating patience and freedom from haste

25:08because we are content God uh in this meditation Positiveness. And then the next line of this little slok which I am explaining today for our little lecture. Avyagratvam anir vedow.

25:43Avyagratvam basically means that we should be we should not have this feeling that I have to finish it quickly. We should do it in a very peaceful way.

26:11You know, sometimes people they chant up, they believe in this practice, but they always look at the watch and say, oh yeah, oh yeah, how much more? So

26:29we have to somehow rather uh get rid of this um uh state of mind when we are in a hurry. You know, we always in a hurry, especially in this time and age. You know, I have to do this, I have to do this.

26:45No, you don't have to do anything else. Just chant. And uh if you do it uh then uh it will then avyagratvam Anir Vedaha. Anirvedaha means that we should not expect that results will come very quickly.

27:48We should be very patient when we are chanting the Hare Krishna mantra. Hare Krishna Mamma Salamba Namakra Vadana Purmite The results are coming.

27:59We all feel much more peaceful, much more happy, and there is less disturbance in our mind. But the greater results like reflection of the image of God within our mind that will take some time.

28:25Therefore, we should not uh have this conception that very quickly all the results have to come, you know, why it is not here or this process doesn't work.

28:37No, from the very beginning we have to understand. I have to be patient. For many, many, many long years we have wandering in this material world trying to enjoy this world.

29:00Now we are turning our face away from this world, trying to look at God. So it will take some time before this very radical change within our mind will take place completely and we will understand that our relationship with God is the most important thing.

29:25Namaka Panariya Martangal Eriparday Punjab Puriavan or a Tonka Walkilla Rumbarum Kimandan Purya Kunjanala. And uh the last line of this verse, Japasampati Hetawaha. Here is the causes uh for the

29:44for us to get the wealth of japa. So again, mana-samharaṇaṃ śaucaṃ maunaṃ mantra-artha-cintanam avigratvam anirviṇḍo japa-sampatti-hetavaḥ. If you remember this verse, then your chanting will be very, very effective.

30:03In thisśloka, it's given about japa. What are the causes for getting the success in japa? Mana-samharaṇaṃ śaucaṃ maunaṃ mantra-artha-cintanam

30:29I am the Mari Waifu and the anekho down and carry on to the same letters, and a part of it. The slow at the Maharashtan Wangi and Nalaki and a Java session lay Larto Nalaki You do play a room. Thank you, thank you so much.

31:45Uh uh doubt uh Why this counting? Counting the concentration relies more on this counting rather than the main object. And the counting panartana main is a pot out of the field. Why is this counting there then?

Purpose of counting rounds during japa

32:30Well you got the question. He's asking why we have to count. There should be some reason for we have to count because this according to her this counting may distract from considering on those whatever you said.

32:46Counting on the beats or counting the rounds? Hamaguruji.

32:54Yeah, uh uh uh but by when we count uh we our concentration gets diverted and we rather concentrate on the number of jabas rather than the uh who is uh ultimate Krishna whom we are uh um entirely uh is everything and we have to reach him and the object gets destroyed only another

33:16P Thank you.

33:20Yeah, in one sense it's true, but uh this is the nature of our mind, we have this very fruitive mentality, therefore we always count something. We count our money, we count our achievements, we count everything.

33:44So to employ this or to use this tendency we also counting mantra and we have the sense of achievement. Here I am, I achieved something.

34:07Let me finish first. A dog in the Namakunzi, Putuay, yet a talum, Vale Park and Group and Eric. And upon draw, you'll have one and draw.

34:43When we get the real taste of chanting the holy name, then we don't need to do it because automatically, when we have taste, we will do it again and again and again without counting.

34:56But in the beginning, this counting is important because it helps us to kind of you know employ this tendency of the mind to you know to to have this sense of achievement. Here is a, here I am, I achieved this.

35:25Anna Aburakuntipy, Namakunde, Apada, Amakirke, Namakira, the Kamaka Potteramanapanale, Nam Ulunda, Muraya, Solder Gana, Wi Fair.

35:38I uh completely agree with you that in the beginning when we're just uh you know thinking about you know I have to do this this number of rounds it it's not very good in one sense.

35:57But at the same time if we are not counting, you can try. It will not last long. You just you will chant one, two, three rounds and then you will say, okay, that's enough.

36:11So i it gives you uh stability in your relationship with the holy name. And I'll the name sort of the arm and look at the marginal and I know like a challenge contract.

36:38And gradually you will be free from this fruit of mentality, so to speak, or you know it will it will be gone. But in the beginning it helps. It definitely helps.

36:52It distracts in one sense, but it also helps us to be stable and to be responsible in our relationship with the Holy Name.

37:08Mahamadata Yni Shalambode Namak Bahanada Urahula or a Purupa Narandikaradku or a Stiratan maya kurukaradku, the Kurukita like any killer children from the Via.

37:32Thank you so much Maharaja for spending so much time for us. Really, we are very happy. It's very nice lecture. Thank you so much. Thank you. Actually, we are entered this uh now only recently.

37:45I have joined this Bhagavad-gita class and uh all this. I want to thank Murlishambrabuji and its team.

37:53We are he is making us to chant minimum two hours per day. I am sitting for past the December onwards, he started this chanting, morning chanting, and uh still now we are doing this chanting for two hours every day. He is making us to do.

38:09Thank you so much, Mudrisham Prabhuji and this team. And thank you, Maharaja. You are taking so much time and uh your lecture is excellent. Really want to thank you.

38:19Really we are feeling very guilty that we are I'm nearly 50 years. Now only I'm ch start standing this Mahamadra. Really in India we don't know really you people are doing this much uh devotion. We are very proud of you.

38:38Thank you so much, Maharaja. Thank you. We want more lecture from you. Like this. Thank you.

38:45Mari Ambada Vaisa Mahamad Ratha Swalan Sulatory and However, the Mari September Laramie December Laramie rendum another daily solid room. Thanks, our putting up under Matras for this uh session. It's very enlightening.

39:43And uh so far we were I was uh Hare Krishna Bakes on the size group. But uh regular Hare Krishna Guruji Hare Krishna Guruji Purya. I thank Maharaja for the wonderful lecture on the importance of Hare Krishna Guruji.

40:00Hare Krishna Guruji. Uh Hare Krishna. Yeah ye,ah, chilling.

40:16I have physically from the childhood through my grandmother, but uh now I am having a regulated system of three and uh in this chanting during the you know due to this chanting earlier we were not knowing about the chanting.

40:30Now we are doing regularly the chanting. Nowadays I started hearing that voice, then I stop sighting also within myself. This is a am I improving or uh what the English bhakti terium anam Murayana bhakti Nal Teriamar So

40:56can can you repeat because I didn't hear so so well. then she chant and she's able to hear the voice in in is it okay? Am I progressing properly? The voice inside the voice inside chanting Yeah it's very nice.

41:17It's very about one button. It's it's very nice. It's you're progressing, don't worry.

Balancing spiritual detachment with family duties

41:27Just listen to the voice which which chants the holy name, no problem.

41:42Um my question is see um the deeper we go into the spiritual thing, uh daily I'm doing sixteen rounds of chanting. Uh and I'm really happy and the total environment is getting changed definitely.

41:58The only thing is uh this the more we are into spiritual things, we are slowly getting the detachment towards the materialistic.

42:06Although I know that is the ultimate aim but still we are being committed to have this uh the sanchara also so how to balance it out

42:16because my kids are feeling that I'm slowly coming out of them uh they have uh they are missing me the so I don't I although I'm always with them they have that thing so how to balance it out and how to uh convince them.

42:31They are also doing uh two to three rounds uh every day. Harer nāma is also good. Actually to do our duties uh properly we have to have detachment.

43:11A little the healthy detachment is good because it helps us to execute our duties properly.

43:22And that, um, nāmāparādha-śodhanaṁ, pūjyam-pavitrāṇaṁ yat sarva-, unmīlanam ca kāraṇaṁ syāt pūjyamādaraṁ pavitratām ca kāraṇaṁ syāt.

43:37You know if if we are a little detached then we are more uh peaceful and uh it's easy for us to uh fulfill our duties actually.

43:49So other relatives they should understand that you know you're you're still with them, you're still doing the duty and actually you can do them even better if you have this healthy detachment.

44:17You know when people are always disturbed and uh s because of the attachments uh it's sometimes more difficult and they have so many negative emotions. So you know you just explain to them that I'm with you.

44:35And but I'm I'm better with you when I'm a little detached than when I'm attached. Because attachment brings about negative emotions. So I regret him for the same for the Lilama, but the Purivaki. Hare Krishna Prabhuji.

45:20Hare Krishna Maharaji, that was some excellent uh discourse. We were blessed to listen to you this uh Brahma Mahokha time with along with the chanting. Thank you very much Maharaj.

45:30And uh me too, I grew up in Chennai, the capital city of uh state and there I studied in uh school called Maharashividya Mandar and there uh many Maharajs from Maharaskon uh from many different countries from the UK, from Russia used to give regular discourses. So I was taken back to those days when I saw you and attended this discourse. It was extremely enlightening.

45:52Thank you very much, sir.

45:54And uh uh today's first question one Mataji asked about why the counting. So my analogy, like what I compare it with is like whenever we are trying to learn a new language, the teacher makes us repeat those alphabets numerable times, innumerable times actually.

46:09So I think that lets uh it ingrained into us so that we can move to the next level. So I think this number of chanting is really very helpful for us to um make a solid foundation for our devotion and move on to the next level. So this is absolutely necessary that we maintain account and also chant as much as possible.

46:28So I got a real clarity with your discourse, Maharaj, today and so I thought I is this analogy right and I hope it is and uh thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. Ah Śrīla Prabhupāda.

47:11If you have a teacher or language and the language alpha Nariavati and the Badiya Romanam Lady Pangasola with Panga. People Japanese cut the crowd of Ding Both on the Koranda Kin and King on the Bashay Anja, the Basha and a blow In a model paddy or the kind of So Avanganda and the lectures alone or the Nikiswami Park and Tade How much time you can go married?

48:36How sorry could it do? I think I should I should do something else now. Yes. Uh I'll definitely come. Next the Kadesha will come with you. Thank you. Okay. Thank you very much. Thank you.