Chanting FAQ


THE BASICS

CHANTING IN PRACTICE

WHICH MANTRA?

OVERCOMING OFFENCES

EXPERIENCES WHILE CHANTING

OTHER MANTRAS

INTENSIVE CHANTING




THE BASICS


I am just beginning, what mantras should I chant?


We first take shelter of the spiritual master and then we take shelter of Lord Caitanya and His Associates. Recordings of these mantras can be found here.



I'm totally new to this chanting process. What are the basics that I need to know?


You should chant the dvadasaksara-mantra. Please watch both of these videos for details and instructions.

If you chant the dvadasaksara-mantra nicely every day, then by the power of this mantra, all your spiritual desires will gradually manifest.

There is a section of the video that demonstrates how to chant the mantra properly. Basically, one chants it softly, out loud, while keeping count on a mala of 108 beads, rolling the beads between the thumb and forefinger (not the index finger) of the right hand. 1 bead = 1 mantra. One time around the mala is one round. You should start with one round daily, and gradually increase. The best time for chanting is in the morning just before sunrise.

While chanting, sit quietly before your altar or in a sacred space. It is best not to chant in the same space you sleep in. You should have sacred pictures, incense, and a comfortable sitting place. Your meditation place should be very clean and silent.

You can purchase a nice tulasi wood japa-mala here. Before using you should soak the mala in vegetable oil, preferably mustard oil, for 48-72 hours. You'll be amazed how much oil it will absorb. Let it dry on a paper towel, before using. It is best to keep your mala in a beadbag to keep it clean. Wash your hands before touching your mala. Do not wear them around your neck, hang them from a nail or hook, or let other people touch them. Keep your beads carefully and keep your spiritual energy to yourself.

This chanting method engages the tongue, ear, touch and mind in meditation on the Holy Name of God. You cannot have meditation on nothing. Impersonal, voidist or atheistic meditation is worse than useless; it is harmful to your spiritual health. The mind and attention must concentrate on something, and the best object of meditation is a transcendental object, such as the name, form and pastimes of the Supreme Lord. So mantra-japa  is the ideal form of meditation in this age.

There is a very important sloka in the Bṛhan-Nāradīya Purāṇa:



To explain, there are three stages to the chanting process. The Holy Name is identical with the Supreme Lord Himself. When we chant His Holy Names, we are inviting Him to come and associate with us. In the beginning, our chanting is offensive because we are full of materially contaminated consciousness. Gradually as we advance through the association of the Holy Name, our consciousness becomes clear of offensive materialistic conceptions. Finally when we attain the perfection of self-realization, God personally reveals Himself to us, and we realize how He was transcendentally present all along in His Holy Name.

According to Vedic astrology and cosmology, there are four Yugas or historical ages: Satya-yuga, Dvarapa-yuga, Treta-yuga and Kali-yuga. In the Satya-yuga, the dharma or religious process for the age was silent meditation according to the astanga-yoga process. In Dvapara-yuga, the dharma was opulent temple worship. In Treta-yuga, the dharma was the elaborate ritualistic sacrifices described in the original four Vedas.

In Kali-yuga, the only dharma is chanting the Holy Names of the Lord, because we lack the qualification and facility to perform the other kinds of dharmas. Sure, maybe there are some very fortunate high-born brahmanas in India that can perform some of these processes. But dharma, to be meaningful, must be universal. If anyone is excluded from practicing a religious process, it cannot be accepted as universal dharma. Hence in Kali-yuga, the chanting process alone is recommended by the Esoteric Teaching [Śrīmad Bhāgavatam 12.3.52]:



This is also confirmed in Viṣṇu Purāṇa [6.2.17] where it is stated:


“In this age there is no use in meditation, sacrifice and temple worship. Simply by chanting the Holy Name of Kesava [handsome Krsna], one can achieve perfect self-realization.”

One should chant with pure faith; that is, one should be utterly confident that the process of chanting will supply all desirable spiritual perfections and benedictions. In the beginning, this is impossible, for our faith is scattered among so many useless things. But as we gain experience with the chanting process, we come to understand that it really does deliver the fruits of all spiritual desires. So with time, we gradually come to rely on it more and more.

My spiritual master defines faith as "unflinching trust in something sublime." There is nothing more sublime than the Holy Name of God. He has thousands of Holy Names according to His different transcendental qualities and activities. Each Holy Name has specific qualities derived from a particular aspect of God. Vasudeva is the Lord in a heroic and protective mood toward His family, which is specifically associated with the prayers of the Brotherhood of the Esoteric Teaching for keeping the Vedic dharma pure and unchanged in the Age of Kali. So by the influence of this powerful Vedic mantra, we will always be victorious in the battlefield of life.



Isn't the Lord already present everywhere? Why do we need His Name?


The Lord is already fully present everywhere; but chanting His Holy Name awakens us to that fact because it enlivens our transcendental senses. Once our consciousness becomes purified, then Kṛṣṇa within the heart can award all knowledge or even His own darśan.



What are we doing by chanting?


Both the living entity and God are pure consciousness: sac-cid-ānanda-vigrahaḥ, or the form of eternity, consciousness and bliss. But because of our association and identification with material energy, we have forgotten our real spiritual nature. Therefore are suffering and in ignorance.

Chanting the Holy Names of God puts us back in association with the spiritual energy of consciousness. It does not matter which name of God we chant, the important thing is that in our own conception we are calling out to Him.

God hears all prayers, and responds appropriately. So when we chant, He personally appears in the form of His Holy Name. Only someone who is chanting faithfully can understand this transcendental phenomenon.

So the conclusion is that we do not have to do anything separately from the chanting process to get the complete benefit. śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ smaraṇaṁ: by hearing and chanting the Holy Name of the Lord, we automatically remember Him. He is fully personally present in His Holy Name with all transcendental potencies.

Since the Holy Name of God is a transcendental sound vibration, it is identical with the Supreme Personality of Godhead. Simply by remaining in constant association with the Holy Name, we can get all the highest benefits of practicing yoga, meditation and tantra.




Isn't chanting just a superficial way to force the mind to concentrate?


The human mind approaches its natural condition when it is focused on a single point. In astanga-yoga, this is the stage of dharana that precedes dhyana, actual meditation. When the mind is concentrated, it is naturally filled with light and bliss. This is a natural symptom of pure consciousness. Since the mind is a mechanical thought engine similar to a computer, the way in which it is programmed can make quite a bit of difference in its operation.

When the mind is programmed to seek pleasure through the senses, the senses constantly compete for its attention, one interrupting the other, and it resists any attempt at concentration by coming up with newer and newer arguments using bad logic. Like any computer, the mind is actually not very intelligent.

But when the intelligence reprograms the mind by proper duplication of Vedic subject matter and constant hearing of the Holy Names, concentration becomes its natural and pleasurable state. In this state, the mind becomes peaceful and still. There is no need for constant stimulation of the material senses, because:


One time a very rich man gave Rupa Gosvami a touchstone. A touchstone can convert base metals to gold by its touch. It probably used some kind of sophisticated Vedic nanotechnology that doesn't work in kali-yuga. Rupa Gosvami thanked him, then after he went away, threw the touchstone in the trash and resumed his constant ecstatic chanting. That night a thief came to rob Rupa Gosvami, and found the touchstone in the trash. "I'm rich!" he exclaimed, and rushed off to enjoy his booty.

After some weeks of extravagant material enjoyment kindly funded by the touchstone, the thief had a sobering realization: "Before he becamse a sannyasi, Rupa Gosvami used to be the chief minister of the entire state government of Nawab Hussein Shah. When his brother was thrown in jail, he bribed the jailor to release him with seven boats full of gold coins. If Rupa Gosvami has thrown this touchstone in the trash, what manner of exotic valuables must he possess in his hut!?"

So the thief went to see Rupa Gosvami, and knowing that he was truthful and disinterested, a friend to all, told him the whole story. Rupa Gosvami laughed heartily and replied, "My dear thief, you are right. I do have something much more valuable than a touchstone, and I will give it to you now." So Rupa Gosvami initiated the thief into the chanting of the Holy Names of the Lord, and he became a great devotee.


I have already given you the most valuable thing—the Holy Name of the Lord—freely in the very beginning of the Seminar Preview video. Have you made good use of it? Are you getting the full value of it? If you give up everything else, and chant this mantra 24/7 for six months, you will see God face-to-face. I am not kidding; there are many stories in the Vedic scriptures of devotees and yogis who went to the forest, chanted their guru-given mantra and got bhagavat-darshan within six months. I also did it, and that was the result.

Is there anything more valuable in the world or in life than this mantra? It is nothing less than the key to eternal happiness. So I have made you all rich beyond your wildest dreams. And unlike ordinary wealth, no one can take this gift away from you. Would you throw this away for ordinary, perishable material wealth and happiness? If you do, you would be both ungrateful and a fool.



Are there not many methods to become self-realized?


We do not waste your time by presenting all kinds of methods that will not work in this kali-yuga due to lack of facility and qualifications. We accept the advice of sastra and advocate only Harinam Sankirtan as the best method of self-realization in this yuga.

In Mahabharata after the Kuruksetra war, the Pandavas approached Granfather Bhisma and asked him as to the best course of action in governing the Vedic Empire. Yudhisthira in particular inquired what state policy should be adopted so the citizens would have the best chance for self-realization. Specifically, he asked:


So if we encourage this simple method of self-realization, we are following in the footsteps of the great mahajanas like Bhisma and tha Pandavas. We are also heeding the advice of Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, the incarnation of the Lord for Kali-yuga. In the Padma-Purana Lord Siva is quoted as saying to Parvati:


And the authorized process for worshiping Lord Visnu in kaliyuga is chanting His Holy Names:


In the Caitanya-caritamrta, in the section describing the reasons for the incarnation of Krsna as Lord Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu, we find the following statement by Lord Krsna Himself:


So we are Vaisnavas, following the recommended Vedic path of personal self-realization through the Holy Name. Anyone who performs this chanting method is glorious:




CHANTING IN PRACTICE


How do we chant on japa-mala beads?


When we chant the holy names of the Lord, we are directly associating with God and being purified. Therefore we should always try to chant with devotion and respect. The Vedic literature states that Lord Krsna is personally dancing on your tongue when you chant His holy name.

When you chant alone, it is best to chant on japa beads. This not only helps you fix your attention on the Holy Name, but it also helps you count the number of times you chant the mantra daily. Each strand of japa beads contains 108 small beads and one large bead, the head bead. Begin on the large bead next to the head bead, and gently roll it between the thumb and middle finger of your right hand as you chant the full mantra. Then move to the next bead and repeat the process. In this way, chant on each of the 108 beads until you reach the head bead again. This is one round of japa. Then, without chanting on the head bead, reverse the beads and start your second round on the last bead you chanted on.



Why don't we use the forefinger when chanting on japa mala beads?


The only explanation I have ever heard for why we do not use the index finger, in all my years of devotional service, was from a senior sannyasi from Vrndavan, India. He said that we use our index finger to point in anger, therefore it is impure, and we should not use it to count the mantras on the beads. Similarly, it used to be thought by several Eastern Cultures that the Vein in the middle finger went straight to the heart.

Another, perhaps more plausible explanation for Westerners is that we usually keep our beads in a beadbag to keep them clean and hidden from the gaze of others. If you use your index finger to count the beads, your hand would be completely enclosed by the beadbag. So the beadbag has a little hole for the index finger so you can dial the phone or do other things even with the beadbag on and without losing your place on the beads.



How fast should I chant my mantra?

The chanting speed is something very personal. You should chant so that you feel comfortable with the speed and your pronunciation.



How do I know if I am chanting too fast?

If you can hear the Holy Names clearly and the speed is coming effortlessly, then it's not too fast. Śravaṇaṁ kīrtanaṁ viṣṇoḥ is our process, so if you are chanting and hearing nicely, that is the criterion.



Can I listen to spiritual mp3s while chanting?

In general, it is better to focus completely on chanting. When chanting, just chant. If hearing recordings of spiritual sound vibration helps you concentrate, then that's OK. But it's better if you just chant and hear the Holy Name alone.

However, one can hear the recording of Śrīla Prabhupāda chanting japa while chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. This will help westerners, especially, overcome 'square chanting' and establish the proper rhythm and intonation.



I can hardly keep a single sitting position for more than two rounds and my back hurts after a while.

Your back will gradually get stronger. Actually I could never sit for more than 4 rounds at a time; I had to get up and move around, stretch my legs and then sit down again. The thing is to increase your sitting time gradually, so you don't really hurt yourself.



Can I chant my rounds while working on other things? I have some tight deadlines at the moment.

Well, you have to manage your projects so that you don't have such tight deadlines, and you have time to chant in the morning before you start your work. It is best not to try to do two things at once, or your attention will be divided and you will not be able to do either one well. Instead of chanting while working, you can listen to kīrtanas and devotional music from our extensive online library. When you chant, just chant and don't try to do anything else. Put all your attention and energy into your chanting. If you chant nicely first thing in the morning, then you will remember Kṛṣṇa nicely the whole rest of the say during your other activities.



Can I chant japa silently in the mind (manasika-japa)?


Manasika-japa is not recommended in our lineage, because it is not as effective as chanting aloud.


There are many similar quotes in the Vedic scriptures.

The process of spiritual advancement is a gradual transformation from a material to a transcendental ontology. Changing our consciousness is accomplished by changing the quality of the impressions in the mind. The more senses are engaged in the chanting process, the more impressions of transcendental quality are created. Thus the secret to rapid spiritual advancement is to create as many impressions as possible by engaging several senses simultaneously.

We recommend loud chanting, because then both chanting with the tongue, mind and hearing are engaged. We also recommend using counting beads because this practice also engages the sense of touch in the chanting process. As we discussed in a podcast, and in many other places on our site, God-realization or self-realization begins by controlling the tongue. And by chanting out loud you will also automatically control the breath in pranayama. If you try this you will experience for yourself that it is far more powerful than chanting silently.



But the Narada-pancaratra says we should chant within the mind.

Although the Narada-pancaratra declares that mantra chanting should be done within the mind, this is not the method practiced by the great souls and sadhus in the lineage of the Esoteric Teaching. Narada's advice may have been adequate for previous ages, but in Kali-yuga, our minds are fickle and flickering. In Bhagavad-gita, when Krsna advises Arjuna to practice silent meditation, he rejects it:


So if even Arjuna, an eternal companion of Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, refuses to practice silent meditation on these grounds, then we ordinary souls do not have a prayer of controlling our minds.

In fact we find that mental mantra chanting is very difficult to maintain. The mind keeps wandering and the quality of concentration is inconsistent. It is far easier and more effective to chant aloud. Besides, chanting audibly engages more senses in the chanting process: the mind, the tongue, and the ears. The sense of touch is engaged by counting the mantras on chanting beads (japa-mala). One can additionally engage the eyes by looking at a picture or Deity of the Lord while chanting.

The chanting process is described as follows in the Esoteric Teaching:


Hearing comes first, even before chanting. So chanting and hearing are both important, but hearing is even more important than chanting. Thus chanting should be performed audibly to get the full benefit, which leads to remembering the Lord always, and serving His lotus feet, symbolized by the spiritual Master Teacher. Therefore guru-seva, service of the spiritual master by following his instructions, is the gateway to the transcendental service of the Lord.

Although simple, this a very powerful practice. The Holy Name is the Lord Himself in the form of transcendental sound vibration:




How should I pronounce the dvādaśākṣara-mantra?

The pronunciation of any mantra has three main aspects: the text (mantra), the rhythm (mātrā) and the intonation (svāra). In the dvādaśākṣara-mantra, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, the text and its meaning are well known. The only tricky part is the syllable bha in bhagavate, which is pronounced like the bha in "rub hard."

The rhythm is a little trickier. Sanskrit has long and short syllables, called padas. A long pada is twice the length of a short pada. Here the long padas in the dvādaśākṣara-mantra are underlined: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. Watch this video for an example.

The intonation is more flexible. Be creative and express yourself.



How do I improve the quality of my chanting?

Well first of all one should chant with correct pronunciation and rhythm. Details for dvādaśākṣara-mantra are above. If you are chanting the Maha-mantra, there is no 'i' sound in Kṛṣṇa, and one should observe the long and short Sanskrit pādas (syllables).

Ha is short, re is long, kṛṣ and ṇa are both short; rā is long and ma is short. Here are some videos which explain this in more depth. Also, one can hear the recording of Śrīla Prabhupāda chanting japa while chanting the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. This will help westerners, especially, overcome 'square chanting' and establish the proper rhythm and intonation.

Now as far as internally, while chanting one should always be thinking of Kṛṣṇa, His form, qualities, pastimes and associates, and their relationships. It helps to read a sloka or two and then meditate on them while chanting.





WHICH MANTRA?


I recently spoke to an ISKCON devotee and she told me I should not chant dvadasaksara-mantra and should just chant Hare Krsna Maha Mantra. I'm confused.

You will always get confused by dealing with ISKCON devotees. They do not know the philosophy very well. Was this lady self-realized? Has she seen Kṛṣṇa face-to-face? If not, then how does she know? Consider this instruction:


But because the ISKCON devotees have not read Śrīla Prabhupāda's books, but only go out and collect money all day, they do not know this. Consequently the commit so many offenses and fall down, even the gurus.



What is the meaning of the dvadasaksara-mantra (Oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya)?

The meaning of the dvadasaksara-mantra is: “O my Lord, O all-pervading Personality of Godhead, I offer my respectful obeisances unto You.” This mantra addresses the Lord in His unlimitedly opulent form as the King of Dvaraka. So it is especially appropriate for worshiping the Lord in His Deity form in the temple. This powerful mantra was also given to Dhruva Maharaja by his guru Narada Muni:


The same mantra is also the invocation to the entire Srimad-Bhagavatam, so it is considered very auspicious. Whoever chants the Holy Name of the Lord according to the directions of the scriptures attains freedom from the pangs of material existence. This great truth is celebrated in all scriptures and confirmed by all spiritual authorities. Anyone who wants actual relief from the sufferings of material existence must take up this chanting process with great determination.

There is no consideration of personal qualifications or Vedic prerequisites, cleanliness or uncleanliness, time or place in chanting the Holy Name of the Lord. One can chant while sitting, lying down, walking, indeed in all the circumstances of life. Anyone who makes the Holy Name his constant companion very quickly attains the perfection of self-realization: pure love of Godhead.



Why do you encourage chanting the dvadasaksara-mantra?


When starting this preaching mission I selected the dvādaśākṣara-mantra, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, for several reasons. First, this mantra is the seed mantra of the Esoteric Teaching, Srila Vyasadeva's commentary on his own Vedanta-sutra. The Esoteric Teaching begins,


Note that the mantra janmādy asya yataḥ from Vedanta-sutra, identifying the Supreme as the origin of all emanations and cause of all causes, appears immediately after the bija-mantra. So this sloka is a highly condensed summary of the whole Esoteric Teaching and the whole Vedanta-sutra. The meaning is very similar to Bhagavad-gita 2.16 that we have quoted so many times:


This is Vedanta in a nutshell. It explains the ontological distinction between the material and spiritual energies. One must firmly realize this and be able to apply it before one can understand anything else about spiritual life. Most of the common errors that people make in spiritual life, such as accepting aspects of the mind and body as the self, or considering transcendental devotional service of the Lord to be on the same level as external religiosity, are related to misunderstanding of this absolutely vital point.

The difficulties we experience in ISKCON today are primarily due to this exact same philosophical misunderstanding. So that my preaching mission would avoid similar misunderstandings and difficulties, I chose to emphasize the dvādaśākṣara-mantra over the maha-mantra for beginners. Otherwise, if they began with the maha-mantra, they would simply chant it with offenses and bring down so many reactions and problems on their heads.

Vasudeva is Krsna's public aspect as a great King of the Yadu Dynasty, whereas the maha-mantra invokes Radha-Krsna in Vrndavana, which is His private and confidential aspect. When Krsna was visible in this world, no one outside Krsna's immediate family and associates knew about Vrndavana-dhama. It is such a confidential place, because Krsna's most intimate pastimes are displayed there for the benefit of His most advanced devotees. It is a not a place for the general public, but only for those who are offenseless. Any offenders who attempt to enter Vrndavan are punished severely.

Krsna's instructions of Bhagavad-gita, however, are delivered publicly in front of both armies. In other words, they are for everyone, both friends and enemies. Lord Vasudeva does not consider anyone's offensive behavior, but delivers beneficial instructions to all. The Esoteric Teaching is only for those who are surrendered; in other words, who actually follow Krsna's instructions given in Bhagavad-gita. The Esoteric Teaching qualifies us for entry into Vrndavan-dhama, and it is encapsulated in the dvadasaksara-mantra.

Thus it is safer to chant the dvadasaksara-mantra in the beginning, until one has understood and begun to clear the ten offenses against the Holy Name. Once someone has become qualified for initiation, they may begin to chant the maha-mantra offenselessly, and enter into the confidential pastimes of the Lord in Sri Vrndavan-dhama.

Sometimes orthodox Vaisnavas criticize our policy of encouraging new students to chant mantras other than the maha-mantra. However this policy was approved by Srila Prabhupada. Consider this quote:


Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata also states:


Sometimes neophyte sectarian devotees criticize us for teaching the dvādaśākṣara-mantra: oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya. But here is the evidence that Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu accepted this as His initiation mantra from His spiritual master Īśvara Purī. Of course, the Lord doesn't need a spiritual master because He is the original spiritual master of everyone; but He accepts one of His confidential devotees as a spiritual master to instruct everyone on the real spiritual path.

Previously we quoted Śrīla Prabhupāda's instruction:


But this verse directly from the revealed scriptures (Śrī Caitanya-bhāgavata) is even more authorized, because it gives the example of Lord Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu, who is the Supreme Personality of Godhead Himself. The following verse explain the effect the Lord obtained by chanting the dvādaśākṣara-mantra, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya:


So not only is the dvādaśākṣara-mantra authorized by the highest authority, by this means we can reach the highest stage of devotional service.



Why do you say we shouldn't chant maha-mantra? Prabhupada gave it to everyone.


I hesitated for many years before beginning my preaching mission, even though I had been authorized by Srila Prabhupada himself at the time of his passing from this world. The reason was that I had seen my Godbrothers make so many mistakes that damaged themselves and their students, and I did not want to repeat them. Nor did I want to be lumped in with them or controlled by them, because I did not trust their understanding or methods. Over the years, I carefully analyzed what had gone wrong and endeavored to craft an approach that avoids the weaknesses that I had seen in the presentation and management of the Teaching before then.

When Srila Prabhupada came to the West, he was well aware that he little time left to establish the Esoteric Teaching on these shores. Consequently he presented the essence of everything very quickly, so as to establish our Esoteric School in the West, such that future generations of devotees would be able to discern the real truth by careful study, practice and evaluation. Unfortunately, he did not have time to train up his students in a detailed way in the epistemology and ontology of consciousness and the Absolute Truth.

To make a crude analogy, it was as if he had introduced us to using fast, powerful motorcars, but did not have time to teach us how to repair them when they broke down. Many of his students responded to this situation by maintaining that real cars never broke down, or that broken-down cars were demons created by maya, and so we should not even try to fix them, and so forth. So when things went wrong, they tended to stay that way, because there was little serious attempt to understand the mechanism, analyze the problems and repair the damage. That was something I had to figure out in my own way and time.

However, once the ontology of the Esoteric Teaching was clearly established, everything else became quite self-evident. Different mantras have different effects on consciousness according to their ontological properties, and are therefore suitable for different classes of seekers. The method of Radha-Krsna worship with maha-mantra presented by Srila Prabhupada was necessary at the time to establish this movement quickly in the West, but the downside was that there were quite a large percentage of casualties due to offenses to the Holy Names.

The method of beginning with the dvādaśākṣara-mantra is slower, but has the advantage of protecting the beginners from the offenses to the Holy Name that destroyed so many of the disciples of Srila Prabhupada. Another point is that many devotees really are attracted to the opulence of Dvaraka-lila, and so the dvādaśākṣara-mantra gives them the means to enter into that lila.



What is the difference between the dvādaśākṣara-mantra and maha-mantra?

The differences between the two mantras are subtle. To understand this explanation, you will need to be familiar with Krsna's pastimes as described in Krsna Book and the classification of rasas or transcendental relationships with God as presented in Nectar of Devotion.

The main difference is in the mood of the mantras. Both are in the mood of conjugal love, but whereas the dvādaśākṣara-mantra addresses Krsna as Vasudeva or His form as a great king of the Yadu dynasty in Dvaraka, the maha-mantra addresses Radha-Krsna, the transcendental Divine Couple in Their pastimes in the forest of Vrndavana.

When Krsna is acting as a king, He follows the dharma or religious principles of a king, and those include marriage. Therefore He marries 16,108 princesses and manifests 16,108 gorgeous palaces for them to live in. He also expands Himself into 16,108 forms and personally associates with each of His wives. This is called svakiya-rasa or married conjugal love.

In Vrndavana, there are millions of gopis, each more opulent than a Goddess of Fortune, and all of them are in love with Krsna. All of these gopis are expansions and servants of Srimati Radharani, the first sakti expansion of Krsna. Krsna also manifests a separate form to enjoy with each gopi, however they are not His wives, but either betrothed or married to others. This is called parakiya-rasa, or affairs with an unmarried paramour.

The pastimes of Krsna have been elaborately analyzed by experts like Srila Rupa Gosvami, the ontological architect of our lineage. He has determined that the parakiya-rasa is superior to the svakiya-rasa, because it gives more pleasure both to Krsna and His devotees. Therefore the love of the gopis for Krsna is praised throughout the Vedic literature as the highest form of devotion.

The dvādaśākṣara-mantra is an expression of svakiya-rasa or married conjugal devotional love, while the maha-mantra is an expression of the highest parakiya-rasa, or unmarried transcendental conjugal love. Both are very high mantras, but in general I recommend the dvādaśākṣara-mantra for beginners, because as discussed in the previous posts it does not accept offenses as easily as the maha-mantra.



Can I chant the maha-mantra?

You can chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra successfully only if you are following the four regulative principles—no meat eating, illicit sex, intoxication or gambling—then you may chant maha-mantra. Otherwise it is better to chant the dvadasaksara-mantra. If you are following then you can chant any mantra you like. But at some point you should make up your mind, because the two mantras give different destinations.



Is there any risk in chanting the maha-mantra?

Yes, chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is very dangerous if it is done with offenses. This is exactly why I advise my students to begin with the dvadasaksara-mantra, at least until they can follow the regulative principles. Otherwise they can hurt their spiritual life.

Some neophyte devotees criticize, "Srila Prabhupada always encouraged people to chant the maha-mantra." Yes, and he also had a monastic community in which by association, they would be more or less forced to follow the regulative principles. Our situation is different; we are preaching to people over the Internet, who often have no direct devotee association. So we have to very cautious what mantras we give them, otherwise they can get themselves in trouble.

The perfect example is ISKCON. The ISKCON leaders themselves became contaminated by desires for prestige and worship. They made very serious offenses to their spiritual master and other devotees. Many were also committing sinful activities while serving as gurus, and all this means very offensive chanting. As a result, as the real truth about ISKCON's activities gradually comes out, ISKCON has lost its preaching potency, and many people, especially the ex-members, are preaching against the ISKCON leaders.

One must be extremely cautious to chant the mahā-mantra offenselessly. It is not enough to have a feeling or sentiment to chant it; one must be qualified by following the principles of brahminical life as given by guru, śāstra [scripture] and the sādhus, the spiritual masters in the authentic disciplic lineage. The reason is that if one maintains material attachment while chanting, then one's material life will flourish but one's spiritual advancement will gradually cease.

We have seen it with our Godbrothers. In the beginning they were fallen, but very sincere and tried very hard to avoid offenses, and made a lot of spiritual progress quickly. But then they became complacent, and were not scrupulous in cleansing their hearts of material desires. Consequently by the power of the Holy Name they developed wealth, power and opulence, but did not become pure devotees of the Lord. This is described very clearly in śāstra:


Therefore one should study the ten offenses in order to relieve himself from the effects of offensive chanting (See "overcoming offences" below).
I am following the principles. I am still having sex within marriage though. Can I chant the maha-mantra?

If we are engaging in sex for our sense pleasure, then we are not to chant the mahāmantra . Rather, we should chant the dvādaśākṣara-mantra. Further, if we desire material well-being and opulence we should also chant Śrī Viṣṇusahasranāma.

Let me explain why: The mahāmantra addresses Krsna in the mood of conjugal love. This is a very intimate way of associating with the Lord and to do that offenselessly we have to be completely free of all material contamination. The four gross offences are avoided by strictly following the four regulative principles - no meat (or fish, eggs) eating, no intoxication of any kind, no gambling and no sex, except with the intention of procreation as our service to the Lord. At least these four gross offences need to be avoided as a starter.

If we call out to Krsna with a mantra in the conjugal mood but engage in sensual pleasure with someone else, then naturally Krsna will be offended. As Babaji says, "It is our job to defend Krsna and protect His heart. How's Krsna going to feel if we go off and enjoy with someone else after approaching Him in a conjugal mood?"

Of course, that doesn't mean that there is no other way to approach Krsna. The dvādaśākṣara-mantra is not in a conjugal mood and so is recommended for those of us that are still committing any of the gross offences. Please continue this process and steadily work on increasing the duration of your focused chanting.

So the bottom line is that there are different processes for people at different stages of their consciousness, and in order to make progress without committing offences we should adopt the process that is suitable for our present stage. So until we can properly follow the four regulative principles we should chant the dvādaśākṣara-mantra and Śrī Viṣṇusahasranāma and make advancement that way. When we come to the point where we want to have an intimate relationship with Krsna and nobody else then we can chant the mahāmantra.



But is sex within marriage illicit?

Once more: illicit sex is any sexual activity that is not part of a Vedic garbhādāna-saṁskāra ceremony for the conscious creation of a pure devotee child. As long as one is not practicing that standard, it is very risky to chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra. It is better to chant the Pañca-tattva mahā-mantra and the dvādaśākṣara-mantra, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya.

Really it is simpler just to be celibate. Śrīla Prabhupāda once described the brahmācarī-gṛhastha life as "going to a feast and not eating." In my experience it is impossible to practice without a supportive community environment and expert guidance. Especially if one is cohabiting with one's mate, it is better just to chant japa of the dvādaśākṣara-mantra.

Now during Satsang, or if the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra appears spontaneously in the mind, that is another thing. That is the spontaneous platform of devotional service, and there are no rules and regulations on that platform. Do as you are inspired to do. But as far as regulated devotional service, be very cautious about chanting japa of the mahā-mantra until you are properly established in celibacy.

Basically we have to choose whether we want conjugal love in this material world with some other human being, or in the spiritual world with Kṛṣṇa. Do we accept the imperfect now, or wait for the perfect? We cannot have both. Kṛṣṇa wants to possess us completely, but then He also reciprocates completely.





OVERCOMING OFFENCES


If the mantra is so powerful then why do we have to chant again and again?

Not only Vasudeva, Krsna, is there in His Holy Name, but all of His potencies as well. The Holy Name is filled with the unlimited potency of the Lord. Therefore the action of the Holy Name is immediate and infallible. Then why do we not experience immediate enlightenment the first time we chant, but have to chant again and again for many years? It is because our minds are contaminated, filled with offensive thoughts.

The mind is composed of thought impressions called samskaras. The structure of the mind is compared to a tree with the roots upward and the branches down. When do we see a tree with the branches down? When it is reflected in a pool of water. So the mind is a reflection of the desires of the spirit soul and the plans of the intelligence.

Because until now our desires and intelligence have been absorbed in material consciousness, our mind is completely polluted with material samskaras. This inverted tree has an unlimited number of leaves, which are the material samskaras. All these material impressions have to be replaced with spiritual impressions to make the mind fit for self-realization. Because of these offensive thoughts, the effect of the Holy Name is delayed until the offenses are cleared. Therefore we have to chant and hear the Holy Name again and again for a long time until we replace the material samskaras with spiritual samskaras.



What are the offenses and how do I avoid them?



This is an introduction to the subject of chanting the Holy Name and the various offenses against the Holy name. When we first begin to cultivate the Holy Name, we may be unaware of the offenses. This is called the neophyte or offensive stage of chanting. When we begin to avoid the offenses and chant purely, we enter the intermediate or clearing stage of chanting the Holy Name. And when we reach the actual perfection of chanting, we enter into the advanced or offenseless stage of chanting the Holy Name of the Lord.

As we chant more and more, we begin to see how our entire mentality is infected with offensive thoughts, as defined above. It often takes many years of continued association with saintly persons and the Holy Name to overcome these offenses, on account of the tremendous backlog of materially contaminated thoughts in the mind. But by regular and disciplined chanting of the Holy Name, all material conceptions and all offenses against the Holy Name will be vanquished without a doubt, by the power of the Holy Name Himself.

Therefore one should expect, in the beginning, that one's chanting will be very offensive. In fact, we should see that we are committing all ten offenses all the time. This is not an occasion to become discouraged, but to continue our daily chanting with all the more dedication and determination. For when we wish to clear the offenses against the Holy Name, our only shelter is the Holy Name Himself.

So we should take complete shelter of the Holy Name, and chant continuously, night and day. Then these ten offenses will be very quickly vanquished and the Holy Name will reveal Himself in all His spiritual glory within the heart.



How do I chant offenslessly?

The mind likes to wander; but real meditation means that every time we gently lead the mind back to the lotus feet of the Holy Name. We do this by thinking of the beauty and exalted qualities of the transcendental form of the Lord.

The only practical way to chant offenselessly is to chant constantly. The nature of the mind is to think over the sense impressions that we receive. When we control the tongue by chanting constantly, fill the ears with nothing but the Holy Name, and fill the eyes with nothing but His beautiful form, then automatically the mind becomes controlled.



Can you explain the sixth offence to the Holy Name?



The Mayavadi impersonalist speculators often commit this offense. They chant the Holy Name thinking it is ordinary material pious activity. So this offense is easy to avoid for anyone who is a faithful devotee of the Lord.

The direct meaning of the Holy Name is Krsna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead, His exquisitely beautiful transcendental form, amazing spiritual qualities and pastimes. One may certainly think of these while chanting without making offense.





EXPERIENCES WHILE CHANTING


I feel I am not making any progress when I chant. Should I just give up japa?

No, it is important that you DON'T give up. Please contemplate this essay written by another student:

Please note, japa is not the only way to make spiritual advancement. Any of the 9 processes of devotional service can help bring us to perfection, but the Holy name is most powerful for the reasons given in the first section of this FAQ. See the other FAQs for more information. The point is, don't give up japa. You may not see the progress you are making at first but you soon will.


During chanting I am experiencing great difficulty in staying focused on the mantra. I've not yet changed my diet. Is there a connection?

The Lord will not appear on your tongue, nor will you be able to control your mind until your diet is pure vegetarian and without onion and garlic. Maybe you don't believe this, but here is the proof: as long as you accept these nonsense things, you will not be able to chant nicely because your body is contaminated by the mode of ignorance.



When I chant with sincerity, it seems that Maya presents a challenge at every step. Why is this?

That's a clear sign you are getting somewhere. Śrīla Prabhupāda explains it nicely:




I feel mad/crazy/strange after chanting. Why?

The Holy Name is completely spiritual, so it has no material effects. But it does change our consciousness, removing the darkness of ignorance and revealing the Absolute Truth. In material consciousness we are actually insane, because we accept the body as the self. In normal circumstances we can hide our madness from ourselves, but when we chant the Holy Name of the Lord, everything is revealed in clarity.

So what is happening is that you are seeing for the first time how crazy you really are. Naturally this is a bit scary, but it will pass. The effect of material happiness is like nectar in the beginning and poison at the end; but the effect of the Holy Name is like poison in the beginning and nectar in the end.


Feelings of madness are a product of the mode of ignorance, so as you begin to purify your mind, the first thing that is coming up is the mode of ignorance. Then gradually the mode of passion will come out, and then the mode of goodness. Finally after chanting for some time there will be nothing left but pure goodness, śuddha-sattva. That is the real goal of chanting.


So, maybe slow down your chanting and start a little bit at a time, but definitely continue. As your consciousness changes, you will feel better and better.



I am having weird sensations when I chant, such as pins and needles, and heat throughout my body. Why?

It is fairly common to have sensations like that while chanting; I don't even pay much attention to them anymore. This is energy moving, and if you study Qigong (Chi K'ung) or do much prāṇāyama you will become very familiar with such symptoms. The point is, chanting the Holy Name of the Lord develops the prāṇa flow and removes blockages, so you get the same result without any additional effort. That is only one of the many advantages of chanting as opposed to other methods of self-realization or yoga.




I have experienced very strong and fragrant scents during chanting. What is the meaning of this?

This is a symptom of devotional ecstasy. It is not well documented in the esoteric literature of the West, or even in the Vedas. The Persian Sufis knew it well, though. God is redolent with the fragrance of ecstatic love.



I had strong feelings of happiness while chanting but they disappeared as soon as I concentrated on them. Why?

Devotional service or bhakti-yoga is not a mechanical material process; Kṛṣṇa is indeed present in our hearts as Paramātmā, and when we please Him then we are automatically happy. We don't have to worry about being happy, we just need to concentrate on pleasing Kṛṣṇa. When we engage our senses, mind and consciousness in the activities of Kṛṣṇa consciousness, then Kṛṣṇa is pleased and we automatically become happy. So we don't fixate on our own happiness; we focus on pleasing Kṛṣṇa and our own happiness is guaranteed. This is unconditional love or bhakti.



I have deep emotional pain, especially when I look inside. Should I avoid this place while chanting?

No. Find that place, deep within your heart, where you are totally broken and hopeless. The place that no one in this world or in your life has ever understood or loved. The place you are afraid to reveal to anyone, because if they rejected it, you would lose your will to live.

Now chant your mantra from that place. If you're not crying, you've missed it. Yes, that place. Now, fill it with the transcendental sound vibration of the Holy Name. You will experience something remarkable. This is love of Godhead.

You will see that this meditation on the Holy Name will fill your heart with all the love, joy and happiness you have always desired. By constant meditation on the Holy Name in the core of your heart, all sorrows and difficulties are overcome, and you will transcendend material existence completely through overwhelming spiritual bliss. This is true samadhi.

The true cause of our sorrow is that we have turned away from our dear Lord and wandered through this barren material creation for millions of births without Him. As soon as we understand that His Holy Name is as good as He Himself, and fill our hearts with this transcendental sound, then all suffering is finished. This is actual liberation from material conditioned consciousness, and at the time of leaving this body, we naturally ascend to the spiritual world.



Can I stick to a small number of rounds for life? I do not want to increase them as I am facing some painful issues when I do.

The Holy Name is very powerful and purifying, but we have to give Him the chance to act. If we restrict our chanting to a few rounds a day, then there will not be much time when we are chanting compared to the amount of time when we are not chanting. So how can we overcome the materialistic tendency of the mind with just a little chanting? It is not possible.

You will find that as you chant the Holy Name more and more, He will bring you into contact with all your deepest issues. I can remember that I tried to resist this process at first, because I didn't want the Lord to see those parts of myself. But He insisted, and you know how He is, He is very persuasive. So He got His way, and I am very glad that He was so insistent.

This is really the way to resolve all our problems. Lord Caitanya said, kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ: "Always chant the Holy Name of the Lord." These Śikṣāstaka prayers are recited every morning in most temples; but how many devotees have ever tried the method?





OTHER MANTRAS


In Babaji's Secret Teachings of Christ, he gave the Jesus Christos mantra - is there an English language version of this?

For the english version of the Jesus mantra, replace "Señor" with "Lord" and "Christo" with "Christ".

So:


Becomes:


What is this Sri Visnusahasranama that I keep hearing so much about?

Sri Visnusahasranama is a very important and powerful prayer. It can literally help us solve all material problems, and at the same time award devotional service to the Lord, which frees us from material existence. So especially if you find yourself in difficulty, this prayer is very valuable. It helped me with so many problems and it will help you too.

Chanting Sri Visnusahasranama helped me very much, both in overcoming material problems and in making progress toward self-realization. If you have never heard or chanted it, you are missing one of the great experiences and practices of bhakti-yoga.

Sri Visnusahasranama is very powerful. It is like a magic mirror that can show you anything you want to know. It is like a desire tree that can give you whatever you want. So be very careful what you ask and desire!



What is the best way to learn long mantras like Śrī Viṣṇusahasranāma?

The best way, really the only way, is to hear and repeat carefully. For example, listening to an mp3 recording and then repeating.




When is the best time to chant Śrī Viṣṇusahasranāma?

Best time for chanting Śrī Viṣṇusahasranāma is early in the morning after your rounds. Play the audio and chant along with it to learn the correct pronunciation. That will automatically solve all your material problems.


Can I chant the Gayatri mantra?

It is very dangerous to chant the Gayatri mantra without being properly initiated by a bona fide Vaiṣṇava spiritual master in the line of disciplic succession from Kṛṣṇa. Gayatri is actually a Sanskrit poetic meter, and applies to a large group of mantras. The mantra usually known as "the Gayatri mantra" is actually just one of many; it is properly known as the Savitṛ-gayatri mantra.

The object of Savitṛ-gayatri is to worship Supreme Personality of Godhead within the sun, so by chanting it you are bringing the very powerful solar energy into the earth realm. Just like thermonuclear weapons bring the solar fusion reaction into the sphere of the earth, and this is very destructive, similarly if you cannot properly channel the energy of the Savitṛ-gayatri it can be very dangerous. The most typical symptom is that people become overwhelmed with the fiery mode of passion, and then become trapped by making great efforts to conquer and enjoy the material energy.

This is exactly what happened to my Godbrothers, who accepted initiation into the movement of Lord Caitanya, but then got sidetracked by material political arrangements, money and power; they lost their transcendental devotional qualities and fell down to the platform of ordinary religion. Chanting the Savitṛ-gayatri is safe only when we have a strong connection with the lineage of Lord Caitanya and aspire to develop ecstatic devotional love of Kṛṣṇa. So be careful! It's better to chant dvādaśākṣara-mantra, oṁ namo bhagavate vāsudevāya, and Śrī Viṣṇusahasranāma. You will get the same effects without the danger of too much fire.



What are the material effects of the Gayatri mantra?

Gayatri mantra or any other bona fide mantra have nothing to do with the material body or material benefits. If you are feeling something in your body while chanting Gayatri then you are chanting it with a completely wrong approach. When dealing with a mantra as powerful as Gayatri, this is very dangerous.

Gayatri is not a pranic practice like pranayama, it is related to the path of liberation as given in Vedanta-sutra. The savitr-Gayatri invokes the spiritual power of the Sun, and to hold this fiery energy in any material form is very destructive. The hydrogen bomb also uses the atomic fusion of the sun to create horrific destructive effects. This powerful energy cannot be held in an ordinary material form.

One must have actual realization of one's spiritual nature before invoking Gayatri, or it will destroy him. Just like if one invokes the brahmastra weapon, and it cannot find its target, it will return to
the one who invoked it and burn him to ashes. One has to be a real brahmana--not by birth but by purity and spiritual realization--to chant Gayatri successfully.



What about the Sri Nrsimha kavacha?

This is a very good kavacha to chant for general protection. The reason we do not chant the Savitṛ-gayatri lightly is that it is an initiation mantra. Only a qualified brāhmaṇa should chant it. Pretty much any other mantra is OK for chanting, especially the Narasiṁha mantras.



In SB 11.27.10, it is said:


Please kindly tell us, to which tantric mantras do they refer to?

Acamana, bhuta-suddhi and the other mantras used to prepare for the Narayana-kavaca.




Where are the details of the ten syllable gopala-mantra that Mahaprabhu accepted in His initiation?


This mantra is part of the Gayatrī mantras given in the second initiation in our sampradāya, so the devotees in our line chant it automatically.



Is there any harm in chanting the Demigod Ganesha mantras?

The harm is that worship of Ganeṣa is not in our line. Before chanting we recite our guru-praṇāma-mantra and the Pañca-tattva mahā-mantra, śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu-nityānanda śrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda. We have demonstrated and discussed this many times.

Generally, we avoid the worship of demigods. Kṛṣṇa says,


So why bother with demigod worship when we can go directly to Kṛṣṇa?




INTENSIVE CHANTING


Should I just give everything up and chant in seclusion?

Do not be in a hurry to chant the Holy Name in seclusion until you have established a taste for the Name (ruci). Trying to rush the process just leads to disappointment. You cannot pick the fruit before it ripens in the fullness of time.



OK, I've been practicing for many years and feel ready to chant constantly until I am self-realized. Can you give me any advice?

Well it sounds like you're determined, therefore you will succeed. In general:

1) Keep the lotus flower position as much possible.
2) Drink lots of water to keep throat wet.
3) Breath deeply and try to chant many mantras in a row.

However, the spiritual path is rarely direct and straightforward. You may have to chant within your limitations for some time, rather than going for constant chanting all at once. My advice would be to increase gradually. If your mind is on something else, then you cannot chant purely, so you cannot count those mantras. Of course lotus position is the best, but if it causes you to put too much attention on your body, that is not good. The same with breathing; if it makes you put too much attention on the body, then you will not be fully engaged in chanting. You will have to find out by experience what works for you.

The more you chant, and the longer you maintain your chanting, the harder it will be to measure your progress. Why? Because perception depends on contrast. When you first start chanting more, you can easily remember how it was before; but after a while you forget, and it seems normal.

Just like when you first take off in a plane, you feel that you are going up very fast; but once the plane gets up to speed, you may be climbing just as fast but it's harder to notice because you are farther away from the ground. In the USA and also in Afghanistan I have driven through big desert places with vast valleys. You can go and go at top speed but nothing seems to be moving, because the territory is so big, there is nothing you can use to gauge your speed.

But do not give up, keep going and soon you will reach your destination. Then many things will happen very quickly.



How can I keep the mind engaged while doing this intense chanting?

The Gosvamis of Vrndavan used to keep a book of slokas open before them while chanting. They would read one sloka, and then chant while relishing its meaning. That way the mind is engaged and rasa can flow while chanting the Holy Name.

I used to read Ujjvala-nilamani, Gita-govinda and similar rāsika literature. In our own line there is a nice book by Bhaktiviṇod Ṭhākur, Bhajana-Rahasya. This book is very advanced, but to attain complete self-realization, you will have to understand all these things eventually anyway.

However, while chanting one should relish the pastimes described in the scriptures, not something imaginary. That's why the scriptures describe those pastimes. For example, there are so many nice slokas in Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam or in Padyavali, describing Kṛṣṇa's intimate pastimes. There is no need to make anything up.


Do not get trapped by imagining something on the mental platform.



If I surrender to the Holy Name how will I be protected?

Krsna is already taking care of the needs of all living entities. Srila Prabhupada writes:




In Kali-yuga, Krsna descends in the form of His Holy Name. The Holy Name is transcendentally identical to Krsna Himself:



And in His exquisitely beautiful Śikṣāṣṭaka, Lord Caitanya prayed:


When we chant the Holy Name of the Lord, we are associating with Krsna directly. There is no doubt about it. If we search the scriptures, we can find hundreds of quotes similar to the above. So Krsna can protect and care for unlimited living entities just by the power of His Holy Name. Therefore when we take complete shelter of the Holy Name, this is exactly the same as taking complete shelter of Krsna. "Taking complete shelter of the Holy Name" means that we chant the Holy Name constantly:


There are many devotees who chant this prayer every morning in the temple for many years, but there are very few who actually accept this instruction. If we do, we can experience the blissful personal association of Lord Krsna. The secret to overcoming the ten offenses to the Holy Name is to chant constantly as instructed by Lord Caitanya.


My experience in this regard was that in 2001 when I retired from business to travel and teach spiritual life full-time, first I went to the island of Kaua'i and camped out in the jungle near a large coconut orchard. If you have Google Earth, you can go to the coordinates 21°52'29.34"N 159°26'6.21"W and see the exact spot. For six months I remained alone, just chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, day and night. Once a week or so I would go to the store and get supplies, and visit some devotee friends. Otherwise, my constant companion was the Holy Name.

I would get up early, about 3-4 AM, take a cold bath, and chant 16 rounds. Then I would make breakfast, and chant another 16 rounds on a japa walk. Then I would study or write for some time, have lunch and chant another 16 rounds. Sometimes I would take a nap or swim in the ocean. Finally after a light dinner, I would chant another 16 rounds and take rest at sundown. That was my daily routine. But the Holy Name was constantly going through my mind.

By the potent influence of the Holy Name, I went through many deep psychological and spiritual transformations, until early one morning I got darshan of Lord Krsna. His form is extremely beautiful and effulgent. I begged Him for the benediction that I would never forget His beautiful Holy Name. He blessed me with some confidential instructions and disappeared. Over the next few months I completely realized my eternal relationship with God, and became happy and satisfied beyond my wildest dreams. There is nothing better available in human life than this.


Everyone should strive for this perfection. It is within reach due to the mercy of the Holy Name. When we present our public seminars, right in the beginning I give people the Holy Name, and then I tell them that if they simply give up everything and chant the Holy Name for six months, they will achieve spiritual perfection. Of course, they think I'm joking, but I am actually quite sincere. I tell them, "You will all have to come to this point someday. It's just a question of whether you want the simple, direct path or the long complicated path."

I say the same thing to all my students: it's just a matter of time until you come to the point where there is nothing but the Holy Name. Then very quickly you will realize God. Due to the circumstances of my life, I reached this point after 35 years of chanting. But you don't have to wait; you can realize the pure Holy Name right now. It's up to you.

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