Is Mechanical Chanting equal to Loving Krishna from the heart?
ACTUAL QUESTION FROM A WOMAN DEVOTEE:
Hare Krishna Prabhuji. Pranam. What is Krishna Consciousness ? Means love of God. If we love God by giving any relation, ie, son, Husband, friend, father etc, it’s easy for us to do chanting etc. Our parents brought us up. Without expecting anything from us.
Why can’t we treat Krishna as child like azhawars. How can we make our child happy.. ? Prabhupadaji says love Krishna , if that devotee, in the beginning, it may be artificial without any affection towards Krishna as a child or friend , then he will automatically do chanting As Baby Krishna is listening him! If he do like this slowly, along with chanting Lord Krishna as baby come to his mind.
Why I am writing is, I do like. This it’s simple, I think it’s easy way that rather Krishna is giving everything, like we should be faithful like dog etc, is quite difficult it sounds that he is dictator that he expect us to remember. For beginners, it’s quite difficult,.. (sorry if u feel hurt).. Hari bol, I tell you I hardly do chanting. I listen to bajans, lectures, etc.. listen Gopi Geeth, I do only srvananam. I remember him as my lover, so it’s easy for me to remember him with more concentration, at the same time no compulsion, I feel his presence very much. What he expect is love not compulsory, worship. If we do this it’s easy for us. I hope you won’t mind. Krishna is for all we can take liberty on him whether we love him in any form he doesn’t mind. I don’t want anything from him let him give me thousand birth, each birth let me his mercy only I remember him always. Hari Bol.
You know I forgot my routines, unable to do my duties many times, because I got so much immerse in him. To come to normalcy I compulsory watch movies, Hari bol.. Sorry Prabhuji.. it’s my humble opinion.. You are more knowledgeable person. you know better. Thanks and pranam.
I am not against Chanting. What I tried to say may be my English is not good. How to chant attentively is , I mean to say if he remember Krishna as a child or whatever form he likes , if he do like this it will be easy for him.
2nd I do chanting very rarely only on Ekadesi that too 1 or 2 rounds because , I have nerves problem, what happen is when I do more time it 5 or 6 times, after chanting.. It’s playing like a tape recorder ..
I was unable to sleep it keeps on running, I am unable to sleep. So I reduce it.
Instead I listen Prabhupadaji tape Maha Mantra tape, I do say along with his divine voice..of course without Tulsi mala. I do cooking and house hold work by playing this..
I am under nerves treatment ..my nerves become weak. I tried many days I have find out while in bed after closing my eyes, my mind is awake with Maha Mantra as radio is playing.
Moreover, I listen to my heart beat, when I go to bed, each beat I say in silence, Krishna, Krishna only, I get satisfaction of chanting, that too I get problem of sleepless night if I chant continuously, I take medicine to stop this so that I can sleep.
Hari Nama is nectar, what to do I am not fortunate to chant continuously. Anyway thanks for guiding me. Pray for Krishna give his mercy to chant.
That’s why I don’t want to take dikhsha.. in ISKCON, they ask how many time you chant.?
Thanx and regards Hare Krishna
REPLY:
Your message shows that you are in a confusion and you have chosen a devotional life style that is convenient to you. This is my first observation from your message.
(THREE STAGES OF ATTAINING THE PERFECTION IN CHANTING! READ HERE!)
The extract of your message is these two:
(1) When we sincerely love Krishna in any form like a child, parent, lover, etc, why should we chant as a mechanical ritual? Is Chanting equal to Loving Krishna?
(2) You find it difficult to chant because of nerve problems.
Is Mechanical Chanting equal to Loving Krishna from the heart? This isn your question.
If you had asked whether you can avoid chanting because of nerve problems, it is a genuine query and hence, I would have replied directly with some tips.
But, you have first asked why chanting is required when we love Krishna and then you have asked that you have nerves problem and hence you are unable to chant.
Let me analyse both the points mentioned by you.
(Three doubts on chanting : Can we chant using left hand? READ HERE!)
(1) First Question: When we sincerely love Krishna in any form like a child, parent, lover, etc, why should we chant as a mechanical ritual?
Since you love your husband, you cook nicely.
When he is sick, you serve him closely even without sleep.
When he works hard, you too share his work.
Why?
Because you like to do some sacrifice for your husband since you love him.
When a boy loves a girl, he is waiting for her even for one hour. If that girl wishes something, he goes even to the Himalayas to bring her favourite thing.
Why?
He is showing his love.
If anyone just keeps his love within heart, but, does not have any external loving exchanges, will that love be enjoyable?
Love should be expressed in some form.
(How to chant without diversions? Do we need a guru to start chanting? READ HERE!)
Only then, the love will grow steadily.
A wife will become happy if her husband buys even some jasmine flower for her and gift her with love.
Why?
It is the expression that he loves his wife.
This is kaliyuga. We are always bombarded with the tricks of maya who is sending the persons, things, situations etc, to make us more attached to the material world.
She is doing her duty as the controller of material planets.
But, we are in a position to beat her tricks by keeping us always engaged in the service of the lord and the recommended practices.
When we SINCERELY chant FROM HEART atleast for one hour or 90 minutes a day, it will be ringing in our heart for the remaining 22-23 hours. It will help us to effectively deal with the tricks of maya.
(Why should we chant Hare Krishna Maha Manthra instead of Gayathri Manthra? READ HERE!)
Though we tell that we love Krishna and hence we are protected from maya, our mind and the senses will always be doing their job of inducing us.
They will induce us to take more coffee. More fast foods. Attractive dressing. More useless purchases. To have more sex. To quarrel with others. To read and watch useless things in the media.
In other yugas, there were other recommendations like Yagas, Penances, temple worships, etc. Therefore, the people in those yugas did other devotional practices.
But, in this kaliyuga, all other practices are not encouraged. Since the life time of the people is less in kaliyuga, only ‘chanting’ is recommended in this kaliyuga.
When we chant sincerely from the heart, we can effectively protect ourselves from maya.
(CHANTING HARE KRISHNA MAHA MANTHRA – IMPORTANCE, TIPS AND COMPLETE PROCEDURE! READ HERE!)
When we love someone, we are always prepared to take some sacrifice for him/ her. Without sacrifice, there can be no love. It will be like a business.
Therefore, you should show your love to Krishna by taking some sacrifices because Krishna has been very merciful to you by giving everything without expectations. However, we should perform chanting as a reciprocation and gratitude. Though Krishna does not expect these things, He feels happy and become double merciful with the devotees who performs such sacrifices for Him.
He gives all the requirements to live even for the atheists. Whereas, He gives Himself to His devotees who sacrifice their time and energy for HIM.
Now, I ask: Just because I love Krishna from heart, I could have remained without preaching about Him. Why should I preach taking my valuable time? Why can’t I just tell “I love Krishna” and remain loving Him from my heart?
Because, when we preach about Krishna, He shows His extra mercy on us because we are using the time given by Krishna back to Him.
Same applies for chanting too. You are using your time given by Krishna back to Him by chanting His holy names.
Hope this clears your confusion.
Chanting is not just equal to Loving Krishna, it is Krishna Himself because Krishna lives in His names.
(Using intoxicants or other Violations while chanting – Will Krishna accept? READ HERE!)
(2) NEXT: About your inability to chant because of nerves problem:
If this is the case, you can chant within mind that is very effective.
Actual advice of scriptures is to chant within heart.
However, Chanting is done slightly loudly because we have many distractions while chanting within mind. Since ordinary persons will find it difficult to chant within their heart, we are advised to chant in a small voice.
For your information, I too have nerves issue in forehead and hence if I chant loudly, I will get headache. When I read some old texts, they had written about the superiority of chanting in a low voice that can be heard only by you or within heart. From then, I too am chanting with just the movements of my lips with mild voice. Even the lips movement is unnecessary because it may dry our mouth earlier.
Therefore, you can chant IN LOW VOICE by sitting in a silent place in your free time after finishing all your other works.
Hope my reply has given required clarification on whether Chanting equal to Loving Krishna or not.
(Will chanting change the basic nature of a person? READ HERE!)