A Guru’s Role in our Chanting effectively without diversions!
A devotee (Name hidden) asked like this:
Dear sir, I m confused. I have no guru so far. Can I chant or wait for guru. Advise me to chant without distraction. Thank you.
REPLY:
To START Chanting, you need not require a guru. In due course of your chanting, you will feel to get a guru with the mercy of Krishna. Then, you can accept a guru.
Having a guru gives you efficient chanting without much diversions because accepting a guru properly and formally can purify you that gives efficient chanting.
Before discussing this mater, let us see some tips about a Guru’s Role in our Chanting effectively without diversions:
(Using intoxicants or other Violations while chanting – Will Krishna accept? READ HERE!)
(1) The Brahma Muhurtha time, ie, about 2 hrs before the sun rise is the best time to chant without diversions, because, during that period, we will be under the control of satva guna. So, the best time for chanting is: Between 4-6 am.
(2) There are two benefits in chanting in this time:
(i) If you complete chanting before sunrise, the chanted Maha Manthra will be with you throughout the day and protect you and guide you in satva guna throughout the day.
(ii) Another benefit is that you get 2 hrs extra duration to perform your daily works. Thus, waking up early will help you to reduce tension and will give you more time to perform regular duties.
(Three doubts on chanting : Can we chant using left hand? READ HERE!)
(3) Waking up early may be difficult for you initially, as the people go to bed only after watching all the tele-serials and movies. But, when you practice to get up earlier, your body clock will adjust itself accordingly. It is better to go to bed at around 10 pm.
(4) Six hours of sound sleep is sufficient for a normal person above 16. Only children need extra sleep.
(5) It is better to complete all the rounds of chanting atleast before 7-7.30 in the morning. However, if you find it impossible, you can chant as much as possible in the early morning and chant the remaining at any time convenient for you. But, try to finish the rounds that day itself.
(6) Have a policy of chanting a certain number of rounds every day, say, 1 or 2 or 4 or 8 or 16 rounds according to your situation. If you commit for a certain number of rounds, finish that at any cost on that day.
(7) If you come to the level of chanting 16 rounds a day, stage by stage, that will be good. One round means 108 times of chanting Hare Krishna Maha Manthra.
(TEN OFFENCES AGAINST CHANTING THE HOLY NAME OF KRISHNA! READ HERE!)
(8) Though your mind fluctuates initially, it will get controlled when you develop a taste of chanting in due course of time. Your mind will have disturbances ONLY UNTIL you develop a taste in chanting. It will come naturally in due course of chanting for days, months or years. So, don’t stop chanting just because your mind is diverted. Continue chanting though you chant with offences initially. Just keep on taking corrective steps. Everything will be alright in due course of time. Don’t worry.
(9) You have also asked whether guru is needed to chant. Yes. You need a guru if you want faster growth in devotion. Though chanting itself is independent and does not depend on anyone to give benefits, accepting and following a guru will give more perfection to our chanting process and will greatly reduce the diversions.
What are you going to lose just because you accept a guru? Why should we hesitate to have a guru? Is he claiming all your properties? Is he asking you to be with him all the time? What is wrong in being humble and accepting a good Vaishnava as a guru for you?
(CHANTING HARE KRISHNA MAHA MANTHRA – IMPORTANCE, TIPS AND COMPLETE PROCEDURE! READ HERE!)
A devotee loses nothing by accepting a guru, but gains a lot. If that guru is a good Vaishnava, this devotee will gain Krishna Himself through that guru.
However, chanting is independent of any other factors and the Lord’s Name itself is originally powerful. So, you need not wait to start chanting procvess till you get a guru. Start serious chanting now itself. If you like to proceed further in your devotional practices and like to dedicate yourself seriously to the service of Lord, you will need a guru to guide and fiollow you. A guru is needed to purify us and to help us in going towards Lord and to guide us. But, the point is: You need not wait till you get a guru to chant without diversions.
(10) Pray to Krishna to show you a good living guru. Don’t rush in selecting guru. Just Chant sincerely. If Krishna wishes to arrange a good guru for you, He will show a guru to you in due course of time. If you sincerely pray to Krishna , He will show you a good guru.
Interestingly, Guru gives Krishna to us! But, we have to pray to Krishna Himself to give a guru to give Krishna to us! How beautiful this is! That is why, Krishna Himself has said in Bhagavad Gita (4.34): “Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him”.
(THREE STAGES OF ATTAINING THE PERFECTION IN CHANTING! READ HERE!)
(11) Just have good sathsangha atleast on sundays and holidays regularly. Observe what the other devotees do. Analyse how things are going on. Consult the temple authority there and Get his advice. After that, decide ON YOUR OWN whom to accept as your guru without any external pressures.
(12) If you do not like to rush for a diksha guru right now, read the books of Srila Prabhupada and get the guidance from the experienced devotees. Srila Prabhupada, the founder of ISKCON has written so many simple but powerful books that can help to advance in your devotion to Krishna. Visit the center, BUY those books and read (Reading free may give you some knowledge, but, it is not the right bhava for a devotee to get Krishna.). These readings will guide you and you yourself can decide how and when to get a guru.
Hope this guides you about a Guru’s Role in Chanting effectively without diversions!
(Will chanting change the basic nature of a person? READ HERE!)