Chanting with a taste while thinking of Krishna! Nice Tips!
Two doubts from two devotees:
(1) hare krishna prabhuji i need ur help to develop taste in chanting plz help bcz I want to chant from my heart bt i can’t plz help me to chant lovefuly n with taste
(2) I am unable to think of Krishna while chanting. What to do?
REPLY:
Chanting with a taste depends on our preferences in life.
If we chant thinking of other unwanted things and objects, we can’t have full involvement in chanting and we can’t develop full taste in chanting.
Why do many husbands have a taste in their family life?
Because, they believe that they will get some pleasures in the family life.
If we have to develop a taste in chanting, we should also keep the thoughts and image of Krishna in our mind while chanting. We should believe that Krishna gives real and eternal bliss.
(Ten offences against chanting the Holy name of Krishna! READ HERE!)
Such a focused chanting should accompany full faith in the efficacy of chanting in giving Krishna Himself.
Full faith in chanting will come only when we have full faith in the presence and authority of Krishna.
Full faith in the authority of Krishna will come only when we believe that Krishna is the only person who can deliver us from this painful material life.
We will seek the shelter of Krishna only when we have the willingness to get relieved from this painful material life.
Therefore, to develop full taste in chanting, we should have realized the pains of this material life and we should have a serious desire of getting relieved from the material pains.
If you see a busy road, thousands of people walk and travel. Everyone is rushing towards achieving certain goals.
A vegetable seller will be driving his cycle thinking that he must sell all the vegetables today and get good profits to buy atleast some grains to have that day’s food for his family.
If you see a beggar, he will be seeing every person thinking whether he will offer something.
If you see a woman going to catch the bus, she will be thinking whether she can get bus in time and reach office and avoid the loss of attendance.
If you see a thief, he will be searching for a suitable house or person to steal sufficient amount for that day.
If you see a house broker, he will always be seeing vacant houses and customers to be connected and earn plenty of commission.
If you see a traffic policeman, he will be sweating and controlling the traffic with irritation.
If you see a sincere student, he will always be thinking of scoring high and attending the coaching classes.
Thus, everyone of us are having certain targets based on our preferences in life. The thoughts dominate us based on our preferences in life.
(Why should we chant Hare Krishna Maha Manthra instead of Gayathri Manthra? READ HERE!)
In a cinema theatre, hundreds of people see a movie. Some come for comedy. Some come for fighting. Some come just to see their favourite hero or heroine. Some come for sensational scenes.. And, some come for love scenes or glamour scenes.
If you attend a marriage, some woman will see the beauty of bride. Some will see the clothes of that girl. Some will see her jewels. Some will see the pimples on her face. Some others will discuss how much dowry has been given for groom. Some will discuss about the quality of food served in the marriage function.
Thus, everyone has different areas of interests though the film or marriage is the same.
In your case, you like to develop a taste in chanting. This preference dominate your thoughts and mind.
Had you focused with this desire alone, you can fully concentrate in chanting. But, you may be focusing on the material targets also in addition to Krishna.
Therefore, you are unable to develop a taste in chanting.
(How to chant without diversions? Do we need a guru to start chanting? READ HERE!)
How to control such material thoughts while chanting?
To control a lower element, we need a higher element. Senses are the lower elements. So, we must control them using the highest element that can control all kinds of material thoughts. So, YOU MUST INCREASE YOUR DEVOTIONAL PRACTICES.
Krishna says in Bhagavad Gita (3-42 & 43):
“The working senses are superior to dull matter; Mind is higher than the senses; Intelligence is still higher than the mind; and He [the soul] is even higher than the intelligence.
Thus knowing oneself to be transcendental to material senses, mind and intelligence, one should control the lower self by the higher self and thus–by spiritual strength–conquer this insatiable enemy known as lust.”
When a person sees a favourite movie, he does not even yawn, and in fact, he forgets himself in the movie. Why? Because, he shows his full involvement in seeing his favourite movie.
(THREE STAGES OF ATTAINING THE PERFECTION IN CHANTING! READ HERE!)
When a person sees his close friends or relatives, he forgets all his surroundings. Why? Because, he is much attached to them and he expects that he will get some entertainment or pleasure.
Similarly, do you truly believe that you will get something if you chant? If you truly believe that Chanting is very effective and gives you eternal pleasure in the Kingdom of Krishna, you will find that chanting assignment interesting.
Thus, one must develop a taste in chanting by developing full faith in the effects of chanting. Unless there is a taste, there will be no involvement in chanting. So, believe that all other pleasures in this world are temporary that are followed by pain. All our pleasures on earth will be for some more years only. After that, we have to vacate this house (world). Only those who do not know that there is an eternal pleasure after the death of this body at the Kingdom of Krishna, lament for leaving this world.
So, first, one should aim for that eternal pleasure. To get that eternal pleasure, you MUST CHANT the Holy Names of Krishna. So, Chanting is not just the game of words. It is a spiritual vibration of sound that purifies us and takes us to Krishna’s world.
(I am disturbed by NEGATIVE THOUGHTS while chanting. What to do? READ HERE!)
If you are convinced yourself with the above facts, you will develop a taste in chanting. When you develop taste, you will involve in it with a full focus, like you see your favourite movie. One fine day, you will consider this material world as Dhukkalayam and asasvatham. After that, you can’t remain without chanting.
And, as I already said, when you involve in chanting consistently with the desire of becoming pure, all our anarthas(negatives) will automatically go as I already explained in this example that is reproduced below:
Place a bucket of soiled dirty water under a running water pump for minutes. See all the dirty water disappears & the water in bucket becomes clear after some time. Thus, Every one of us have anarthaas. Nobody is 100% perfect! Don’t fight with situations/ anarthaas (Soiled water). Just practice Krishna Consciousness (Add pure water) sincerely. All the anarthas will disappear in soon! Only the thoughts on Krishna will remain!
At this stage, you will be chanting with a taste in it.
Hope you are now clear about Chanting with a taste while thinking of Krishna!
(CHANTING HARE KRISHNA MAHA MANTHRA – IMPORTANCE, TIPS AND COMPLETE PROCEDURE! READ HERE!)