Hare Krishna , Dandavat Pranam to all Prabhuji and Mataji
If Arjuna Said controlling mind is not a practical thing, we also says dhyan yoga is not suitable, But while doing Japa everybody is asking to concentrate on japa, then what is the difference between concentrating on JAPA and Concentrating on Krishna like dhyanyogi?
My question is that , does it mean that we need to go through dhyan yoga(because we need to control our mind and have to concentrate} to get sweetness of name of KRISHNA ? means we can not skip this step to enter in Bhaktiyoga,
Shreel PRABHUPADA said just say and listen to mantra, means do attentively ,does he mean, don’t put lot of efforts to concentrate but just surrender to Krishna and chant his holy name. Then what about Namaparadh?
I am very very confused ,please , please guide me on this.
Replies
Hare Krishna dear Devotees, please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
As His Grace Jagadatma Prabhu told, for only mediating we need very strong mind and intelligence. To control all our senses from the objects of the senses. Restricted meal, we have to live in a very secluded place, very clean place, do not have material attachments, breathing control... Doing all these things mind somehow or other becomes controllable and with peace mind only one can meditate upon the Lord who is in one's heart.
But in the age of Kali there is no such like peaceful places, and we are not strong enough to detach ourselves from material enjoyments, so many sparkling sense objects. Very difficult.
The powerful sense in our body is sense of hearing ears and sense of smelling or talking tongue.
In Bhagavad Gita Krishna says that senses are like horses, where ever horses go mind as a rope follows them. But if we give our mind to Krishna He can only control those horses. we do not have enough strength.
What does it mean to give our mind-rope to Krishna? To try always to think about Him, but how to think?
When our senses do something mind also starts to think of those things. Therefore we have to occupy our senses with the practical service to Krishna. with hands wash altar room, with the legs go to the Temple, with the nose smell the flowers offered to Krishna, with the eyes see the Deity of Krishna, with the head pay obeisances, with the tongue eat Maha Prasadam, speak of Krishna, chant the Holy Names, with the ears hear Srimad Bhagavatam, vibration of the Holy Names...
In this way mind have no chance to go somewhere else.
one more time WE DO NOT HAVE STRENGTH TO CONTROL OUR MIND but we can only try to do so. TRY, TRY, AGAIN TRY. When he goes again try to bring back. and when Krishna sees our efforts and sincerity, determination He will control our mind.
Try to listen the Holy Names. If you missed to hear the first syllables try to hear the followed ones, if even you missed them at least try to listen the last ones.
It is very hard, but we have to struggle. love for Krishna is not cheap, yes!?
There are main 10 offenses to the Holy Names.
For example, to hurt a Devotee seems not connected with the Holy Name but it is the first and big Nama Aparadha. Because Krishna and His Name is not different Personality. And Devotees are very dear to the Nama Prabhu or Krishna. He carries Them in His heart, if we hurt Them Krishna's heart will be hurt.
And if you do the contrary, please His Devotees, then He will be pleased and will help you.
And the same thing with other main 9 offenses.
And there is one more 11th offense - to chant not attentively. In the reality all above offenses will begin when we start to chant inattentively...
Your servant, maral
Dear devotee Hare Krsna, Dyana means to withdraw all the senses and fix the mind in silent meditation on the Supreme. A very difficult path.
Japa in Bhakti yoga is to use your sense of speech in chanting Hare Krsna and your ears in hearing the spiritual sound vibration.
In bhakti yoga all the senses including the mind are used and purified by service to Krsna the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
The astanga yoga is very mechanical and temporary but bhakti is natural and eternal.
Both jnana and dyana are painful and are given up by devotees who desire only pure love for Krsna.
Thus bhakti yoga is far easier and most effective and is recomended in the Gita not jnana or dyana yoga.
Krsna says
And of all yogis, the one with great faith who always abides in Me, thinks of Me within himself, and renders transcendental loving service to Me—he is the most intimately united with Me in yoga and is the highest of all. That is My opinion.
Hare Krsna
No nama japa is wasted in whatever state of mind or body this is done. The experience changes from time to time and one has to proceed with sincerity and devotion. Even in namaparadha stage this has effect. One should not be discouraged at any stage.Even namajapa always gives new hope at the time of discouragement. Namajapa is based on one's very personal and most intimate relationship with Sri Krishna.He is aware of our weakness also. Intensity of love grows when there is sincerity .Our mind can play tricks from time to time but gradually those tricks become lasting for shorter periods. There is always hope if we just continue with this wonderful process given as a free gift of which we are never worthy.