How to continuously remember Vishnu with reference to CC ?

pamho, hare krishna,

CC Madhya 22

TEXT 113

smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇur

vismartavyo na jātucit

sarve vidhi-niṣedhāḥ syur

etayor eva kiṅkarāḥ

TRANSLATION

" 'Kṛṣṇa is the origin of Lord Viṣṇu. He should always be remembered and never forgotten at any time. All the rules and prohibitions mentioned in the śāstras should be the servants of these two principles.'

PURPORT

This verse is a quotation from the Padma Purāṇa. There are many regulative principles in the śāstras and directions given by the spiritual master. These regulative principles should act as servants of the basic principle-that is, one should always remember Kṛṣṇa and never forget Him. This is possible when one chants the Hare Kṛṣṇa mantra. Therefore one must strictly chant the Hare Kṛṣṇa mahā-mantra twenty-four hours daily. One may have other duties to perform under the direction of the spiritual master, but he must first abide by the spiritual master's order to chant a certain number of rounds. In our Kṛṣṇa consciousness movement, we have recommended that the neophyte chant at least sixteen rounds. This chanting of sixteen rounds is absolutely necessary if one wants to remember Kṛṣṇa and not forget Him. Of all the regulative principles, the spiritual master's order to chant at least sixteen rounds is most essential.

One may sell books or enlist life members or render some other service, but these duties are not ordinary duties. These duties serve as an impetus for remembering Kṛṣṇa. When one goes with a saṅkīrtana party or sells books, he naturally remembers that he is going to sell Kṛṣṇa's books. In this way, he is remembering Kṛṣṇa. When one goes to enlist a life member, he talks about Kṛṣṇa and thereby remembers Him. Smartavyaḥ satataṁ viṣṇur vismartavyo na jātucit. The conclusion is that one must act in such a way that he will always remember Kṛṣṇa, and one must refrain from doing things that make him forget Kṛṣṇa. These two principles form the basic background of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

What to do if mind is continuously wandering while chanting Hare Krishna ?

Hare Krsna

What to do if mind is continuously wandering while chanting Hare Krishna ?

This was asked even by Arjuna to Krsna in BG

cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa
pramāthi balavad dṛḍham
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye
vāyor iva su-duṣkaram

The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it, I think, is more difﬁcult than controlling the wind.(BG 6.34)

Krsna asnwers in Bg 6.35 as follows

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bāho
mano durnigrahaṁ calam
abhyāsena tu kaunteya
vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O mighty-armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difﬁcult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment.

Srila Prabhupad gives a beautiful purport to this.

The difﬁculty of controlling the obstinate mind, as expressed by Arjuna, is accepted by the Personality of Godhead. But at the same time He suggests that by practice and detachment it is possible. What is that practice?

Hearing of the transcendental activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa is therefore expert treatment for the mad mind, and eating the foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa is the appropriate diet for the suffering patient. This treatment is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

We must practice the endeavor to hear sound vibration of the holy name. Mind must be subjected to or exposed to the holy name by focusing on hearing the maha mantra. Everytime the mind wanders away, using intelligence we bring it back and focus on hearing the holy name. It wanders again, we bring it back again. We must perform this endeavor and practice it. Krsna says this also -

yato yato niścalati
manaś cañcalam asthiram
tatas tato niyamyaitad
ātmany eva vaśaṁ nayet

From wherever the mind wanders due to its ﬂickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self. 6.26

Many practical tips are useful

1. Chanting in early morning hours.

2. Taking sufficient rest the night before.

3. Keeping minimal distractions in the scene where we chant

4. Chanting with devotees

5. Reading or hearing the glories of holy name before chanting or reading quotes on holy name after a few rounds etc.

6. Reading or hearing SB regularly as SP writes in purport of BG 6.34

7. Eating only Krsna prasadam as SP writes in purport of BG 6.34

8. Rendering menial service to advanced devotees whenever possible.

Improving chanting is only possible by sustained long term efforts. Most importantly the effort we put during chanting to hear the holy name of Krsna.

Kindly pray so that I can also apply the above and improve chanting Hare Krsna

YS Bharat

Replies

Sevak

Bharat April 6, 2018 at 7:04pm

Hare Krsna

What to do if mind is continuously wandering while chanting Hare Krishna ?

This was asked even by Arjuna to Krsna in BG

cañcalaṁ hi manaḥ kṛṣṇa
pramāthi balavad dṛḍham
tasyāhaṁ nigrahaṁ manye
vāyor iva su-duṣkaram

The mind is restless, turbulent, obstinate and very strong, O Kṛṣṇa, and to subdue it, I think, is more difﬁcult than controlling the wind.(BG 6.34)

Krsna asnwers in Bg 6.35 as follows

śrī-bhagavān uvāca

asaṁśayaṁ mahā-bāho
mano durnigrahaṁ calam
abhyāsena tu kaunteya
vairāgyeṇa ca gṛhyate

Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa said: O mighty-armed son of Kuntī, it is undoubtedly very difﬁcult to curb the restless mind, but it is possible by suitable practice and by detachment.

Srila Prabhupad gives a beautiful purport to this.

The difﬁculty of controlling the obstinate mind, as expressed by Arjuna, is accepted by the Personality of Godhead. But at the same time He suggests that by practice and detachment it is possible. What is that practice?

Hearing of the transcendental activities of Lord Kṛṣṇa is therefore expert treatment for the mad mind, and eating the foodstuff offered to Kṛṣṇa is the appropriate diet for the suffering patient. This treatment is the process of Kṛṣṇa consciousness.

We must practice the endeavor to hear sound vibration of the holy name. Mind must be subjected to or exposed to the holy name by focusing on hearing the maha mantra. Everytime the mind wanders away, using intelligence we bring it back and focus on hearing the holy name. It wanders again, we bring it back again. We must perform this endeavor and practice it. Krsna says this also -

yato yato niścalati
manaś cañcalam asthiram
tatas tato niyamyaitad
ātmany eva vaśaṁ nayet

From wherever the mind wanders due to its ﬂickering and unsteady nature, one must certainly withdraw it and bring it back under the control of the Self. 6.26

Many practical tips are useful

1. Chanting in early morning hours.

2. Taking sufficient rest the night before.

3. Keeping minimal distractions in the scene where we chant

4. Chanting with devotees

5. Reading or hearing the glories of holy name before chanting or reading quotes on holy name after a few rounds etc.

6. Reading or hearing SB regularly as SP writes in purport of BG 6.34

7. Eating only Krsna prasadam as SP writes in purport of BG 6.34

8. Rendering menial service to advanced devotees whenever possible.

Improving chanting is only possible by sustained long term efforts. Most importantly the effort we put during chanting to hear the holy name of Krsna.

Kindly pray so that I can also apply the above and improve chanting Hare Krsna

YS Bharat
E-Counselor

Radha Rasamayi DD April 4, 2018 at 4:32pm

Hare Krsna Prabhuji,

PAMHO.

Chant anyways. Whether mind is wandering, or concentrating, even offensive chanting will have benefits. That does not mean at all that one makes a habit of offensive chanting. While one is chanting in offensive manner, one must atleast realise that the chanting is offensive and keep the desire in the heart to chant attentively. The next step is to attempt to chant minimum number of rounds everyday attentively. Next step is to increase these core effective rounds to 16 rounds.

Whatever one does, one has to chant. That is most important.

Haribol,

Your servant,

Radha Rasamayi DD

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