Hare Krishna Pranhujis and Matajis,
PAMHO
I have a few doubts, which is keeping me restless.
Is fearless chanting possible.
Can I chant without thinking about the consequence.
Can I chant without thinking, "If I don't chant, if I dont follow the principles, if I dont read holy books....." - I am going to be born as XYZ and etc...
So, is fear the basis of my spiritual quest? Am I inclined towards Krishna, because I am fearful !!!
I am afraid, the answer is Yes in my case.
What if, I could just not be fearful, just be in complete freedom of thoughts and then chant, not because I am afraid of the consequences of not chanting, but because I genunely want to ?
How do I get to such a state ?
I know, the answer to everything is attentive chanting. But, why I am not able to get it till now !!!
Is it possible, since I have got questions in my mind, I dont get to a higher level of consciousness !!!
Please guide me.
- Hare Krishna
Sandhya
Replies
And the devotion that is prompted by greed, caused by hearing about the pastimes of Çré Kåñëa, is called rägänugä märga. Çrémat Rüpa Gosvämépäda has given the following definition of rägänugä:
viräjantém abhivyaktaà vrajaväsi-janädiñu rägätmikäm anusåtä yä sä rägänugocyate
(Bhakti Rasämåta Sindhu 1.2.270)
"The devotion which is clearly present in the eternal associates of Vraja is called rägätmikä bhakti, and devotion in the wake of this rägätmikä bhakti is called rägänugä bhakti."
rägätmikä bhakti mukhyä vrajaväsi-jane tära anugatä bhakti rägänugä näme (C.C.)
"The people of Vraja practise rägätmikä bhakti and the devotion that follows in its wake is called rägänugä."
Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravartépäda has composed a booklet named Bhakti Rasämåta Sindhu Bindu
TEXT 3:
vaidhi bhaktir bhavet çästraà bhaktau cet syät pravartakam rägänugä syac ced bhaktau lobha eva pravartakaù "
When devotion is prompted by scriptural injunctions, then that is called vaidhi bhakti, but when it is prompted simply by spiritual greed, then it is called rägänugä bhakti." Kåpä-kaëikä Vyäkhyä: We have explained that there are two kinds of sädhana bhakti - 'vaidhé' and 'rägänugä', and the author is giving the characteristics of these two kinds of devotion here. When devotion is prompted by orders received from the scriptures, which means that the revealed scriptures describe how those who are averse to worshipping Lord Hari will have to suffer by wandering through many miserable species of life as well as through hell, and one commences bhajana out of fear of this suffering, then this is called vaidhé bhakti. In Çré Bhakti Rasämåta Sindhu the definition of vaidhé bhakti is given -
yatra rägänaväptatvät pravåttir upajäyate çäsanenaiva çästrasya sä vaidhé bhaktir ucyate (1.2.6)
"That devotion that knows no attachment or greed, but that is prompted by the orders from the scriptures is named vaidhé bhakti."In his commentary on this verse Çréla Viçvanätha Cakravartépäda has written -
rägo'tra çré mürter darçanäd daçama skandhéya tat tal lélä 4 çravaëäc ca bhajana lobhaù
"The word räga can be used when one's worship is prompted by sacred greed after seeing the beautiful deity of the Lord or by hearing about His pastimes in the Tenth Canto of Çrémad Bhägavata." When worship is not prompted by such greed, but by the orders of the scriptures, then it is called vaidhé bhakti.
A reading from Caitanya Sikshamrita by Bhaktivinod Thakur
Read by HG Madhav Prabhu.
https://youtu.be/sCPhFcmp0ss?t=1m8s
Attentive chanting is not the goal. Chant with feeling and emotion.
Attentive chanting is bare minimum. Unfortunately 90% of them who chant dont even attempt to do that. As a result, they never grow.
If you can chant with feeling and emotion, then you are already ahead of the 90% of them who just do it mechanically.
When we become aware of our relationship with, Krishna, that He is my my mother, my father, my relative, my friend. He is all my knowledge, He is all my wealth, Krishna is my everything !!! then love for Him comes automatic.
To get this feeling for Krishna chant with feeling of Love and Emotion. NEVER inattentively.
Hare Krsna dear Mataji,
PAMHO.
What you have mentioned is a very normal situation. Everyone starts by fear of God, then awe of the qualities of God and then finally love of God. So whats the problem if you are in the fear stage right now. Please continue to chant - preferably in the morning, attentive rounds. Please start with minimum 4 rounds and then increase as and when you are comfortable. You will yourself want to increase your rounds - its as if you are not getting satiated by chanting the promised number of rounds and therefore you want to chant more. Then you can increase your rounds.
THe more you chant and read, the more the doubts will disappear from your mind. Just do what I have asked you to do - you will see that you are missing chanting if you do not chant at the normal time one day. Missing cannot be out of fear na mataji. Then you will realise that it has moved beyond fear.
Do not worry about consciousness - it is the mercy of devotees and your endeavour which will tell Krsna to elevate your consciousness. Another way to elevate your consciousness is to read Gita and study the 3 modes mentioned there. Then to eat, sleep, do austerity, charity in Sattva Guna. Your consciousness will change.
Best of luck,
Haribol,
Your servant,
Rashmi
Hare Krishna Rashmi Mataji,
Mataji, you are like a saviour to me. Every time, I have some doubts, you explain so nicely and most importantly, you always give me practical day-to-day tips, which can be turned into actions.
I feel so privileged to receive your guidance. Many many pranams to you Mataji.
- Hare Krishna,
Sandhya
Hare Krsna Sandhya mataji,,
Please accept my respectful obeisances.
I am attempting to answer your questions with my limited knowledge. So, please excuse me if I offended in anyway.
Q1: Is fearless chanting possible? Absolutely..
Krsna says in 9.34
man-mana bhava mad-bhakto
mad-yaji mam namaskuru
mam evaishyasi yuktvaivam
atmanam mat-parayanah
TRANSLATION
Engage your mind always in thinking of Me, become My devotee, offer obeisances to Me and worship Me. Being completely absorbed in Me, surely you will come to Me.
Krsna will take the fear away if one can concentrate ones mind on Krsna's name and not about the fear that grips us. At every step until we leave this body, there is fear, danger. One doesnt have the strength to face it all. Thats why we need his help by chanting his name. Dont chant with fear coz that is offensive chanting. Chant with love.
In the Siksastakam 2nd verse, Sri Caitanya mahaprabhu sings,
nāmnām akāri bahudhā nija-sarva-śaktis
tatrārpitā niyamitaḥ smaraṇe na kālaḥ
etādṛśī tava kṛpā bhagavan mamāpi
durdaivam īdṛśam ihājani nānurāgaḥ
TRANSLATION
O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names, like Krsna and Govinda. In these transcendental names You have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach You by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them.
Caitanya mahaprabhu being Krsna himself sings that he feels he is unfortunate that he has no attraction to sing Krsna's name. So, imagine the state of our mind with the grip of maya.
Q2: Can I chant without thinking, "If I don't chant, if I dont follow the principles, if I dont read holy books....." - I am going to be born as XYZ and etc...
In the 3rd verse however he gives clearly what should be our state of mind,
(3)
tṛṇād api sunīcena
taror api sahiṣṇunā
amāninā mānadena
kīrtanīyaḥ sadā hariḥ
TRANSLATION
One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly.
So, when one is constantly chanting krsna's name, the fear will be defeated eventually. The ego and the mind takes a beating and submits to His name. The constant hopping of mind stops in the process and fear subsides. To achieve that level, it might take time but we need to persist. We have to shed one anartha at a time.
Q3: What if, I could just not be fearful, just be in complete freedom of thoughts and then chant, not because I am afraid of the consequences of not chanting, but because I genunely want to ?
To be not fearful is to take his protection.
Krsna says in 9.31
kṣipraḿ bhavati dharmātmā
śaśvac-chāntiḿ nigacchati
kaunteya pratijānīhi
na me bhaktaḥ praṇaśyati
TRANSLATION
He quickly becomes righteous and attains lasting peace. O son of Kuntī, declare it boldly that My devotee never perishes.
When he has assured that His devotees will never perish, then we have to show how much faith we have in his words by surrendering to Him and His words with unflinching faith. What more protection does one need other than His words to protect you?
Q4 How do I get to such a state ? I know, the answer to everything is attentive chanting. But, why I am not able to get it till now..
Its very hard to chant attentively in the beginning, but we have to try. The best approach is to progressive chanting. First start with one round and then one attentive round and then build on it.. Even devotees practising and chanting from many years struggle with 16 rounds of attentive chanting. Krsna sees the efforts you put, he knosw that our mind is like a monkey but we can try to hold onto the branch tightly by holding onto Krsna's name as he is our only support and we all know how strong he is..
I am aware that you would have read all the verses that I put here but we need to constantly read them again and again as the solution/remedy or whatever you call it, is already there in the Gita.. With our limited knowledge and understanding, we fail to see the obvious meaning and solutions.
Dont be hard on yourself mataji.. concentrate on your service and leave the rest...
I would strongly suggest you to listen to Siksastakam (link below), the heart and soul just melts hearing that..
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9NrTUOvaQw
Siksastakam Lyrics and translations
http://kksongs.org/songs/c/cetodarpana.html
Hope I was able to help you in some way to progress your sadhana mataji..
All glories to the devotees, guru and gouranga.
Hare krsna.
Hare Krishna Krishna Das Prabhuji,
Thank you so very much for your detailed answers along with reference to holy scriptures.
You have given me new hope.
- Hare Krishna,
Sandhya
Hare Krsna Mataji,
Inorder to perform any spiritual activity to perfection, we need complete scriptural knowledge on why, how to do it and other nuances, since chanting the holy names is the mother of all spiritual practices, it is imperative that we do so. So I would suggest that you please go ahead and read our Gaudiya books that deal with this subject matter. Some books that come to my mind are Hari Nama Cintamani(by Bhaktivinod Thakur) and Art of chanting Hare Krsna(by Mahanidhi Swami). I believe there are e-books available for both.
In addition you can also read Caitanya Bhagavata because any literature that pertains to the activities of Lord Gauranga is said to reduce our offensive mentality and increase our taste for chanting.
HariBol!
Hare Krishna Karthik Prabhuji,
Thank you so much for your guidance.
- Hare Krishna,
Sandhya