Meditation OR Chanting

Hi,

I am practicing Meditation since last 7-8 years. Now recently before few years, i had came in Krishna Consciousness.

However when i was not introduced to ISKCON at that time also i was attached with Krishna.

I have listened the importance of Chanting Hare Krishna Mahamantra but my mind is not completely convenienced.


The main reason is my past. Here i am trying to describe THREE OF MY STRONG Believes.
How can i educate my mind that CHANTING Hare Krishna Mahamantra is always better than all of these.??
Which are as follows:

Earlier in my past,

1. I was attached with Gayatri Mantra. There i got to know meaning of each and every word of Gayatri mantra. Somewhere scientifically it has been proved that each part of Gayatri mantra effects different parts of our body.

2. I also took Mantra diksha with my Guru before i take in to ISKCON. I got a short mantra from my Guru. And i chanted that mantra for around 3-4 years. I was chanting that mantra many hours. and still i am chanting it sometime when i feel my self in problems.

3. I have very good faith in Meditation on breathing, as Lord Krishna approaches in Bhagwad gita. I personally experienced the effects of Meditation, like very good relaxation, Positive change in my behavior, Changes in my intellectual power.

I definitely enjoy Krishna Consciousness and i want to go ahead with it but after convincing my mind completely so i never revert in future.

Apart from this i would also like to share that i have some personal career goals, Social Goals with Spiritual Goals. How should i treat with those?

Regards,
Indrajeet.

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Replies

  • 1. Gayatri Mantra : You yourself have said that it effects different parts of our body. But you are not body you are SOUL.

    2. I don’t know which mantra you chant, but never mind Hare Krishna Maha Mantra is MAHA in every thing. By reciting once, you are Calling Prabhu’s name 16 times and so it is MAHA MANTRA. I am not criticizing your Guru or the Mantra, but you said yourself that you “chanted for 3-4 years for many many hours. AND STILL I AM CHANTING SOMETIMES WHEN I FEEL MYSELF IN PROBLEMS” That means even after chanting for hours together and that too for 3-4 years, you still have to face problems and you start chanting the mantra. It shows the mantra which you chant is not having effect on your problems. Your problems remain calm till you chant. As soon you stop chanting they lift their head again.
    I will give you simple first hand proof that by chanting Maha Mantra my 40 years’ habit of Tobacco chewing was broken just like that within a year. Tea, Coffee which I was drinking for over say 50 years was broken within a year. So completely removed that I don’t feel any repentation and affection about them. Instead of affection I feel hatered for those habits.

    3. Meditation and Chanting are two different things. Both can be done simultaneously. Meditation is for your Body Health, whereas Maha Mantra Chanting is the food for your Soul. The main role of chanting is that you will have a habit of taking Krsna’s name and that too will become a part of your Autonomous Nervous System. You don’t forget to breath, same way you will not forget to chant Krsna’s Name while on death bed.

    You have been sent by Gayatri Mata’s krupa to higher level class of ISKCON. She is saying school days are over, comeon now go to college like a grown up boy. Krsna is extending his hands to you you simply pushup your hand he is waiting there for you.
    I advise you to read a blog on ISKCON DESIRETREE :

    Posted by meenakshi chawla on June 22, 2010 at 12:58pm
    View meenakshi chawla's blog :letter from god
    • Hari Bol Prabhuji,

      PAMHO.

      Thank you very much for the reply.

      However I have already decided to go ahead with Krishna Consciousness without clarifying any of my logical speculations.. as i got that it does not matter that which way i am following, all the ways are leading me to the God only. I got that i am not plane slate and there are spiritual few words has been written on it. If i am going to clarify all those doubts then most probs i will waste much of time in clarifications only. and it may hamper my progress in spiritually.

      However Mahesh Prabhu, as you replied my mail with very good details and my old beliefs got touched, i would like to share few another long pending questions of my mind,

      I agree, HK mahamantra is MAHA in every manner as it is multiplying the name of GOD by 8 times.

      But
      1. why ? There is no AUM word in HK mahamantra?

      2. I also want to know the Origin of Hare Krishna Mahamantra? Who originated the HK maha mantra and How it had been originated? Who formed it?

      Mahesh Prabhu /All other devotees,
      I really beg my sincere apologies if my foolish words have disappointed any devotees Love For Krishna. Please consider my foolish words as a small child telling to all. , I also don't know why i am getting these much questions against Krishna?

      However i asked to a Brahmachari Pr.Ji and he suggested me that I should not go ahead with any doubts thats why i dare to clarify those logical speculations.

      Again Forgive me for my foolish words.
      • Hare Krsna!
        Aum denotes owner of the Universes, Parmatma Lord Krsna only. Hare means Radhe Rani. Probably you have a wrong notion that a Mantra must have Aum word otherwise it is not a Mantra. But that is not the case. You probably are confused between plain mantra and Beej Mantra. Here Vyasadeva has expanded the Chatu-shloki Bhagwat to 18000 Shloki Shrimad Bhagwatam. We use the word "Shrimad" before any book which has been spoken directly by Lord Krsna. I believe the Hare Krishna Maha Mantra has been written down in Shrimad Bhagwatam which in itself is wangmayee swaroopa of Lord Krsna.

        When Krsna was telling Bhagvad Geeta to Arjuna on the battlefield, he was also asking questions such as you, and Krsna was answering patiently, but when Arjuna started pulling out unnecessary questions even after seeing Krsna's Viraat Rupa, then ultimately Krsna had to ask Arjuna :- OK O mighty Kaunteya, now it is enough, forget the details, no more questions just get up, take your bow and arrows and start the fighting because I am telling you to do so, leave the rest on to me.

        You said you are not a plain slate. You have the mercy of Gayatri Mataji, don't think anything else, start the bhakti rightaway. And asking questions is not a foolish thing, rather it is the right thing to achieve knowledge. Don't worry once you give your hands in Krsna's hand all your problems and worries are transferred to him, he takes care of everything. Even o you don't have to hold on to his hand - he holds your hand tightly and takes you to his Vaikuntha Dhaam. Remember Prahlad, he was just five years boy didn't know how to pray to God, didn't know who was God, How does he look, he simply knew and believed that there is a God and he will meet him one day.
        Probably the story I am reciting might help in clearing your doubts.
        In Mahabharata, when Duryodhana doubted the faithfulness of Bhishma Pitamah, Bhishma gave a promise that next day one of the pandavas will be killed by him. Krsna heard this pratigya, and was worried because he knew Bhishma Pitamah's ability. That night krsna could not sleep because he realised the graveness of the problem. After much walking in the tent, Krsna went to Arjuna's tent and what he saw there, Arjuna was snoring in sleep. Krsna got him up and said Oh Arjuna how can you sleep in such grave situation. Arjuna replied Oh Prabhu Krsna you are there to take care why should I worry. Further story you might be knowing, Krsna took Draupadi to get Aashirwada of Bhishma Pitamah, which she took 5 times and so on.
        • Hare Krishna Pr.Ji,

          PAMHO.

          Thanks for your time and helping me.

          I pray to Lord Krishna to show me a way whenever my feet becomes unstable on way of Krishna Consciousness.

          Hari Bol!!

          Ys,
          Indrajeet
  • Prabhujee dand.. pranam!
    The doubt u r having regarding the the efficacy of H K mahamantra is obvious,before few years I was also having the same ..doubt. But with my limited knowledge and by the mercy of gurumaharaj Iam writing few lines to glorify H K mahamantra.
    1.Don't use your mind to speculate upon this topic,as we are conditioned sole having many defects.
    2.Listen from a bona fide authority like Srila Prabhupad free from all defects.
    3.NAMA BINA KALI KALE NAI ARA DHARMA\ SARBA MANTRA SARA NAMA EYEE SASTRA MARMA(Chaitanya Bhagbat).In this age of kali we all are sudra(KALOU SUDRA SAMBHABA).We are all fallen soul worst than Jagai and Madhai.So to liberate us Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has brought Harinam from Golok Vrindavan(GOLAKER PREM DHAN HARI NAM SANKIRTAN )the actual medicine.
    4.We cannot compare Harinam with other mantra.All the vedic scriptures are packed with the glory of Krishna and his divine name.So have faith,chant..and be happy.
    5.In kaliyug Krishna manifest himself as NAM(NAMAVATAR), Name-incarnation.So those are cleaver,SUMEDHA they only chant,and by chanting they get the Krishna Prema the supreme goal of life.What more u want?
    6.So it is my personal suggestion, develop faith in Hari nam and read and listen to Srila Prabhupad.
    7. And if u want to meditate ,do it remembering the beautiful yugal chhabi of Radhe Krishna.
    Haribol!
  • Hare Krishna Indrajeet pr,
    Please accept my dandavats.

    Let me see if I can serve you to some extent. I too had similar problem(s) before I started to chant Hare Krishna.

    The HARE KRISHNA mahamantra is the one shot solution for all the problems esp. in this Kali Yuga. Because of Lord Chaitanya's mercy, anyone can chant this mantra and this chanting is the essence of all Vedic literature. In the vedas, it is described that the essence of all the Vedic literature is present within the eight syllabes..."Hare Krishna Hare Rama". And I heard in one of the classes given by HHBCSM that this particular combination leading to Hare Krishna mahamantra can give anyone the opportunity to go to Goloka Vrindavan, about which, even if known earlier, was not revealed till Madhva Gaudiya Sampradaya revealed us.

    Moreover this Hari Nama Sankirtan is the yuga dharma, Following the Yuga dharma given by the yuga avatar LCM will make us acheive perfection in life.

    1 Gayatri mantra can be chanted when one is advanced (i.e. after second initiation), but simultaneously the Hare Krishna chanting should go on and the latter is the sum and substance of all the mantras.

    2. Man + tra means "Deliverer of mind" and that is why it makes us feel relieved, and this Hare Krishna mantra is described as MAHAMANTRA..........meaning, 'The greatest deliverer of mind. There are lot of qualifications and regulation required to chant mantras effectively, but by causeless mercy of Lord Chaitanya one can chant the mahamantra any time at any place under any circumstance.......Ref.. second verse of Sikshastakam.

    3. It is true that meditation brings about all the positive changes as u mentioned. That is why some devotees in ISKCON perfom some yoga/meditation to maintain physical/mental health. The Hare Krishna mahamantra is most superior and sublime form of meditation, it is transcendental. It cures the disease from the root, i.e. it purifies the consciousness after which one can be completely enthusiastic, proactive, thus bringing a total positive attitude forever instead of acheiving temporary change of attitude. It nourishes the intelligence, purifies the mind and remember that these are only the insignificant things it can give a sincere chanter.

    Also, this Hare Krishna chanting is the most sublime knowledge and is now available to even the most fallen people. An analogy says that "as a jaundice patient feels sugarcane juice as bitter, similarly a conditioned soul feels the nectarian holy names of Krishna as not being sweet". I'm in the same situation, but remember even if one doesn't get taste for chanting in the initial stages, if he continues with it, after a certain point of time (depending on sincerity) he will relish it every moment and gets infinite transcendental bliss, finally acheieves the eternal spiritual world even after one lifetime. Even before getting taste for chanting one can relish Krishna conscious in some way or other. For example, my interest is in hearing kirtans. If you are interested in this too, you may try out hearing this kirtan http://news.gauradesh.com/media/01%20Sri%20Prahlad%20-%20Hare%20Kri...

    The most important benediction of this mahamantra is that it can give love of Godhead to anyone who chants sincerely..........and remember my friend the lord would personally appear to the sincere chanter and at the end of life the doors of the Kingdom of GOD, the Vaikuntas are open to such a person, which no other mantra other than the names of Hari can provide.

    I would also suggest you to verify these points with some senior devotees in detail so that you can be benefitted. Pune temple is one of the most blessed temples with lot of very advanced devotees, u may refer to some lectures/books of HG Radheshyam pr for any doubt reg. crucial aspects. I was extremely benefitted by HGRSP and many other devs of Pune temple.

    I'd be very sorry if I had offended you by my imperfect composition of the unlimited glories of Hare Krishna mahamantra.
    else, if it had benefitted you, I'd very happy about it and I sincerely request you to pray for my chanting and that I would never have to become unfortunate by losing this opportunity.

    Your servant,
    Krishna Chaitanya.
  • Hare Krishna !

    I am not eligible to answer your question as I am myself yet not so strong in chanting, but would like to express my views as it may make me stronger in my beliefs. What I believe is that the essence of the sacred process of chanting is in "DOING IT". The process has great potency and doesn't require us to be believing on it based on our logics. We tend to make our views based on our mind and intelligence which are material in their nature. So if we try to apply that approach in this, that will create incompatibility (spiritual vs material). Lord Krishna is merciful on us that's why we are aware of this process. If you need any information, you can go-through the book "Art of Chanting .... Hare Krishna Mahamantra". I any case, please start it and never look-back how strong you mind may resist.........

    YS
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