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quick question on japa

Posted by Punkech Patel on March 3, 2026 at 4:37pm

Usually when i do japa im looking at pictures on my phone... radha krishna, pancha-tattva my guru maharaja..

For years usually i just chant japa and dont really think about anything (excpe the crap i watched in tv lol) that usually pop ups inside my head lol..

But after i do japa i read something right now krishna book..

But when i do japa i dont usually think of krishna lila.. its usually ... i need to goto work etc, what will i eat later its naturual i guess..

I dont want a lecture on what i should or should not think... but some clues..

What do other do when you do japa do you think of Bhagavatam pastimes or krishna-lila.. SHOULD you force yourself to think these?

Or do you do a kinda empty hare krishna meditation... not really thinking about krishna-lila just concentrating on the mantra (and isnt that kinda brahmajyISH type of japa?

Let me know

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Replies

  • Gayatri March 6, 2026 at 10:37am

    Hare Krishna,

    One must listen to the mantra chanted carefully.

  • Edwin Deberry March 5, 2026 at 1:05pm

    It's interesting how wandering thoughts can intrude during japa. I find focusing on the sound itself helps sometimes, like a meditative puzzle similar to Pips NYT, where you concentrate on specific elements. Maybe instead of forcing Krishna-lila, gently guide your thoughts back to the mantra when they stray towards work or lunch. A little redirection, like solving a daily word game, might bring more focus and peace.

  • Akshit March 4, 2026 at 1:52pm

    Hars Krishna prabhuji 

    Well it is said that you chant loud enough to hear the sound and concentrate on sound. Also you can have letter of maha mantra printed on the wall or on a card in your hand or on your phone and look at them while chanting. Although i suffer a lot from this problem, but seeing that even you after so many years is suffering from the same , it seems there is no hope for me to get out of this (quickly). 

    • Punkech Patel > Akshit March 4, 2026 at 5:06pm

      well thoughts come and go...

      listen we trying to goto transcentntal place right now we in material plane.. so we can probably do it for a little while goto that 'place' the place for a millisecond, not the actual place, probably where the gate is or where far from the gate..  namabhasa and all that. We live imposssible lives... if only we could get oppt like narada and serve pure devotee and eat thier remnants would be easy

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