Posted by Mugdha on April 11, 2016 at 12:11am in Krishna
I started feeling guilty and depressed. I want to be back on track..when I was doing chanting nicely and my whole day was going so positive and full of enthusiasm.
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utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati
There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service.First and most important is being enthusiastic.To be enthusastic one must be with devotees who have it,by their causeless mercy they can impart the same unto your heart..The best person to give that everlasting enthusiasm is HDG A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada!!Kindly read prabhupadas books everyday one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening.It will keep you absorbed on the transcendental platform 24*7.Then we can chant properlyand be blissful every moment.Believe me!!!!
GopalKrishna Das,
Thank you for your interesting and helpful contribution. It gives me an idea of another practice or two which may help our Mugdha.
Mataji Mugdha, yoga traditionally is performed to enhance concentration as well. Yoga means to link up or "yoke" oneself to God. Chanting is a form of yoga (bhakti) but the bodily postures and exercises are great for improving concentration and focus, as well as enchancing general energy levels. You could try the "tree pose" in particular. Look it up and practice slowly and gently (yoga is gentle). The tree pose is meant to train focus. It also involves staring at one point, but probably won't induce eye strain (nothing against GopalKrishna Das's idea, personally I will try his idea but I love doing yoga so I am biased).
Prabhupada said that if you practice bhakti-yoga you get the benefits of all the other yogas. This could very well be true as far as spiritual benefits go but you have to see for yourself what works for you. (Prabhupada wanted us to see for ourselves the power of chanting in order to enhance our faith in that way.) Personally my view is that we have this world to make use of it how we please (though we may suffer for our choices).
The purest devotees do nothing but chant, but I am not like them yet, so I will not try to imitate or "monkey" them by pretending to be able to chant 18 hours a day and live alone in an ashram. These are symptoms of pure devotion, not the stepping stones to pure devotion. In my opinion this is the case. So likewise, I do not worry about comparing the quality of my bhakti with that of others, but it is hard to avoid comparing yourself with how you once were. I have felt guilty as well for reducing the quantity and quality of my chanting when I was doing much better before. It is like two steps forward, one step back. But look at how far you've come since before you STARTED chanting. And be patient. Krishna is not easy to obtain.
In addition to chanting you can practice TRATAK meditation for 15-20 mins daily . It is the most powerful meditation to improve concentration.
It is a practice of burning candle gazing at eye level 1.5 feet away. Tears might come to eyes at beginning but please not worry. It will gradually improve . Please try to keep your eyes open without closing as much you can. Close only when you feel strain . Concentrate on the flame .
Also you can do nadi sodhan pranayam(popularly known as anulom vilom ) for 5 mins and then three stage ujjayi pranayam. you can learn it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaMaLwj0N6s
After this is done do chanting. While chanting Kindly try to meditate on the sound as other devotees suggested.
Please do not practice Trataka with a burning candle if you have glaucoma, astigmatism, eye strain or epilepsy.
I am sure devotees can benefit from this. Practice this for 2 weeks and feel the difference.
Please avoid aparadh and read the pdf as Krsna Dasa prabhu ji suggested . I had also benefited from that pdf. Try to be happy . Hope it helps.
It might be helpful to put your eyes on the form of Krishna. Krishna is absolute, meaning if His picture is upright or on it's side it won't matter, just start by (honoring) Him w/bowing & focusing on His feet and gradually as the rounds progress let your eyes move progressively upwards. In this way even the eyes become engaged. Plus in looking at Krishna our eyes will grow to know more of His beauty & grace. This is highly recommended to in price & enhance ultimate experience & success in chanting! Good luck.
What happened to distract you from chanting attentively?
The solution is to get up early in the morning and chant - if you cant do that, then chant after 9.30 pm (not recommended). The idea is that if there is some work to be done, naturally the mind gets distracted. So we take time out for chanting - then the mind is engaged in chanting.
Maybe you did some vaishnav aparadh - pls examine.
The diagnosis of the problem is important to arrive at the solution.
Dont be so hard on yourself mataji. Just chant - pray for the mercy of the lord and chant.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Mugdha > Radha Rasamayi DDApril 21, 2016 at 12:36pm
Of the 10 offenses, we all have to make sure we dont commit the first offense. This is a serious offense and it can destroy our spiritual progress.
1) To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name of the Lord.
Vaishnav Apradh
Śhrī Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, while instructing Śrīla Rupa Gosvāmī, has compared the devotional service of the Lord with a creeper. A creeper has a feeble stem and requires the support of another tree to grow, and while growing, it requires sufficient protection so that it may not be lost.
While describing the system of protection for the creeper of devotional service, Śrī Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has especially stressed protection from offenses unto the lotus feet of Vaiṣṇavas. Such offenses are called Vaishnav Apradh. Apradh means “offense.” If one commits Vaishnav Apradh, all of his progress in devotional service will be checked. Even though one is very much advanced in devotional service, if he commits offenses at the feet of a Vaishnav , his advancement is all spoiled.
In the śāstras it is found that a very great yogi , Durvāsā Muni, committed a Vaishnav Apradh and thus for one full year had to travel all over the universe, even to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, to defend himself from the offense. At last, even when he approached the Supreme Personality of Godhead in Vaikunth, he was refused protection.
Therefore one should be very careful about committing offenses at the feet of a Vaishnava. The most grievous type of Vaishnav Apradh is called gurv-apradh , which refers to offenses at the lotus feet of the spiritual master. In the chanting of the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this gurv- apradh is considered the most grievous offense. Guror avajñā śruti–śāstra-nindanam (Padma Puran).
Please read the pdf when you get time which talks on how to overcome obstacles in Bhakthi.
Replies
Hare Krishna mataji,
utsāhān niścayād dhairyāt
tat-tat-karma-pravartanāt
saṅga-tyāgāt sato vṛtteḥ
ṣaḍbhir bhaktiḥ prasidhyati
There are six principles favorable to the execution of pure devotional service.First and most important is being enthusiastic.To be enthusastic one must be with devotees who have it,by their causeless mercy they can impart the same unto your heart..The best person to give that everlasting enthusiasm is HDG A C Bhaktivedanta Swami Srila Prabhupada!!Kindly read prabhupadas books everyday one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening.It will keep you absorbed on the transcendental platform 24*7.Then we can chant properlyand be blissful every moment.Believe me!!!!
all glories to srila prabhupada
suhas
Thank you for your interesting and helpful contribution. It gives me an idea of another practice or two which may help our Mugdha.
Mataji Mugdha, yoga traditionally is performed to enhance concentration as well. Yoga means to link up or "yoke" oneself to God. Chanting is a form of yoga (bhakti) but the bodily postures and exercises are great for improving concentration and focus, as well as enchancing general energy levels. You could try the "tree pose" in particular. Look it up and practice slowly and gently (yoga is gentle). The tree pose is meant to train focus. It also involves staring at one point, but probably won't induce eye strain (nothing against GopalKrishna Das's idea, personally I will try his idea but I love doing yoga so I am biased).
Prabhupada said that if you practice bhakti-yoga you get the benefits of all the other yogas. This could very well be true as far as spiritual benefits go but you have to see for yourself what works for you. (Prabhupada wanted us to see for ourselves the power of chanting in order to enhance our faith in that way.) Personally my view is that we have this world to make use of it how we please (though we may suffer for our choices).
The purest devotees do nothing but chant, but I am not like them yet, so I will not try to imitate or "monkey" them by pretending to be able to chant 18 hours a day and live alone in an ashram. These are symptoms of pure devotion, not the stepping stones to pure devotion. In my opinion this is the case. So likewise, I do not worry about comparing the quality of my bhakti with that of others, but it is hard to avoid comparing yourself with how you once were. I have felt guilty as well for reducing the quantity and quality of my chanting when I was doing much better before. It is like two steps forward, one step back. But look at how far you've come since before you STARTED chanting. And be patient. Krishna is not easy to obtain.
I hope this helps
Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna Mataji,
Dandavat Pranam
In addition to chanting you can practice TRATAK meditation for 15-20 mins daily . It is the most powerful meditation to improve concentration.
It is a practice of burning candle gazing at eye level 1.5 feet away. Tears might come to eyes at beginning but please not worry. It will gradually improve . Please try to keep your eyes open without closing as much you can. Close only when you feel strain . Concentrate on the flame .
Also you can do nadi sodhan pranayam(popularly known as anulom vilom ) for 5 mins and then three stage ujjayi pranayam. you can learn it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaMaLwj0N6s
After this is done do chanting. While chanting Kindly try to meditate on the sound as other devotees suggested.
Please do not practice Trataka with a burning candle if you have glaucoma, astigmatism, eye strain or epilepsy.
I am sure devotees can benefit from this. Practice this for 2 weeks and feel the difference.
Please avoid aparadh and read the pdf as Krsna Dasa prabhu ji suggested . I had also benefited from that pdf. Try to be happy . Hope it helps.
Hare Krsna Mataji,
PAMHO.
What happened to distract you from chanting attentively?
The solution is to get up early in the morning and chant - if you cant do that, then chant after 9.30 pm (not recommended). The idea is that if there is some work to be done, naturally the mind gets distracted. So we take time out for chanting - then the mind is engaged in chanting.
Maybe you did some vaishnav aparadh - pls examine.
The diagnosis of the problem is important to arrive at the solution.
Dont be so hard on yourself mataji. Just chant - pray for the mercy of the lord and chant.
Haribol,
Your servant,
Radha Rasamayi DD
Hare Krsna Mugdha mataji,
My obeisances to all devotees, guru and gauranga.
Of the 10 offenses, we all have to make sure we dont commit the first offense. This is a serious offense and it can destroy our spiritual progress.
1) To blaspheme the devotees who have dedicated their lives for propagating the holy name of the Lord.
Vaishnav Apradh
Śhrī Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, while instructing Śrīla Rupa Gosvāmī, has compared the devotional service of the Lord with a creeper. A creeper has a feeble stem and requires the support of another tree to grow, and while growing, it requires sufficient protection so that it may not be lost.
While describing the system of protection for the creeper of devotional service, Śrī Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has especially stressed protection from offenses unto the lotus feet of Vaiṣṇavas. Such offenses are called Vaishnav Apradh. Apradh means “offense.” If one commits Vaishnav Apradh, all of his progress in devotional service will be checked. Even though one is very much advanced in devotional service, if he commits offenses at the feet of a Vaishnav , his advancement is all spoiled.
In the śāstras it is found that a very great yogi , Durvāsā Muni, committed a Vaishnav Apradh and thus for one full year had to travel all over the universe, even to Vaikuṇṭhaloka, to defend himself from the offense. At last, even when he approached the Supreme Personality of Godhead in Vaikunth, he was refused protection.
Therefore one should be very careful about committing offenses at the feet of a Vaishnava. The most grievous type of Vaishnav Apradh is called gurv-apradh , which refers to offenses at the lotus feet of the spiritual master. In the chanting of the holy name of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, this gurv- apradh is considered the most grievous offense. Guror avajñā śruti–śāstra-nindanam (Padma Puran).
Please read the pdf when you get time which talks on how to overcome obstacles in Bhakthi.
I find the below book very helpful .
http://kunjeshwari.com/sweettexts/English/obstacles.pdf
Chant and be happy.
Srila prabhupada ki jai..
Hare krsna
THere are 10 offences which if we commit while chanting, we do not get the results.
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