Devotees who are always hesitating in completing the sixteen rounds of chanting the Hare Krsna mahamantra may say, “You know, I just cannot do it. It is too difficult!” These people do not advance very much even if they are having difficulties in chanting. We are tolerant, we understand that it can be difficult to immediately go to sixteen rounds, but one must still get there. One cannot just remain on eight rounds because that is just not good enough! Eight rounds means another birth; eight means missing the boat; eight means sorry, we are going to leave you behind. For a while, doing eight rounds is okay. Of course to warm up to get there, but sixteen rounds is the best number. Prabhupada brought it down to sixteen, since it is the ‘Back to Godhead’ number. By Prabhupada’s mercy, chanting a minimum of sixteen rounds can get us back to Godhead.
So what can I say? I have sympathy. I am certainly very understanding. I know what it is like to be confronted with weakness. I have experienced it within me, that there is also a weakness. But then we must remember, that we have to fight! We have to get on that boat!
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