My Memories of Srila Prabhupada
Next Srila Prabhupada gave me a sheet with the words of the mantra and told me to repeat after him word by word. I was quite proud about my supposed ability in Sanskrit pronunciation, but Srila Prabhupada corrected me on almost every word. On some words he had to correct me two or three times. But after going through one or two mantras Srila Prabhupada stopped trying to rectify my pronunciation. He seemed to think that I was a hopeless case, and just let me go on with my mispronunciation. Srila Prabhupada then showed me how to wrap the thread around the thumb and how to count with the fingers. He told me to chant the mantras three times a day: morning, noon and evening.
Then Srila Prabhupada asked, "Do you have any questions?"
In the interim period between the fire sacrifice and the bestowal of the mantra, myself and Satyavaaka Prabhu, another new brahmana, had expectantly discussed this mystical gayatri and the wonderful effects it bestowed. We had heard that the Hari-bhakti-vilasa expounded many rules for chanting gayatri: exactly when it should be chanted; whether to stand or sit at different times, facing in different directions, which direction to point the thumb should be, and the position to hold the hand at the different times of chanting.
I wanted to enquire about all these points. So when Srila Prabhupada asked, "Do you have any questions?", I asked him, "Srila Prabhupada, when should we chant these mantras?" Srila Prabhupada looked at me, a little surprised, since he had just told me to chant in the morning, noon and evening. Prabhupada repeated, "Morning, noon and evening." But I persisted, thinking that maybe Srila Prabhupada had not understood what I was getting at. "But is there any specific, exact time when we should chant?" Srila Prabhupada looked at me and sternly said, "Morning, noon and evening." After that I did not want to ask any more questions about the intricacies of chanting gayatri mantra. I simply said, "Yes, Srila Prabhupada." I felt very foolish, which I certainly was. I offered my obeisances and left Srila Prabhupada's room, having spoiled the only opportunity I had to say something pleasing to Srila Prabhupada.
- From the "My Memories of Srila Prabhupada" by HH Bhakti Vikas Swami
Your Servant In Service Of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev,
Saci Gaursunder Das (Sachin Kumar Gupta)
Chant:Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare,Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.& be Happy
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