Japa Inspirations Day.Indd

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

DAY 1 DAILY JAPA INSPIRATIONS IN DIVINE COMPANY Welcome to our Japa inspirations! When you chant, you should know that Krishna immediately becomes attentive to you. He is listening. When we sit down to chant, it is important that we When you say “Hare Krishna,” He is hearing, and arrive, that we are present, that we tune ourselves immediately a connection is established. It is said in. All of us have busy lives, and life echoes in our in the Adi Purana that Krishna keeps the names of mind when we sit down. We think of conversations the chanters in a list in His own heart. Yes, chanting we have had, things to do, and so on. Often our mind means to be in the best company! And as you are is somewhere else. When we sit down, it is very chanting, you should be aware, and think, “This is my important to tune ourselves in, to exit our world of time to be together with Radha and Krishna. This is my concerns, activities, many, many thoughts, and to be time to be together with God. This is my sacred time. there with the Holy Name. This is the time which is most important, and I hope this time will one day extend into eternity where I am always, Sometimes when new devotees start to chant, they constantly in the presence of my Lord.” are concerned about the number of rounds they must chant. Obviously we all need to commit to a number In japa, the main thing is to exit the mundane to be steady in our practice, but when we chant, we concerns and worldly things, to be consciously needn’t think about numbers. It is not a counting attentive, and to think: “I am now together with game. It is about entering into sacred company—of Krishna!” Radha and Krishna, Gaura Nitai, Lord Nrsimhadev, and our spiritual masters. IN JAPA, THE ESSENCE IS TO BE CONSCIOUSLY ATTENTIVE, AND BE AWARE: “I AM NOW TOGETHER WITH KRISHNA!”.

Copy Link

Recommended publications

The Intimacy of Sound and Listening Among Krishna Devotees in Mayapur
Journal of Ethnology and Folkloristics 10 (1): 3–24 DOI: 10.1515/jef-2016-0001 SEARCHING FOR THE HIDDEN GOD: THE INTIMACY OF SOUND AND LISTENING AMONG KRISHNA DEVOTEES IN MAYAPUR MARJE ERMEL Lecturer and PhD candidate Cultural Theory / Social and Cultural Anthropology Tallinn University, School of Humanities Uus-Sadama 5, Tallinn 10120 e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT This article looks at how the Krishna devotees in Mayapur, West Bengal, learn how to chant and listen to the sound of the holy name properly. They suggest that if one is ‘pure’ enough and knows how to listen one experiences the syneasthetic level of sound called pashyanti. At this level, one can reach beyond the duality of the ‘hidden and manifested’ worlds, the external and internal levels of sound; and one can ultimately see God face to face. This is also considered a level at which one can realise that the sound of God’s name and God himself are the same. I will focus on how the devotees learn to create this sense of intimacy with God through the sound of his holy name, and argue that listening is not merely a process connected to our auditory sense but rather a creative and engaging activity, a skill that one can develop. KEYWORDS: Hare Krishna devotees • religion • sound • skill • intimacy INTRODUCTION I am a beggar on the outskirts of the marketplace of the holy name. Can anyone spare me a crumb of faith, a drop of purification, steadiness, or taste, or even a little love for Krishna? (Kancana-Valli Devi Dasi) In her book Crying for Krishna, Genevieve Brewster (2013: 32), with the initiated name Kancana-Valli Devi Dasi, captures the nature of the long journey of learning how to hear and chant the holy names of the Lord.
[Show full text]
Material from Emotions Class
Habits: Form New Ones and Break the Bad Ones- Session2 [email protected], sakhisanga.blogspot.com, Facebook.com/Sakhisanga • Step 2:Self Observation (energy, Event Trigger tension, tightness, warmth, numbness Physical Sensations anger, anxiety, Feelings joy, excitement Resulting Rationale for Behavior(Habit) your response Observable as language (stories, interpretation, Reward! justification, etc.) Self observation helps is forming good habits and breaking bad habits! Step 3:Self Acceptance • All-inclusive acceptance of our conditioning as we are, today • Do I feel uncomfortable with parts of myself? – E.g 8 hrs of sleep and wake up time • Neither our personality, habits nor our body can ever be perfect, nor our financial net worth large enough. • Partial reforms, though, typically are needed. – Bodily and Emotional excesses need management • Clear seeing leads us to accept our imperfections as imperfections. Self-respect leads us to work on improving in the appropriate places. Practice, Detachment and Higher Taste STEP 4: ASPIRE FOR HIGHER REWARDS How can we develop such an internal pause button? Through constant practice and detachment(Bhagavad Gita verses 6.34-6.35) •Hindsight: •We use 20/20 hindsight to reflect at the end of our day using the exercise in the prev page. We remember that we actually did engage in something we did not want to earlier in the day. We jot down notes about our experience, and become curious . (“Hey! Maybe I really do interrupt!”) •Hindsight, closer in time: •After several days, we become increasingly attuned to the behavior. We begin to notice it sooner. (“Oops! I just interrupted Anita!”) Still hindsight, but closer in time.
[Show full text]
The Conch Newsletter
krishnafarm.com 1966 2016 The Conch www.conch.org.au “Lord Sri Krishna and Arjuna blew their celestial conches to rally and enthuse the devotees.” August 2015 August Newsletter New Govardhana Community Dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Jaya Jagannatha The Chariot is Comng ISKCON’s 50th Fast Approaching Clean the Temple XXX Clean Your Heart xxx Jhulan Yatra Get into the Swing of Things The Red Suitcase Don’t Leave Home Without One Garudaji Flies In Srila Prabhupada Uvaca + Goshalla Goss + Snapshots + Upcoming Events were tinged red from the rays of His Jhulan Yatra kaustubha jewel. He was followed By Ambika devi dasi by Srimati Radharani. They took Their seat. All eyes sparkled with During the monsoon season in blissful love. beautiful Vrindavana, Krishna and His loving gopis performed the The manjaris gracefully pushed the swing festival pastimes, which we swing. celebrate annually. Joy-filled gopis sang melodious songs The decorated swing hung from four and played vinas with the finest haricandana trees, whose upper artistic skill. While the gopis threw branches formed a natural, pleasing fistfuls of coloured powder in the air, green overhead canopy. the devatas, anguished at obstruction of their vision of Krishna, showered Dressed gorgeously for Krishna’s flowers to remove the powder. pleasure, many gopis approached the central arena, each one carrying The gopis offered their various various festival ingredients in her offerings, while the peacocks madly hands. They brought flasks filled with cried out and the birds called happily. fragrant ointments such as aguru, Krishna smiled brilliantly at all His musk, camphor and sandalwood.
[Show full text]
Krishna Consciousness in Norwich Few Months in Norwich
March 2011 Dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness Krishna Consciousness in Norwich On 21 January, ladies from Bhaktivedanta Manor’s ashram organised a magnificent festival at the Keir Hardie Hall in Norwich. Madhurya Gaurangi dasi and Chandra Mohini dasi, with help from others, are running a group Srila Prabhupada: in the area. They discovered there was considerable interest “...The incarnation [of Krishna] in Krishna Consciousness in in the Age of Kali is Lord the city, and this was confirmed Caitanya Mahaprabhu, who when over 130 people attended the festival. spread the worship of Krishna by the sankirtana movement The evening began with the Lord Mayor of Norwich Cllr (congregational chanting of Tom Dylan being presented with the holy names) and spread a copy of the Bhagavad Gita Krishna consciousness and other gifts. There was an evening of drama, dance, music, throughout India. He predicted philosophy and first class prasad that this culture of sankirtan (sanctified vegetarian food). would be broadcast all over the Around 25-30 people attend the world, from town to town and regular Sunday meetings. Several village to village.’” events have been held in the last few months in Norwich. Bhagavad-gita 4.8 purport Radha Krishna Deaf Association on BBC A recent episode of “See Hear”, a programme for deaf and hard of hearing people in the UK, included extensive footage of Bhaktivedanta Manor’s Sunday programme, interviews with key members of the Radha Krishna Deaf Association (RKDA) and archive footage of Srila Prabhupada and George Harrison.
[Show full text]
2.Hindu Websites Sorted Category Wise
Hindu Websites sorted Category wise Sl. No. Broad catergory Website Address Description Reference Country 1 Archaelogy http://aryaculture.tripod.com/vedicdharma/id10. India's Cultural Link with Ancient Mexico html America 2 Archaelogy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harappa Harappa Civilisation India 3 Archaelogy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indus_Valley_Civil Indus Valley Civilisation India ization 4 Archaelogy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiradu_temples Kiradu Barmer Temples India 5 Archaelogy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohenjo_Daro Mohenjo_Daro Civilisation India 6 Archaelogy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nalanda Nalanda University India 7 Archaelogy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taxila Takshashila University Pakistan 8 Archaelogy http://selians.blogspot.in/2010/01/ganesha- Ganesha, ‘lingga yoni’ found at newly Indonesia lingga-yoni-found-at-newly.html discovered site 9 Archaelogy http://vedicarcheologicaldiscoveries.wordpress.c Ancient Idol of Lord Vishnu found Russia om/2012/05/27/ancient-idol-of-lord-vishnu- during excavation in an old village in found-during-excavation-in-an-old-village-in- Russia’s Volga Region russias-volga-region/ 10 Archaelogy http://vedicarcheologicaldiscoveries.wordpress.c Mahendraparvata, 1,200-Year-Old Cambodia om/2013/06/15/mahendraparvata-1200-year- Lost Medieval City In Cambodia, old-lost-medieval-city-in-cambodia-unearthed- Unearthed By Archaeologists 11 Archaelogy http://wikimapia.org/7359843/Takshashila- Takshashila University Pakistan Taxila 12 Archaelogy http://www.agamahindu.com/vietnam-hindu- Vietnam
[Show full text]
Kartik Inspiration Day 26 . 10 November, 2016
Kartik Inspiration Day 26 . 10 November, 2016 OVERCOMING DISTRACTEDNESS Haridasa Thakura points out the main problem in the japa-practice of many of us. He says, “Simply by one’s own effort no one in this world can overcome distractedness. Such a victory can only come by Your merciful blessings. It is impossible for any jiva to overcome inattention by personal effort. By Your mercy alone, O Lord, it can be accomplished very easily. Therefore it is absolutely necessary to beg for Your grace with great humility for this is the only means of salvation.” How can we beg for Krishna’s mercy as we chant and bring our japa to life? I would like to go through a prayer with you inspired by the fifth verse of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu’s Shikshashtaka, in which He expresses that He has been thrown into the ocean of samsara and wants the Lord to pick Him up. Here is this prayer: “O Son of Nanda, Krishna, King of the country of love. I appeal for Your affection. I’m Your servant. I feel deep within myself that I have some connection to You. I’m subordinate to You, but somehow I’m now in adverse circumstances. There are so many things within me trying to take me away from You, therefore I cannot give my full attention to You and Your name although I want it. At the same time I feel from the deepest place within my heart that You are my master. You are all and everything to me. My heart, I know this, will never be satisfied without Your companionship so I appeal to You.
[Show full text]
Padayatra Newsletter
ISKCON - The International Society for Krishna Consciousness Founder Acharya His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada Newsletter 2016 WORLDWIDE PLEASE POST IN YOUR TEMPLE 50PADAYATRAS BY THE END OF 2016 FOR ISKCON 50TH BIRTHDAY Lord Krishna created us with half of our body made up of legs, so Ibelieve in using them for Him. I find there’s no better or more personal way to meet people than with the low-tech, highly organic approach of using your legs. The legs were made for walking and the mouth for speaking about the Absolute. What a perfect combination. Bhaktimarga Swami . Table of contents Editorial 1 by Lokanath Swami Celebrate ISKCON50 with padayatra 2 by Gaurangi Dasi Choose your padayatra 5 Niranjana Swami’s realisations 6 The most purifying program, 7 by Jaya Vijaya Dasa Walking for our teachers 8 by Bhaktimarga swami The Czech Republic survey 11 by Muni Priya Dasa and Nrsimha Caitanya Dasa The Padayatra questionnaire 13 People want to know, do we care about the environment 14 by Mukunda Goswami No plastic in Vraja 15 by Deena Bandhu Dasa The ecological padayatra camp 16 by Gaurangi Dasi The art of walking 17 by Gaurangi Dasi Prabhupada walking murti Walk the walk, poem 19 by Suresvara Dasa This newsletter is dedicated to Walking like barefoot with Leguano shoes 20 ISKCON Founder-Acarya, Palanquins and/or carts ? 21 His Divine Grace by Gaurangi Dasi A.C.Bhaktivedanta He’s the one we’ve been waiting for 26 by Srivas Dasa Swami Prabhupada. Scary encounters 26 by Bhaktimarga Swami Editor in Chief « Just keep walking down
[Show full text]
SRILA PRABHUPADAS POSITION Et Psykiatrisk Bjæf
Nr. 4, 16. årgang, april 2013 Pris 30 kr. HARENYT FRA KRISHNA TVIVL OM PSYKIATRIEN ER KRISTENDOMMEN FOR LIGHT? SRILA PRABHUPADAS POSITION Et psykiatrisk bjæf Psykiater: ”Ifølge vores nye psykiatrihåndbog var dit storhedsvanvid fejldiagnosticeret. Nu ved vi, at du alligevel ikke fejler noget.” Patient: “Det var pokkers! Før var jeg Napoleon. Nu er jeg slet ikke nogen overhovedet!” Læs mere om psykiatri på side 18. Første kirtan i Temple of the Vedic Planetarium Forsidebilledet har Ananta Sri taget af den første kirtana i det nye Temple of the Vedic Planetarium i Mayapur. Templet, som Srila Prabhupada lagde grundstenen til i 1976, er nu næsten 40 år senere ved at tage endelig form. Som alle sikkert kan se, er der dog et stykke vej endnu, inden det står helt færdigt i 2016. Sacinandana Swami, der ledte den første kirtana, talte i den forbindelse om vigtigheden af dette tempel, og hvordan det er et projekt for ALLE hengivne i hele verden. Han forkla- rede, hvordan det kun kan blive færddigjort, hvis alle hjælper til. Hvis man vil følge med i opførelsen af templet og eventuelt har lyst til at donere til dets færdiggørelse, kan man gå ind på hjemmesiden http://tovp.org/ (’tovp’ står for Temple of Vedic Planetarium). April 2013 Onsdag 3.4 Srivasa Panditas fremkomst og bønner for Kamada Ekadasi) Lørdag 6.4 Ekadasi (faste fra korn og bønner for Tirsdag 23.4 Bryd fasten mellem 5:45–10:40 Papamocani Ekadasi) Torsdag 25.4 Sri Balarama Rasayatra Søndag 7.4 Bryd fasten mellem 6:25–10:56 Sri Krishna Vasanta Rasa Sri Govinda Ghosh’ bortgang Sri Vamsivadana
[Show full text]
Hare Krishna News
INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY FOR KRISHNA CONSCIOUSNESS Founder Acharya: His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivendata Swami Prabhuapda HARE KRISHNA NEWS May / June 2020 Art by Mukundanghri Das Special Lockdown Edition Editor’s Note responsible for every other species to go into hiding? The I can’t wait to get back to sastra states this human life is to "normal"! awaken our true selves. To make Bhagavad-gita describes there our way back to what is truly are eight million four-hundred "normal" for the soul. thousand species of life in the material creation. Not all are I can’t wait to get back to found on this earth planet but if "normal"! you consider all organisms, the Where Lord Jagannath, the true Earth hosts a good few million juggernaut, will fill us — I, you of those species. dear reader, and every living entity within this creation is I can’t wait to get back to sad-cit-ananda — eternally free "normal"! from disease and death, full I have a bond, car payments, of knowledge, no uncertainty education fees, insurance, credit about the future, and full of — scary times. We may feel that bliss, an overflowing of pure joy. the wheel of our revered lifestyle has been steamrolled by a juggernaut (a huge, Let’s get back to “normal.” powerful, and overwhelming force). People are becoming desperate, the atmosphere is heavy, Warmest Wishes and domestic abuse is up. Rasa-sthali Dasi I can’t wait to get back to "normal"! I would like to extend my deep gratitude to Have you seen the turtles on the Mumbai beach? my good friend Mukundanghri, who graciously The herds of deer in Yosemite? The dolphins allowed us to use his artworks (the art here, on riding the Durban beach waves? page 4, and of course, the cover).
[Show full text]
The Conch Krishnafarm.Com “Lord Sri Krishna and Arjuna Blew Their Celestial Conches to Rally and Enthuse the Devotees.”
The Conch krishnafarm.com www.conch.org.au “Lord Sri Krishna and Arjuna blew their celestial conches to rally and enthuse the devotees.” September 2014 September Newsletter New Govardhana Community Dedicated to His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness R adhastami The Queen of Vraja Appears Ukraine Update How to Help the Devotees Srila Prabhupada Uvaca + in Focus + Goshalla Goss + Upcoming Events RADHASTAMI! By Ambika devi dasi The auspicious day of Radhastami will be celebrated on 3 September. Srimati Radharani made Her divine appearance in Varsana where She was adopted by the pure devotees Vrsabhanu and Kirtida, who raised Her with great love and affection. From the moment of Her appearance, She was filled with love for Krishna. She and Her gopi friends constantly performed wonderful pastimes for His pleasure. Srimati Radharani’s complexion is Photo: Trevor Gore Trevor Photo: lustrous golden, Her deep blue eyes Facebook Photo: Sri Sri Radha Govardhanadhari. are restless in search of Her beloved, ISKCON Founder-Acharya His Divine Grace She is filled with feminine charms, A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada She has soft and delicate lotus feet and She is the abode of abundant opulences. Srila Prabhupada Uvaca So try to understand Krishna. And Her very name, Radharani, when Krishna wants to enjoy, comes from the verb ‘to worship’, what kind of enjoyment that shall and indeed, She is the greatest be? Try to understand this point. worshipper of Krishna. She is Krishna is so great; God is great, Krishna’s internal potency, and She everyone knows.
[Show full text]
Japa Inspirations Day.Indd
DAY 12 DAILY JAPA INSPIRATIONS KRISHNA CARES FOR EACH CHANTER Sometimes when we chant, we might ask ourselves: Srila Jiva Goswami finishes his Bhakti Sandarbhas with “Is Krishna hearing me? Is He interested that I—one a very nice meditation upon Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, of the many, many, many, many people who chant His whose lotus feet, he says “… Are everything to me! The Names—am also chanting His Name? How does the Lord Divine couple are my Gurus, my scripture—They are the feel about me chanting?” goal of my service and I have faith in Them! And I see Them before me in a particular way: Their lotus eyes are A very good answer to this question is given in the always bathed with streams of compassion, and They are sixth canto of the Srimad Bhagavatam where Lord the shelter of those who have no shelter.” Vishnu describes what He feels when Narayana’s Name, His name, is chanted by Ajamila. He says: Ask yourself when you chant, “Where is my shelter?” “This person chanted my name and therefore he is Mine; Not “Where do I find temporary relief?” but “Where is he belongs to Me. It is My duty to take care of him!” my shelter?” And you will come to the conclusion that the shelter is Krishna, and that He cares for everyone This is something which is very, very nice to who chants His Holy Name! understand. The Lord is attentive to each single chanter. I once heard that He keeps a list of names in His heart of those who chant His Holy Names.
[Show full text]
Bhakti Is the Third Way!
ISSUE NO. 112 11|5|19 BHAKTI IS THE THIRD WAY! QUESTION On the subject of identifying ourselves as a soul and not the mind and body, there is a delicate balance between pushing oneself to detach from the body and mind versus humbly accepting that actually I have certain mental and physical needs. For years I have been struggling and praying – how much do I push, how do I get beyond my concept of being the mind and body without foolishly neglecting them? I don’t feel clear. How do I navigate this? ANSWER That is a wonderful question. I have been much like that too. Just to give you an example I have shared many times. In Hamburg, we used to translate the Bhagavad Gita in a room nearby the temple. To reach the temple we had to walk through the garden and across a terrace to enter the building. In the winter all this area was usually covered with snow. Now, I decided not to wear shoes because ‘I am not the body’! I remember doing such things often. You know, going on Sankirtan in the winter with a dhoti without warm long johns… now to you as a part of Krishna.’ Somehow if one brings Krishna And I have seen after 30 years or 40 years, that this type of into his life – even by a forceful thought – the Lord will help pushing didn’t get me anywhere. I hoped to affect a profound us solve everything. The question is not whether you should change in terms of spiritual realization – but realization does do this or not do this.
[Show full text]