chanting

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Here are some descriptions of a brahmacari yogi. In the morning, the first duty of a brahmacari seeking spiritual elevation is huta-hutasana, to offer sacrificial oblations to the Supreme Lord. Those engaged in brahmacarya cannot sleep until seven or nine o'clock in the morning. They must rise early in the morning, at least one and a half hours before the sun rises, and offer oblations, or in this age, they must chant the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krsna. As referred to by Lord Caitanya, kalau nasty eva nasty eva nasty eva gatir anyatha: There is no other alternative, no other alternative, no other alternative, in this age, to chanting the holy name of the Lord. The brahmacari must rise early in the morning and, after placing himself, should chant the holy name of the Lord. From the very features of the sage, it appeared that he had undergone great austerities; that is the sign of one observing brahmacarya, the vow of celibacy. If one lives otherwise, it will be manifest in the lust visible in his face and body. The word vidyotamanam indicates that the brahmacari feature showed in his body. That is the certificate that one has undergone great austerity in yoga. A drunkard or smoker or sex-monger can never be eligible to practice yoga. Generally yogis look very skinny because of their not being comfortably situated, but Kardama Muni was not emaciated because he had seen the Supreme Personality of Godhead face to face. Here the word snigdhapahgavalokanat means that he was fortunate enough to see the Supreme Lord face to face. He looked healthy because he had directly received the nectarean sound vibrations from the lotus lips of the Personality of Godhead. Similarly, one who hears the transcendental sound vibration of the holy name of the Lord, Hare Krsna, also improves in health. We have actually seen that many brahmacaris and grhasthas connected with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness have improved in health, and a luster has come to their faces. It is essential that a brahmacari engaged in spiritual advancement look very healthy and lustrous. The comparison of the sage to an unpolished gem is very appropriate. Even if a gem just taken from a mine looks unpolished, the luster of the gem cannot be stopped. Similarly, although Kardama was not properly dressed and his body was not properly cleansed, his overall appearance was gemlike. (More...)

Just like in the material world there is difference between water and the name "water," the "flower" and the thing flower, in the spiritual world, in the absolute world, there is no such difference. Therefore, as soon you vibrate this transcendental sound, "Krsna," "Hare," "Rama," immediately you associate with the Supreme Lord and His energy. (More...)

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Just like father and son. They are intimately related. It may be the son has gone out of home for many years, but as soon as he meets his father, again the same love between father and son revives. It does not mean because the son was out of home for many, many years, there is no need of awakening the love of father and son. Similarly, in the Caitanya-caritamrta it is said, nitya-siddha krsna-bhakti. The love between Krsna and ourself... It doesn't matter where we are. All living entities, especially the human being, especially the civilized human being, those who have got sense, they can revive Krsna consciousness very easily by chanting this Hare Krsna mantra. So that is our request, that you are very intelligent boys, American boys. Try to understand Krsna. Try to revive your relationship with Krsna. Then you will be happy; otherwise not. (More...)

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Samaḥ sarvesu bhūtesu. That is the vision of the devotees. They see only the spirit soul, part and parcel of Krsna. Their sympathy is for the spirit soul, that "Here is a spirit soul, and he is part and parcel of Krsna. He is now bound up by this material bondage. Let me try to rescue him." Prahlada Maharaja said, soce tato vimukha-cetasa, maya-sukhaya bharam udvahato vimūḍhan [SB 7.9.43]. They have become foolish. They are thinking that in material bondage he will be happy. That is not possible. Therefore Vaisnavas like Prahlada Maharaja and his followers, they very seriously think of these fallen conditioned souls and try to rescue them. And in this Kali-yuga it is very easy. As I have already explained, kaler dosa-nidhe rajann asti hy eko mahan gunaḥ: "In this Kali-yuga it is a ocean of fault. So many faults are there, one after another, one after another. But there is one benefit," dosa-nidhe asti hy eko mahan gunaḥ, "very great quality." What is that? Now, kirtanad eva krsnasya mukta-sahgaḥ param vrajet: "He hasn't got to do anything else. If he simply chants the Hare Krsna mantra," kirtanad eva krsnasya [SB 12.3.51], "then he becomes free from this material bondage and goes back to home, back to Godhead." So our only request is to everyone present here to chant this maha-mantra, (More...)

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Some years before, when I was staying in your Prem Kutir you expressed your desire to organize a SANKIRTAN party, and I wish that it may be done now to help me in my mission. If you have got opportunity to purchase one copy of Life Magazine, published Feb. 9, 1968, you will find there on page 56, how nicely the American boys and girls are dancing and chanting the Holy Name of the Lord. A Sankirtana party as they can be organized in India is not possible here. Here the boys and girls, they are very serious about chanting, but they are not trained singers, or singers in the tune we chant in India. Therefore, I wish that if you organize a Sankirtana party there, completely trained in spiritual ways, and the American students combine with them, I think a very nice Sankirtana party can be organized to travel all over the world. I have tested it definitely that melodious vibration of Sankirtana, if they are performed by serious devotees, can attract people from the very spiritual platform, and it at once makes the spiritual background very smooth, when a spiritual instruction from the Bhagavad-gita can be implemented very nicely. So my first concrete program is that if you agree to organize such a Sankirtana party, a batch of American students may join, and I can combine these American and Indian devotees together under discipline. The American boys are being trained up strictly on spiritual line, which I have already explained to you in my last letter. Similarly, the Indian boys or girls must be spiritually trained; it is only by spiritually trained vibration can implement spiritual seeds in the heart of the audience, not otherwise. So, if you agree to cooperate with me in this direction, then I wish to go with a batch of American students to your care and stay in Bombay for some time, and try to open a branch in Bombay of our society. Here we have got six temples already, and they are nicely being managed by the American Vaisnavas under strict discipline, without their being born in any Hindu family. Similarly, in Bombay, we are inviting all classes of men to join us; we have no distinction of caste, creed, color or religiousity. Anyone can join us, never mind whatever he is. (We shall entertain Hindus, Muslims, Christians, Jains, Sikhs, Buddhists, or whoever may come. We shall have no restriction. In that Temple, everyone will be welcome. In other words, in our secular state and international feelings of God-consciousness will be introduced, where no one will be restricted.) And I am glad to inform you that this principle is accepted by everyone working under me. So, the sum and substance of the concrete program is to organize a nice Sankirtana party in combination of Indian and American students. I want your cooperation in this adventure. (More...)

Lord Caitanya has given special stress to chanting of these holy names of the Lord as the basic principle of spiritual advancement.

It is especially mentioned here, nama-sahkirtanac ca: one should chant the holy names of the Lord, Hare Krsna, Hare Krsna, Krsna Krsna, Hare Hare/ Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, either individually or with others. Lord Caitanya has given special stress to chanting of these holy names of the Lord as the basic principle of spiritual advancement. Another word used here is arjavena, meaning "without diplomacy." A devotee should not make plans out of self-interest. Of course preachers sometimes have to make some plan to execute the mission of the Lord under proper guidance, but regarding personal self-interest, a devotee should always be without diplomacy, and he should avoid the company of persons who are not advancing in spiritual life. Another word is arya. Aryans are persons who are advancing in knowledge of Krsna consciousness as well as in material prosperity. The difference between the Aryan and non-Aryan, the sura and asura, is in their standards of spiritual advancement. Association with persons who are not spiritually advanced is forbidden. Lord Caitanya advised, asat-sahga-tyaga. One should avoid persons who are attached to the temporary. Asat is one who is too materially attached, who is not a devotee of the Lord and who is too attached to women or enjoyable material things. Such a person, according to Vaisnava philosophy, is a persona non grata. (More...)

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