chant at least 16 rounds
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Imported quote 15318 Sanatana Gosvami clearly defines herein the bona fide spiritual master of the world. The qualifications expressed in this connection are that one must act according to the scriptural injunctions and at the same time preach. One who does so is a bona fide spiritual master. Haridasa Thakura was the ideal spiritual master because he regularly chanted on his beads a prescribed number of times. Indeed, he was chanting the holy name of the Lord 300,000 times a day. Similarly, the members of the Krsna consciousness movement chant a minimum of sixteen rounds a day, which can be done without difficulty, and at the same time they must preach the cult of Caitanya Mahaprabhu according to the gospel of Bhagavad-gita As It Is. One who does so is quite fit to become a spiritual master for the entire world.
(More...) Imported quote 19711 So this devotional service means to go above sattva-guna. Sa gunan samatityaitan brahma-bhūyaya kalpate [Bg 14.26]. You have to transcend all the material qualities, even sattva-guna. Therefore a Vaisnava is above sattva-guna. So his brahminical qualities is supposed to be included. A Vaisnava is already a brahmana. We give a Vaisnava the sacred thread, the mark of becoming a brahmana, because without becoming a brahmana, nobody can come to the platform of Vaisnava. That is the idea. Nobody should come to the platform of suddha-sattva without being elevated to the sattva-guna platform. So this man... Sattva-guna... He was already sattva-guna. He was son of a brahmana. He was being trained up very nicely. But because it was not suddha-sattva-guna, therefore he fell down, even on the sattva-guna platform. But when one is on the suddha-sattva-guna... Just like Haridasa Thakura. This man was brahminically qualified, but as soon as he saw that a sūdrani and sūdra were engaged in lusty affairs, he fell down. But see the behavior of Haridasa Thakura. Because he was situated on the suddha-sattva-guna and, although he was young man, one, another young prostitute came to deviate him, and he remained in his position. Rather, he converted the prostitute to become a devotee. This is the difference between sattva-guna and suddha-sattva-guna. If you keep yourself on the suddha-sattva-guna, then you will be able to convert others to become devotees. Therefore it is not difficult. It is very easy also. Krsna says,
(More...) Imported quote 20338 Yes, it certainly requires many leaders to manage the many affairs of a large scale institution, so you must train up whatever men you have got and try to manage this way. Now we are increasing, and with the increment we must make arrangement for carrying on very nicely. At the same time we should see that all the members are chanting regularly, that is our strength, and following the regulative principles strictly. Maya is very strong. If we do not keep ourselves fit by chanting Hare Krsna, we may fall a victim at any moment. Hope this will meet you in good health. We recommend our disciples to chant at least 16 rounds on their japa beads daily, and this should be completed. But if one is not even able to chant 16 rounds, then he must make it up the next day. He must be sure to keep his vow. In the Naradiya Purana it is directed: "One should not accept more than necessary if he is serious about discharging devotional service." The purport is that one should not neglect following the principles of devotional service, nor should one accept the rulings of devotional service which are more than what he can easily perform. For example, it may be said that one should chant the Hare Krsna mantra at least 100,000 times daily on his beads. But if this is not possible, then one must minimize his chanting according to his own capacity. Generally, we recommend our disciples to chant at least 16 rounds on their japa beads daily, and this should be completed. But if one is not even able to chant 16 rounds, then he must make it up the next day. He must be sure to keep his vow. If he does not strictly follow this out, then he is sure to be negligent. That is offensive in the service of the Lord. If we encourage offenses, we shall not be able to make progress in devotional service. It is better if one fixes up a regulative principle according to his own ability and then follows that vow without fail. That will make him advanced in spiritual life.
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