Art Of Chanting

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Date: 13 May 2025 Speaker:  HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj Topic: Art Of Chanting HH Lokanath Swami Maharaj: You have to hear yourself while chanting. You don’t need to hear me while doing chanting. There is a difference in kirtan and chanting. You have to chant and hear the Mahamantra. This is Sravanam and kirtanam and then you can remember (smaranam). We should chant in solitude place or at the place where you are alone with the Lord. BG 10.25: maharṣīṇāṁ bhṛgur ahaṁ girām asmy ekam akṣaram yajñānāṁ japa-yajño ’smi sthāvarāṇāṁ himālayaḥ Translation: Of the great sages I am Bhṛgu; of vibrations I am the transcendental oṁ. Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [japa], and of immovable things I am the Himālayas. What we were doing was the Japa Yoga. Yoga means link. There is a root stem in Sanskrit “Yuj”, that means to connect. Chaitanya Maharprabhu used to say, “Kirtaniya sada Hari”. Sri Shikshashtakam, Shloka 3: trinad api sunicena taror api sahishnuna amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harihi Translation: One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. There are two types of kirtan. One is with mridanga. Udilo Aruna Puraba Bhage By Srila bhakti Vinode Thakur: udilo aruṇa pūraba-bhāge, dwija-maṇi gorā amani jāge, bhakata-samūha loiyā sāthe, gelā nagara-brāje 'tāthaī tāthaī bājalo khol, ghana ghana tāhe jhājera rol, preme ḍhala ḍhala soṇāra ańga, caraṇe nūpura bāje Translation: When the rising sun appeared in the East, the jewel of the twice-born, Lord Gaurasundara, awakened, and, taking His devotees with Him, He went all over the countryside towns and villages. The mrdangas (khol) resounded "tathai, tathai," and the jhanjha [large metal karatalas that look like small cymbals] in that kirtana played in time. Lord Gauranga's golden form slightly trembled in ecstatic love of Godhead, and His footbells jingled. When there used to be the sight of the sun in the morning, even today, we are seeing the sun in this world or should we say we have a vision of Sun. Are you doing this or is the sun watching us? Prabhupada also used to say that We should act in a way that God comes to see you. You are doing this Japa Yagya, that was also seen by the Sun. Sun is also the potency of the Lord, the eyes of the Lord. BG 7.8: raso ’ham apsu kaunteya prabhāsmi śaśi-sūryayoḥ praṇavaḥ sarva-vedeṣu śabdaḥ khe pauruṣaṁ nṛṣu Translation: O son of Kuntī, I am the taste of water, the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable oṁ in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether and ability in man. You are very fortunate that you don’t have to go anywhere to chant. Everyday, you chant your japa in the same location and same time. This helps to chant attentively. A week ago, I was in Vrindavan. I was chanting on the Jahnava Baithak at Radha Kunda on the auspicious day of appearance day of mother Jahnava. Then we moved forward and reached Nagpur. There we chanted with the devotees of Nagpur. After sitting there we were waiting and then we moved forward, we have to move forward, so we reached Nakpur. But one morning in Nakpur Then we moved forward, we went to Kondinipur and met Mother Rakmini on the auspicious appearance day of Mother Rukmini, Rukmini Dwadashi. We chanted with the devotees there. Thgen moving forward, we reached Amrawati and chanted there with devotees. Moving Forward, we reached Avantipur. Iskcon temples are equivalent to Dham. There is a very big profit to chant in the temples or Dham. This chanting is like to call means to talk. When we call in Dham, chanting is a calling. Saying Hare Krishna is calling or addressing Lord. Tulsi Aarti: ei nivedana dhara, sakhira anugata koro seva-adhikara diye koro nija dasi Translation: I beg you to make me a follower of the cowherd damsels of Vraja. Please give me the privilege of devotional service and make me your own maidservant. If we chant in the association of Tulsi Devi, it will be more benefitted. Srila Haridas Thakur was also did like that. It is said that we say it, we also hear it, which We say that we pray for it also, there is a state called hearing also and there is a state even bigger than this, Manan. Manan is done by the mind. The deep remembrance of what we hear and what we say is called manan. When should do mantra Arth Chintan while Chanting. Everything is in this Mahamantra. We can remember the Tulsi Maharani’ Aarti while chanting. Tulsi is like a desire tree. Every desire will be fructified. The vision and the thoughts of Gaudiya vaishnavas are involved in the prayers of Tulsi Maharani. We can do the same prayers while chanting. mora ei abhilasha, vilasa kunje dio vasa nayana heribo sada yugala-rupa-rasi Translation: My desire is that you will also give me a residence in the pleasure groves of Sri Vrindavana-dhama. Thus, within my vision I will always behold the beautiful pastimes of Radha and Krishna. ei nivedana dhara, sakhira anugata koro seva-adhikara diye koro nija dasi Translation: I beg you to make me a follower of the cowherd damsels of Vraja. Please give me the privilege of devotional service and make me your own maidservant. This is the aim of Gaudiya vaishnavas. Caitanya-matta-manjusa commentary on Srimad-Bhagavatam by Srinath Chakravarti: aradhyo bhagavan vrajesa-tanayas tad-dhama vrndavanam ramya kacid-upasana vrajavadhu-vargena ya kalpita srimad-bhagavatam pramanam-amalam prema pumartho mahan sri caitanya mahaprabhur-matam-idam tatradaro nah parah It is the conclusive opinion of Lord Chaitanya that the most worshipable form of the Lord is that of Sri Krishna, the son of Nanda Maharaja. Vrindavan-dhäma is the topmost worshipable abode. The highest and most pleasing type of worship of Krishna is done by the Vraja gopis. Srimad-bhagavatam is the spotless authority on everything. And krsna-prema is the fifth and highest goal of life. We can accept the damsel of Gopis, sakhas, Nand baba, Mother Yashoda according to our Bhava. This is necessary to meditate on such prayers. Chanting should not be mindless. Mantra can deliver us from suffering. And we are chanting the Mahamantra. We even can’t imagine what can it do! Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare - Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare It is recommended that we should recite Sri Shiksha Ashatakam And ten offences towards holy name before chanting. We can meditate on that also for attentive chanting. Chaitanya Mahaprabhu has explained his feelings in Sri Shiksha Ashtakam. He is Lord himself and appeared as a devotee to teach us. Seven advantages and glories of chanting Holy Name is explained in the first verse. Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 1: cheto-darpana-marjanam bhava-maha-davagni-nirvapanam shreyah-kairava-chandrika-vitaranam vidya-vadhu-jivanam anandambhdhi-vardhanam prati-padam purnamritasvadanam sarvatma-snapanam param vijayate shri-krishna-sankirtanam Translation: Glory to the Shri Krishna sankirtana (congregational chanting of the Lord's holy names), which cleanses the heart of all the dust accumulated for years and extinguishes the fire of conditional life, of repeated birth and death. That sankirtana movement is the prime benediction for humanity at large because it spreads the rays of the benediction moon. It is the life of all transcendental knowledge. It increases the ocean of transcendental bliss, and it enables us to fully taste the nectar for which we are always anxious. We should know these glories and deep rooted it in our heart. Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 2: namnam akari bahudha nija-sarva-shaktis tatrarpita niyamitah smarane na kalaha etadrishi tava kripa bhagavan mamapi durdaivam idrisham ihajani nanuragahah Translation: O my Lord, Your holy name alone can render all benediction to living beings, and thus You have hundreds and millions of names, like Krishna and Govinda. In these transcendental names, you have invested all Your transcendental energies. There are not even hard and fast rules for chanting these names. O my Lord, out of kindness You enable us to easily approach you by Your holy names, but I am so unfortunate that I have no attraction for them. Lord has inherited himself in this holy name. Hare, Radha Rani is the potency of the Krishna. There are no hard and fast rule for chanting. There are so many advantages of chanting, but this is my unfortune I have no attraction for them. CC, Adi Lila, 7.81: kibā mantra dilā, gosāñi, kibā tāra bala japite japite mantra karila pāgala Translation: ‘My dear lord, what kind of mantra have you given Me? I have become mad simply by chanting this mahā-mantra! Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is saying in the Shiksha Ashatak that we have no attraction for Chanting. He has all the attraction but he is saying that on our behalf. Because we don’t accept our reality. How to achieve that attraction?   Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 3: trinad api sunicena taror api sahishnuna amanina manadena kirtaniyah sada harihi Translation: One should chant the holy name of the Lord in a humble state of mind, thinking oneself lower than the straw in the street; one should be more tolerant than a tree, devoid of all sense of false prestige, and should be ready to offer all respect to others. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. In such a state of mind one can chant the holy name of the Lord constantly. Today there are clouds in the sky. I was remembering that Gopis reminds Krishna when they see clouds. There are many indications of remember Krishna; Sun, Wind, clouds, water, and so many things. BG 7.9: puṇyo gandhaḥ pṛthivyāṁ ca tejaś cāsmi vibhāvasau jīvanaṁ sarva-bhūteṣu tapaś cāsmi tapasviṣu Translation: I am the original fragrance of the earth, and I am the heat in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and I am the penances of all ascetics. What should be our state of mind? trinad api sunicena We should understand and follow the instruction of Sri Shiksha Ashtakam. In the last chapter of Chaitanya Charitamrita, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu gives commentary to Sri Ramanand Ray and Swarupa Damodar on each and every verse. If we can control our flicker mind, we should read that chapter also. Humility, tolerance, respect others and don’t have urge to take respect, in such a way we can chant constantly. We should practice that for our whole life. We should start this practice assoon as possible. Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 4: na dhanam na janam na sundarim kavitam va jagad-isha kamaye mama janmani janmanishvare bhavatad bhaktir ahaituki tvayi Translation: O almighty Lord, I have no desire to accumulate wealth, nor do I desire beautiful women, nor do I want any number of followers. I only want your causeless devotional service, birth after birth. We should have desire to serve the lord. Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 5: ayi nanda-tanuja kinkaram patitam mam vishame bhavambudhau kripaya tava pada-pankaja- sthita-dhuli-sadrisham vichintaya Translation: O son of Maharaja Nanda [Krishna], I am Your eternal servitor, yet somehow or other I have fallen into the ocean of birth and death. Please pick me up from this ocean of death and place me as one of the atoms at Your lotus feet. Keep the mind busy to meditate on such verses. Then it will never flicker. These five verses are for sadhana Bhakti. Next Verses are for Bhava Bhakti. Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 6: nayanam galad-ashru-dharaya vadanam gadgada-ruddhaya gira pulakair nichitam vapuh kada tava nama-grahane bhavishyati Translation: O my Lord, when will my eyes be decorated with tears of love flowing constantly when I chant Your holy name? When will my voice choke up, and when will the hairs of my body stand on end at the recitation of Your name? Udilo Aruna Puraba Bhage By Srila bhakti Vinode Thakur: kabe ha’be bolo se-dina amar (amar) aparadha ghuci’, suddha name ruci, kripa-bale ha’be hridoye sancar Translation: When, oh when will that day be mine? When my offenses ceasing, taste for the name increasing, when in my heart will your mercy shine, when, oh when will that day be mine? Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 7: yugayitam nimeshena chakshusha pravrishayitam shunyayitam jagat sarvam govinda-virahena me Translation: O Govinda! Feeling Your separation, I am considering a moment to be like twelve years or more. Tears are flowing from my eyes like torrents of rain, and I am feeling all vacant in the world in Your absence. Missing Krishna in life. Are we missing Krishna? We miss money, our wife, our children. Are we ever miss Krishna? When will the day come when we will miss Krishna. kṛṣṇa-nāma-sudhā koriyā pān, jurāo bhakativinoda-prāṇ, nāma binā kichu nāhiko āro, caudda-bhuvana-mājhe Translation: Drink the pure nectar of the holy name of Krsna. There is nothing but the name to be had in the fourteen worlds. It has filled the soul of Sri Bhaktivinoda Thakura. We should miss Krishna. We should feel grief on the lack of Krishna in our life. Sri Shiksha Ashtakam, Verse 8: ashlishya va pada-ratam pinashtu mam adarshanan marma-hatam karotu va yatha tatha va vidadhatu lampato mat-prana-nathas tu sa eva naparaha Translation: I know no one but Krishna as my Lord, and He shall remain so even if He handles me roughly by His embrace or makes me broken hearted by not being present before me. He is completely free to do anything and everything, for He is always my worshipful Lord, unconditionally. This verse is saying by the Radha Rani in the form of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. CC, Adi Lila, 1.5: rādhā kṛṣṇa-praṇaya-vikṛtir hlādinī śaktir asmād ekātmānāv api bhuvi purā deha-bhedaṁ gatau tau caitanyākhyaṁ prakaṭam adhunā tad-dvayaṁ caikyam āptaṁ rādhā-bhāva-dyuti-suvalitaṁ naumi kṛṣṇa-svarūpam Translation: The loving affairs of Śrī Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are transcendental manifestations of the Lord’s internal pleasure-giving potency. Although Rādhā and Kṛṣṇa are one in Their identity, previously They separated Themselves. Now these two transcendental identities have again united, in the form of Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya. I bow down to Him, who has manifested Himself with the sentiment and complexion of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī although He is Kṛṣṇa Himself. Radha Rani is saying that you are free to do anything, but you are the only shelter of mine. Vaishnava Song, Radha krishna prana Mora by Narottama Das Thakur: radha-krishna prana mora jugala-kisora jivane marane gati aro nahi mora Translation: The divine couple, Sri Sri Radha and Krishna, are my life and soul. In life or death I have no other refuge but Them. These types of thoughts are compulsory not only necessary. We are Gaudiya Vaishnavas and Rupa nuga. They have given us everything. Chanting is the primary and central activity. All the progress in krishna consciousness is depend upon how we chant. We should practive to chant and to practice to improve chanting. Take chanting seriously. Don’t take it lightly. This is the mecry of Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. What transaction happen at the time of initiation? Spiritual master gave you Harinam and you take an ought to chant offense less minimum 16 rounds chanting and to serve the lord and spiritual master. Srila Prabhuapada used to say that the meaning of the chanting is to ask for some service. Now, if you are chating, then some service will be given to you. Become free and chant. Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare hare krishna Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare CC, Madhya Lila, 17.133: nāma cintāmaṇiḥ kṛṣṇaś caitanya-rasa-vigrahaḥ pūrṇaḥ śuddho nitya-mukto ’bhinnatvān nāma-nāminoḥ Translation: ‘The holy name of Kṛṣṇa is transcendentally blissful. It bestows all spiritual benedictions, for it is Kṛṣṇa Himself, the reservoir of all pleasure. Kṛṣṇa’s name is complete, and it is the form of all transcendental mellows. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Kṛṣṇa Himself. Since Kṛṣṇa’s name is not contaminated by the material qualities, there is no question of its being involved with māyā. Kṛṣṇa’s name is always liberated and spiritual; it is never conditioned by the laws of material nature. This is because the name of Kṛṣṇa and Kṛṣṇa Himself are identical.’ BG 4.34: tad viddhi praṇipātena paripraśnena sevayā upadekṣyanti te jñānaṁ jñāninas tattva-darśinaḥ Translation: Just try to learn the truth by approaching a spiritual master. Inquire from him submissively and render service unto him. The self-realized souls can impart knowledge unto you because they have seen the truth. You should not follow blindly. You can ask questions for your doubts. Hare Krishna!

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