Author Archives: Rasa Rasika

Chanting Japa is the most important part of our spiritual day….it affects everything we do in sadhana bhakti. Fixed and concentrated rounds means fixed and concentrated reading and hearing (and also fixed on the Holy names in kirtan).It’s the corners…

“We are full of many mundane impressions; so we have to guard ourselves against those ten offences that should not be committed during the chanting of the Name of Hari.”From The Harmonistby Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Maharaja

In the final part of the Japa Retreat – Sacinandana Swami gives a summary of the whole Retreat and reminds us of important basics in our Japa. Email subscribers please click the big blue link above to hear the audio.

Association of serious devotees is precious, especially when chanting Japa. We are few in this world….but like many sticks, if we come together then there is great strength.

Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world…simply send me an introduction email and I will be happy to make you a member:rasa108 ::_::{.at.}::_:: gmail dot comysRasa Rasika dasa

“Chanting should be done on a schedule, with plenty of time for chanting. If you can’t keep your schedule, then adjust and make a new schedule so that you’ll have time for chanting without rushing. The main thing is to chant in good consciousness…”

From Bhajan Kutir #134
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

“It is impossible for the jiva to singlehandedly avoid and overcome the illusion of distraction. By the mercy of the Lord, however, this is accomplished with ease.Therefore it is essential to prayerfully beg for the Lord’s grace with great humility, f…

“The first regulative principle is that one must chant the Hare Krsna maha−mantra loudly enough so that he can hear himself, and one must vow to chant a fixed number of rounds.”

Sri Chaitanya-caritamrta
Antya 11.24 purport

Sometimes our Japa suffers due to our familiarity with the Holy names. We become slackened in our pronounciation and hearing and we don’t even realise it! This is the power of Maya, in like a needle out like a plough.Chanting with serious sadhakas is i…

“If we are not chanting with full attention then you are bound to commit offences. So this is the most serious offence. Avoiding this, avoiding that (offense) but attentive chanting is not done.
If attentive chanting does not happen then we’ll continue the breeding ground, the inattentive chanting becomes the breeding ground for the other offences.”

Lokanatha Swami
ISKCON Juhu 2011

“Of the nine processes of devotional service, the most important is to always chant the holy name of the Lord. If one does so, avoiding the ten kinds of offenses, one very easily obtains the most valuable love of Godhead.”Chaitanya Caritamrta Antya 4.71

Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world…simply send me an introduction email and I will be happy to make you a member:rasa108 ::_::{.at.}::_:: gmail dot comysRasa Rasika dasa

I finally managed to get up before 2am instead of 4 or 5am which has been the standard for the last two weeks.Chanting japa was immediately more focused and my mind was more peaceful. Even if there is service to do, if you chant early enough, you can c…

Dulal Chandra dasa talks about the 10 offenses and how to avoid the offense of inattention. Email subscribers please click on the big blue link above to hear the audio.

Enlivening lecture by Giriraj Swami about giving proper respect to the Holy names. Email subscribers please click the big blue link above to hear the audio.

“…the devotee who knows that there is no difference between the name and the form of the Lord chants Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare/Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare, and realizes that he is always in Krishna’s company.”

Srimad-Bhagavatam 10.2.36

“I was lucky in that I was wide awake and chanted at a steady, rapid pace. My mind wandered sometimes, but I brought it back under the control of the mantra.”From Bhajan Kutir #52by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

Bhurijana prabhu takes questions and gives answers with clarity from day 5 of this Japa Retreat. Email subscribers please click the big blue link above to hear the audio.

Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world…simply send me an introduction email and I will be happy to make you a member:rasa108 ::_::{.at.}::_:: gmail dot comysRasa Rasika dasa

A wonderful Japa seminar by Chandramauli Swami from ISKCON Boston. Email subscribers please click the big blue link above to see the video.

“Sri harinama is glorious! Chanted in any condition of life, whether almost dead, deathly sick, slipping, falling, or in any semi-conscious state, the name of Sri Bhagavan releases the chanting person from the bondage of karmic reactions and promotes h…

“I tried to bring the mantras into the mind, then down to the heart. I concentrated physically on my heart. How do you pray, anyway? It’s a difficult thing to do, but I was trying to put some feeling into chanting the mantras.”

From Bhajan Kutir #215
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

If one can come to the platform of chanting namabhasa, the reflection of the holy name, strong eagerness to chant purely gradually awakens. It is an important aspect of chanting japa to cultivate this desire to some day attain suddha-nama.This desire c…

Some time ago it was very hard for me to chant my Japa and I didn’t know why. Then I realized that I was very critical with the devotees and with other people in general.I realized I needed a minimum of humility to keep chanting or just to even chant. …

Chanting begins when we deeply want Krsna. Without that wanting Krsna! Krsna! Krsna! I want Krsna! Our chanting has little meaning.Dhanurdhara SwamiKarthika Journal 2004

Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world…simply send me an introduction email and I will be happy to make you a member:rasa108 ::_::{.at.}::_:: gmail dot comysRasa Rasika dasa

Our life should revolve around our Japa – it should be in the centre of our sadhana. Our daily schedule and time should give priority to this most important activity.Just as you give great care and attention to make the cornerstone of a building very s…

Our life should revolve around our Japa – it should be in the centre of our sadhana. Our daily schedule and time should give priority to this most important activity.Just as you give great care and attention to make the cornerstone of a building very s…

The second part of Kadamba Kanana Swami’s enlivening discussion on getting the higher taste.Email subscribers please click the big blue link above to hear the audio.

Kadamba Kanana Swami gives deep insights into achieving the higher taste during chanting. Email subscribers please click the big blue link to hear the audio.

“Lord Krsna’s name is cintamani, formed of eternal and transcendental touchstone. Just as a touchstone yields all desirable objects, so the touchstone of Krsna’s holy name gives religiosity, wealth, sense pleasure and liberation to a materialistic pers…

“It is so much better to chant early in the morning, when the mind is calm and the atmosphere is quiet. It’s the best time of the day to chant. You’re usually alert and awake for an early-morning burst. The mind is willing to go along with attentive chanting for a stretch.”

From Bhajana Kutir #105
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

Association of devotees is so important for making changes in our sadhana….by seeing other’s good example of how we should chant and chanting in their association we can automatically make progress.

Please share your realisations with other devotees from around the world…simply send me an introduction email and I will be happy to make you a member:rasa108 ::_::{.at.}::_:: gmail dot comysRasa Rasika dasa

Another enlightening Japa class from Mahatma dasa explaining in detail about how we can avoid offenses to the Holy names.Email subscribers please click the big blue link above to see the video.

If we get the Lord’s attention by calling out His names during chanting, then we ignore the Lord (by being inattentive to the sound of the Lord’s names)….that is disrespect.If I call your name and ignore you, then you may feel offended. The Lord is n…

“I’ve chanted twelve rounds. I have a little time left to do a few more. So on the whole, it’s not so bad. Chanting can always be improved. It’s always good, also, no matter what you do.”

From Bhajan Kutir #194
by Satsvarupa dasa Goswami

The Lord needs something to reciprocate with in our relationship through the Spiritual Master. Our vow is to chant 16 GOOD rounds and not just 16 below average rounds.By making this effort to be attentive and concentrate, our relationship with the Lord…

“The simple process to become purified. And that simple process is this chanting. Chanting Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, this name “Kṛṣṇa” is reminding me. I must hear and I must chant with the tongue. Then you keep yourself always in Kṛṣṇa consciousness.”

Srimad-Bhagavatam 6.1.18 Lecture
July 1 1975 – Denver

“The relationship between sound and form is particularly relevant to chanting japa. Just as material sound vibrations produce visible forms, similarly, the transcendental vibration of Krishna’s name produces the visible form of Krishna in the heart of a devotee. When chanting the holy name of Krishna, one will eventually see the form of Krishna. This is because the sound of Krishna’s name carries within it the trancendental form of Krishna as well as His abode, associates and pastimes.”

From Art Of Chanting Hare Krishna