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Chanting

According to Vedic texts, meditation is prescribed in order to cleanse the heart, control the mind, and develop focus on Krishna, the Supreme Personality of Godhead. There are different processes of meditation recommended according to time, place, and circumstance. In previous ages, silent meditation, including the pranayama breathing technique, was the method by which a determined yogi could visualize Krishna within the heart.

Due to the onward march of time, and lack of qualified teachers, this process became fragmented and distorted, with Krishna being neglected in favour of acquisition of mystic ability and self-centred power. In the present day, practitioners of silent meditation can at best attain psychological benefit and bodily health. These qualities, although admirable, fall well short of the transcendent purpose of meditation.

In order to rectify this situation, Krishna advented Himself 500 years ago, in the form of Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu. A primary purpose of Lord Chaitanya's mission was in promoting mantra meditation as the sublime method for this present age. The Vedic scriptures, comprising 400,000 verses, are entirely composed of mantra. Of all the mantras, the Hare Krishna maha mantra, or supreme mantra, is considered the zenith of sound vibration. By meditating on the syllables of the maha mantra, Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare, the practitioner will not only obtain subsidiary psychological benefit, but also attain awareness of his or her original spiritual identity and relationship with Krishna.

Mantra meditation can be easily practised by anyone, regardless of age, gender, or sectarian belief. There is no requirement to escape to a forest or mountain, as the Hare Krishna mantra is pure sound vibration, and effective anywhere, at any time, alone or in groups, in the countryside or in the middle of a bustling city. The benefits of chanting are immediately felt within the heart and mind of a sincere practitioner. The only requirement is to chant with the tongue and hear attentively with the ears. This simple process, practised regularly, will quickly reinstate the practitioner in divine consciousness, called sat cit ananda, or eternality, full knowledge, and full bliss.

Vaishnava texts state that in much the same way that one could awaken a person who is sleeping bu making a sound or calling out his name, man can awaken from his conditioned, materialistic slumber by calling out the name of God. In fact, the world's major religious traditions concur that it is by chanting the name of God that one attains enlightenment and freedom from the cycle of birth and death.

Mohammed counseled, "Glorify the name of your Lord, the most high." (Koran); Saint Paul said, "Everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10.13); Buddha declared, "All who sincerely call upon my name will come to me after death, and I will take them to paradise," (Vows of Amida Buddha 18); and the Vaishnava scripture repeatedly asserts: "Chant the holy name, chant the holy name, chant the holy name of the Lord. In this age of quarrel there is no other way, no other way, no other way to attain spiritual enlightenment." (Brihan-naradiya Purana 3.8.126).

"The holy name of Krishna is the spiritually blissful giver of all benedictions for it is Krishna himself, the resevoir of pleasure. Krishna's name is complete in itself and is the essential form of all spiritual relationships. It is not a material name under any condition, and it is no less powerful than Krishna himself. This name is not tinged by any aspect of material nature, because it is identical with Krishna." (Padma Purana)

Because chanting the name of God is so much emphasized in Vaishnava texts, practitioners focus on chanting as acentral devotional method. Thus, deep meditation and great emotion accompany japa (the soft chanting), kirtan (the loud chanting), and sankirtana (the congregational chanting). When perfected, the chanting leads to awareness of God's absolute nature. Elucidation on the absolute nature of Krishna and his name is the heart of Vaishnava mysticism, leading to love of God.

The Maha Mantra

The Hare Krishna maha-mantra, or "the great chant for deliverance", is considered by scripture to be the most powerful of incantations, for it includes the potency of all other mantras.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Listen to the chanting "Hare Krishna Mantra"
by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada

It is the chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra that the Vedic literature particularly recommends for the current age. Breaking down the sacred mantra into ts component parts: The word "Hare" refers to Lord Hari - a name of Krishna that indicates the ability to remove obstacles from His devotees' path. In a higher sense the word "Hare" is a vocative form of "Hara", which refers to Mother Hara, or Srimati Radharani, the divine feminine energy.

"Krishna" means "the all-attractive one," referring to God in His original form. "Rama" refers to both Balarama (Krishna's elder brother) and Lord Ramachandra, a prominent incarnation of the Lord. It is also said, however, that "Rama" refers to Radha-Ramana-Rama, which is a name for Krishna meaning "one who brings pleasure to Srimati Radharani." Thus the maha-mantra, composed solely of theLord's most confidential names, embodies the essence of the Divine.

As a prayer, the maha-mantra is translated in the following way: "O Lord! O divine energy of the Lord! Please engage me in your service."

"Kirtan" is the loud, congregational chanting of Krishna's names.

How to Chant on Beads

Bhakti yoga practice includes chanting the Hare Krishna mantra softly to oneself. This is called japa.

While chanting, one generally keeps the sacred japa beads in a bead bag to keep them clean and off the floor. One side of the bag is large enough to insert your hand. Your index finger coming out the smaller hole on the other side helps you hold on to the bag. Place your beads in the bag, and you're ready to go.

Chanting "Rounds"

Bhakti yoga practitioners decide on a minimum number of mantras they want to chant each day. The main purpose of the beads is to keep track of the number of mantras chanted. Fingering the beads also help one focus on the sound of the holy name of Krishna.

There are 108 beads and one larger bead, known as the head bead, or Krishna bead. Beginning with the bead next to the head bead, gently roll the bead between the thumb and middle finger of your right hand while chanting:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Then move to the next bead and repeat the mantra.

In this way continue chanting on each of the 108 beads in the strand. This is known as one round of japa and takes between five and ten minutes for most people.

You can also chant the Pancha Tattva mantra before each round - this is a prayer to Lord Chaitanya and his associaties to help avoid offenses whilst chanting:

sri-krishna-chaitanya prabhu-nityananda
sri-advaita gadadhara srivasadi-gaura-bhakta-vrinda

"I offer my obeisances to Sri Krishna Chaitanya, Prabhu Nityananda, Sri Advaita, Gadadhara, Srivasa and all others in the line of devotion."

If you are going to chant more than one round of japa, then without chanting on the head bead - reverse the direction of your chanting to begin the second round.

If you have a string of counter beads tied to your bead bag, keep track of the number of rounds you have chanted by moving one counter bead for each round you chant.

Chant clearly and try to hear the holy names with attention. Some chanters find that looking at the mantra or a picture of Krishna helps them concentrate. If that works for you, that's fine. But remember that the goal is attentive hearing.

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