JAPA
JAPA
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Single most important activity – first vow
99% of spiritual advancement from chanting
An exclusive activity
Intense desire – foundation - firm determination
Attentive hearing – most imortant aspect of japa
Firm faith in the Holy Name
Understanding the meaning of the Maha-mantra
JAPA
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Prayerful mood
No material motivation
Humility
Suitable environment
Posture
Vigilance
Japa is NOT a race
JAPA
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Always discuss
Best in association of devotees
Early morning Japa
Loudness
Holy Name or Pastimes
Offenses against Holy Name
Srila Prabhupada pranama mantra and Pancatattva mantra
CORRECT POSTURE
INCORRECT POSTURES
JAPA – DONT’S
No Japa while
• Driving
• During kirtans or lectures
• Lying down
• On the phone
• While browsing in the laptop or watching
television
• Reading books or magazines including spiritual
books
Vaishnava Attire
General rules
• Simple clothing
• Do not wear expensive and flashy looking
jewellery
• Avoid any items made of leather
• Should wear Kanthi- mala
• Should put Tilak
• Men in dhoti and Women in sari
Etiquette in Public
• Representing Srila Prabhupada
• Everyone – including Sri Krsna – is watching
you
• Never lose your temper in public
• Be exemplary
Correcting Others
• Criticizing a Vaishnava pollutes the heart and impedes
spiritual advancement
To correct a devotee one must be
• Non- envious
• Desirous to practically assist the devotee in his Krsna
consciousness
• In a position spiritually or managerial which justifies
and/or necessitates such intervention
OR
• Be personally requested by the devotee to help him in
his difficulty.
Continued…
• Don’t use harsh words or actions while
correcting devotees
• Gratefully accept sincere and honest
criticism
• An advanced Vaishnava will see each and
every correction offered as the mercy of
Lord Caitanya Mahaprabhu
• Prevention is better than cure.
Methods of Correction
• Correct by personal example and association
• Guide the devotee to the shelter of a more
advanced devotee
• A junior devotee should not personally
attempt to correct another devotee. Instead
take the assistance of a senior devotee.
Based on the
teachings of
His Divine
Grace A.C.
Bhaktivedanta
Swami
Prabhupada
~Founder Acharya~ International Society for Krishna
Consciousness
Seeking
the
blessings
of
Guru
Parampara
Seeking the blessings of Six
Goswami’s of Vrindavan
Seeking the blessings of
tattva
Sri Pancha-

Overview
Japa
• Single
most important activity – absolute must..
• 99%
of our spiritual advancement
• An exclusive activity – most important Personality
is giving us an audience.
• Intense
desire – nityam bhagavata sevaya
• Attentive
hearing– alert at all time
• Prayerful
mood – desperate cry
• Japa
is NOT a race
• Early morning Japa – Brahma muhurta
FIVE ESSENTIAL PRINCIPLES
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Chanting the Holy Name
Worshipping the Deity
Hearing Srimad Bhagavatham
Association with devotees of the Lord
Residing in a Holy Dhama (or worshipping
Tulasi-devi)
WORSHIPPING THE DEITY
WORSHIPPING THE DEITY
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Important principle for Grhasthas
Worship of Gaura Nitai as presiding deities
Children may also be engaged in Deity worship
According to the Spiritual Master’s instruction
ASSOCIATION OF DEVOTEES
ASSOCIATION OF DEVOTEES
• Association of devotees is our most prized
possession, without which our life becomes
dry and meaningless
• One must associate with devotees “regularly”
• The more one associates with sincere
devotees, the faster the progress one will
make in KC
• Basis for satsanga is Sankirtana, Krsna-katha
and seva
• Prajalpa/Mundane talk should be avoided
ASSOCIATION OF DEVOTEES
• One is sure to drift from KC if one does not
regularly associate
• Association may be in person (Vapu) or
through hearing (Vani). Both are important
• The bond between devotees will be tested in
time of difficulty.
Loving exchanges between Devotees
• Srila Rupa Goswami says in Nectar of
instruction the six ways of loving exchanges
between devotees:
• Offering gifts
• Accepting gifts
• Revealing one’s mind in confidence
• Inquiring confidentially
• Accepting prasadam
• Offering prasadam
HEARING SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM
HEARING SRIMAD BHAGAVATHAM
Devotees should regularly read/hear Srimad
Bhagavatham.
Reading/Hearing must be done in a serious,
attentive and systematic way.
Hearing is necessary to improve our
philosophical understanding.
Hearing also strengthens our conviction, faith
and determination in Krsna consciousness.
LIVING IN OR VISTING HOLY PLACES
LIVING IN OR VISTING HOLY PLACES
• Reside in a holy place or visit regularly
• Participate in the yatras conducted by highly
advanced devotees.
• Such yatras are meant for spiritual purification.
• While in a dham, devotees should completely
immerse the mind in the Holy Name and Krsnakatha.
• One should be careful not to commit any
offences against the Holy Dhama.
THE ESSENCE
• A devotee’s lifestyle should conform to the
principle : “Simple living, High thinking”
• Most important rule
“Always remember Krsna
Never forget Krsna “
The most important rule and all other are
subservient to this one.