INATTENTION WHILE CHANTING

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INATTENTION WHILE CHANTING

via GITA COACHING by Akrura on 11/7/11

Super important instructions by Bhaktivinoda Thakura:

Harinama Cintamani – Bhaktivinoda Thakura

Chapter 12 - Inattention While Chanting

jaya jaya mahaprabhu jaya bhakta-gana

yanhara prasade kari nama-sankirtana

Haridasa spoke, "To Sanatana Gosvami in Puri and to Gopala Bhattawhen You travelled to South India, You taught the importance of performingone's chanting without inattention. Inattention is counted as one of theaparadhas. Even if one successfully overcomes all the other offenses inchanting, and one is chanting continuously, love of God may not come. Oneshould know that the reason for this is that one is committing the offenseknown as pramada, or inattention. This offense will block progress to prema.

"Pramada may mean madness, but here the meaning is inattention orcarelessness. It is from this offense that all other offenses spring. The wisemen recognize three types of inattention: indifference or no attention,laziness, and distraction (attraction to other objects).

"By good fortune, after getting faith, a jiva will take up the name.By chanting regularly, counting on a Tulasi mala carefully, he will developattraction for the name. However, until that attraction has actually developed,one must be very careful about how one chants. Naturally, the common man,having attachment to material things, will be attracted to these things evenwhile chanting. Though chanting japa daily, if his taste is elsewhere, he willshow indifference to the name.

His heart will not be absorbed in chanting thename but in some material object. How can that benefit him? He may chant 64rounds counting strictly on his japa beads, but in his heart he has notreceived one drop of the taste of the name. This indifference or apathy towardsthe name is one type of inattention. In the heart of a materialist it isunavoidable.

"If indifference or lack of attraction for the name is present, oneshould take association of Vaisnavas who are properly chanting in some placesheltered from the material influence. By chanting in that situation, hisabsorption in material things will be reduced; being inspired by the conduct ofthe Vaisnavas, he will give up that fault. Gradually the heart will getattraction for the name and will be anxious for the nectar of the name.

Theadvanced devotees have recommended that one live in a place where Krsna had Hispastimes, near Tulasi, in the company of Vaisnavas and gradually increase theperiod of chanting. Quickly the taste for material objects will go. Anotherremedy is to carefully chant in a room by oneself with the door locked, orconcentrate on the name by covering the eyes, ears and nose with a cloth or thelike to prevent stimuli from the exterior. Carefully chanting in this way, anattraction or taste for the name will develop and indifference will besuppressed.

"If one chants with a sluggish mind, or after chanting a little, onehas to stop before finishing his round, it is called laziness. From this, one'staste for the name cannot develop. The remedy for this is to take associationof Vaisnavas who do not waste time in material activity, but constantly chantand remember the holy name, being absorbed only in the name. One should followin their footsteps.

When one sees how the true Vaisnava or sadhu does not wastetime in useless pursuits, he will develop a taste to do likewise. In his mindhe will think, "very good." By this, enthusiasm will come to the lazymind and he will overcome the offense of laziness or inertia. One will becomedetermined to increase his chanting everyday. By this eagerness in his roundsand by the mercy of the devotees, the offense of inertia will quickly go away.

"One should be careful to eliminate the third type of inattention --distraction. From distraction all types of inattention are born. This faultresides in attraction for women (or men, in the case of women) and wealth,attraction for material success or victory, desire for position, and thecheating propensity. If one has attraction in any of these categories, one willnaturally be inattentive to the holy name. One should be careful to eliminatethese fixations by following the proper Vaisnava behavior.

On ekadasis andappearance days one should stop thinking of eating and all day and night chantin the association of devotees. In this way one will joyfully engage indevotional activities, listening to scriptures of the Lord in association withthe Lord's servants, in the Lord's dhama. Gradually the bhakti portion of one'smind will increase and the mind will rejoice in hearing topics about Krsna. Thehigher taste will come and the lower taste will go.

Upon hearing songs aboutKrsna from the mouths of the pure devotees, one's mind and ears will taste thereal nectar. In this way the desire for low material objects will disappear andthe heart will be constantly fixed and attracted to singing the name. Byavoiding the offense of distraction, one will be able to indulge in the nectarof name.

"One should thus never be inattentive to complete one's prescribednumber of daily rounds. This should be noted day by day. When chanting theseprescribed rounds, one should avoid the different types of inattentiveness.Giving up the desire to increase the number of rounds for show, one shouldattempt to first concentrate nicely on what one can manage.

Therefore, thedevotee starts by chanting with full concentration in a peaceful place for ashort time. He will always be praying to the Lord that he will chant clear,attentive rounds with the mind fixed on Krsna; for on one's own one cannotaccomplish anything. Krsna's grace is necessary to cross the ocean of materialexistence. Being anxious in heart, one should beg for mercy, and because Krsnais merciful, He will help. Whoever does not try for that mercy is veryunfortunate."

That person who has attained the ornament of the touchstone of the holyname still aspires for the two feet of Haridasa Thakura.