|
oldchakra.com HOME |
|
Srila
Prabhupada Prabhupada Page About Prabhupada Disciple Database |
|
Features Advertisements Appreciations Calendar Debates Downloads Earlier Topics Gopal Jiu In Memoriam Jokes Letters Other News Personals Philosophy Resources |
|
Lifestyle Cow Protection Education Matchmaker Recipes Vegetarianism |
|
Books BBT Book Distribution Book Changes |
|
Websites CHAKRA Links |
|
Social Issues Child Abuse Women Youth Charity |
|
Opinion Editorials Narayan Mhrj Poison Issue Ritvik VNN |
|
ISKCON ISKCON Page ISKCON Reform GBC Temples |
|
Contributors Danavir dasa Gosw Indradyumna Sw Kavicandra Sw |
by Prananatha das
|
Dear Devotees,
Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.
We have seen some very nice quotes on the chanting of the Holy name and the conclusion appears to be very clear that there are no hard and fast rules in the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra. Nobody can argue with these facts. However, is there a distinction between the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra and chanting one's prescribed 16 rounds each day? For, reading Srila Prabhupada's books we find that there are 10 offences in the chanting of the Hare Krsna mantra, one of which is that one should not be inattentive whilst chanting.
I found it humourous and a little bizzare reading one recent posting where the devotees are chanting their rounds using their toes whilst playing games on a Playstation! Is this really "chanting our rounds" or is it in fact inattentive chanting, which is an offense. It requires quite a bit of attentiveness to play, well, any game really. How attentive are such rounds chanted in this manner?
I suppose another classic is driving while chanting on a clicker. Either one gives full attention to one's driving at the risk of being inattentive to one's chanting, or one gives full attention to one's chanting at the risk of injuring oneself and other road users. Or is it somewhere in between? What do others have to say on this? What is inattentive chanting as compared to that chanting which has no hard and fast rules. If there are no hard and fast rules, then why is inattentiveness an offense? Otherwise, let's all be inattentive and go back to Godhead. Is it better to chant attentively on a clicker than inattentively on beads?
Your servant,
Prananatha das
© CHAKRA 2 February 2002
