Pariprashnena — Q&A Archive

In Prema Vivarta 19 a japa is defined as "soft, but barely audible chanting".

When internalized it becomes automatic continuous repetition called
"Ajapa japa: Japa without japa; the spontaneous and constant awareness of ones mantra; constant awareness of ones mantra with every breath of life." (from http://www.taracentre.com/glossary.shtml)

This was perfected by mahatmas like Akincana Krsna das Babaji in whose heartbeat the Mahamantra was ever present, as one story about him says.

See also http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japa

i have also heard some about silent japa, that it is shure that if i chant say for example silently inside my mind the air will become purified and that, there are exactly different results from the practice. howsoever, i have come to realize that loudly japa is way more beneficial, yeah sure just when the heart usually goes to bit with it.

ok, hare krsna hari bol

Why not do as the pure devotee showed us?Srila Prabhupada chanted very loudly,and can still be heard on line:sound vibrations activate all your chakras!
http://chantandbehappy.com

"Loudly or silently, everything is all right. There is no such restriction. Only thing is that we should chant very attentively, hearing the vibration very distinctly."

From a letter to Satsvarupa - March 8th, 1969

Does Srila Prabhupadas use of the word "silently" mean softly?
The words "hearing the vibration very distinctly" indicates to me that it is an audible sound vibration, whether that is loud or soft.

Haridas Thakur is known as Namaacharya Haridas. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu appeard he chanted the holy names of the lord and all that heard them became Namaacharyas. Haridas Thakur was empowerd to set the perfect example of surrender to the holy name. His faith and devotion to the chanting of the holy name is unparrelled. He has said that simply by chanting the Hare Krsna maha-mantra, one can become free from all misery.He has shown us that those who are actually servants of Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu must seriously distribute this chanting all over the world to render the greatest benefit to human society. Of course, animals and other lower species are not capable of understanding the science of Krsna, but if even a small number of living beings take it seriously, by their chanting loudly, all living entities, including even trees, animals and other lower species, will be benefited. When Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu inquired from Haridasa Thakura how he was to benefit living entities other than humans, Srila Haridasa Thakura replied that the Hare Krsna maha-mantra is so potent that if it is chanted loudly, everyone will benefit, including the lower species of life.

So, let us all chant loudly is circumstance permits.

Haribol. your servant, janhava dd @ buffalo, ny

From uc0u346 ru299 Caitanya-bhu257 gavata, u256 di-khau7751 u7693 a - Chapter 16 - The Glories of u346 ru299 Haridu257 sa u7788 hu257 kura

Haridu257 sa was particularly aggrieved to see the people'92s lack of interest in the process of devotional service. In spite of this, Haridu257 sa continued to loudly chant the holy names of the Lord. The most sinful miscreants were even unable to hear this loud chanting.

In this regard, there was one impious bru257 hmau7751 a that lived in the village of Harinadu299 . He once angrily said to Haridu257 sa. '93O Haridu257 sa, what is this behavior? Why are you are loudly chanting the names of the Lord? The injunction is that one should chant in his mind. Which scripture says that one should chant loudly? Who has taught you to chant the name of Hari loudly? Please give your explanation before this assembly of learned scholars.'94

Haridu257 sa said, '93You all know the glories of Lord Hari'92s holy names. Therefore I have simply repeated and will repeat whatever I have heard from you. If one chants loudly, he gets one hundred times more benefit. The scriptures never condemn loud chanting, rather they glorify it. '91If one loudly chants the holy names of the Lord, he obtains one hundred times more benefit than by chanting softly or remembering the holy names.'92'94

The atheistic bru257 hmau7751 a said, '93How does one get one hundred times more benefit by loud chanting?'94

Haridu257 sa replied, '93My dear sir, listen to the verdict of the Vedas and u346 ru299 mad Bhu257 gavatam in this regard.'94

Haridu257 sa then revealed the purport of all the scriptures as he began his explanation in the ecstasy of Ku7771 u7779 u7751 a consciousness. '93Listen, dear bru257 hmau7751 a. If even animals, birds, or insects hear the holy names from the mouth of a pure devotee, they will go to Vaikuu7751 u7789 ha. Anyone who chants Your name purifies all who hear his chanting, as well as himself. How much more beneficial, then, is the touch of Your lotus feet? [SB 10.34.17] If one silently chants the names of Ku7771 u7779 u7751 a, then he is delivered; but if one loudly chants, then he delivers others also. Therefore the scriptures say that one gets a hundred times more benefit by chanting loudly."

"One who loudly chants the holy names of the Lord is a hundred times greater than one who silently chants, because those who chant silently purify only themselves, while those who chant loudly purify themselves as well as those who hear them.'92 [This verse was spoken by Prahlu257 da Mahu257 ru257 ja in the Nu257 radu299 ya Puru257 u7751 a.] The Puru257 u7751 as say that a person who chants the Lord'92s name loudly is a hundred times more pious that the person who chants to himself."

"O bru257 hmau7751 a, listen carefully to the reason behind this. One who softly chants the holy names liberates only himself. One who loudly chants the names of Govinda, however, liberates himself along with all living entities who hear him. Although all living entities have a tongue, only the human beings are able to chant the names of Ku7771 u7779 u7751 a. Tell me, what is wrong with that activity by which living entities who have taken useless births will be delivered? One person may maintain himself, while another may maintain a thousand people. Of the two, consider carefully who is better. This is the superior characteristic of loud chanting.'94

After hearing the words of Haridu257 sa, the bru257 hmau7751 a began to angrily blaspheme him. '93Now even Haridu257 sa has become a philosopher! I can see that Vedic culture is being destroyed by the course of time. It is stated that u347 u363 dras will explain the Vedas at the end of Kali-yuga. But why only at the end of the age? We can see it happening even now. This is how you advertise yourself, so you can eat nicely at other'92s houses. If the explanation that you have made is not true, then I will cut off your nose and ears.'94

Hearing the words of that sinful bru257 hmau7751 a, Haridu257 sa smiled and chanted the name of Hari. He did not speak further to that atheistic bru257 hmau7751 a, but left immediately while loudly chanting the holy names.

The sinful members of that assembly were all wicked-minded. They neither supported the authorized statements of Haridu257 sa nor did they protest the offensive words of the bru257 hmau7751 a. They were bru257 hmau7751 as only in name. Actually they were all demons, fit to be punished by Yamaru257 ja.

'93In Kali-yuga, demons will take birth in the families of bru257 hmau7751 as to harass those rare persons who are conversant with the Vedic way of life.'94 [This verse was spoken by Lord u346 iva in the Varu257 ha Puru257 u7751 a.]

Within a few days, that wretched bru257 hmau7751 a was attacked by smallpox and as a result his nose melted away and fell off.

The punishment he had proposed for Haridu257 sa u7788 hu257 kura was awarded to himself by Ku7771 u7779 u7751 a.

Aggrieved to see the entire world absorbed in sense gratification, Haridu257 sa would sigh deeply as he chanted the name of Ku7771 u7779 u7751 a. After a few days Haridu257 sa went to Navadvu299 pa with a desire to associate with the Vaiu7779 u7751 avas there.

japa-kartuc0u257 haite ucca-sau7749 ku299 rtana-ku257 ru299
u347 ata-guu7751 a adhika se puru257 u7751 ete dhari

'93The Puru257 u7751 as say that a person who chants the Lord'92s name loudly is a hundred times more pious that the person who chants to himself."

chanting silently is a great way to catch up on sleep!! especially right after mangal arati. I remember back in the Srila Bhaktipada days, many in the temple room would fall into deep "silent meditation."

I heard that Srila Haridas Thakura chanted half of his rounds in the mind, silently. Is there a quote somewhere or is a myth?

Bombay Nov 10, 1970

Prabhupuc0u257 da: We chant Hare Ku7771 u7779 u7751 a. It may not be melodious but we chant Hare Ku7771 u7779 u7751 a.

(Indian man starts singing Hare Ku7771 u7779 u7751 a mantra, coughs and stops) All right, dont take now(?). You want water? Eh? Give this glass. Come on. [break] ...nu257 maiva eva kevalam kalau nu257 sty eva nu257 sty eva nu257 sty eva. There is no mention that it should be chanted lowly. So how you can say it is gupta? It is not gupta.

Guest: (indistinct)

Prabhupu257 da: This is also Puru257 u7751 a says. Especially it is harer nu257 ma [Cc. u256 di 17.21], not gupta. That is in the Kali-yuga it should be openly chanted and we have to follow our predecessor, Haridu257 sa u7788 hu257 kura, nu257 mu257 cu257 rya.

Guest: (indistinct)

Prabhupu257 da: [break] When we chant, when we utter the bu299 ja mantra that we utter loudly. That is required. That is japa. So this mantra is mahu257 mantra and it should be chanted loudly, or as you like. There is no such restriction. Niyamitau7717 smarau7751 e na ku257 lau7717 . Nu257 mnu257 m aku257 ri bahudhu257 nija-sarva-u347 aktis tatru257 rpitu257 niyamitau7717 smarau7751 e na ku257 lau7717 . (Hindi) And we have to follow the great personalities. Haridu257 sa u7788 hu257 kura, he was chanting very loudly; Caitanya Mahu257 prabhu chanted very loudly. So what more evidence you want? My Guru Mahu257 ru257 ja chanted loudly, we are chanting loudly. Whole business finished. (chuckles) Is that all right? Eh?

Guest: (indistinct)

Prabhupu257 da: Our process is very easy. We have to see whether my Guru Mahu257 ru257 ja, his Guru Mahu257 ru257 ja has followed this. Then there will be no more doubt. Evau7745 paramparu257 -pru257 ptam [Bg. 4.2]. We receive things by paramparu257 system. Mahu257 jano yena gatau7717 . Su257 dhu mu257 rgu257 nu-gamanam. We have to follow the footsteps of su257 dhu.

Guest: (indistinct)

Prabhupu257 da: Even if I am not well conversant with the Vedas and Puru257 u7751 as, if I see that my spiritual master is doing that, thats sufficient.