Pariprashnena — Q&A Archive

I guess its question that you may ask yourself if you plan on going beyond the minimum 16 rounds....1 lakh of inattentive and bad quality chanting wont be as purifying or beneficial as 16 rounds of good quality Japa....seems to me its not about 1 lakh, its about how well we chant.

Thanks, rasa108.

How does it come to be outside those instructions? He ever said we should NOT try to do more than 16 rounds? Never heard that, I am sorry. My understanding was that 16 rounds was an absolute minimum, ever since I read Gita when I was in my teens. I think 1 lakh is exactly in line with Prabhupada. And although you got the point, you can use this way of thinking, for instance, to reduce round-requirement for harinama initiation as practiced in Narayana Maharajas camp.

When did the 16-round requirement first come up? Wasnt it back at the time of the first initiations in NY? I think that disciples at that time were hardly prepared to take up more than 16 a day, so SP encouraged them by allowing 16 rounds. And I also think that since that time ISKCON should have become more serious and start to promote and encourage 20, 30 or 40-round sadhana. Reaching 64 in case of sannyasis.

I can only agree with you that this is about HOW we chant. But for me this does not conflict with the 1 lakh idea. My current experience is that every round makes my japa improve. And when I hit 16 it is exactly when I become attentive enough and do not want to stop anymore. For me 16 count is THE start. So what I really seek is the ecouragement to reach maybe 32 rounds, keeping the dream of doing 64 one day. I am not seeking excuses in order to stop when I hit 16, I have plenty of those (can share some). Now that I live far away from the temple or devotee community, japa is the main practice that is available for me.

Things tend to deteriorate, but you have to remember that Mahaprabhu required 1 lakh. Unless you preach like simha-guru there is no good reason not to chant more than 16.

Cheers.

Gadadhara, yes I agree that its 16 minimum (more than that if you have the time)....actually if we chant 16 rounds very seriously then we will feel like chanting all day (we will get a taste and become addicted) in our minds or out loud by singing etc....I would say for a large majority of devotees 64 would be impractical - depending on your daily activities, some devotees have jobs or a full day of service....definitely quality is king :-)

I guess you can do it at a weekend only, i know I can not do it. Prabhupada would give sometimes babaji initiation, and his instruction was just chant, dont do anything else... to them.

It is wrong to think that you should [b]not[/b] do it because Prabhupada said 16, he did not. I would not imagine him asking [b]a working man[/b] to do it... some of his followers do chant that much, nothing wrong with it and you are not outside of his instrucitons, he confirmed it by many times correcting the initiates, "[b]not 16 rounds, at least 16"

Yes, for a working man like myself max 6 hours are available. But I must dedicate time to kids and wife too. I guess I simply feel encouraged by having this ideal goal of one lakh a day and meditating upon it. Not that I seriously plan to make it my daily sadhana before I am retired. But doing it on the weekends is a good idea, thanks.

Any practical experience? Reducing time and what it takes? How do you achieve uninterrupted attention? How do you train your attention? Some training practices/guidelines must exist. For example, when I was getting training on simultaneous translation we used to develop certain skills to move attention from hearing to speaking. Its like training your body, so I guess the same is existing to train to focus on hearing only.

CCD....the point is quality, if youre able to chant more than 16 rounds that is good but the quality has to be there....better 16 good quality rounds than 1 lakh of inattentive bad quality rounds.

Gadadhara: You are right about hearing, its the advice that Srila Prabhupada gave us:

"Chanting japa should be done early in the morning with full concentration preferably during the Brahma Muhurta time. Concentrate fully on the sound vibration of the mantra, pronouncing each name distinctly and gradually your speed in chanting will increase naturally.
Do not worry so much about chanting fast, most important is the hearing." Srila Prabhupada 6/1/72

Thanks, Rasa. It is not as easy as it reads in the quotation that you gave. For someone who had no purificatory samskaras starting from garbhadhana to fully concentrate is not a simple thing to do. So how do you improve your quality? I mean how do you train yourself to stay focused?

I guess this may not be due to your mental efforts only (cannot be). Can you talk about that? Practical experiece and advise?

[quote][cite] Gadadhara dasa:[/cite]For someone who had no purificatory samskaras starting from garbhadhana to fully concentrate is not a simple thing to do. So how do you improve your quality? I mean how do you train yourself to stay focused?[/quote]
Everyones mind is disturbed and distracted in Kali yuga - all we need to do is surrender to the instructions given by Srila Prabhupada....just try it and see....if you concentrate fully on the sound vibration of the Holy names, then your mind will automatically be controlled and focused - the quality of your Japa will increase....the proof is in the pudding - just try it and find out for yourself. I know myself that when I am hearing properly (and not just listening to a sound in the background like a CD) then my mind is automatically controlled and the effects of the Holy names are more easily felt. Here is another quote in relation to the wandering mind:

Devotee: "Srila Prabhup'e4da, its very difficult to control my mind when I chant. It wanders."

Srila Prabhup'e4da: "So what is the controlling of mind? You have to chant and hear. That is all. You have to chant with your tongue, and the sound you hear. What is the question of mind?"

Thats exactly the problem, the trying to concentrate fully in the sound vibration. The mind does not get automatically controlled. Rather, it takes some subtle and huge efforts. The "simply hear the vibration" thing is not so simple.

I noticed that "overchanting" is good. Once I did 16, I am not obliged anymore so I start to do real japa instead of doing rounds. Also, 16 rounds is a pretty easy thing to do. I can do it any time, no big effort. But when I set the goal to reach 30, now this is serious! Now I have to find time and chant attentively.

[quote][cite] Gadadhara dasa:[/cite]Thats exactly the problem, the trying to concentrate fully in the sound vibration. The mind does not get automatically controlled. Rather, it takes some subtle and huge efforts. The "simply hear the vibration" thing is not so simple.[/quote]
Its not my experience....by hearing the sound vibration, the mind comes under control as stated by Srila Prabhupada....all our rounds should be attentive not just those beyond 16.

[quote][cite] rasa108:[/cite]CCD....the point is quality, if youre able to chant more than 16 rounds that is good but the quality has to be there....better 16 good quality rounds than 1 lakh of inattentive bad quality rounds.[/quote] I will be very interested to find a good few quotes from Prabhupada saying that quantity is not the quality. Is there such a difference in his instructions?

LOL ccd.....anyone have a quote from Srila Prabhupada that says quantity is more important than quality?

Therefore in this Kuc0u7771 u7779 u7751 a consciousness movement we request the devotees to chant at least sixteen rounds on their beads daily. Actually one has to chant twenty-four hours daily, just like u7788 hu257 kura Haridu257 sa, who was chanting the Hare Ku7771 u7779 u7751 a mantra three hundred thousand times daily. Indeed, he had no other business. Some of the Gosvu257 mu299 s, like Raghunu257 tha du257 sa Gosvu257 mu299 , were also chanting very rigidly and also offering obeisances very rigidly. As stated in u346 ru299 nivu257 su257 cu257 ryas prayer to the six Gosvu257 mu299 s (u7778 au7693 -gosvu257 my-au7779 u7789 aka): sau7749 khyu257 -pu363 rvaka-nu257 ma-gu257 na-natibhiu7717 ku257 lu257 vasu257 nu299 -ku7771 tau. The word sau7749 khyu257 -pu363 rvaka means "maintaining a numerical strength." SB 4.24.70 Purp

'93sau7749 khyu257 -nu257 ma-sau7749 ku299 rtana'97ei '91mahu257 -yaj'f1a'92 manye
tu257 hu257 te du299 ku7779 ita u257 mi ha-i prati-dine
SYNONYMS
sau7749 khyu257 -nu257 ma-sau7749 ku299 rtana'97numerical chanting of the holy name; ei'97this; mahu257 -yaj'f1a'97great sacrifice; manye'97I have vowed; tu257 hu257 te du299 ku7779 ita'97initiated in that; u257 mi'97I; ha-i'97am; prati-dine'97every day.
TRANSLATION
'93I have been initiated into a vow to perform a great sacrifice by chanting the holy name a certain number of times every day. CC Adi 3.240

Where did he ever mention quality of chanting that is not about avoiding offenses and keeping up association of devotees? Did he ever state anything to the effect that "a point is quality, if youre able to chant more than 16 rounds that is good but the quality has to be there" - what quality?

To add to the point of ccd: I have a poor imagination power, so I cannot imagine poor quality 1 lakh japa, I am sorry. When it comes to this huge quota of japa, or even double the 16 round commitment, you have to surrender to Nama. Otherwise I bet you will throw your rosary against the wall at the end of 64 inattentive rounds. So my belief is that when you seriously improve the quantity, the quality (concentration) improves also; the two become one. With 16 rounds, however, it is easy to keep quantity and quality at the different corners of the room.

There is a huge gap between hearing and listening and my bridge is quantity. I am glad that your experience, Rasa, is so different from mine and you dont have the same issue as I do, really. So my real question to you is How do you do it? How do you concentrate and stay attentive from 1 through 16? Can you share the big secret?

I dont say that I can do this all the time but sometimes it happens if I try hard....when I am able (by conscious effort) to hear and pronounce the Holy names properly (as per Srila Prabhupadas instruction from the previous quotes in this thread), then it becomes easier to chant attentive rounds and the mind is more easily controlled....no secret really.

Your mind can convince you that you can sometimes chant attentively, but that is just another trick from your ego.

What does mean "attentive"?

My experience is that you chant to continue and better your service, the rest, attention, inattention is very basic, easy to understand. Just a few common sense tips. No need for "specialists" or lengthy posts and entire websites about how to improve the "quality", etc.

That is why you do not find instructions on that from Srila Prabhupada, just chant with your mouth and hear and engage in service. Easy enough process if you are a follower.

Focusing too much in your performance is just another egotistic trip, this time veeeery "spiritual".

Very nice website for those who are serious about chanting Japa:

http://www.bhagavatlife.com

Mahatma dasa and Giriraja Swami along with others are running very important Japa retreat/workshops....lets all give attention to this most important aspect of our spiritual lives.

[quote][cite] mishra:[/cite]My experience is that you chant to continue and better your service, the rest, attention, inattention is very basic, easy to understand. Just a few common sense tips. No need for "specialists" or lengthy posts and entire websites about how to improve the "quality", etc. [/quote]
Oh yes I agree with you mishra....no need to talk about inattention....mmm but its one of the offenses is it not? Maybe we do need to talk about it then. Maybe its the reason there are very successful and well attended Japa retreats and workshops conducted around the world....Jayapataka Maharaja started doing them many many years ago and the devotees were always appreciative of that....we cant fix what we dont acknowledge mishra.

inatention is what it is, no need to fill ego trip volumes about it.

about the website you quote, yes, very nice "new age" style.

that only confirms my comment about the "specialists" blunder. Nothing to do with the simple method Srila Prabhupada gave us. But that DOES attract egotistic elite.

from the website:

::::::::
Price:
Early Fee if you register by August 10, 2008: $595 per person

Late Fee if you register from August 11th till August 31st, 2008: $695 per person
:::::::::

looks like only people with those $$$ will be able to pass the concocted "stages"... oh wait, they deserve because their karma... :(

>we cant fix what we dont acknowledge mishra.
It is your good self that says you are getting sometimes "attentive rounds", sort of auto propaganda for your japa cult. I do acknowledge my inattention, just I do not make a show out of it.
And no, I do not believe in popular makes it right (referring to "well attended seminars, etc, famous personalities, etc argument)

>mishra: "Inattention is what it is"
Please enlighten us about this, what is it exactly? and why is it an offense? If its so easy to understand, how come we continue to do it?

Actually the so called "specialists" constantly quote Srila Prabhupada about the simple aspects of chanting that we tend to forget about....the simple, easy to understand aspects that we overlook because our false egos (yes mishra, you also have one)....the false ego that wont let us admit that we cant grasp even the most simple of guidelines like avoiding inattention, proper hearing and pronouncing and the importance of actually doing something about it....hence the need for us to acknowledge that we all need to improve our Japa (unless of course you are a pure devotee, free from false ego).

>It is your good self that says you are getting sometimes "attentive rounds", sort of auto propaganda for your japa cult. I do acknowledge my inattention, just I do not make >a show out of it.

Ah mishra this is great that you acknowledge your inattention, very inspiring...so share with us what you are doing to remedy that? I dont agree with charging for Japa workshops which is the reason I started the Japa Group and Japa Room, but at least there is some support for those who want to improve....all glories to the Japa cult!!

do not agree with the japa charges style? why you put their link and say "Very nice website for those who are serious about chanting Japa", then?

Do I have to share with the world my internal japa struggling? What for, so that "experts" come and save me from inattention? No, thanks.

I prefer to use the bulk of my time to spread the positive message of Srila Prabhupada, and on the negative side, denounce internal philosophical misconceptions and educate about those huge mistakes that had made our movement a laughing stock.

I share intimately with whom I consider and in the meantime I will stay away from "professional" advisers.

You dont have to share anything with the world mishra, but if you let us know how you are overcoming your inattention, then this may inspire others to do the same....its the whole idea of association I believe....to help and inspire each other to make advancement.

[quote][cite]
::::::::
Price:
Early Fee if you register by August 10, 2008: $595 per person

Late Fee if you register from August 11th till August 31st, 2008: $695 per person
:::::::::
:([/quote]
wow, that is just too much.

When chanting japa I often think of distributing Srila Prabhupadas books and it makes me choke up and cry almost every time. Then my chanting becomes very nice.

As a result Im trying to overcome my shyness to go out and actually get people to read these books. On Wednesday I got my first cases from the BBT, and yesterday I distributed my first two books from them to the hot dog salesman in the parking lot of our office building.

Nice story Pandu, thanks for sharing this.

When I chant rounds in the temple after the morning program it inspires me to chant better when I see other devotees chant their rounds intently.
It also inspires me when I see devotees falling asleep or just mumbling the mantras because it makes me think about the quality of my own chanting.
Chanting with others is usually better than chanting alone.

[quote][cite] Kula-pavana:[/cite]When I chant rounds in the temple after the morning program it inspires me to chant better when I see other devotees chant their rounds intently. It also inspires me when I see devotees falling asleep or just mumbling the mantras because it makes me think about the quality of my own chanting.
Chanting with others is usually better than chanting alone.[/quote]
Absolutely agree with you Kula-pavana....association can affect how we chant our Japa in a positive way and also others may show us what we should avoid so that we can improve and become purified from the Holy names. The original question poses a very interesting point, should be just chant as many rounds as we can and hope for the best? or should we try to improve the quality of our Japa AND chant as many rounds as we can....seems to me both are required.

Kula-pavana: Chanting with others is usually better than chanting alone.

That is usually better for you, right? You cant say for all. I chanted in a small crowdy temple room for 4 years. Now I know that chanting alone is better for me than chanting in a crowdy holy place.

Rasa108, the original question was how to do one lakh and improve attention. There seemed to be an answer that 1 lakh was impractical. No one said he is doing 25 or 32 rounds a day and I assume not many do it, so I think I read excuses how not to chant 1 lakh. Perhaps I should seek encouragement somewhere else. The second answer was that one needed to improve "service" and association and then good japa would come. Also, do not focus on performance, this is a trick of your ego. What if my only service is focusing and trying to keep my attention? What if I serve Nama in this way? Is that a trick too? Can the "improve your service and association and attention will come by Krishnas mercy" be just another trick to find an excuse for your inattention?

[quote][cite] Gadadhara dasa:[/cite]Kula-pavana: Chanting with others is usually better than chanting alone.

That is usually better for you, right? You cant say for all. I chanted in a small crowdy temple room for 4 years. Now I know that chanting alone is better for me than chanting in a crowdy holy place.
[/quote]

A lot of devotees I know see it that way. Even when I lived in a temple full time I liked chanting with others (even as it was hard sometimes). Perhaps I see it that way because I mostly chant by myself now? Once a week I participate in a full morning program and I find it very inspiring to be able to chant with other devotees. But I can see how chanting your rounds in a small and crowded temple room would be hard. That is why I said "usually". The middle way is usually the best! ;)

Definitely whats best for you is best....whatever it takes to be able to concentrate on the sound of the Holy names.

Gadadhara, I think you can and should look for encouragement somewhere else. The practical solution is two-fold: Find devotees who do that and do it with them, second gradually increase your quota. You obviously will not be able to do much more. Ideally you would have a guru who will lead you in the process of such increase. I know some devotees who do it, but they do not blog on the web, so yeah look for it somewhere else...

Thanks for the two practical pieces of advise, I will keep it to my heart. The problem is that they are not easy to find. Another problem (or maybe not a problem at all) that the ones who I found and who do it are out of Bhaktisiddhantas lineage. Thanks again.

[quote][cite] Gadadhara dasa:[/cite]Another problem (or maybe not a problem at all) that the ones who I found and who do it are out of Bhaktisiddhantas lineage.[/quote]

Do not worry about the lineage. Worry about purity. If they inspire you in spiritual life you should take up their sanga. Best of luck to you.

Silent meditation on the hare krishna mantra is practised in the gaudiya vaisnava tradition. Japa it is when the recitation of the mantra is not (completely) silent. The big problem here is that if one cannot keep the mind steady on he hare krishna mantra when saying it loud, it impossible to meditate silently. At least it is possible with japa, even if the mind is wondering.

The bare minimum is to make sure that it is the hare-krishna mantra that one is recitating, and not any other mantra, and not leaving out or adding any part. If you walk in the temple room and listen to others chanting, you will hear that many have problems with even that. 16 rounds of some mantra that is similar to the hare krishna mantra, but is not it, makes for very slow advancement.

If loud japa is not appropriate due to circumstances one can wisper it quietly only for oneself. But then of course, it is not possible to hear oneself, to check what mantra it actually is.

Start with loud japa, make sure that is is the hare krishna mantra, and not any other mantra. When one is sure about always always chanting the hare krishna mantra, one can try with silent japa, and (much) later inner meditation on the hare krishna mantra. After having chanted (japa) the hare krishna mantra for many years, one find that inner meditation on the hare krishna mantra goes relatively easy.

There is a lot of practice, but there is no competition with others. There more one practise the nearer one comes to the state when uttering Krishnas name invokes blissful feelings. It does not come from the total number of rounds chanted, but how much attachment one have acquired for the hare krishna mantra.

Thanks, Prishni dasi. Interesting and valuable.
Are you Russian/Ukranian or CIS? Privet, then.
What do you mean by "inner meditation"? Manasika is already inner, is it not? Do you refer to smarana process?

Kula-pavana, thanks for your kind wishes. It seems I found some. Out of Bhaktisiddhantas line, outside of Russia, intellegent, inspiring and enthusing. Now I have to check out purity. Russian babas still seem to be under cover doing bhajan in forests all the time. I love associating with Russian ISKCON devotees, but I cannot but notice that an overdosage of this makes my japa drop in quality and quantity, I do not know why.

CCD, you are right: they hardly hang around the web due to obvious lack of time. I said goodbye to one-eyed guru, now I have to say goodbye to my ISP.

just chant one attentive mantra!!!
forget about laks...

if you just do it, inattention will no longer be a problem.
divide your day up if you want. do a chunk in the morning, a few rounds later, and some later still. dont get hung up about it.
the head pujari in new delhi used to do a lakh and he had a family. very humble.

Lord Chaitanya And The Acharyas On 64 Rounds

The perfection of life is to get the degree of laksesvara from Lord
Chaitanya those who dont chant 100,000 names daily will develop
material desires and become incapable of serving even the most
merciful & liberal incarnation of the Lord according to Shrila
Sarasvati Thakura.

shri chaitanya-bhagavate

(1) prabhu bale,-"jana, laksesvara bali kare?
prati-dina laksa-nama ye grahana kare"

In the Chaitanya-bhagavata Madhya Khanda 9.121-122, Lord Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu instructed us on whose worship and service He will accept:

"Do you know who is a laksesvara? He is someone who chants one laksa,
or one hundred thousand holy names (sixty-four rounds of the Hare
Krishna maha-mantra) everyday."

NOTE: THE FOLLOWING ARE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PURPORTS (IMHO) OF
SRILA SARASVATI THAKURA IN ALL HIS GAUDIYA BHASYAS SINCE IT HAS BEEN
INCLUDED IN HIS FINAL UPADESHAVALI. THAT IS WHY THE ORIGINAL BENGALI
IS INCLUDED.]

PURPORT:

shri gaurasundera balibena - "jini pratidina laksanama grahana
karibena, tanharai grhe bhagavan sevita hana."

Shri Gaurasundara spoke as follows - "The Supreme Personality of
Godhead accepts service only in the home of those who chant one
hundred thousand names daily.

bhagavan tanharai nikate bhoga-dravyadi grahana karena.

"The Lord accepts bhoga (foodstuffs) and other ingredients only from
such personalities.

jini laksanama grahana karena na, tahara nikate haite bhagavan
naivedya svikara-dvara seva-saubhagya pradana karena na.

"Those who dont chant one hundred thousand names daily, are never
awarded the great fortune of rendering service to the Lord by
offering Him naivedya (bhoga). This is because never accepts
(svikara) their offerings."

bhagavad-bhakta matrei pratyaha laksa-nama grahana karibena natuva
vividha visaye asakta haiya bhagavad-seva karite asamartha haibena.

The Lord continued - "Those who consider themselves devotees of the
Lord must compulsorily chant 100,000 names everyday otherwise they
will gradually but surely become attached to varieties of sense-
objects and thus become incapable to rendering any kind of service to
the Lord."

tajjanyai shri chaitanyadevera ashrita sakalai nyunkalpe laksanama
grahana kariya thakena. natuva gaurasunderera udesya pradatta
naivedya tini grahana karibena na.

(Shrila Sarasvati Thakura continues) Therefore all the devotees who
have taken shelter of Lord Chaitanyadeva perform the chanting of
100,000 names of Krishna daily as their first and primary duty. Because
they know that if they dont do so then Lord Gaurasundera will never
accept the very bhoga (naivedya) which they will cook for Him daily.

(2) "se janera nama ami bali laksesvara tatha bhiksa amara, na yai
anya ghara"

"I call such a person a laksesvara. I only accept meals in that
persons house. I never go anywhere else."

PURPORT BY SRILA SARASVATI THAKURA:

shri chaitanya bhaktagana abhaktera sahita sambhasana karena na. jini
bhaktivyatita karma, jnana o anyabhilasara kathaya pradatta tahara
sahita bandhutva karibe na.

The devotees of Lord Shri Chaitanya never talk with such non-devotees.
They never do friendship with those who are engaged in the
cultivation of karma,jnana or other desires which are devoid of
bhakti.

[Note: Shrila Sarasvati Thakura indicates that those who do not chant
laksa-nama daily get engaged in karma,jnana, material desires and
gradually become non-devotees. The next line is even more clear.]

pratyah laksa-nama grahana na karile patita vyaktiganera visaya-bhoga
pravrtti vrddhi paya; takhana ara tahara shri gaurasunderarera seva
karite pare na.

Those who dont accept this vow of chanting 100,000 names daily, they
fallen down even more although they were fallen in the first place
(due to contamination of Kali-yuga). Thus their propensity for
enjoying the senses and sense-objects increases and ultimately they
are not able to render any kind of service to Lord Gaurasundera.

[Note: Shrila Sarasvati has conclusively established here that those
who dont chant laksa-nama daily are absolutely sure to fall down
even from the service of the merciful Lord Gaurasundera in due course
of time. Then what to speak of rendering service to Their Lordships
Radha & Krishna]

laksesvara vyatita gaura-bhaktira adarsa gaudiyajana kehai svikara
karena na.

That is the precise reason why the real Gaudiya-bhaktas do not accept
any other ideal (adarsa) in Gaura-bhakti except the process of
chanting 100,000 names daily.

adhapatita va adhapete gana eka-matra bhajana-sabda-vacya shri-nama-
bhajane vimukhata-vasata laksa-nama grahana karibara parivarte
anyabhajanera chalana korena, taddvara tahadera kona mangala haya na.

Those spiritual aspirants who are already fallen or will fall in the
future are averse to this sole means of deliverance called nama-
bhajana which is also the worship of the sound incarnation of God in
the form of chanting 100,000 names daily. Coming under the sway of
their averseness to chant laksa-nama daily, they duplicitously invent
other means of devotional service to justify their not chanting laksa-
nama but it is to be understood that by this action they will not
achieve anything auspicious in their life.

[Note: This final statement is so crystal clear, straight and
conclusive.]

(3) prabhu bole,-"kahilan ei mahamantra; iha japa giya sabe koriya
nirbandha."

In Shri Chaitanya-bhagavata Madhya Khanda 23.77, Lord Chaitanya
Mahaprabhu instructed all the people of Navadvipa:

"Please hear this Hare Krishna maha-mantra. Everyone please chant
this maha-mantra daily in nirbandha* . Then one will surely achieve
all perfection.

[*Thakura Bhaktivinoda explains in his book Hari-nama-cintamani that

caribara mala phirile eka grantha haya.

eka grantha niyama kariya kramasah vrddhi karite karite 16 granthe
eka laksa nama nirbandha haibe.

One round (on mala, 108 beads) = 108 times the full Hare Krishna maha-
mantra One grantha= 4 rounds (malas)
One nirbandha = 16 granthas
= 64 rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra
= 100,000 total names of Hare, Krishna & Rama
Samasta purva mahajanagana prabhura ei adesa palana kariya
sarva-siddhi labha kariyachilena.

All the previous mahajanas (great devotees) without exception have
achieved success only through this process of chanting the Hare Krishna
maha-mantra in atleast one nirbandha (64 rounds) daily.

[Note: So according to Thakura Bhaktivinoda, Lord Chaitanya is
requesting everyone to chant atleast one nirbandha (64 rounds) of the
Hare Krishna everyday to ensure the achievement of perfection in this
harinama-sankirtana yajna in Kali-yuga.]

SRILA BHAKTISIDDHANTA SARASVATI THAKURA IN UPADESHAVALI:

22. Bhagavan will not accept anything which is offered by a person
who doesnt chant Harinama one-hundred thousand times daily and such
a person is considered a patita.

23. By sincerely endeavoring to chant Harinama without offences and
remaining fixed in chanting constantly, ones offences will fade and
pure Harinama will arise on the tongue.

Shrila Bhakti Promod Puri Goswami Maharaja about his guru Om Vishnupada
Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Prabhupada:

"Unfailingly as a daily vow, he used to chant one lakh Names of the
Lord (64 rounds) and his instruction to all his disciples was to do
likewise. Keeping this vow intact, he would allot his times
incredibly to cover all his preaching schedules and literary work,
being a source of inspiration to all who came in contact with him."

Those who have chanted laksa hari-nama for fifteen or twenty years
should know such things (rasa-sastra). The beginners need not hear
these topics or they will misunderstand. (Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta
Sarasvati Thakura, From an article in The Gaudiya, 1934)

SRILA BHAKTIVINODA THAKURA

Sadhu-vrtti, Sajjana Tosani 11/12:

tinei sad-grhastha -- jini pratyah laksa-nama grahana karena, tanhara
grhei suddha-vaishnavagana prasada grahana karibena

Only those devotees are sad-grhasthas who chant 100,000 names of
Krishna daily. And the pure devotees should accept prasada only in the
homes of these sad-grhasthas.

[Note: Since Lord Chaitanya accepts the bhoga of only those grhasthas
who chant 100,000 names daily, thus pure devotees should accept
prasada only in the homes of such grhasthas.]

mane habe-aja laksa nama ye kariba
krame krame tina laksa nama ye smariba
mahagraha habe citta namera samkhyaya
acire yabe jadya sadhura krpaya

In the Hari-nama-cintamani it is said:

"When ones mind desires to chant and remember one hundred thousand
holy names (64 rounds) daily and furthur desires to slowly increase
it to three hundred thousand and when my mind becomes very attached
and eager to complete the fixed number of rounds (sankhya) and pushes
me to complete the sankhya everday, then it is understood that very
soon the laziness or apathy in chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra
will vanish by the mercy of the sadhus and my chanting will bring me
the desired fruit of pure love for Krishna."

In Bhajana-pranali, Hari-nama-cintamani it is said:

Samkhya koriya tulasira malaya namasnarana ba kirtanai upasana. Sei
upasana-kramai sakala labhera mula. Sutaranga prathame atyalpakala
nirjjane ekagra haiya nama koribe. Krame namasamkhya vrddhi korite
korite namanusilanera nairantarjya evam visaya-pratibaddhakera ksaya
avasya haibe.

The upasana or the method of worship to achieve prema is to chant and
remember the name of Krishna on tulasi beads. This worship gradually
becomes the root cause for all auspicious achievements. That is why
in the beginning one should sit down in a solitary place for a very
short period and chant the name with concentration. Gradually one
should increase the number of rounds (as given in the above verse).
Then gradually the cultivation of the name will become continuous
then all the obstacles and material desires will be destroyed.

[Note: As per the above statement by Thakura Bhaktivinoda it is clear
that without gradually increasing the chanting upto the point of
chanting continuously (atleast 64 rounds), the obstacles on our
spiritual path will never be removed.]

In the Jaiva-dharma all the babajis chant 200,000 names daily. Then
they read the scriptures and preach to whoever comes to meet them.
Advaita das babaji experiences purification of heart and freedom from
anarthas after chanting 200,000 names 3 to 4 years in Navadvipa-dhama
in the association of pure devotees. Haridas babaji tells Nityananda
das that he has just crossed the kanishtha platform and entered the
madhyama paltform after he had chanted 64 rounds for many many years.

SRILA JAGANNATHA DASA BABAJI

The main teaching of Shrila Jagannatha dasa babaji:

"If you want to achieve perfection in Krishna consciousness, you must
take a vow to chant a minimum of two hundred thousand or otherwise
one hundred thousand of holy names every day, and you must execute
that without fail.

Before you retire at night you must finish this specific number of
rounds, then you can achieve perfection in Krishna consciousness."

SRILA LOKANATHA GOSWAMI TO SRILA NAROTTAMA

Prema-vilasa: Chapter 11

(Note: Both Shrila Prabhupada and Shrila Sarasvati Thakura have
accepted Prema-vilasa as bonafide in their commentaries to Cc Adi
13.60 purp.)

je vaishnava haibe laibe harinama
sankhya kari nama laile krpa karena gauradhama

"Those who are Vaishnavas must chant the names of Krishna in a
particular number everyday. Then Lord Gaura, the supreme abode of
love will be merciful to them.

WHAT IS THAT NUMBER?

purva abhipraye sabe laha harinama
keha laksa visesatah mukhe gana

"Everyone should specifically chant or sing the name loudly 1,00,000
times a day with the mood I have described earlier.

EMPOWERMENT IF:

narottama laksa nama laya sankhya kari
nama laile gaurangera sarva sakti dhari

"O my disciple, Narottama! Please chant 1,00,000 names everyday while
maintaining their count. If you chant in this way then you will
become empowered by all the potencies of Lord Gauranga.

ACHIEVE THE LOTUS FEET OF KRSNA IF:

krishna pada prapti laksa laile harinama
granthi purna haile eka karibe pranama.

"I again repeat that if you want to achieve the lotus feet of Lord
Krishna, then you have to chant 1,00,000 names daily. After chanting
four rounds (granthi) or one round, you should offer obeisances to
the Name.

Prema-vilasa Chapter 17: Shrila Narottama to Shrila Kaviraja on the
direct process to achieve love of Krishna

prabhura achaye sankhya tina laksa nama
eka laksa bhaktagane kaila krpa dana

"Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu used to Himself chant 300,000 names
everyday. But He very mercifully awarded His devotees the process of
chanting 100,000 names daily.

shri rupa kaila laksa granthera varnana
tathapiha karila laksa nama grahana

"Shrila Rupa Goswami has explained and quoted from over 100,000
different scriptures. Even though he was such a great scholar and
devotee he himself chanted 100,000 Names daily.

dasa goswamira ache laksa pramana
ei mata sarva bhakta kare harinama

"Shrila Raghunatha Das Goswami also rigidly followed the instructions
of the Lord by chanting 100,000 names daily. In this way (laksa-nama)
all the devotees chanted the holy name of Krishna.

gauranga shrimukhe rupe kahila vaisnave
laksa nama sankhya kari avasya karibe

"Lord Gauranga instructed the Vaishnavas and Shrila Rupa Himself that
please compulsorily chant 100,000 names of Krishna daily.

SRILA NAROTTAMA & HIS FOLLOWERS

yakhana avasara takhana layena harinama
eimata laksa sankhya achaye pramana

Whenever they used to get an opportunity all of them used to chant
Hare Krishna. In this way they used to complete the chanting of 100,000
names daily.

Chapter 18: Narottama instructs his disciples

adhanya manaye narottama apanake
suna sisya bandhugana kahiye tomake

Shrila Thakura Narottama considering himself worthless in his natural
humility, called all his disciples, followers and friends, and spoke
to them in the following important instructions.

MOST IMPORTANT & FINAL INSTRUCTION:

prathamei krishnapada prapti laksa jara
se laiba laksa-nama sankhya apanara

"Those whose top priority in life is to achieve the lotus feet of
Krishna should voluntarily chant 100,000 names of Krishna daily."

QUEEN RUPAMALA

Narottama Vilasa 10th Vilasa:

Rupamala, the queen of a distant country became so happy on getting
initiation from Shrila Narottama dasa Thakura that she sweared to take
one hundred thousand Harinama (64 rounds of the Hare Krishna maha-
mantra) in a day. Seeing her determination, everyone began to sing
the glory of Shrila Narottama dasa Thakura Mahasaya.

SRILA RASIKANANDA DEVA

Shri Rasika-mangala, Eastern part, 6th Wave:

When Shri Rasikananda was a child, he did not waste time playing games
like other children. Rather, he would meditate on the maha-mantra.
His daily practice was to chant a hundred thousand names of Krishna (64
rounds). He would refuse to accept his mothers foodstuffs until he
completed his chanting.

We will end with some quotes of Shrila Prabhupada which were not
posted earlier:

120 ROUNDS

The Nectar of Devotion -- Vrndavana, October 20, 1972

"Just like we have asked our students to finish sixteen rounds
chanting minimum. Sixteen rounds is nothing. In Vrndavana there are
many devotees, they chant 120 rounds. Like that. So sixteen rounds is
the minimum. Because I know in the Western countries it is difficult
job to finish sixty-four rounds or 120 rounds, like that. Minimum
sixteen rounds. That must be finished."

MINIMUM IS 64 BUT IT HAS BEEN FURTHUR MINIMIZED

Letter to: Purusottama, Bombay, 23 October, 1973

Because we have got many duties, ...we minimized the
amount to 16 rounds, otherwise ...minimum is 64
rounds, but Western people cannot ...this. So 16
rounds must be executed.

FOR WESTERNERS

Nectar of Instruction, Verse 5:

The Krishna consciousness movement prescribes sixteen rounds daily
because people in the Western countries cannot concentrate for long
periods while chanting on beads. Therefore the minimum number of
rounds is prescribed.

However, Shrila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura used to say that
unless one chants at least sixty-four rounds of japa (one hundred
thousand names), he is considered fallen (patita). According to his
calculation, practically every one of us is fallen, but because we
are trying to serve the Supreme Lord with all seriousness and without
duplicity, we can expect the mercy of Lord Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu,
who is famous as patita-pavana, the deliverer of the fallen.

Jaya prabhus, please accept my obeisances, all glories to Srila Prabhupada.
Im trying to chant 64 rounds since last week. Until now is 3 days with success and two days with just 32/36 rounds. The tactic in my case is to rise early (3:30/4:00AM), chant at least 32 rounds, then go to work, try to chant more rounds during the day and then chant the remaining in the evening. For me, the 32 rounds on the morning are the easiest part, because the time is so calm and auspicious. The problem is to chant during the day (with all the stress and the work problems) and then chant 16 or 20 rounds more in the afternoon, when you are tired. But Im feeling really good spiritually, so I will insist on this routine. In my humble opinion, more rounds can be a really good thing to external devotees like me, that dont have the morning programs.

Ive chanted 64 rounds once, and I personally found it that its easier to concentrate on the Name the more rounds you chant throughout the day.

It took me a long time though, more than 8 hours.

Kryos, I heard a lecture from the Russian sannyasi HH Bhakti Vijnana Swami. Maharaja mentioned that the question of quality vs quantity. Maharaja stated that Bhaktivinode Thakurs reply was that the more that you chant the better you will chant.

To chant is the only effective process in your era. If you cant chant purely, the only thing you can do is to chant more, and ask for Krishnas mercy.
Just like a small child crying. If the parents dont come, the only thing the child can do is to cry more and loudly. :-)

[quote][cite] NityanandaChandra:[/cite]Kryos, I heard a lecture from the Russian sannyasi HH Bhakti Vijnana Swami. Maharaja mentioned that the question of quality vs quantity. Maharaja stated that Bhaktivinode Thakurs reply was that the more that you chant the better you will chant.[/quote]
[br]
Exactly, but our standard is 16 rounds and thats as far as most people go, so for that amount, to chant quality is preferrable. Of course, over time youll automatically improve in quality, so its either way depending on the context.

That is a common mistake. The standard made by Srila Prabhupada is "AT LEAST 16 rounds", and not "just 16 rounds".
You can check the initiation tapes, he always says "cant at lest 16 rounds", every time.

So, 16 rounds is the "rock bottom" minimum, but there is not a maximum, the more rounds you cant, the better. 24 or 32 poor chanted rounds are not worse than 16 poor chanted rounds...

Take a look here: http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET0110/ET22-6927.html
and here: http://connect.krishna.com/node/1074
and here: http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET0111/ET27-6991.html

Quote Gadadhara dasa: Is it doable if you have to do an 8-hour-5-day job? How do you adjust your daily routine to make it?

There is a nice site that explains how to dovetail ones job with bhakti: www.uttama-bhakti.org