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chad
08 December 2016, 09:26 AM
how long do you usualy chant the hare krishna mantra for.?

c.smith
10 December 2016, 12:48 AM
Hari Om!

Chad,

Truly depends on your intention, level of practice among other factors. Starting out with one round and working your way up to a number of your liking or as prescribed by your mentor or Guruji is a great start. You could even get to a point where it becomes ajapa japa, that is, where is becomes so ingrained that you repeat it mentally all the time without effort.

Perhaps you could share more about yourself and give the forum a better chance to answer your query more appropriately.

Om

Believer
08 January 2017, 03:39 PM
Namaste,

You may chant for 5 minutes or 5 hours. What actually counts and benefits you is what is going through your head while you are chanting. Is it total and complete immersion in Krishna for the duration, or is the chanting just an exercise prescribed by someone and done in a mindless way. Sorry to put it so bluntly but the devotion of the devotee during chanting is what uplifts him/her not the duration. Of course when one is in the proper mood and enjoying chanting, he/she would not want to stop and would do so unwillingly because of the need to meet obligations of everyday life. So, be your own guide. And as c.smith has said,

"You could even get to a point where it becomes ajapa japa, that is, where it becomes so ingrained that you repeat it mentally all the time without effort."
It happens effortlessly in the background without you making a conscious effort to do so, like breathing.

Pranam.

Anirudh
08 January 2017, 11:26 PM
Namaste,

You may chant for 5 minutes or 5 hours. What actually counts and benefits you is what is going through your head while you are chanting. Is it total and complete immersion in Krishna for the duration, or is the chanting just an exercise prescribed by someone and done in a mindless way.
Sorry to put it so bluntly but the devotion of the devotee during chanting is what uplifts him/her not the duration. Of course when one is in the proper mood and enjoying chanting, he/she would not want to stop and would do so unwillingly because of the need to meet obligations of everyday life. So, be your own guide. And as c.smith has said,

"You could even get to a point where it becomes ajapa japa, that is, where it becomes so ingrained that you repeat it mentally all the time without effort."
It happens effortlessly in the background without you making a conscious effort to do so, like breathing.

Pranam.

Namaste Believer

Practical advice.

Most of the time (speaking also from my own experience) we all fail to understand basics.

For instance, since birth there is myth ingrained into us that more is always good. I always wondered why there is a long Que in temples like Sabari Mala, Tirupathi, Vaishno Devi etc and not in the temples in our neighborhood. Will there be any difference in the quality of our devotion if we do not stand in lengthy Que or brave hardships before visiting Sanctum Santorum?

If you find time and feel appropriate to the OP please explain what is devotion and what is not devotion?

Indialover
09 January 2017, 03:02 AM
Namaste

I once read a sentence I always remember

It is of no use to worship medicine - one must take it.

Pranam

markandeya 108 dasa
09 January 2017, 04:05 PM
Hare Krishna,

I guess one simple answer would be every time you remember. Its good to have a time of day, usually early morning is best, helps to fix the mind and keep it concentrated. Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu did not give any specific rules for chanting, although its good to be regulated. His meaning is chant whenever and wherever you want or can, in any state and condition it is OK to chant. Japa can done in many ways out loud , in the mind, as a prayer a request for grace, for engagement in seva, it has yogic benefits with the mind, and ultimately it will open up the lila of goloka for some rare souls. So all things are contained within the maha mantra if one chooses to dedicate their practice for this. Its good to stick with one practice, but also its good to remember that Sri Chaitanya did not just limit chanting to one particular name.

This is a good source that looks at Sri Shishatakam a little more in depth with english translations and offers a number or translations from various sources

http://caitanyasympos.proboards.com/thread/680/caitanyas-shikshashtakam