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EDITORIAL July 7, 1999 VNN4249 Comment on this story Srila Prabhupada On Chanting Japa BY SRUTAKIRTI DASA  EDITORIAL, Jul 7 (VNN) — (from VNN Forum - "Srila Prabhupada Nectar II")It is easy to understand that Srila Prabhupada enjoyed chanting japa. He always stressed to us the importance of chanting our 16 rounds. He told me that as a householder he used a simple process for completing 16 rounds that we could apply. He said, "When I was a householder I would chant 4 rounds before each meal and 4 rounds before retiring in the evening. In this way 16 rounds could be chanted without difficulty." He laughed and said, "If you don't take prasadam before chanting your 4 rounds then you will be sure to get them chanted." In New Dwarka he said to me, "In the evening, if I get tired, I walk and chant." Looking at me he said, "If you are tired, then walk and chant like I do. Sometimes, if I am tired I pace back and forth in the room. Simply, in one room you can do everything. If you are tired, you can stand up and chant, like I do." It was very common to see Srila Prabhupada walking around in his quarters or sitting in his rocking chair, chanting rounds. Sometimes in the evening he would chant rounds while I was giving him massage in bed. Sometimes, he would say, "There, I'm finished." Once in New Dwarka I was in his sitting room cleaning around his desk. He was sitting behind his desk chanting japa. As he pulled down a counter bead he looked at me with a beautiful smile and said humorously, "There, I have finished my 16 rounds. Now I can do any damn thing I want." Sometimes devotees would ask Srila Prabhupada about following certain rules in regards to Ekadasi or following Catur mas. Srila Prabhupada responded, "My disciples, they cannot even chant 16 rounds and follow the principles. What is the use of these other rules and regulations. First, just do these things. Do the simple things that I ask you to do. Don't concern yourself with all these rituals. First, chant your 16 rounds and follow the principles." One day a brahmacari entered Srila Prabhupada's room and told him that he had fallen down with a woman. He told Srila Prabhupada that perhaps he should get married. Srila Prabhupada answered, "Marriage. Why do you think marriage is going to solve your difficulties? You should chant. Just chant Hare Krishna. Chant your 16 rounds." There were so many times that devotees went into Srila Prabhupada's room with a problem they were hoping he would solve with some particular arrangement. His solution was always the same. "Chant Hare Krishna, chant your 16 rounds." He developed the phrase, "Just do it" long before Nike. He once told a disciple, "If there is some difficulty, you chant loudly. If there is some agitation, chant out loud." One time is was brought to his attention that a senior devotee was not attending Mangal Arati or chanting rounds, at least with the other devotees. Srila Prabhupada said, "Do it to set the example for the other devotees. You, yourself are very advanced. You do not need to attend Mangal Arati but you should set the example for those that require it." Thank you Srila Prabhupda for being the Acarya. You always taught by example. You chanted rounds. You said three Gayatri mantras a day, rose early in the morning and put tilaka on your transcendental body. You never asked any disciple to do something you were not doing yourself. You always practiced what you preached. You showed us practically how a pure devotee conducts himself. I have been in illusion since time immemorial but I pray that I am never deluded into thinking that this process of devotional service is only for the neophyte. YS, Srutakirti dasa Comment on this story  Contact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
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