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| Stages of Japa Meditation |
1. Namaparadha: Conditioned chanting with offences
(aparadha = offence)
This is the level that most people start on when they first take up regular chanting. To read about how to
overcome the ten offences click here. To attain the next stage one must continue to humbly chant the mantras
regularly and repent, "I have committed offences unnecessarily or unknowingly." Then one will attain the next
stage called namabhasa (offenceless chanting).
2. Namabhasa: Liberated chanting without offences
(abhasa = morning twilight ; "the shadow of the holy Name")
This stage of chanting immediately frees the chanter of all sinful reactions and gives liberation. It has two divisions:
namabhasa and sraddha-namabhasa.
Namabhasa: If someone chants the holy Name accidentally, or as a joke, in the course of ordinary discussion, or
negligently
Sraddha-namabhasa: This is when a completely faithful devotee chants on the liberated platform and implements
all the attractions of the holy Names. This is almost on the transcendental platform. Continued chanting on this
level leads to the next.
3. Sudhanama: Pure chanting in love of God
(sudha = pure)
The perfectional stage: while the devotee fully relishes the nectar of the holy Names (nama), he sees Gauranga
Krishna's form (rupa), realizes His qualities (guna), and remembers His pastimes (lila).
(aparadha = offence)
This is the level that most people start on when they first take up regular chanting. To read about how to
overcome the ten offences click here. To attain the next stage one must continue to humbly chant the mantras
regularly and repent, "I have committed offences unnecessarily or unknowingly." Then one will attain the next
stage called namabhasa (offenceless chanting).
2. Namabhasa: Liberated chanting without offences
(abhasa = morning twilight ; "the shadow of the holy Name")
This stage of chanting immediately frees the chanter of all sinful reactions and gives liberation. It has two divisions:
namabhasa and sraddha-namabhasa.
Namabhasa: If someone chants the holy Name accidentally, or as a joke, in the course of ordinary discussion, or
negligently
Sraddha-namabhasa: This is when a completely faithful devotee chants on the liberated platform and implements
all the attractions of the holy Names. This is almost on the transcendental platform. Continued chanting on this
level leads to the next.
3. Sudhanama: Pure chanting in love of God
(sudha = pure)
The perfectional stage: while the devotee fully relishes the nectar of the holy Names (nama), he sees Gauranga
Krishna's form (rupa), realizes His qualities (guna), and remembers His pastimes (lila).
| Quantitative |
| Qualitative |
One round of either of the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas is equal to 1 x 108 = 108 Holy Names of the Lord
since Nityananda or Gauranga is One Holy Name (Naam) of the Lord.
Since there are sixteen Holy Names in one Hare Krishna Mahamantra, one round of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra
is equal to 16 x 108 = 1728 Holy Names of the Lord.
since Nityananda or Gauranga is One Holy Name (Naam) of the Lord.
Since there are sixteen Holy Names in one Hare Krishna Mahamantra, one round of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra
is equal to 16 x 108 = 1728 Holy Names of the Lord.
|
Stages of Authentic Japa Meditation
Level 5: Minimum ideal recommended goal for serious chanters.
Level 7: Ultimate ideal goal recommended by the Supreme Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu to complete the
chanting of His 100,000 Names and chanting of 64 rounds of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra daily.
Grains on Ekadasi (stage 2): no grain food on Ekadasi twice a month, no meat eating, no smoking and drinking,
and no sex outside marriage.
Basic things (stage 3): no grain food on Ekadasi twice a month, no kind of non-veg food including eggs, onion,
garlic etc, no intoxication including smoking, drinking, non-medicinal drugs, tea, coffee etc, no gambling and no
illicit sex life.
Five things (stage 4 and up): no grain food on Ekadasi twice a month, no kind of non-veg food including eggs,
onion, garlic etc, no intoxication including smoking, drinking, non-medicinal drugs, tea, coffee etc, no gambling
of money or consciousness in the form of non-devotional association, television, movies, newspapers, activities,
and no illicit sex life.
The Pancha Tattva Mantra: "Shri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu Nityananda, Shri Advaita Gadadhara Shrivasadi
Gaura Bhakta Vrinda" should be chanted once or thrice before beginning each round of the Hare Krishna
Mahamantra.
Those who chant 64 rounds of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra along with the Pancha Tattva Mantra in the
beginning of each round also complete the chanting of 100,000 Holy Names daily and thus are also known as
Laksheshvaras as per the order of Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu.
Ideally separate rounds of the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas have to be chanted with one Mantraraja
on each bead since they are two separate Mantras. But those devotees who chant 64 or more rounds of each
of the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas may chant both the Mantrarajas on one bead for practical
purposes, so that the fingers may not pain due to excessive movement during prolonged chanting.
TOP
Level 7: Ultimate ideal goal recommended by the Supreme Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu to complete the
chanting of His 100,000 Names and chanting of 64 rounds of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra daily.
Grains on Ekadasi (stage 2): no grain food on Ekadasi twice a month, no meat eating, no smoking and drinking,
and no sex outside marriage.
Basic things (stage 3): no grain food on Ekadasi twice a month, no kind of non-veg food including eggs, onion,
garlic etc, no intoxication including smoking, drinking, non-medicinal drugs, tea, coffee etc, no gambling and no
illicit sex life.
Five things (stage 4 and up): no grain food on Ekadasi twice a month, no kind of non-veg food including eggs,
onion, garlic etc, no intoxication including smoking, drinking, non-medicinal drugs, tea, coffee etc, no gambling
of money or consciousness in the form of non-devotional association, television, movies, newspapers, activities,
and no illicit sex life.
The Pancha Tattva Mantra: "Shri Krishna Chaitanya Prabhu Nityananda, Shri Advaita Gadadhara Shrivasadi
Gaura Bhakta Vrinda" should be chanted once or thrice before beginning each round of the Hare Krishna
Mahamantra.
Those who chant 64 rounds of the Hare Krishna Mahamantra along with the Pancha Tattva Mantra in the
beginning of each round also complete the chanting of 100,000 Holy Names daily and thus are also known as
Laksheshvaras as per the order of Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu.
Ideally separate rounds of the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas have to be chanted with one Mantraraja
on each bead since they are two separate Mantras. But those devotees who chant 64 or more rounds of each
of the Nityananda and Gauranga Mantrarajas may chant both the Mantrarajas on one bead for practical
purposes, so that the fingers may not pain due to excessive movement during prolonged chanting.
TOP
| JAPA |
