Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare. Welcome to our Japa Inspirations. In the following four installments, we will talk about three essential practices of good japa and bring that all together in one easy-to-apply formula.
Srila Rupa Goswami describes in his Bhakti Rasamrita Sindhu that bhakti is when you perform an activity where Krishna in the center. That is the first essential element. The second is, you use body, mind, and speech.
And the third is you have a conscious intention to please Krishna with your activity of bhakti. Good, let’s start with the first: putting Krishna in the center. Today's focus is entirely on this and I request you to practice this as long as you can.
Putting Krishna in the center when we do japa means to be conscious that this will now be my time with Krishna. We should have the conscious intention. I will now, my alone with Krishna – in the presence of God.
It is said by Srila Prabhupada the Bhagavatam that this type of sincerity will induce the Lord to help in all ways. He says, “One merely has to become sincere in his purpose, and then the Lord is there to help in every way. ” So, let us craft a practice out of this.
• Please find a time and a place where you can be undisturbed. It may be good if you have a picture of Lord Krishna and then you simply chant in the consciousness that from my mouth the Holy Name goes into the ear of the Lord, and he will listen to it. He is in the centre now.
Fine. Sit down. Focus for a while on an image of Krishna.
Why is that? A picture or Deity or simply an image in the mind and tell yourself. This is now my time with Krishna.
I am really in the best company. I am spending now my time with God and He will listen. Chant in this particular mood now Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
We can continue like this; the practice is very simple. It is being in the presence of Krishna. Putting Him again and again, if our mind should wander, back into the center and worshipping Him with the sound vibration of the Holy Name.
Please continue. Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare, Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare.
