© 1999 VNN
|
EDITORIAL February 10, 2000 VNN5449 Comment on this story Maya Or Magic BY SWAMI B.V. TRIPURARI  EDITORIAL, Feb 10 (VNN) — Prescribed Rounds: 'maya or magic'"Basic spiritual sensibility dictates that chanting a certain number of times has little if anything to do with attaining perfection. Whereas the quality of our chanting has everything to do with it." Q&A Discussion with Swami B.V. Tripurari Q. I find it a huge burden to count rounds yet I readily chant either aloud or in my mind throughout the day. Why is it so important to chant a prescribed number of rounds daily?
A. Counting is maya. Maya means to measure. Under the influence of maya we try to measure everything and bring it within our grasp. The finite tries in this way to capture the infinite. This is futile. So we are not to count, but to chant, and chant always, 'kirtaniyah sada harih.' Thus the idea that chanting a fixed number of rounds is somehow a magic spiritual formula appears less than spiritual. Basic spiritual sensibility dictates that chanting a certain number of times has little if anything to do with attaining perfection. Whereas the quality of our chanting has everything to do with such attainment. Counting is maya, and chanting is the means of deliverance from maya. However, maya also means mercy. It is Mahaprabhu's mercy that he allows us to chant a particular number of rounds and be known as devotees thereby, when the true spiritual mandate for devotees is one of loving Krsna and thus chanting constantly. So, before love fully blossoms, we should chant a prescribed number of rounds. The number prescribed by Sri Guru is his mercy, his generosity, for the real standard of a Vaisnava is 'kirtaniyah sada harih.' We are not to argue with mercy and call for justice in the face of its descent. Regarding service and chanting, I think it is important to note that Rupa Goswami says that in the beginning, because one is afflicted with the jaundice of avidya, the sweetness of krsna-nama does not manifest. However, its medicinal effects do, and over time its sweetness will be tasted by the healthy patient. So service must be there, and a service ego is all important, but it should not break down when one's guru-ordained service is to chant a prescribed number of rounds. Some time should be set aside daily to sit and think only of Krsna in prayer through the taking of Krsna-nama - that rain cloud-colored youth, dressed in dazzling lightning-like garment, cow herding as he enters the forest, the apple of Sri Radha' s eye - he whom we are serving. Are we not? UPCOMING PROGRAMS Thursday, February 17, 6 PM Appearance of Sri Nityananda Prabhu At the home of Nagapatni dasi. Discourse, kirtan, prasadam feast. 524 N. Velie, Visalia, California. For more information, call (559) 734-4463 Swami Tripurari will be speaking at 6 PM Friday, February 18, 7 PM Mandala Publishing Group, discourse, kirtan and prasadam. Corner of 12th & Folsom, City Lights Bldg, Second Floor, San Francisco. For more information call 1-800-668-2218 Swami Tripurari will be speaking at 7 PM VRINDAVAN SANGA, India, March 2000 Join our international Sanga community in Vrindavana, India where Tripurari Swami will be holding discourses morning and evening during the month of March, 2000. All friends and members of our internet Sanga are cordially invited to attend. Meals and accommodations, as well as recommendations for discount air tickets, can be arranged in advance by contacting sadhusanga@swami.org. The Vrindavan Sanga program is as follows: Morning, 7:00 a.m. Bhagavad-gita discourses, from Swami's recently completed manuscript, 'Bhagavad-gita: It's Feeling and Philosophy' followed by breakfast prasad. Afternoon, 12:00 p.m. Arotika and lunch prasad. Evening, 5:00 p.m. Caitanya-caritamrta discourses, from Adi-lila, followed by Arotika and dinner prasad. For more information and a map to Vrindavan Sanga visit: http://209.235.193.78/Pages/vrindavana.html Questions or comments may be sent to sadhusanga@swami.org. [Reprinted with permission from Sanga 2/8/2000 http://www.swami.org] About the Author  Other Stories by this AuthorComment on this story Contact VNN about this storySend this story to a friend
NEWS DESK | EDITORIALS | TOP |
