Monday, November 21, 2011

Tools

Japa is done Using:

Karamala

This involves the doing of Japa on the fingers and can be done on the fingertips. The second and more effective way recommended in the scriptures is by doing Japa on the segments of the fingers. One of the important rules to observe when doing this type of Japa is to keep the fingers together and not separate.

Manimala

This is the most recommended and the most common way of doing Japa when a Mala (or Rosary) made of beads threaded together is used.

Likhita

Writing Names of Lord on anything

Sunday, July 17, 2011

Loud japa is not better than mental jap

Haribhakti Viläsa (Närasiàha Puräëa and Yajïavalkya, Haribhakti Viläsa 17.161-162) says: tri vidhä japa yajïaù syät tasya bhaven nibodhaya; väcikaç ca upäàçuç ca manasaç ca tridhä mataù mantram uccärayed vyaktäà japayata sa väcikaù; kiïciccabdaà svayaà vidyäd upäàçuù sa japaù småtaù upäàçu japam uktasya tasmäcchato guëo bhavet; sahasro mänasaù prokto yasmäd dhyäna samo hi saù 

 "There are three kinds of japa— vocal, muttering and mental. Loud chanting of the mantra is called vocal japa, whispering is called upäàçu and mental chanting is called mänasik japa. Whispering is a hundred times better than loud japa and mental chanting is a thousand times better. This is equal to meditation."

Japa Position

Falling asleep during japa is tamo-guna(Mode of Ignorance) ,
walking around is rajo-guna(Mode ofPassion) and
sitting down is sattva-guna(Mode of goodness).

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