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."

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