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Karitka – October 18-20, 2005

October 20th, 2005

October 18, 2005
Govardhana

Japa Thought II
Unfortunately, I have few japa thoughts today. We fasted all day because of the lunar eclipse and broke the fast at night. My regulation the next day was thus affected.

Lesson: One’s determination in chanting is not just dependent on one’s resolve at the moment of chanting, but also on how one lived one’s life the previous day, especially the previous night. It would have been better to have fasted for the sake of my vow. I could then have risen at my scheduled time and focused with more concentration.

October 19, 2005
Govardhana

Japa Thought III:
An advanced ISKCON sadhaka, who requested anonymity, shared their japa thoughts with me: “In my japa I follow the inspiration I get from Srila Prabhupada, Sri Rupa, and other acarya’s. I’m sometimes not sure where that inspiration will take me, but I have faith in their direction and I depend on them. I’m never let down. They always reciprocate. Naturally, such dependence creates faith and inevitably leads to further realizations. Most importantly, these sweet and very real spiritual relationships grow in such a way that they become the primary relationships in my life, much sweeter than any others.”

October 20, 2005
Govardhana

“When will Sacinandana Gaurahari appear on the path of my eyes? He accepted the Gauidya Vaisnavas in this world, who are like bees at His lotus feet, as His own, and He instructed them to chant the Hare Krishna maha mantra by counting a fixed number of rounds.”

Stavali (Sri Sacisunv-astaka, 5)

Japa Thought III:
Maha Nidhi Swami explained the mood of Bhaktivnoda Thakur in relation to the above verse by Raghunatha dasa Goswami from Sri Bhajan Rahasya:

“When chanting the Hare Krishna Mantra we can worship verses like these and enter them with our mind and heart. We can pray to mix our heart with Raghunatha Dasa Goswami and meditate on how the relationship between Sri Gauranga and His devotees is so affectionate that the Lord considers the devotees his own!”

Another beautiful line is, “When will Sacinananda Gaurhari appear on the path of my eyes?” Imagine the heart of Raghunatha Dasa Goswami as he is meditating in separation on Mahaprabhu’s compassion and intense prema. Visualize his subsequent transformation, as these same feelings arise in his own heart by chanting with longing and remembering His Lord. Finally, humbly pray for these feelings to come in one’s own heart by the mercy of the Lord and His devotees. This is bhajan rahasya. (The last paragraph is in my own words from what I learned in the class today.)

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