Recently in the Japa Room Live chat session, we talked about the 10 offenses and had some very nice and interesting questions and comments. Here is the transcript for this session - names truncated for privacy.

Recently in the Japa Room Live chat session, we talked about the 10 offenses and had some very nice and interesting questions and comments. Here is the transcript for this session (names truncated for privacy):

M: See on the last offense, It is an offense to preach the glories of the holy name of the Lord to the faithless. does it count if we chant and others imitate and say Haribol? Is that an offense?

Rasa Rasika: Thanks M....This offense of preaching the glories of the Holy names to the faithless is concerned mainly with directly preaching to a inimical person who has no interest and is not favourable to the philosophy of Krsna consciousness. When we chant in public and hold public lecture, this is not the same situation...people have a choice either to listen or leave. When we chant the Holy names in public, everyone will benefit from hearing....including the inimical people who may make fun of the chanting...they still however get the benefit from reciting Hare Krsna or Rama and eventually they will be purified enough to accept the philosophy.

P: umm you said one shouldn't equate chanting and meditation but I often chant before or after I have meditation. its that bad too?

Rasa Rasika: It's a good point and this offense specifically refers to meditation that is not based on Krsna consciousness...I am not sure which meditation you do but it's certainly all right to chant before and after....the chanting of the Holy names can be done in any circumstance at any time so there is always benefit from chanting the Hare Krsna mantra.

A: What is good advice to avoid inattention when you start chanting and your mind is wandering to so many thoughts.

Rasa Rasika: Nice point A...it's very important to avoid the offense of inattention at all costs. There are many ways you can achieve this - the primary method is to fix the mind on the sound - listen to what you are actually chanting....hear very carefully your own chanting and absorb yourself in that vibration. Another way is to read the Maha mantra as you chant - I have personally found this a very good way to fix the problem of the wandering mind. Make sure you chant in a non-distractive environment where you won't be tempted to do other things or where you will be disturbed by others...sometimes this means going for a Japa walk or finding a remote place. When thoughts come in your mind, just ignore them and fix once again on the sound of the mantra.

A: Thankyou

C: Rasa, regarding Offence 10, our goal is to remember Krsna all day, so at work I will recite the mantra in a low voice or in my head occasionally. So I am not totally concentrating. Is this an offence?

Rasa Rasika: This wouldn't be considered an offense as you are chanting the Hare Krsna mantra outside of your Japa time...during the day we can chant the Holy names by singing out loud or recite the mantra in our minds or in a low voice as you say...this is very beneficial for us and it's recommended to chant all the time....even in our dreams!

C: OK thanks

M: And what If we chant hare krishna to attain love of krishna and finally use that for service to him seeming to be gaining material wealth but actually using it in Krishna's service?

Rasa Rasika: Yes we always need to engage our wealth and material facility in service to Krsna....for example, using our wealth to pay for a house so we can put Deities there and worship them and invite devotees to our house for Krsna katha. By chanting we are asking the Lord to engage us in service, this includes engaging whatever the Lord provides in His service directly or indirectly i.e., paying the rent so we can maintain a shelter for our spiritual practices...or paying the internet bill so we can get devotee association online and come to the Japa Room!!!

M: Good answer thankyou

Rasa Rasika: OK everyone it's time to close the session for this week, please come back next week for the next Stage 9: Continue to take written notes of our obstacles in Japa.

Rasa Rasika: Thankyou all for coming this week...Hare Krsna.