Oasis Hopping
En route from Vrindavan to Mumbai, India for several days of spreading the ultimate nectar of Krishna bhakti there, we stop overnight in India's capital, New Delhi, at ISKCON's celebrated Glory of India temple. This temple's grand opening several years ago was a super gala event attended by the then prime minister of India. It is a very popular place of worship and place of education for the people of New Delhi. The devotees and guests were very enlivened to chant the Hare Krishna mantra and hear detailed information about the science of pure devotion.
It's really wonderful how I can circle the globe hopping from one Krishna consciousness center to another city after city, country after country. There is a cultural revolution going on. May it spread more and more all over the world to relieve the suffering population from the clutches of birth, death, old age, and disease.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
My question now is: I have a rudraksha bead at home, and I am using it to chant Hare Krishna mantra 108 times, as it takes that many times to complete one round. Is this equivalent to chanting 16 rounds daily?
Yours Sincerely,
An Aspirant
Regarding your chanting on the rudraksha beads, it is most pleasing to Lord Krishna if we chant His holy names on sacred Tulasi beads. If you go to your nearest ISKCON center there you will find tulasi beads available for purchase at a nominal price. You may continue chanting on the rudraksha beads in the meantime, but you should replace them was soon as possible with tulasi beads.
Chanting around the string of beads one time completes 108 repetitions of the Hare Krishna mahamantra. This is equivalent to chanting one round of japa. Those who are initiated by a bona fide spiritual master into the bhakti path make a lifetime commitment to chant at least 16 rounds a day. 108 repetitions of the mahamantra is one round. 1,728 repetitions is 16 rounds.
Now you are chanting one round on most days. This is a great beginning. Now try to make a firm commitment that EVERY day you must complete one round. Once this is solid, you can increase to two rounds every day. In this way gradually you can bring yourself to the point of chanting at least 16 rounds daily, and, if you can agree to follow some basic moral principles along with your chanting, you can become an initiated disciple of the bona fide spiritual master and become empowered for achieving spiritual perfection in this very lifetime.
Please keep me posted on your progress. I want to see that you become fully happy in this lifetime by complete surrender at Lord Sri Krishna's lotus feet and that you can regain your original eternal identity in the spiritual world and thus escape the cycle of birth and death.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
It's really wonderful how I can circle the globe hopping from one Krishna consciousness center to another city after city, country after country. There is a cultural revolution going on. May it spread more and more all over the world to relieve the suffering population from the clutches of birth, death, old age, and disease.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
Spiritual Oasis: ISKCON Temple, New Delhi, India
Mahamantra Bliss
Hall Full of Eager Hearers
Revealing the Topmost Secrets of the Self Realization Science
Answering Questions after the Lecture
Answers According to the Vedic Version:
Question: Does 108 Chants Equal 16 Rounds?
I posted a question to you raising a concern that I am unable to chant in the morning due to the nature of my work. But ever since I posted that question, I was able to wake up early in the morning before 5:00 AM and finish off 108 times chanting before sun rise. I also started taking Krishna prasadam. Though I miss chanting on one or two days in between. I am sure it is only due to grace of you and Krishna that I am waking up early, as I never used to do.My question now is: I have a rudraksha bead at home, and I am using it to chant Hare Krishna mantra 108 times, as it takes that many times to complete one round. Is this equivalent to chanting 16 rounds daily?
Yours Sincerely,
An Aspirant
Answer: 16 Times 108 is 16 Rounds
I am very happy that you are rising early and chanting the Hare Krishna mantra 108 times before sunrise. This is very good news!Regarding your chanting on the rudraksha beads, it is most pleasing to Lord Krishna if we chant His holy names on sacred Tulasi beads. If you go to your nearest ISKCON center there you will find tulasi beads available for purchase at a nominal price. You may continue chanting on the rudraksha beads in the meantime, but you should replace them was soon as possible with tulasi beads.
Chanting around the string of beads one time completes 108 repetitions of the Hare Krishna mahamantra. This is equivalent to chanting one round of japa. Those who are initiated by a bona fide spiritual master into the bhakti path make a lifetime commitment to chant at least 16 rounds a day. 108 repetitions of the mahamantra is one round. 1,728 repetitions is 16 rounds.
Now you are chanting one round on most days. This is a great beginning. Now try to make a firm commitment that EVERY day you must complete one round. Once this is solid, you can increase to two rounds every day. In this way gradually you can bring yourself to the point of chanting at least 16 rounds daily, and, if you can agree to follow some basic moral principles along with your chanting, you can become an initiated disciple of the bona fide spiritual master and become empowered for achieving spiritual perfection in this very lifetime.
Please keep me posted on your progress. I want to see that you become fully happy in this lifetime by complete surrender at Lord Sri Krishna's lotus feet and that you can regain your original eternal identity in the spiritual world and thus escape the cycle of birth and death.
Sankarshan Das Adhikari
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