Into and Out of this Mess

If we consider that we are all eternal spiritual beings with wonderful, unlimitedly blissful identities in the spiritual sky, it's really uncanny that so many of us could end up in such a mess in this material existence in the repetition of birth and death. Why in the world would we trade absolute peace, bliss, and security for this hell we are going through now? It seems unbelievable that we could do such a thing. But yet this is in fact what we did. We rejected eternal lives, full of bliss and knowledge for this inferior grade existence of temporality, ignorance, and misery. Because the Supreme Lord is unlimitedly independent and because we are part of Him we share His quality of independence to a minute degree. Since independence is indeed independence it can be misused. And when it is we end up here. Now we can use that same independence to get back to our original position in the spiritual sky. Are you willing?

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

Answers According to the Vedic Version:

Question: Should I Reduce My Chanting

Dear Guru Maharaja,
Please accept my humble obeisances.
All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Sri-Sri Gaura Nitai!

May I beg to get your guidance please?

I have been chanting 16 rounds a day for several months. But most of the time, it is very poor in quality due to the wandering mind. I am murmuring the mantra by lips but my mind is constantly busy in mental conversation.

I even think that I should stop chanting for the time being or reduce the number of rounds down to 1 or 2 because the quality is very poor, and the time is not enough.

May I beg for your suggestion if I should continue chanting 16 rounds a day, doing my best or reduce the rounds as said above?

Your insignificant servant,
D.B.

Answer: No. Increase the Quality of Your Chanting

I am most pleased with you for your sincere endeavor. Thank
you very much. Nobody chants perfect rounds in the beginning. There are three stages of chanting as follows:

1. The offensive stage
2. The clearing stage
3. The transcendental stage

In the offensive stage the desires for material happiness still exist within the heart of the devotee. In the clearing stage one becomes free from all material contamination. And on the transcendental stage one attains the most coveted position--the stage of pure love of God.

Please continue chanting 16 rounds every day striving always to improve the quality. The numerical strength of chanting at least 16 rounds daily will purify your consciousness, even if your rounds are not perfect. And by this daily purification of your consciousness your rounds will gradually become perfect. You will attain the transcendental stage. Reducing your chanting will retard your progress. So kindly do not reduce your chanting. Simply try with each utterance to improve the quality.

Sankarshan Das Adhikari

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