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Keeping The Vow Of Chanting
by Victor Epand
For a moment, let us imagine that a devotee once they have been initiated is unable to do their sixteen rounds of chanting on one day or for a few days, due to becoming ill or anything of that sort. At this point they may begin to feel as if they are breaking their vows.
What should the devotee do in a situation like this? The power to execute or fulfill an instruction of the spiritual master is within the instruction itself. That is when we accept it with complete faith and submission. Srila Prabhupada enjoined that initiated devotees must chant a minimum sixteen rounds of mantras everyday without fail, and within this order is invested the empowerment to do it. He would not have requested this, if he felt it be impossible.
By taking a solemn vow before the spiritual master, the Vaishnavas and the deities, then we receive also the empowerment to able to keep that vow under every single circumstance, even those very rare and exceptional emergencies. A disciple should there fore be determined to keep their vow at all costs, with the conviction that the ability to fulfill is latent within that commitment that we made. As a result, we simply have to be willing to do it.
This means that by making all the necessary efforts to make it happen, such as giving one's chanting of the mantras the first priority in the day by dedicating a specific time early during the day for this most important activity. This should be done before all other duties demand our attention, which is why we need to arrange our life in such a way that this is made possible.
It also means keeping good association, studying scriptures, and so on, which will ensure that the fire of our determination to chant nicely is maintained healthy and strong. This is why even when minor challenges arise in our day to day life, such as mild illnesses or other exigencies, then we would be able to withstand by virtue of devotional strength. In short, the commitment to chant the sixteen rounds of mantras involves an on going effort and ensuring that we do not create or let circumstances for ourselves where we can not fulfill our commitments.
If after all sincere efforts to do our part, due to some unavoidable situation or emergency you are unable to complete the prescribed chanting on an occasional day, then one should feel genuinely repentant and make up for those rounds the very next day or at the earliest opportunity, which was the recommendation that Srila Prabhupada gave.
The caution, however, is that this should not be made a common practice in our lives, which is a rationale ushering weakness within our internal resolve to fulfill vows. A tendency is commonly there in conditioned souls to relax one's commitments and take solemn vows more lightly over a period of time by genuinely regretting occasional lapses and taking the chanting very seriously, this tendency can be curbed and offenses of negligence can be avoided.
About the Author
Victor Epand is an expert consultant for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and Hare Krishna books. Please visit these sites for Krishna art, religious gifts from India, and chanting.
Gopinath, a prayer of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura (bengali ; english lyrics)
Gopinath, a prayer of Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura... Rasa devotion is band who sang this song.
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