Question : I’m trying to begin chanting (again!), but my failures in the past lead me to have some apprehension about doing so.
2. I’ve been told by a disciple of Prabhupada that the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra is only intended for those who follow the regulative principles, and that those who don’t follow them should chant om namo bhagavate vasudevaya until such time that they do follow the principles. Please can you give me some instruction on this matter?
Answer by Romapada Swami :
Q. 1. I’m trying to begin chanting (again!), but my failures in the past lead me to have some apprehension about doing so.
Past failures need not be a deterrent in devotional service, particularly if you can make a careful assessment of the fundamental cause(s) that had led to a lapse and remedy them.
For some, it could be lack of firm conviction in the process of chanting based on sound spiritual knowledge, or simply weak resolve; for others the obstacle could be bad association, old patterns of life that are difficult to change or even offenses. Whatever the cause may be, if you can clearly trace the reason(s), or pattern of events that led you to slacken or stop chanting, then you can focus on addressing the root cause and take precautions to avoid those pitfalls.
Similarly, clearly identify, stay with and nurture those things that inspired you to resume chanting. You can accompany your renewed effort to chant with supporting engagements like study of devotional literatures that will fuel your conviction and seeking association that is conducive to good chanting habits.
Recognize, Regret, Rectify and Reinstate – these 4 R’s when properly applied can truly turn failures into stepping stones for success. Recognize the cause, take responsibility for one’s own impurities/ desires/ lack of strong spiritual desire that led to the downfall, genuinely regret and learn the lessons from the past mistakes. Sincere regret (without brooding over or justifying the mistake) can burn up all obstacles to progress.
And even if you feel unable to deeply regret or lack the strength to address a particular difficulty at this point, you can still enthusiastically take up the chanting, along with positive measures and reinforcements that will bring you to a point of greater spiritual strength, based on which you can address the deeper issues. In any case, please do resume chanting by all means, with great enthusiasm.
Q. 2. I’ve been told by a disciple of Prabhupada that the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra is only intended for those who follow the regulative principles, and that those who don’t follow them should chant om namo bhagavate vasudevaya until such time that they do follow the principles. Please can you give me some instruction on this matter?
As far as I am aware, there are no indications from scriptures or from Prabhupada’s writings that direct in this way. Srila Prabhupada encouraged everyone to chant the Hare Krishna Mahamantra – even the hippies in Golden Gate Park, whom he didn’t really expect to seriously take up spiritual life and give up sinful habits. He did, however, never compromise the requirement of giving up sinful habits as a prerequisite for chanting to be spiritually effective.
Chanting is always beneficial in any condition, but its real spiritual effect can be felt only when one begins to live a pure life. (See BG 7.28) Particularly, Srila Prabhupada cautioned against the 7th offense to the Holy Name, which is to deliberately continue committing sinful activities on the strength of chanting, or in other words, justifying one’s sins or thinking that the sinful reactions will be adjusted by chanting. This mentality is very detrimental – in chanting any of the Holy Names of God, not only the Hare Krishna mahamantra. It is compared to igniting a fire while simultaneously pouring water on it.
So the recommendation is that one should sincerely strive to come to the point of following the regulative principles. If one experiences difficulty in doing so, one can continue to chant but with a sincerely repentant attitude and humbly praying for the mercy of the Holy Name for the strength to follow the regulative principles. One who chants in that humble mood and seeks the association of pure devotees and serves them (sadhu-sanga) will very quickly be enabled to follow the regulative principles with ease, by the grace of the Holy Name. (BG 7.28)
