Beads....Our Gateway to the Spiritual World

Beads are part of many spiritual traditions in India and around the world. In the Hindu tradition there is a spiritual line known as the Gaudiya Vaishnavas which has Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu in its lineage. Mahaprabhu is Lord Krishna who appeared in this world in very recent times, only 500+ years ago in Navadvipa, Bengal, India. The Lord gave us this very simple method of worship to achieve the topmost results, Love of God. He showed us by His own example how to chant a fixed number of rounds on the sacred Tulsi beads. These beads are therefore our gateway into the spiritual world. By chanting the special mantra given by Lord Caitanya for this age of Kaliyuga on sacred Tulsi beads, we can get a glimpse into the spiritual world. We can feel the connection with the Lord right here, right now, right away. These beads then become your most sacred object of worship by which one can see Radha Krishna and all Their pastimes in the spiritual world. Pure love can be experienced by this process as we chant and hear the holy names with a heart full of faith and devotion and a mood of service to Their Lordships.

Beads are made of various different materials but Tulsi is very dear to Krishna; we use tulsi beads for all Krishna mantras. When we chant and roll each bead, our sense of touch comes in contact with Tulsi and it purifies our consciousness as well. Mahaprabhu has given no rules and regulations to chant this beautiful mantra called the Hare Krishna Mahamantra.

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare , Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

The chanting of the holy names is called japa and the beads are also referred to as japa mala. These sacred beads should be kept in a bead bag called an aadhari, a place where we keep our japa mala. The rules to follow are that when we eat sanctified food called prasad, which has been offered to the Lord, the bead bag should not touch that. We should also not keep the bead bag on the floor but keep them in a clean place or hang them on a hook. The beads should not be taken inside a bathroom although we can verbally/mentally chant in the bathroom. There are 108 beads in number plus the main bead on top which is considered Radha Krishna. The main head bead is also called Meru and has 108 gopis along side. The beads are therefore powerful and we pay our utmost respect to them. There are no other rules and regulations to chant this mantra as it can be chanted anywhere, anyhow, even if we have not taken a bath, are in an ‘unclean’ position of menstruation, or sitting, laying down, or walking. Of course the best time to meditate and chant is the early morning hours of Brahma Muhurata which lasts for 48 minutes, and starts an hour and a half before sunrise. At this time there is no disturbance from anyone and the forces of nature are also favorable. It is also good to have a sankalpa, a vow of how many rounds of japa we will do daily. One round of japa is 108 beads called a vera. Four veras equals to one granthi. It is good to do four rounds of japa minimum which is called a granthi. A granthi means a knot and it is told this knot will tie you up with Radha and Krishna. So increments of four is good, four, eight, sixteen, thirty-two or sixty-four. This does not have to be performed in one sitting but can be done throughout the day. Caitanya Mahaprabhu recommended to do sixty-four rounds which comes to more than 100,000 names of God to achieve the highest stage, love of God. A good practice of japa can also be accompanied with meditation on the form of the Lord as well His pastimes.

When we start to chant and when we stop there is a prayer we can say. It is as follows:

Namo Nalina Netraaya venu Vaadya Vinodine

Radhadhara Shudha paana saline vana maline

I offer pranam unto He whose eyes are like lotus flowers, who merrily plays the flute, who is expert in drinking the nectar of Radhika’s lips, and who is adorned with a garland of forest flowers.

There is an additional prayer that can be recited before chanting which is as follows

Abhinam kuru maale ! Twam Harinaam Japeshu ca,

Sri Radha Krshnayor-daasyam , Dehi maale! Tu Praarthaye

Naam Cintaamani rupam, Naamaiba paramaa gatih

Naamnah parataram naasti, Tasmaan nama Upaasmahe !

Oh Japa Mala, Please take away all the hurdles from my bhajan path, now I will start my japa, please take away all my hurdles. Oh Japa mala please take care of me so that I should serve Sri Radha Krishna. I am taking shelter on you because I know Naam is Cintaamani. If while chanting naam I think of something, that wish will get fulfilled.

Then we place our hand in the bead bag and begin. Before we start chanting on the beads we do a minimum of one round of the Panch Tattva mantra.

Sri Gauranga, Nityananda, Sri Advaita Chandra, Gadadhara Sri vasa Adi Gaura Bhakta Vrinda

We always begin from the big size bead chanting towards the smaller size bead. Then the last small bead becomes our first bead for the 2nd round and we chant in reverse. The forefinger is kept out of the bead bag as that finger symbolizes the individual ego. As we chant each round we keep count on the counter beads called the saakshi mala which hangs outside the bead bag. After chanting each round we pull one bead on the counter beads to keep track (excerpts taken from Srila Prabhupad Prem Gopal Goswami’s instructional video). Please watch the video for visual instructions. After we finish our chanting, taking our hand out from our bead bag, we can chant the following Harinaam samarpan prayer

Naam yagno mahaa yagnah, Kalao kalmasha naashanah

Krishna Caitanya prityarthe, Naama yagna Samarpanam!

Chanting Sri Harinaam japa is the best yagna for Kaliyuga. I offer everything to Sri Krishna Caitanya.

By practicing japa (chanting) we can worship Sri Radha Krishna or we can worship Sri Naam directly. The essence of all chanting is love. We call out the names with love. The kind of love that is desperate to receive mercy, desperate to serve, not knowing anyone or anything else that can save him or her from drowning in this material world, from burning in the fire of material miseries. Like a little child crying for his mother, we must cry like that when we chant. That loving mood will give us entrance into the spiritual world.

Here are this weeks tunes !!

Happy Chanting !!