Which Practice Works for You? -

Which single practice is the most powerful and immediate means for you to taste a few drops of bhakti-rasa?

For the purpose of this poll, we're going to drop some of the favorites, like visiting Gaudiya Discussions and prasada-seva (it is Ekadasi!), and assume that most of would like to have the direct association of the guru and residence in the dhama and leave out both of those options. Specifically, the poll is about personal practices that you do now.

I chose "reading" but if I had the right circumstances, my real choice would probably be "singing in group".

It is my shameful and depressed reality that japa would be nowhere near the top of my list.

Smaranam is missing from your list.

Maybe we can form a japa support group?

I actually started this poll after hearing someone speak on the topic of "where do you find shelter?" His response was japa. Like you, I have to confess that it is one of the hardest practices for me to perform.

Actually, I should add some "advanced" options to the list as some of the folk here have fine tastes.

Yes, guilty as charged!

Hmm, can't seem to edit the options now though.

The options are maxed out. You can only enter 10 options per poll.

I'm sure smaraNa is close to the hearts of a good many among us. The question is, in which circumstances does it take place? "Stand-alone smaraNa" generally only forms a small part of the daily smaraNa, in contrast with the smaraNa taking place at the time of japa (both maha-mantra and diksha-mantra), reading, kirtan and so forth.

I would say parikrama/Dhama basa are the most powerful and important for me personally
(although this is regretably limited at present, at least in the physical form, by nature of my angrezi-deha).

Perhaps you can just collapse the options the have live/recording options into single choices, which would make room for additional options.

I have to agree with angrezi and say that parikrama in Braja for me is potent as well..

namaskar,

jijaji

Sri Kripaluji Maharaj has been stressing the extreme importance of 'Smarana',
affectionate remembrance of the Lord in devotional practice, in sadhana bhakti.
He often recites these beautiful verses from scriptures to give further
explanation.

SB 1.2.14

tasmAd ekena manasA
bhagavAn sAtvatAM patiH
zrotavyaH kIrtitavyaz ca
dhyeyaH pUjyaz ca nityadA

Therefore, with one-pointed attention of mind,
one should constantly hear about, glorify,
remember and worship the Supreme Lord
Who is the Beloved of saintly devotees.

tasmAt sarvAtmanA rAjan
hariH sarvatra sarvadA
zrotavyaH kIrtitavyaz ca
smartavyo bhagavAn nRNAm

SB 2.2.36:
O King, it is therefore essential that every human being
with all his heart and soul hear about, glorify and
remember the Supreme Lord Hari always and everywhere.

Mahaprabhu Himself mentioned about SMARANA
in the second verse of Sri SIKSHASHTAKA -

nAmnAmakAri bahudhA nija sarva sakti
statrArpita niyamitaH smaraNe na kAlaH
yetAdRzI tava kRpA bhagavan mamApi
durdaivamI dRzam ihAjani nAnurAgaH

Mahaprabhu wanted us not only to do chanting,
but REMEMBRANCE also and there are
no limitations of time and place for the REMEMBRANCE!

Just as Lord Krishna said in Gita - 8.7

tasmAt sarveSu kAleSu
mAm anusmara yudhya ca
mayy arpita-mano-buddhir
mAm evaiSyasy asaMzayaH

Therefore, Arjuna, you should always remember Me
while carrying out your activity of fighting.
With your activities dedicated to Me and
your mind and intelligence surrendered to Me,
you will attain Me without doubt.

more on 'smarana'

Jaya Sri Radhey!

The mind alone is the center of devotion.
Smarana practiced by mind is the life of Devotional Service.

'manera smaraNa prANA '

sankeertana aru shravana aru, smarana saadhanaa jaan,
sabai saadhanaa shuunya sama, samarana praan sama maan!

- Bhakti Yoga Rasa Avatar Sri Kripaluji Maharaj

Meaning-

Know that the essential parts of sadhana (practice) of devotion
consists of loudly reciting, singing and chanting of the Holy Names
(kirtana), listening faithfully to His blissful exploits and glories
(shravana) accompanied by the loving remembrance of Lord (smarana).

Without continuous (smarana) contemplation upon God, however,
all kinds of devotional sadhana are simply void and empty!

Know that loving remembrance of the Lord is the life-breath of Divine
Love Devotion, Prema Bhakti Sadhana.

Jaya Sri Radhey!

Me too, I found parikrama to be fabulous, even though I had thought I would be very fearful because as a diabetic I should really not go barefoot in case of foot injury (which can lead to infection & amputation - but in this case I thought I'd just go for it, and it was great!). Also Braja was the only place I ever had meaningful japa experiences. Once I got off the plane back in England the japa again became impossibly tortuous!

Maybe I need to go there again!

mad-guNa-zruti-mAtreNa
mayi sarva-guhAzaye
mano-gatir avicchinnA
yathA gaGgAmbhaso 'mbudhau
lakSaNaM bhakti-yogasya
nirguNasya hy udAhRtam
ahaituky avyavahitA yA
bhaktiH puruSottame

The un-interrupted flow of thoughts in the mind-stream
towards Me, the Lord dwelling in the heart of all,-
like that of the waters of Ganga towards the ocean,-
at the mere mention of My Blissful virtues,
combined with motiveless and un-remitting
spontaneous Love to Me, the Supreme Person,
is spoken of as the most distinguishing character of
pure Divine Love, unalloyed Bhakti.

- Lord Kapila in Bhagavatam 3.29.11,12


Great devotee Uddhava said:

vayaM tv iha mahA-yogin
bhramantaH karma-vartmasu
tvad-vArtayA tariṣyAmas
tAvakair dustaraM tamaH
smarantaH kIrtayantas te
kRtAni gaditAni ca
gaty-utsmitekSaNa-kSveli
yan nR-loka-viḍambanam

O greatest of mystics, although we are conditioned souls wandering on the path of fruitive work,
we will certainly cross beyond the darkness of this material world simply by
hearing about Your Lordship in the association of Your devotees.
Thus we are always remembering and glorifying
the wonderful things You do and the wonderful things You say.

We ecstatically recall Your amorous pastimes with Your confidential conjugal devotees
and how You boldly smile and move about while engaged in such youthful pastimes.
My dear Lord, Your loving pastimes are bewilderingly similar to
the activities of ordinary people within this material world.

SB 11.6.48-49:

QUOTE

Without continuous (smarana) contemplation upon God, however,
all kinds of devotional sadhana are simply void and empty!

smarantaH smarayantas ca
mitho 'ghaugha-haram harim
bhaktyA sanjataya bhaktyA
bibhraty utpulakam tanum

The devotees of the Lord constantly discuss
the glories of the Lord among themselves.
Thus they constantly remember the Lord Hari
Who takes away from them everything inauspicious,
and remind one another of His qualities and exploits.
In this way, having been awaken to
pure love of God by their devotional practice
even within this world, their divinized bodies
reveal signs of Divine Love ecstasy.

SB 11.3.31

Radhe Radhe!

Taking care of my dear Thakurji has really taken on a huge aspect of my being. If someone would have told me that a year ago i would have denied such could or would ever happen.

My mornings are so wonderful with Giridhari as we go through his bathing and dressing and then sitting with him through puja, mantras and yogapitha.

Baba said that one day my Thakurji would talk to me. That hasn't exactly happened yet but I do get little messages which lead to a late evening massage and change of dress for his nightly meetings... it is all very sweet.

Rasaraja dasa

I love kirtan, alone and in group. I was forced to choose only one option in the poll and so I chose singing alone. I love group kirtan as much but I suppose aloneness is a default position which is more often applicable to my situation.

I agree with the thrust in Madhava's post. None of these aspects of bhakti are exclusive - all are intertwined. The path is reticulate - one colour may predominate because all the other colours are there also arranged in a way so as to bring emphasis to the primary one.

For instance, the raaga based unfoldment in kirttan is arcana puja also in as much as each raag is an auditory form of Krishna and his devotees.

Some years ago, when I was incapacitated in hospital around the time of my cancer surgery, not having much energy or the access to my musical instruments, I resorted to japa in tune to various raags according to time and season. This had a profound effect which was noticed by medical personnel.

I think it is in the Padma Puraana that it is stated that to chant the holy name even once with feeling in song is equal to thousands of rounds of chanting.

evaM vrataH svapriya nAma kIrtyAM jAtAnurAgO drutacitta uccaiH
hasatyathO roditi rauti gAyaty unmAdAnan nRtyati lokabAhyaH

(Bhagavatam 11.2.40)

The devotee whose heart and mind having been
fixed in the vow of eternal Divine relationship,
becomes very much attached to the holy names
and Divine form of the Supreme Beloved.
As his heart melts in ecstatic Divine love,
he laughs very loudly or weeps or shouts.
Sometimes he sings and dances like a madman,
being indifferent to public opinion.

kvacid rudanty acyuta-cintayA kvacid
dhasanti nandanti vadanty alaukikAH
nRtyanti gAyanty anuzIlayanty ajaM
bhavanti tUSNIM param etya nirvRtAH

SB 11.3.32

Having attained the bliss of Divine love,
the saintly devotees sometimes cry out loud,
absorbed in thought of the infallible Lord.
Sometimes they laugh, feel great pleasure,
speak out loud to the Lord, dance or sing.
Such saints, having transcended material,
conditioned life, sometimes imitate
the unborn Supreme by acting out His pastimes.
And sometimes, achieving His personal audience,
they remain peaceful and silent.

yena tena prakAreNa
manaH kRSNe nivezayat
...............
BRS

Whatever way helps the devotee to absorb his mind and heart in Divne Love of Lord Krishna, the devotee should follow.

smartavyaH satataM viSNur vismartavyo na jAtucit
...............
PP
The principle is always remember Vishnu, and never forget Him --

tad-arpit AkhilAcAratA tad-vismaraNe parama-vyAkulatA NBS.19

that bhakti consists of offering one's every act to the Supreme Lord
and feeling extreme distress when not remembering Him

nAhaM tu sakhyo bhajato 'pi jantUn
bhajAmy amISAm anuvRtti-vRttaye
yathAdhano labdha-dhane vinasSTe
tac-cintayAnyan nibhRto na veda

Bhagavata Purana 10.32.30

When the cowherdesses accuse Lord Krishna
of cruelty for deserting them, He answers:

"I, the Embodiment of Mercy- how can I be cruel,
and especially to My devotees? No, never!

My disappearance is only a veil that I draw to nourish
yearning and Love for Me by the fire of separation.

As a poor man hitting by chance on a treasure and
again loosing it, is constantly brooding over it,
so I wish that My devotee should not for a moment forget Me."

The greatest ideal of practical devotion is established by the Gopis.

ya dohane 'vahanane mathanopa lepa
prekhenkha nArbha ruditokSaNa mArjanAdau
gAyanti caina manurakta dhiyozru kaNThyo
dhanyA vraja striya urukrama citta yAnAH

- Srimad Bhagavatam. 10.44.15

The Gopis performed every household chores like,
milking the cows, cooking, cleaning,
taking care of house and children,
while singing the glories of their Beloved Krishna,
with their eyes full of tears, with voices choked,
and hearts & minds filled with divine love.

Their supreme selfless devotion, made Lord Krishna Himself,
their eternal Debtor.

ananya-cetAH satataM
yo mAM smarati nityazaH
tasyAhaM sulabhaH pArtha
nitya-yuktasya yoginaH

Gita 8.14

For one who remembers Me exclusively,
without cessation, I am easy to obtain, O Arjuna,
as he is in constant union of love with the Divine.

Lord krishna has given the instructions:

mayyeva mana Adhatsva
mayibuddhiM nivezayaH
nivaSyasi mayyeva
ata UrdhvaM na saMzayaH

(Gita.12.8)

'Fix your mind on Me alone,
let your thoughts dwell in Me.
You will hereafter live in Me alone.
Of this there is no doubt.'

I love doing kirtan both alone and with a group. I like to sing sweetly to my deities and kirtan loud at the Ratha Yatra/namahatta group. Fires me up.

Lalitadas from this site is a wonderfull example of a kirtan leader

"sarva guhyatamaM bhUyah zruNu me paramaM vacaH"

Gita 18.64

'Listen to My supreme secret word, the profoundest of ALL.'

'Fixing your mind upon Me,
be devoted to Me.
Sarifice every thing for My sake.
Prostrate before Me.
So shall you come to Me.

This is My pledge to you,
for you are dear to Me.'

Gita 18.65

'mayyAvezya mano ye mAM
nityayuktA upAsate
zraddhayA parayopetA
ste me yuktatamA matAH'

Gita 12.2

'Those souls who have fixed their minds on Me,
who, ever attached, steadfast and endowed with supreme faith,
worship Me - them I consider perfect in yoga.'

'Fixing your mind upon Me,
be devoted to Me.
Sacrifice unto Me.
Bow down to Me.
Having thus made yourself steadfast in Me,
taking Me as the Supreme goal, you will come to Me."

Gita 9.34.

viSayAn dhyAyatazcittaM viSayeSu viSajjate
mAmanusmara zcittaM mayyeva pravalIyate

(Bhagavatam 11.14.27)

Lord Krishna reveals-

"The mind of a man who thinks of material objects
and worldly subjects is attached to them,
but the mind of one who remembers Me
is merged in Me alone.

tasmAd asad abhidhyAnaM yathA svapna manorathAM
hitvA mayi samAdhatsva mano madbhAva bhAvitam

Bhagavatam 11.14.28

So the Lord instructs His devotee, Uddhava:

"Therefore, giving up dwelling on unreal things and
not attaching your mind to worldly desires and persons
which are no better than dreams or fancies (svapna mano-ratham),
concentrate your heart and mind upon Me,
with Divine emotional attachment for Me.

na may-yAveshita-dhiyAM kAmaH kAmAya kalpate /
bharjitA kathitA dhAnA prAyo bIjAya neshhyate //

‘In the case of whomsoever that
has turned their minds towards Me,
the desire or attachment that thereby arises in them
would not result in bad, just as a fried or baked seed
would not sprout again’

SB 10 -22 – 26

tan-manaskAs tad-alApAs
tad-viceSTAs tad-AtmikAH
tad-guNAn eva gAyantyo
nAtmAgArANi sasmaruH

SB 10.30.43:

Their minds absorbed in thoughts of Him,
they conversed about Him, acted out His pastimes
and felt themselves filled with His presence.
They completely forgot about their homes
as they loudly sang the glories of
Krishna's transcendental qualities.

I chose singing in a group...that is when I am the most fired up and happy...jumping around, singing at the tipmost top of my sorry voice, laughing with others dancing in circles, etc...it is so wondefull. I would say next would be singing alone, like at home, playing harmonium or mrdanga, where I am not shy and self concious...I can really get into a bhajan and try and grasp its meaning and feeling.
And then third I would say reading.

I would really love to get alot out of chanting...but I am not yet at that stage...but my wife recently got a copy of Hari Nama Cintamani and it has been helping me to begin to relish chanting...just a little...trying to chant to Krsna with love...it is so hard for me Perhaps because I still hang on to lower tastes?

tasmin sva Azrame vyAso
badarI-SanNDa-manNDite
AsIno 'pa upaspRzya
praNidadhyau manaH svayam

bhakti-yogena manasi
samyak praNihite 'male
apazyat puruSaM pUrNaM
mAyAM ca tad-apAzrayam

SB 1.7.3,4

In his own Ashram, which was surrounded by berry trees, Sri Vyasa Muni sat down, concentrated 'his mind'
in transcendental meditation after touching water for purification.

Thus his 'mind and heart' totally surrendered and purified through uniting in Divine Love (bhakti-yoga),
he (Sri Vyasa Maharshi) visualized the Supreme Person as well as all of the powers under His control.

anta kAle ca mAmeva
smaran muktvA kalevaram,
yah prayAti sa madbhAvaM
yAti nAstyatra saMzayaH

yaM yaM vApi smaran bhAvaM
tyajatyante kalevaram
taM tamevaiti kaunteya
sadA tadbhAva bhAvitaH

(Gita 8.5,6)

Lord Krishna declares:

And whoever, at the time of death, leaving the body,
goes forth remembering Me alone, he attains My Being.
There is no doubt about this.

Whatever being a man remembers of at the last moment when leaves his body,
that alone does he attain, O Kaunteya, being ever absorbed in thought there of.

Wherever Radha is standing,
or wherever she happens to be going,
She thinks,
Krishna is watching me, He is touching me,
He is pulling on my bodice. He is pulling on me.
I call out to Him, O Lord! O Krishna!

- from an explanation of the Maha Mantra
by Gopal Guru Goswami
posted by Jagat

Lord Krishna tells His intimate friend Uddhava:

The Gopis have not only given their mind to me,
but their very life is centered in Me;
they have renounced, for My sake,
everything connected with their body and
have mentally taken refuge in Me alone,
their beloved friend, the highest object
of their affection, their very Self.

I stand by those that have not only given up their
interests in this as well as in the other world,
but have also set at naught their moral obligations
for My sake, the most beloved of their beloved objects--
being at a distance from them, the women of Vraja,
O dear Uddhava, remain forgetful of
everything, thinking of Me.

With their mind absorbed in Me, the cowherd women are,
in most cases, somehow propping up their life with great
difficulty on My assurances of coming back to Vraja.

- Srimad Bhagavatam

rAjan saMsmRtya saMsmRtya
saMvAdam imam adbhutam
kezavArjunayoH puNyaM
hRSyAmi ca muhur muhuH

O King, as I repeatedly recall this wondrous and
holy dialogue between Krishna and Arjuna again and again,
I take pleasure, being thrilled at every moment.

tac ca saMsmRtya saMsmRtya
rUpam aty-adbhutaM hareH
vismayo me mahAn rAjan
hRSyAmi ca punaH punaH

O King, as I remember repeatedly the wonderful form of Lord Krishna,
I am struck with wonder more and more, and I rejoice again and again.

- Bhagavad Gita

yad-anudhyAsinA yuktAH
karma-granthi-nibandhanam
chindanti kovidAs tasya
ko na kuryAt kathA-ratim

Equipped with the sword of loving remembrance
and contemplation upon the Supreme Lord,
the enlightened men cut off the binding knots of
their fruive work [karma] for ever. So who will not be
attracted to His blissful exploits!

- Srimad Bhagavatam

Unceasing meditation on Lord Sri Krishna:

cintayAmi harim eva santatam
mandamanda hasitAnAmbujam |
nanda-gopa-tanayam parAt param
nAradAdi-muni-bRnda-vanditam || 8 ||

The Saint Kulasekhara Alvaar declares that he meditates always on Hari,
the destroyer of all of our sins. That Hari worshipped by celebrated
saints like Narada Muni has a radiant smile like a blossoming lotus.
He is the Supreme most among the Divinities and that Hari is none other than
Krishna, Who came down to this world as the Son of Nandagopa of Gokula.