Baladeva’s alarm clock went off at 1:00 A.M.
and our cowbells followed.
He administered my wake-up rituals.
I went into the room
where the Deities are and bowed down.
Using my precautionary methods,
I began my japa.
I practiced “just hear”,
the method where
you chant and hear with
no other meditation.
It is not the highest perfection,
but “just hear” is elevated in itself.
Anyone who understands that the Name
is non-different than Krishna Himself,
and who absorbs himself in chanting
the transcendental sound vibration,
is achieving a rare state of japa.
I met my quota after four rounds
with minutes to spare.
Then I turned to writing in my Japa Report.
I began the second set
in the same way.
So far I felt no
sensation of pain
in the eye.
Although I was chanting silently
in the mind,
I heard the Names clearly,
and with concern to pronounce
the words properly.
But I was distracted by planning
what to write in my Japa Report.
It was not so great a distraction
because I had already been writing;
nevertheless, I was committing aparadha:
inattention to the holy name,
so my chanting was faulty.
But the Maha-mantra is so merciful and powerful
that it vanquishes sinful reactions,
ushers in liberation,
and brings one gradually to love of God.
Even when chanted with imperfections.
I met my quota after eight rounds
with minutes to spare.
On the third set,
I let speed take
priority over quality.
But I did not rush
into reckless chanting.
I held on to the bead
until the sixteen Names were
finished before moving on
to the next bead.
I tried to avoid mere
mechanical chanting
by cultivating
thoughtfulness and devotional feelings.
For thoughtfulness, I adhered
to “just hear”. This enabled
me to focus on one mantra
at a time; for feeling,
I thought of the sweetness
of Radha-Govinda.
I acknowledged Their
sweetness, and that Their names
are the heart of the Hare Krishna mantra,
uttered exclusively as a prayer
for engagement in Their service.
I finished my twelfth round
with minutes to spare in
meeting my quota.
For the fourth set, I focused
even more on keeping a
brisk pace. But I
did not slur or
skip over beads. I kept
hearing the sacred Names
one at a time.
I considered it a half-decent session
with no pains in the head.
I concentrated too much on speed
to rate the session “completely decent”.
But I did my best to pay attention
to the individual mantras.
I called out to Krishna
for His help, because it is
not possible for me to chant
good japa on my own endeavor.
At least I follow the process
of doing a prescribed number of rounds
in obedience to the order
of the spiritual master,
a sacred vow.