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.
I applied my precautionary measures
and began japa.
I practiced “just hear.”
It’s the method where
you just chant and hear
with no other meditation.
There are higher stages
of perfection in japa,
but “just hear” is elevated in itself.
Anyone who understands
that the Name is non-different
from Krishna Himself,
and who absorbs himself
in the transcendental sound vibration,
is achieving a rare stage 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. Although
I was chanting silently in my mind,
I heard the Names clearly, attentively
and with concern to pronounce
the words properly. But
I was distracted by planning
ahead what to write in
my next Japa Report.
I was committing aparadha:
inattention to the Name,
so my chanting was faulty.
But the mercy and power of the maha-mantra
is so great that it vanquishes sinful reactions,
ushers in liberation
and brings one gradually to love of God,
even when chanting with imperfections,
as I was doing.
I met my quota after eight rounds,
with minutes to spare.
I began my third set
emphasizing speed over quality.
I avoided merely mechanical chanting
by cultivating thoughtfulness and devotional feelings.
For thoughtfulness, I adhered to “just hear.”
This enabled me to concentrate on
the mantras individually without
mixing or merging them.
For feelings, I stayed associated
with the sweetness of Radha-Govinda,
acknowledging Them as the heart
of the Hare Krishna mantra,
uttered as a prayer to be
engaged in Their loving service.
I finished my twelfth round,
with minutes to spare on the quota.
The fourth set was dedicated
to speed and catching up
from being behind.
I was awake and alert,
but externally so.
Not absorbed in inward
prayer to Radha-Krishna
and devotional service.
I completed sixteen rounds
with minutes to spare
on the overall quota.
I considered the session “half-decent,”
too much centered on speed
to be rated higher than that.
At least I follow the process
of carrying out a prescribed number of rounds
in obedience to the order
of the spiritual master,
a sacred vow.