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 began my japa at a moderate pace.
I practiced “just hear,”
the method where you
attentively chant and hear
with no other meditation.
I am capable of this,
and comfortable doing it.
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 state of japa.
I could not achieve
that rare state, but I tried.
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 at a moderate pace.
Although I was chanting silently in the mind
I heard the Names clearly, with attention and
concern to pronounce the words properly.
But I was distracted by planning
what to write in the next Japa Report.
I was committing aparadha:
inattention to the Names,
so my chanting was faulty.
But the maha-mantra is so merciful and powerful
that it vanquishes past sinful reactions,
ushers in liberation
and brings one gradually to love of God,
even when chanted with imperfections
as I was doing.
(I like to repeat the lines about
the power of the maha-mantra.
I use them as affirmations.
They give me confidence
that I am making progress,
even though I am chanting
with mistakes.)
I met my quota after eight rounds
with a few minutes to spare.
So far I had experienced no
eyestrain or headache and
I was grateful for that.

I began my third set at a brisk pace,
making speed a priority
over quality because
I had chanted two sets
at a moderate pace and
thought I had fallen behind.
I tried to avoid mere mechanical
chanting by cultivating thoughtfulness
and devotional feelings. For
thoughtfulness, I adhered to
“just hear.” This enabled me
to keep the mantras separate
and not mix or miss them. For
feeling, I glanced briefly
at Radha-Govinda and imbibed
Their sweetness. I acknowledged
that Radha-Krishna are the heart
of the Hare Krishna mantra,
composed exclusively of Their Names
and uttered as a prayer for
engagement in Their service.
I finished my twelfth round
with a few minutes to spare.

I began the fourth set continuing
to emphasize speed as a priority
over quality. I called to Krishna
for His blessings, because it is
not possible for me to do good
japa on my own endeavor. Still,
I held on to the bead until
the mantra was finished
before moving on to the next bead.
I did not want to rush recklessly.
I enunciated the mantras
externally, but not internally.
I did not enter the life of prayer.
I completed my sixteenth round
with only a few minutes to spare
on the overall quota.

I considered it barely a decent session.
I was alert and wide awake.
I had no handicap of head pressure
the whole time, but in the final
two sets I emphasized speed as
a priority over quality so
I could not rate the session
better than a B+.
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.