Baladeva’s alarm clock went off at 1:00 A.M.,
and our cowbells followed.
He administered my wake-up rituals.
I entered 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 can understand 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.
Bhaktivinoda Thakura writes that
one should chant with love, and
I also attempted that.
I met my quota after four rounds
with minutes to spare.
Then I turned to writing
in my Japa Report.
I began my 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 my next Japa Report.
I was committing aparadha:
inattention to the Name.
So my japa was faulty.
But the maha-mantra is so merciful and powerful
that it vanquishes past sinful reactions,
ushers in liberation,
and gradually brings one to the actual goal –
attainment of love of God,
even when chanted with imperfections
as I was doing.
I met my quota after eight rounds
with minutes to spare.
I began the third set
at a medium pace. So far I felt
no sensation of eyestrain or headache,
and I was thankful for that.
I attempted to avoid merely mechanical
chanting by cultivating thoughtfulness
and devotional feeling. For thoughtfulness,
I adhered to “just hear.” This enabled
me to concentrate on
keeping the mantras separate
without mixing or missing 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
to be engaged in Their service.
I finished my twelfth round
with minutes to spare.
I began my fourth set
switching to a brisk pace,
emphasizing speed as a
priority over quality. Previously I
attempted an inward quality
and entered the life of prayer.
But now I chanted to
get the rounds done as soon as possible
without reckless rushing.
I called out to Krishna for His blessings
because it is not possible
for me to do good japa
on my own endeavor.
I completed sixteen rounds
with minutes to spare
on the overall quota.
I considered it a decent session.
I was alert and wide awake the whole time.
I chanted all my rounds with attention.
I met all my quotas
and did not fall behind.
On the fourth set I stopped
inward attention and prayer,
but kept up clear enunciation
at a brisk pace.
I followed the process of doing
a prescribed number of rounds
in obedience to the order
of the spiritual master,
a sacred vow. I experienced
no physical pain for
the entire set, but did not dare
to maintain a darsana
or chant vocally
for fear of developing
head pressure.