Ten Points for Steady Sadhana

Notes from a lecture by His Grace Dwarakadish Prabhu and Her Grace Vishaka Priya Mataji on 14th August 2023 in Hyderabad, sharing experience of senior vaishnavas from their personal experience of practicing bhakti yoga for over 2 decades.

1. Strong Girhastha Ashram promotes Strong Sadhana Family Life creating right environment for great sadhana. Entire family making more favourable for sadhana & krishna centered always. 

2. Visible Sadhana

Ensure sincere sadhana. Where possible collective sadhana together with other devotees. New devotees see us as example and follow us.

3. Regular Hearing

Regular Hearing nourishes our own Sadhana. Power of conviction to please Krishna comes up & improves chanting. In such situations, Lord helps us our knowledge to becomes realised knowledge. Unsteadiness in sadhana is because of casual chanting and casual hearing.

4. By taking up more Preaching activities 

Preaching what ever you know. Krishna gets pleased by such efforts.& sadhana also becomes better.  In preaching, we ask and for empowerment and because of this our sadhana gets better

5. Considering Chanting as Naam Seva

Considering Krishna as a person and chanting as an seva opportunity to please sadhana. Chanting is a direct way of pleasing lord. Lord likes to see many of us chanting. Let's not see chanting as a just activity but as a seva opportunity. Treat chanting as very important activity with respect.

6. Few Analogies

We invite a guest, but we are not present.  We should be available while we chant as krishna is present.

Check-in Chanting is like boarding a flight. We usually check in big bags and carry small light bag in hand. You check in and take it back as you land. Similarly try to park the big unnecessary thoughts, to keep aside and become conscious again of them after japa. Example- do not carry mobile when you are chanting. Check in our big bags and start chanting.

Dentist Chair and opening mouth- when we go to dentist we just open the mouth and allow the doctor to do. We should not just do chanting regularly.

Bhasmya rog- this is a disease where we eat so much, but we don't put on weight. If we are not chant properly for many years, then we don't make progress.

7. Reciprocation

When i take care of chanting, Chanting takes care of me. Lord is a person, if you take care of him nicely, he will take care of you nicely and ensure you progress properly with right intelligence. Lord gives you Sastra Chakshu. 

Japa activates the paramatma in our heart. He gets involved with us directing, correcting, giving us right signals- this is all possible because of good chanting 

9. No talking 

When was the last time you chanted 16 rounds without talking and talking only to Krishna. Can we postpone all other aspects for sometime?

Chanting is time for communion with Lord. Please understand that you are with the lord when you are chanting. You and Lord are together, do you want anything else to come between you. We got to practice Vacho Vegam.

9. Active Beggar or passive Beggar

When you are initiated, in front of spiritual master we vow to chant 16 rounds every day. But is he asking now and then, are you chanting everyday. No. So we should never betray the trust given to spiritual master.

10. Discuss openly about Sadhana 

 We should feel responsible for our Sadhana. 

What's the Result of Good Chanting. Very very important.

1. Philosophy what you heard& listen becomes very appealing.

2. Srila Prabhupada books become sweeter

3. Iskcon institute becomes very beautiful to us.

4.Vaishnavas will appear like Vaishnavas.