Humility, Maha-mantra, Raganuga-sadhana

(Jiva.org) – Humility, Maha-mantra, Raganuga-sadhana

Question: How can I become strong enough to accept my faults? When I introspect, I understand that I have faults but there is a force within that does not want to accept this. Then I blame my flaws on other persons. How can I overcome this and become honest with myself?

Answer: If you are sincere about bhakti, then it is not difficult to accept one’s faults. Bhakti makes one humble. A humble person has no difficulty in accepting faults. The material ego does not want to accept one’s flaws. It takes pleasure in blaming others. Having association with advanced devotees helps to be humble and accept one’s own flaws. If we do not have such an association, then the tendency is to find fault and feel superior to others.

Question: How should I chant the mahā-mantra on the 108 beads mālā? I start with the main bead chanting the Pañca-tattva-mantra. Is my chanting correct?

Answer: Yes.

Question: Are there any extra rules I need to follow for chanting the mahā-mantra?

Answer: Chant while sitting and not walking around. Sit still with your neck and back straight. Better to chant in the same place and at the same time every day, facing east or north. There are three ways to chant—vācika, or audible, upāṃśu, or inaudible, and mānasika, or mental. According to Haribhaktivilāsa, mānasika is the most effective way to chant.

Question: How does a sādhaka, who has not yet attained lobhā required for rāgānugā-bhakti, perform sādhana? Often it is said that one should do vaidhī-bhakti, or sometimes the term ajāta-ruci-rāgānugā-bhakti is used, but I am not clear on this. Please kindly shed some light on this topic.

Answer: Please read the second chapter of Bhakti-rasāmṛta-sindhu verses 60 to 83.´

Question: It is mentioned that the vaidhī-sādhaka is driven by śāstrīya–śraddhā to perform bhakti while a rāgānugā-sādhaka is driven by lobhā to perform bhakti. What role does śraddhā play in the sādhana of a rāgānugā–bhakta?