Chanting Vs reading

Hare Krishna dear Prabhujis and Matajis,

PAMHO. AGT Srila Prabhupada! I have a question regading time management in Krishna C.

In a situation where you go to the temple for Aarati every morning, you chant 2 rounds walking there, two rounds walking back home (so you're up early in the morning hours to take advantage of the most auspicious time of the day), you chant until say 6am at the temple, total rounds for the morning, maybe 10 rounds, if you're fast and steady. Then you start your day of wife, mother, worker, until the end of the day (for those who don't have children, days are pretty full and usually stop around 8.30pm). With all that activity, you still have 6 rounds to go (4 rounds if you've been awesome and managed to chant during lunch break). At the end of the day, you're very tired, you go to bed around 8.30-9pm so that you can read for 30 mins one of Srila Prabhupada's books. Where do you fit the extra rounds that you haven't chanted yet? 

Srila Prabhupada's books are the most important source of knowledge, he said so many times that everything is in the books. In order to make good Krishna Conscious decisions day in day out, you need to have a good knowledge of the books. So reading every day is a must in that sense. But chanting is the life and soul of a Vaishnava. So we can't compromise on that either. Going to bed later makes you sleep through the clock's alarm in the morning, so you can't compromise on the Aarati time either. Let alone the fact that chanting at night, you're likely to commit the offense of falling asleep on your japas...


Any suggestions?


Hare Krishna!


YS, Claire



Join ISKCON Desire Tree | IDT

Email me when people reply –


  • Volunteer

    Hare Krishna Claire mataji,


    I would like to share something with you what Srila Prabhupada told about chanting. Once there was a church which ISKCON had bought and were doing the renovations and since the day of Srila Prabhupadas visit for opening the temple was nearing, all the devotees were working really hard to complete the temple. One of the devotee there was working for 20 hours in the day and sleping only for 4 hours. AND HE WAS NOT CHANTING AT ALL. When Srila Prabhupada came, he saw all the things and asked how is his spiritual life going on??? He replied that everything is good but because of hectic schedule, he is not able to chant his rounds. He is working for 20 hrs and sleeping only for 4 hrs. Then Srila Prabhupada replied, Sleep for 2 hrs but chant ur japa without fail.

    It may appear to be very harsh on us that how srila prabhupaada can give such a reply. But we should understand that this is for our own benefit in Spiritual life. Srila Prabhupada no doubt emphasized on reading his books regularly but the whole essence is in chanting the holy name. reading is only to increase the taste of chanting and it should not be taken the other way.

    In your case all you need to do is sit back relax and see how you are spending time in the day and intelligently utilize the time for chanting the holy name. Srila Prabhupada gave ABCD of spiritual life which are

    A - Association which you do by going to temple every day

    B - Reading Srila Prabhupada books daily for minimum of 30 min

    C - Chanting of Hare Krishna Mahamantra minimum of 16 rounds DAILY

    D - Diet -- eating only Krishna Prasadam

    Please forgive me if I have offended you or any one else in any ways.

    Hari Bol...

  • Hare Krishna!

    Actually, I don't know too much, I will tell what I have learnt.

    Hearing comes first then Chanting. So, hearing is the devotees, to get attracted to Krishna, and to have knowledge on so many thing(Ex: How to chant the holy name properly).

    -S.B 1.2.17-

    Sri Krsna, the personality of Godhead, who is the Paramatama [Supersoul] in everyone's heart and the benefactor of the truthful devotee, cleanses desire for material enjoyment from the heart of the devotee who has developed the urge to hear sages, which are in themselves virtuous when properly heard and chanted.

    (Suta Goswami instructs the sages of Naimisaranya)

    So, that's my small help

    Thank you very much

    Hare krishna!


    • Hare Krishna Prabhuji! PAMHO. AGT Srila Prabhupada! Thank you very much for your post! It's very reassuring! YS, Claire

  • Hare Krishna Prabhuji and Mataji! PAMHO. AGT Srila Prabhupada! 

    Thank you for the vote of confidence! Although I do not feel I deserve them as there is always so much room for improvement, and this is definitely my case! None of what I do is really outstanding, I'm just trying to be as close as possible to Krishna by keeping Him in my thoughts all day and thinking of Srila Prabhupada's words last at night. Oh! What sweet dreams one has thinking only of Srila Prabhupada's books just before going to bed! All this inspiration comes from the wonderful pujaris at my temple, they are always so kind and compassionate! Always trying to think of ways that I might be able to help at the temple and thus serve Krishna! And seeing Krishna and Radharani every morning...! It's a little difficult the first week, but once one is used to the early hours and the extra walk in the cold, who doesn't want to see Krishna and Radharani everyday?! It's like your loved ones, you want to see them as much as you can, so you want to see Krishna as much as you can. Some days, I can only go once in the morning, some other days I managed to squeeze an extra hour later in the morning. What a bliss! That's why association is so important in Krishna C.! Today something wonderful happened, I managed to chant a little faster, and do an extra half round before I arrived at the temple, then once I arrived, I finished the other half; Aarati started, and the same happened on my way back. So this is how one fits more rounds in their schedule! Krishna must have stretched the time a little for me and I worked hard at chanting more! :-) Hare Krishna! David Prabhuji, I can only speak for my experience, but as far as I'm concern, the more I want to progress, the more Krishna helps me attain that goal. And you are on ISKCON Desire Tree, so you are bond to make progress in your Krishna Consciousness with this excellent association! Bhaktin Maral Mataji, you are absolutely right, there is no time to be wasted on TV, news and the likes! As for internet, I might be guilty of that! :-) Thank you for pointing it out, as I thought the same thing to myself yesterday and your comment is the extra push I needed to cut down on the time I spend online! 


    Please keep Krishna in your thoughts throughout the day, and even though you might not have the time to engage in His service a lot in your schedule, He will certainly be happy to feel that you're thinking of Him!


    Hare Krishna! 


    Your humble servant, Claire

  • Volunteer

    Hare Krishna dear Claire Mataji, please accept my humble obeisances! All glories to Srila Prabhupada!

     Yes, David Prabhu is right, You are a heroin of Krishna! Let Him give strength to You further more.

    As usually old Indian families were  big with Grandmas, Grandpas, aunts, uncles, cousins...and in this way it was easy for mother to take care of her children and house. They used to help each other and everyone had time for personal life also. but in this age couples try to live only two of them and when kid appears it becomes a burden to a mother to do at the same time to take care of the house, child...

    If it is really difficult then You might think of employing one maid servant to help to do cleanings...

    as like it is done nowadays in India. But in India maid servant job is not expensive it might be expensive in Your side. :-(

    Anyways, if we remember HG Yamuna Mataji, HG Malati Mataji...and all senior Disciples of Srila Prabhupada they used to keep their child in the box, they did not have house...but in order to preach and to serve to Guru and Krishna they accepted and tolerated those difficulties.

     Krishna sees our endeavors. If we even in those difficult situations try to serve to Krishna then Krishna will be pleased and He will see that You love Him. And surely He will help You giving strength.

     If everything would be ok, then we would stay in this world forever. because of that we should understand difficulties as a blessings which push us to the Spiritual World.


    For example One can save time if :

    ---to try to speak less on the phone

    ---no TV

    ---no gossip

    ---no more than needed Internet using

    ---on the place of newspapers one reads books...

    Your servant,

    Your servant,

  • Hare Krishna
    You are very advanced Mataji.
    My dandavats to you (unlimited)

    I do not know this answer, but was very touched by your schedule. You are very dear to Srimati Radhika & Krishna.
    I pray that I may be successful in my Spiritual life as you are.

    Hari bol!
This reply was deleted.