Question: Is it better to chant with or without your Japa mala?
One can chant without their japa-mala, this is perfectly fine. However, the same potency will not be there as when one chants with their japa-mala. Therefore, Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and our guru-varga have stressed the importance of chanting on beads:
sankhya-purvaka-nama-gana-natibhih kalavasani-kritau
nidrahara-viharakadi-vijitau catyanta-dinau ca yau
radha-krishna-guna-smriter madhurimanandena sammohitau
vande rupa-sanatanau raghu-yugau sri-jiva-gopalakau
Sad Goswami Ashtakam, Srinivasa Acharya (Verse 6)
I offer my respectful obeisances unto the six Gosvamis, namely Sri Rupa Gosvami, Sri Sanatana Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha Bhatta Gosvami, Sri Raghunatha dasa Gosvami, Sri Jiva Gosvami, and Sri Gopala Bhatta Gosvami, who were engaged in chanting the holy names of the Lord and bowing down in a scheduled measurement. In this way they utilized their valuable lives and in executing these devotional activities they conquered over eating and sleeping and were always meek and humble, enchanted by remembering the transcendental qualities of the Lord.
So our Gosvamis chanted a fixed number of rounds on a daily basis. This injunction is very important in our sadhana [and for the progress of our spiritual life]. We have to realise that when a bona-fide guru gives a japa-mala, the potency of Sri Nama-prabhu is given with it. This japa-mala is non-different from the form of Krishna. When we chant the holy name, automatically, the remembrance of Krishna comes, and how He performs transcendental pastimes with the gopis.
Furthermore, these beads are one hundred and eight in number, where the middle bead is called sumeru, or rather the combined form of Sri Radha and Krishna. Surrounding the sumeru are the 108 beads representing the gopis, and among them are the prominent gopis called the astha-sakhis, that is Lalita, Vishakha, etc. This is beautifully described by Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura:
(ami) yamuna-puline, kadamba kanane,
ki herinu sakhi! Aja
Syama vamsidhari, mani-mancopari,
kore lila rasaraja
Krsna-keli sudha-prasravana, astha dalopari
Sri-Radha Sri-Hari, astha-sakhi parijana
Yamuna Puline, Srila Bhaktivinoda Thakura (Verse 1-2)
“O sakhi, what did I see today! In a kadamba grove on the bank of the Yamuna, a beautiful blackish boy holding a flute was standing on a jeweled platform, performing pastimes as Rasaraja, the monarch of all transcendental mellows.
Situated upon the eight petals of the jeweled altar is Sri Radha and Sri Hari surrounded by Their attendants the eight chief gopis. There Krsna performs His amorous pastimes which are just like a waterfall of nectar.”
Gaur Premanande!
Haribol!
Excerpt: Sripad Bhaktivedanta Vana Gosvami Maharaja ji’s harikatha
Location: Brazil 2023
Transcriber: Krishna Premavati devi dasi
Proofreader: Lilamayi devi dasi, Yogamaya devi dasi
Editor: Damodar das
Photography: Tirthapada das