Q&A: Making up for lapses in devotional practices: What to do if one has been unable to complete his daily vows?

Q: What should one do if for some reason he's been unable to complete the daily devotional vows concerning the chanting of harinama or diksha-mantras, or puja?

A: It should be understood that there is no wonder trick by the doing of which the neglect of a previous day's devotional activities could be complemented whilst hoping to attain an equal result. One's daily devotional activities are nitya-niyamas, perpetual vows. One should not seek for ways to occasionally avoid them for the sake of one's leisure and pleasure. raghunAther niyama, yena pASANer rekha! - "The vows of Raghunath were like streaks on a stone." One should strive to embrace such firmness of practice to attain success in his devotional pursuits.

It may be that on account of some unforeseen, insurmountable obstacle one's devotional practice is compromized. If that is the case, some remedial measures have been taught in the Vaishnava-smriti and heard from the mouths of the sadhus. Yet, one should not, on their strength, neglect one's devotional vows in a calculated manner, "If I don't fulfill my vows of bhajan today, then here's what I need to do tomorrow to make up for it. Let me therefore leave it for tomorrow." No! This will imbibe the flaw of nAmno balAd yasya hi pApa-buddhiH, to assume that one may misbehave on the strength of devotional worship.

One should think, "I must complete my daily nitya-niyamas. I must." Just as one wouldn't leave a child unfed and uncared for a day, one mustn't leave one's tender bhajan unnourished, and one mustn't keep his Thakur waiting. Utsaha and dhairya, enthusiasm and fortitude, are vital in the growth of bhakti (Upadeshamrita 3); without them, devotional progress is halted.

Should a lapse occur on account of excessive and unavoidable seva or some formidable obstruction, the general principle is that one should do more than the remaining balance as a matter of devotional atonement, with a sincere feeling of unworthiness as Thakur's servant. One must understand that the daily niyamas are a part of a living personal relationship with Thakur, not a matter of ritualistic, obligatory observance. They are our expression of longing, of our heart's budding love.

The 19th chapter of Hari-bhakti-vilasa (19.1038-1039) notes, in the context of worshiping the deity:

ekAha pUjAvihitau kuryAd dvi-guNam arcanam |
tri-rAtre tu mahA-pUjAM samprokSaNam ataH param ||
mAsAd Urdhvam anekAhaM pUjA yadi vihanyate |
pratiSThaiveSyate kaizcit kaizcit samprokSaNa-kramaH ||

"If worship has been forsaken for a day, one ought to worship twice. If three days have passed, one should perform great worship with the bathing ceremony. If the worship has been repeatedly neglected for the duration of a month, some hold that installation should be done anew, while others recommend the bathing ceremony and so forth."

Such worship should be done in the spirit of apology, calling out for the Lord, begging him to again receive our worship, with firm determination that such neglect will not occur again.

Manohara-bhajan-dipika, discussing what ought to be done in the event that the chanting of the names has been halted for a day, states that one must then, on the following day, perform four-fold the daily vow. For example, if one's vow has been for 50.000 names daily, one should then chant 200.000 names, discarding all unneeded activity to arrange for time for its performance. In the event that daily vow has not been neglected but has been compromised, then doing the vow two-fold is sufficient.

For those chanting the Names in excess of one lakh, the four-fold atonement is not practicable for obvious reasons. Rarely it is seen, though, that someone with a lakh's daily vow would halt his nama-bhajan altogether for a day! Regardless, if their nama-bhajan has been compromised, they should chant a substantially increased quantity in proportion to their daily vows on the following day to atone for the neglect of Nama Prabhu's daily worship.

The above also applies for the chanting of the diksha-mantras and other quantifiable practices. If the practices neglected are not of a nature that could be quantified, one should sincerely regret having neglected the said practice and thereby a precious opportunity for acts of devotional worship, praying for a new opportunity. With that, one should make arrangements to see that the situation leading to the neglect will not occur again.

References to Maha-Mantra - Early Sources

The following is a slightly contextualized compilation of references on the Hare Krishna maha-mantra from the era predating Sri Chaitanya. Regrettably many of them are from second-hand sources and as such lack proper exact references.

In the Radha Hridya Khanda of the Brahmanda Purana, Romaharsana Suta prays to Sri Veda Vyasa as follows:

yat tvayA kIrtitaM nAtha hari-nAmeti sanjitam |

mantraM brahma-padaM siddhi karaM-tad-vad-no-vibho ||

“O master, O mighty one! Please glorify the Hari-nama mantra situated in transcendence, the cause of all perfection!”

gRhaNAd yasya mantrasya dehI brahma-mayo bhavet |

sadhyaH pUtaH surApo ‘pi sarva-siddhi-yuto bhavet

-ahaM te ‘bhidhAsyAmi mahA-bhAgavato hamsi ||

hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kRSNa kRSNa hare hare |

hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare ||

iti SoDazakaM nAmnAM tri-kAla kalmaSApaham |

nAtaH parataropAyaH sarva vedeSu vidhyate ||

“The embodied soul who accepts this mantra will become filled with transcendence, and by accepting it, even a drunkard will attain all perfections. I will recite this mantra to you, for you are a swan-like maha­bhagavata. ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.’ These sixteen names can destroy the sins of the three worlds, and nothing higher than them is to be found in all the Vedas.”

Agni Purana states:

hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kRSNa kRSNa hare hare |

raTanti halayA vApi te kRtArthA na saMzayaH ||

“Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare: Whoever chants this mantra, even neglectfully, will attain the supreme goal of life. Of this there is no doubt.”

Padma Purana states:

dvAntriM-sad-akSaraM mantraM nAma-SoDa-zakAnvitam |

prajapan vaiSNavo nityaM rAdhA-kRSNa-sthalaM-labhet ||

“Any Vaishnava who chants the mantra consisting of thirty-two syllables and sixteen names will attain the abode of Radha and Krishna.”

The following statement on the congregational chanting of the Hari-nama maha-­mantra also found in the Padma Purana:

harer nAma mahA-mantrair nazyet pApa pizAcakaM |

harer agra svarair uccair nRtyaM stan-nAmakrin-naraH |

punAti bhuvanaM vipra! gaGgAdi salilaM yathA ||

hare pradakzinaM kurvann uccais tan nAma krin naraH |

karatAlAdi sandhAnaM susvaraM kAla zabditam ||

“Anyone who dances in front of Sri Hari and loudly chants the hari nama maha-mantra will destroy all witches of sin. Just as the water of sacred rivers like the Ganga purify the universe, similarly those who circumambulate Sri Hari and loudly perform nama sankirtana of the 16-word maha-mantra with sweet voices and while clapping the hands, purify the entire universe.”

The Hare Krishna maha-mantra is also related in the Brahmanda Purana, Uttara­khanda, 6.55. The Pippalada-branch of the Atharva Veda states:

svanAma-mUla-mantreNa sarvaM hlAdayati vibhuH |
sa eve mUlam-mantraM japati haririti kRSNa iti rAma iti ||

“The name is the root of all mantras, the splendid one bringing joy to everyone. This root-mantra is chanted as Hari, Krishna and Rama.”

Kali-santarana Upanisad (2) of Krishna Yajur Veda states:

hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kRSNa kRSNa hare hare |

hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare ||

iti soDazakaM nAmnAM kali-kalmaSa-nAzanam |

nAtaH parataropAyaH sarva-vedeSu dRSyate ||

“The sixteen names of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra – ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare’ --destroy all the inauspiciousness of the age of Kali. This is the conclusion of all the Vedas.”

Some renditions of the text reverse the two lines of the maha-mantra, starting with Hare Rama. The Gaudiya tradition, however, does not concur with the alternative reading. Rama-tapaniyopanisad (1.6) explains the meaning of the maha-mantra as follows:

harati tri-vidhaM tapaM janma-koti-zatodbhavam |
pApaM ca smarataM yasmAt tasmAd dharir iti smRtaH ||

“The Lord is known as Hari because He takes away the sins and three types of suffering accumulated over millions of births, of those who remember him.”

kRSir bhUr-vAcakaH zabdo nas ca nirvRti-zucakaH |

tayor aikyaM paraM brahma kRSNa ity abhidhIyate ||

“The root krs indicates the supreme attractiveness of the Lord, the suffix na indicates the supreme joy. Thus, the name Krishna indicates the Supreme Brahman who is the acme of these two characteristics.”

ramante yogino ’nante satyAnande cid-Atmani |

iti rAma-padenAsau paraM brahmAbhidhIyate ||

“The yogis take pleasure in the Supreme Self which is existence, knowledge and bliss absolute. Therefore that truth, known as the Param Brahman is also called Rama.”

The Chaitanya Upanisad published by Kedarnath Bhaktivinoda also has a reference to the Hare Krishna maha-mantra:

sa eva mUla-mantraM japati harir iti kRSNa iti rAma iti || 11 ||

“He chants the original mantra consisting of Hari, Krishna and Rama.”

harati hRdaya-granthiM vAsanA-rUpam iti hariH | kRSiH smaraNe tac ca Nas tad ubhaya-melanam iti kRSNaH | ramayati sarvam iti rAma Ananda-rUpaH | atra zloko bhavati || 12 ||

“He who removes the knot in the heart in the form of material desire, is called Hari. The union by the remembrance of the root krs- and the affix -na, is the hymn of praise - Krishna. He who gives pleasure to everything is the form of bliss - Rama. Thus the verse becomes.”

Ananta-samhita, one among the voluminous pancaratra-agamas, also suspected to be a post-Chaitanya work, states:

hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kRSNa kRSNa hare hare |
hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare ||
SoDazaitAni nAmAni dvAtriMzad varNakAni hi |
kalau yuge mahA-mantraH sammato jIvatAraNe ||
varjayitvA tu nAmaitad durjanaiH parikalpitam |
chandobaddhaM susiddhAnta viruddhaM nAbhyaset padam ||
tArakaM brahma-nAmaitad brahmaNA guruNAdinA |
kalisantaraNAdyAsu zruti-svadhigataM hareH ||
prAptaM zrI brahma-ziSyeNa zrI nAradena dhImatA |
nAmaitad-uttamaM zrauta-pAramparyeNa brahmaNaH ||
utsRjyaitan-mahA-mantraM ye tvanyat kaepitaM padam |
mahAnAmeti gAyanti te zAstra-guru laNghanaH ||
tattva-virodha-saopRktaM tAdRzaM daurjanaM matam |
sravathA parihAryaM syAdAtma-hitArthinA sadA ||
hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kRSNa kRSNa hare hare |
hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare ||

“‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Rama Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare’ -- This sixteen-name, thirty-two syllable mantra is the maha-mantra in the age of Kali by which all living beings can be delivered. One should never abandon chanting this maha-mantra and take to other so-called purificatory processes which are practiced by rascals, or engage in chanting other metrical compositions of the name of Krishna that are against the pure conclusions of the scriptures, or are filled with rasabhasa.
About this divinely spiritual maha-mantra, which delivers one from material existence, the original guru, Lord Brahma, has said, kali-santararadi srutite, ‘The srutis have declared this mantra to be the best means of deliverance in the age of Kali’. Having all heard this from Brahma, the sons and disciples of Brahma, beginning with Narada, all accepted the Hare Krishna maha-mantra and, having meditated on it, attained perfection.”

In Jnanamrita Sara, a scripture belonging to the Pancaratrika corpus of literature, the following statement is found:

ziSya ‘syodaG mukha-sthasya harer-nAmAni SoDaza |

saMzrAvyaiva tato dagdhAn mantraM trai-lokya-mangalam ||

“Located next to him (the guru), the disciple should hear the sixteen names of Hari from his mouth, thus taking shelter of the mantra which protects from inauspiciousness and causes auspiciousness for the three worlds.”

In the Brahma Yamala, belonging to the tantrika corpus of literature, the following statement is found:

hariM binA nAsti kiJcat pApani-stArakaM kalau |
tasmAl-lokod-dhArANa-ArthaM hari-nAma prakAzayet ||
sarvatra mucyate loko mahA-pApAt kalau yuge |
hare-kRSNa-pada-dvandvaM kRSNeti ca pada-dvayam ||
tathA hare-pada-dvandvaM hare-rAma iti dvayam |
tad-ante ca mahA-devI rAma rAma dvayaM vadet ||
hare hare tato brUyAd harinAma samud dharet |
mahA-mantraM ca kRSNasya sarvapApa praNASakamiti ||

“Without Hari, there is no way to eradicate the sins of the age of Kali, and therefore it is essential that Hari-nama should be manifest in all the worlds. In this way the entire world can be delivered from the great sins of the age of Kali. First one should twice chant ‘Hare Krishna’, then twice ‘Krishna’, then twice ‘Hare’, then twice ‘Hare Rama’, and in the end, O Maha-Devi, one should chant ‘Rama’ twice, and then ‘Hare Hare’. In this way one should pronounce Krishna’s Hari-nama maha-mantra, which destroys all sins.”

In the Radha Tantra, the following discussion is found:

zRNu mAtarmahAmAye vizva-bIja-svarUpiNi |
hari nAmno mahAmAye kramaG vad surezvari ||

“Hear me, O mother Mahamaya, seed of the universe personified, mistress of the gods! Please explain the sequence of Hari-nama.”

hare kRSNa hare kRSNa kRSNa kRSNa hare hare |

hare rAma hare rAma rAma rAma hare hare ||

dvAtriM zadakSarANyeva kalau nAmAni sarvadam |

etanmantraM suta zreSTha prathamaM zRNuyAnnaraH ||

“O best of sons! ‘Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare, Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare’, these thirty-two syllables and sixteen names are always the names for the age of Kali. This mantra should be first heard by all human beings.”

Raganuga - 3.2: Mantra Initiation

The importance of accepting initiation for Krishna-mantra has been described as follows:

divyaM jJAnaM yato dadyAt kuryAt pApasya saGkSayam |
tasmAd dIkSeti sA proktA dezikais tattva kovidaiH ||
ato guruM praNamyaivaM sarvasvaM vinivedya ca |
gRhNIyAd vaiSNavaM mantraM dIkSA pUrvaM vidhAnataH || (bhakti-sandarbha 283)

“That, which bestows divine knowledge and destroys all sins, is called diksa by the knowers of the truth. Therefore, paying obeisance to the guru and offering unto him one's all, one should receive Vaisnava mantra-diksa preceded with proper procedures.”

The great teachers have further glossed the importance of meditating on the diksa-mantra as a means of establishing a specific relationship with the Lord, which is, after all, the object of raganuga-bhakti-sadhana.

divyaM jJAnaM hy atra zrImati mantre bhagavat-svarUpa-jJAnaM, tena bhagavatA sambandha-vizeSa-jJAnaM ca || (ibid.)

“Here divine knowledge means the knowledge about the Lord’s intrinsic identity which lies within the mantra, along with specific knowledge of one's relationship with the Lord.”

This is repeated over and over again:

zrI-nAradAdi-vartmAnusaradbhiH zrI-bhagavatA saha sambandha-vizeSaM dIkSA-vidhAnena zrI-guru-caraNa-sampAditaM cikIrSadbhiH kRtAyAM dIkSAyAm arcanam avazyaM kriyetaiva || (ibid.)

“Those who are following the path of Narada and others, and who desire the particular relationship with the Lord that is brought about at the feet of the guru through the rite of diksa, necessarily perform arcana (worship) when diksa is completed.”

Steadfast contemplation on the diksa-mantra gradually gives rise to and strengthens a certain loving relationship with the Lord. To refine the conception of the practitioner, it is customary for the guru to further instruct the initiate on the nature of his specific eternal, spiritual identity.