Is it OK to use a clicker to chant japa?

mishra

famous question, never really answered to me.

abhiram

I have seen it used by devotees who drive so maybe the question is: should you chant while driving?
Dont chant and drive.

ccd

Traditionally in bengal you chant on fingers or on tulsi. There is no other scriptural injunction as there are no hard and fast rules for japa, however i do not think its a good idea to hide clicker in a beadbag as it looks like you are pretending to chant mala. ys

Saryu

Personally for me chanting on the beads is special because:

1) my spiritual master chanted on them prior to my initiation;
2) they are Tulasi beads (supposedly), and she is a great devotee of Krishna, so it is a way of worshipping her and being connected to her, and with her help - to Krishna.
3) this is the way great Vaishnava acharyas were doing and I feel more connected with them following this simple tradition, it helps my meditation;
4) why not beads anyway if I can use them instead of clicker? Like Abhiram said "Don't chant and drive" - for japa we should reserve two peacefull hours when we don't need to be distracted by anything else.

These are my personal feelings, chanting on beads works well for me, maybe someone else has a greater need to stay connected to modern technology :)

rasa108

Why does anyone need to use a clicker? Maybe because you're on public transport or a place where beads are impractical...then I guess the next question is: "Should we be chanting Japa in a place that requires the use of a clicker?" and the answer for me is NO...I would not be able to chant attentively in the situation where a clicker is required.

My understanding is that we should chant in an atmosphere that encourages us to be attentive and able to concentrate and hear the Holy Name properly.

mishra

we were doing sankirtan at an airport in the 80s and I had a devotee friend who in the middle of the sankirtan, changed very quickly in devotional clothes inside our temple-van, lit incense and everything. He was set in 2mins, chanted focused 2-3 rounds and then came back to the sankirtan "field".
Some at that time though he was crazy, but he was smart. Talk about environment importance for chanting.

krishnadas

yes of course just chant thats all.there are no hard and fast rules

lalitagopi

I like to chant on my Tulsi beads in temple room, but during the day I am always keeping my clicker with me. It is helping me to chant always, ok , at least more:) I am not chanting only morning, during brahma muhurta and then finished. And many times, e.g. during shopping I can not use Tulasi beads, because of touching laxmi and unclean things.
hmm...and regarding hiding clicker to beadbag, I dont think it is some pretending, like CCd told. It is just a rule, that if u are chanting and counting ur mantras u should cover or hide ur hand. (because of ghosts) Like when we are chanting Gayatri or japa on beads.
So please do not curse me, but I like cliccker :o)

abhiram

lalitagopi:
\ It is just a rule, that if u are chanting and counting ur mantras u should cover or hide ur hand. (because of ghosts) Like when we are chanting Gayatri or japa on beads.
So please do not curse me, but I like cliccker :o)

because of ghosts? really? where is that written?

lalitagopi

oh, this I heard from my "ghostexpert" godbrother Damana Krishna Prabhu. That 3 things we should hide : mantra, guru, deity. But I will ask him, he certenaly have some reference. I will let u know.
But before deity no need to cover hand.

rasa108

>And many times, e.g. during shopping I can not use Tulasi beads, because of touching laxmi and unclean things.

This is interesting....how to chant attentively during shopping....I know it would not be possible for me as I would be thinking of everything but the Holy Name.

lalitagopi

Ok. Then let say I will not use clicker during shopping, but still I will vibrate the Holy name in my mind, instead of hearing karmi songs in shops (also for controlling my mind and senses :)

Illicit Blue

We are adviced to chant 24 hours a day, so why not during shopping or driving? Even if we are inattentive during chanting, the only remedy is to keep on chanting.
It is also advised we should count our rounds in order to see whether we make some progress in numbers or not. Now we may ask the question; "should we chant our 16 rounds on beads or not?"

In my humble opinion, chanting on beads is a secondary rule. The primary rule is to chant 24 hours a day. From this everything else will come. Even if hell comes first, if we keep on chanting with faith and in a humble attitude, the holy name will ultimately appear.

rasa108

>We are adviced to chant 24 hours a day, so why not during shopping or driving?

Why? Because inattention is an offense against the Holy names

>Even if we are inattentive during chanting, the only remedy is to keep on chanting.

Yes keep on chanting but avoiding offenses including inattention....I can give direct quotes from Srila Prabhupada but I think it just takes common sense. If you are calling Krsna and He comes then you ignore Him completely and do other things...I think we would all agree that it's not going to get the desired result.

mishra

One thing is japa meditation, which has to be attentive. If you do want to fill your mind and ears with Krishna´s name the whole day, just play music, etc. There is a time for each. Mixing is not good.

ccd

It is all depends to where you from. In Germany everything that is not allowed is forbidden, in England everything that is not forbidden is allowed, in France even things that are forbidden are sometimes allowed and in Russia, even that which is allowed is sometimes forbidden. How can we give you a universal answer?

gopala1008

I know in Los Angeles temple, just about everybody uses a clicker. I even saw brahmacaris walking around with them. I use them because there's no way I could ever finish my rounds without them as I work full time.

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