Which is the Best Form of Worship?
Question: What is the best form of worship?
Swami Yatiswarananda: "Japa (=chanting) is the BEST form of worship suited to the modern age." (pg. 394, Meditation and Spiritual Life)
Question: I do Japa; for many years. I do not derive the satisfaction
of having done a worship. My Japa (=chanting) is mechanical---the
feeling is akin to "doing it for the sake of doing": I do not feel
anything after that. Why is that so?
Swami Yatiswarananda: "Japa (=chanting) should be done in a spirit of MYSTIC worship. It is ONLY when THIS spirit is LOST that it becomes mechanical. Very often, people forget this central point. Japa (=chanting) should be practised as a HIGHER form of worship. The ATTITUDE of LOVE and ADORATION MUST be there to make Japa (=chanting) an EFFECTIVE spiritual discipline." (pg. 394, Meditation and Spiritual Life).
Question: So, mechanical chanting (=Japa) is not going to yield any results or to benefit me?
Swami Yatiswarananda: "No doubt, even mechanical repetition of the divine Name HAS some value, as the divine Name itself has its intrinsic power, but when Japa (=chanting) is done with DEVOTION as a form of worship, our whole soul, mind and body respond to it. This is the secret of attaining success in spiritual life through Japa." (pg. 394, Meditation and Spiritual Life)
Swami Yatiswarananda: "Japa (=chanting) is the BEST form of worship suited to the modern age." (pg. 394, Meditation and Spiritual Life)
Swami Yatiswarananda: "Japa (=chanting) should be done in a spirit of MYSTIC worship. It is ONLY when THIS spirit is LOST that it becomes mechanical. Very often, people forget this central point. Japa (=chanting) should be practised as a HIGHER form of worship. The ATTITUDE of LOVE and ADORATION MUST be there to make Japa (=chanting) an EFFECTIVE spiritual discipline." (pg. 394, Meditation and Spiritual Life).
Question: So, mechanical chanting (=Japa) is not going to yield any results or to benefit me?
Swami Yatiswarananda: "No doubt, even mechanical repetition of the divine Name HAS some value, as the divine Name itself has its intrinsic power, but when Japa (=chanting) is done with DEVOTION as a form of worship, our whole soul, mind and body respond to it. This is the secret of attaining success in spiritual life through Japa." (pg. 394, Meditation and Spiritual Life)
Comments
Post a Comment