Chanting Attentively

Hare Krsna Gurudeva! Dandavat pranams! Jai Srila Prabhupada! Happy Janamastami to all of you.
When we are attached to material sense enjoyment our chanting is also inattentive. Also, if our chanting is inattentive, then the bhakti lata creeper gets choked and the weeds start to grow rapidly.
Question then is - how do we chant attentively so we can cut down the weeds and attachments to material sense enjoyment.
In separation, Your servant, Naimisaranya Dasa

Lecture ISV on Janamastami 2016 around 12p time.

Answer by
HH Giriraja Maharaj
- practice makes perfect
- Try to bring the mind back to the Holy Name
- By practicing it will shine the light on the root and cut it cheto darpana marjanam
- When we are desperate then our chating is with more feeling. If we think we are alright then we can't chant with sincere feeling.
- We have to realize that we are not alright. If we ever get the feeling that we are not alright, then we are in deep trouble.
- We are in a precarious situation and that we shouldn't ever forget.
- Come closer to Gurudeva and his Bhati potency will rub off onto us. Chant with people who have taste, when chanting in their association then we can chant attentively.
- Kirtan will really help to absorb our mind and that will help japa also.
- Chanting with association will boost our japa and then we can go deeper.
- Chant with close proximity, chanting in front of tulsi devi, chanting in front of Radha Kalachandji.
- Try to be sincere, it's like walking, if you fall down pick yourself back up.
- Show constant endeavor and Krsna will be pleased. Only if you show determination and endeavor can we get the mercy of Krsna ex. of sparrow trying to empty the ocean, Jatayu helping Mother Sita, Yashoda mata trying to bind Krsna 2 inches (1. her endeavor 2. Krsna's mercy)
-  Just try with all your heart, with regulation, with determination and beg for Krsna's mercy just like Yashoda mata was very determined to bind Krsna and then seeing her sweat and determination Krsna was bound.

HH Rtadvaja Maharaj
- 3 items
- Intention (to chant and please Krsna and become a sincere devotee), Attention, Retention.

HH Kesava Bharati Maharaj
- From padma purana - nama
Chanting is also meant for offenders. If you are an offender, the Holy name is remove your offences. By chanting and chanting purely then Holy Name will automatically remove the offences.

Gurudeva
- Rupa Gosvami hence says we should be paitent. It just comes with Krsna's grace. All of a sudden it just descends and then we get the taste. Continuousyly take the medicine and we can't force taste, but taste comes by Krsna's mercy and it could come not  all of a sudden, but it could come in molecules.
- If you get a lesha, a molecule just a trace of K's mercy then we can understand everything.
- Ex Narada Muni, got a glimse and then mechanically he tried to get it back and Krsna spoke to him; throughout your life you can work on it and be patient, but keep doing your bit
- Continue hearing, everday the mind should be reconvinced that we are in a bad situation and only by taking the medicine can help us.
-Feel free to just fix your mind on the Holy Name. No where else to go other than to Krsna's Holy Name and He will take care of you.

Life of an Olympics Athlete vs Life of a Devotee

Realization from journey of Athletes in Olympics.

• Athletes prepare the entire life for 1 race, 1 chance to be winners. 
• The difference between a winner and a loser is not seconds but mili seconds.
• Athletes can't do it alone, they need the right ingredients:
• they need a coach
• Lot of hardwork 
• they need peers
• they need the right environment
• need to know their competition
• Path to know how to conquer the competition.
• Sometimes decorated athletes have fallen from their position - thinking they are invincible.
• They can again go back to their winning ways only by pure hard work, regulated life style and a good mentor - actually everything above. 

Similarly in devotional life all the above can apply:

• We are preparing our entire life for the moment of death. That is our final exam - have we sufficiently prepared for our final race? 
• The difference between a winner and a loser is not seconds but mili seconds. Once an athlete loses, they repent that they have wasted 4 years of their life and have to do it all over again. Our position is the same - we already have lost so many times in our previous lifetimes but still are illusioned that we are winning. Winning is when we go back Home back to Godhead. That is our gold medal. We are just getting satisfied by running the race instead of winning. 
• Devotees can't do it alone, they need the right ingredients:
• they need a coach - Spiritual Master
• Lot of hardwork  - every moment needs to be dovetailed to Krsna and service to Krsna.
• they need peers - devotee association
• they need the right environment - ISKCON movement.
• need to know their competition - Maya devi and her illusions.
• Path to know how to conquer the competition. - sincere chanting the Holy Name to get the higher tast.
• Sometimes decorated devotees have fallen from their position - thinking they are invincible due to pride.
• They can again go back to their winning ways only by pure hard work, regulated life style and a good mentor - actually everything above. 
• The bhakti lata creeper is never dead, it just gets chocked up due to the weeds growing around the creeper and we need to cut those weeds by sincere chanting of the Holy Name.
• We need the following:
• Like of eagerness, eager to serve Krsna,  surprise him on his bday
  Life of selflessness,  living for pleasing others
  Life of surrender and life of Service