Sri Ananta Krsna dasa ji, Babaji’s disciple, has selected a number of statements from chapter 17 of the Hari Bhakti Vilasa, in an effort to answer the numerous questions that are frequently asked about japa. He sent these to me for translations, which I provide below. Happy Reading!

Rules regarding the mālā

ekaika-maṇim aṅguṣṭhenākarṣan prajapen manum | merau tu laṅghite devi na mantra-phala-bhāg bhavet ||115||

One should chant the mantra while moving a bead at a time. If the central bead is crossed, however, O Devi, one will not get the result of the mantra.

tarjanyā na spṛśet sūtraṁ kamapyen na vidhūnayet | aṅguṣṭha-parva-madhyasthaṁ parivartaṁ samācaret||123||

One should not touch the mālā with the forefinger, nor shake it or throw it. One should move the mālā situated on the middle of the crease of the thumb.

Commentary —
sūtram iti mālām ity arthaḥ | na kampayet | no vidhūnayec ca na prakṣipet ||123||

sūtra here refers to the mālā. The word ‘na’ applies to both the word ‘kampayet’ and the word ‘vidhūnayet’. no vidhūnayet here means ‘one should not throw’.

Some people like to dance with the mālā hanging around their necks, shaking it around as they go. This is prohibited above.

vyāsa-smṛtau—
aṅguly-agreṣu yaj japtaṁ yaj japtaṁ meru-laṅghane | asaṅkhyātaṁ ca yaj japtaṁ tat sarvaṁ niṣphalaṁ bhavet ||135||

It is stated in the Vyāsa-smṛti — Japa done in the front portion of the finger, japa done by crossing the central bead or japa done without keeping track of number will not give the intended result.

kiṁ ca—

Furthermore,

na spṛśed vāma-hastena kara-bhraṣṭāṁ na kārayet ||124||
One should not touch the mālā with the left hand, and one should not drop the mālā from the hand.

kiṁ ca—

Also,

aśucir na spṛśed enāṁ kara-bhraṣṭāṁ na kārayet | aṅguṣṭha-sthām akṣa-mālāṁ cālayen madhyam agrataḥ ||125||
One should not touch the mālā when unclean, nor drop it from the hand. One should move the mālā, situated on the thumb, with the front of the middle finger.

anyatra ca—

Elsewhere, it is said —

japānya-kāle mālāṁ tu pūjayitvā sugopayet | guruṁ prakāśayed vidvān mantraṁ naiva prakāśayet ||130||

When japa is not being done, the mālā should be worshipped and kept hidden. The wise can reveal the guru even but never the mantra.

People walking around on the streets of Vraja with the mālā around their necks is a common sight. They essentially advertise the fact that they do japa. The above statement implies that such a practice is inappropriate. The mālā must be worshipped and hidden away when not being used. It should not be carried around in public.

akṣa-mālāṁ ca mudrāṁ ca guror api na darśayet | bhūta-rākṣasa-vetālāḥ siddha-gandharva-cāraṇāḥ | haranti prakaṭaṁ yasmāt tasmād guptaṁ japet sudhīḥ ||131||

One should not display the mālā and mudrā to even the guru. Displaying the mālā allows the bhutas, the rākṣasas, the vetālās, the siddhas, the gandharvas, and the cāraṇas, to steal the japa. Therefore, the wise should perform japa in a concealed manner.

Here, we see that the practice of japa should be done in a concealed manner.

Rules prohibiting walking, covering one’s head, talking etc. during japa

kiṁ ca—

Additionally,

vadan na gacchan na svapan nānyat kim api saṁsmaran | na kṣuj-jṛmbhaṇa-hikkādi-vikalīkṛta-mānasaḥ | mantra-siddhim avāpnoti tasmād yatna-paro bhavet ||133||

One cannot achieve the results of chanting the mantra if one does it while talking, walking, lying down to sleep, remembering something else, or with a mind that is afflicted by hunger, laziness, crying etc. Therefore, one should strive [to do japa while avoiding these].

Many like to go on so-called ‘japa walks’. To do so is to disregard the above prohibition. Also, the mind should be peaceful when doing japa.

ata eva mantrārṇave—

Therefore it is stated in the mantrārṇava —

uṣṇīṣī kañcukī nagno mukta-keśo galāvṛtaḥ | apavitra-karo’śuddhaḥ pralapan na japet kvacit ||137||

One should not do japa while wearing a cloth that covers the head, wearing an armor, while naked, with untied hair, while wearing a cloth that wraps around the neck, with an impure hand, while unclean, or while talking.

Some like to put a cloth on their head so as to not be distracted during japa. But this goes against the above instruction. This is repeated again below:

aprāvṛta-karo bhūtvā śirasi prāvṛto’pi ca | cintā-vyākula-citto vā kruddho bhrāntaḥ kṣudhānvitaḥ ||138||
anāsanaḥ śayāno vā gacchann utthita eva vā | rathyāyām aśive sthāne na japet timirāntare ||139||

One should not chant with an uncovered hand, covered head, a mind tormented by worry, while angry, confused, hungry, not sitting down or while lying down, while walking or while standing up, while on the road, in an impure place, or in darkness.

Commentary —

aśive amaṅgale sthāne śmaśānādau, yac ca preta-bhūmy-ādikam iti sthāna-niyame likhitaṁ, tac ca tāmasānāṁ duṣkāma-viśeṣopekṣayā | timirasya andhakārasya antare madhye ||139||

In an impure place means in the cemetery and that which is the place where ghosts live. This is to state the rule for the place where japa should be done. This is specifically to reject the impure desires of the tamasic place [who do japa in such places]. The word timirantare means in darkness.

Chanting japa in darkness is not allowed. Importantly, if one’s mind is disturbed, one should not chant.

upānad-gūḍha-pādo vā yāna-śayyā-gatas tathā | prasārya na japet pādāv utkaṭāsana eva vā ||140||

One should not chant while wearing shoes, while on a vehicle or on lying on the bed, with stretched legs or while in utkaṭāsana.

The above is pretty self-explanatory.

yājñavalkya-saṁhitāyām—

The yājñavalkya-saṁhitā states —

na caṅkraman na ca hasan na pārśvam avalokayan | nāpāśrito na jalpaṁś ca na prāvṛta-śirās tathā ||141||

One should not do japa when moving around here and there, laughing, looking around, not seated fully, while talking or with a covered head.

The Hari Bhakti Vilasa seems to especially frown on ‘japa-walks’ given that this is the third time ‘walking japa’ has been prohibited. The prohibition to cover the head, and to talk while doing japa, is also repeated again.

Commentary —

caṅkramann itas tato bhraman, apāśritaḥ kiñcid avaṣṭabdhavān san ||141||

caṅkraman means moving here and there. apāśrita means taking a little support.

na dadyāt kasyacit kiñcin na gṛhṇīyāj japāntare ||146||

One should not give anything in charity to anyone nor accept anything while doing japa.

The types of japa

atha japa-bhedāḥ, tal-lakṣaṇādi ca

Now, the types of japa and their characteristics are described.

nārasiṁhe—

In the Nārasiṁha —

trividho japa-yajñaḥ syāt tasya bhedān nibodhata | vācikaś ca upāṁśuś ca mānasaś ca tridhā mataḥ | trayāṇāṁ japa-yajñānāṁ śreyān syād uttarottaraḥ ||155||

Japa-yajña is of three types. Hear about the difference. The three are vācika, upāṁśu and mānasa. The later is superior to the former among these three.

Mānasa japa is the best among the three.

yad ucca-nīca-svaritaiḥ spaṣṭa-śabdavad-akṣaraiḥ | mantram uccārayed vyaktaṁ japa-yajñaḥ sa vācikaḥ ||156||

The mantra which is uttered openly, with clearly enunciated letters, together with the high tones, low tones and a combination of the two, is vācika japa-yajña.

Commentary —

ucca-nīca-svaritaiḥ uccena nīcena svaritena vā udāttānudātta-svarita-saṁjñaiḥ svarair ity arthaḥ | svareṇa yuktaiḥ spaṣṭa-śabdavadbhir akṣaraiḥ | ata eva vyaktaṁ mantram uccārayed yat ||156||

ucca-nīca-svaritaiḥ means containing high tones, low tones, and a combination of the two. That is, with svaras which are named udātta, anudātta and svarita. spaṣṭa-śabdavad-akṣaraiḥ means with letters that are clearly enunciated with svaras. Therefore, that mantra which is pronounced openly [is vācika japa-yajña].

śanair uccārayen mantram īṣad auṣṭhau pracālayet | kiñcic chabdaṁ svayaṁ vidyād upāṁśuḥ sa japaḥ smṛtaḥ ||157||

The mantra which is uttered softly, with a little motion of the lips, whose words are audible only to oneself, is upāṁśu japa.

dhiyā yad akṣara-śreṇyā varṇād varṇaṁ padāt padam | śabdārtha-cintanābhyāsaḥ sa ukto mānaso japaḥ ||158||

The repeated focus with the mind on the meaning of the words of the mantra by going from one letter to next, and one word to another, is called mānasa japa.

The three types of japa are not equally effective, as seen below.

tatra ca yājñavalkyaḥ—

upāṁśu-japa-yuktasya tasmāc-chata-guṇo bhavet | sahasro mānasaḥ prokto yasmād dhyāna-samo hi saḥ ||159||

Upāṁśu japa is a hundred times better than vācika japa, but mānasa japa is a thousand times superior. This is because mānasa japa is similar to dhyāna or meditation.

The above prohibitions do not apply to mānasa japa that does not involve the mālā

aśucir vā śucir vāpi gacchaṁs tiṣṭhan svapann api | mantraika-śaraṇo vidvān manasaiva sadābhyaset ||162||

Whether unclean or clean, whether moving around or standing still or even while sleeping, the wise one, who takes shelter of the mantra alone, should repeat it in the mind always.

Commentary —

mantraika-śaraṇa ity anena puraścaraṇādi-paras tu yathokta-deśa-kālādāv evābhyased ity abhipretam ||162||

By the term mantraika-śaraṇa ” who takes shelter of the mantra alone”, it is implied that those who do puraścaraṇa and other rituals, on the other hand, must practice in the proper place and time as stated in scripture.

The idea here is that the rules of japa chanted on the mālā are not applicable to japa when done in the mind without touching the mālā. Thus, one can repeat the mantra in the mind no matter what state one is in- whether moving, walking or even lying down on the bed.

Rules regarding the speed and regularity of japa

Some people chant vācika japa like a train; others chant extremely slowly. What is the proper speed to chant?

nārada-pañcarātre ca—

śanaiḥ śanaiḥ suvispaṣṭaṁ na drutaṁ na vilambitam | na nyūnaṁ nādhikaṁ vāpi japaṁ kuryād dine dine ||191||

And in the nārada-pañcarātra, it is stated —

Every day, one should do japa slowly and clearly, but neither too slowly nor too fast, and neither less [than a fixed number] nor more.

anyatra ca—

nairantarya-vidhiḥ proktas tad-dinaṁ nātilaṅghayet | divasātikramāt teṣāṁ siddhi-rodhaḥ prajāyate ||197||

Elsewhere, it is said —

The method of chanting without a break is stated as not missing a day. By missing a day, the result [of chanting] becomes blocked.

Many people ask about the number of rounds one should chant. Some recommend sixteen rounds while others say that 64 rounds should be chanted. However, the Hari bhakti vilasa is categorical that the amount of japa should be done according to the capacity of the chanter as we will see below.

ataḥ kuryāj japaṁ nityaṁ śaktyā niyata-saṅkhyayā | saṅkhyā-pūrtau ca kurvīta prāṇāyāmaṁ punaḥ kṛtī ||199||

Therefore, one should do japa regularly, according to one’s capacity, with a fixed number [of mantras]. Once the number is met, the virtuous one should perform prāṇāyāma again.

Commentary —

śaktyā yathā-śakti | yā niyatā nitya-niyamitā japa-saṅkhyā, tayaiva nityaṁ japaṁ kuryāt | na nyūnaṁ nādhikaṁ vāpi japaṁ kuryāt dine dine ity ādy ukteḥ | saṅkhyāyās tasyāḥ pūrtau ca samāptau satyām ||199||

śaktyā means according to one’s capacity. [The words niyata-saṅkhyayā japaṁ kuryāt are explained–] one should perform japa every day by means of number of mantras that is fixed from day to day. This follows from the statement, “one should perform japa neither less nor more each day. saṅkhyā-pūrtau means when the fixed number is complete.

The key word here is yathā-śakti. Not everyone has the capacity to perform 16 rounds of japa every day. In fact, those who forcibly so, develop a distaste for it whether they admit it to themselves or not. Such distaste is an offense to the mantra. Therefore, it is essential to perform japa according to one’s capacity and without offense.

Summary

Important don’ts —

One should not chant on the mālā

1. while walking or in a vehicle
2. while talking
3. with the head covered
4. while wearing shoes
5. in public
6. when unclean
7. in an unclean place
8. too fast or too slow
9. while laughing
10. while looking around here and there
11. with a mind disturbed by hunger, worry, anger etc.
12. while lying down
13. when not properly seated
14. with legs stretched
15. in darkness

The above prohibitions do not apply to mantra chanted in the mind without the mālā.

The mālā should not be

1. carried in public
2. displayed
3. touched with the forefinger while chanting
4. shaken
5. dropped
6. touched with the left hand

Important do’s —

One should do japa

1. according to one’s capacity
2. daily
3. without missing a day
4. with a fixed number of mantras from day to day, neither more nor less
5. in a concealed or private manner

There are three types of japa

1. vācika – when the mantra is uttered clearly
2. upāṁśu – when the mantra is chanted softly so that it can only be heard by the chanter
3. mānasa – when the mantra is chanted purely in the mind moving from one letter to another and one word to another

Of these, mānasa japa is the best, followed by upāṁśu, and then by vācika.