Aspects of Sadhana Bhakti

Attend Maìgala-ärati

We must rise early in the morning, bathe, attend maìgala-ärati, worship the Deities, chant the Hare Kåñëa mantra, study the Vedic literatures and follow all the rules prescribed by the äcäryas and the spiritual master. If we deviate from this process, we may fall down, even though we may be very highly advanced. [SB 5.8.8 Purport]

Chanting

Our request to all our students is that they daily chant at least sixteen rounds of this harer näma mahä-mantra offenselessly, following the regulative principles. This is our daily duty. It takes about two hours. This chanting of sixteen rounds is absolutely necessary if one wants to remember Kåñëa and not forget Him. Of all the regulative principles, the spiritual master’s order to chant at least sixteen rounds is most essential.

Darçana-ärati

If someone sees the face of the Lord while ärati is going on, he can be relieved of all sinful reactions coming from many, many thousands and millions of years past. He is even excused from the killing of a brähmaëa or similar prohibited activities. [Skanda Puräëa]

Guru-püjä

Äcäryopäsanam: one should worship an äcärya, a spiritual master who knows things as they are. The Lord says that one must worship the äcärya, who is the representative of the Supreme Personality of Godhead (äcäryaà mäà vijänéyät). One must worship the äcärya and learn from him what is Bhagavad-gétä. Without the instruction of a bona fide spiritual master one cannot progress in the spiritual science.

One should approach the spiritual master with all humility and offer him all services so that he will be pleased to bestow his blessings upon the disciple. Because a bona fide spiritual master is a representative of Kåñëa, if he bestows any blessings upon his disciple, that will make the disciple immediately advanced without the disciple's following the regulative principles. Or, the regulative principles will be easier for one who has served the spiritual master without reservation.

Çrémad-Bhägavatam Class

By regular attendance in classes on the Bhägavatam and by rendering of service to the pure devotee, all that is troublesome to the heart is almost completely destroyed, and loving service unto the Personality of Godhead, who is praised with transcendental songs, is established as an irrevocable fact. [SB 1.2.18]

It is a rigid principle in every temple of our Kåñëa consciousness movement that there must be a daily class for hearing and chanting. Çrémad-Bhägavatam is not only a superior literature but is the ripened fruit of all Vedic literatures. In other words, it is the cream of all Vedic knowledge. With great respect and attention, one should receive the message and lessons imparted by the Çrémad-Bhägavatam. [SB 1.1.3 Purport] Anyone who hears Çrémad-Bhägavatam attentively from its bona fide reciter is sure to become a sincere devotee of the Lord. [SB 2.1.10 Purport]