Question from a disciple answered by the Guru

 

 

Respected Gurudeva,

This is your humble disciple writing to you for clarification on yet another doubt.

I have been chanting the mahamantra in front of the deity of Lord Sri Krishna (a small idol of Infant Krishna, sitting, holding in his hand a stirrer that is inside the pot of curd). I do my daily chanting in front of Him. The deity is facing the north and I sit or stand before Him, facing the south, and do the chanting.

However, recently, I heard a Swamiji (a Krishna Bhakta himself) speaking on the television channel that chanting the Name of God facing the southern direction will bring no benefit whatsoever, because Yama is the demi God of the south . From then onwards, my mind has been disturbed because I would like to see Lord Sri Krishna face to face and do the japa. Sitting or standing facing any other direction is inconvenient to me as I have to turn my head sideways to look at Krishna.

My doubt, highly venerable Gurudeva, is it really not right to do the chanting, facing Krishna (towards the south direction)? Is there any restriction like that in devotional service? Please clarify so that I can accordingly change the position of my sitting.

Please accept my humble prostrations at your Lotus Feet.

Thanks and all glories to you.

Ram

H.H. Shri Sankarshan Das Adhikari

 

From: Bhaktivedanta Ashram--Austin, Texas USA

My Dear Ram,

Please accept my blessings. All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

Krishna is omnipresent. Therefore there is no direction you can turn where you are not facing Krishna. Also Lord Caitanya teaches that there are no hard and fast rules for chanting the holy names.

The idea that one cannot chant while facing south is not proper. Therefore we encourage you to go on chanting as much as possible no matter which direction you are facing because all such chanting is fully potent to deliver you from this material world. Also, don't believe everything you hear on television.

I hope this meets you in the best of health and in an ecstatic mood.

Your ever well-wisher,

Sankarshan Das Adhikari