Hare Krishna Chanters Club is an initiative of ISKCON Bangalore to involve families in practicing the chanting of the holy names of Krishna.
For every yuga, the scriptures recommend a specific dharma for spiritual perfection. This age is called Kali-yuga – the age of quarrel and hypocrisy – which deteriorates all the good qualities of a human being. It is said that qualities like satya (truthfulness), saucha (cleanliness), titiksha (tolerance), karuna (mercy) reduces day by day due to the influence of Kali. In the age of Kali people are lazy and quarrelsome; they are easily misguided and forget the real goal of life due to different types of sense-gratificatory diversions (movies, sports, clubs and mundane libraries) and bad habits (like smoking, drinking, etc.). The duration of their life is shortened due to such unwanted habits and their minds are always disturbed and full of anxieties. But it is stated in the Srimad Bhagavatam that although Kali-yuga is an ocean of faults, it has one great quality –kirtanad eva krishnasya mukta sangah param vrajet; just by chanting the holy names of Lord Krishna, one can be relieved from the evil influences of this age and attain highest spiritual perfection. This is the yuga dharma for Kali-yuga.
The scriptures recommend chanting the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra as the only means of deliverance in the Kali-yuga. In the Bhagavad-gita (10.25), Krishna says:
Of sacrifices I am the chanting of the holy names [japa].
The Hare Krishna Maha-mantra is non-different from Krishna and by chanting the mantra; we factually associate with the Lord. This is the easiest, most practical and direct method of re-establishing our connection with the Lord. Anybody in any part of the world can practice it. Chanting the Hare Krishna Maha-mantra is not limited by one’s age, sex, caste, creed, nationality, etc. The process of chanting the holy names delivers the mind from vices and helps us to progress spiritually.
One of the primary objectives of ISKCON Bangalore is to distribute the holy names of Lord Krishna to all people. Hare Krishna Chanters Club was launched in September 2014 to further this divine cause and help more and more people to participate in practicing the Yuga Dharma. Every Saturday and Sunday, between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. the volunteers of the Chanters Club provide guidance on the chanting of the mantra (japa meditation) at our temple. Anyone who makes a spiritual commitment to chant at least one round of Hare Krishna mantra (108 times) every day is eligible to become a member of the club. The members will get regular e-newsletters from the club and support and guidance from the temple on the practice of chanting. Above all, they will get opportunities to take part in the Sankirtan festivals, seminars, training sessions and japa workshops organized by the temple on a regular basis.
The Japa sessions conducted by the club for its members give them a higher understanding of the spiritual significance of chanting the mantra along with important guidelines to practice it in an efficient manner. A year-long spiritual course called Yoga for Happiness conducted by the club consists of 12 monthly sessions and is based on the Bhagavad-gita. This course is intended to guide the members on the fundamentals of bhakti-yoga which they can practice at home, apart from their commitment to chant one round (108 times) of Hare Krishna mantra every day.