Importance of Recitation

Last month when we went to Shree Shree Radha Neela Madhava dham, our spiritual master was insisting on the importance of recitation of shlokas. Maharaj said that recitation has a subtle and sublime effect on us. But we fail to understand the importance of the same and keep ignoring it or do it in a very sporadic and mechanical manner. We also tend to do the recitation in a very whimsical manner - when we are pressed down by problems  or when our near and dear ones are sick etc...Such behavior only depicts our fruitive attitude. Maharaj said that if all the family members are engaged in devotional service, then time should be adjusted in such a way that each member of the family does the  recitation for significant time in a day - so that the recitation continues through-out the day in the house. The effect of such auspicious vibration, will purify not only our minds - but also the whole environment around us.

We tend to forget the value of these statements. So to hammer this point on our dull brains, Maharaj insisted that whenever we recite Bhagavad Gita and Bhagavatam, we should make it a habit to recite the following two verses along with their translations as they very nicely brings out the glories of recitation.

nivrtta-tarshair upagiyamaanaad
bhavaushadhaac chrotra-mano-’bhiraamaat
ka uttamashloka-gunaanuvaadaat
pumaan virajyeta vinaa pashughnaat

"Glorification of the Supreme Personality of Godhead is performed in the parampara system; that is, it is conveyed from spiritual master to disciple. Such glorification is relished by those no longer interested in the false, temporary glorification of this cosmic manifestation. Descriptions of the Lord are the right medicine for the conditioned soul undergoing repeated birth and death. Therefore, who will cease hearing such glorification of the Lord except a butcher or one who is killing his own self?"

Srimad Bhagavatam 1.6.25 Srila Narada Muni, while explaining to Vyaasadev about his first meeting with Supreme Lord says

etaavad uktvo pararaama tan mahad
bhutam nabholingam alingam ishvaram
aham ca tasmair mahataam mahiyase
shirshnaava naamam vidadhe anukampitah

"Then the Supreme authority personified by sound, unseen by eyes, yet most wonderful, stopped speaking. Feeling a sense of gratitude, I offered my obeisances unto Him, by bowing my head."

In his purport to the above verse Srila Prabhupada says - "That the Personality of Godhead was not seen, but only heard does not make any difference. The Supreme Personality of Godhead, produced the four Vedas by His breathing and the Lord can be seen and realized through the transcendental sound of the Vedas. Similarly the Bhagavad Gita is the sound incarnation of the Lord and there is no difference in identity. The conclusion is that the Lord can be seen and heard by persistent chanting of the transcendental sound."

I pray that I remember this instruction of Gurudev and practice it daily in my life and chant the shlokas lovingly for His pleasure.