Śrīla Prabhupāda's standards
What daily practice rests on: sixteen rounds of japa, the four regulative principles, rising early and the morning programme, reading the books and prasādam. Start here.
Śrīla Prabhupāda gave his disciples clear and simple standards of spiritual life. They are the same for those living in the temple and those living at home: only the outward setting differs. He did not invent these standards anew — this is the practice of the Gauḍīya Vaiṣṇavas, which he brought to the world in a form suited to modern people.
The essentials are below. The detailed programmes are in the neighbouring guides.
Sixteen rounds of japa
Every day chant the mahā-mantra on beads: no fewer than sixteen rounds of 108 mantras. That takes about two hours. The best time is early morning, before any other business.
Before japa one recites the Pañca-tattva mantra, and then the mahā-mantra. How exactly to chant is in the guide “Japa”.
Praṇāma-mantrasIn the library जय श्री-कृष्ण-चैतन्य प्रभु नित्यानन्दश्री-अद्वैत गदाधर श्रीवासादि-गौर-भक्त-वृन्द
jaya śrī-kṛṣṇa-caitanya prabhu nityānandaśrī-advaita gadādhara śrīvāsādi-gaura-bhakta-vṛnda
Glory to Śrī Kṛṣṇa Caitanya, Prabhu Nityānanda, Śrī Advaita, Gadādhara, Śrīvāsa and all the devotees of Gaura!
हरे कृष्ण हरे कृष्ण कृष्ण कृष्ण हरे हरेहरे राम हरे राम राम राम हरे हरे
hare kṛṣṇa hare kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa kṛṣṇa hare harehare rāma hare rāma rāma rāma hare hare
O Harā, O Kṛṣṇa, O Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa, O Harā, Harā! O Harā, O Rāma, O Rāma, Rāma, O Harā, Harā!
The four regulative principles
Prabhupāda asked his disciples to follow four principles strictly:
- No meat, fish or eggs.
- No intoxicants of any kind — no alcohol, tobacco or drugs; tea and coffee are included.
- No illicit sex — only within marriage.
- No gambling.
These principles are the foundation of purity. Without them, Prabhupāda said, chanting the name does not bring its full result.
Rising early and the morning programme
The time before sunrise — brāhma-muhūrta — is the best time for spiritual practice. In the temples founded by Prabhupāda the day begins at 4:30 with maṅgala-ārati. At home one can follow the same programme: singing, japa, greeting Kṛṣṇa, guru-pūjā and reading the Bhāgavatam.
In detail — in the guide “The morning programme at home”.
Reading Prabhupāda's books
Read Prabhupāda's books every day: Bhagavad-gītā, Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam, Caitanya-caritāmṛta, The Nectar of Devotion. In the morning the Bhāgavatam, in the evening the Gītā. Prabhupāda said that in his absence one can associate with him by reading his books.
Only prasādam
Eat only food that has been offered to Kṛṣṇa — prasādam. Cook vegetarian food, without meat, fish or eggs, without onion and garlic, with cleanliness and attention, without tasting it before the offering.
How to offer food — in the guide “Offering food”.
The evening programme
In the evening — Gaura-ārati, prayers to Nṛsiṁhadeva, reading the Bhagavad-gītā and kīrtana. In detail — in the guide “The evening programme at home”.
The home altar
At home one does not have to have installed Deities. An altar with pictures is enough: Śrīla Prabhupāda (and, if you wish, the ācāryas of the succession), the Pañca-tattva, Śrī Śrī Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa. The altar is kept clean and raised; one does not eat in front of it or put unrelated things on it.