Generally, while chanting, I don’t like when someone is sitting next to me and chanting very loudly. It greatly disturbs me. I try to find a place among devotees where the decibel level of chanting is relatively lower. And if that becomes difficult, I use earplugs.

But on some days, even after using earplugs, I find myself unable to hear the Holy Name. Why does that happen? Why is the mind still unable to focus on the name?

External Distractions

External distractions, especially sounds, can be significantly reduced by using earplugs. By closing our eyes or putting our “shutters down,” we can minimize the distractions caused by our environment. Bhurijana Prabhu has entitled one of his seminars as “Alone with Krishna, together with devotees.” Even Bhaktivinoda Ṭhākura would chant in a closed room to ensure there were no external disturbances.

So yes, it is extremely important to be in a space free from external distractions.

Internal Distractions

But… are external distractions the only challenge?

Internal distractions are a greater challenge. Even if we are sitting in complete silence, in a place where no one is present for miles, if our mind is distracted, how can we hear the Holy Name?

I remember one time I had gone to Rajgarh Farms in Velhe to chant “peacefully.” I went deep into a forest. It was absolutely quiet. But for a long time, my mind was unable to focus on the Holy Name.

A thought came to me — even though forests are peaceful, we have seen many falldowns happening in the forest! Agnīdhra met Pūrvacitti in the forest. Yayāti got entangled with Devayānī in a forest. Even Ajāmila fell down in a forest.

These were seemingly external disturbances, but the primary cause of their falldowns was internal disturbance in the heart. These examples remind us that even the most serene environments can’t protect a disturbed heart.

If the heart is agitated, even the most peaceful surroundings cannot save us. We will simply be running on the chariot of our restless mind.

A Peaceful Heart

Therefore, more important than all the external formalities of chanting is cultivating a sacred inner space. Will Krishna ever desire to enter a disturbed place?

Whenever the heart is filled with desires for bhukti (material enjoyment) or mukti (liberation), Krishna chooses to stay away.
bhukti-mukti-spṛhā yāvat
piśācī hṛdi vartate
tāvad bhakti-sukhasyātra
katham abhyudayo bhavet
“As long as the material desires for enjoyment or liberation remain in the heart, they act like witches. And as long as these witches remain, the bliss of devotion cannot arise.”
(Cc. Madhya 19.176)

So yes, we must try to reduce external distractions because they do impact our japa. But even more important is to live a life that minimizes internal distractions — unnecessary attachments, mental clutter, and material desires. Our inner space must always remain sacred, whatever the circumstances may be.

The Heaviness in the Name

Sometimes, it takes a long long time to complete even a single round. Ever wondered why sometimes the Holy Name feels heavy to chant?

We may talk nonsense for hours without a trace of tiredness. But chanting even one round sometimes feels like lifting a mountain. Why is that? Because when we carry the weight of offenses and distractions, we lose the grace of the Holy Name. Offenses result in a hard heart, which shows up in our japa.

Chanting is not merely a physical activity; it is a divine act that belongs to the spiritual realm.

We speak of japa being a burden, but the burden is not the beads — it is what we are carrying in our hearts while chanting. The Holy Name becomes light as our distractions and offenses reduce. Our chanting becomes a graceful flow, like riding a boat downstream.

It’s a dynamic process. Each day we need to put our best into our lifestyle – respectful dealings, absorption in sādhanā and sevā, and the right attitude. Every day and every moment, the Holy Name reciprocates with our particular state of consciousness.

When the heart is calm and peaceful, the Holy Name naturally seeps in, unobstructed, just like the soothing flow of the Ganges.

mad-guṇa-śruti-mātreṇa
mayi sarva-guhāśaye
mano-gatir avicchinnā
yathā gaṅgāmbhaso ‘mbudhau
The manifestation of unadulterated devotional service is exhibited when one’s mind is at once attracted to hearing the transcendental name and qualities of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, who is residing in everyone’s heart. Just as the water of the Ganges flows naturally down towards the ocean, such devotional ecstasy, uninterrupted by any material condition, flows towards the Supreme Lord. SB 3.29.11-12