Chanting: Japa

The use of japa beads

Japa is the repetition of sounds and words. This is partly the same thing as chanting except that chanting can also be a certain way of singing or reciting prayers and mantras that may not involve repetition of words. Mantras can be chanted with a certain intonation of voice. Japa, on the other hand, is specifically the repetition of sounds and words. The best example is the repetition or chanting of the names of God as in the famous Hare Krishna mantra” hare krishna, hare krishna, krishna krishna, hare hare; hare rama, hare rama, rama rama, hare hare. This is a mantra that is commonly recited over and over again as japa. Usually some means of counting is employed such as a set of beads like a rosary set. Such beads are called a japa mala and a devotee may follow a vow to recite this mantra or some other mantra a specific number of times a day as part of his or her personal spiritual practice, sadhana. You may often hear the expression mantra-yoga or japa-yoga to mean that one is using the recitation of mantras as one’s main spiritual practice. A set of Hindu chanting beads generally contains 108 beads. Such beads may be made of sandalwood, crystal or in the case of Shaivas rudraksha seeds or in the case of Vaishnavas tulasi beads.