Hare Krishna! You have a good point, there are too many doubts about who and what guru is, I'm working on a video that covers some of the most important Q&A's by Srila Gurudev Dharmavira Das Prabhu. Stay tuned.

By his qualities. A conditioned soul can't know who is self realized and who is not. But through association one can know. Again Srila Prabhupada gave many examples in his books. When I first joined the ashram in 2008, I had no experience of all what was out there. I just followed what Srila Prabhupada wrote in his books. And so my first guru seemed to follow exactly what Srila Prabhupada laid out in his books at least that is what he projected in his videos. When first joined, I saw that it was just word jugglery. (We get up at 4'clock in the morning, we chant 64 rounds a day, we do arti etc.) I bought into that, but when I joined, by that time I gave and sold all of my possessions, gave half away to me ex, and the rest to the ashram. Finally I convinced the ashram to do arti, then later in India we finally started abisheck and so on. But close to the end of the third year, he started to deviate from Srila Prabhupada's instructions. By that time all of the bhramacharies were emotionally, psychologically and mentally invested into the sanga. He almost succeeded in creating a cult. He is an intelligent predator and would pray on the week first. Once he had convinced a handful to follow his deviations, he started to expand trying to convince others. It was damn difficult to go against him, because everyone seemed to follow him blindly, without really understanding Srila Prabhupada's books. When I left, I left without any material possessions, my heart was broken, and I thought to myself that I don't want any guru in my life. I was still part of the websites forum, receiving the forum emails. I saw first hand how he manipulated others in his writings against me. To my surprise when I left I grabbed an old laptop from the ashram, it turned out that this laptop had all the evidence against him and his corrupt ways. For some reason him and his close disciples recorded every perverted thing they did. It took me about 3-4 months to come out of my own traumas. After reading all the forum posts and all the lies about me, I became angered and wrote an email exposing all the evidence to everyone within the ashram and outside students who previously shared their email with me. And so finally the whole thing started to fall apart. Of course he grabbed all the donations and fled to Italy I belief. Anyhow, after some deliberate and deep introspection, and by the blessings of Sri Krishna, I was back to normal. Of course it took like three years. This time when I approached Srila Gurudev Dharmavira das prabhu, I had only one thing that I deeply desired is to chant 64 rounds a day. One of my godbrother from the previous sanga introduced me to Srila Gurudev through his testimonial. It's been almost 4 years now. After the initial stage of struggling to chant 64 rounds a day, currently chanting 64 rounds is fast and almost effortless. Many other confidential introspective things are happening within my consciousness which is not ment for KZbin. But just to answer your initial question how to know if some one is self realized. I go by the results and revelations. If guru is real, you will make advancement quickly. If he is fake, then it will take life times to make any advancement, because the con guru's potency is like yours, meaning very minimal.

The purpose of Harinam is to develop spiritually, all processes of bhakti are included in chanting Harinam. But even then there is plenty of time during the day to read Srila Prabhupada's books and perform arti. Typically the speed of japa gradually increases by the blessings of Srila Gurudev.

Only an Uttama Adhikari can preach the pure message. Because he is pure. What can a Kanishta preach? A madyam adhikari can only preach what he has realized. It's one of the offenses to preach to the faithless. But the Uttama Adhikari has the shakti to impart knowledge and faith. Srila Gurudev is very clear in the video.

oh yeah, PAMHO to you to.

Hare Krishna! Yes practice is a tiny aspect of that. Actually guru krpa is main reason many sadhakas are able to chant 64 rounds in less than 8 hours.

@prabhupadaharinam ❤️🙏🏻❤️

This is a testimony, not a showcase. The process is simple. You reach out to Srila Gurudev and ask for mercy and do your due diligence in your saddhana.

Hare Krishna! It's called guru kripa.

You have to be in a place where even the impossible becomes possible.

If you please make a video and show how you chat a round in 2 and half minutes. Or you can make a video of you chanting and finishing a round.

@@DurgaBasnet This is a testimony, not a showcase. But to simplify the understanding. Srila Bhakativinod explains how japa is being done. It can be chanted aloud or softly. The more softly you chant the more subtle and faster it gets. Until it becomes sublime. But before that can happen, one has to go through the purification process and bhajana kriya (following instructions of guru)

We are all fallen here. That is why it is important to associate with pure devotees, through sadhu, guru and shastra

It is through guru's blessings.

He did not leave. You can check out this video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jJrRmqCJp8-SjZI

Hare Krishna! The site is working now. SSL encryption was expired but is updated now.

Unemployment has nothing to do with it.

Hare Krsna! You can submit a form at www.prabhupadaharinam.org.

It took me 8 hours in the beginning. Depending on your progress and Srila Gurudev's blessings, you're chanting speed increases with time. Each case is different.

I am having lot of anxiety problems. Right now I am doing 8 to 16 malas per day. I want to increase my Sadhana to defeat my anxiety and mental health problems. So kindly advise

We have to be practical, seek some professional advice for mental health issues. For anxiety, find a meditation technique that works for you. Harinam prabhu is like a desire tree, best is to pray to Krishna and start the process of reviving your relationship with Him.

Hare Krsna! You can fill out a form at www.prabhupadaharinam.org and Srila Gurudev will get back to you.