Process of Devotional Service: Vandanam or Praying

Q. What is praying? Why do we have to pray? When should we pray? How should we pray?

Prayer is an address to a superior in supplication. Of all those who are worshipable, the Personality of Godhead is the most worthy object of one's prayers, and so are His pure devotees who are His direct and confidential representatives.

Q. Prabhupada told us to "Chant Hare Krishna and Be Happy". I have been chanting the maha mantra since two years and I am following the rules and regulations but I am still very unhappy. I guess that there is a problem somewhere with me. My life is a mess. Krishna gives me too many tests which I can't handle. I have been struggling with my spiritual life and I am tired now. I am helpless.

Q. Is it wrong to pray to the Lord to help us in the situation that we are placed in? Is that considered totally material and why does it sometime feel that the Lord does not reciprocate? Is it some shortage from our side? How do we react to such situations?

Q. I am a confused man, with lots of worries. I always hear Shri Ramesh Oza, and Pujya Morari Bapu, on cassettes. The time I hear I get emotional and happy. Next day I forget everything I heard, and the same routine continues.

Please help me and tell me what I should do. I want to get deeper in to this. Your reply (in simple English) will be a utmost help to my soul.

Q. While chanting the Hare Krishna maha-mantra sometimes the mind deviates and I am not able to concentrate on the chanting. How to obtain the concentration while chanting the holy name of the Lord always? Please clarify.

I'm confused about the relationship between acquiring mode of goodness qualities, manifesting Vaisnava qualities, making endeavors, and chanting. For example, there seems to be a Catch-22 relationship between chanting and acquiring mode of goodness qualities.  I thought that attentive chanting would magically endow me with those qualities, yet we're supposed to endeavor to acquire these qualities so that we can chant more.

Q. My parents are not devotees. When they go to parties, they force me to accompany them and I get very frustrated because I am forced to tolerate materialists all round me. I try to preach but in the end I find myself more frustrated because there are some persons who find all kinds of arguments to contradict me and when I refute them, they just go on talking and do not give me the opportunity to voice out, thus forcing me to listen to them. What should I do?

In reality a person assumes different roles from birth till death - starting off as a son, brother, cousin, then a student, husband, father, and grandfather. In addition, there are professional roles like a Teacher/Professor, Mason, Carpenter, Leader, Manager etc.