Yes — in the naam and bhakti tradition, naam jap during periods is widely taught as permitted, especially mental (mansik) jap. Many teachers say the Lord's name is not bound by time, place or bodily state, so there is no need to stop chanting for a few days each month. Many families also keep separate customs around puja, the murti, the temple or the mala during menstruation. This guide sets both side by side so you can decide with your own family, teacher or sampradaya.
If you are new to chanting, the naam jaap guide covers the basics, and naam jap vidhi and niyam explains the usual method and disciplines.
Key Takeaways
- Many bhakti teachers say naam jap has no restriction of time, place or state, so it can continue during periods.
- Premanand Ji Maharaj is widely reported as teaching that naam jap is never barred, including during menstruation.
- Some families avoid formal puja, touching murtis or scriptures, temple visits or handling the mala on these days. That is a separate custom from naam itself.
- Mental jap and a digital counter let you keep your practice while still honouring a family custom about the mala.
Can you do naam jap during periods? The short answer
Yes, you can do naam jap during periods according to most teachers in the naam and bhakti tradition. In satsang, "periods me naam jap kar sakte hai ya nahi" is usually answered with a clear yes, especially for silent jap in the mind. Answers differ not about the name but about the rituals around it:
| Practice | What many teachers and families say |
|---|---|
| Mental (mansik) naam jap | Widely taught as always permitted |
| Soft spoken naam jap, kirtan, listening to katha | Permitted in most bhakti teaching; some families prefer silent jap on these days |
| Formal puja, touching the murti, temple entry | Many families pause these for the days of menstruation |
| Touching a mala, Gita or other scripture | Varies: some families avoid it, many teachers say there is no bar |
| Vedic or initiated (diksha) mantras with formal rules | Follow your guru's or lineage's instruction |
No single rule covers every Hindu family. If your guru or parampara has given a specific instruction, follow it respectfully.
Why many teachers say naam has no restriction
Many teachers say naam jap has no restriction because the name is a direct remembrance of God, not a ritual that depends on outer purity or vidhi (procedure) the way a yajna or formal puja does.
Three well-known ideas sit behind this:
- The Kali-yuga naam teaching. Many Vaishnava teachers repeat the traditional teaching that in this age the name of Hari is the simplest and surest path, open to everyone.
- The Shikshashtakam. In the second verse of the Shikshashtakam, traditionally attributed to Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the devotee says the Lord has placed all his power in his names and has set no fixed rules of time for remembering them.
- Remembrance purifies, rather than needing purity first. Many devotees recite a traditional shloka before puja saying that whether one is pure or impure, in any state, remembering the lotus-eyed Lord makes one pure within and without.
Premanand Ji Maharaj is widely reported as teaching that naam jap has no restriction of time, place or state, and devotees commonly report that he has said this applies during menstruation too. If his guidance matters to you, listen to his recorded satsangs directly rather than relying on short clips or paraphrases — including this one.
Some modern teachers go further and reject menstrual restrictions entirely, including for puja and temple entry. Others keep the traditional distinctions. You will meet sincere devotees on every side of this.
What Premanand Ji Maharaj is reported to have said
According to a news report of his satsang answer, Premanand Ji Maharaj has said that women may set aside physical duties such as cooking prasad for the first three days of menstruation — a time the scriptures, he explains, set aside for rest — while chanting the name must never stop, and bhajan and inner worship continue as before.
These are paraphrases of news summaries, not transcripts. If his guidance shapes your practice, listen to the full satsang rather than clips or summaries.
What some families avoid during periods, and why
Some families avoid formal puja, touching the murti or holy books, temple visits and handling the japa mala during menstruation. These customs are old and widespread, and differ a great deal by region, community and household. The reasons given are usually about ritual rules (achara), not the worth of the woman, and many families describe the days as a rest from household and ritual duties. Some women value that rest; others find the custom exclusionary. Both experiences are real.
What matters for naam jap is that even families who keep these customs rarely ask anyone to stop remembering God. The custom pauses the outer ritual; the inner remembrance goes on. Menstruation is a natural part of life, and nothing in sincere bhakti teaching asks you to feel ashamed of it or cut off from God.
Naam jap vs mantra jap during periods
Naam jap — repeating a divine name such as Radha, Krishna, Ram or Shiva — is treated as unrestricted by most teachers, while formal mantra jap is sometimes treated differently. Some traditions give Vedic mantras, Om or bija mantras and diksha mantras their own rules, which may include pausing or switching to mental repetition during menstruation. Others make no such distinction. A practical approach:
- Simple naam (Radhe Radhe, Ram Ram, Hare Krishna) — continue as usual, mentally if you prefer.
- A diksha mantra — ask your guru, or follow what your lineage has already taught you.
- Unsure — keep chanting the name mentally. Every tradition discussed here accepts mental remembrance.
Can I read Hanuman Chalisa during periods?
Many devotees do read or mentally recite the Hanuman Chalisa during periods, while some families prefer to pause it with other formal path on these days. The Chalisa is a devotional hymn rather than a Vedic mantra, and some reports summarising bhakti teachers' views list Chalisa recitation alongside mental chanting as acceptable; others in stricter households keep all scripture reading for after the period. A gentle middle path is to recite it from memory or mentally, without handling the book, and keep count on the Hanuman Chalisa counter. If your family or guru has a specific rule, follow it.
Can you use a mala or a counter during periods?
You can use a mala during periods unless your family or lineage asks you not to; if it does, a digital counter or mental jap is the practical alternative. Many teachers see the mala as a tool with no bar of its own; other families keep the tulsi or rudraksha mala aside for these days.
To keep your count without touching the mala, chant mentally and tap a free browser counter — the Radha counter, the Ram naam counter, or any chant on the naam jaap counter hub. This is the "periods me naam jap counter se" approach many devotees ask about: the count continues and the custom is respected.
Some devotees also continue likhit jap (writing the Lord's name) on these days; if that suits you, the online Ram naam lekhan page lets you write the name without a notebook.
How to keep your practice steady during periods
Keep your practice steady during periods by lowering the bar, not stopping; a gentler plan is fully part of sadhana.
- Keep your usual time. Even a few minutes at your fixed time preserves continuity, which matters more than the number.
- Chant mentally if you are tired. Mansik jap can be done lying down or resting; no particular posture is needed.
- Reduce the count. If you normally do 16 malas, a few rounds on these days is not a failure.
- Listen. Listening to kirtan or katha is another form of remembrance many teachers encourage on low-energy days.
The same principle applies to other situations where outer purity is not possible — see can you do naam jap without a bath? for travel, illness and early-morning chanting.
Frequently asked questions
Can I do naam jap during periods?
Yes. Most teachers in the naam and bhakti tradition say naam jap, especially mental jap, is permitted during periods because the name is not bound by time, place or bodily state. Some families pause formal puja on these days; that is a separate custom.
Periods me naam jap karna chahiye ya nahi?
Many teachers say it should continue, because remembrance of God is never prohibited. If your family keeps customs around puja or the mala, continue mentally and set the outer ritual aside for those days.
What does Premanand Ji Maharaj say about naam jap during periods?
According to news reports of his satsang answers, Premanand Ji Maharaj has said that women may pause physical duties such as cooking prasad for the first three days of menstruation, while naam jap, bhajan and devotion should continue. For his exact guidance, listen to his recorded satsangs directly.
Can I chant a mantra during periods?
It depends on the mantra and your tradition. Simple naam is widely treated as unrestricted. Some lineages give separate rules for Vedic mantras, Om-prefixed or bija mantras and diksha mantras; if you have received a mantra from a guru, follow their instruction.
Can I touch the mala or use a counter during periods?
Many teachers say there is no bar on touching a mala, while some families keep it aside for these days. If yours does, chant mentally and keep count on a digital counter instead.
Can I do naam jap during periods in the temple or puja room?
Naam jap itself can be done anywhere. Many families avoid entering the temple or puja room during menstruation, so if yours does, chant from another room. Follow your family or teacher.
To keep your count and streak through every kind of day, the MySakhi app works offline on your phone. This page is general devotional information prepared on 2026-10-28; read it alongside the guidance of your own tradition, teacher or family.