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NAMASMARANA
A UNIVERSAL SADHANA
A Garland of Extracts from
Sri Sathya Sai Baba's
Discourses
PREFACE
Dear Fellow Pilgrim!
Namasmarana is a spiritual
exercise which is simple, sustaining and universally acceptable.
The Name by which each person invokes the one God may be in any
language; it may posit any type of relationship with God - Son,Servant,
Subject, Companion; it may enshrine any one or more of the
infinite attributes and achievements of God. In every case, the
Name is the sign and signal, the casket that enshrines the Beauty
and the Benevolence of the Almighty, the Glory and the Grace of
Providence, the Majesty and Mystery of God. When it is recited or
remembered with each breath, it provides divine oxygen to
strengthen and sanctify our lives.
Sri Sathya Sai Baba, the World
Teacher, has revealed the significance of Namasmarana as an
instrument for individual divinisation and social integration -
group singing of the Names of God is encouraged and appreciated by
Him since the vibrations reduce pollution in the environment and
in the mind.
Dr. Brahmanand Mavinkurve has
gathered in this book the utterances of Sri Sathya Sai Baba on the
value and validity of the sadhana of Namasmarana. Every devoted
and dedicated pilgrim will, I am sure, offer gratitude to him for
placing this sturdy staff in the hand in order to lighten the step
and brighten the path.
N.KASTURI
Prasanthi Nilayam
CONTENTS
NAMASMARANA IN WORLD
RELIGIONS
NAMASMARANA - A
UNIVERSAL SADHANA
SIGNIFICANCE AND
POWER OF NAMASMARANA
A. Significance of
Namasmarana
B. Power of Namasmarana
C. Sweetness of
Namasmarana
D. Source of Power
In Namasmarana
E. Some Examples of
Namasmarana
NAMA-SANKEERTAN - RIGHT SADHANA AND RIGHT METHOD
A. Nama-Sankeertan
B. Name and
Form have to go together
C. Meaning of the Name
D. Faith, Love,
Yearning for God
E.
Constancy in Namasmarana and Purity of Heart
FRUITION OF NAMASMARANA IN
CONCLUSION
Contents
NAMASMARANA IN WORLD RELIGIONS
Christianity: "Oh,Give thanks
unto the Lord, call upon His Name, make known His deeds among the
people. Sing unto Him, sing Psalms unto Him, talk ye of all His
wondrous works. Glory ye in His Holy Name. Let the heart of them
rejoice that seek the Lord."
(Psalm 105)
Islam: "Praise the Name of the
Lord, the Most High who hath created and completely formed His
creatures and who determineth them to various ends and driveth
them to attain the same."
(Al Quran)
Sikhism: "Sing and Praise His
endless attributes. Singing and listening to His Name and keeping
Love for Him in mind will make sorrows disappear and happiness
will take the place, wherever you be."
(Guru Nanak)
Hinduism: "Of Him who is One,
Sages speak as manifold and call Him by many Names. The Suras,
Maharshis and Siddhas with joined hands invoke Him and cry 'All
Hail', chanting His Praises with resounding songs."
(Rig Veda)
Contents
NAMASMARANA - A UNIVERSAL SADHANA
1. "Hindus, Muslims and
Christians may differ in some religious customs but they are all
one in the glorification of the Name of God. All of them ask their
followers to recite the Name of the One Lord, though the manner in
which the Name is recited varies from religion to religion. Each
one remembers, respects and recites the name as formed in his own
tongue. Each one turns the rosary according to the direction of
his own religion. All the same, for everyone there is nothing so
fruitful, so universal, so holy among spiritual disciplines as
this sadhana of Namasmarana, Japa or Dhyana."
2. "The Muslims pray in the Name
of Allah, the Jews pray in the name of Jehovah, the Vaishnavites
pray in the Name of Phullabjaksha, the Saivites pray in the Name
of Shambhu. The one to whom prayers are offered in this manner is
the One God for all mankind, though He is addressed and prayed to
by the different groups of people by different names."
3. "Know that all Dharmas have
One God, that all hearts are motivated by the same God and that
all Names and Forms denote only One Godhead. Develop that 'Ekabhav',
that attitude of unity and non-differentiation between Divine
Names of all creeds, of all countries and of all Faiths. This is
the Message of Love I bring to you, which I want you to understand
and follow. Spread that Love, live that Love. If that Love must
grow in you and become deep and abiding, you have to do the
spiritual practice of reciting Names of God, remembering His Love
and His Mercy, His Majesty and His Glory."
4. "You can adopt and practise
any of the various and countless Names of God as enumerated by
Sages of all lands and all languages. When you awaken to the
duties of the day, repeat the Name; when you retire after the
duties of the day, recite .It again. Have It as your constant
companion and inspiration. You can then never falter or fail. You
will grow purer and stronger every moment."
5. "Rama, Krishna, Jesus, Allah,
these are names of the Many-faceted One. When you pay attention to
one facet, the restare not neglected or negated. When the devotee
dives into the flood of Bliss which One Name-Form confers, he is
diving into the same ocean of Bliss that the Full is. The waters
of this ocean are not separated by lines drawn on them to
demarcate "this God's Region" and "that God's Region." Plunge any-
where, you are plunging into the self-same Bliss."
6. "Namasmarana, thus done,
unites people by making them realize that they are all children of
one and the same God and thus paves the way for the Fatherhood of
God and the Brotherhood of Man."
Contents
SIGNIFICANCE AND POWER OF
NAMASMARANA
A. Significance of Namasmarana
1. "Nowadays, people laugh at the
idea of Nama- smarana and Namasankeertana. 'What is in a name?'
they ask. To them, it is just an assortment of words and sounds.
My words too are assortments of words and sound, but when they
enter your hearts, you feel encouraged, you feel contented, don't
you? Words have tremendous power, they can arouse emotions and
passions and they can calm them as well. They can direct,
infuriate; they can inspire; they bring up reserves of strength
and wisdom. Therefore, have faith in the Name and repeat it
whenever you get a chance or an opportunity."
2. "There is no cause to feel
that only some Divine Names are powerful or that some are more
powerful than others. God is "Sahasra Shirsha, Sahasra Pada,
Sahasra Aksha", that is, 'thousand-headed, thousand-footed, and
thousand-eyed.' Consequently, every one is most likely to like
that Divine Name which appeals to him most. So also, one can have
any form of God before his mind's eye for Namasmarana or Bhajan.
In fact, Sai Bhajan Organisations should not have restrictions
about singing Bhajans on any God or Goddess. Repeat each line only
twice and no more. Have only two speeds, one slow, one fast. In
this way, within one hour's Bhajan, you can have more songs on
more Forms, more tunes and more variety."
3. "We have it on the authority
of the Shastras that in this Kali Yuga one can attain moksha or
liberation from bondage of mortal and miserable existence by
singing the Name of the Lord. In fact, Namasmarana is the only
solution to life's problems in this age. In the Krita Yuga, it was
Dhyana; in the Treta Yuga, it was Yajna; in the Dwapara Yuga, it
was Archana or worship. In this Kali Yuga, due to the predominance
of Rajasic activity in Man, it is not possible to engage oneself
in Dhyana, Yajna and Worship. So Namasmarana is declared the best
means to cross the ocean of delusion. Other Sadhanas like Dhyana,
Yajna and Worship would be fruitful in this age only when the
Divine Name and its Sweetness of Love also merge in them."
"For the bird in mid-ocean flying
over the dark, deep waters, the only resting place is the mast of
the ship sailing across. So too, the Lord isthe only refuge for
Man. However far the bird may fly, it knows where it can rest;
that knowledge gives it confidence, lt has the memory of the mast
steady in its mind; its form is fixed in its eye. The Name of the
Lord is the mast for you; remember it ever."
5. "Another special merit of
Namasmarana is this: other Sadhanas like Yoga and Tapas may awaken
Siddhis or Occult Powers in the Sadhaka who, blinded by pride on
that account, is likely to forsake the Lord and even let go the
victory and spiritual strength won by that Sadhana. No such
dangers beset, the path of Namasmarana, which develops Prema or
Love in the devotee. Through Prema, Shanti is achieved. Once
Shanti or Peace of Mind is achieved, all other benefits are
attained automatically. This Extraordinary Prema is far superior
to the Extraordinary Power of Yoga and Tapas."
Contents
B. Power of Namasmarana
1. "Life is a pilgrimage where
Man drags his feet along the rough and thorny road. With the Name
of God on his lips, he will have no thirst; with the Form of God
in his heart, he will feel no exhaustion. The company of the Holy
will inspire him to travel, in hope and in faith. The awareness
that God is within call, that He is ever near and never long in
coming, will lend strength to his limbs and courage to his eyes...
Recite the name with Prema and have the Form fixed in the mind's
eye. It is a lamp shedding light in the recess of your heart. lt
will drive away the inner darknes as well as the outer. PEACE
within and LOVE without - that is the sign of the person engrossed
in perpetual Namasmarana."
2. "The Name of the Lord is like
the effulgence of the rising sun; it dispels the Darkness of
Delusion. It is as luminous, as universal and as Divine. Remember
the power of that Name which, when repeated by Prahlada,
overpowered the hearts of the Asuras who tortured him. The
children of the Asuras repeated the Name along with Prahlada and,
led by him, they began to sing and dance with joy, arming
themselves with the Name to defend their leader. The Name of the
Lord that could transform the Asuric character and purify it into
a Nectar of Love is, verily, the key to the Heaven of PEACE for
all, for the whole world."
3. "What does Namasmarana do for
us? It is the 'Taranopaaya,' the easiest means of crossing the Sea
of Samsara or Delusion, of Attachment and Bondage. The Name
removes the veil of Maya that now hides the Shakti from the Vyakti,
the Universal from the individual. When this veil fades out, man
discovers the Divine in himself. He beholds the Universe as
himself. Man has infinite power and infinite potentiality: for he
is a wave, one with the Ocean of Infinity, i.e. Sat Chit Ananda."
4. "When you are depressed by
what appears to be loss or calamity, engage yourselves in
Namasmarana... That will give you consolation, courage and the
true perspective of the event or situation. The Divine Name is so
valuable an instrument to win His Grace and to realize His
Presence that when it is repeated from the depth of your heart, it
will make your residence a Griha or home instead of a Guha or
cave. The Lamp of the Divine Name, when it is lit, will illumine
the whole household. No wonder that Tulasidas Goswami once
declared: 'Do you require the light inside the home as well as
outside? Then, place the lamp on the door step.' So too, do you
desire to spread the illumination of PEACE inside yourself as well
as outside? Then place the Name of the Lord on the tongue which is
the doorstep of your personality. This 'lamp' on the tongue will
not flicker or fade or be put out by any storm. It will confer
SHANTI on you as well as on all who draw near, in fact, the entire
world."
5. "Namasmarana can well be
called a Yoga like Bhakti, Jnana or Karma. lt can be called 'Chittashuddhi-Yoga'
or the path of 'Consciousness Cleaning.' Charge every second of
time with the Divine Current that emanates from the Name...
Practise at all times and under all circumstances, with love and
devotion, the remembrance of the Name of the Lord. That Name is
the thunderbolt which will pulverize mountains of sin. It is the
unfailing cure for the dreaded disease of Moha or delusion. It
will lead you to release from the bondage of birth and death and
will give you everlasting Bliss. I, therefore, advise you to
resolve upon the quest of your Reality through the Sadhana of
Namasmarana."
Contents
C. Sweetness of Namasmarana
1. "If there is anything sweeter
than all things sweet to the senses, more auspicious than holy
objects, it is the Name of the Lord, because it is one with and
inseparable from the Lord Himself who is Sat-Chit-Ananda Swaroopa.
The Lord and His Name are one. In fact, the total sweetness of the
Name may not befound in the Form. When the name of the flower
'Rose' is mentioned, its tender petals, its deep colour and its
fragrance spring to memory; its thorns and the trouble one takes
to pluck the flower are forgotten. Let us take another example. As
soon as the name 'Mango' is mentioned, one is reminded of its
juicy pulp, its incomparable sweetness and flavour. Instead, if an
actual mango is placed in our hands, the doubt first arises in our
mind whether it is sweet or sour; then again, one becomes aware of
its skin, fibre, particular quality etc. When the name alone is
mentioned, these things do not bother us. Only its sweetness comes
to mind. Similarly, in the case of the Divine Form, there is the
chance of awe mixed with respect and even fear eclipsing our love
which sweetens the remembrance of God."
2. "It is only the sweetness in
the Divine Name that makes our life worthwhile: it also helps us
to attain the Goal of life. It is only by always having the Name
on the tongue and in the mind that we conquer the influence of
Maya or the delusion of the world. All the dualities of life,
namely truth and untruth, right and wrong, are but the steps of
the dance that Maya does before us. Therefore, Maya is called a
Nartaki, that is a dancer who entices the mind. To escape from
being deluded and enticed by her, you must take recourse to the
opposite of Nart- taki, i.e. 'Kirtana.' By means of Kirtana, it is
possible to win the Grace of Madhava and escape the delusion of
Maya."
3. "The sweetness of Namasmarana
is best exemplified by Narada, Hanuman, Ambareesha, Prahlada,
Surdasa, Thygaraja, Meera, Tukaram, Tulsidas, Kabir, Bhadrachala
Ramdas and many others who tasted and drank 'the Nectar of the
Name' (Namamrita) and liberated themselves Namasmarana was the
boat by which they happily travelled across the sea of Samsara,
from the world of matter to the Realm of the Spirit, i.e. Divinity."
Contents
D. Source of Power In Namasmarana
1. "How does God's Name acquire
the power to drive away all the evil tendencies in the devotee's
mind and the wicked passions in his heart? Why, even ordinary
words have power. Suppose we are taking delicious food but
suddenly, someone mentions a foul word. The word instantly causes
a revulsion in our mind and we lose taste for the food; we may
even get nausea and vomit. Or, again, suppose people are sitting
for a cultural programme and someone suddenly shouts 'Fire! Fire!'
just in fun. What will be the reaction? On hearing the word,
people will jump up and run helter-skelter. Yet another example.
You are very thirsty and some one says, 'I will cut a lemon and
prepare sweet sherbet tor you.' Your mouth begins to water. All
this shows the reaction in our mental lake through hearing
ordinary words and sounds. How much more profound should be the
effect on our mind, nature and behavi- our when sacred Names of
God are heard or sung with love! That singing raises the mind to
higher planes of peace and purity. The Divine Name is packed with
infinite potential to purify, sublimate and transform the mind and
heart."
2. "God is Shabda-Brahma-Swaroopa.
He is endowed with Eight-fold Treasures (Ashtaiswarya Sampanna).*
The first Treasure - aspect of God is the Sound Form. This whole
uni- verse is born out of sound, i.e. from Nada and is known also
as Shabda-Brahma. With Shabda only is the Universe sustained. The
transformation it goes through is the power of sound only. That is
why 'Su-Shabda' i.e. good and auspicious sound like the glorious
names of God produces 'Sumanas' or a purified mind. With the aid
of the Divine Name, we can slowly and steadily purify our senses.
As we progress in this Namasmarana or Nama - Sankeertana path, the
innate Ananda, which is our nature, flows uninhibited and we begin
to experience and enjoy continuous, unalloyed Peace and Bliss."
[* These eight treasures are: (i)
Shabda, (ii) Charachara, (iii) Jyoti, (iv) Vangmaya, (v)
Nityananda, (vi) Paratpara, (vii) Maya, (viii)Sri.]
3. "The Name gains power through
its association with God. Here is an example. When a rat enters
our house, we bring a cat to kill it or set a trap to catch it.
But the rat, when visualised as the Vahana or Vehicle of Lord
Ganapathi, becomes worthy of worship. Again, when we see a serpent,
all possible efforts are made to kill it. But the serpent round
the neck of Ishwara is honoured and worshipped. A small boulder
lying in the street is not taken notice of by anyone. But, when it
is chiselled into an idol of God, it is installed in a temple and
worshipped by all. This is the power of 'Samparka' or contact with
the Divine which carries with it unthought of power. That is how
Divine Names acquire power to lead man on the spiritual path."
Contents
E. Some Examples of Namasmarana
1. "Remember how Sita braved the
taunts, insults and tortures of the ogresses in Lanka. What was it
that gave her the stamina? It was Rama-Nama and nothing else. The
Karma of Rama Nama and Rama Dhyana will remould your mind."
2. "Of Hanuman it is said 'Roma-Romamu-Rama-
Namame,' every single hair recited 'Rama.' His tail was a
formidable weapon, for it was filled with the might of the Name.
He is also called 'Sundara' or 'the Charming One', the Beautiful
One'. Why? Because he had Rama installed in his heart and the
splendour and beauty of Rama was reflected in his face. This made
him charming to behold. He was also a 'sweet companion' because he
spoke of only Rama and sang only Rama's glory."
3. "Draupadi, the Queen of the
Pandavas, whose story is one long series of humiliations and
calamities, was rescued from dishonour and distress time aftertime.
Rukmini and Sathyabhama were curious to know the nature of the
devotion that could draw such bountiful Grace of the Lord on her
in such a continous stream. So Krishna took both of them to
Draupadi when she was drying her hair after a bath and asked his
queens to comb her hair which had got into tangle. When they did
so, they heard from the tip of each hair the sound of Nama-japa
'Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna!' The Name of the Lord had
impregnated each single hair of her head ! That was the extent of
her devotion to the Lord."
4. "Thyagaraja started Nama Japa
of Sri Rama in his twentieth year. He recited it ninety six crores
of times and took 21 years and 15 days for the vow to fructify. As
a result, he had the Darshan of Sri Rama. The letters of the Nama
had taken shape', he says about this experience."
5. "Meera quaffed the cup of
poison with the Name on her tongue, and it turned into nectar.
Namasmarana saved Prahlada from the agony of torture: the
elephants brought to crush him turned back when they saw the boy!
Fire could not singe him! The rocks on which he was thrown from
great heights could not bruise him! No poison could affect him..."
Contents
NAMA - SANKEERTAN - A RIGHT
SADHANA AND RIGHT METHOD
A. Nama-Sankeertan
"Nama-Sankeertan is Nama-Smarana
or chanting of the Name of the Lord loudly and continuously by a
group of devotees coming together to rejoice in glorifying God. It
not only liberates those who participate in this congregational
singing but it also spreads joy and love all around through the
spiritual currents and vibrations it generates. There are four
types of Sankeertan:
1. Guna - Sankeertan: Singing the
glory of God's Divine attributes, His great powers. His benevolent
qualities, etc. Intruth, all these attributes are ascribed by
devotees to God, who for them is all qualities and attributes. The
satisfaction that the devotee gets from Guna-Sankeertan, therefore,
is encouraging as the first step, a great step.
2. Leela-Sankeertan: Singing of
God's Divine Sports and glorious deeds. Here too, the joy of the
devotee is in singing of the true Leelas of the Lord, the Universe
- its Creation (Sristi), Maintenance (Sthiti) and its Dissolution
(Laya), all the three going on simultaneously! When the entire
Creation is God's Leela, to pick up a few of the deeds and sing
them as God's glory is not true knowledge about God.
Leela-Sankeer- tan, thus, is not conducive to true and full
Spiritual Wisdom, which alone enables the Sadhaka to accept both
good and bad as God's Leela only. Singing Leelas of a limited
nature, therefore, would not bestow on us abiding peace and bliss.
3. Bhava-Sankeertan: Glorifying
God through anyone of the following six types of relationship with
Him:
(i) Shanta Bhava: Loving God as a
Form of Shanti or Peace (e.g. Bhishma);
(ii) Sakhya Bhava: Loving God as
one's Friend (e.g.Arjuna);
(iii) Dasya Bhava: Loving God as
one's Master and dedicating oneself to His Service (e.g. Hanuman);
(iv) Vatsalya Bhava: Loving God
as one's Child (e.g. Yashoda);
(v) Anuraga Bhava : Loving God as
one's Beloved (e.g. Gopis);
(vi) Madhura Bhava i.e. Oneness
with the Lord (e.g. Radha).
These Bhavas are based on the
attachment to the Form of God. In all of them, there is an element
of imagination on the part of the devotee. The imagined
relationship is not entirely one with Divinity but very much of
the type of human relation only. As a result, there is an element
of ignorance in their faith and devotion. Attachment to the Form
brings pleasure as well as pain to the devotee. This obstructs
freedom from the dualities of life, which constitute ignorance.
The last one, Madhura Bhava
seeking oneness with God is not easily attainable. Thus, these
Bhavas make the concept of God limited and make it difficult for
the Sadhaka to transcend God's Name and Form which are illusory.
4. Nama-Sankeertan: When a group
of devotees join together to sing the Name of the Lord, it gives
sacredness and happiness to the minds of all people, at all times
and at all places. There is nothing that can be greater than this
Nama- Sankeertan. Such Sankeertan will liberate not only the
individual but the entire community and the whole world. It is
This Nama-Sankeertan that Sai has been establishing everywhere. A
person devoted to Nama-Sankeertan knows no failure. Taking to this
Sadhana seriously, and doing it con- stantly, he overcomes all
obstacles. To him, the Divine name is the spring of all Chaitanya,
the Primal Energy and Life-giving Nectar. 'Na Ayam Atma
bala-heenena labhyah.' Ultimately, the Sadhaka's own strength of
resolve, self-application and self-confidence will lead him to his
spiritual goal."
Contents
B. Name and Form have to go
together
1. "To start with, the Name and
the Form go together in Nama Sadhana. They are the reverse and
obverse of the same coin. Recite the Name and the Named will be
before you. Picture the Named and the Name will leap to your lips.
The Name should dwell on the sweetness which it connotes. It
should ruminate on the beauty of the Form which it remembers, the
perfume which it spreads."
2. "Nama i.e. the Name of God and
Nami i.e. the Form should have constant and continuous contact in
the devotee's mind. Then, just as two branches of a tree by
continuous contact and friction are able to produce fire, the
continuous contact of the Name and the Named produces the Fire of
Jnana."
Contents
C. Meaning of the Name
1. "The Name is a vocal image.
When the Name is pronounced by the tongue and the Image is adored
by the mind, these should not degenerate into mechanical routine.
The meaning of the Name and the content of the Form must, at the
same time, inspire and illumine the devotee's Consciousness. So,
escape the routine: involve yourselves in the attitude of worship,
deeply and sincerely. That alone will bring to you the requisite
Strength and Courage, Peace and Joy from Him Who is within you. He
is the Guru most interested in your spiritual progress. Do not
seek the Guru outside you, in temples or in holy places. The God
in you is your Eternal Father and Mother, Preceptor and Friend,
Who will lead you to the goal."
2. "The devotee derives real and
full joy from Nama Sankeertan only when he sings with his full
attention on the meaning of the Divine Name. Otherwise, he gets
only a picture of the music but not happiness from the depth of
his heart. The Divine Name is usually given to the Reality that
you yourself are. For example:
(i) "Atma is known as Rama
because Rama means that which delights; and nothing confers sucn
boundless, inexhaustible joy as the Atma. So, the word Rama means
the Atma. The word consists of three components or sounds viz. Ra,
Aa and Ma. Ra is the mystic symbol of Agni or the Fire Principle;
it burns our sins or evil propensities into ash. Aa is the symbol
of Surya or the Sun Principle; it destroys the darkness of Ajnana
or ignorance. Ma is the symbol of Chandra or the Moon Principle;
it cools theThapam or heat of suffering. So, Rama-Nama Smarana has
the power to overcome the three tragedies of life, namely, Papam
or Sin, Thapam or suffering and Ajnanam or Ignorance; and to
reveal the Divinity of Sathyam, Shivam and Sundaram or Truth,
Goodness and Beauty. Repeat the Name of Rama bearing this
significance in mind and you will feel its effect soon.
"Rama Nama also connotes the
Vedic declaration Tattwam- Asi or That-Thou-Art. Ra signifies Tat
(i.e. Brahma), Ma signifies Twam (i.e. Thou, the Jiva or the
Individual) and Aa connotes the kinship and identity of the two
i.e. of the Jiva and Brahma.
(ii) "Take the name of Krishna.
'Krishna' means that which attracts most i.e. Ananda; it also
means that which crushes or destroys. So Krishna symbolises the
Divine Power which crushes the devotee's attachment to the
physical body and to worldly things and manifests Ananda or Bliss
of the Atma within. The devotee's Manas is the GokuI where Krishna
manifests Himself. The devotee's heart is the Brindavan where He
grows up on the Prema of the Gopis, i.e. pure thoughts and
feelings. The Chitta is the Mathura where He rules, after
destroying King Kansa or the Ego. And the Nirvikalpa stage is the
Dwaraka where He instals Himself as the Reigning Mon- arch.
(iii) "I have now to tell you the
meaning of Baba. Baba is B,A,B,A. The first 'B' stands for 'Being';
'A' stands for 'Awareness'; the third letter 'B' stands for 'Bliss';
the fourth letter 'A' for 'Atma.' Again, the first 'B' 'Being' is
Sat: the next letter 'A' 'Awareness' is Chit; the third letter 'B'
'Bliss' is Ananda."
3. "Divine Names also indicate
Divine Powers that pro- tect and help the devotee on his Sadhana
path. Try to grasp the significance or meaning of the Name you
sing, so that you can ruminate on the glory which that Name
denotes. When you hear on the phone that your son got a son, you
feel immensely happy; but if you do not catch the meaning of the
words you hear, how can you derive the intended joy? Likewise,
singing the Bhajan with your attention on the meaning of the Name
will keep you always in the higher region of Divine Energy where
you will be cool and calm. Here are some examples:
(i) "When you sing the Name of
Tryambaka, remember the Paramatma who, transcending the three
gunas (Thamas, Rajas and Sathya or Dull, Active and Balanced
respectively), envelops all the three worlds. He is, therefore, in
everyone; He is every one in all."
(ii) 'Gopala' does not mean
merely a cowherd. 'Go' also means the senses, beings, souls and
individuals. So, Gopala is the Divine Power or God who tends our
Indriyas or senses and souls, keeps them away from worldly harm
and gives them what is good for their spiritual progress.
(iii) "In the Name 'Madhava', Ma
implies Maya or Delusion and Dhava means Master. He who sings this
name of God is saved from the delusion or Maya and realizes Truth."
(iv) "The Name 'Vishnu' means 'that
which pervades everywhere, the Omnipresent'. He is glorified as 'Sheshasayee'
or reclining on the Cobra with five hoods. These five hoods are
symbolic of our five senses which have sinister, poisonous
potentialities. When these senses are directed towards Vishnu,
that is: Eyes seeking God's footprints in the rose- petals as well
as in the stars; Ears hearing God's voice in the songs of birds as
also in the peals of thunder; Tongue tasting God's sweetness in
all that appeals to it; Nose drawing fragrance in everything that
reveals the glory of God; the sense of Touch content to clasp the
hand of the forlorn and the distressed as the beloved children of
God -then alone can the devotee visualise the full Glory of Vishnu.
(v) 'Siva' means Consciousness
which is most Auspicious and Pure i.e. One who has all the Glory
associated with Godhead. He is the embodiment of Ananda. Hence, He
is also symbolised in the Tandava Dance which He enjoys so much
with the Cosmos as His stage. He is also known as 'Shankara' - One
who causes, by His Grace, the most Supreme Ananda and bestows it
on His devotees. He is Ishwara too, being the Repository of all
the resources essential for Happiness and Prosperity. He confers
the highest Aiswarya (Wealth), that is Jnana, on those who
propitiate Him.
(vi) 'Mahakali', 'Maha-Saraswati'
and 'Mahalakshmi' are, likewise, embodiments of Divine Powers in
various Manifesta- tions of Thamaguna, Rajoguna and Satvaguna
respectively. They help the devotee to overpower and destroy the
forces of Vice, Wickedness and Egoism by vanquishing the six 'demons'
of evil passions in Him.
(vii) "Know the meaning of
Sathya", i.e. Truth, which is the unchanging eternal principle at
the base of the ever-changing Universe. The word SAI has three
sounds: Sa, Aa and Yee. Sa stands for the Sacred and the Divine;
Ayee means the Mother. In different languages, we have for the
Mother Ayee Mayee, Thayee and so on. Baba means 'Father'. So,
Sathya Sai Baba signifies the Eternal Mother and Father.
"In the same way, we use the
letter Sa for the Divine; for the Mother, we use the word Amba;
for Father, we use the word Shiva. Thus Sa-Amba-Shiva (Samba-Shiva)
and Sai-Baba are exactly the same. There is no difference between
the two. It is, therefore, evident that this is the
Siva-Shakti-Atma- Swaroopa. So, to this Form with this Name, you
will soon see the whole world offering loyal Adoration."
Contents
D. Faith, Love and Yearning for
God
1. "The first and foremost thing
essential in this Sankeer- tana is Vishwas, Faith or Shradha.
Without Faith, we cannot achieve anything in life. We have to
strengthen our Faith in the attributes of God whose Glory we sing.
This Faith is to Nama-Sankeertan what breath is to Man. No breath,
no life. No Faith, no relation with God."
2. "From this Faith, Prema or
Love will be born, Prema will build a rapport with God and bring
in Peace or Santhi. Where Santhi prevails, Truth will reveal
itself. Where there is Truth, there is Ananda. Where there is
Ananda, God abides."
3. "To realize the Lord you must
cultivate Prema. The Name should be installed on the altar of the
heart and there its fragrance will sweeten the memory."
4. "With love from the depth of
your heart, raise your voice and, without fear, loudly sing the
Glory of God. Do not be afraid of others. These 'others' are not
going to give you 'liberation', nor even help you when you are in
serious trouble. It is only selfishness everywhere. Not minding
what others may say or what path others follow, sing His Glory and
pray to Him with a heart filled with faith and selfless love.
There is no season for Faith. Do not become a slave to others.
Follow your heart which you have offered to God. Nama-Sankeertan
is not mere singing. The Swaras should come from the depth of your
heart. The thought of God should be full and dipped in love. You
should project yourselves to reach Him. This is called Tapas. Such
Sankeertan will liberate not only the devotee but the entire
community. This kind of Sankeertan can be enjoyed by every one,
from the humble person to the Paramahansa."
5. "You must have a yearning for
God, the yearning of the stone to be a diamond. You must hold the
hand of God through Namasmarana and walk by His side. You must
hold fast and not give up. Be like the monkey that clings to its
mother and is thereby guarded and guided by her superior strength
and wisdom. The Lord is won by sincere agony and steady yearning.
The yearning will overcome all obstacles and like a swollen river
leap over bunds and banks and over- whelm all by its strength.
Difficulties are created to increase the "yearning" and to lift
the sincere devotee from the rest. By the alchemy of such Smarana,
even a rock is turned into softness and moulded into a beautiful
image."
6. "The yearning in the heart and
the Name on the tongue, these are most essential for Bhajan and
Nagarsankeertan. The Gopis sang the Name of God when they churned
for butter in the early morning hours. The bangles of their wrists
jingled all the time; the whirr of the rods in the pots provided
the background tune and the fragrant morning breeze carried the
song into every neighbouring ear."
"Sri Ramakrishna Paramahansa,
yearning and hoping for the vision of the Divine Mother, would
most eagerly look forward to each morning for some sign of Her
Grace. Every night he used to cry in anguish that another precious
day had slipped away from his life without his getting even a
glimpse of his beloved Mother. He used to feel shattered and
broken with frustration and grief because he believed that his
precious time and life itself were wasted unless he succeeded in
winning the Grace and Vision of God. Such Faith, Love and Yearning
while pronouncing the Lord's Name, turning it over the tongue, so
to say, is bound to result in Divine Grace."
Contents
E. Constancy in Namasmarana and
Purity of Heart
1. "This spiritual discipline of
Namasmarana has to be practised regularly, every day. It is like
sweeping and dusting the floor of our home. A day's neglect means
accumulation of more dust. The altar of the heart will be clean if
the Sadhana is regular. 'Sarvada, Sarva Kaleshu, Sarvatra
Harichintanam.' Always, at all times, at all places, let there be
remembrance of the Lord. The time spent in Bhagawanamasmarana
alone is time rightly and worthily lived. The Name of the Lord
must dance on your tongue forever. That is why Namasmarana and
Nagarasankeertan are given a very prominent place in our Sadhana
activities."
"Always remembering the Lord,
reciting His Name, writing It, uttering It, or meditating on It or
turning over the rosary with It or worshipping an idol or image
with It - this constant dwelling with the Name of God is itself 'all
the Holy Places, all the Sacred Teerthas, all the famous Shrines'."
2. "To constantly allow the
Divine Name to dance on the tongue is our duty. When the Name
dances on the tongue, the latter will speak only soft and sweet
words giving pleasure to others. The tongue guards the human heart.
An atom bomb will destroy the body, but the tongue is a weapon
that can destroy the heart of man. The good words that we speak
strengthen and console while the bad words hurt and destroy. Our
hearts and emotions should be guided by a constant, continuous and
unceasing process of Namasmarana. The mind should be always tuned
up to the thought of God, whatever we may be doing; even when we
are engaged and engrossed in worldly life and activities. With the
Divine Name as the very breath of our life, we can engage in all
life's activities without any fear of degradation or fall. Kabir
used to chant the Name of Rama all the time while he was weaving
and moving the shuttle from side to side. It is only when the
branches of a tree constantly rub against each other that fire
will be produced but not when they touch each other once in a
while or intermittently. In the same way, Namasmarana will yield
its benefit only when it is done all the time, day in and day out,
with a concentrated mind and a devout heart. Guard the mind from
getting distracted and dissipated in useless talk. Engage it
constantly in the remembrance and chanting of the Name. This Bhava
i.e. Faith combined with Devotion will soon fructify into Jnana.
In truth, Bhagawadname is far sweeter than Jnana!"
3. "Mere utterance or mechanical
chanting of the Name will not serve the purpose. It should emanate
from a pure heart and with concentrated, one-pointed attention and
devotion. Consequently, Namasmarana bears fruit only when the mind
is free from the taints of worldly desires. The state of the
devotee's heart determines the effect of this Sadhana. The heart
of an evil-minded person, like Ravana's, full of sensuous cravings,
pollutes and defiles the Name. But when the same Name wells out
from a pure-hearted person like Vibhishana, it ushers him to the
Lotus Feet of Sri Rama Himself.
"In fact to supplement the
effects of this Sadhana, you will have to lead a regulated life, a
life conducive to good thoughts, fed on satvic food and satvic
pursuits. Without such self- purification, whatever Name is
chanted, it would all be an utter waste, bringing no gain. That is
why we find that many engage themselves in Namasmarana but few
live in the Lord's constant presence and in constant awareness of
His Glory which fills the whole Universe. 'Udupi Krishna, 'Brindavan
vasi Krishna', 'Ayodhya vasi Rama' they sing but they do not make
their own hearts as pure and holy as Udupi, Brindavan or Ayodhya.
How then can Krishna or Rama come and manifest Himself in their
hearts?"
Contents
FRUITION OF NAMASMARANA
1. "Man is a lover of Santhi and
Ananda, Peace and Joy, because it is his true nature. All his
hopes, efforts and pursuits are aimed at experiencing this true
nature of his which is divine. Santhi and Ananda are as much his
Dharma as burning is the Dharma of fire, or sweetness is of sugar,
or fragrance is of the rose. But then, why is he not able to
experience them during all the 24 hours of the day ?The cause is
the perversion and aberration of our senses which cause
estrangement from our own innate nature of Santhi and Ananda. It
is like the burning charcoal covered with ash. Where from has this
ash come? From the fire itself and it is like the moss that is
born only of the water and yet conceals the very water in which it
is born. So too, the clouds created by the heat of the sun hide
the sun. Likewise, the aberrations of our senses with their
concomitant Raga (likes) and Dwesha (dislikes), the mental vikaras
(distortions) which all owe their origin and sustenance to the
Atmic Principle, conceal the Atma which is Santhi and Ananda."
"So the objective of all our
spiritual Sadhana is to root out the Raga and Dwesha and all other
Vikaras from our minds, just like driving off the ash covering the
burning coal, pushing aside the moss gathered on the surface of
the lake, or driving away the clouds hiding the sun. The most
simple and yet most powerful Sadhana to achieve this objective is
engaging one's tongue in singing Holy Names, one's mind in
thinking about the Divine Powers of the Gods and Goddesses and
one's heart in lovingly soliciting their help and Grace for
progress in our Sadhana. Clapping of hands will also help because,
just as it drives away birds perched on the trees making
disturbing noises and polluting the ground with their droppings,
so too these clappings add rhythm to our thoughts and feelings and
help to keep our own mind properly tuned in harmony with the holy
Name of God."
"The truth is that life is like a
tree where the various mental vikaras or passions like Anger,
Greed, Hate, Jealousy are the birds infesting and contaminating
our hearts and robbing us of our Peace and Joy. Chant the Divine
Names with love and rhythm: 'Rama, Krishna, Govinda, Narayana.'
These birds of evil vikaras infecting our minds and plaguing our
lives will get a fright and fly away. Hearing even the names of
ordinary, material things like 'Fire!', 'Snake!' or 'Lemonade!'
causes strong reactions in our minds. How much more strong and
subtle would be the effect of uttering or hearing the Name of
Sarveshwara, who is the Creator and the Supreme Lord of the
Universe?"
"In fact, Bhagawadnama is capable
of giving the highest Ananda through its nectarine sweetness than
even Jnana or Absorption in the Self. One example of this is
Narada, the son of Brahma. Even though Narada had free access to
Vaikunta, Kailasa and all the higher Heavenly Abodes of Peace and
Bliss, he Was ever busy chanting and singing the Name of Narayana.
He preferred to remain immersed in Namasmarana and its sweet
ecstasy and considered it superior even to the vision of the
Divine Trinity."
2. "Man must seek answers to four
fundamental ques- tions: Who am I? Where have I come from? Whither
am I going!? and how long will I stay? The four Vedas are devoted
to the discovery of answers to these very questions. These answers
can be reached through Jnana, Bhakti or Karma; but the Lord's
Grace, if drawn through Namasmarana, will reveal them to the
aspirant in a trice!"
"Start now with the first step,
namely repeating the Name of the Lord, the Universal Indweller.
That will lead you on to the further steps. March on until the
goal is reached. Keep the outer-faced senses closed to the
influences that attract; instead, concentrate on the Name of the
Lord, Its Sweetness and Beauty. Develop qualities of Divinity like
Universal Love, Absence of Attachment. Then you will be entitled
to assert 'Shivo-ham Shivo-ham' or 'I am the Pure Sat-Chit-Ananda
Consciousness'. But, with the Lord's Grace, you may not have to
assert it at all, because there will be no 'aham' feeling in you
then."
"For Namasmarana is the chief
among the Sadhanas for removing the taints of 'I' and 'Mine'. When
you dwelt on the Names of the Lord, His Majesty, His Grace, His
Omnipotence, His All-Pervasiveness etc. these get fixed in your
consciousness and your own capacities and capabilities. get
eclipsed in the Divine. So, humility develops and a spirit of
surrender sprouts in the heart. This takes the devotee nearer to
God and prepares him to merge in His Glory. The mind is gradually
liberated from all its distracting thoughts, desires and imagery
from giving free play to the senses. All accumulated impurities
which veil the Ananda within are removed and the latent Divinity
manifests Itself. When we attain the Grace of God who is Sat i.e.
Sathya Padartha which is ever the same without change; Chit i.e.
Sathya Jnana or True and Pure Awareness; this Knowledge Itself has
Ananda as it is Poorna or Perfect and Ever full. That is how
Namasmarana serves for us as the best means to liberate ourselves
from the limitations of ignorance, misery and death. That is why,
again, in the Bhagwad Githa, the Lord has declared that He is the
'Nama-Yajna' - the Yajna in which the sacrificial heart of Ajnana
or Ignorance is offered in the fire of Nama-Sadhana."
3. "In towns and cities today,
where can you find the Pure Shabda Brahma (God as Sound) amidst
the usual disturbing noises like the roaring of lorries and buses,
outcries of vendors and buyers in the shops and markets, din of
the business houses and factories? I, therefore, recommended that
devo- tees should assemble at some place early in the morning,
then move about in the streets singing bhajans and nama
sankeertans in melodious tunes for about half an hour to three-
fourths of an hour."
"Let me tell you, this is a great
spiritual practice tor the purification of men's minds as well as
the atmosphere. Immediately on getting up from the bed, if we hear
the Name of the Lord: Govinda, Damodra, Shiva, Shankara, Durga,
Laxmi, Panduranga, Vasudeva, all the impurities of the heart will
be removed. Unholy and sinful thoughts will not enter the mind.
Sacred thoughts of Truth, Righteousness, Peace and Love will
remain. The atmosphere polluted by untruth, injus- tice, hatred,
greed, strikes, hartals and other emotional disturbances can be
made pure and sanctified by daily Nagar- sankeertan only. Rising
in the Brahma Muhurtha is also a good physical exercise. It keeps
one in good health. Intellect improves and becomes sharp. The
heart gets filled with peace and happiness. He who rises from the
bed hearing the Name of the Lord in Nagarsankeertan will not
entertain any unholy or sinful thoughts in the mind for the rest
of the day. It will not prompt him to do any unbecoming deed. His
mind would be saturated with Divine thoughts only. His heart will
be dedicated lo the company of the virtuous. All the limbs of the
body will become sacred, lt would give wholesome nourishment not
only to one's self but also to the body, mind and soul of others.
It is not only 'Sun-rise' but eternal 'Bliss-rise' for those who
sing, as well as to those who hear the sweet Namasankeertan at the
dawn of the day."
The
above-stated text is intended only for fact-finding reading.
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