Swami Abhedananda was struck with wonder at the power of the Mahamantra. He at once took hold of the Mahamantra. He wandered all over the country to spread the same

Nama Article 21st April 2009

 

Source: http://www.namadwaar.org/articles/abhedananda_09_part2.html

 

Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

Contemporary Mahans do get together. Thus, Swami Abhedananda went to Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi. He found devotees seated quietly, doing Atma vichara. He also sat amidst them. Bhagavan Ramana Maharishi tapped on his shoulder and said to him, "Do not sit here. Go and do Mahamantra kirtan. You have come for that only."

 

Until then Swami Abhedananda had not known the Mahamantra. He wondered what to do. He went to the podigai hill in Kuttralam. He went and sat inside a cave there. He was still not convinced about what Bhagavan Ramana had told him. He sat with his eyes closed. At this time there lived a wealthy family in a nearby village. The only child in the family had been struck with some disease. Doctors could not cure the child and had given up the case. The child had been brought back to the village home. The whole family was drowned in deep sorrow.

 

Village women who used to go to the forest to collect woods for the fuel informed the family about the presence of a Swamiji in the forest and suggested that they seek his counsel in the matter. At once, the whole family rushed to Swami Abhedananda.

 

Swami Abhedananda had only recently walked out of his home. He sat in the small cave on the hill. He thought, 'Bhagavan Ramana has advised me about the Mahamantra. These people think that I have some supernatural power,' and playfully said to them, "Do incessant chanting of 'Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare! Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare!' all through the night. Your child will be saved."

 

Swami Abhedananda had advised them playfully but the family returned home and chanted the Mahamantra all through the night with deep reverence and faith. In the morning the child was back to normal state! The elated family went to Swami Abhedananda with garland, fruits and other offerings and honored him in gratitude. The Swamiji was struck with wonder at the power of the Mahamantra. He at once took hold of the Mahamantra. He wandered all over the country. He has done kirtan of the Mahamantra in all the Temples of Tamizh Nadu. He has performed the kirtan day and night. Wherever he went people came in thousands. There was only the chanting of the Mahamantra and nothing else – no discourse, no other kirtan. It was only singing the Mahamantra. He would begin the chanting in a booming voice and it would be so to the end, notwithstanding the long hours of chanting. All people attracted by his Atma shakti and santi would do kirtan all through the day and night.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare