"From this very moment I am going to change my way of life," and began to do japa of Rama Nama incessantly.......The Lord's Name purifies us however sinful a life we might have led.

Nama Article 1st August 2008

 

Excerpts from "Living with the Himalayan Masters" of Swami Rama

 

Once, the author of this Book - Swami Rama - was ordered by his Guru to go to Darjeeling and stay in a graveyard there for forty-one days and practice a particular sãdhana. The Guru had insisted that he (Swami Rama) should exercise patience for forty-one days and practice the sãdhana. Losing patience, he should not discontinue it before the stipulated time. Swami Rama, as ordered by the Guru, began to live in the graveyard. He built a small hut there and began to practise the prescribed sãdhana.

 

For thirty-nine days he practiced the sãdhana as advised by his Guru. He did not fear living all alone in a graveyard. He lit a fire there for cooking his food. On the thirty-ninth day all of a sudden his resolve changed. "There has been no change even after thirty-nine days of sãdhana. I have moved into a graveyard, where one would dread to come, on the mere words of the Guru! How can the Guru who commands me to do this be a good one? Should I not write letters to my friends?" With such thoughts he poured water over the fire and put it off. He pulled down the hut and began to walk towards the town.

 

While he passed a house he heard a melodious song and the sound of dance steps. The singer, a girl, was repeatedly singing a line. She was a prostitute. "The oil in the lamp of life is decreasing. Night still remains. Enjoy all that you have to in life" - the line carried this meaning. Swami Rama was surprised, as he felt that these words were meant for him. He turned back and ran to the graveyard. He continued his sãdhana for the remaining two days and completed it. On the forty-first day he underwent the experience that his Guru had predicted. Leaving the graveyard he went directly to the prostitute's house. Seeing him, the prostitute said to him, "Swami! You have come to the wrong place. Go away from here!" and closed the door. The watchman at the gates chased Swami Rama away. But, Swami Rama said to him, "To me she is like my mother. She has rendered me a great help. I have come only to thank her." The girl came out and he explained all that had happened to him.

 

That girl had also heard about Swami Rama's Guru. At once, she said to Swami Rama, "From this very moment I am going to change my way of life," and began to do japa of Rama Nãma incessantly. She went to Vãrãnasi (Kasi/Benares). She stayed on a boat house on the Ganga. At dusk she would come to the banks of the Ganga and perform kirtan of the Maha Mantra. Thousands of people began to join her in her kirtan. On her boat house she had written the words, "I am not a Sãdhu: I had been a prostitute. Do not bow down to me."

 

For all questions she would offer the only reply, 'Ram, Ram'. One evening, addressing the people who had gathered there, she said, "Tomorrow at dawn I shall attain to the Divine Feet of the Lord. Throw my body into the Ganga as food to the fish. Just as predicted, the next morning she attained to the Divine Feet of the Lord.

 

The Lord's Name ('Bhagavan Nãma') purifies us however sinful a life we might have led.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

Dip your mind in the jar of Lord’s name, and all the unclean stuff will be washed away. Then dip it in the jar of Lord’s grace. You will see how beautifully your real nature will shine forth.

Nama Article 31st July 2008

 

After Sri Ramakirshna's departure in mortal form, in 1896, the apostles moved to a derelict building, now known as Baranagar Math. They used to go deeper and deeper in spiritual journeys. An article by Swami Jitatmananda in the Statesman, Calcutta of 23rd December, 2005. "Naren made the ambience vibrant with the study of scriptures, history and literature, Kali (Abhedananda) was virtually consumed by research and meditation and Latu (Adbhutananda), among others were intoxicated with the incessant chanting of God's name".

 

One day Shashadhar Ganguly, a teacher from Malda, asked Latu Maharaj, 'Can the Atman be an object of knowledge?'

 

Latu Maharaj: 'An object is something that cannot be known without the help of something else, but the Atman is self revealing.'

 

Shashadhar: 'Then why should we want to know the Atman?'

 

Latu Maharaj: 'Because the Atman is our real nature.'

 

Shashadhar: 'If the Atman is our real nature, then why are we not aware of it?'

 

Latu Maharaj: 'Man's real nature is covered by a dense cloud of ignorance. . . Dip your mind in the jar of Lord's name, and all the unclean stuff will be washed away. Then dip it in the jar of Lord's grace. You will see how beautifully your real nature will shine forth.

 

Latu Maharaj had absolutely no knowledge of even the alphabets and obviously had no book-learning, Latu  Maharaj could instinctively see the inner significance of scriptures because of his spiritual realizations. Once a pundit was reading the Kathopanishad. He read the following verse:

 

'The Purusha of the size of a thumb, the inner soul, dwells always in the heart of beings. One should separate Him from the body with patience as the stalk from a grass.'

 

Latu Maharaj was overjoyed and exclaimed, 'Just the thing', as if he was giving out his own inner experience of life.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

This insubstantial universe, is a web of three gunas..........If you discriminate in this way, you will understand that the continual remembrance of Hari is the supreme goal to be attained

Nama Article 30th July 2008

 

Haripath - Sant Gnyaneshwar

 

Meaning

 

This insubstantial universe, is a web of three gunas (Sathva, Raja & Thamaas), Is but His superficial form; His essence is the formless 'I' Which is always the same, Unaffected by the interplay of the qualities. If you discriminate in this way, you will understand that the continual remembrance of Hari is the supreme goal to be attained.

 

Hari is both the Formless and the changing forms; Remember Him, lest your mind wander idly away.

 

He, Himself, has no form; He cannot be seen. He cannot be bound to a single form; He's the Source of all forms, Both the animate and the inanimate.

 

Jnanadev says: Rama-Krishna, the Lord's Name, Has pervaded my mind; He is all I meditate on. Blessed is this birth! I seem to be reaping infinite fruits from the good deeds I performed in the past.

 

Transliteration

 

triguNa asaara nirguNa he.n saara .

saaraasaara vichaara haripaaTha .. 1..

saguNa nirguNa guNaa.nche.n aguNa .

hariviNe.n mata vyartha jaaya .. 2..

avyakta niraakaara raahii.n jyaa aakaara .

jethunii charaachara tyaasii bhaje.n .. 3..

GYaanadevaa dhyaanii.n raamakRishhNa manii.n .

ana.nta janmaa.nnii.n puNya hoya .. 4

 

Abhang

 

त्रिगुण असार निर्गुण हे सार ।

सारासार विचार हरिपाठ ॥ १ ॥

सगुण निर्गुण गुणाचे अगुण ।

हरिविण मन व्यर्थ जाय ॥ २ ॥

अव्यक्‍त निराकार नाही ज्या आकार ।

जेथुनि चराचर हरिसी भजे ॥ ३ ॥

ज्ञानदेवा ध्यानी रामकृष्ण मनी ।

अनंत जन्मानी पुण्य होय ॥ ४ ॥

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

When you are at tension, pay attention to Maha Mantra

Nama Article 29th June 2008

 

When you are at tension, pay attention to Maha Mantra.

 

Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

I secure what is not already possessed and preserve what they already possess

Nama Article 26th July 2008

 

अनन्याश्चिन्तयन्तो मां ये जनाः पर्युपासते ।

तेषां नित्याभियुक्तानां योगक्षेमं वहाम्यहम् ॥

 

English Translation - Swami Sivananda

 

For those men who worship Me alone, thinking of no other, for those ever-united, I secure what is not already possessed and preserve what they already possess.

 

English Translation of Sri Sankaracharya's Sanskrit Commentary

 

Does not the Lord surely arrange for securing what they lack and protecting what they have even in the case of other devotees?

 

This is true. He does arrange for it.

 

But the difference lies in this: Others who are devotees make their own efforts as well for their own sake, to arrange for securing what they lack and protecting what they have.

 

On the contrary, those who have realized non-duality do not make any effrot to arrange for themselves the acquisition of what they do not have and the preservation of what they have. Indeed, they desire nothing for themselves, in life or in death. They have taken refuge only in the Lord. Therefore the Lord Himself arranges to procure what they do not have and protect what they have got.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

I do not believe that there is a problem that cannot be solved by man. Then why Nama Kirtan ?

Nama Article 25th July 2008

 

Source: http://namadwaar.org/answers/questions.html

 

What is liberation? Is it a solution to all our problems? Is it peace of mind? I do not believe that there is a problem that cannot be solved by man. Then why Nama Kirtan ?

 

Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:

 

You are right! There is no problem that cannot be solved by man.

 

Instead of taking problems one by one, if you put in a little more thought, you will realize that the only way to reach the problem-free point is never to be born again.

 

To look at it the differently, what do you mean by peace? It is an everlasting, absolute state of happiness - not temporary, but permanent: not mixed with a droplet of sorrow. How do we attain that state? if we are born and lead a life we are bound to get some problem at some point. So to attain eternal peace, it is imperative that we never be born again; get out of the cycle of births and deaths; get liberated.

 

That is the ideal solution and the way it is achieved is, through Nama Kirtan. It is not an alien effort. It is indeed the only solution and is very much in your own hands..

 

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

I am chanting maha mantra and following a normal life. I want to know whether these sufferings will be there in my whole life?

Nama Article 23rd July 2008

 

Source: http://namadwaar.org/answers/index.php

 

I am chanting maha mantra and following a normal life. How long will it take to attain the Lord? I want to know whether these sufferings will be there in my whole life.

 

Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:

 

You are already one among the blessed few, picked by the Lord Himself. Don't get bogged down by any troubles or sufferings on your path. It might be a test for your devotion and faith on the Almighty.

 

Hold on to the Maha Mantra strongly and continue to chant it with the same love and devotion. A sparkling bright future awaits you if you remain steadfast in your chanting.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

How do we know that the Guru is pleased with us?

Nama Article 18th July 2008

 

Today is Guru Poornima. The auspicious day is being celebrated in different parts of the world by our satsang members: Check out the details in http://namadwaar.org/home.html

 

 

Source: http://www.namadwaar.org/answers/questions.html

 

How do we know that the Guru is pleased with us?

 

Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:

 

The Guru is always pleased with his disciples. 

 

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

What I beg of you is that my life passes in Chanting Your Glorius Names - Adi Shankara

Nama Article 17th July 2008

 

Adi Shankara says in one of his hymns:         

(Devyaparadhakshamapana stotra, 8)

 

Mother, no desire have I for Liberation nor any hankering after wealth. Neither do I cherish any yearning for highest knowledge, nor comforts.

 

O Mother Divine,

 

What I beg of you is that my life passes in Chanting Your Glorius Names.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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