What is real meditation?

Nama Article 5th May 2007

Source: Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi
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Talk 485 .

Devotee : While engaged in Atma vichara (the investigation of the Self), I fall asleep. What is the remedy for it?

Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi .: Do nama-sankirtana (sing the name of God).

Devotee : Should I not go on with repetition of sacred syllables, ( mantra japa), e.g., Krishna or Rama's name, when I worship images?

Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi .: Mental japa is very good. That helps meditation. Mind gets identified with the repetition and then you get to know what worship ( puja) really is - the losing of one's individuality in that which is worshipped.
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Bhagawan Ramana Maharishi has often said that if we go to Manolaya (Sleeping state) we will not go to moksham (liberation) but mosampovam (reach the undesirable state).

Hence during meditation or doing atma vicharam many may get in to the sleeping state and think that they are medidating. They also feel fresh, as all of us would be, after a sound sleep.

But this is not meditation. Real meditation is being in the thoughtless state when we are awake. The easiest way to practice the "real" meditation is to Chant the Name and watching our mind constantly to ensure that no thought arises between the first Name chanted and the next time the same Name is chanted. That is there should be no thought between the first "Hare Rama...."Mahamantra and the next "Hare Rama...."Mahamantra.

To put it short in our Sri Sri Swamiji's words we should marry the two names, meaning that there should be no thoughts between the chanting.

This is real meditation. As we are chanting the Divine Name, it has got the power to eliminate other thoughts from our mind with out effort.

Hence Chant,

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

Glory of Rama Nama - The Name that Lord Shiva always Chants

Nama Article 4th May 2007

Glory of Rama Nama - The Name that Lord Shiva always Chants

Shiva chants Rama nama. So what happens is he could burn Kaama (desire), the reason for birth, through Third eye and he foots Kaala (time) beneath his feet, the reason for death. So one who chants Rama wins birth and death.

How do you measure your progress in the spiritual path?

Nama article - 3rd May 2007

How do you measure your progress in the spiritual path?

Not through the divine visions but through the level of your detachment to worldly matters.

When we move towards Sun our shadow is behind, when we move away from Sun the shadow is right in front.

So when we are moving towards God our problems are behind us and does not scare us.

Moving towards God is chanting his Nama. Name and God is one and the same.

Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

Thought for the Day - 2nd May 2007

Thought for the Day - 2nd May 2007

"The very purpose of performing rites and rituals is to attain chitta shuddhi, i.e, purity of thought. If these karmas are performed in an incorrect manner with a lot of compromise, for self-interest and pomp, with pride and hypocrisy, not only will it result in further impurity, but will also prove detrimental"

-- Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

How to remove unwanted thoughts?

Nama Article - 2nd May 2007

In Bhakti it is said, 'the mind is like a dense forest containing all sorts of bushes, plants and trees. Remove all the unwanted bushes, plants, trees and the weeds and make it a forest of the Holy Tulasi or the Holy Bilwa.'

Well! How do you go about it?

Verily through the chanting of the Divine Name - the Mahãmantra

"Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare!"

Ãdi Sankara on Karmas

Nama Article - 1st May 2007

The Vedas say perform karma all through your lifetime. So, the 'karma' supporters would quote these words of the Vedas and say that if one fails to perform the karmas he would end up in hell.

But how does Ãdi Sankara elucidate this? "'Lifetime' here does not mean 'till death' - it means till you desire to enjoy life! If you nourish desires for worldly matters, well, then perform karmas as prescribed by the Scriptures.

However, if you are in the quest of the Lord give up everything - all karmas - and work towards the end purpose of Life."

Hence, Chant the Divine Name.

Chant the Mahãmantra

"Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare!
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare!" all the time.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - 30th April 2007

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - 30th April 2007

"World peace is in your word and that word is the divine name of Lord"

- SRI SRI MURALIDHARA SWAMIJI