Meditation is an attitude of mind

Nama Article 14th July 2013

 

Swami Papa Ramdas

 

Meditation is an attitude of mind. If we cultivate the right attitude, then the mind will not wander, but will only remember God within. For remembrance, mental repetition of the Name is essential. Continued remembrance leads to self-surrender or elimination of the ego-sense. Those who sit for so-called meditation, without remembering Him, are playing with the mind, and the mind in its turn makes them tools, and distraction is the result. It is not that the body alone should be still, but also the mind.

 

Please check these: Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

Namakirtan is Mediation

 

What is real meditation?

 

If you develop love it is meditation. If you chant you shall develop love. So chanting is nothing but meditation.

 

'Similarly, my friend,' the master says, 'you can sit like that forever, but you'll never be meditating or understanding truth.'

 

Chanting continuously in the mind, without a gap of even a microsecond – that is meditation

 

'Rama! Rama! Rama!' - saying this within the mind constantly is also dhyana

 

Repetition of the Lord's name is really a meditation on Him

 

How Meditation is made simpler and enjoyable?

 

By repeatedly reading about Mahatmas one gets motivated to do Japa, Meditation

 

Thus shielded by the Omnipotent Name, he remains safe and his meditation proceeds unhampered

 

When japa is the predominating tendency, vocal japa becomes eventually mental. Meditation is your true nature now. You call it meditation, because there are other thoughts distracting you

 

Chanting (japa) will lead to dhyana (meditation) and it is the means for realising the Self.

 

The utterance and then remembrance and later meditation are the successive stages finally ending in involuntary and eternal japa

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

Divine name is uttered in the ears of the blessed devotees in Kaashi at the time of Death by none other than Lord Shiva Himself

Nama Article 9th July 2013

 

श्रीरामभुजंग स्तोत्र - Sri Rama Bhujangam Stotram - Adisankara

 

यदावर्णयत्कर्णमूलेऽन्तकाले

शिवो राम रामेति रामेति काश्याम् |

 तदेकं परं तारकब्रह्मरूपं

भजेऽहं भजेऽहं भजेऽहं भजेऽहम् ||

 

I adore Sri Rama, the One Ultimate reality, whose Divine name is uttered in the ears of the blessed  devotees in Kaashi at the time of Death by none other than Lord Shiva Himself. This Tharakabrahma is capable of rescuing devotees from the ocean of samsaara.

 

Please check these: Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

Does not Lord Shiva Himself always repeat the Name "Rama" and chant the Divine Name into the ears of those dying at Kashi, thereby granting them liberation?

 

Atonce Lord Shiva said "it is enough if one chants the name "Rama."

 

You can chant the 'Rama' mantra to any deity. In fact, Lord Siva Himself chants the 'Rama' mantra all the time.

 

Lord Siva himself does not cease to chant the Divine Name Rama even for a moment out of such taste and love for that Name

 

Greatness of Chanting the Divine Name of Lord Shiva

 

Rama is indeed the highest teaching

 

Our ancient Sages and Rishis have glorified the Rama Nama

 

Rama Nama can grant all wishes at all times. Rama Nama can relieve you from any difficulty. The supreme Rama Nama could bestow all auspicious things. Let this Rama Nama be hailed everywhere.

 

No one can comprehend the glories of the Divine Name of Rama. All should Chant the Divine Name of Rama.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

As this occurred over and over again the knowledge dawned on Naraharisonar that it was only Lord Hari Himself who was present in everything.

Nama Article 7th July 2013

 

Naraharisonar

 

Naraharisonar, an ardent devotee of Lord Shiva, lived in Pandaripuram. Though living in Pandaripuram he had never once visited Pandarinathan's temple. He held the principle of not to look at any god but Lord Shiva. However, the chant of Lord Hari's names always echoed throughout Pandaripuram. Naraharisonar had tied two bells to his ears to avoid the chant falling in his ears. The moment he learnt of anyone chanting "Hari" he would ring the two bells tied to his ears and thus ensured that the name of Lord Hari did not fall in his ears.

 

In this Pandaripuram there was a dilapidated Shiva temple. Daily he would go there and conduct abishekha, pooja and offer naivedya. He felt saddened that none in this Pandaripuram bothered about his Lord Shiva. Seeing the dilapidated state of the temple he used to weep out of grief.

 

Naraharisonar was a very smart goldsmith. Once a very rich man who was childless vowed to offer a gold kavacha to Lord Panduranga if he were to be blessed with a child. As his prayer was answered, to fulfil the vow he had taken, he looked out for a goldsmith who could make the best kavacha. As everyone recommended Naraharisonar he approached him for this purpose.

 

But, Naraharisonar bluntly refused to make the jewel for Lord Panduranga who was none other than Lord Vishnu. The rich man, however, pleaded with Naraharisonar,"You need not enter the temple. I shall bring the measurement for the jewel. You can make it accordingly. If you would make this jewel I shall renovate the Shiva temple and conduct its kumbabishekha." Just on this condition Naraharisonar agreed to make the jewel. He made the jewel to the exact measurement provided, but when it was offered to Lord Panduranga it turned out to be very small. The measurement was taken once again and the jewel remade and offered. And this time it turned out to be too big. The temple priests then declared that the goldsmith himself should come and take the measurement for the jewel.

 

Naraharisonar stubbornly refused to enter the temple premises. But then he was somehow pacified by the others. He said,"whatever happens my feet should not touch the temple ground. Never will I look at Panduranga with these eyes". Blindfolding him,two persons carried him upto Panduranga in a dholi (palanquin). It was then decided that he should take the measurement for the jewel by feeling Panduranga with his hands. When at first he touched Panduranga's head he felt the matted hair, the flow of the Ganga and the crescent moon. "Aha", he said,"isn't this Lord Shiva whom I worship?" He quickly untied the cloth. But the great Magician Panduranga stood there with his two hands held at the waist and and an enchanting smile playing on his lips. Naraharisonar quickly tied up the cloth to his eyes and touched the chest only to feel the rudraksha and the garland of skeletons. He once again untied the cloth only to see Panduranga.

 

As this occurred over and over again the knowledge dawned on Naraharisonar that it was only Lord Hari Himself who was present in everything.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

The Divine Name is a powerful antidote for the restless nature of mind

Nama Article 6th July 2013

 

Swami Papa Ramdas

 

Namasankirtan or Namadhun yields pure happiness. It raises you immediately above your body-idea. The Divine Name is a powerful antidote for the restless nature of mind.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

There is no doubt that only by the grace of the Lord that one gets an opportunity to read the life histories of such great souls

Nama Article 1st July 2013

 

Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

Great saints have always been adorning this holy land of India like the perennial flow of Mother Ganges.These exalted souls have been reinforcing righteousness. The whole world, like a tree, stands firm even to-day only by the roots of dharma strengthened thus. There is no doubt that only by the grace of the Lord that one gets an opportunity to read the life histories of such great souls, who, even while living amongst worldly people, have been role models, and whose sole desire has been the welfare of the world.

 

On this sacred soil of India have appeared innumerable saints who have stressed that, "Human birth is very rare indeed. And the only goal of human-life is God-realisation." They have done a great favour to the laymen by clearly showing the different paths of karma, bhakthi and jnana, to realise God, according to the need of the time.

 

The incarnation of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, the highly glorified of all the great saints of Kali Yuga, was purely to uplift innumerous souls from the clutches of worldly existence and lay them at the holy feet of Lord Krishna. A walking God, Sri Mahaprabhu was the repository of untainted devotion and love. Countless 'jivas' (lives) amply benefitted by this holy incarnation. His biography is fathomless and cannot be easily comprehended by the common man. Only those blessed by Sri Krishna get to know the life-history of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

 

Sacrifice and detachment are the two most prominent means to attain devotion. Divine love springs only from sublime devotion. It is for this reason that Sri Mahaprabhu described Divine Love as the fifth purushartha (ultimate goal), even surpassing moksha (liberation). Such love blooms only out of selfless devotion to the Lord. The life-history of Sri Chaitanya, who bestowed bliss upon one and all, by exhibiting the rarest and highest states of Bhava (divine trance), will undoubtedly create a permanent picture of the graceful form and the wonderful qualities of the 'love-incarnate' Mahaprabhu and also devotion for Krishna in the reader's mind (heart).

 

The very name 'Chaitanya Mahaprabhu' reminds one's mind of his 'Hari Naama Sankeerthanam' done in a state of super-consciousness(Bhava Samadhi)

 

Please check these: Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

You should attain such a stage that it is impossible for you to live without Him

 

Shri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu is an avatar of Krishna Himself

 

Logic had made my heart as hard as iron. I had no devotion. Thou hast melted me. Salutations unto thee, O powerful Lord!

 

Sikshashtaka - Lord Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

 

This particular Maha Mantra is prescribed in the Shastras and has been chanted, followed, preached and lived for by great Mahans like Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

 

When a person utters the Divine Name of Shri krishna, be he a fool, immediately Shri Gauranga (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) bows down before him in reverence.

 

Chaitanya Mahăprabhu, a great scholar that he was, threw away everything and took to incessant chanting of 'eka năma'

 

Mahaprabhu made lions and tigers sing and dance to the tune of Nama Kirtan. What does this go to show? If you chant the Maha Mantra constantly, the whole world will be at your feet!

 

While those who have mastered the Mantras to provide relief to mundane worldly pains like scorpion bite etc. hesitate to disclose the Mantras, how compassionate is our Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who has generously given to everyone the greatest of Mantras - the Mahamantra for the welfare of the entire Universe!

 

Catch hold of the Mahamantra. Chant it continuously, whenever you get time and leave the rest to Him.

 

When a person utters the Divine Name of Shri krishna, be he a fool, immediately Shri Gauranga (Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) bows down before him in reverence.

 

I do not know the full potency or the fruitful benefit of chanting the Divine Names. The sweet Name of Shri Krishna dances on my tongue of its own accord.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

உன்னை அடைந்ததால் எனக்குப் பேரானந்தம்! என்னை அடைந்ததால் நீ பெற்றது யாதுமில்லையே!” என்று பாடுகின்றார்

Nama Article 28th June 2013

 

Source: Madhuramurali Feb 2007

 

திருவாசகத்தில் மாணிக்கவாசகர் சிவபெருமானை அழைத்து அவரிடம், "உன்னையே எனக்குத் தந்தருளி அதற்க்கு ஈடாக என்னை நீ ஏற்றுக்கொண்டாய்! உன்னை அடைந்ததால் எனக்குப் பேரானந்தம்! என்னை அடைந்ததால் நீ பெற்றது யாதுமில்லையே!" என்று பாடுகின்றார்"

 

 

In Thiruvasagam, Manickavasagar summoned Lord Shiva and said, "You gave yourself unto me and accepted me in turn. I attained bliss by attaining you. But lo! You were not benefited by me."

 

Please check these: Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

We bow down to Him by His grace

 

God's boundless grace though, is immeasurable, limitless and infinite!

 

You didn't choose me, but I chose you

 

Only through causeless mercy does He reveals Him

 

Therefore with out Lord's mercy and grace by what other means can one expect to realize the true nature - महद्-अनुग्रहम् अन्तरेण

 

That love, can sprout only by his grace. His grace descends when we chant the Mahamantra

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

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Constantly, he advised his kith and kin to mend their ways and about how it was very easy to win the grace of God by simply chanting his Divine Names.

Nama Article 27th June 2013

 

Source: Bhakta Chokamela

 

Long ago, in the holy Kshetra of Pandarpur(in present day Maharashtra), there lived a great devotee of Lord Sri Panduranga (who was none other than Lord Sri Krishna himself) by name Chokamela. Sri Chokamela's hailed from a slum and as was customary those days the inhabitants were not permitted to enter the temple. Though Lord Panduranga saw no difference between his devotees based on their birth, colour, race, wealth, region or religion, the selfish world did! To the Lord, the only thing that mattered was the depth of one's devotion.

 

The friends, relatives and neighbours of Chokamela led lives without any values, orderliness or sense of direction. They ate whatever they wanted; slept whenever/wherever they wished and were addicted to all sorts of bad habits such as alcoholism. Like a beautiful lotus that blooms in a stinking marsh, Chokamela though, led the life of a pure Vaishnava. He would wake early in the morning, have a bath, wear Tulsi maala and Gopi chandan and chant the divine names of the Lord. As he was not permitted to enter the temple of Lord Sri Panduranga, he stood near the compound wall and sang the divine names joyfully.

 

Constantly, he advised his kith and kin to mend their ways and about how it was very easy to win the grace of God by simply chanting his Divine Names. Though they all mocked at him in the beginning, gradually his purity and goodwill won their hearts and they gave all their vices. Following his example, all of them woke up early in the morning and accompanied him to the temple where they all stood outside the compound wall chanting the lord's glorious names. Lord Panduranga Himself relished every nama they chanted, much more than the puja offered by the priests. Like Nandanar, the great devotee of Lord Sri Shiva, Chokamela too, had transformed the entire slum. They were all a group of pure-hearted bhagavatas now.

 

On a particular Dwadasi day, Chokamela was seen beating and cursing his wife. The priests from the temple who had come to the river witnessed that scene and felt sorry for the poor woman. " You have lost all your respect and commitment. Is this the way to serve the Lord? You have committed a great sin by spilling curd on his robe, careless woman!" Chokamela screamed.

 

These words of Chokamela shocked the priest. They told each other "Oh! What is he saying? He is saying that the Lord has come to take food in his place. How can that be? He is definitely mocking at us. The punishment has not taught him a lesson. He has become more arrogant! We should report him to the king again'

 

Saying so, they went to the temple and opened the doors. What they witnessed was the most unbelievable sight. The robes of the Lord were drenched in curd. They could not believe their own eyes. "Chokamela was right after all. Lord Panduranga had been to his place. Oh! What a blunder we have committed by insulting and ill-treating a true Mahatma. Let us all go and seek his pardon. Only then the Lord will accept us" they all said in one voice and rushed to Sri Chokamela's hut. They all narrated the happenings and fell at Chokamela's feet. Chokamela though, was embarrassed by this act of the priests. He said with tears in his eyes 'Great Priests! I am just a humble servant of Panduranga. Please do not fall at my feet. I am speck of dust!"

 

The entire town and the king realized the greatness of Sri Chokamela and hailed his bhakti. The Lord had once again enacted a divine play to make the world understand true devotion. 

 

Please check these: Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

Let the one who cannot do Bhakti go out to do tapas!

 

What is there in this world that devotion to the Lord cannot do?

 

Man feels that only the most difficult is the highest, the most difficult way is the best way. This is a very wrong notion

 

That love, can sprout only by his grace. His grace descends when we chant the Mahamantra.

 

When can one earn Guru krupa? When God decides to bless a person, he receives Guru's grace. One has to be blessed with Bhakti; and that is blessed only by God/Guru.

 

Reciting the Divine Names of Lord Hari, one can overcome the most formidable delusion of mind.

 

There are many ways. But the simplest and the easiest way is by chanting the "Hare Rama.." Mahamantra.

 

They are for those who don't believe in simple prayers.

 

Bhagawan Nama Bodendra Saraswati Swamigal puts forth his findings in the following words, "Since it is so easy and simple, none takes to it!

 

Would it not amount to grave injustice if one shows a difficult path to the world?

 

God gives whatever is required (by His devotee), removes whatever is not needed, leads the devotee in the path suited to him/her; Since Bhagavãn takes utmost interest in the devotee's needs the latter will not earn/attain any 'siddhi'

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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