Our one completed year is equal to a day of the Devas. They wake up in this month of Mărgazhi. Our Mărgazhi month is 'prătha kăla', i.e. 3 to 5 in the morning, for the Devas. Early morning perform 'Thiruărădhana' for Bhagavăn, perform Năma Sankirtana

Nama Article 16th December 2013

 

 

 

The holy month of Mrigashira ('Margazhi') commenced on December 16th. It is an age-old practice to wake-up early in the morning and go on the streets braving the cold, performing Nama Sankirtan. Hundreds of different GOD Chapters across the country perform Margazhi Nagara Sankirtan on all the 30-days of the month. Namadwaar shall bring to you video clips from these chapters - one chapter a day.  Visit http://www.namadwaar.org/home.php to view the vidoes

 

 

 

Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

Beginning from 'Sayana Ekădasi' to 'Uthhăna Ekădasi' one should perform penance ('tapas'). What is the reason? Bhagavăn Himself is asleep. Bhagavăn's sleep is known as yogic sleep ('Yoga nidra'). Why has Bhagavăn gone into Yogic sleep? Our one completed year is equal to a day of the Devas. In that one day, beginning from 'Sayana Ekădasi' to 'Uthhăna Ekădasi' the Devas are also asleep. When do these Devas who are asleep, wake up? They wake up in this month of Mărgazhi. Our Mărgazhi month is 'prătha kăla', i.e. 3 to 5 in the morning, for the Devas. The Devas wake up at 'prătha kăla'. What do these Devas who wake up in the early hours of morning do? It is said that there is no Perumăl in Deva loka. Devas do not have Perumăl but it is said that Vishnu does exist in heaven as Upendra. Though this Upendra is 'seen' by them He does not exist in the form of a deity ('archhăvatara') as in a Temple. But, when the Devas desire to worship Bhagavăn where do they go? It is said that they come down to the earth. On the earth they worship the Perumăl in the various Temples, have His darshan. Since these Devas come to the earth in 'prătha kăla' we should wake up at this time. What is the meaning of drawing huge 'kolams' at the door of the house? The Devas pass the streets. In each and every 'Răja veedhi' or wherever there is a Perumăl temple one finds South sannidhi street, north sannidhi street, etc... The Devas visit such Holy places ('kshetras') on the earth; hence, we should draw big kolams at the door. So, 'Mărgazhith thingal', ---- Since the Devas wake up early in the morning and worship Bhagavăn we should also worship Him.

 

In the Gita, Bhagavăn says, "Amongst the months I AM Mărgazhi." - 'Măsănam Mărgasheershoham' Mărgazhi month is said to be an inauspicious one ('peedai măsam'). Marriages and other auspicious functions are not conducted in this month. When Bhagavăn spells out that amongst the month He is Mărgazhi, why is this month considered inauspicious? In fact, this should be a revered/most favourable month. One should be able to conduct marriages, house warming ceremony or any other auspicious function in this month. But I pondered over, "why have the Mahăns termed this month as inauspicious?" And the conclusion that I drew is that if performance of marriages or any other auspicious function were permitted in this month then our minds would continue to be drowned only in such worldly affairs! At least, this one-month let the people worship the Lord! Is this not the period to worship Bhagavăn? This is the time to worship. Is it not? Early morning perform 'Thiruărădhana' for Bhagavăn, perform Năma Sankirtana, meditate ('dhyăna'). Since this one-month (the thirty days) is early morning ('prătha kăla') for the Devas, people should be made to involve themselves only in spiritual matters. Hence, they have been forbidden us from conducting such worldly functions! This is the reason for labeling this month as inauspicious!

 

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

 

Singing the glory of the One who appears foremost in the Vedas and dance about in the streets

 

Why did he say that one should dance about on the streets (singing the glory of the Lord)?

 

On auspicious days like Ekadasi people go on the streets singing the Divine Name of the Lord. This is called 'Nagara Sankirtan'. The Divine Name is spread in this manner especially in the Tamizh month of 'MArgazhi' [mid-December to mid-January]

 

Just like You protect me always, I earnestly pray to you to protect your children also, who are working diligently to spread your Divine Name

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

Those devotees who have surrendered themselves to the Lord, I have no control or jurisdiction over such devotees. On the contrary, bring those wicked persons before me whose tongues have never even once uttered the name

Nama Article 15th December 2013

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

Yama, the god of death. sums up the glory of the Lord's devotees when he exhorts his messengers thus:

 

"Those devotees who have surrendered themselves to the Lord, possessing equal vision, have their glories sung by the gods and the demigods. They are always under the protection of the mace-wielding Lord. For heaven's sake never dare approach them as I have no control or jurisdiction over such devotees (VI-3-27).

 

On the contrary, bring those wicked persons before me whose tongues have never even once uttered the name or glory of the Lord or whose hearts have never even once remembered the Lord's feet or those who have never even once bent their heads in reverence before the Lord'' (VI-3-29)"

 

Srimad Bhagavatham (6:3:27 & 29)

ते देव-सिद्ध-परिगीत-पवित्र-गाथा

ये साधवः समदृशो भगवत्-प्रपन्नाः

तान् नोपसीदत हरेर् गदयाभिगुप्तान्

नैषां वयं न च वयः प्रभवाम दण्डे

 

जिह्वा न वक्ति भगवद्-गुण-नामधेयं

चेतश् च न स्मरति तच्-चरणारविन्दम्

कृष्णाय नो नमति यच्-छिर एकदापि

तान् आनयध्वम् असतो'कृत-विष्णु-कृत्यान्

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

Spends all his time chanting or listening to the names of the Lord, we can be sure that he is a holy person

Nama Article 14th December 2013

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

When we come across a person with absolute forbearance; who is calm and collected; is a friend of all beings; is extremely compassionate; is firmly devoted to the Lord; has renounced his all - family, kith and kin, possessions – exclusively for the sake of the Lord, is willing to undergo any amount of suffering, and spends all his time chanting or listening to the names of the Lord, we can be sure that he is a holy person, a Sadhu, whose company we should cultivate.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

Earmark a few moments out of the 24 hours in a day for remembering Him, worshipping Him, chanting His names, then very soon a day will come when the Lord will occupy the entire heart and also take up all of our 24 hours.

Nama Article 13th December 2013

 

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

When the Lord asked him where he should place his third step as all of Bali's possessions had been occupied already by the two steps, Bali did not hesitate or waver, but bent down and indicated his own head.

 

Esoterically, the story is significant in many ways. If only we allot a little space in our heart for the Lord and also earmark a few moments out of the 24 hours in a day for remembering Him, worshipping Him, chanting His names, then very soon a day will come when the Lord will occupy the entire heart and also take up all of our 24 hours. When we take a single step towards the Lord in all sincerity, He takes several steps towards us – that is the secret of all Sadhana.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

“First surrender yourself to God and then take His Name.” Surrender must come before repetition,not after. If you have got keen longing for God and God alone, even if you lose the whole world you will not mind.

Nama Article 12th December 2013

 

Devotee: How to stop the mind from running about even while repeating Ram Nam?

 

Swami Papa Ramdas: That shows your devotion to God is not sufficiently strong. Pray to God within you to grant you intense devotion. By Abhyasa and Vairagya you can control the mind. Now your Abhyasa is not continuous and your Vairagya is nil. Then how can you control the mind? Jnaneswar says, "First surrender yourself to God and then take His Name." Surrender must come before repetition,not after. If you have got keen longing for God and God alone, even if you lose the whole world you will not mind. Whereas now your mind is restless even if anything goes wrong slightly here and there.

 

Vairagya comes through Ananya Bhakti — exclusive thought of God, "I want You and You alone, my God." You are ever longing for God until He is realized. You want the joy of the Eternal. So towards transitory things there is dispassion, and towards God there is intense devotion. Both together — dispassion and practice of God-remembrance — will enable you to fix your mind upon God. At present your devotion is nothing; there is no earnestness in it. Repetition is done as a matter of routine. Mind is as restless as ever. You read the Bhagavad Gita, but do not act up to the teachings of Krishna. In his Sadhana days Ramdas found himself in a state where even if he tried to forget God he could not do so.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

Japa dispels the various obstacles and impediments which have not been allowing us to have even a glimpse of the Reality.

Nama Article 11th December 2013

 

Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

Japa (repeating a mantra again and again) has been very commonly adopted and advocated by almost all the sages of yore (maharishis), by Adi Shankaracharya and his successors till now. The benefit in this method is the mantra being a sound effect, whether the mind is concentrated or not, dispersed or not, it automatically goes inside us as a sound (whether audible or not) and dispels the various obstacles and impediments which have not been allowing us to have even a glimpse of the Reality.

 

Secondly, the power of the tapasya (penance) of the Guru which has permeated the voice of my Guru comes inside me. As my Guru has similarly received initiation from his Guru, etc., the spiritual power of these people is behind us and helps us substantially. Thus Japa alone can take us to liberation.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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

The best among devotees is one who looks at all beings with love and reverence as the Self and as the Lord who is the Self of all beings

Nama Article 10th December 2013

 

Source: Srimad Bhagavatham : Its Message for the Modern Man by Swami Shantananda Puri Maharaj

 

Continuous contemplation of the Lord will bestow devotion, dispassion and intimate knowledge of the Lord and will finally lead to liberation.

 

The best among devotees is one

- who looks at all beings with love and reverence as the Self and as the Lord who is the Self of all beings.

- in whose mind no seed of desire ever sprouts and whose sole refuge is the Lord.

- whose mind never swerves from the remembrance of the Lord even for a fraction of a second and is never tempted even by the splendour and prosperity of the three words.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

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