nAma-mahimai

[Guest guest]

Dear Sri.Sadagopan, Smt.Nagu Satyen and my other "anonymous" friend,

 

On the subject of the "mystery of nAmA" here is some more 'food for thought' :

 

1) No modern science or discipline can do without what is called a "scheme

of nomenclature" on which its knowledge-base stands !! Chemistry, for

example, has its own very special "nomenclature' !

 

2) If so-called modern "hi-tech" disciplines like IT etc. do not call it

"nomenclature" they use the term "jargon" which is also a specie of "nAmA" !

 

3) In the English language we use the term "name be-smirched" or "name

disgraced" to indicate that a person's whole individuality or persona has

fallen in esteem ! This shows how "sacred" is 'nAmA' even to mortal human

beings that "personal honour" and "personal identity" is attached

inextricably to it!!

 

4) In the Tamil language, too, we use the expression "pErum-pugazhUm

kAppAthik-kOL", meaning, one should strive to preserve always one's good

reputation. Here the expression employs first "pEr" i.e. 'nAmA' and only

next uses "pugazh" -- fame or reputation ! Here again we see the close

pychological nexus between "nAmA" and a man's sense of personal worth !!

 

5) I think the above is true in most languages of the world.

 

6) The first 'samskAra' (rite of passage) that a new-born child undergoes in

all societies and communities is "nAma-karaNa" or "christening" ceremonies.

 

7) In marketing-management theory the use of "nAmA" in advertising and sales

promotion is of paramount importance. If a product is stuck with a "lousy

name" it will "fail" in the market ! The power of a product's "Brand", on

the other hand, is really the power of its "nAmA" ( "the medium is greater

than the message", as they say !)! Examples are galore : Cocoa-Cola, Heinz,

Nike, IBM, Rolls Royce or Rolex !! What do these names symbolise ? Figure it

out yourselves!

 

8) In spite of the superiority of "digital" signals over "analog" ones, most

mental processes in the human brain are conducted on the basis of the latter

"inputs" than those of the former. One therefore finds it easier to

"remember names" than "numbers", isn't it ? Which is why we have telephone

directories "listing names" with their corresponding "numbers" and, thank

God, not the other way around !!!

 

When "nAmA-s" are seen to play such an intimate and all-pervasive role in

our ordinary lives as described above, it is quite easy for us to believe

our "AchAryA-s" and "AzhwArs" when they repeatedly affirm that, in the world

of religious and mystical reality, the Power of "bhagavan-nAmA" is more

Powerful than the Lord Himself (the medium is more powerful than the message

itself!!).

 

The old story of "ajAmilan" on his death-bed, in fact, sounds perfectly

reasonable from this perspective !!

 

No wonder the North Indian mystic, "sUrdAs", kept singing : "nAmajapan kyUn

chOd diya rE ?"

 

adiyEn/dAsan,

sudarshan