Significance of namam

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Keeping namam on your forehead is only to state that one is a srivaishnava

or is there any special significance of the namam?

 

_______________

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Dear Sri Ranganath,

 

Discussions on the significance of thiruman have taken place in Bhakti

List

several times, so you may wish to peruse these to get a more erudite

understanding of the nuances behind the wearing of the "nAmam." But,

here are

my two-cents worth, as an introduction:

 

The ability to don the sacred mark of thiruman on our foreheads, and

traditionally, on twelve other places on our body, is a sacrament that

is

gifted to us by the AchAryas during the time of samAsrAyanam.

Consequently,

while it cannot be denied that it demarcates a member of the

SriVaishnava

faith, there are far more philosophical and religious implications to

our

wearing it than just that.

 

Key to experiencing this deeper meaning is to understand what the

thiruman

represents. The twin white vertical lines represent the twin Lotus Feet

of

Sriman Narayana. The red/yellow mark between these two represents the

Compassionate Grace of the Divine Mother, Sri. And, the white base that

completes the nAmam into its U or Y shape is the achArya. In all, the

thiruman represents the essence of the devotee's connection to the

Divine:

Sriman Narayana's Twin Feet which are the way, the goal, and very

essence of

all souls is reachable to the Grace of the Divine Mother through the

intercession and guidance of the lineage of AchAryas that finds its

source in

Bhagavad Sri Ramanuja.

 

Once this meaning is understood, the true bliss of having this sacrament

gifted to us quickly becomes known. Sriman Narayana's Lotus Feet are

the

refuge of all souls, the object of meditation of all the gods and

rishis, and

the very home of all the nitya sUris and our AchAryas. There are souls

that

are spending veritable lifetimes trying to realize these Feet through

intense

meditation; and yet we bhAgavathas, with just the compassionate glance

of our

AchArya, receive them with virtually no effort. One can only began

wonder

just how, among all the souls in the universe, a few less than deserving

souls

soul caught the glance of the Lord to be able to adorn His Feet in this

way.

 

This Treasure of Treasures, then, must be carefully guarded and

nurtured, just

as we would a prize possession. Ideally, we must feel that we are

placing the

most purest, most delicate and and most sacred thing in the Universe on

our

bodies, consequently every effort must be maintained to make our body,

mind

and spirit conducive to being a receptacle for this. So, at least while

wearing the thiruman, if not always, one must attempt to maintain good

thoughts, good words, good actions, and at a minimum, must refrain from

doing

things that go against sAstra.

 

When jewels are proudly displayed in a museum or store, the display case

for

that treasure is decorated in such a way as to highlight and accentuate

the

beauty of the treasure, such that the attention of the public is drawn

towards

it. Similarly, we, as servants and "display cases" of Sriman

Narayana's

Lotus Feet must make an effort to behave in a way that would accentuate

and

draw people to Him and His SiddhAntam. Particularly while wearing the

thiruman, if not at all times, we must behave in way that reflects the

good

qualities of a SriVaishnava, treating all with forebearance and respect,

making every effort to put the needs of other devotees over our own.

Such a

respect and humble mood of servitude must be extended to everyone,

irrespective of race, caste, gender, or linguistic group.

 

If taken to this ideal, this mood of respect and humility reveals to us

and

those around us what is our True and Natural State, as simple servants

and

receptacles to the Lord's Boundless and Unconditional Grace.

 

I hope this helps.

 

adiyEn rAmAnuja dAsan

Mohan

 

Sree Ranganath Kuntimaddi wrote:

> Keeping namam on your forehead is only to state that one is a srivaishnava

> or is there any special significance of the namam?

>