raama naama sukhi

[Guest guest]

Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

 

What will happen if you start uttering a word repeatedly even without knowing

* Whether it is a mere sound or some thing else

* What is the content of the word

* What is the meaning of the word

* What is the essence behind the word

 

This repeated speaking of the same word in simple terms is called japam.

 

Generally it is believed, why believed, to a good extent proved also, that all

sounds "produce vibrations" around that subject utterer [one who speaks that

word]. These vibrations create to human beings a positive or negative benefit

depending on the word, the nature of it, and the good and bad intention of the

person behind that word.

 

In such a situation, when that word is the name of our pet lord, and the

intention of the person behind that uttering is simple and pure devotion to that

lord, will it not produce immense benefits for him, around him, and confer

benefits through him to the entire mankind?

 

That "maraa" by vaalmeeki gave him the eternal fame linked with the epic

raamaayaNam. That "raamaa" by saint thyaagaraaja gave him the very "su-

darsanam" of the lord raamaa.

 

But has this continuous uttering of raamaa gave him the "sukham" - the

enjoyment, the happiness, or welfare to him? Perhaps the answer will be a big

"NO" for he himself asks

"sukhi evarO, raama naama - sukhi evarO". Since he raised this question in the

form of a krithi, the question itself makes clear he is the not sukhi. Then who

else was it?

 

Further question arises, if he is not the enjoyer - sukhi - why then he

continued that repeated uttering - japam. Dear bhakthaas, if, he has not

continued that, perhaps we, you and I, need not worry about this person, discuss

his "point" of "who is the sukhi?", sing his krithi with deep devotion on that

raamaa, shed tears singing his krithi or hearing his krithi. That is the benefit

he got, the name and fame even after his physical removal from this world.

 

Now the full krithi. raagam: kaanadaa taaLam:

dhEsaadhi

22nd mELa karthaa kharaharapriya janya

Aa: S R2 G2 M1 D N2 S

Av: S N2 P M1 G2 M1 R2 S

 

Composer: Sri thyaagaraajaa Language: telugu:

 

pallavi

sukhi evarO raama naama sukhi evvarO -- (sukhi)

 

raamaa naamaa - name of raamaa

sukhi - enjoyer

evaro - who is it

 

meaning: who is the raamaa naama enjoyer?

 

anupallavi

sukhi evarO sumukhi evarO

akhila saaramagu thaaraka naama -- (sukhi)

 

sukhi - enjoyer

evaro - who is it

sumukhi - one who has a good face

evaro - who is it

akhila - entire, whole, this world

saaramagu - the essence

thaaraka - liberating, saving, releasing, the eye, the pupil of the eye

naama - name

 

meaning: Who is the raamaa naama enjoyer? Who is that person having the good

face [as a result of uttering the raama naama]? Like the pupil of the eye that

liberating naama, which is the entire essence of all - that liberating raamaa

naama, the enjoyer who is it?

 

charaNam

sathyamu thappaka sakala lOkulaku

Bhrthyudai dhaiva bEdhamu lEka

nithyamaina susvarapu gaanamuthO

nirantharamu thyaagaraaja nutha raama -- (sukhi)

 

sathyamu - the truth

thappaka- missing or wrongly

sakala in all entirely

lOkulaku - to the people of the world

nithyamaina - eternal, permanent

susvarapu - with the sweet svaraas [of music]

gaanamuthO - the music

nirantharamu - permanently

thyaagaraaja nutha - eulogised by thyaagaraaja

 

meaning: that naamaa eulogised by thyaagaraaja, which is truth and nothing but

truth in the entire world, guiding all people, without creating any difference

or distinction between different gods, the eternal, with good quality singing

made permanent, the enjoyer of that naamaa, who is he?

 

The question in the krithi is some thing fantastic - who is the happy person

enjoying the raamaa naamaam. Not only that sukhi but the sumukhi - one who has a

good face? Dear bhakthaas, now perhaps you will be clear that he is not the

sukhi - the enjoyer. But he has not answered this question he himself raised,

just left it unanswered. Does it mean that he is not aware of the answer?

 

But one thing he made clear in this krithi- he is not the enjoyer but he

continued to do that raamaa naama japa, for he said, realised that it is

thaaraka naamam- life saving naamam.

 

Is this not the real karma yOgam - just doing the duty - my duty is to do japam

- not enjoy the fruits of the japam - but really not aspiring for the fruits of

that action of doing the japam.

 

karmaNi Eva aDhikaarasthE maa phalEshu kadhaachana|

maa karma phala hEthur Bhoormaa thE sangO~sthva karmaNi ||

2 -47 of srimadh bhagavath geethaa.

 

Dhasan

 

Vasudevan m.g.

 

PS: let us see in next post whether he answered this question or left

unanswered.