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Source: The Hindu (http://www.the-hindu.com)

 

Chanting of God's names cleanses mind

 

CHENNAI, JAN. 20. In the age in which we all presently live, we

experience a deterioration in moral and ethical values.

Invariably, people (in general) display dishonesty, hypocrisy,

and superiority. Circumstances will keep them immersed in

anxiety, fear and sorrow. But such adverse situations need not

make us dejected because God, out of His mercy, has given us

directives to escape from these perils. Like a boat made

available for a man in the midst of turbulent waters, He has

shown us how, practising devotion and pinning total faith in His

supreme powers, it is quite possible to get over problems which a

person may face. The most important constituent of devotion is to

listen about with one-pointed mind, praise, worship and

contemplate upon the Supreme Being.

 

The constant meditation on God's compassionate deeds will serve

as a sword to cut the bondage of men. The cultivation of devotion

will lead them to acquire spiritual knowledge and then to remain

detached. The easiest method to attain these qualities is to seek

the close company of the virtuous, as service to such holy men

will strengthen our faith in spiritual matters, increase the

intense desire to hear more and more about the Lord. The saintly

souls, with whom men, who long to get released from the shackles,

choose to move closely will instruct them to sing the praise of

the Lord and study the scriptures when the mind will be freed

from the agitations resulting in the attainment of purity and

poise. Holy texts refer to the existence of a cow that yields any

amount of milk and a tree which can fulfil any desire if one sits

underneath it but they are not available for men of this world.

However all these - devotion, knowledge and dispassion can be

transmitted to us by one source - the spiritual mentor. Sage

Narada, who can gain entry into any realm, mentioned to Sage

Vyasa, how by writing on the qualities of the Lord, he would

leave a rich literary treasure that will reform the people,

directing them to take to noble pursuits, and thereby overcome

all obstacles.

 

Sri Krishna Premi, in a discourse, referred how in the

Bhagavatham, devotees can come across an extraordinary gallery of

divine creations and heroes on the spiritual path. This scripture

illustrates many other features of life - of faith in the

redeeming power of the Lord's names, looking upon the religious

guides as coeval with God and of seeking the fellowship of

saints. Great emphasis is laid on chanting God's names, a step

that all can adopt, which can cleanse the mind of all impurities,

merely enabling God's vision to be enshrined therein and attain

tranquillity.

 

 

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