RAMA NAMA

[Guest guest]

TALK delivered by

 

PUJYA

 

 

"We face problems all the time in the world. Everyone's life is beset

with problems. What is the solution to these problems? How do we

solve the problems? Do these ever get solved? No, Samasya i.e.

problems will always remain, and do not come to an end. One should

learn to live with Samasya. We draw the necessary strength from Ram

Nam – it is our sole strength, and inexhaustible strength. Tulsidasji

says: Problems cannot be solved. Take the umbrella of Ram Nam in your

hand; even if rains do not stop, you will not be drenched, you will

be safe. Ram Nam is that umbrella. It must be chanted with love and

not just a mechanical chanting; you must pour your heart and soul

into it. It then becomes devotion – Bhakti. If knowledge is combined,

then it becomes Parabhakti.

 

What are the salient features of devotion? Devotion does not look at

your past – a dacoit, a murderer, a prisoner, it doesn't bother. One

you have reached the feet of Mother Devotion, she accepts you as you

are. This is one of the very important features of devotion. Just as

the worldly mother, she doesn't look at how dirty the child is. She

accepts the child, takes it in her lap, cleanses it and makes the

child fit for the Lord's lap. Every child is so dear to the mother,

however ugly it is! Devotion doesn't see your past. One day a

Tahsildar, given to all vices, rendered a service to a saint. After

his meeting with the Mahatma, he swept himself clean of all the vices

and resolved to take to a very honest life and later became a saintly

person. Bhakti nindaneeya ki vandaneeya banai dheti hai – Bhakti

transforms the condemned person into a blessed person. When you take

to devotion, to Ram Nam, it makes you venerable.

 

There was a notorious thief. One day, in order to escape the police

he reached a secluded place. He found a small hut and a hermit

sitting inside. The saint looked noble and divine, and his face was

glowing with divine love. The dacoit immediately put his head in his

lap and appealed to him to accept him as his disciple. The saint put

both his hands on his head and said, " you are most welcome". The

dacoit was amazed and said, "Don't you want to even know who I am? I

am a murderer and a cruel dacoit." The saint said, "It makes no

difference. Once you have come to me, I accept you because I am sure

the Lord knows what you are. If he has not yet rejected you, not yet

killed you, who am I to reject you?" the dacoit was initiated into

Ram Nam. The saint appealed to him, "Look my dear son, you have been

given the Ram Mantra, please keep on reciting the Mantra when you go

back. Whenever you feel like doing an ill-deed or sin, please

remember that the Lord is watching with innumerable eyes. From today,

the Lord is watching all your activities." The dacoit did Pranam to

Swamiji Maharaj and went away. He thought, "What does it matter to me

if He sees me or he does not see me; I have to do what I have to do.

I will keep chanting Ram, Ram as he bid me. How can I live without

ill-deed. I am a sinner." But he came back after a fortnight and

said: "What have you done to me, Swami! Despite my best efforts, I am

not able to do a single ill-deed." That is Satsang, glory Ram Nam

that has brought about the big transformation in the dacoit. He

became a renowned saint later. Glory of Ram Nam! Glory of Bhakti! –

Bhakti ki mahima hai nindaneeya ko vandaneeya banai dheti hai. Bhakti

transforms a condemned person into a revered person. Do it honestly

and see for yourself. Bhakti doesn't look into your past.

 

There are two important features, which Bhakti doesn't like. One is

doership. In Bhakti, if the devotee thinks he is doing something, he

is not a devotee. For him, the Lord is the doer. Bhakti doesn't like

anyone to say that he has doen so much work, so much Swadhyay, so

much Seva, so much Satkarma. Bhakti doesn't want to listen to these

words. She immediately rejects that person. The second is exhibiting

devotion.

 

What Bhakti likes – `Come to me as you are. Don't project yourself to

me otherwise.' Don't you remember what honour is given to Maricha in

Ramayan. You all know Maricha – a cheat, a Mayavi – who becomes an

illusory golden deer. Normally we run after the Lord, is it not?

Here, the Lord is running after Maricha ! In our eyes, he is a cheat,

but the Lord says, `No, he is not a cheat; he is very honest person –

being a cheat he is projecting himself as a cheat; he is not

projecting himself as otherwise. Look at the generosity, magnanimity

of the Lord! If you project yourself what you are not, Lord says you

are not a cheat, you display yourself i.e. what you are within.

 

Bhakti is Paramprem. In his definition of Bhakti, Devrishi Narada

says, `the Roop of Bhakti is Paramprem, the Swarup of Bhakti is

Amrit'. He claims, "A devotee's very soul becomes Komal, Madhur,

Amrit - 'Siddho Bhavati, Amruto Bhavati, Trupto Bhavati' - No

doership, no show. Third point which is equally important and very

much related to doership - 'Siddho bhavati' - Bhakti becomes ripened.

Does he perform miracles? No, he is not fond of Chamatkar; yet the

Lord performs miracles through him. He is fully aware, 'I am not the

doer; the Lord does everything.' Someone asked Ramakrishna

Paramahamsa, "Narada says, 'Bhakti Siddha ho jata hai - Bhakti

becomes ripe. What is the Siddhi or the fruit of Bhakti - rising in

the air, walking on the water? Ramakrishna Dev gave a nice answer:

You have seen rice. It is hard. When it is boiled it becomes soft and

elongated. This is the Siddhi of Bhakti. 'I am something' - the ego,

pride, Abhiman-dies, just as hard rice becomes soft. The hardness of

the ego is transformed into softness. Ego thinks itself superior,

making others feel inferior. 'What I have done, I have done well.'

This is called Abhiman, ego. Ramakrishna Dev says, 'A devotee of Ram

Nam becomes egoless. This is the Siddhi of Bhakti.'

 

May the Lord bless us with His Love! Take his Name with all love,

from heart and soul, not mechanical. Without Bhav nothing

happens. 'Even if a whole lot is given without Bhav, I don't accept

it.' - this is what the Lord says. You must put your heart and soul

into the chanting of Ram Nam, May God bless us all!!

====== BY

 

VISHWAMITTERJI MAHARAJ

ShreeRamsharnam,DELHI