Is Ramacceptable

[Guest guest]

Camp: ISKCON Telok Intan Branch Rathayatra Festival, Perak State, Malaysia

 

Thankyou for this explanation.

 

> > > Dear Œrila Acaryapada,

> > > Please accept my respectful obeisances. ALl glories to Œrila

> > > Prabhupada. ALl glories to your service.

> > >

> > > I have been asked by one of my correspondents whether it is acceptable

> > > to chant "Ram" instead of "Rama" in maha-mantra.

> > > Your servant,

> > > Krsnanuvada dasa

> >

> > While listening to Srila Prabhupada's japa tapes it is evident that

> > sometimes, in fact the majority of times, it seems His Divine Grace is

> > chanting "Raam" and not "Raama", therefore we could assume that leaving

> > off the last a doesn't change things. IN other words, the last "a" is

> > understood even if we don't chant it. I am open for more comments on

> > this as I have no sastra. Srila Prabhupada's tape is what I am basing

> > this on.

> >

> > I hope that this finds you in good health.

> >

> > Your ever well wisher,

> >

> > Jayapataka Swami

>

> Dear Jayapataka Maharaja,

> Dear Krsnanuvada Prabhu,

> Please accept my humble obeisances.

> All glories to Srila Prabhupada.

>

> Both in Hindi and Bengali final "a" is generally dropped in speech. This

> does not change the meaning of the words. The Hare Krsna mantra is not a

> tantric composition where the energies and properties of each syllable

> come into play. The following passage from Caitanya-caritamrta, Antya-lila

> Chapter 3.60 illustrates this:

>

> TEXT 60

>

> namaikam yasya vaci smarana-patha-gatam srotra-mulam gatam va

> suddham vasuddha-varnam vyavahita-rahitam tarayaty eva satyam

> tac ced deha-dravina-janata-lobha-pasanda-madhye

> niksiptam syan na phala-janakam sighram evatra vipra

>

> TRANSLATION

> “If a devotee once utters the holy name of the Lord, or if it penetrates

> his mind or enters his ear, which is the channel of aural reception, that

> holy name will certainly deliver him from material bondage, whether

> vibrated properly or improperly, with correct or incorrect grammar, and

> properly joined or vibrated in separate parts. O brahmana, the potency of

> the holy name is therefore certainly great. However, if one uses the

> vibration of the holy name for the benefit of the material body, for

> material wealth and followers, or under the influence of greed or

> atheism—in other words, if one utters the name with offenses—such chanting

> will not produce the desired result very soon. Therefore one should

> diligently avoid offenses in chanting the holy name of the Lord.’ ”

>

> PURPORT

> This verse from the Padma Purana is included in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa

> (11.527) by Sanatana Gosvami. Therein Srila Sanatana Gosvami gives the

> following explanation: [follow some Sanskrit quotes etc.] .....

>

> Your servant

> Ekanatha dasa