Nama Article- 23-12-07

[Guest guest]

Dear Members,

 

Significance of Rama Nama

 

His Holiness Sri Sri Swamiji discusses briefly about the ignificance of Rama

Nama as cited in the different scriptures. The information given here on this

glorious Nama is just the tip of the iceberg.

 

In Sri Swamiji's words, 'Even if the whole sky were used as a paper and all the

waters of the Universe were used as ink, it would just not suffice to pen down

the glories of Rama Nama!'

 

Rama Nama the Name of the Names!

 

Every other mantra in our scriptures have their own names. Rama Nama is the only

Mantra that is called ‘Taraka Mantra’. The word ‘taraka’ means the one that

helps us cross. It helps us cross the ocean of

‘samsara’. It helps us cross the cycles of birth and death. If it is chanted as

'Rama', then it is a Nama. If it is chanted 'Ram', then it is a Mantra.

 

Thus spake the Sages

 

Our ancient Sages and Rishis have glorified the Rama Nama. Rama Nama gets

exactly the same importance in Saguna Upasana (worshipping the Absolute Truth as

a Being with a form) as does the Pranava ('Om') Mantra in Nirguna Upasana

(worshipping the Absolute Truth as

formless).

 

Rishi Manu shows that the Rama Nama has links to all the other mantras that ever

exist.

 

In Syavana Smriti (Syavana is the name of a rishi), Syavana says that the Rama

Nama is the essence of all the Vedas, Shastras, Itihasas and Puranas.

 

Sage Vasishta meditated on the Rama Nama for quite a long time. Hence he wanted

to name the Almighty with the same Mantra that he had chanted.

 

The Yoga Connection

 

In the philosophy of the Yoga, 'Ra' is considered the 'Mooladhara' (the point of

origin of the power of Kundalini) and 'Ma' is the 'Sahasrara' (the destination).

Hence, when the Rama Nama is chanted in the right tone and manner, the serpent

power rises and

hits the head or the 'kapala' Thus, by merely chanting the Rama Nama, one can

become a Yogi.

 

Shiva's family Mantra

 

We are all aware of the story of the competition between Ganesha and Muruga on

who will get the divine fruit. Muruga, angry that the fruit was not given to

him, went to Palani. In order to appease his anger, the competition was

conducted again, when Muruga diligently circumambulated his parents on his

peacock at great speed. Ganesha, on his part, wrote 'RAMA' on the sand and

circumambulated it, as that is equivalent of going around the whole world!

Pleased, Siva

honoured him by crowning him the leader of all his minions - the 'bhoota ganas'

and thus he acquired the name 'Ganapathy' and 'Gana Nayaka'

 

In Vishnu Sahasranamam, Lord Siva asks Parvati to chant the Rama Nama all the

time. A good teacher is the one who practices what he preaches. It is obvious

that Siva, being the Supreme Guru, (Jagadguru) Himself chants the Rama Nama.

When parents do something noble, would not the son follow the same? Muruga and

Ganesha

chant the Rama Nama always. That is verily their ‘Kula Mantra’.

 

The Lords' favorite!

 

The ‘sthala purana’ of Kasi says that the deity Kasi Viswanatha initiates the

Rama Nama to each and every being at the time of their death, in their right

ear.

 

The Lord Dhakshinamurthy observes silence because He doesn’t want to waste any

time without chanting the Rama Nama. The Sun God ever chants the Rama Nama as

he is proud that Sri Rama came in his dynasty.

 

The Devatas' favorite

 

Sage Vishwamitra took Sri Rama and Lakshmana to the forests for 'yagna

samrakshana' (protecting their fire austerities from the demons). Out of the

boundless love for Sri Rama, Viswamnitra wanted to gift Him something. A sage

that he was, he had no worldly

possessions, nevertheless, he had performed abundance of usterities. He had

penanced for a very long time on the 33 crore 'Devatas' with mantras for each

of them. He initiated Sri Rama with these Mantras.

 

As soon as the Mantras were initiated to Sri Rama, the 'devatas' appeared before

them! Viswamitra was jealous of the fact that those devatas who could be invoked

by him only after severe penances, now appeared the instant Sri Rama chanted

their Mantras!

 

In our Shastras it is prescribed that when the devatas are invited, they can be

installed in one of the three -- water (that is the reason we install 'kalas' -

pots of water for japa, kumbabhishekam and the like), fire (that is the reason

we perform homam) and the third being, installing them into one's own body

(during Sandhyavandanam, Godess Gayathri is installed thus). Here, when the

devatas were invoked, they refused to go back to their abodes. Hence Sri Rama

invited one and all of them into his body. Thus, by merely

chanting the Rama Nama, one gets the benefit of invoking all the 33 crores of

devatas as well.

 

Ramayana is filled with instances where merely the Name ‘Rama’ has solved so

many miseries and disentangled so many situations.

 

One Name for all Gods

 

Generally people can be divided into two broad categories: the Shaivites, who

worship Lord Shiva as the supreme, and the Vaishnavites, who worship Lord Vishnu

and His forms as the the supreme Being. The most significant Mantra for any

Vaishnavite is the

'Ashtakshari' (it contains eight letters in sanskrit) mantra 'Om Namo Narayana'

..

 

The chief among the Mantras for the Shaivites is the Panchakshari (5 lettered)

mantra, 'Om Nama Shivaya'. Without the letter ‘ra’, ‘Narayana’ would read as

‘Nayana’ that means one without a way (‘gati’); without the letter ‘ma’,

‘Namasivaya’ would read as ‘Nasivaya’ that means inauspicious.

 

So the jiva akshara (life giving letters) 'Ra' and 'Ma' of these two Mantras are

put together to form the Rama Nama! Anyone chanting this Divine Name thus

worships both Shiva and Vishnu at the same time.

 

Rama Nama in today's world

 

Sri Bodendra Saraswati Swamigal, Kabir, Samartha amadas,Thiyagaraja, Bhadrachala

Ramadas, Papa Ramdas, Bhagavan Yogiramsuratkumar and innumerable saints in the

recent past have advocated the Rama Nama and also showed how the Rama Nama can

perform miracles.

 

Sri Ramakrishna initiated Swami Vivekananda into the holy 'Rama' Nama. It is the

power of that Divine Name that made him establish this Universal Religion of

Brotherhood called Hinduism all over the world.

 

Mahatma Gandhi, in his final lecture before independence said, 'We have tried

our level best. Now let us all chant the Divine Name together. Only that has the

power to get us independence.' Not one of his prayers passed without Rama Nama

Kirtan.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

 

Regards

---------------------

If you have any questions or doubts concerning Spirituality, Mental peace or

problems in life or about dharma, please write to us by clicking here:

http://www.namadwaar.org/answers/askquestion.php

His Holiness Sri Sri Swamiji personally answers these questions for you and

suggests prayers.