Likhita Japa And Nam Brahma

[Jahnava Nitai Das]

Likhita Japa And Nam Brahma

By Swami B.V. Parivrajaka

 

A devotee asked me what is the name of that worship of the Holy name when one writes 108 times the holy name of the Lord, in paper, on wood, etc, and after one worships that.

 

There are two names for this worship of the holy name: Likhita Japa and Nam Brahma. "Likhita japa" consists in writing the name of one's own worshipable Deity (Ishta) on paper or other materials. Many sadhus and Brajbasis do that. I remember Sripad Kshirodakashayi Vishnu Maharaj laying down a couple of notebooks filled with the maha-mantra in likhita japa at the foundation yajna ceremony of his temple in Vrindavan two years ago.

 

Even impersonalists and mayavadis such as the popular Dr. Shivananda Swami advocate this practice. This does not mean that likhita japa is suitable for them only.

 

Some sadhus do "likhita japa" daily and offer the numerous pages filled with their mantras to the waters of a holy river such as the Yamuna or the Ganges.

 

Others worship those written mantras on their altars along with their murtis. The practice of likhita japa is meant to fix the mind on one's own worshipable Deity or Ishta.

 

"Nam Brahma" consists in writing the name of one's own Ishta or the mahamantra or any other mantra and then worship it. The holy name is inscribed in a copper plate or any other valuable metallic plate such as a plate made of gold, silver and so forth. Nam Brahma is being worshipped with 16 or 64 articles as in the traditional Deity worship. This means that the devotee offers incense, ghee lamps, flowers and foodstuffs to Nam Brahma as if he were worshipping a Deity made of wood, stone, etc. In fact Nam Brahma is non different from the Deity. The worship of Nam Brahma is on the same level of the worship of any Deity. In modern times, about 150 years ago, the illustrious Bengali saint Vijay Krishna Goswami Prabhupada popularized the worship of Nam Brahma.

 

One should not mistakenly conclude that the worship of Nam Brahma is impersonal, for the holy name of Krishna is directly the Supreme Personality of Godhead replete with all His attributes.

 

The practice of likhita japa and nam brahma should not replace the recitation of the holy name (japa) and/or the loud chanting of the holy name (kirtan) as enjoined by one's own spiritual master. However, Likhita Japa can be particularly effective to curb the restlessness of the mind. Similarly, the worship of Nam Brahma can help us to realize that the holy name of the Lord is identical with the Lord as we read in the Vedic literatures:

 

nama cintamanih krishnas

chaitanya-rasa-vigraha

purnah shuddho nitya-mukto

'bhinnatvan nama-naminoh

 

The name of Krishna and Krishna Himself are identical.

 

Nam Brahma is the name of Krishna regularly worshiped by the faithful devotee. It is the merciful form of the Supreme Lord easily available to all. Everyone can take advantage of this form of worship and derive all the benefits of the traditional Deity worship.