Let God Alone be in Mind During Nama-smarana
In truth, all that God expects of us is pure love coming from the bottom of the heart. Our problem is that we do not possess true love for God at all. We are unable to call Him with ardency. How can the call reach His ears at all? It is association that generates love. We have love for the body because we have had one body or another in a series of lives. If we maintain constant association with nama, we shall evidently feel similar attachment for it too, with consequent reduction in our attachment for the body and for sense-pleasures. What tremendous sacrifices we undertake for the wife and children! Why then should we hesitate to forsake the flimsy desires for sense-pleasures, for the abiding happiness that we get by associating with God?
The passions are not basically worthless. They have been implanted in us by God Himself, so they must be having a useful purpose in life. They are, indeed, necessary on occasions in life; only, they must be under our control and command, instead of our yielding to them submissively.
While we are engaged in nama-smarana, we must vacate the mind of all thoughts, ideas, fancies, memories, etc. and fill it completely with God and God alone. In worldly affairs we cannot altogether avoid their intrusion on the constant awareness of God. But we should not allow them to make a home in the mind. They will then not be harmful.
All the saints unanimously advise us to maintain constant awareness of God, and assure us that thereby we shall come to comprehend the Ultimate Reality. We must ensure that God is never out of mind, even if it means some overlooking of worldly matters. This awareness of God one person may maintain by engaging in worship, another by singing hymn:, and prayers, some by nama-smarana, another by mental worship, and yet another by engaging himself in some art. So let us resolve to maintain constant awareness as our goal, and do other things as only subordinate to it.
Remember that paramartha is nothing but ceaseless nama-smarana and a constant awareness of God. This can be achieved by repeating nama as often as possible.
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In truth, all that God expects of us is pure love coming from the bottom of the heart. Our problem is that we do not possess true love for God at all. We are unable to call Him with ardency. How can the call reach His ears at all? It is association that generates love. We have love for the body because we have had one body or another in a series of lives. If we maintain constant association with nama, we shall evidently feel similar attachment for it too, with consequent reduction in our attachment for the body and for sense-pleasures. What tremendous sacrifices we undertake for the wife and children! Why then should we hesitate to forsake the flimsy desires for sense-pleasures, for the abiding happiness that we get by associating with God?
The passions are not basically worthless. They have been implanted in us by God Himself, so they must be having a useful purpose in life. They are, indeed, necessary on occasions in life; only, they must be under our control and command, instead of our yielding to them submissively.
While we are engaged in nama-smarana, we must vacate the mind of all thoughts, ideas, fancies, memories, etc. and fill it completely with God and God alone. In worldly affairs we cannot altogether avoid their intrusion on the constant awareness of God. But we should not allow them to make a home in the mind. They will then not be harmful.
All the saints unanimously advise us to maintain constant awareness of God, and assure us that thereby we shall come to comprehend the Ultimate Reality. We must ensure that God is never out of mind, even if it means some overlooking of worldly matters. This awareness of God one person may maintain by engaging in worship, another by singing hymn:, and prayers, some by nama-smarana, another by mental worship, and yet another by engaging himself in some art. So let us resolve to maintain constant awareness as our goal, and do other things as only subordinate to it.
Remember that paramartha is nothing but ceaseless nama-smarana and a constant awareness of God. This can be achieved by repeating nama as often as possible.
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