Friday, December 6, 2019
Thursday, December 5, 2019
Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-Dec.5
'Ajapajapa' : Constant Involuntary Nama-smarana
There was once a well-behaved, well-meaning man who had no addiction whatsoever. He took keen interest in astrology. Once there came to his place a bairagee who soon became widely known for his accurate fortune-telling. So he went to see the bairagee. He found him reeking with the hemp which he was in the habit of smoking. Unaccustomed to the foul smell, our gentleman sat in a far corner and listened. Drawn by the deep knowledge and accurate foretelling of the bairagee, he drew closer and closer to the bairagee and soon got into deep friendship with him, and, one day even filled hemp into his pipe. Later, importuned by the bairagee, he started smoking hemp himself, and soon the disciple became a hard smoker and surpassed the master. All the result of company! A saint is one whose company creates love for God. It is needless to say that one should yearn for such noble company.
Maruti won over Shreerama by ceaselessly repeating nama. You do likewise, and you will similarly propitiate Shreerama. The repetition of nama will certainly reach Him if you have firm faith, no matter where, when, or how you say it. Pranayama, yogasanas, etc. are other means of attaining to the Lord, but far more important is devotion which becomes ingrained. The involuntary, innate recitation of nama is called ajapjapa; it is the highest form of devotion, involving as it does the complete annihilation of ego. This is true unification with God, the goal of paramartha. We should understand that our true self is identical with the Cosmic Soul. This understanding will come when we turn our thoughts inward.
Anxiety is the disturbance which invades the mind when it loses awareness of God. All sorrows and ailments are subjugated by irresistible joyousness and contentment, and this joyfulness and contentedness come by clean conduct and ceaseless reciting of nama. Contentment is the peace of mind which comes of firm faith in God. Nama is the link which joins the mind to God. If we treat nama as our all-in-all, we can easily attain to Him. The exhilaration of nama-smarana will make a man forget himself as well as the whole world. I am incessantly trying to create in everyone a strong liking for nama.
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Wednesday, December 4, 2019
Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-Dec.4
Importance of Gondavale Lies in Love for Nama
A father deposits a sum of money in a bank, arranging that, after him, the interest be paid to his son. This is a minimum assured provision for his maintenance. I have similarly left deposits enough at Gondavale to benefit even depraved persons who may come to me in repentance and supplication, even if towards the end of their life. I assure sincere repentants that if they come to Gondavale for spiritual consolation, they will not fail to find peace at least at the moment of death. I do not say this as a boast, but what I do want to emphasize is that the atmosphere there is supercharged with love for nama.
How generous Rama is! He has amply rewarded my humble effort to propagate nama; and I am happy to see that many have enthusiastically taken to it. All villages are more or less the same; walls, houses, schools, shops; and yet each has its own name, each its peculiarity. Gondavale may not be prolific in money, but nama is a product which grows in the soil. A man from Gondavale should be easily distinguishable by his love for nama. A man, they say, is known from the behaviour of his son. So those who are mine should pray earnestly to Rama, 'May it please You, O Rama, to grant me Your love. We shall gladly treasure Your name in our heart of hearts. Whatever is in store for us, we will cheerfully accept, and be happy with the lot You place us in. Your sweet name shall be ever cherished in the heart.' If you pray thus, I assure you that Rama will shower His mercy on you, and you will find life far more cheerful than you can imagine.
In the Bhagavadgeeta, Lord Krishna urged Arjuna to remember Him and fight the opponents. In our humble lives, this means doing our duty conscientiously, but in the remembrance of God. The essential teaching of all religions is unanimous; to behave morally correctly, to execute duty, and maintain the remembrance of God. If we do so, can God withold His grace? So let us commence reciting nama; rest assured that it will lead us to the realization of God. Rama will undoubtedly back you up if you take to nama in earnest.
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