Monday, January 13, 2020
Sunday, January 12, 2020
Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-Jan.12
Nama and the Supreme Being
It is futile to ask how one could reach Rama merely by chanting His name. On the other hand, one may argue that it is not possible to reach Rama unless one chants His name. Such also is one's experience in ordinary life. Imagine that one goes to a railway station and describes the place he-wishes to go to, but cannot name the place; can he buy a ticket for the place? On the other hand, if one does not know anything about that place but knows only its name, then one may buy a ticket for that place. This means, it is of no use knowing the place but not remembering its name. Thus, if one does many other things but does not chant nama, then the efforts will not bear fruit; it is, therefore, essential to chant nama. One may rest assured that one will reach the Supreme Being through chanting of nama.
There is a twofold necessity for the name of the Supreme Being; firstly, for understanding the nature of worldly life, and secondly, for reaching the Supreme Being. We cannot understand why a man is worried and restless even if he is wellfed, has a family, and is also provided with a house and such other worldly things, which means, we do not understand where unhappiness originates. To understand that, one needs to chant the name of the Supreme Being. Nama is a necessity until one sincerely yearns to reach the Supreme Being; thereafter, one must chant nama because one has none to depend on but the Supreme Being and finally one attains the Supreme Being, nama continues by itself, through habit. Thus, it is the name of the Supreme Being that endures from the beginning to the end. A spontaneous desire for the knowledge of the Supreme Being will arise in one who chants nama and maintains an awareness of the Supreme Being. Chant nama for its own sake, and you will realize that it contains Rama, the essence. While chanting nama, one should rest assured that what happens is good, and for one's welfare.
The name of the Supreme Being is the Ultimate Reality, satchidanand in nature. He who forgets himself in chanting the name of the Supreme Being is called jeevanmukta. This is the goal to be reached. All else is like a dream, experienced but non-existent.
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Saturday, January 11, 2020
Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-Jan.11
The Subtle Nature of Nama
"Were it possible to attain Rama by merely repeating His nama, it should similarly be possible to obtain employment by just sitting in a room and repeatedly saying, 'Job, Job'." This is how a 'conscientious objector' to repeating nama as a spiritual exercise often argues. Such argument, however, is defective in logic, because the analogy is fallacious, in as much as the two things compared are basically dissimilar in their characteristics. Chanting nama is a physical action aiming at forgetting the 'body-is-me' feeling, and merging into God; that is, going from the gross to the subtle. In the case of obtaining employment, on the other hand, we begin with the idea, that is, an abstract thing, whereas the end product aimed at is gross, namely physical employment, emoluments, etc. It involves various processes like applying to one or more employers, going through tests and interviews, receiving a letter of appointment, and then performance of the actual duties assigned. This is altogether a process exactly reverse compared to the chanting nama. As another instance, take the case of building a house. We begin with the idea, and the process involves preparation of sketch plans, arriving at the final plan after taking into account comfort, convenience, economy, the availability of labour and materials, actually procuring them, and physical construction, finishing, furnishing, etc. All these involve the use of things, persons, and processes for turning an abstract idea into a concrete entity. In both these cases, we start with the thought, and need a lot of paraphernalia and dependence on others.
As against this, it is not only easier but actually sure to attain merger with Rama by repeating nama. Here we go from the gross to the fine, from the material to the subtle. Devoting the mind to nama to the exclusion of material things and related thoughts is thus a much easier thing to do and achieve. So take to repeating nama, without raising hypothetical or imaginary doubts and queries.
All the various ills that torment the human mind spring from the ‘body-am-I’ concept. The only way to rid the mind of that concept is to repeat nama with loving faith. This will purge the mind of all turpitude and purify it, provided we have the necessary ardency. Forget your small, circumscribed, separate individuality, and merge into the Universal Spirit.
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