Thursday, January 2, 2020
Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-Jan..2
Nama Imparted by a Sadguru
The question is often raised if one may begin to repeat a nama of one's own choice, or must one be first initiated by a sadguru and assigned a specific nama which he should then repeat? Nama is self-existent and complete in itself, and needs nothing else to make it perfect. And yet, nama imparted by a sadguru certainly is something very special, distinctive, in that it is reinforced by his spiritual strength and support, and consequently there is no scope for pride of doership to rise in the sadhaka's mind. When a sadhaka repeats nama imparted by a sadguru, he gradually develops a relish, a zest for it, and in due course, derives a sense of fulfillment and satisfaction. It is therefore highly desirable that nama should be obtained by initiation by a spiritual master, a sadguru. However, till we meet a sadguru we must keep on repeating the nama of our choice; for, this itself will expedite our meeting the sadguru.
It is, however, not easy to come across a sadguru, to recognize him, and to feel faith in him. Therefore we should, till then, steadfastly repeat the nama of our choice. It is common knowledge that ants don't need to be invited to a lump of sugar; they like it and are themselves in search of it. Similarly, if you do what the saints like, namely, maintain constant awareness of God's presence and keep up ceaseless repetition of His name, the sadguru will himself search you out and hasten to shower grace on you.
It may happen that the sadguru initiates you in the nama that coincides with your own choice; it is then possible that you may feel that the sadguru has given you nothing new, for you were already repeating the same nama. Now, being initiated by the sadguru has the distinctive merit that it precludes the rise of ego, for the sadhaka thereafter does nama-smarana at the sadguru's behest, and not on his own. This elimination of ego is most important, for even a vestige of pride or ego may vitiate the very purpose of meditation, just as even a grain of salt suffices to turn a pailful of milk sour. It is therefore of the utmost importance completely to renounce pride of' doership'.
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Wednesday, January 1, 2020
Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-Jan.1
Nama is Synonymous with God
Nama is the name of God. Considered as a means of attaining God, there is no distinction among the different appellations by which different people may be calling God. Nama is the connecting link between an individual soul and the Cosmic Soul. It is the means as well as the end. It has its beginning in saguna and it ends in nirguna. God, the Ultimate Reality, is abstract, attributeless, formless, intangible. He first got His nama only when He manifested in a tangible form; so nama is saguna. Nama persists even after the tangible form ceases to exist; so it can be termed nirguna. So, whether one worships a tangible representation or an attributeless, abstract concept as God, nama is the common foundation.
Nama is extremely fine, subtle, and so is vritti; nama is , therefore, the connecting link between vritti and God. Repeating nama will cleanse and purify vritti; thereby the mind will be clarified, peaceful, stable, free from all agitation, and this will eventually strengthen faith. In olden times, a bride was initially a complete stranger to the bridegroom's family; and yet she completely merged her personality, her individuality, with her husband's. Vritti should similarly merge and lose itself in nama.
Food has some taste of its own; adding our relish to its taste, we eat the food. Nama, without a taste of its own, will gain sweetness in proportion to our relish for it. Roads converge on Pandharpur from different directions. However, for darshana all have to join the common queue. Similarly, whatever their sadhana, all must finally take recourse to nama. The bliss that nama is can be realized by uttering nama, listening to it with one's ears, and forgetting one's self in the process.
We completely identify ourselves with our name; so is God completely identified with nama. The nama that we chant today continues unchanged, but it becomes increasingly comprehensive and meaningful; finally one experiences its identity with God. Water is an essential component of the living body; so should nama become an integral part of ourselves. It should so thoroughly pervade our being that it should only cease with the last breath. Nama should become such an integral part of our life that nama and life cease together. An adherent to nama will realize that it is nothing but sheer bliss.
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Tuesday, December 31, 2019
Sri Brahmachaithanya Pravachan-Dec.31
Nama is Everlasting, Endless
We celebrate the completion of japa. That is, truly speaking, inappropriate, because nama is everlasting, and therefore endless. It transgresses the limitations of time and space. In fact, its greatness is unfathomable. Nama is what the Lord holds dearest to His bosom, and nothing will please Him better than nama-smarana. He is inseparable from nama. God, nama, and the devotee is a trinity which is the real symbolic Triple Confluence. Where there is God, there will be found His devotee and nama; and a true devotee is invariably to be found where there is God and nama.
Having completed the proposed japa, what will you ask of Rama? Beg Him something that will put an end to all future asking. If you ask for a mundane matter, He will smile in derision, saying to Himself," What a trifle to ask from a donor like Me!" So pray Him for unshakable contentment, and love for Nama. Pray further," Lowly as I am" please accept me as Yours. I will henceforth live only to sing Your Name."
All should apply the mind only to the acquisition of God. Prapancha should be treated only as a means for paramartha. There should be no involvement, no attachment, no upadhi. The best means to become free of upadhi is to devote oneself to nama, which is itself free of upadhi. Ceaseless repetition of nama will consolidate faith, and that will create firm love for nama. Have no doubt whatever that God will Himself come and meet you if your faith is unwavering and if you repeat nama ceaselessly. Blend prapancha and paramartha together. Entertain no doubts regarding paramartha. From this very day, treat God as lovingly as your son. Chant nama with the utmost fervour and with continuity, aiming at ensuring that even the last breath will contain nama. One who chants nama thus will never be aware of bodily pleasure and pain, and will always enjoy beatitude.
Just as surely as a cow follows her newly born calf wherever it is taken, do saints follow a person steeped in nama. A patient in a hospital gives his body over to the doctor, for such treatment as may be considered fit. We should surrender ourselves to a saint with equal unreservedness, saying 'good bye' to all sense of doership.
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