Sunday, March 23, 2008

As wind removes the cloud.......

Nama Article 24th March 2008
 

Source: Teachings of The Holy Mother Sri Sarada Devi

 

As wind removes the cloud, so the Name of God destroys the cloud of worldliness.

 

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

The Lord reveals Himself to this devotee through his grace pleased by his devotion

Nama Article 22nd April 2008

 

Source: http://www.namadwaar.org/articles/bhagavatam/1.3.38.html

 

वेद धातु: पदवीं परस्य

   दुरन्तवीर्यस्य रथाङ्गपाणे:

योऽमायया संततयानुवृत्त्या

   भजेत तत्पादसरोजगन्धम्

 

sa vEda dhAtu: padavIm parasya

   duranta vIryasya rathANgapANE: |

yOmAyayA santatayAnuvruttyA

  bhajEta tatpAda sarOjaghandham ||

 

He indeed knows the true nature of the Supreme Lord with a discus in His hand and with infinite prowess, who adores and worships (Chanting the Divine Name) the fragrance of the lotus-feet of the Lord again and again incessantly through guileless devotion.

 

Though the Lord is highly incomprehensible to even a highly learned scholar, he is easily known by a devotee. That devotee who constantly beholds the Lord's lotus-feet in his heart and is lost in its divine fragrance through his guileless and incessant devotion very easily knows the Lord's nature and activities. The Lord reveals Himself to this devotee through his grace pleased by his devotion.

 

Only through surrender of our ego to the Lord's supreme-will, can one know the ways of God which are inscrutable.


Sri Swamiji sings in one of His songs "கண்ணன் கழல்களில் நிலையாயிறு"- "Remain steadfast in the feet of Lord Krishna". "There is no use letting the mind waver and disturbing oneself with lot of questions", He says.


The import of this verse is that one should submit oneself completely to the Lord when even his own identity is lost in serving the Lord's lotus-feet. Only in such a blemish less heart does the Lord reveal Himself. This devotion must be free from blemish like hypocrisy which is in the form of expecting selfish rewards. That is implied by the word '
अमायया'.
 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Friday, March 21, 2008

If you chant the Maha Mantra constantly.............

'Mahaprabhu made lions and tigers sing and dance to the tune of Nama Kirtan. What does this go to show? If you chant the Maha Mantra constantly, the whole world will be at your feet!'        

 

Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

ON THIS VERY SPECIAL DAY

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Jayanthi Special

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Jayanthi Special
 
 
While those who have mastered the Mantras to provide relief to mundane worldly pains like scorpion bite etc. hesitate to disclose the Mantras, how compassionate is our Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, who has generously given to everyone the greatest of Mantras - the Mahamantra for the welfare of the entire Universe!
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji
 
 
Just as Arjuna had meticulous focus only on the bird's eye as instructed by his preceptor Dronacharya, so be our mind with unflinching attention on Maha Mantra and Maha Mantra alone!
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji
 
Bhakti is all about showing gratitude.  A Guru shows us how to show our gratitude to the Lord.  Showing gratitude to the Guru for showing us how to show gratitude to the Lord is Guru Bhakti.
 
Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji
 
Special Kirtan by Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji
 
1. Oh, ye! sing! Oh, ye! sing! The HYMN! which, sans any discipline/regulation strikes down even the Kali!

2. Oh, ye sing! Oh, ye, sing! The HYMN! which, of sixteen words bestows liberation, transcending sixteen sheaths

3. Oh, ye, sing! Oh, ye, sing! The HYMN which in a moment fulfills worldly and heavenly aspirations!

4. Oh, ye, sing! Oh, ye, sing! The HYMN! Which involves no cost yet heaps blessings, and Protects [one from] future births

5. Oh, ye, sing! Oh, ye, sing! The HYMN! which is sought by all as the very source of life to the learned and the commoner alike

6. Oh, ye, sing! Oh, ye, sing! The HYMN! Which though showered freely around, is certainly a gem, an invaluable gem!
 

Read all the wonderful 16 stanzas by visiting :
http://namadwaar.org/articles/jikirtans/kaliyayum.html
 

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Be happy. God does everything for the good of His devotees

Nama Article 21st March 2008
 

Gospel of Swami Sivananda

 

REAL DIVINE GRACE

 

Among the visitors who had the Master's Darshan today was a young lady who had not yet been able to reconcile herself to the loss of her husband, which took place some six months ago. After the demise of her husband, she had given up playing the veena in which she was said to be proficient.

 

The Master consoled her and advised, "Be happy. God does everything for the good of His devotees. There is a story which I shall narrate to you now. There was a rich man. He was a 'lakh-pathy' (possessor of lakhs of rupees). He was very irreligious and haughty. Lord Krishna and Arjuna once visited him and were rudely received but the Lord blessed him that he might soon become a 'crorepathy' (possessor of crores of rupees).

 

"Krishna then visited a poor devotee, who received Him with intense devotion. The Lord cursed this devotee that his only cow might soon die. When Arjuna questioned the Lord as to His strange conduct, He said that the rich man, on becoming richer, will become more arrogant and will ultimately suffer much. This will turn his mind towards God. The poor man, on the contrary, was deeply devoted to the Lord, but his only obstacle was the cow to which he was greatly attached. This being now removed, his mind will go straight to the Lord and he will enjoy eternal bliss.

 

"Thus, when God wishes to take His devotees back soon, He removes all their possessions and pleasure-centres.

 

"Absorb yourself in the playing of your veena and attain union with God. Music is a pure means of attaining God. Do Kirtan. Do Japa. Do Bhajan. If you sing Bhajan on the banks of the Ganga all your sins and sorrows will disappear".

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Chant the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, and find peace

Nama Article 20th March 2008
 

Sant Kabir

 

Meaning

 

Through the Guru's Teachings, and immersed in His Love, sing the Glorious Praises of the Lord |

Chant the Name of the Lord, Raam, Raam, and find peace. ||

 

Transliteration

 

guramathi rasi rasi hari guna gaavai |

raamai raama ramatha sukha paavai ||

 

Doha

 

गुरमति रसि रसि हरि गुन गावै

रामै राम रमत सुख पावै

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Will the chanted Nama be carried over to his next birth?

Nama Article 19th March 2008
 
Question
 

One person chants Rama Nama for a while and stops. He soon passes away. Will the chanted Nama be carried over to his next birth?

 

 

Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji:

 

When one chants Rama Nama, then where is the question of rebirth?

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Monday, March 17, 2008

Real tolerance, real national integration and compassion can come about only through such Mahans who have attained Oneness with God

Nama Article 17th March 2008
 

Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

When these Mahans mingle with the devotees without any bias of Nationality, State, Caste, Religion or Language then we find that those who seek them, those who come to them also forget all about the country, the state, the caste, the language they belong. Therefore, real tolerance, real national integration and compassion can come about only through such Mahans who have attained Oneness with God.

 

At first, Yogi lived below the 'punnai' tree near Tiurvannamalai railway station. Later, some devotees bought a house for him. It was a house in Sannidhi street near Arunachaleswara temple in Tiruvannamalai. It was from this house that he was blessing the devotees. He would be in that house or in the temple or in one of the shops that abound the 'mantap' in front of the temple. He would roam about the streets of Tiruvannamalai. He would be like a mad person, like a child.

 

At the time of the receipt of the letter he was in the sannidhi street house. He told the devotee nearby, "Read this letter to me. My child asked me, 'Shall I go to the Arab country?' I have permitted him to go. I had asked him to write to me about his welfare there. He has written to me. Read this letter to me."

 

That devotee read the letter and told the whole contents of the letter. He said, "a friend by name Gurumurti hailing from Tiruvannamalai is helping him in all ways. Because of his help he is doing very well there. He looks at that Gurumurti as verily yourself."

 

On hearing all these, that Gurunatha Yogiramsuratkumar felt very happy.

 

Yogi asked this devotee, "He has written that his friend Gurumurti's parents are living in Tiruvannamalai. Do you know where they live?"

 

This devotee said, 'Yes, I know' and mentioned the name of the street where they lived.

 

Yogi, "Oh! Then we will go to their house."

 

Immediately the devotee said, "They are not ones who come here. We do not know them. They are strangers. How can we go to their house?"

 

Yogi stressed, "No! We must go."

 

Yogi got ready to go to their house at that time of the day.

 

At once the devotee said, "Well! It is all right even if we do not know them. They might know us. Wait a while. I will go over, meet them and inform them about your visit. They will prepare themselves to welcome you. Won't they?"

The devotee says that he would announce Yogi's visit to them and then take him there.

 

Yogi did not welcome this suggestion. "There is no need for this. Both of us will go together. There is no need for any announcement of my visit!"

 

Even an ordinary man would expect some sort of a welcome when he visits some house. He would expect all to recognize and welcome him. But, one who had attained 'God Realisation', a great Jnani, one who was applauded by the world, one to whom many industrialists and people holding high offices bowed down, walks very casually in that hot sun to that house without any paraphernalia or expectation.

 

He reaches that house and knocks at the door. The parents open the doors. They could not understand the reason for this great Yogi in Tiruvannamalai visiting their home.

 

At once Yogi looks at them and tells, "My child has gone to the Arab country. There, your son has extended all sorts of help to my affectionate child. So, this beggar (he would always call himself 'beggar') has become very happy. Since your son has helped my child I feel that it is the duty of this beggar to bless this house." Saying that it was his duty to bless this house, he entered the home in a very joyous mood, in a sort of a trance and uttering the Rama Nama that he always chants and fanning the hand fan around he blessed the house. He blessed the house in a very joyous mood and left. He did not see if they respected him, if they welcomed him, if they felt happy about his visit. He did not entertain any thought on the lines, 'I am going without any invitation. What will they think of me? What will happen to my honour?' No such thought came to him. He blessed that home and returned to his sannidhi street house.

 

Who can be so compassionate? They (Mahans) come away leaving their wives, children and parents. They neither think of them nor do they worry about them. But, they take those who seek them as their family. They bear the burden of the families of their devotees. They worry over their problems and are concerned only about their welfare. They feel, 'it is not enough if I bless my devotee but should bless all those who help my devotee!' In Mahabharata, how did Krishna view each and every one? Any friend of Arjuna was his friend. Any enemy of Arjuna was his enemy. The deep love ('anbu'/'premai') that Krishna had for Arjuna was the reason behind this. It is this sort of love that Mahans have shown to all those who have sought them.

 

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Thursday, March 13, 2008

Then and now - If change happens in all walks of life, why not, in spirituality?

Nama Article 14th March 2008
 

Swami Papa Ramdas

 

No institution can justify its existence if it does not keep abreast of the changing times. Evolution is the law of life and change is its keynote. While stagnation means deterioration and misery, progress denotes freedom and happiness. The former stands for discord and chaos and the latter for harmony and peace.

 

Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

 

Then and now

 

Sri Sri Swamiji talks about His thoughts on how different the social and economic conditions were years ago and beautifully outlines how things have undergone a tremendous metamorphosis today.  The question here is, 'if change happens in all walks of life, why not, in spirituality, embrace a path that is simple and relevant, instead of sticking to age-old, complex and dogmas irrelevant and unsuited for this age?'   

 

Read the article : http://namadwaar.org/articles/essays/thenandnow.html

 

Essence:

 

If we compare this to our life style today we will be able to understand that Nama Sankirtan is the only way to attain Bhagavan. When we have changed in so many matters we should, boldly, give up unnecessary rites and traditions and save divinity. This is my only desire.



Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :

 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Suppose we were to replace this cellphone habit with repeating God’s name—the most widely practised spiritual discipline in all religions?

Nama Article 13th March 2008
 
Cellphones are now a part of every day life. Not just businessmen or officers, housewives, students, shopkeepers and people of all classes are seen using cellphones. So much involved are people with cellphones today, particularly in India, that one finds them busy with their cellphones at the slightest opportunity—sending SMS, checking missed calls or at times playing video games. Suppose we were to replace this cellphone habit with repeating God's name—the most widely practised spiritual discipline in all religions? What will happen then?

Here are some possibilities:

  • Instead of looking for our cellphone, we shall then ask, 'Where is my God's Name?'
  • Like cellphone, we can then carry the 'Name' around wherever we go?
  • What if we checked several time a day whether we repeated 'His Name'?
  • What if whenever we left a place, we made sure that we have not left 'the Name' behind?
  • What if we treated repeating God's Name like we couldn't live without it?
  • What if we pressed the 'Name Button' whenever we got caught in hot exchanges?
  • What if we used the habit of repeating God's Name when we travelled?
  • What if we picked up the Repetition (redial) whenever we are set with 'problems'?
  • What if we have something which cannot be stolen or robbed?
  • And above all, unlike our cellphone, we don't have to worry about our Japa habit being disconnected because the Lord has already paid the bill, in full!

 Makes you stop and think: 'where are my priorities?' How often we lose track of our mind!

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan : 

Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare