Guru and Namakirtan: Path of Bhakthi has Smaranam(Constant remembrance of Lord), Shravanam(Constantly hearing about Lord) and Keerthanam(Singing the names and glories of the Lord) as its major foundations

Nama Article 10th June 2013

Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

This world is under the control of God. God, in turn is under the control of Mantra(Divine name/word). Vedantis worship God in "Abheda Bhava"(considering themselves as one with God), while Bhaktas worship God in "Bheda Bhava"(considering themselves as separate from God).

We see that Bhakthi or devotion is best done with Lord Vishnu. Since the path of Bhakthi has Smaranam(Constant remembrance of Lord), Shravanam(Constantly hearing about Lord) and Keerthanam(Singing the names and glories of the Lord) as its major foundations, we require a deity who has beauty, who is easily approachable, who has an enjoyable legend of sports and deeds to capture our heart naturally. All this is fully manifested with SriHari. Hence the domain of bhakthi is dominated by Hari bhakthas.

Please check these: Excerpts from a discourse by our Sri Sri Muralidhara Swamiji

I know that without taking shelter of Your lotus feet, one cannot be happy. Therefore I wish to bring them back to shelter at Your lotus feet

One should with single-minded devotion sing the Divine Names of Lord Shri Hari with whose mercy alone one obtains spiritual bliss.

Coming out of the pillar, Lord Nrisimha Swami calls Prahlad, "Come! My child! I will take you to Vaikuntam (Lord's abode)."

Prahlad says, "I am not selfish. I will not feel elated, 'Oh! Lord is calling me,' and follow you. Crores of people are slogging in 'samsara'. What is the way out ('gati') for all of them? I may come to your place along with all of them. I am not one to sit on your lap just because you have called me, and make merry. I will come only along with all (the others)."

You are asking us to do chanting during study time. How do you justify this? - Do chant the Divine Name and Lord will take care."

In Srimad Bhagavatam, Prahlada says that it is impossible for one to perform sins to the extent that cannot be destroyed by singing the God's Name.

One obtains love of God by constantly chanting His name and singing His glories

Prahlada obeyed him in all matters except when he was told not to utter Bhagavannaama (Lord's Name).

Let everyone be as he/she is. Why should they change? Let us transform ourselves.

Lord here assures that one who is an ordinary bhaktha and even one who does Bhakthi with out total faith will also not be destroyed.

Chant the Mahamantra Nama kirtan :