NAMASANKEERTAN-- CHANTING HIS GLORY

                                              

The old order changes yielding place to new! Krutha, Thretha, and Dwapara yugas are gone and we are in the middle of KALI YUGA which compared to the others is the worst for mankind! The ages of performing tapas or penance,  yagnas or sacrifices have vanished. Spiritualism and a desire for the welfare of humanity are no longer present. Selfishness,  countless desires, yearning for that elusive money and material prosperity have usurped the time old ideals. Man has no time to think of God or utter his name. Every second is sought to be encashed for selfish benefit. Is this right? Introspection, at times, is frightening. The very purpose of man’s existence is forgotten. He has to realize himself and understand that he is the indestructible atma or soul—a chip of the self same God that has created him!

       Man cannot go any more into the wilderness of the forest to perform tapas nor can he perform yagnas like ‘putrakameshti and Aswamedha’done during the Ramayana and the Mahabharatha periods. He has no time to stand and stare in this busy materialistic world. At least he can think of God and chant His name at any time, place or moment. Namasankeertan or singing the Glory of God is the panacea for all the ills of society! Does God reside in his grand and luxurious Vaikunta, kailasa or Brahmaloka?  Not at all. Lord Vishnu tells sage Narada, his great devotee, “ naham vasami Vaikute na yogi hrudayairapi mad bhaktya yatra gayanti thathra thishtami Narada”—Oh Narada! Neither do I reside in Vaikunta nor in the hearts of great yogis but I seat myself wherever my devotees sing My  glory. Puranas and sasthras proclaim that the only way for salvation in Kali Yuga is namasankeertan—singing the glory of the Lord! “Kalau kalmasha chittanam papa dravyopajeevinam vidhi kriya vihinanam gatirGovinda keertanam” How truly said! Our hearts are full of defects and dirt. We earn money in devious ways. We are corrupt and the money is tainted. We have violated all the religious Vedic and spiritual mandates. For us there is no other alternative except Namasankeertan! Every second we are nearer to death!

          Yama, Lord of Death has no mercy or compassion! “ kalakshepo na kartavyaha ksheena mayur kshane kshane yamasya karuna nasthi  Karthavyam Hari keertanam” Providence has given this body to serve Him. Every thought, word and deed should be turned towards God! But we do not. We don’t go to temples, never attend religious and spiritual discourses, talk all nonsense and think of unholy and ugly things! How can we get salvation? Sri Kulasekhara  Azwar  orders every part of the body to turn to the service of the Lord! “ Jihve keertaya Kesavam Muraripum cheto bhaja Sridharam--------“ Oh Tongue! Sing the glory of kesava and the enemy of the demon Mura! Oh Manas, worship  Sridhara and his lotus feet! Oh Ears! Listen to his glorious stories! Oh Eyes, feast on His grand indescribable form! OH feet, enter His temples! Oh Nose, smell the fragrance of the water of His holy feet and Oh Head,  prostrate  before God and be fulfilled!”

         Goddess Parvati asks Lord Siva to inform her of one name equal to the thousand names of Lord Vishnu! Lord Siva replies that the repetition of the single name ‘ RAMA” is equal to reciting His thousand names! ( sahasranama) “ Sri Rama Rama rameti rame rame manorame sahasranama thath thulyam Ramanama varanane” ( Sri Vishnu Sahasra Nama Sthotram) The story of a robber chief is very interesting to note! He instructed his gang thus: “ vane  charamo vasucha haramo nadistharamo  vachnam smaramaha”---Go to the forest, plunder wealth, cross the river, mind my words! It is said that the chief got salvation because he inadvertently repeated the name of Rama four times! Bhagavata  Purana points out that the sinful Brahmin Ajamila attained mukti since he uttered the name ‘ Narayana’ though it was his son’s name! A disciple advised  a  devotee to chant the name RAMA thrice to be free from troubles and worries. His Guru admonished him by saying that chanting the name of Rama once is enough to ward off all sins, worries and troubles!

            Namasankeertan has  its  advantages. No special time or place is needed for it. No money is needed . You can chant the name of the God of your choice. It grants you peace of mind and calmness. You forget your worries, stress and strain. It gives you good company when you chant or sing with others! Slowly but surely you develop  devotion  and transform yourself spiritually. In the ecstasy of hearing  the  divine name people forget themselves and start dancing. Why not we practice this total free gift that God has bestowed on us and get salvation?