Sadhana - Path of 'Namasmarana' ... from teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Sadhana – Path of ‘Namasmarana’ …from teachings of Sri Sathya Sai Baba

Compiled by: Dr. M. Thirumaleshwar August 17, 2016

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Importance of ‘Namasmarana’ (Remembrance of God’s Name) • On 20th Oct. 1940, after declaring His ‘Avatharhood’ (Divine Mission), the first teaching of Swami was the bhajan: ‘Manasa bhajare Gurucharanam..’

• This shows the importance Swami gave to ‘Namasmarana’ in His Mission August 17, 2016

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Importance of ‘Namasmarana’ • Swami says: • To attain God, in Krita Yuga the Sadhana was ‘Dhyana’ (meditation), in Treta Yuga, it was ‘Tapas’ (austerities) and in Dwapara Yuga, it was ‘Archana’ (worship).

• But, in Kali Yuga, ‘Namasmarana’ (remembrance of God’s name) is the main Sadhana.

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Importance of ‘Namasmarana’ • Therefore, Maharshi Vyasa has said: • All those who are born in Kali Yuga are indeed, fortunate, because it is very easy for them to get God’s Grace

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Importance of ‘Namasmarana’..

Swami says: • Namasmarana is very easy and is free from dangers. Its speciality is…

• While practicing Yoga and Tapas, one may get ‘siddhis’ i.e. supernatural powers etc...

• This may cause one to be egoistic and forget God, and lose the ‘Adhyatmic energy’ attained thus far August 17, 2016

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Importance of ‘Namasmarana’ Swami says: • But, in Namasmarana, such a danger does not exist • By Namasmarana, Love increases in the heart of devotee, and he gets PEACE • When mind attains Peace, all other benefits are also attained • Therefore, the extraordinary Love attained by Namasmarana is superior to the extraordinary Power attained with Yoga and Tapas August 17, 2016

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‘Namasmarana’ … the easiest path Swami says: • God values only the ‘feeling’ behind the prayer • Namasmarana is the best Sadhana..

• Fill your Love in to the name; and, with devotion, utter the Name • This is the easiest path for all to get His Grace

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‘Namasmarana’ … its results..

Swami says: • If you keep digging the earth, the water gushes out as soon as it is contacted • Similarly, if you chant ‘Ram, Ram’ continuously, one day the Divinity will be contacted and the cool, pleasant, permanent ‘Ananda’ or joy will gush out from within you • By Namasmarana, you can contact and attain Him, whose part you are August 17, 2016

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Namasmarana .. Protects Swami says: • Idle mind is the source for all bad thoughts • Therefore, give the mind the ‘work’ of doing Namasmarana often • Whenever there is leisure time, mind should engage in Namasmarana • One gets protected in the ‘jungle of world’ from the ‘beasts of six enemies’ with the ‘gun of Lord’s Name’ August 17, 2016

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Namasmarana..medicine..

Swami says: • Vitamin ‘V’ is the strongest of vitamins!

• Vitamin called ‘Visweswara’ (Lord of the Universe), and the pills of ‘Rama nama’ cure all diseases • Compared to allopathy, homeopathy.. this ‘Anandopathi’, ‘Sadhanopathi’ or ‘Namopathi’ is more effective!

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Namasmarana .. Its value

Swami says: • Diamond, even fallen in to mud, has its value • Respect the divine Name, even if it is uttered by a beggar • Sacredness of divine Name can never be polluted August 17, 2016

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Write the Name in your heart..

Swami says: • Letters written on water disappear immediately; those written on sand disappear if a strong wind blows; those etched on stone will fade with time; and those molded in iron are also temporary; • But, letters written in heart are permanent • So, imprint the Lord’s Name in your heart August 17, 2016

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Light of Lord’s Name ...

Swami says: • Light of a lantern may show a distance of two feet only, but if you walk holding it in your hands, you can travel for miles, across even a forest • Similarly, to go across this ocean of life (‘bhavasagara’), Lord’s Name alone is sufficient August 17, 2016

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Greatness of Name ..

Swami says: • If you read the word ‘Na-rta-ki’ (dancer) in reverse order, it becomes ‘ki-rta-na’ (chanting) • Instead of becoming a ‘dancer’ in the world to gain temporary desire and profit, it is better to always ‘chant’ His Name, who is the Lord of the worlds, to gain His favor and ‘permanent Godly riches’!

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Greatness of Name ..

Swami says: • Jayadeva, Chaithanya, Tyagaraja, Tukaram, Kabir, Ramdas, Meera .. all attained salvation only by Namasmarana • Even Prahlada, Dhruva got the boon of vision, touch and talk with Him by chanting His name only • It is not possible to control your tendencies only by sitting in a corner and controlling your breath!

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• There is a galaxy of Saints who have glorified the Sadhana of ‘Namasmarana’ or chanting of God’s Name……….

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Hanuman.. Great Devotee Rama is my mother, Rama is my father, Rama is my Lord, Rama is my friend, Lord Rama, the merciful one, is my ‘All’…

I know none else, none else ..

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Sri Ramakrishna..

Sin and merit‌ I offer both these at your feet, Knowledge and Ignorance‌ take both these and give me pure devotion, Again, sacred and unsacred, good and bad .. I keep all at your feet..

Oh Mother, grant me only pure, taintless love and devotion to Thee

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Sri Shankaracharya..

Birth again, death again, Back in to mother’s womb, again.

In this Samsara..which is very difficult to cross..

Take me across, oh merciful Lord!

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Sant Jnaneshwar..

May everyone keep the company of saints devoted to God, who will shower their blessings on them.

Saints are walking gardens filled with wish-fulfilling trees, and they are living villages of wish-fulfilling gems.

Their words are like oceans of nectar.

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Sri Chaithanya (Gowranga).. • Regardless of time or place, one who chants the holy name, even while eating or sleeping, attains all perfection.

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Jayadeva (Poet)‌ Oh, Krishna, you make your heart benign to listen the auspicious saying rendered

by Jayadeva, which is built up with the nectar derived from the meditation on the feet of yours, and which is an eradicator of fevers caused by the impurities of Kali Era‌ August 17, 2016

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Meera‌ Unbreakable, O Lord, Is the love That binds me to You, Like a diamond, It breaks the hammer that strikes it.

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Guru Nanak‌ God’s command to Nanak: This is the cup of the adoration of God's name.

Drink it. I am with you. I bless you and raise you up.

Whoever remembers you will enjoy my favour. Go, rejoice of my name and teach others to do so. I have bestowed the gift of my name upon you. Let this be your calling.

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Sant Ekanath‌ God and His devotees are akin to the ocean and its waves.

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Sant Namdev…

The name ‘Ram’ [God] has entered my heart placing a golden scale within.

In remembrance I found the right thing to do .. says Namdev.

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Sant Tukaram‌ Even if one were to give in charity the whole earth encircled by the seas it would not equal the merit of repeating the Name.

By the power of the Name one will know what cannot be known, One will see what cannot be seen, One will speak what cannot be spoken, One will meet what cannot be met.

Tuka says, Incalculable is the gain that comes from repeating the Name of God. August 17, 2016

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Sant Kabir‌ Hari is in the East, Allah is in the West.

Look within your heart, for there you will find both Karim and Ram; All the men and women of the world are His living forms.

Kabir is the child of Allah and of Ram: He is my Guru, He is my Pir. August 17, 2016

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Sant Purandaradasa‌ Messengers of Yama (God of Death) will not show slightest mercy; Therefore, O mind, leave aside all other worries, and remember the Name of Sri Hari

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Sant Kanakadasa‌ Does fragrance is in the flower? Or the flower in fragrance?

Whether both aroma and flower in the olfactory organ the nose?

O Lord Adikeshava of Kaginele, O! peerless One! Reality is- all things are within you!

To explain it, is beyond my ability!

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Greatness of Name ..

Swami says: • ‘Name’ is like a seed. Sow it in the field of your Heart. When the showers of ‘Grace of God’ fall on it, it will sprout and become a big tree • And, all those trees will be alike and give the shade of ‘Love’ • You will get the vision of Lord as per the Name chosen by you

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Namasmarana .. Method: Swami says: • Of the infinite Names of God, take any Name and Form you like • Start chanting the Name from now on • This is the royal road to Joy and Peace • While chanting, visualize the beauty and glory of the Form August 17, 2016

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Namasmarana.. importance of Love Swami says: • Utter the Name with Love; perfect pronunciation is not important • Relation between mother and child is the bond of Love • When child cries, mother does not think about the sweetness of voice, but hurries to attend to the child • Sing about the glory and grace of God from the depth of your heart and experience August 17, 2016

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Greatness of Name ..

Swami says: • If you keep cough tablets in your mouth and swallow the juice, you will get relief from cough • Similarly, if you keep the divine Name on your tongue and swallow its sweet nectar, the pressure of sense attractions and bad thoughts will be reduced

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Namasmarana.. Swami says: • Keep the light of divine Name on your tongue… then there will be light on inside as well as outside • It will purify the minds of singer as well as the listener • If the Name is on your tongue, it is similar to having a light on your door step always

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Namasmarana.. Swami says: • The bicycle of Life has two wheels: ‘Dharma chakra’ and ‘Brahma chakra’ • Now, tyre of ‘Brahma chakra’ has become ‘flat’; it should be inflated with air, i.e. ‘Name’ • With a flat tyre, you can not travel long August 17, 2016

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Namasmarana..first step Swami says: • All journeys start with the first step; it takes you to second step, third step… and, at the end, to the final goal • As the first step, start with ‘Namasmarana’.

• You will certainly reach the Goal

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Greatness of Name ..

Swami says: • Just like Bhakti, Jnana and Karma Yogas, ‘Namasmarana’ is also a Yoga..

• It can be called as ‘Chittashuddhi Yoga’ or the Yoga of cleansing the mind-stuff • Practice remembering His Name with Love and devotion at all times, and on all occasions August 17, 2016

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Greatness of Name ..

Swami says: • Name is the ‘lightning’ that will shatter a ‘mountain of sins’ • It is the ‘effective cure’ for the ‘terrible disease of delusion’ • ‘Name’ will free you from the bondage of birth and death and grant permanent Joy

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Greatness of Name ..

Swami says: • Initially, one should remember a Name and the corresponding Form; Name and Form are like the two faces of the same coin • Devotee should constantly think of the Name and Form • Just as the two branches of a tree generate fire with constant rubbing, constant remembrance of Name and Form generates the fire of Jnana August 17, 2016

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Sant Thyagaraja…

Swami says: • Thyagaraja started chanting Name of Lord Rama in his 20th year; he completed the vow of reciting the Name 96 crore times in 21 years and 15 days • As a result, he had the vision of Lord Sri Rama • ‘Letters of Name of Rama came alive..’ … he has said about his experience August 17, 2016

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Namasmarana … its flowering..

Swami says: • First of all, one should have faith and confidence in Namasankirthana • Then, Love will arise; and, from Love, Peace will manifest, … and from Peace, Truth will be seen, and from Truth, Joy will result • GOD will reside where Joy exists August 17, 2016

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Namasmarana … its method..

Swami says: • Sadhana of Namasmarana should be done everyday, in a disciplined manner • It is like cleaning the house everyday..

If you do not do it even for a day, dust will accumulate • With disciplined Sadhana, temple of heart remains clean • So, it is said: ‘Always, at all times, everywhere … think of Hari’ August 17, 2016

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Namasmarana … its method..

Swami says: • There is not much benefit by mechanically chanting the Name • It should emerge from a pure heart, with one pointed concentration and devotion

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Namasmarana … its method..

Swami says: • Along with Namasmarana, you should lead a life of discipline, have ‘satwic’ food and recreation habits conducive to noble thoughts • If you do not have such selfpurification, then whichever Name you may recite.. it will not be fruitful August 17, 2016

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Joy of Namasmarana …

Swami says: • Name of God, due to its nectar-like sweetness, can give greater Joy than even ‘Jnana’ and ‘Samadhi’ • Sage Narada is an example for this. Even though he could travel to Kailas, Vaikuntha and heaven at will, he was always occupied in reciting the Name of Lord Narayana • His choice was to always be immersed in the divine Joy resulting from Namasmarana, rather than seeing the Gods of Trinity August 17, 2016

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Grace from Namasmarana..

Swami says: • Man should find answers to 4 fundamental questions: • Who am I? From where did I come? Where am I going to? How long I will be here?

• Four Vedas are there to give these answers to these questions • Answers can also be got through Jnana, Bhakti and Karma Yogas; but, by Namasmarana, one gets His Grace and immediately answers are revealed

• August 17, 2016

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Importance of Namasmarana..

Swami says: • Namasmarana is the main means to remove the impurities: ‘I’ and ‘mine’ • When the mind is focused on the Name, God’s attributes such as His Majesty, Grace, All-pervasiveness, Almighty.. etc take precedence and make an imprint on your consciousness, rather than your own abilities, capacity etc

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OM SRI SAI RAM ..Dedicated at the lotus feet of… Sri Sathya Sai Baba

by M. Thirumaleshwar August 17, 2016

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