Hari Om
Birbal was Akbar’s court minister. Birbal was also a devotee of Sri Rama, apart from being a sharp intellect.
Once they had to take a route through a dense forest when Birbal and Akbar traveled for some official purpose.
Both were totally exhausted and hungry during the trip. And they decided to rest for a while under the shade of a tree before they began their journey.
He wanted to look around the place to see if he could find a house to get some food, because Akbar was very hungry. Birbal was motivated to follow suit.
Yet Birbal, who was in the center of Rama Nama Japam (Rama Nama’s repetition), refused the demand of Akbar.
Akbar told Birbal,’ Simply chanting the Lord’s names wouldn’t get you food. You should put your efforts into it…. Without self-effort, you can’t accomplish anything…’ Akbar left Birbal in the quest to pacify his belly. He spotted a house in a while.
The house’s inmates are overjoyed to see their King arriving for food at their very doorstep. They treated him to their best of potential.
Akbar finished his meal and also took some food for Birbal, leaving the house to meet Birbal. He met and gave the food to Birbal.
See Birbal, I told you… I’ve made some efforts to get food and I’ve got it. You just sat and chanted Rama Nama, and you didn’t get any food.’ Birbal ignored his scoffing and shared Akbar’s food. He looked up at Akbar after finishing the meal and said,’ I’ve just experienced Rama nama’s strength, like never before. You are the country’s boss. But even the King had to beg for food today. But you’re watching me.
I just chanted Rama Nama here, and the Rama Nama made the king himself beg for my food.
So I got the food, just sitting here and singing Rama nama without any special effort. That’s Rama Nama’s power !’
The name of the Lord is the one part of HIS that we can carry with us whenever we wish. This is why in spiritual life nama japa is considered most important.
There is glory in the name of the Lord–the form of the Lord is with HIM, but we can hold on to HIS title, just like any object whose shape is always with the object, but its name may be with us. But why does the name matter so much?
Experience shows that if we don’t know an object’s name, we don’t remember it for what it’s worth, even if that object is in front of us.
For example, if we hadn’t known what it was, will the gift of a diamond ring give us the joy of having one? It would thrill us only if we knew its value.
What’s the difference? The name! So the title has the ability to manifest an object’s true value.
Also, an object’s form or image is only brought into consciousness when its name is heard or remembered. Even if the object is not physically present, it has the ability to project its name or memory before the eye of the mind, isn’t it?
Instead, even if a person is right in front of us, but if we can not remember his / her name, it means that he / she is far away from our thoughts. So it’s important to remember his / her name when we want someone to be close to us. The same applies to singing and remembering the name of the Lord.
The name of the Lord can always be the greatest support. His name has the power to melt His heart with His blessings and grace us. When we continue to devotionally chant HIS name, HE will have to come to us, just like a loving mother who quickly listens to her beloved child’s call and runs to hug her child. Similarly, if we call the all-loving compassionate Lord honestly, will HE not come and run to us, surround us, and grace us?
Let us understand the power of repeating Lord’s name and start chanting His names with utmost devotion.
GF’ Blessings.
