Hari Om
Namaskarams!
In this Kaliyuga, the struggle for existence is becoming more and more difficult day by day, and we don’t get free or leisure time to do Vedic or religious practices and nor have patience for such long and cumbersome practices. Moreover we have to depend on others (Pandits) for such practices and most of the pundits and Acharyas (many without appropriate or adequate knowledge of the subjects) have become commercial and self-centred to exploit the devotees with their own material agenda, thanks to collective karma of this yuga.
Therefore we have to adhere to following two quite simple and pragmatic techniques recommended by our Vedic scriptures,for the common man to receive both material and spiritual success besides attaining God or eternal Bliss and peace:
1.Bhagawan Namasmarana (and Nama Sankeerthanam) – Repeating with devotion and one-pointedness, the name of the Lord
2. Paraspara Devo Bhava – Invoking divine unto one another;seeing everyone as Iswara or Deity
1. Bhagawan Namasmarana and Nama Sankeerthanam
In the Kali Yuga, as per Vedic scriptures, people generally are not interested in doing or upholding any dharmas. The concept of Dharma will lose its foot hold in Kali Yuga. Kali Yuga is a period of decadence of all Dharma by all sects of people. The following are few dhosha gunas (improper attitude with deficiency and limitation) that one can easily observe in the conduct and behavior of people in Kali Yuga.
People will show utmost interest to do prohibited and unrighteous actions, what they are not supposed /expected to do.
People shall refuse or not inclined to do what they are supposed /expected to do.
Tradition, customs and ethical practices would be abandoned or thrown overboard.
Each sect will boast itself as Supreme and superior to others.
Virtues like chastity, righteousness and obstinacies would be interpreted according to their own whims and fancies.
Evil, immorality and transgression would be wide spread.
Woman folk also would indulge in falsehood, cheating and deceit and speak harsh languages.
Bachelors (Bhramachaaries) will no longer follow their duties and daily virtues.
House holders will conveniently neglect their prescribed rituals like charity and sacrifice
Vanaprastas would not retire to the forest, but cling to routine life in cities.
Sanyaasis would have relationship with their kith and kin. They may be interested only in accumulating assets for their institution or mutts sometimes without proper spiritual programs.
Kings would levy burdensome and heavy taxes and fail to protect their subjects.
All the four group of people, Brahmins, Vysyaas, Kshatriyaas and Sudraas would commit offenses.
Having become slaves to their senses, fools and villains will continue their evil actions.
Dharma will become a hard commodity probably surviving in some corner of the world.
When Dharma staggers on one leg and confined to a corner, when all unrighteous actions gain the upper hand, when men and women abandon all necessary and prescribed commandments or rules……
An easy path, the path that is simple, effortless and efficacious and applicable uniformly for all human beings in Kali Yuga comes to rescue and deliverance of one and all. It is the Nama Sankeerthanam or recital of Bhagwan Nama (the name of the Lord) with devotion.
Understanding the helpless state of the human being, Bhagwan enforced that in Kali Yuga, Nama Sankeerthanam is the only way to attain salvation.
It is said in Vishnu purana…
“Whatever fruits are begot by meditation in Krita Yuga, performing sacrifice in Thretha Yuga and by worshipping in Dwapara Yuga can be had by Kesava (chanting Names of Lord) Sankeerthanam in Kali Yuga”
The last Sloka of Srimad Bhagavatam (12.13.23):
nāma-saṅkīrtanaṁ yasya
sarva-pāpa praṇāśanam
praṇāmo duḥkha-śamana
taṁ namāmi hariṁ param
Means: “I offer my respectful obeisances unto the Supreme Lord, Hari, the chanting of whose holy names destroys all sinful reactions, and the offering of obeisances unto whom relieves all material suffering.”
Nama Sankeerthanam is endorsed and glorified by the Vedas and Vedic scriptures .
Nama Sankeerthanam can eradicate all Sins.
Nama Sankeerthanam grants all the desires of the human being.
Nama Sankeerthanam is not dependant on any other means of worship or dharma.
Nama Sankeerthanam is not bounded or limited by place or time.
Nama Sankeerthanam excels and surpasses all other forms of worship and actions prescribed by the Vedas.
Human beings regardless of caste, creed, community, race, religion, sex are eligible to chant the Bhagwan Nama.
Great Saints have validated through successful demonstrations that Namasankeerthanam is the easiest way for attaining Moksha.
Namasankeerthanam involves singing, hearing and chanting the glory of the Lord, individually or in groups (in chorus).
Nama Sankeerthanam was propagated by SatGurus in ancient times across South India and North India and the tradition is still being followed with a little improvisation.
Great sages — Namadev, Tukaram, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu and many others have demonstrated during their lifetime successfully and convincingly, to Humanity, the power and purpose of Nama Sankeethanam
Saint Thyagaraja Swamigal (in the above picture) who lived with our forefathers in the recent past integrated the two traditions of Nama (Sankeethana) Siddhaantham with Naadha Siddhantham and blended his Rama Bhakthi with the Bhava Trayams (Sangeetha Bhavam, Saahitya Bhavam and Bhakthi Bhavam). He composed many a kriti to channelize his great devotion for Sri Ramachandra Moorthy and used it during the occasion of Ekadasi, Unchi Vritti Bhajan and Sri Rama Navami and other Utsavams (days of festivity). He got liberated and united with Lord Rama through his prem Bhakthi of Nama Sankeerthanam.
Chant the holy names of the Lord regularly and mindfully with the mind focussing on the deity concerned with utmost devotion. Nama Sangeerthanam will make Almighty eradicate all our bad karmas and grant both spiritual and material gains plentifully.
2. Paraspara Devo Bhava:
Our span of life is limited and uncertain. Any day the curtain will fall and it will suddenly come to an end. Hence whatever is to be done must be done without delay and without waiting for conducive circumstance or situation. Whatever you possess, utilise it for God, to uilize for God means to uitlise it for the good of others, because they (people or all living beings) are all embodied forms of God.
The scriptures defines this worship as…
YENA KENA PRAKAARENA YASYAKASYAAPI DEHINAHA
SANTHOSHAM JANAYETH PRAJNAS-TADEVESVARA POOJANAM||
If we satisfy any living creature by any of our ability given by God, it is the real worship of God. God has not kept any individual without anything to offer. God might have given wealth to some, knowledge to some, or might have given stout and strong body to some. Everyone should help the poor, ignorant and weak respectively based on what ability they are given by the Lord.
PAROPAKAARAHA PUNYAAYA PAAPAAYA PARAPEEDANAM
Doing good to others is righteousness (punya) and afflicting others is sin (paapa). The code of ethics of all religions is also same. Achievement of true humanity is attainment of divinity. In the words of Thulasidasji…
PARA-HITHA-SARISA DHARMA NAHIM BHAAYEE|
PARAPEEDA SAMA NAHIM ADHAMAAYEE||
There is no religion other than doing good to others and no wickedness other than troubling others.
Help Ever…..Hurt Never…..
Very often, human beings get frustrated, agitated and angered by not leaving matters to the Lord with complete faith and devotion. It is important to demonstrate unconditional love and trust in Lord and His ability to protect his devotees. Lord is ever eager to help his devotees, help us grow love and devotion for him. Although Lord’s tender concern for his devotees is unconditional, he will not restrict or alter with the free will of the living person. In order to receive his grace and mercy, we must showcase deep level of sincerity or inclination toward Him. His liberal attitude towards His devotees exercising their free will is similar to that of a kind, understanding parent.
In “Sanatana Gosvami’s Brihad- Bhagavatamrita”, after Gopakumara finally returns to the spiritual world, Krishna hugs him and says, “I’m happy that you have come back. For so long I was awaiting an opportunity to bring you to Me.” We should always embrace Lord Krishna’s willingness to protect us and take us to higher levels of enlightenment.
To purify the mind, one should practice noble and sacred thoughts of service to others. One who does not hurt anyone and has feelings of love and compassion to fellow beings is the greatest of men.
That is why sage Vyasa gave the essence of the eighteen Puranas (scriptures) in the aphorism: Help Ever, Hurt Never.
It is important to let go of anger and ego while handling people and situations, which often leads to envy of others. Envy stems from pride always and get manifested into full blown anger and rage. This becomes like a poison a person is holding on to, harbouring resentment towards others. It is hence imperative to never hold grudges, as harbouring resentment is like drinking poison and expecting the other person to die.
Some of us may try to justify by saying that they had to intentionally hurt someone else because that someone first hurt them. For this Satya Sai Baba used to respond:
“When the tooth accidentally bites your tongue, do you get angry and break the tooth that hurt it so? No! For, the teeth and tongue are both yours! Similarly, the one hurts you and you, are both limbs of the same body called God.”
We should never hurt anyone as everything we do to others will definitely come back to us after a certain period of time as similar kind of experience.
Help Ever……Hurt Never…..
The another aspect is,
whatever we have got, has not been achieved by our own self efforts only. How could any individual be a grown up one, if he or she had not received — the mother’s milk since his birth; knowledge from the teachers; medicines from the doctors; love and cooperation from relatives and friends; and sympathy from neighbours and obviously without these he or she can’t be a grown up person today.
Thus, by receiving the help of many people only, we have become what we are now. Therefore, whatever we achive, is not destined only for us only but also destined for many others. So we should help all others and to give our co-operation to them in the best possible manner to purify ourselves.
YAATHAAVAATHVINIUMUKTHAHA| SREYAHAPATHA PRAVAASINAHA||
If we will act in this compassionate way, we shall be free from a state of composure with tranquility and we will be well qualified to live with peace and ease and thereby we become safe travellers of the path, leading to supreme bliss, peace and liberation.
We can’t see God but he does see us. He is omnipresent and omnipotent. God is the unmoved mover, motiveless benefactor and He is the causeless auspiciousness. The earth on which we stand and do deeds, the sky under which we cherish deliberations, the air in which we make movements, this very earth, the sky and the air are the witness of our deeds and they raise their voice either against or in favour of us in the presence of God. Whatever you do, do it with consciousness of God — enjoy taste of the Lord in every particle of food and enjoy taste of His sweetness in every sip of water. Experience in the air we breathe, the joy of His existence. See the divine light in the brilliance of the Sun, the moon, the stars and the fire. See His pure reflections in every creature.
We have to recite his name at every breath, experience joy of His presence in the entire body and we should not even worry for kaala (death). Even kaala will stand before us just like a servant with folded hands awaiting your order when we practice consciously the attitude of universal compassion and oneness. By establishing relation with God in this manner the entire Universe will become our being-mate.
SAANUKOOLE JAGANNAATHE SAANUKOOLAM JAGAT TRAYAM|
NAANUKOOLE JAGANNATHE NAANUKOOLAM JAGAT TRAYAM||
If the Lord of this Universe is favourable, the entire world is favorable, but if he is unfavourable, all the world will be entirely unfavourable.
Kabir saheb also says:
Bhuke bhojan pyaase paani; nange bastar deeje
Saadho Raama-bhajan kara leeje||
Whatever has been given to one by God, should be utilised for the welfare of others, namely the food to the hungry, water to the thirsty, clothes to the unclad, care and service to the sick, knowledge to the ignorant etc., and along with this, chant with devotion constantly the name of the Lord which is the only way of prosperity for everyone in this advanced dark age of Kaliyuga.
A person who believes that he can change or control his life through manipulating or adjusting other minds or external parameters of this material world-will live and finally leave this world without happiness and will be reborn to suffer again. He will also leave his kith and kin in suffering.
“Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divinity within by controlling nature external and internal. Do this either by work or by worship or psychic control or philosophy by one or more, or all of those and be free, this is the whole of religion. Doctrines or dogmas or rituals or temples or forms are but secondary”. — Swami Vivekananda
Becoming Humble and accepting the present alone will give Peace. At some point in time you have to give up expectations, ego, hatred and attachments, unlearn everything, go beyond rituals, all dogmas, all teachings, even Vedas and only enquire “who am I” through Hridhaya Vidhya (Atma Vichara from the bottom of the Heart cave) and attain Brahma Vidhya directly as extolled in Upanishads. This is possible through one’s self efforts (free-will) and GOD’s Grace. Self-effort is the initial step to attract GOD’s Grace
“A quiet mind does not mean that there will be no thoughts or mental movements at all, but that these will be on the surface, and you will feel your true being within, separated from them, observing but not carried away.”— Sri Aurobindo
“That in which all these worlds seem to exist steadily, that of which all these worlds are a possession, that from which all these worlds arise, that for which all these exist, that by which all these worlds come into existence and that which is indeed all these – that alone is the existing reality. Let us cherish that Self, which is the Reality, in the Heart.” — Bhagawan Sri Ramana Maharshi
May all people who read this article benefit from this Consciously.
Let us offer our total surrender unconditionally to the Lord this very moment and get ourselves blessed to be blissful always.
– Guruji …..🙏😊✋️
With GF’ Blessings Always…..
