The Power of Chanting Sri Rama: A Conversation
In these days of high pressure, stress and lack of time, there seems to be a need to maintain one's spiritual focus – more than from a religious perspective, from a mental equilibrium, has become important.
It was when musing on this topic that I encountered my guru.
Guru: Have you ever wondered why so many people chant the name of Rama?
My spiritual Guru asked me one evening as we sat in the temple courtyard.
Me: I've noticed it's quite common, but not understood why.
He smiled.
Guru: The ancient texts tell us something remarkable about this practice. The Padma Purana says that just speaking Rama's name once carries the spiritual merit of reciting a thousand names of Vishnu or Vishnu Sahasranamam.
I was kind of surprised.
Me: That's quite a claim. Does just one name hold so much of importance?
Guru: Yes. Tulsidas explained it beautifully in the Ramacharitamanas. He wrote that 'the name of Rama is greater than Rama himself.' While God in form has physical boundaries, the divine name exists beyond all limitations—it's accessible anywhere, anytime.
Me: Is that why it seems like such a universal practice?
Guru: Precisely! The Yoga Vasistha describe nama japa as the perfect spiritual practice for our current age. And remember what Saint Kabir said? That the divine name doesn't discriminate—it's available to everyone regardless of social standing or background.
I nodded, thinking of the diverse people I'd seen engaging in this practice.
Me: But what does it actually do for the person chanting?
My Guru leaned forward.
Guru: It purifies your mind and heart—chitta-shuddhi, we call it. Think of Hanuman in the Ramayana. His unwavering focus on Rama's name gave him the strength to leap across oceans and move mountains!
Me: That makes sense in ancient times, but what about today?
Guru: Perhaps it's even more relevant now. Our minds are constantly pulled in different directions by technology and endless distractions. Chanting creates a rhythm—an anchor for the mind in turbulent times.
He quoted Swami Sivananda:
The name of the Lord is sweeter than the sweetest of objects. It is easier than the easiest of paths to God-realization.
Me: So it's both simple and profound.
Guru: Exactly! As the Ramcharitmanas says: 'In this dark age of Kali, there is no spiritual practice equal to the chanting of the divine name.' In a world of complexity, this ancient practice offers something rare—a direct and accessible path to higher consciousness.
I closed my eyes and softly began to chant, "Rama, Rama...and as I did that, I started to use the Japmala of Namakoti for my chanting process.