Prapatti Part 2

 

Sri Iswara uvacha

श्री राम राम रामेति रमे रामे मनोरमे ।

सहस्रनाम तत् तुल्यं रामनाम वरानने ॥

śrī rāma rāma rāmeti rame rāme manorame .

sahasranāma tat tulyaṃ rāmanāma varānane ..

Lord Siva had said to Goddess Parvati in the above slokam that chanting “Rama Nama” gladdens his heart and chanting “Rama Rama Rama” is equal to chanting one thousand names of Lord Vishnu. In Sanskrit, Ra is assigned 2 and ma is the fifth letter. Multiplying 2X5 we get 10. 10 to the power 3 is 1000. It is said that the compassionate Lord Siva also roams around the streets of Kasi and utters Rama Nama in the ears of those breathing their last.

In Sanathana Dharma we have 3 main mutts; that of Sri Adisankaracharya (Current Kanchi, Sringeri and Joshi Mutts are branches), Swami Ramanujacharyar’s (there are 74 simhasanadhipadhis) and Sri Madhwacharyars Dwaita school of philosophy.

All 3 acharyas Sri Adisankaracharya, Swami Ramanujacharya and Sri Madhwacharyar believed in “one brahmam” i.e there is only one supreme being. Sanathana Dharma is a monotheistic religion with a firm belief in only one Brahmam (Supreme Paramatman). All 3 acharyas Sri Adisankaracharya, Swami Ramanujacharya and Sri Madhwacharyar also taught that Brahmam is Sriman Narayanan. The difference of opinions that they had was related to philosophy i.e their difference of opinion was related to characteristics of brahmam and how and why this Universe is created etc.

One of the main purposes of Sri Adisankaracharya incarnation was to free the common people from the influence of Baudham பௌத்தம் and Jaina mathams that promoted shunya vadham. The shunya vadhin’s said that there is nothing and in reply, Sri Adi Sankaracharya said that there is one brahmam. To refute shunya vadham Sri Adisankaracharya promoted “advaitam”, but his advice to common people was to follow yuga dharmam of Hari Nama Sankeerthanam, “Bhaja Govindam Bhaja Govindam”. Everyone knows the story that when he transmigrated into the body of the king so that he could answer the questions posed by Sri Mandalamisra’s wife, the ministers wishing to retain Sri Adi Sankaracharya as their sovereign decided to burn his thirumeni. Coming to know about their plot, Sri Adi Sankaracharya transmigrated back into his sareeram and found that he was engulfed by flames on all sides as the soldiers had already set fire to his thirumeni. Finding himself in this dangerous plight, he immediately sought refuge in Lord Narasimha, “Lakshmi Narasimha, Mama Dehi Karavalambam”. So, the instruction of the acharya to the common people is very clear. It is to follow the Yuga Dharmama of Sri Hari Nama Sankeerthanam and to seek refuge under the lotus feet of Lord Narayana.

Sri Kanchi Mahaperiyava also encouraged the recitation of Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam and he regularly chanted “Narayana”. On Srimukhams Sri Mahaperiyava and all Sankaracharyas sign off by writing “ Narayanasmriti” We are all blessed to have lived during the period of the great mahacharya, Sri Kanchi Mahaperiyava who had attained great manthra siddhi and it is worth noting that this great acharya repeatedly chanted thirunamam of Lord Narayana.

Hari Nama Sankeerthanam is encouraged as a means to mukthi. It is an indirect means as repeatedly chanting thirunamam generates a desire in the person to perform either bakthi or prapatti. This was the case in Ajamila charitram as well. After Ajamilan was freed from Yama Dhuthas by Vishnu Dhutas, he started meditating upon Perumal (bakthi yogam) and by following prescribed practices he obtained mukthi at a later time. So, Ajamila Charitram shows that Hari Nama Sankeerthanam indirectly bestows moksham by making the person either perform bakthi or prapatti.