Value: Bhakti - October 2025
Third Week: Namanam - Salutations!
Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda used to explain the term nama as na mama, which means "not mine." True salutations involve renouncing the notion of "me" and "mine." What is most dear to us? It is not any object or person; rather, it is our own mind that we are so attached to. We implicitly follow our mind's commands from the moment we wake up until we go back to sleep.
Therefore, namanam can also be understood as na mana, meaning "no mind." This can be challenging unless we practice it daily. In Hindu tradition, younger members of the family are taught to speak softly in the presence of elders and wise individuals. This is one way to relinquish the mind—by observing silence at the altar of the Lord and in the company of those with wisdom.
Salutations to Surrender
There is an old Tamil song that expresses a profound idea: "If everything were to happen exactly as one thinks, there would be no God; and if one continues to ponder over what has already happened, there will never be peace." The song continues, "Whatever has occurred does not continue in His books, and whatever has begun does not necessarily end in one's home or the sphere of influence."
Our daily struggle often stems from our inability to accept what has happened and our unwillingness to embrace the present. This stems from our limited perception of life. Life itself never ends; it is only the body that dies. The Upanishads affirm that life continues beyond death. If we can understand and accept the eternity of the soul, we will find that we have little to complain about in this world, which is merely a temporary residence. True reverence to the Lord comes when we attain this understanding and surrender ourselves to Him.
Surrender to Salvation
The song had a significant impact on the minds of filmgoers at that time. It conveys a profound message: "The heart has a thousand gates, giving rise to many thoughts. There will be no suffering if only One remains in the heart; if another enters, there will never be peace!"
This is truly insightful! Salvation is not found in death or merely reaching heaven. It lies in maintaining His presence and not allowing anything or anyone else in. The song concludes by stating, "No one knows where life begins or how it will end. No one knows the path or the journey. The path will ultimately change, and the journey will come to an end. The delusion will fade when we realize that the path has shifted."
Salvation is not a sudden conclusion, but a change of path that leads to the merging of the soul, much like a river alters its course to flow into the vast ocean. This change represents total surrender to His will.
