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.

 

Value: Bhakti - October 2025

Second Week: Japa - Repetition of holy names

Our minds are always doing the japa - repetition of thoughts! Strong tendencies and lasting impressions are the results of repetitive thoughts about our likes and dislikes. But when the same repetition of thoughts about the qualities of the Lord when practiced correctly, will help us rise above likes and dislikes. 

Repetition of the Lord's name reprograms the thought-flow

Let us explore the correlation between the mind's behavior and the characteristics of the five basic elements. In a deep sleep state, the mind is like the earth—static and unmoving. When we are awake, the mind behaves like water, continuously flowing toward the world of objects, emotions, and feelings. When we engage in lofty thoughts and ideas, it acts like fire, rising upward.

During inspired activities, the mind moves like air, transcending familiar areas of knowledge, where all creative thoughts and intuitions arise. In meditation, the mind dissolves into vastness, similar to space, where there are no physical dimensions.

Japa, or the repetition of the Lord's names, transforms the mind from being like water to fire. It shifts the gross mind into a more subtle presence and reprograms the flow of thoughts to rise upward.

Repeat-Remember-Love-Seek-Reach

Oral japa refers to the repetition of words that express the qualities of the Lord. Words stem from thoughts, and when our thoughts echo these words, it allows our minds to remember Him more frequently.

Love grows through constant remembrance, and as a result, our devotion, or bhakti, increases with the conscious practice of japa. The next step after nurturing devotion is to seek the Lord. This seeking is not about possession; rather, it is about making ourselves available to Him, serving Him, and carrying out His work in the world.

A devotee who firmly believes that the Lord is the sole focus of love will ultimately reach Him. This concept is emphasized by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita: "एक भक्तिः विशिष्‍यते" (One-pointed devotion excels).