Saturday 18 March 2017

Rama nam, Gandhi and the freedom of India

Hari Aum.

My Guru Sivananda and other Gurus say that when a person recites a mantra or name of God over time, gradually he or she imbibes the virtues of that deity. He also says that the mantra transforms the physical, mental, moral and spiritual fibre of the person completely, removing all that is undivine, so that the divine alone shines from within.

The Indian freedom movement of the last century contained many great leaders with strong moral and spiritual fibre. One of the greatest among them was Mahatma Gandhi. Some people criticise Gandhi but the truth is that few, if any, of those who criticise him, could have achieved even ten percent of what he did. It is easy to criticise great souls from the comfort of one's armchair. It is difficult to do even half of what they did.

My Guru Sivananda wrote of Gandhi as a person who was primarily a spiritual seeker, a great soul. A person who lived, and died, uttering the name of God. You can read what my Guru says about Gandhi here. http://www.energyenhancement.org/sivananda/Sri-Swami-Sivananda-The-Path-Beyond-Sorrow-Chapter-16-Divine-Life-3-Mahatma-Gandhi-as-a-Spiritual-Seeker.html

The name of God that Mahatma Gandhi chose as his support in life was the name "Rama". Gandhi is often depicted as an aged man leaning on a staff. The real staff, that he leaned on and gained tremendous strength from all his life, was the name of Rama or 'Ram nam'. The essence of Gandhi was Rama nam.

Gandhi himself says "In the darkest hour of my trial, that one name has saved me, and is still saving me". "I may even say that the Word is in my heart, if not actually on my lips, all the twenty-four hours". You can see what Gandhi says about Rama nam here. http://www.gandhi-manibhavan.org/gandhiphilosophy/philosophy_god_ramanama.htm

According to Gandhi, my Guru and other yoga Gurus, the name "Rama" does not refer only to the avatar of Lord Vishnu who was born in Ayodhya a long time ago and played out an extraordinary Lila on this planet. It is not only the name of a great divine king who established dharma and destroyed adharma on this planet.

According to them, Rama is an eternal name or mantra. It existed long before the advent of the avatar Shri Rama, and will continue to exist forever. Rama represents the Unborn eternal Supreme Being, who has taken on all names and forms, and who is without any name or form. Rama is the Supreme Brahman of the Upanisads and Gita. All is Rama.

"Rama" is regarded both as a name of God, and also as a mantra of God. As the yogis say, God and His name are One.
The mantra Rama is said to be formed of the union of syllables from two other great mantras, namely Om Namo Narayanaya and Om Namah Sivaya.

The "Ra" in Om Namo Narayanaya is an important syllable and the heart of the mantra. If this is removed from the mantra, it takes on the opposite meaning.

The "Ma" in Om Namah Sivaya is an important syllable and the heart of the mantra. Removal of "ma" from this mantra, changes it meaning from auspicious to inauspicious.

My Guru and other Gurus teach that the union of "Ra" from Om Namo Narayanaya, and "Ma" from Om Namah Sivaya, creates a powerful two-syllable mantra "Rama". This mantra has been recited by great souls in India from the beginning of time. From Valmiki of ancient times, to Tulsidas and Kabir of the middle ages, to Papa Ramdas and Swami Chidananda of more recent times, so many saints of India have obtained their sainthood on the strength of Rama Nam.

Tulasidas lovingly says of the name of Shri Rama, that this is even greater than Shri Rama Himself. In the Ram Charit manas, he says that the avatar Shri Rama delivered Ahalya and a few others during His incarnation. But the Name of Shri Rama has delivered countless people from the suffering of samsara.

People say that India owes her freedom in great part to that great soul, that Mahatma, called Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi. This is only part of the truth.

The truth is that India owes her freedom to Rama Nam, which was the inner essence of Gandhi.

It was Rama nam which transformed Gandhi from 'atma' (soul) into 'Mahatma' (great soul) and inspired him to fight for the freedom of India. The constant utterance of the mantra "Rama" by Gandhi, day in day out, all his life, made him a veritable instrument of Shri Rama. He was a tool in the hands of Shri Rama.

The whole independence of India was therefore founded upon the name "Rama". The building block of the free nation India, is Rama nam.  Indians owe their freedom today to Rama Nam.

Salutations again and again therefore, to that glorious and wondrous name of God, "Rama", which, along with granting spiritual freedom to so many, bestowed freedom to a whole nation called India, using Mahatma Gandhi as a vital instrument.

May Rama nam ever be revered in India, the nation which is spiritual mother of the world. May Indians live in the true spirit of Rama Nam, namely Ahimsa (non-violence), Satya (truth) and Dharma (goodness, justice for all).

Jai Sita Ram
Om Sri Ramaya Namah.
Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram.

Hari Aum Tat Sat

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