The Glory and Power of Rama Nama

 

Paramacharyal (former Kanchi Kamakoti Peetathipathi), Sri Chandrasekhara Swamigal, has said:

"There are two powerful 'araka Namas'. One is Aum and another is Ram. All mantras have to be prefixed with Aum for obtaining the benefits of those mantras, whereas there is no need to prefix Aum when the name 'Ram' is recited because the name itself is 'Tarka Namam' "

Divine poet, composser and singer Tyagaraja, who recited Rama Nama, 960 million times and had His darshan, has said:

"The life letter of the five letter word 'Nama Sivaya' is 'MA'. Similarly the life letter (Jeevaksharam) of the eight letter word 'Narayanaya' is "RA". It is the combination of these two aksharas (letters) that produced the nama 'RAMA'. "

Once, during their stay at the jungle, Lakshmana observed a Crow going to a river to drink water, but returned without drinking the water. Like this it kept on trying for innumerable times but never drank the water. Lakshman could not understand why the crow was doing like this and sought an explanation from Lord Rama. Rama said "this crow is uttering the name of Rama, non-stop. He is afraid he may have to stop uttering the name if he starts drinking water. He is willing to die without water rather than stop chanting the name of Rama."

Sins are completely washed away by the utterance of all Namas BUT IT IS ONLY 'RAMA NAMA' THAT SHIELDS AGAINST SINS IN THE FUTURE ALSO (Curative and Preventive Nama)

Such is the greatness of RAMA NAMA. One can write a big compendium on Rama Nama.

I will narrate now an interesting anecdote revealing how the name of Rama played a distinct role in a battle between "Lord Hanuman and Lord Siva"

Sri Rama after vanquishing Lanka and after ruling Ayodhya for some years had decided to perform the Aswametha Yagna as advised by his courtiers and other rishis. A great Yagna was accordingly performed with a statute of Sita seated by the side of Sri Rama.(as at that time Sita had already left him for the jungle where she gave birth to the twins Lava and Kucha and that is a separatre story and must be known to all and no details therefore are given here) Then the yagna horse was sent around the world with a note tied around its neck which asked all the kings in the world to pay obeisance to Rama and accept him as their Emperor lest face defeat at the hands of his warriors.

Most of us must be knowing how the Yagnya Horse was captured by these Lava and Kucha and how they defeated all the warriors of Rama including Lakhsmana and how a battle royale and Divine ensued between them and their father Rama. Before the capture of this horse by Lava and Kucha, the warriors who accompanied the horse were challenged by a small time king named Veeramani, who was a very brave man and never bowed down to anyone. He was a devout Siva bhkata and Lord Easwara had given him darshan many times. He had to face the wrath of the warriors of Rama. In a battled that raged, he defeated Baratha, Satruguna and other warriors. However when the turn of Hanuman came, he was defeated by Hanuman easily. He ran to Lord Parameswara and pleaded before him to fight Hanuman on his behalf and Sankara agreed!

A battle Divine ensued between Sarweswara and Anjaneya. Ultimately Easwara realised that he could not defeat Hanuman as he was all the time reciting Rama Nama. He pacified Veeramani and made him understand the signifance and glory of Rama Avathar etc. Later He asked Hanuman what he wanted. Hanuman asked Siva to look after the bodies of the wounded and dead lying on the ground as a consequence of the battle and that he (Hanuman) would go and bring Sanjeevi. Easwara smiled at Hanuman and said " With the help of Rama Nama you were able to defeat me and you want Sanjeevi to awaken these people! Can't you do that with the help of the same Rama Nama".

Hanuman felt ashamed of his being ignorant of this simple fact and later by uttering the name of Rama awakened all the dead and wounded and brought them back to their original condition. Let us recite the name of Sai Ram and get rid of all ills and evils mentally as well as bodily. I shall post next about the battle between Hanuman and Rama Himself!

V. Krishnan