My experiments with the Truth, called 'Raam Naam!'

Lord Rama's name can be chanted in different ways. Depending on our mood we can choose one of them. For example, when I am peaceful, content and when my mind is in perfect control, chanting 'Shri Rama Jeyam' repeatedly is best for me. It helps me keep my mind in the present. When I am relaxed but really not in a mood to do anything worthwhile and just want to play, I start singing, 'Shri Rama Jeya Rama Jeya Jeya Rama'. It helps widen the vision of my mind by tuning my mind to a very long wavelength. When I feel intense, and when I am in a mood for some real action, I chant 'Rama Rama' repeatedly for a long time expelling all air from my lungs and then I take a long deep breath to fill my lungs with air again. This is very intense way of chanting Lord Rama's name.

There is another way of chanting Lord Rama's name: Saying 'Rama' once and then being silent for a moment and then again saying 'Rama' and then being silent again. This can go on for as long as possible. This is, combining meditation and chanting. I believe this is the way Lord Hanuman chants Lord Rama’s name.

Among all spiritual practices, chanting Lord Rama’s name is the most joyful and fun-filled one, because one does not need to stay away from anything to chant Lord Rama’s name. You can chant Lord Rama’s name while traveling, walking, cooking, playing and bathing etc., I do it all the time. I chant Lord Rama’s name even while watching movies. I chant Lord Rama’s name while playing games on my computer. When I am unable to do it loudly I do it in my mind. In fact, in the morning, when we chant it for an hour or so, we can see that the mind repeats it even without us making any effort.

Once it so happened that while I was going in a share auto, I was chanting. The driver played a cine song. The tune was so catchy that I started to sing that song. Then I realised I had forgotten chanting Lord Rama’s name. Giving it some thought, I realised it is the tune that makes us feel good and makes us want to sing. Not the lyrics. So I replaced the lyrics with ‘Lord Rama’s name and started to chant in the tune of the song. Since then, any music being played has never been a disturbance to me. Because, whichever tune that comes my way is processed and given out by my mind with Lord Rama’s name in it. My ‘Kolaveri for Lord Rama’ is one such outcome. To read that post please click here. Sometimes I write lyrics about Lord Rama for the tune but mostly just fill it with ‘Lord Rama’s name.’

In my experience I’ve realised chanting Lord Rama’s name energises us in a very special way. After Chanting Lord Rama’s name for a whole long day, you will definitely see that you feel much much lighter physically. Once, few of my friends had come to my room. Some were playing videos in my system and some were chatting etc., So, I too participated in the fun and, at the same time, I kept writing ‘Shri Rama Jeyam’ in a notebook. At the end of that day too, I felt much lighter. I had written about 3000 and plus ‘Shri Rama Jeyams’ that day. So, it is not that you have to chant it. Even writing ‘Shri Rama Jeyam’ has a very good effect in us. But while writing, it is always best to stick to ‘Shri Rama Jeyam’ rather than trying other combinations of Lord Rama’s Name.

By chanting Lord Rama’s name our health shows monumental improvement. It brings things in control when everything seems to go out of control. It helps us in decision making. We need not think much to make the right decision; it just becomes obvious to us. Chanting Lord Rama’s name is one easy way by which you can just do things without bothering much about whether it is right or wrong and still you can see that you are not wrong.

Chanting Lord Rama’s name has made me less obstinate. I have realised that our mind becomes more open to ideas and suggestions given by others. Also, I’ve realised, chanting Lord Rama’s name helps us be in perfect sync with life, i.e., we need not try hard to plan to make things fall in place. The disjointed and seemingly unsettled parts of our lives slowly start to connect with each other and settle down as if they were all already pre-planned. All we need to do is to chant Lord Rama’s Name and put the best of our efforts and approach people with a good will and an open mind. It helps us identify the people we should keep in touch with, and the people we must ignore. It disables our negative qualities so much that it becomes difficult for us to make mistakes, even if we try. Due to the power of the old habits, we may make mistakes, but they too will be eradicated eventually as we proceed with our chanting efforts.

Chanting Lord Rama’s name is the most supreme spiritual practice. Not because it is the only spiritual practice necessary, but because this one practice will make us get involved in other practices that we really need. For eg., only after chanting Lord Rama’s name I started to fast on Ekadasi days. Then I added, fasting for Chathurthi to my schedule. Now I fast for minimum five days a month and keep awake for ‘Shiva Rathiri’ too. I also started to do ‘Thoppukaranam’ for Lord Ganesha and offer water to Sun God. Each of these practices helps me in different ways. Anyway chanting ‘Lord Rama’s name has been the foundation for all these spiritual practices. And it is still the main spiritual practice I ever do.

A simple demonstration of how effective Lord Rama’s name could be can be understood by the following practice. Try doing some Yoga posture that is difficult for you. Chant Lord Rama’s name for quite sometime, may be a day or two, continuously as much as possible. Then try the same posture, you will find that your body easily bends the way you like. It has happened for me.

Krishna Himself wanted Lord Hanuman to sit on top of His chariot during the Kurukshetra war, so that ‘Rama’s Name’ would protect His chariot from all sorts of mantras that are charged in the attackers’ weapons. What more does one have to say about the power of My Lord’s Name? In fact, this story is what made me start and stick to chanting My Lord’s Name, ardently.

Above all chanting Lord Rama’s name is sheer pleasure. The joy in chanting Lord Rama’s name is unparalleled by any other pleasure one can find on this earth. Once my friend told me, “I like to drink! I love the kick it gives. But what I hate is the unhealthy state it leaves me in, the next day.” He complainingly asked why there is no such drink that can give pleasure and be healthy at the same time. I can tell for sure, chanting Lord Rama’s Name is one such drink!

So much, and much more can be said about chanting Lord Rama’s name. But what is the point in talking about the ocean of bliss and standing on the shore rather than jumping into it and being soaked in its goodness?

Always chant My Lord's Name and be happy and healthy. Jai Shri Ram!