NAMA, NAMASMARAN AND TOTAL STRESS MANAGEMENT (PART 23) DR SHRINIWAS J. KASHALIKAR

Student: Sir! This is wonderful! Now I am beginning to understand; how NAMASMARAN is crucial to Total Stress Management i.e. the process of conquering DEHABUDDHI!

Teacher: This is how; though it took decades; I conceived the holistic concept of Total Stress Management in terms of simultaneous individual and global blossoming; and NAMASMARAN as the inseparable source or core of it!
NAMASMARAN is not an idle activity as it appears. Actually; when we see NAMASMARAN being practiced; we see; only external appearance accessible to our own limited, subjective and deceptive perceptions; and not the reality!

Student: Sir! I am almost with you! But I still have a doubt! How can we practice NAMASMARAN; when we are involved in intellectual (and not merely physical) work?

Teacher: The answer can be obtained, if we find out the root of the question! The root of the question is in our goal!
We are usually involved in an intellectual activity with a specific goal. This goal may be; conscious or subconscious. But it is inseparable from our activity. We may call it our expectation from our intellectual activity. It may be passing in examination, competing in an interview, getting promotion, proving or disproving a hypothesis, or for that matter; achieving any target in a given deadline.
NAMASMARAN would certainly come in the way of our intellectual efforts associated with such a goal or expectation
But we have to realize that all intellectual efforts and all the goals remain subjective and individualistic if they are not coupled with a process of being objective. Purified and exalted intellectual efforts and goals; inevitably culminate in self realization and universal welfare, but in absence of this; they degenerate into sectarian, divisive and destructive results.
NAMASMARAN chastises our efforts and our goals. In absence of this process of being one with our core; every action, proves to be unsatisfactory! This is because; even if we try to nullify our subjectivity arbitrarily; that arbitrariness itself traps us; in further subtler subjectivity. Hence we become further alienated from the objective core of ourselves and the satisfaction. Thus; if we try to catch hold of our core voluntarily; then we usually land up in despondent depression or maniacal behavior. This makes us either listless losers or arrogant achievers! Thus through ‘our’ efforts; we tend be entangled in; melancholy or morbid obsession; at our own cost or that of others!
In both cases we remain far away from our true self and the fulfillment!
NAMASMARAN does consume some of our time. It does reduce the involvement in intellectual efforts. But this is essential for purification of the efforts and the goals. This ensures the culmination of our intellectual efforts and our goals; into individual and universal emancipation.

Student: Can we compare this albeit inexactly; with the process of consumption of food, which has to be; for optimal benefits; digested, absorbed and assimilated, even if that consumes (additional?) time?

Teacher: Yes! NAMASMARAN; begun with a practice of 5 minutes per day; even if it is without any understanding; gradually reduces the time; of our intellectual, emotional and instinctual involvement; in subjective pettiness and superficiality; and transforms; our individualistic (and fragmented and sectarian) perspective, thinking, feelings and instincts; into holistic or objective. This marks the beginning of our ascent towards our true self; to finally become one with it!
In the course of time; as we ascend up; we start getting the glimpses of our immortality; and begin to realize how “our” goals and “efforts” have reached to their appropriate culmination. In fact; we begin to understand that everything in the universe; including our intellectual efforts and goals; were the “functions or effects; called parinam” of the omniscient, omnipotent and omnipresent reality called Mahakaran! This is because the entrapment in subjectivity becomes weaker; while the involvement in NAMASMARAN and hence the process of becoming objective becomes stronger! NAMASMARAN empowers us to see, feel and act appropriately! It wakes us up to NEW AWAKENING! In fact; we begin to be restless; without NAMASMARAN. We begin to feel secure and comfortable in NAMASMARAN and be a part of universally benevolent spiritual dynamism!
At this point we begin to understand; why our Guru preached NAMASMARAN; with so much of intensity!