INTRODUCTION TO NAMASMARAN DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR

1. NAMASMARAN is a process of chanting / remembering of the name of God. It is in vogue from the time immemorial. Lord Shankar, Valmiki, Ambarish, Pralhad, Dhruva, Adi Shankaracharya, Meera, Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, Namadeva, Dnyaneshwar, Tukaram, Eknath, Kabir, Samarth Ramadas, Chokhamela, Narahari Sonar, Gora Kumbhar, Gondavalekar Maharaj, Gajanan Maharaj, Sai Baba and so many from different religions and spiritual traditions practiced NAMASMARAN and advocated the same to the others. Mahatma Gandhi also practiced NAMASMARAN and wrote a book on it. NAMASMARAN has an extremely important place in almost all the spiritual traditions present all over the world.

But today it has become especially imperative to re-explore and experience its significance in view of preventing the imminent collapse of the edifice of humanity.

I don't wish to preach NAMASMARAN but only share my views about it with the readers.

NAMASMARAN is basically a means of Self-realization or in other words God realization. Thus religious and pious individuals can be seen chanting the name of a particular deity with a holy rosary in their hand. Chanting is done in different ways. It is done at different times of a day or night and with different types of rosaries with different numbers of beads. People remember silently or recite loudly. They remember specific names, with specific targets such as 3.5 lacs, 13 lacs, 3.5 crores, 13 crores etc. NAMASMARAN is practiced either with specific mundane intention or without any such desire of mundane nature. In my view practicing NAMASMARAN is of highest importance; and when done so with topmost priority; the other paraphernalia or rules and regulations assume lesser importance.

With utmost respect and gratitude for all the traditions and their followers I wish to point out that in my view NAMASMARAN in today's time will not only endow us with Self realization but it will simultaneously usher the dawn of universal welfare in terms of abundance and profundity. In fact this social implication of NAMASMARAN is the main theme of this book. I feel this way because in my view the chanting of the name of God can bring about (1) Enlightenment in one's personal life thus making life fearless, selfless and compassionate (2) Manifestation of light in one's perspective, thinking, feelings, instincts and actions in the profession, thus contributing to global welfare. (3) Self realization associated with bliss (4) Actual revelation and manifestation of already existing objective unity at the core of every being, thus improving relationships at personal, regional and national levels in the society all over the world (in the form of feeling as well as actual behavior) (5) Manifestation of cosmic will as against that of petty self in different fields (God's will, will be manifested and vested interests and antisocial plans would be defeated or crushed.) (6) As regards those who do not recite the name of God, even they would be benefited. NAMASMARAN would bring about emancipation of them because of the freeing influence of the unified reality realized and manifested in the life of those who chant the name of God.
Some people argue that many individuals practice NAMASMARAN but do not seem to get benefit. They cite the examples of beggars of whom many chant the name of God. Some people do not see any sense in simply chanting the name of God. Some also point out that thousands of great individuals never uttered the name of God, thus suggesting that NAMASMARAN is an unproductive and irrelevant activity. Many others can take yet another point of view and argue that there can be many ways to reach the truth.

To these arguments there are answers. But these answers are based on the vision of the self realized souls and the concept of rebirth. They are based on KARMAPHALASIDDHANTHA. Therefore they are accessible to enlightened individuals. But we can try to grasp the reality. Thus a person in beggarly attire is not necessarily a helpless and miserable creature as may seem from the appearance. In fact the beggarly look can be worn by a mighty (with tremendous inner strength) sage, a sanyasin or a saint. Simple chanting illuminates all planes of consciousness, like a single switch which can bring about flood lights illuminating every nook and corner.

Chanting the name of God is like removing the veils of subjective personality so as to open doors to cosmic wisdom. When we see many great individuals not practicing NAMASMARAN, we must realize that their greatness can be related to their penance in the past life/lives. Thus they also could be chanting; the name of God in the past life. Alternatively they could be practicing other forms of penance which can make a person great but not necessarily self realized. Lastly it must be understood that the concept of rebirth and KARMA-PHALASIDDHANTHA ought not to be used to justify injustice but should be seen as a source of inspiration to practice NAMASMARAN and rise above every kind of bondage. These explanations may not satisfy many readers.

This is because our intellectual capacity can (without losing subjective identity) comprehend or experience the input coming through three states, sleep, wakefulness and dream; three dimensions viz. length, breadth and depth; and three times viz. past, present and future. But the concepts mentioned above are beyond all these. They therefore are not describable by languages of quality and quantity.

Namasmaran can liberate us and enable us to "see" the concepts mentioned above as well as the universe appropriately.

Finally; NAMASMARAN ensures a timely evolutionary transformation or return to one’s original state of trans-temporal, immortal and eternal bliss.