Naamasankeerthanam

Radhe Krishna!!!

Naama Sankeerthana is simply to chant the name of Lord Hari. Music is the simplest and surest possible way to be able to stir the bhakthi within the soul which otherwise is unfathomable and intangible. The name of the Bhagavan when sung is like honey mixed with milk and the feeling of exhilaration that is felt within the depths of our soul

heightens our spiritual sensitivity and we tend to love the Bhagavan at a level more than the mere love we fancy when the the Bhagavan satisfies our desires. Spirituality is the shortcut route that has been designed in the Grand scheme of things to lead us to Moksha in this current Kaliyuga when compared to the enormous sacrifices that were deemed necessary in the Yugas of Hindu tradition. In this Kaliyuga, Naamasankeerthana is the only way out for self realisation as is said below

हरेर नाम हरेर नाम
हरेर नमैव केवलम
कलौ नस्ति एव नस्ति एव
नस्ति एव गतिर् अन्यतः

harer nama harer nama
harer namaiva kevalam
kalau nasti eva nasti eva
nasti eva gatir anyatha

“One should chant the holy name, chant the holy name, chant the holy name of Lord Hari [Krishna]. There is no other means, no other means, no other means for success in this age.” (Brhan-naradiya Purana 38.126)

Chant is repeated three times for emphasis. “You must do it, you must do it, you must do it.”
All paths being equal, the only and quick way to get closer to Bhagavan and that which is immediately given is Namasankeerthanam. As mentioned by Viji Bala Bhagavathar of Nanganallur, the procedure laid out by Sri Marudanallur Sadguru Swamigal did not make any resemblance or to even strictly follow Ganesha Dyanams or Ramakrishna Dhyanam pattern. Usually a Thodayamangalam followed by Three Gurus and then Ashtapathi or Tharangini has been the norm. In following this kramam, you find that more importance is usually given mainly to the Mahans who wrote them. The importance has not been given to the God upon which this is sung, take for instance when Ashtapathis are sung, they are for Jayadevar, Ramadasa Keerthanmas are sung for Ramadasar and Tharanginis for Narayana Theerthar. Even when putting Pundareekams Gopika Jeevana Smaranam, Janakikantha Smaranam they are mentioned for the respective Guru names. The reason behind this being is that the Guru has been given the prime importance and made as the pradanam for Namasankeerthanam, that is if there is no Guru, then there is no Namasankeerthanam. You get the equivalent phalam of having taken a bath in Triveni Sangam Rivers (Ganga, Yamuna and the legendary Saraswati River) when you sing Rama Krishna Govinda, as is mentioned in the Narayana Theertha. Snana, Sandhya, Japa, Homa, Tharpana na Apekshithe. We should not understand this wrongly. It does not mean that we should leave all this karmas and do only Namasankeerthanam. All those need to be done in their respective Kala Kattams, but what always we need to be done is Namasankeerthanam. In order that during these other times we should not worry about anything, Namasankeerthanam is to be chanted.

Sadguru kripa samudra sanga hethu labhe this is how the Nama was obtained. Its mainly due to love bestowed upon us by the Guru that we get this Nama, so having obtained such a great possession, we should sing this in the presence of the Guru bhagawan. In a Guru sthalam and on a Guruvaram, krishnam vande jagatgurum, we should sing namasankeerthanam in the presence of the Jagadguru Bhagavan Krishna sannadhi who is the lord of all sadgurus. All Gurus say the same thing, don’t keep thinking of wordly affairs, learn to catch hold of the thiruvadi of the Bhagavan. Thus while chanting without having no bedham for the Murthy or Guru, with the Nama alone as the prime entity, the seers and saints have told us to perform Namasankeerthanam. When Draupadi Vastrabharanam was going on, Bhagavan Krishna was playing game of dice and Draupadi was crying desperately for help in the presence of the five of her husbands wherein one was a epitomy of Dharma, another of Strength, another of valour, another of immense beauty, another who was knower of Dharmasastras and astrology but even with these, none of these five could do anything. Even the great Bhisma, Kripa and Drona whom Draupadi thought were her own relatives could do nothing. It seems during the time of our death, just like the five pandavas, all our five pancha boothams will let us down – our body will let us down, indriyas will let us down. Just when we start to understand that this body does not belong to us anymore, our relatives, money, house or anything will no longer help us it is at that moment that Bhagavan alone will step down and come to help us. So Bhagavan Krishna got up and Rukmani asked why, the Blessed Lord said that his sister is being ashamed and he has to go and help her. He walked a few steps and then came back to sit down again. Rukmani asked why you have come back again, to which the Blessed replied Before I could go my nama helped Draupadi already. The Lord says that he will not be in Vaikunta or in the heart of any sage, but he will be standing wherever his devotees are singing His name. It is said that the 'Nama' is more powerful than the 'Nami' (the one who possesses the name). Similar help was rendered for 'Gajendra' when the elephant's leg was caught by a crocodile in the Gajendra Moksham. Such is the extraordinary power bestowed upon the bhaktas doing Namasankeerthanam In this Blog I am attempting to collate and present knowledge obtained from various sources in an effort to showcase all the relevant information including some of own experiences upon the various ways this divine activity is being performed alongwith the many disciplines which are being followed.

“Dhyan Kretha Yajan Yegaiyehi Threthayam Dwapro Archayan Yathopnothi Thathapnothi Kalau Sangeerthya Kesavam”

Great Saints have proven that Namasankeerthanam (Bhajan) is the easiest way of attaining Moksha. Namasankeerthanam involves singing and chanting the glory of Lord, individually or in chorus. Namasankeerthanam was propagated by Great Gurus in ancient times across South India and North India and the tradition is still being followed with a little improvisation.

Sage Suga tells King Parikshith that there are different Dharmas for different Yugas like Dhyanam for Krutha Yugam, Yegyam for Thretha Yugam , Archanam (pooja) for Dwaparo Yugam, 'Kalau Sankeerthya Kesavan' (chant the name of the Lord Kesava) for Kali Yugam. In Kali Yugam it is difficult to do other Dharmas, therefore, Namasankeerthana is the easiest way to attain salvation.

Many villages in India at the time of Saint Thyagaraja had Bhajana Mandalis and the villagers participated in the Seetha Kalyanam and Radha Kalyanam and derived great spiritual uplift from their participation. During Ekadasis and Nityothasavams, the Bhajana group of the village offered musical worship to Bhagavan. During Saint Thyagarajas time, the Tanjore court musicians like Thodi Seethaaramaiah, AtaaNa Appaaiya, Sankarabaranam Narasayaa, Darbhar Seethaaramaiah were known for their Manodharmams and made one Ragam their own speciality. For hours, they elaborated on their Special Ragas and demonstrated their musical genius. At the same time, the Bhajana Groups put Bhakthi first and Manodharmam next. They used invocations, Thodaya Mangalams, Ashtapathis and associated Musala Narthanam (Dance), Choornikais, Deepa Pradakshinam, Mangalaashtakam, Divya Naamaas, Vedic recitation to practise Bhakthi for the Lord through Nama Sankeethanam.

Thyagaraja Swamigal combined the two traditions of Nama (Sankeethana) Siddhaantham with Naadha Siddhantham and blended his Rama Bhakthi with the Bhava Trayams (SangeethaBhavam, Saahitya Bhavam and Bhakthi Bhavam ). He composed many a kriti to channel his great devotion for Sri Ramachandra and used it during the occasion of Ekadasi, Unchi Vritti Bhajan and Sri Rama Navami and other Utsavams.