Satsang at Shree Lakshmi Narayan Mandir, Lenasia, Johannesburg on 9th September 2024

Satsang with Swami Muktanandaji at Shree Lakshmi Narayan Mandir in Lenasia, Johannesburg on the 9th of September 2024
• About Anandashram:
o Anandashram was set-up by Beloved Papa Swami Ramdas and Pujya Mataji Krishnabai in 1931.
o Mainstay of the Ashram is chanting of the Divine Name - Om Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram.
o Through chanting the Name Beloved Papa could scale the spiritual heights.
o What is scaling the spiritual heights? Realising His presence within and without. That is why it is called realising not attaining. Realisation of That which is within us, but we are not aware.
o We can become aware of His presence through so many disciplines; in Anandashram the method is to remember Him through chanting His Name.
• Nama Chanting:
o Beloved Papa asked us to remember while chanting that we are chanting the Name of the One who is within us and who is making us chant, or think, talk or do anything and everything.
o Of all disciplines, Nama chanting is easy because it can be done at any time and at any place. It does not need any preconditions at all.
• About Beloved Papa:
o The first spiritual touch in Beloved Papa's life was from Gandhiji.
o Nama Chanting backed by Swadhyaya.
o There was a deep yearning, “Where is rest; where is peace?” He heard from within - the Great Void - “Trust Me and thou shalt be free!”
i. We start with faith and then graduate ourselves to TRUST.
In trust we handover ourselves completely. Whereas faith continues as long as it does not affect me.
When he intuitively heard, “Trust Me.” He surrendered himself completely.
He took up chanting to sustain the bliss experienced due to surrender.
He meditated and chanted the Name. He was aware of the purpose for which the chanting was undertaken.
He was aware that God was not separate from him; God was not away from him.
ii. We are trying to remember Him so that we realise His presence within.
iii. He was attending to his duties and also chanting, be the period ever so small.
iv. Food, clothing and sleep were reduced to a bare minimum so that the mind-space is occupied with God-remembrance.
v. Drawing inspiration from words of Masters.
o Similarities in the ideologies of Gandhiji and Beloved Papa:
i. God defined as the Subtle and Mysterious Power.
ii. Chanted Ram Nam, where ‘Ram’ stood for the Universal Principle.
iii. Not limited to any form.
o Out of 24 hours, Beloved Papa chanted the Divine Name for 22 hours every day.
o He was aware that God was making him chant His name.
o Beloved Papa’s father initiated him into the Ram Mantra.
o Beloved Papa added ‘Om’ to ‘Sri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram.’
o Meaning:
i. ‘Om’ stands for the Nameless, Formless Reality.
ii. ‘Sri’ stands for the Reality which has name and form.
iii. ‘Ram’ stands for both and beyond both.
iv. ‘Jai’ stands for victory.
v. Victory to that Reality, who is without name and form, who is with name and form, who is also both and beyond both.
o When chanting had become exclusive and stabilised, he was prompted to renounce, adopt Sannyasa and the name ‘Ramdas.’
o Aware that everything happens by God’s will.
o Chanting enables us to approach every situation with a positive perspective.
o Mental chanting is more effective than vocal chanting.
o Bliss is objectless happiness.
o Through Nama chanting we can enjoy bliss while carrying on with our daily activities.
o “We are made to think, talk and do.”
o Easy way to remember Him is to chant His name.
• “I am not alone, You are with me.” - Dada JP Vaswani
Q & A
• Swamiji you were mentioning about chanting the Name and meditating. You made a differentiation. Can you given some clarity on what you mean by that.
o Meditating is thinking about the attributes - what the Nama stands for.
o Sound comes from the Soundless base.
o Meditation is dwelling on That which is lying dormant in us, unexpressed, unmanifested; and Nama is the expressed form.
o Ceaseless remembrance of God through chanting His name and meditating on His attributes.
o Chanting in a slow tune will enable us to chant and meditate simultaneously.
o Mind will not wander if we meditate and chant simultaneously.
o Transform thoughts instead of trying to destroy them.
o Handing ourselves over to Him completely.
o No distinction between mundane and spiritual.
o Go to the Source.
o God arranges all things in His own way and at the time He appoints.
o Everything is subject to His will.
o If you think that God can speak through Ramdas, He can speak through you as well, because you cannot accuse God of partiality. Switch on your wire for a direct communication within. Why do you deny Him in your own heart?
o Everything zeros to remembering Him through chanting.
o Everything happens by His will and for our ultimate good.