STRESS is common and ubiquitous and hence the Total Stress Management, which is a golden chance and opportunity to blossom together, must also become “common” or “ubiquitous”; i.e. accessible and available to every one; in every nook and corner of the world.
Now; we have to see why and how; NAMASMARAN is a core of Total Stress Management, or why and how Total Stress Management is actually a byproduct of NAMSMARAN!
Let us begin with our experience that when we are agitated; by our physical needs, passions, emotions, thoughts and ideas, and feel restless to satisfy them!
But some of us simultaneously get agitated by the plight of people! The plight of people enthralls, wakes up, and inspires us to bring about change (revolution) so as to eradicate these plights. This leads to intellectual and emotional turmoils and motivation and mobilization in several ways. Thus we may read, study, participate in struggles, philanthropic activities and so on. The social circumstances however; appear dark and annoying. The change, the revolution appears to be the only purpose of life, even as the exact program of action and/or blue print of the revolution; are obscure.
The frenzy of all these complex feelings are so much, that any proponent of God or NAMASMARAN appear as “unconcerned about peoples’ true needs, unbothered about real issues such as poverty and injustice; and hence antisocial, hypocrite, parasitic or at best; stupid or gullible”!
The restlessness within; is so much that it propels us to search for instant solutions and impatiently! It compels us towards addressing every problem that appears in the news papers or on TV, apart from those in our own personal life.
As a result, we get engrossed in relevant physical service, philanthropy, active participation in sociopolitical struggles, emotional expression in poetry, intellectual analysis, discussions, public speeches, writing articles and books etc. These appear to be the methods of self assertion and solution to the problems!
Most importantly; withdrawal from such activities is suffocating, unbearable and killing!
Namasmaran appears to be a despicable escapism from such “very useful and urgent” activities. As regards it social importance, it appears to be actually counterproductive. It appears to paralyze us; who are facing problems; and make us parasitic and paranoid! It appears to make us dependent and helpless. It appears to discourage, distract and dissuade us from accepting the challenges of life in personal and social life and facing them victoriously!
The fervor of our mind never gets calmed by the advice and idea of NAMASMARAN, though many a times we appreciate the honesty and selflessness of the individuals advocating it.
One important experience however begins to turn us towards NAMSMARAN.
Which is this experience?
The experience of endlessness of human grief, malady, disease, tribulations, problems and the agonies and helpless ness; which together; constitute STRESS! We begin to realize that all our activities are not nonsense; but they are piecemeal and ad hoc. They are not holistic. They are not radical. They at best provide temporary, symptomatic or palliative relief.
Second realization that propels us to NAMASMARAN; is the universal nature of NAMASMARAN!
By virtue of being free of every possible prejudice and devoid of every possible kind of intellectual, emotional, social, cultural and other impositions it is truly universal and NOT sectarian. It NEVER interferes with the tradition, custom or belief systems of any body. In fact it reorients us to our own selves! It provides profound empowerment and reenkindles our potential to blossom together! It revitalizes and rejuvenates every kind of person from any age, religion, ideology, theism, atheism and all possible socioeconomic and other differences.
Simultaneously if we read various arguments regarding NAMASMARAN in books such as the biography of Shri Brahmachaitanya Gondavlekar Maharaj, by Prof. K.V. Belsare; coupled with our experiences with a variety of activities of service and social struggle for justice; we begin to get convinced that NAMASMARAN can evolve and transform our perspective, vision, intellectual framework, emotions and instincts; and evolve us to conceptualize the Total Stress Management by blossoming us into objective or cosmic consciousness.
We begin to realize that; if this happens in every walk of life; then it could usher in; individual and global blossoming, by actualizing revolution with truly holistic contents i.e. globally benevolent perspective and policies!
We generally feel like sharing our perspective with others; and hence may write books on NAMASMARAN, VISHNUSAHASRANAM, GEETA etc., publish them, try to sell or distribute them, and/or spread the message of NAMASMARAN with our perspective; as far and wide; and in as many ways; as we can!
But at this juncture we have to address some arguments against NAMASMARAN as well!
1. NAMASMARAN does not seem to do anything, if compared to for instance; scientific research or socio-political manipulations! It does not seem to work and produce results; even comparable to those produced by relatively simple agricultural activities or other handicrafts! On this back ground; what is the basis to prove that NAMASMARAN can lead to global blossoming?
There is no basis; excepting inner conviction! We have to practice and verify. There is nobody else who can provide the proof! In short we are privileged to practice and experience ourselves and not depend on anybody else for the proof! We are honored to have the freedom of NOT having to believe in anybody!
2. If we say that NAMASMARAN evolves us into objective or cosmic consciousness or imparts global perspective, then the argument is, “Can you prove the cause and effect relationship?”
The answer obviously is “No”! We can not prove that NAMASMARAN evolves us into objective or cosmic consciousness or imparts global perspective! Even if we provide the whole concept of Total Stress Management or holistic perspective; one could always argue that this concept has nothing to do with NAMSMARAN! Hence here also there is freedom of not having to believe!
3. At some point; we realize that our opinions were not changed through “our will”, but were changed due to the influence of factors beyond our comprehension constituting the “field”, cosmic consciousness or God that encompasses and influences not merely “us” but everything; including the people in the universe! Hence; whether people in the world would get associated with NAMASMARAN and evolve into cosmic consciousness; would also be determined by the same “field”!
What is the proof for existence of such a field?
Obviously; we have no proof that a field exists and influences us! Because even if it exists and influences; we can not show the cause and effect relationship of such influences on our life and hence we can not provide any proof for such blossoming (which may be “our mission or vision”)!
There is again freedom to practice and experience and no burden or getting shackled into intellectual framework made by some one else! There is no compulsion to get drowned in the some body else’s’ words but freedom to soar in the realm beyond words!
4. Another argument is; NAMASMARAN has no influence on individual or social life; practicing NAMASMARAN is wastage of time! One may feel that NAMASMARAN has benevolent role, because of erroneously attributing the good changes in him or her to NAMASMARAN! Actually it could be the other way round; that is; good changes in him or her; have lead to him or her to develop interest in NAMASMARAN!
This argument is because of inability to “see” anything tangible and rather the addiction to believe in a thing; only if it is tangible! It can not therefore be refuted. It can only be satisfied if the questioner exercises his or her freedom to blossom his or her capacity to “see”!
None of the questioners; amongst us; has to slavishly believe that NAMASMARAN can influence the social life, because the blossoming is irresistibly omnipresent impossible to be turned blind eye to; amongst and around the practitioners of NAMASMARAN.
If we have doubt about whether NAMASMARAN blossoms us into cosmic consciousness, or cosmic consciousness absorbs into NAMASMARAN; or cosmic consciousness some how is related to NAMASMARAN; or whether NAMASMARAN has anything to do with cosmic consciousness; then also there is freedom to blossom and experience rather than condemned to get buried in the sterile semantics!
All in all, practice of NAMASMARAN and the experience associated with it; are innate and beyond linguistic comprehension and communication; though the glimpses of its supremacy can be described. We have freedom NOT to believe in NAMASMARAN; and provisionally accept, study, experiment out and experience!
It appears however, that soon; the individuals and the societies of world; would get freedom from the conflicts generated from fulfillment or otherwise; of their physical needs, instincts, feelings, arguments, flights of imaginations, infatuations and restlessness, and get the privilege of being associated with NAMASMARAN, objective bliss, cosmic consciousness, globally beneficial perspective, policies and their implementation; irrespective of the nature of cause and effect relationship (which also incidentally; is a product of human intellectual framework!)!
5. What is the sense in the claim that there is active peace in NAMASMARAN; as suggested by some? What is “Active Peace”? What is so great about it?
The “Active Peace” is a concept to suggest desireless (absence of subjective desire) desire i.e. objective desire. This is a stage in life reached through NAMASMARAN. It can not be and need not be arbitrarily imposed on oneself, because, even as it is pleasant to those who achieve it; it is not usually imaginable and hence agreeable to us; who are engrossed in sensual pleasures.
In fact we find it quite dreadful to be “freed” from these “pleasures”! This is a kind of “fear of loss”! We become miserable even with the thought of such “dreaded freedom”! However if we think keenly, then we can (in the course of NAMASMARAN) imagine how sublime and towering is this stage, why it is acclaimed in books like Bhagavad Gita; and why knowingly or unknowingly; we all tend to move towards it.
6. Is it not true that NAMASMARAN has nothing to offer in material terms?
It is true that NAMASMARAN does not ensure any concrete material gains as such. But NAMASMARAN actually “converts” us from our “seeker” status into a “master” status! We become masters of our petty selves! In fact this is the hallmark of progress in any culture; anywhere in the world.
However; what sort of conversion we undergo; what sort of masters we become; has no tangibility. Hang delivered a child and having become mother; need not be proved to others; or need not be proved by getting certified from others. The mother knows it more than anyone else! It is her privilege! Hence this change within us through NAMASMARAN is accessible to experience and not dependent for its validation on any words and proofs!
7. Why is NAMASMARAN ridiculed by many of us?
NAMASMARAN binds us in “something” non sensuous; and due to our immaturity; appears to force us away from our likes and dislikes i.e. our ego. Since this is painful; we ridicule it as foolish, escapist, nihilistic, nonsense and erratic activity.
8. Is it not true that NAMASMARAN is a kind of paranoid behavior or slavish behavior?
Initially; NAMASMARAN gives us the feeling of submission, prostration, defeat, surrender, prostration by negation of ourselves. But actually this negation is of ego, and victory of our true self. But since we do not realize this initially, we feel that this is an unpleasant and discomforting paranoid activity, which is not true.
9. What is the use of practicing NAMASMARAN right from childhood?
If we practice NAMASMARAN right from childhood even without much understanding; this subconscious learning experience remains in our subconscious and is pivotal in setting us free from our lower self. Because of NAMASMARAN we become oriented to our higher selves and keep blossoming! We become relatively far more patient and persistent in the process of Total Stress Management and overcome intense impulses (arising from our ego or lower self) to give up NAMASMARAN! Thus we overcome or conquer the STRESS resulting from the conflicts between lower and higher self. This is why we should practice of NAMASMARAN right from childhood. We call it japa, jaap, jikra etc.
10. Is there any reason to believe that the world would unite and blossom?
No. There is no reason to believe in anything. There is no reason to disbelieve; or waver and vacillate either!
It is however a golden opportunity and privilege to practice NAMASMARAN and be free to “see” the world re-exploring the hitherto imperceptible unity and blossoming together!! This is analogous to appropriate linking of the bogies of a train; or assembly of various parts of a car; or even connection of various types of cells in a body!
It must be clear by now to all of us; that the STRESS can be managed temporarily and symptomatically by shopping, shower, swimming, skating, skiing, singing, slimming and such other ways; which serve as adjuvant measures.
Moreover; it must also be clear that we have the greatest bounty; in form of studying and practicing Total Stress Management and NAMASMARAN; embodying holistic perspective, policies, plans, programs, implementation and administration; at all levels; and realizing individual and global blossoming; inside and outside!
This is how NAMASMARAN is an inevitable and inseparable core of Total Stress Management, or in fact; Total Stress Management is a byproduct of NAMASMARAN!
Let us understand NAMASMARAN in some more details and from different angles.
Namasmaran usually embodies; remembering the name of God, Guru, great souls; such as prophets and whatever is considered as holy e.g. planets and stars. It is remembered silently, loudly, along with music, dance, along with breathing, in group or alone. Further, NAMASMARAN is either counted by some means such as fingers, rosary (called SMARANI or JAPAMALA), or electronic counter; or practiced without counting. The traditions vary from region to region and from religion to religion.
However the universal principle underlying
NAMASMARAN is to reorient our physiological and social being; with our true self and establish and strengthen the bond between; our physiological and social being; with our true self; and finally reunification or merger with our true self!
Since individual consciousness is the culmination of every activity in life; and NAMASMARAN the pinnacle of or culmination of individual consciousness; NAMASMARAN is actually opening the final common pathway to objective or cosmic consciousness; so that individual consciousness in every possible activity gets funneled into or unified with Him (our true self)!
Thus NAMASMARAN is in fact the YOGA of YOGA in the sense that it is the culmination of consciousness associated with every possible procedure and technique in the yoga that we are familiar with. It is the
YOGA of YOGA because it is the culmination of consciousness associated with all the activities in the universe, which it encompasses as well! It is YOGA of YOGA because everybody in the world irrespective of his/her tradition and the beliefs; would eventually, ultimately and naturally reach it; in the process of liberation. Even so called non believers also would not “miss” the “benefit of NAMASMARAN as they may remember true self through one symbol or another”!
Just as NAMASMARAN is YOGA of YOGA it is meditation of meditation also! This is because the natural and ultimate climax of every form of meditation; is remembering true self or merging with cosmic consciousness effortlessly!
These facts however have to be realized with persistent practice of NAMSMARAN and not blindly believed or blindly disbelieved with casual approach!
In short NAMSMARAN is super-bounty of cosmic consciousness for every individual to realize it (cosmic consciousness)! This is truly a super-bounty because a person, who experiences it, rises above mercenary, commercial and even professional and charity planes and manifest super- transactions in his or her life!
These are just few observations to give rough idea about what is NAMASMARAN. NAMASMARAN is an ocean of bliss. Its true meaning is beyond description in words and has to b experienced, not by one or few persons sporadically; but most preferably, by billions!
The culmination of NAMASMARAN is ANUSANDHAN, which is a state of ultimate freedom; or being connected with true self; through the name of God as inspired by the Guru (NAMASMARAN); in traditional practice. ANUSANDHAN is beyond all subjective considerations and pursuits; and has benevolent effect of facilitating ANUSANDHAN; on the entire universe!
NAMASMARAN would certainly enlighten, empower and enable some people; out of those billions practicing NAMASMARAN; to evolve, guide and consolidate; the global conscience and empower the global perspective, policies, plans and programs; and thereby usher in global unity, harmony and justice.
DR. SHRINIWAS KASHALIKAR