रामो विरामो विरजो मार्गो नेयो नयो-अनयः ।
वीरः शक्तिमतां श्रेष्ठ: धर्मो धर्मविदुत्तमः ।।
396. Ramaḥ:
The most delightful and joyous name is Rama.
Rama itself means the one who brings utmost joy and bliss to his
devotees!
Nityananda lakshane asmin yogin ramante iti ramah
His nature is always being in bliss, the yogis who have completely
surrendered to the lord, they find delight in Him.
Everything around us must be rama-mayah. We must keep meditating on him
with kaya, vacha, manasa for trikarna shuddhi.
Ishwara reveals a secret to Parvati at the end of the Vishnu
Sahasranaama, that reciting the name of Rama thrice is equal to reciting the
1000 names of Vishnu.
Sri Rama Rama Rameti Rame Rame Manorame
Sahasranaama tat tulyam Rama nama varanane
The Rama nama is called the Taraka mantra. This mantra helps the
devotees to cross the samasara sagara and attain moksha.
The syllable ‘Ra’ is obtained from the astakshari mantra -Om Namo
Narayana. Omitting ‘ra’ from this mantra makes it om naya naya. Meaning there
is no Vishnu tattva.
The syllable ‘Ma’ is obtained from the panchakshari mantra -Om Nama
Shivaya. Omitting ‘ma’ from this mantra makes it om na shivaya. Meaning there
is no Shiva tattva.
Therefore Ra and ma together make Rama which is life giving syllables. Hence
they are called jeevaskharas and considered as Taraka mantra.
Life is characterised by energy, and death by the absence of energy
The Jivakshara mantra is energy giving. It also elevates us to a higher
plane.
When we chant Rama, the syllable Ra produces a vibration in our heart,
while the syllable Ma produces a vibration in our mouth. This activates the 4
chakras above -Anahata, Vishuddha, Ajna and Sahasrara, which elevates us.
We can also understand the name Rama as,
Ra (beeja jnana)+ ama (ajnana)
Ra means prakasha; Ma – darkness
The one who destroys the darkness of ajnana with his jnana prakasha is
Rama.
Another way to interpret is,
Ra (rathi, ramana , sukha)+ Aa(in between/ good) + Ma (jnana)
Aa – like the lamp on the threshold gives light to both the inside and
outside the house, aa in the centre is for both the ra and ma.
He is Rama because he has Uttama jnana, uttama happiness.
But we have partial knowledge and partial happiness, knowledge is mixed
with ignorance, and happiness is mixed with grief.
Like a half-filled pot of water, makes a sound when carried around, half
knowledge and happiness are not good.
397. Virāmaḥ:
Viraama means to stop or cease, to take a break.
Viraamah avasaanam praaninaam asmin iti viraamah.
Our end happens in Him. We finally rest in Him after our time has come
to an end.
Rama nama japa is a way to overcome or put a stop to the attachment or
bondage to samsara. And that is what will give us ultimate bliss or moksha.
Yatra ramanaama tatra ramanavasanam.
The one who gives that break or vishranti is Virama.
398- 399. Virajo- Margah :
Mārgaḥ means the path.
The name can be interpreted as Virato or Virajo
Virato margah- He is not attached to anything. His is detached to the
pursuits of his sense organs. He is Viratah because he has complete control of
his indriyas and is detached to all things that cause agitation of the mind.
We must also use the path of dispassion or vairagya in order to attain
Him.
Virajo margah – He himself is bright and so the path to him is also
bright and flawless.
Vi+ Rajo (rajoguna) – He is free of rajoguna, kashmala rahitha, without
any flaws. The path he shows is also flawless.
He is margah because, we seek him, he is sought by his devotees. He is
not only our goal (gamya) but he is also path and the one who shows the path.
We have earlier seen an example that in order to find a cow, we must
simply follow its footsteps. Similarly, we set out to find god by following his
footsteps. But when we go to search him, we realise that he is everywhere, vyapnoti
Vishnuh, he is himself the path too, hence he is Margah.
If we want happiness, jnana and virama, he is the flawless margah.
310. Neyaḥ:
One who is led by his devotees.
The knowledge obtained by one must be spread to the others, and they
must lead the way for others, from guru to shisya.
Margena samyag jnanena jiva paramatmaya niyate iti neyah
The jivatma himself leads the way by attaining spiritual realisation. He
directs or leads the Jiva to the Supreme Being through spiritual realization.
Niyoga arhatvaat neyah
Niyoga means order or command, and arhatvaat means eligible or fit
He who is fit to be given the responsibility to command or lead is
neyah.
311. Nayaḥ:
If we lead the path to the lord, he leads us to Him.
He leads through spiritual illumination.
Nayati iti nayah
He leads everyone hence he is nayah.
312. Anayaḥ:
One for whom there is no leader.
Asya neta na vidyate iti anayah
He is the supreme leader, hence he is anayah.
These 3 names tell us that we have to lead our mind from ignorance to
knowledge. When the mind is in control, we can reach the trigunateetha stithi,
the state beyond the three gunas.
The lord directs Arjuna to be nistraigunya in the Bhagavad Gita 2.45
trai-gunya-visaya veda, nistraigunyo bhavarjuna
nirdvandvo nitya sattvastho, niryogakshema atmavan
Another interpretation is,
Anana means mukhya prana or Hanumantha
The lord does not lead us directly, he leads us through Hanumantha. Whatever
we offer he does not accept directly. It is through Hanumantha. Hence our offering
is also to his greatest devotee.
Just like Hanuman always contemplates on Lord Rama by perennially
performing Rama nama japa, we must also be focussed in Rama nama so that mind does
not gets distracted.
313. Vīraḥ:
He is Virah because he is valorous and brave. He completes the work that
he undertakes.
The one who completes the work that he undertakes. It is not dependent
on strength (bala). The one who has strength might not necessarily have valour.
The one who has valour completes what he undertakes.
Vikrama shaalitvaat virah
We can also split the word as, Vi + eerana
Eerana means to travel
Vi can mean vishesha or unique
Or Vi can mean virrudha or opposite
Whether we choose to travel in the unique path which leads to him or the
opposite path that leads us away from him, is a choice we have to make.
403. Śaktimatāṁ śreṣṭhaḥ:
He is the most powerful among those who are very powerful. Mightier than
the mightiest.
In the Bhagavad Gita 7.11, he says, Balam balavataam chaham
He is the might of the mighty.
We can also interpret it as the Shakti to see the right path and take us
to greatness. He destroys all those qualities in us that lead to our downfall like
attachment, anger, desire etc.
He is Antaryami – the one who controls from within. He directs the gods
to act and the gods direct us to act.
404.Dharmaḥ:
dharayati iti dharma
What we bear upon us or embody is dharma.
It should be our sankalpa to walk on the path of righteousness.
It is said, Satyam vada, dharmam chara, means we must speak the truth
and walk on path of dharma
Sarvabhootanaam dharanat dharma
He bears all beings or supports all beings
Dharmaih aaradhyate iti vaa
Our goal should be to bear the dharma so we can hold him in our heart.
Dhar + ma
Dhar means dharani or earth. Our body comes from earth.
Ma means knowledge or intellect
He gives the intellect to our body. Hence he is dharma.
405. Dharma-viduttamaḥ:
Dharma vitt uttamah
He is an embodiment of Dharma, he created the dharma, he is the greatest
of knower of Dharma and he is the greatest of all dharmas.
The righteous way to behave and the righteous way to think, is bestowed upon by Him. We do not know what is right or wrong, but he knows and therefore he is Dharma Vitt uttama.
At the end of the Bhagavad Gita, Krishna has only one message to Arjuna, Sarva dharmaan parityajya maamekam sharanam vraja, means surrender unto me and give up all forms of rituals for I alone will take you to the path of liberation.
Jai Shri Krishna!
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