Chanting of the name

[kuntimaddi sadananda]

Savitriji

Name stands for an object.  Japa yoga essentially stands for taking the
name of the Lord - which goes without saying that the Lord itself is the
object of meditation.  Repeating the name of the Lord in the form of
japa - is redirecting the thought pattern to a single thought with the
exclusion of all other thoughts.  Since there has to be silence in
between the same thoughts, meditation or upasana ultimately rests on the
silence between the thoughts - when the object and the subject merge
into one.  There is beautiful song by Leelesha
anganaa anganaa antate madhava
maadhava madhava anatare angana
- between the two goies is Lord Krishna dancing during Rasaliila. and as
the dance proceed there is switch - it becomes madhava maadhava antare
angana - between Krishna and Krishna is gopi.  The emphasis shifted from
gopi to Krishna.
Gopi stands for thought and krishna for the silence in between.
Between the two thoughts is silence
As the meditation proceeds the there is a shift in the attention from
the thought to the silence in between the thoughts.
This is the essence of japa-yoga.
Instead of an orbitrary thought for which the mind rebels, it is the
important to take the name of the Iswata devata so that mind can find
solace in thinking of the Lord and that way it is easier for the mind to
concentrate.

Hari OM!
Sadananda


--- savithri devaraj <savithri_devaraj at YAHOO.COM> wrote:
>
> I am glad you quoted this. I have often wondered if
> there are any scriptural injunctions about naama
> sankIrtana and naama japa. In bhagavad gIta also, I
> recollect bhagavaan saying "yagyAnAm japayagyosmi..."
> in chapter 10, but don't recollect anything more on
> this form of upAsana.
>
> Are there any more?
>
> Savithri
>
> _

=====
What you have is His gift to you and what you do with what you have is your gift to Him - Swami Chinmayananda.

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