Ramanama

Theory and Practice of
Vedanta

Gokulmuthu Narayanaswamy

Effect of Naama

Once Rishi Narada asked Lord Shiva, “Oh Lord, everyone knows that
you are always chanting the name of Rama in your mind. What is so great
about the Rama mantra? Can you please enlighten me?”
Shiva showed Narada a worm living in a lump of cow dung and said,
“Narada please go to the worm and chant the mantra ‘Om Shri Ram Jaya
Ram Jaya Jaya Ram’ to it and tell me what happened.” Narada went to the
worm and did so. Immediately the worm died. Narada became sad. He came
back to Shiva and told, “Oh Lord, I must have chanted wrongly. The worm
died immediately on hearing the chanting.” Shiva replied, “Narada, nothing
was wrong in your chanting.”
Shiva showed Narada a newly born puppy and said, “Narada, can you
see that lovely puppy that was born just a few moments ago? Go and chant
the mantra ‘Om Shri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram’ into the ears of the
puppy.” Narada went to the puppy and chanted. Immediately the puppy
also died. Narada came back to Shiva with a lot ofsorrow. Narada told Shiva,
“Oh Lord, I do not understand. The puppy also died. What should I do?”
Shiva showed Narada a newly born calf of a cow and said, “Narada,
go and chant into the ears of the calf.” Narada went hesitatingly to the calf
and chanted ‘Om Shri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram’ into the ears of the calf
that was born just a few moments back. As expected by Narada, the calf also
died. Narada came back to Shiva and complained, “Oh Lord, you have made
me the messenger of death. Why are you asking me to do this? Why is the
mantra, which issupposed to be a saving mantra, killing every jiva that hears
it? I am confused. Please tell me.”
Shiva replied, “Narada, do it just one more time. There is a noble king
to whom a son is born a few moments ago. Go and chant the mantra into
the ears of the little prince.” Narada was shocked. He replied, “Oh Lord. No,
please do not make me the messenger of death again. My heart is already

tormented by being the cause of death of three lives.” Shiva smiled and said,
“Narada, do not worry. It will not happen this time. The baby will tell you
the greatness of the mantra.”
With great hesitation, Narada went to the palace. The palace was
fully decorated with flowers and arches. There were lamps lit all over the
palace. The king was extremely happy to have the great Rishi Narada visit
the palace on the occasion of the birth of his son. With great respect, the
king took the sage to the cradle of the new born prince and asked the sage
to bless the baby. Narada shivered with fear. He had no choice but to follow
the instructions of Lord Shiva. With great reluctance, Narada chanted ‘Om
Shri Ram Jaya Ram Jaya Jaya Ram’ into the ears of the baby. Narada closed
his eyes tightly not wanting to see the tragedy that had happened on three
previous occasions.
Narada felt the soft hands of the baby touch his cheeks and the baby
told in a sweet voice, “Thank you, Oh great rishi, for taking me through three
lowly births within a short time into this noble human birth. I was the one
who was the worm in the cow dung. By the power of the mantra, I was
immediately freed from that wretched body and was born as a puppy. You
came and blessed me again with the mantra. By the power of the mantra, I
was freed from all the suffering of that birth. I was born as a calf. You came
and blessed me once again with the mantra. I got freed from that body and
took birth as a prince in this noble and devoted family. How can I thank you
enough for the great blessing that you have been giving birth after birth?
Glory to you. Glory to the great Rama mantra. Glory to Lord Shiva, who
always chants the Rama mantra in his mind.”
Narada was full of joy. He went back to Shiva and said, “Oh Lord,
please forgive me for doubting the greatness of the mantra and doubting
your words. Now I understand the glory of the mantra.”