Namasmarna Is the best Sadhana

For maya-constituted beings there are two maya gates: the appetite for sex and the appetite of the tongue. These two have to be conquered by every man. So long as they persist, they cause sorrow. All worldly desires are comprehended by these two. So, only those who have mastered these two can be said to have successfully waded through the world. These are the causes of all sins, and sin is the manure on which Maya thrives. Really speaking, this maya-prapancha or world has to serve only the purpose of just sustaining the body. Those aspiring for liberation have to subdue the senses. “Food for guarding the body, dress to ward off the cold,” says the Uttara Gita. If man, however, gets immersed in these pursuits, he will forget the purpose for which he has come and the goal of all activity and holy endeavor. Instead, whatever activity a person may be engaged in, he must, as automatically as he takes in breath, be contemplating on these lines and should always be aware of this: “I am born to serve God and to realize my true Self.” All acts: wearing, eating, walking, studying, serving, moving should be performed in the belief that they take one into the Presence. Everything should be done in a spirit of dedication to the Lord.

A farmer clears and levels the land, removes the stones and thorns, plows and prepares the field, manures and strengthens the soil, waters and fertilizes it, and sowing, transplanting, weeding, spraying, and waiting, he reaps the crop. After winnowing and threshing, he stacks the corn. All these various processes are for the sake of the stomach. So too, one must feel that all the hunger, thirst, joy and sorrow, grief and loss, suffering and anger, food and appetite are but impulses helping us toward attaining the Presence of the Lord. When one has this attitude, sin will never tarnish these activities. The appetites too will vanish, without a vestige of name or form.

…Those who aspire to attain the holy Presence of the Lord must acquire certain habits, disciplines, and qualities. The usual accustomed ways of life will not lead to God. They have to be modified somewhat, by means of sadhana (spiritual discipline). Look at the crane, it walks about pretty fast in water. But during the walk it cannot catch any fish. It must, for that purpose, become slow and quiet and stand motionless. So also if one proceeds with greed, anger, and similar qualities, one cannot secure the fish of satya [truth], dharma [righteousness], and shanti [peace]. Whatever sadhana a person may or may not have, he must practice uninterrupted namasmarana (repetition of Gods name). Then only can he master the natural attributes of greed, anger, etc. All the Shastras [religious texts] teach but this one lesson; since the Lord is the universal goal and this journey of life has Him as the destination, keep him constantly in view and subdue the mind which makes you wander from the path. All the good qualities automatically gather around the person who practices control of speech and the constant contemplation of the Lord.

Source: Prema Vahini, Pp. 72 -75