Divine names will redeem even a heinous sinner!

The efficacy of chanting Divine names have been emphasized in almost all religious practices. Even in Islam, which avoid idol or worship of form, ask the followers to chant “Allah” and regularly read “Namaz”. Christians always pray and most of the Christians repeat the name “Jesus”. They do it on chanting rosaries. Hence, the name is considered most holy and repeating the names of Divine, removes the accumulated sins of many births.

Hinduism is more vocal on this point. Chanting simple two lettered name ‘Rama” transformed a cruel dacoit into devout “Valmiki” who penned the illustrious epic “Ramayana”.l The story goes like this.l The dacoit Ratnakara was very cruel, who used to waylay the passersby through the thick jungle path. He looted their possessions and maimed them or killed them. He never considered it a sin, since none has guided him in morals. He was a brute and knew only this occupation; Looting and killing. Fortunately, the seven sages happened to pass through the thick jungles and as usual, the dacoit Ratnakara threatened them to part with their possessions lest he will kill them all. The sages smiled at his impunity and asked him, “For whose sake you are involved in this heinous act? He said, I have my wife, for whose sake I loot and kill the passers! Then, they asked him a vital question, “whether your wife will be ready to share the sins of your acts? He replied, “My wife loves me like her own life and she will surely share the effects of sin without question! The sages directed the dacoit to go and ask his wife and bring the reply.

Ratnakara went to his hut and enquired his wife ‘whether she will bear his sins, since he is robbing the passers for her behalf? She grew angry at his question and quipped, “I am not concerned how you bring money. It is your duty to maintain me and I am not responsible for your sins! The dacoit became crestfallen at her reply and soon he returned to the sages and told them, that his wife will not share his sins! The sages told the dacoit, “In order to get released from those sins, repeat the name of “Mara”. The dacoit was hiding behind a tree called ‘mara’ and he was able to recall its name! He sat there, started repeating the name of the tree as “mara mara mara, continuously with faith forsaking hunger and thirst. Sooner, an anthill was formed around him but the sound ‘rama rama rama was heard continuously. While repeating the name mara, the syllables jumbled and turned out as ‘rama, rama, rama’, the divine name which will carry every one across the miserable earthly existence. The dacoit went inside and sage Valmiki emerged one day from the anthill. The incessant repetition of the Divine name absolved all his sins and he raised as a grand personality, who wrote the Divine epic Ramayana, the sweet story of Rama, an incarnation of Lord Mahavishnu!

The main requirement for repeating the names of Divine is “Faith and Love”. If we rely upon the holy name of God, he will redeem us even from heinous sins. Many devotees have relied upon the names and attained Divine Kingdom by Faith and Love alone!

But a great question arises here! Is it possible for the worldly people to rely upon the name of god? In this material world, many people are rationalists. They do not rely upon anything which cannot be proven by solid proof! For them, no amount of argument will make them believe in esoteric subjects! Belief and faith are natural to simple minded and clear hearted people who value human virtues such as Truth, Selfless Love, Righteous behavior and tolerance! Non-violence is the core value of such people. They won’t hurt any by their world, thoughts and actions! Hurt need not necessarily ‘physical’. Mental hurt is more devastating than physical hurt. The terrorists of today systematically hurt the innocents mentally which is grievous sin.

The rules of both physical and spiritual abodes are similar. If we hurt others, the hurt will retaliate on us in a future time. Whatever goes up has to come down. Hence never think that God is unaware of our inner thoughts, deeds and plans! He is the innermost ruler of each individual. You cannot cheat him like others. During the course of a visit to East Africa in the 60s, Sathya Saibaba has visited many rural villages also. Many native African families who talk only in “Swahili” language were called for personal audience with Sathya Saibaba. There was none to translate the Swahili language to the known tongue of Sathya Saibaba. After the interview season lasting more than an hour, the local families emerged from the interview hall in a happy disposition. Someone asked them, “In which language, Sathya Saibaba conversed with them? They told the person, Saibaba talked in their own native tongue “Swahili “in a fluent manner! Later, some European devotee asked Saibaba, “How he managed to talk in their native Swahili language? Saibaba smiled and told the European gentleman, “I have not entered in their heart and came out to talk in their tongue. I am always residing in their heart. Hence I listen to their prayers and thus I converse with them on daily basis!

This is a revelation for many. Everything depends on Faith which arises only from the Self, which is all pervading and transcends the creation too!