The Glory of Rama Nama Mantram

Slokam from Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam:





When Parvati Devi requested Lord Shiva to suggest an effective and easy alternative to chanting the thousand names of Vishnu contained in the Sahasranama, Lord Shiva replied:

"Repeat the Rama Mantram; chant Shri Rama, Rama, Rama .....
the beautiful mantra that pleases the mind and captivates it.
It is superior even to the thousand names of the Lord
in Sri Vishnu Sahasranamam."

The great Rama-bhakta Saint Tyagaraja, in his Kriti: "Saarame gaani yanyamaarga vichaara metike" sings the greatness of Rama Nama and makes a reference to the above sloka in Vishnu Sahasranamam thus:

"Oh Mind! Rama Namam alone is the precious thing worthy of being coveted. Why bother with the thought of other paths, listening to the words of all and sundry? Did not Sage Narada, who constantly drinks the nectar of Rama's Nama and traverses the whole Universe with the name of Narayana on his lips, lovingly initiate Valmiki with this mantram? ...............Did not Lord Shiva, the Lord of Kailasa, delighting in Samagana, drink the nectar of Rama Nama and, himself unceasingly uttering the holy name, also initiate his beautiful consort Parvati with the Sri Rama Mantram, explaining its great efficacy and significance?"

In the song Evarani Nirnayimchirira, Tyagaraja refers to the interpretation of Rama Nama given by the Rama Rahasyopanishad that it is an essence extracted out of both the Narayana Ashtaakshari Mantra (Om Namo Narayanaya) and Shiva Panchaakshari Mantra (Om Namas Shivaaya) thus:

"What do people determine you to be and how do they worship you? As Shiva, Madhava,as Brahma, or as Para Brahma,the Supreme Absolute? I prostrate before those wise ones who found the solution by extracting and combining the soul of each of the two mantras: Ra from the Narayana Mantra (Ashtaakshari) Om Namo Narayanaya and Ma from the Shiva Mantra "Om Namas Shivaya" -- the Jiva or life of the two mantras. For, if Ra is taken out of the word Narayana (helps as the path of the aspirants), the word becomes Na-ayana when it would mean the opposite: 'it helps not as the path of the aspirant'; and, similarly, if Ma is taken out of 'Namas shivaya' (Hail to the auspicious) the expression becomes Na Shivya meaning the opposite 'not for auspicious'.

The two jivaksharas thus combined forms the name Rama, worshipped and chanted constantly by all bhaktas like Tyagaraja. As a mantra, it is known as Taaraka mantram which helps the bhakta to cross the ocean of samsara .

The Upanishad Brahmam also, after stating the etymology of Rama Nama in this manner, asks:

"Is it any wonder that this Rama Nama Mantram which combines in itself the two powerful syllables from two powerful Mantrams is considered as giving Moksha to the devotee of the Rama Mantram?"

On Mantra:

The word mantra is derived as: “mun thraayathe ithi manthrah” – a mantra is so called because it protects the mind. A mantra helps us to attain release from the grip of the ego-controlled mind and proceed on our spiritual path without obstacles/distractions. The wording and sound of all mantras are public property. Yet the mantra itself is considered as rahasya or secret. The nearest example:- an idol can be seen or even be possessed by us; but, we can realize the deity represented by the idol only if we associate with it certain sanctity, divine characteristics.
The mind, which is to be controlled and overcome must itself first crave a need for such release, and accept the Mantra as an effective aid to the necessary process. It is to develop such implicit acceptance that one approaches a Guru and receive from him with faith, devotion and love the Mantra as a precious gift, to be treasured and practised.

Mahatma Gandhi and Rama Nama Mantram

Nothing could take Gandhiji away from the rock of his faith in Truth, and Rama Nama was the line anchoring him unto it. Up early in the still very dark, early hours of the 25th, Bapu wrote to a friend in Gujarai: "no one can harm a person who is sustained by Ramanama. I believe firmly in this principle. It is by the grace of that God that I am able to remain calm even though there is conflagration all around. Had it not been for Rama Nama, I would have broken down by now. That is why I proclaim at the top of my voice that I dance as Rama wills. We are all in this world to do our duty. I believe that not a leaf moves without his command. Look at the pride of man: he thinks he does everything! But God is magnanimous and only laughs at man's ignorance. Now you will understand where I stand. What I write in the Harijan shows me as I am. I am very clear about the language and in the same way, I am clear about political questions. Let us see what God wills me to do."

Gandhiji himself has traced the origin of his faith in Ramanama to early childhood instruction from his family nurse:
"From my sixth or seventh year up to my sixteenth I was at school, being taught all sorts of things except religion. I may say that I failed to get from my teachers what they could have given me without any effort on their part. ...... But what I failed to get there I obtained from my nurse, an old servant of the family, whose affection for me I still recall. I have said before that there was in me a fear of ghosts and spirits. Rambha, for that was her name, suggested, as a remedy for this fear, the repetition of 'Ramanama'. I had more faith in her than in her remedy, and so at a tender age I began repeating Ramanama to cure my fear of ghosts and spirits. This was of course short lived, but the good seed sown in childhood was not sown in vain. I think it is due to the good seed sown by that good woman Rambha that today Ramanama is an infallible remedy for me."