Greatness of Raam Naam

Today is Dashaharaa, or Vijayaa Dashamee. There are four main Hindu festivals of Hindu - one each for one Varn

(1) Rakshaa Bandhan for Braahman - Because this festival is for Braahman Varn it is celebrated in a most solemnized way. Braahman go to their Yajamaan's house and tie a protective thread to him and the yajamaan gives him Dakshinaa for this.
(2) Dashaharaa or Vijayaa Dashamee for Kshatriya - This festival is mainly of Kshatriya. It is celebrated in lieu of Raam's victory over Raavan. Since this festival is of Kshatriya, they celebrated it  by worshiping their weapons. Weapons do not mean only swords and guns, they are for a Kshatriya, but for others they may mean, for example, pen for a writer, tools for a mechanic, musical instruments for a musician etc etc.
(3) Divaalee for Deepaavalee for Vaishya - This festival is for Vaishya, and that is why it is celebrated with lots of pomp and show. This day Vaishya clean, decorate and illuminate their houses; worship Lakshmee Jee, and begin their new year of their business. They eat and distribute sweets and wear new clothes. They keep awake the whole night and wait for Lakshmee Jee to come to their house.
(4) Holee for Shoodra - This  festival is celebrated in lieu of the victory of Prahlaad over Hiranyakashyap who asked his sis gter Holikaa to burn Prahlaad. Holkaa hersef got burnt in the firea and Prahlaad came out of fire safely and smiling. and that is why it is celebrated in the most unorganized way. They play with colors, dry or wet, and whatever they get anywhere - mud, ink, sticky materials etc etc. All celebrate it alike and people do not feel bad of anything done by anybody whether he is of low status or of higher status - "Buraa Na Maano Holee Hai"

Today on Vijayaa Dashamee people worship Raam and their weapons in the morning and burn Raavan and Kumbhkarn's figures in the evening. Fairs are organized and many people go there to see Raavan and Kumbhkarn burning. Today on this occasion I write this blog about the Mahimaa (greatness) of Raam Naam ---

Greatness of Raam Naam
Raam Naam (Raam's name) is said to be Taarak Mantra (which can stop a man coming in this world) in the world. There are two Taarak Mantra - Om and Raam. All Mantra have to be prefixed with Om for obtaining the benefits of those Mantra, whereas there is no need to prefix any Om when the name of Raam is recited because the name itself is "Taarak Naam" even if it is pronounced in reverse order. I tell you here a few incidents about the greatness of Raam Naam --

(1) Hanumaan Crosses the 100 Yojan Sea
Hanumaan crosses the 100 Yojan (900 miles wide) sea just by taking Raam Naam

(2) Ratnaakar Became Vaalmeeki
Ratnaakar became Aadi Kavi (the first poet) Maharshi Vaalmeeki by reciting in reverse order. Think if he recited in correct order.

(3) Stones Floated on Water
Raam Naam Mahimaa in limitless. When Raam wanted to cross the sea, Nal and Neel wrote the name of Raam on stones and threw them in the sea. They did not sink, they floated. It is said that when Raam saw them throwing the stones in water and seeing them floating, He thought "let me also throw some stones so that the bridge will be built soon." So He also threw one stone in the water, but it did not float, it sank. Raam was surprised to see this. Hanumaan was looking at this, he said - "Stones are floating because your name is written on it and thus they are carrying your power."

(4) Agastya Rishi and Raam Naam
Once Paarvatee Jee did Tapasyaa. At the end of it she wanted to feed some Brahm Vettaa Maharshi. She chose Agastya Jee and asked Shiv Jee to invite him for food. Shiv Jee warned her - "You cannot feed him as he has drank the whole sea, your food will fall short." Paarvatee Jee said - "I am Annapoornaa, I feed the whole world, how my food will fall short? I have lots of food, you may invite him without hesitation." Shiv Jee again warned her - "Keep in your mind that he has drank the whole sea." Paarvatee Jee ignored this and again insisted him to invite Rishi for food. Shiv Jee invited him and Paarvatee Jee started offering him food.

Now Agastya Jee started eating food and continued to eat, and eat, and eat. Paarvatee Jee got tired, her food got finished. She got worried as this was not a good omen that after inviting somebody to eat food one should not feed him to his satisfaction. So she asked Shiv Jee the way - "Prabhu, You were right. My all food is finished and Agastya Jee is not yet satisfied, what should I do?" Shiv Jee smiled - "Paarvatee, I told you before also, but you did not listen to me." Paarvatee Jee said - "But tell me what should I do now. Tell me some way." Shiv Jee said - "Agastya Jee is not hungry for food, he is hungry of Raam Naam. You write Raam's Naam on a Tulasee leaf, mix it with food and feed him. He will be satisfied." Paarvatee did so and as he ate that leaf, he said - "Devee, I am satisfied. That is all." Paarvatee Jee got relieved.

(5) A Crow Refuses to Drink Water
Once, during their stay in the forest, Lakshman observed a Crow going to a river to drink water, but returned without drinking the water. Like this it kept on trying for innumerable times but never drank the water. Lakshman could not understand why the crow was doing like this and sought an explanation from Raam. Raam said - "This crow is uttering the name of Raam, non-stop. He is afraid he may have to stop uttering the name if he starts drinking water. He is willing to die without water rather than stop chanting the name of Raam." All kinds of sins are completely washed away by the utterance of all Naam but it is only the Raam Naam that shields against the sins committed even in the future also. Such is the greatness of Raam Naam.

This is the Mahimaa (greatness) of Raam Naam.

Sushma Gupta
www.sushmajee.com