The Ram Nama or name of Rama existed even before the birth of Prince Rama of Ayodhya. It is a sacred vibration which is full of bliss and has the power to control the mind and bring man back to his original divine nature. All karmas are burnt off with the blazing power of the Rama Nama. Every being has a right to return back to his divine nature and thus every being has a right to chant the Rama Nama.
Japa Yoga says that one must chant the name of God with love and feeling. This is true. One must feel love for God and call out His Name. And God responds even when we call His Name unknowingly and even in sleep. When we receive the Siddha Mantra of Ram and chant the mantra, we do not know or realise the meaning of the mantra or have great love for God in the beginning. But as we keep chanting, the powerful vibrations of mantra work and we develop purity and deep love for God. The greatness of Rama Nama cannot be described or told. Let us look at the story of a murderer who chanted the name of Rama and became a great sage and author of one of the greatest granths or holy books known to mankind.
This is a story from the Treta Yuga - which took place many thousands of years ago. Ratnakar, the cruel and fearless thief and hunter lived in a forest on the banks of River Ganges and preyed on all the people who passed through the forest. He had committed countless murders and robberies and was notorious for his inhuman nature. It was said that even birds and animals feared him!
Once Ratnakar was hiding in the forest waiting for a victim and along came Sage Narad singing the name of God. Ratnakar jumped in front of Sage Narad and demanded: Give me all you have or else!
Sage Narad looked at him smilingly. Love flowed out from his very being as he was always drowned in the divine name of Lord Narayana. He said: I have only these old clothes which I wear. Please take them if you want them. Sage Narad’s fearlessness surprised Ratnakar. And the love pouring out from Sage Narad’s eyes melted his cruel heart.
Seeing the transformation in the misguided murderer, Sage Narad lovingly explained to him that it was wrong to steal things and kill animals and murder people for their possessions. He told Ratnakar that Ratnakar had committed many sins and would have to bear the consequences of his karma. He pointed out that Ratnakar’s family would readily partake of the riches and loot he brought home for them but would never partake of the sins he had committed in getting the wealth for his family. Ratnakar was very sure that his family loved him and share his sins. He asked Sage Narad to wait for him and went to his dwelling to ask his family. When he asked his wife and children, they all told him that it was his duty to bring food and wealth for them and how he fulfilled his duty was his look out and they would definitely not share the sins committed by him. Ratnakar was shaken and realised what Sage Narad told him was true.
Ratnakar ran to the place where he left Sage Narad waiting and fell at his feet and sought forgiveness. Sage Narad saw the remorse and repentance in Ratnakar. He also saw the heinous sins committed by Ratnakar over the years. So he gave him the sacred name of Rama as Mara. He told him to sit in that spot and chant the name given to him till he came back to visit him. Ratnakar did not know the meaning of Mara or Rama or anything. He realised that Sage Narad was his well wisher and so he followed his instructions implicitly. He sat in the same spot and closed his eyes and chanted MARA MARA MARA which became RAMA RAM RAMA. His concentration was deep and he chanted for years. He sat in that spot for so long that an ant hill grew all around him and above him.
After many years, Sage Narad came that way. He could feel the reverberations of Rama Nama in the surroundings and saw an anthill where he has last left Ratnakar. He cleared the anthill and called out to Ratnakar to wake him up from meditation. When Ratnakar opened his eyes, they blazed with the light of realisation of God. Sage Narad declared Ratnakar a sage. Since he was reborn from a ‘Val-mika’ or anthill, he was called Valmiki.
Sage Valmiki began his new life with great peace and bliss. He made an ashram where he wrote the Ramayana. When Rama Sita and Laxman were in exile they visited his ashram. Much later he gave refugee to Sita and her sons. Ramayana is one of the most widely read and revered scriptures in the world today. And it all began with the chanting of the Rama mantra given by a Guru. We also have the holy name with us and so let us chant it ceaselessly and attain divine peace.
