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Raam Naam Japam, Iswara and Shankaraachaarya

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Sampath Rengarajan • October 2, 1995 


        Sri Boomi Devi Sri Oppiliappan thiruvadikaLE saranam

There are two  important  analysis  coming out of the  "sahasranaamam"
quote.

1.Why would  Parvathi ask Iswara  (meaning her lord) on how to worship
Vishnu  using his naam  Japam if shiva is the  Iswara  or Param  porul
himself ?  (Does  that also mean that  Paarvathi  knows  Vishnu is the
ultimate Lord to be worshipped ?)


2.  "Assuming"  parvathi  may not have  known at that time if shiva is
Iswara the param porul himself (on contrary  Shiva Himself  instructed
Paarvathi  to do thavam or penance  seeking  vaamanaa's  blessing  and
that's  how she is named as  Kaamaakshi),  posed  this  query  to Lord
Shiva, then why would atleast Shiva not reveal to her that worshipping
himslef is enough and that represents worshiping vishnu also (if shiva
is Iswara or param  porul it is enough to worship  shiva or who ever a
param  porul  is, ie it is enough  to  worhip  paramporul  alone as He
represent  every thing and every demi god HIMSELF.  I understand  this
as a clear  direction  from Shiva  Himslef that Vishnu is the ultimate
param  porul whose Naam japam in the name of "Raam"  will  "represent"
worshipping the ultimate!)

These  analyses  are  not  presented  here  for  belittling  shiva  or
paarvathi  or  anyone.  They  knew  the  themselves  as  to  who  is a
paramporul  and they are as such great  souls.  This  conversation  is
presented by Vyaasa to add weightage to the "Raam" naam Jampam in this
yugaa.  There are several  proof to say that lord shiva may not be the
ultimate  param  porul and there is no such  proof for  saying  Sriman
Naaraayanan  is not so.  I myself had questioned the role of Narayanan
in various other  puraanaas and  mentioned  earlier in this group that
there are  messages  on every such role.  Each and every  such role on
analysing,  I found that Lord  Nararyanan  is the supreme and Ultimate
param  porul or  iswaraa.  Naayanmaars  who are the  authors of periya
puraanam  again and again quote Lord  naraayana and Brahma not finding
the feet or head of shiva.  As it is, this  episode is narrated  as an
understanding  or "draama"  between shiva and vishnu to make  "brahma"
understand his ego and correct it.  But Naraayanan plays a small drama
within  the drama  and  surprises  shiva the  co-actor  in this  joint
venture.  (This clearly shows that shiva cannot read Narayaanan's mind
even in their eternal costumes or I would say that vishnu maaya is not
surpassable  by anyone).  One may argue that the only implied  meaning
of the naayanmaars quote would be that shiva on that instant when Hari
was  touching  his feet  and  surprising  shiva  (Lord  narayaana  was
supposed to touch his head) can be equated to  represent  lord  vishnu
(this is valid for this this  instant  only).  But this was  momentary
drama of  naraayan  Hismelf  and one would  remember  that it  doesnot
directly lead to the "yields" of  naraayanaa  worship.  But it may put
one in the right path to seek naarayaan  directly,  later.  If we know
that there are so many such instances to prove that  naraayanan is the
ultimate "unread"able  substance (for shiva himself) or paramporul why
not worship him directly ?

Having  said  and  talked  so  far  and so  much  on  naam  japam  and
achaaryaars  I want to  quote  one  precedent  such  worship  from the
advaitin's  (I have great regard for this mutt)  shankara mutt itself.
The 59 th pontiff of Kaanchi  Kaamakoti peetam His Holiness  BothEndra
saraswathi  relinquished  his peetam and  resolved  himself to do only
Naam japam as a mode to attain moksham.  He did "Raam" naama japam all
through  the rest of his Life to  attain  Jeeva  Samaathi.  His  Jeeva
Samaathi  is  at  "Govinda"  Puram  near  kumbakonam  on  the  way  to
Aaduthurai.  He started  campaigning  to his followers and public that
"Raam" naam japam will render the ultimate purification of the soul in
this life and lead to  salvation.  (During  the  course of his  divine
campaign  He even  performed  saadhanaa  and miracle by just using the
name  "Raam"  and there are few  episodes  listed as  such).  This was
during the end of Mogul's  period.  His samaathi was not found for 100
years  untill  one full  moon day the  "raam"  naam  was  heard on the
Kauveri  bed by his  followers  who were still  searching  for him for
generations.  A jeeva  samaathi  was  erected  with  the  help of Raja
sarfoji,  after  diverting  the course of the river to pass around the
samaathi.

The message :

1.  The  divine  couple  Shiva  Paarvathi  themselves  direct us to do
"Raam" naam japam as to worship the ultimate param porul

2.  Shankaraachaaryar  himself  chose Raam Japam  over his peetam  and
proved that Raam Naam Japam alone can purify the soul in this Yugaa.

Sampath Rengi