THE LORD'S NAME IS SWEETER THAN HIS FORM
Holy Communion
Tonight I drink the ruby wine
of God’s sublime name
my rosewood mala dangling
alluringly over my fingers
each bead calling Him
every sip of His precious
name a holy grail
a divine elixir
brewed in Heaven’s
vineyard
Drunk on a love
that the world can never
understand
I sing His name
and dance through the
moonlit streets
with Ramakrishna, Mira Bai
and all the crazy
God intoxicated Saints
~ Sonya Ki Tomlinson
Om Sai Ram Sai Family
Beloved Bhaktas of Lord Sai, Swami has told us time and again to chant and sing the Lord's name.
It is a simple, easy practice with astounding effects. His name will cleanse, purify, strengthen and
fortify. And the greatest truth is His name will usher you into His omnipresence. You will experience the bliss of God's presence through the utterance of the divine name.
Swami says this is the Greatest Secret:
"Devotee, "If we want to be with You always, what should we do?
" Swami, "Namasmarana, Namasmarana! It can be achieved only by chanting God's Name. Wherever Bhakthi dwells, God resides there".
Devotee, "Please show householders, an easy Divine Path".
Swami, "Whatever you are doing now is enough. Namasmarana alone is enough. If you come again and stand before Me, I will say the same thing over and over again. If I scold you, accept it. It is also good for you". "Let the mind wander as it likes. Do Namasmarana. It is like placing the pot of water on fire for boiling. The fire of Namasmarana eliminates all the impurities in mind and it becomes pure. That is the SECRET". "The fire called Namasmarana will burn away your Karma. Butter does not melt until heated. Swami is as soft as butter. Ammayi, this butter (showing Himself) is melting under the heat of your Namasmarana. That is why you are getting opportunity to have Samipya, Sparshan and Sambashan". "Look, even Purandaradasa has said that remembering the Name of the Lord is enough. I tell you the same thing. Name of the Lord alone is enough"
- Swami in the book "Sathya Sai Anandadayi"
Namasmarana the sacred chanting of the names of God will invoke the divine presence and bring peace, love and joy to your spirit and your mental, emotional and physical life. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba recommends chanting God's name especially for the Kali yuga (age) we are living in. He says:
“The present age is described in the scriptures as very conducive to Liberation, for, while in past ages, rigorous penance was prescribed as the means, the present Kali Age requires only Namasmarana to win Liberation. When the Name of the Lord is remembered with all the glory that is associated with it, a great flood of happiness wells up within the mind. The Lord is full of Bliss and in fact He is Bliss itself. All this Bliss is to be tasted through the Name. Vyaasa himself knew this, for, when some sages once went to him to find out which Yoga is most conducive to success in man's efforts for Liberation, Vyaasa anticipated their question and repeated to himself aloud, 'How fortunate are those destined to be born in the Kali yuga! It is so easy to win the grace of the Lord by Namasmarana in the Kali Age'.”
Source: Garland of 108 precious gems p115-121
Here a touching story that describes how singing the Lord's name with love and devotion
evokes the love and attention of the Lord:
http://aravindb1982.blogspot.com/2013_09_01_archive.html
Bhagavan Baba also provides instructions on how to use the japamala:
“The japamala teaches you Unity, though it has 108 beads! If it is a crystal mala you can see the string running in and through each bead, the inner reality on which all this is strung! If the beads are not transparent, you still know that the string passes through, holds together, and is the basis for the mala to exist!”
“Hold the rosary, over the middle finger, keeping the three Guna fingers (middle, ring and little fingers) together. This means that you are now transcending the world of attributes, and qualities, of name and form, proceeding towards the knowledge of UNITY. The middle (jivi) finger now slowly passes each bead toward the thumb (Brahman), touching the tip of the Brahman finger when the bead passes over, so that mergence is emphasized with every bead and every breath. The tongue too repeats the manthra or the Name with the Pranava (Om).”
Source: Sadhana the Inward Path, p43-44
May we all sing and chant the praises of God and live in bliss.
Lots of Prema,
Sonya Ki
Tonight I drink the ruby wine
of God’s sublime name
my rosewood mala dangling
alluringly over my fingers
each bead calling Him
every sip of His precious
name a holy grail
a divine elixir
brewed in Heaven’s
vineyard
Drunk on a love
that the world can never
understand
I sing His name
and dance through the
moonlit streets
with Ramakrishna, Mira Bai
and all the crazy
God intoxicated Saints
~ Sonya Ki Tomlinson
Om Sai Ram Sai Family
Beloved Bhaktas of Lord Sai, Swami has told us time and again to chant and sing the Lord's name.
It is a simple, easy practice with astounding effects. His name will cleanse, purify, strengthen and
fortify. And the greatest truth is His name will usher you into His omnipresence. You will experience the bliss of God's presence through the utterance of the divine name.
Swami says this is the Greatest Secret:
"Devotee, "If we want to be with You always, what should we do?
" Swami, "Namasmarana, Namasmarana! It can be achieved only by chanting God's Name. Wherever Bhakthi dwells, God resides there".
Devotee, "Please show householders, an easy Divine Path".
Swami, "Whatever you are doing now is enough. Namasmarana alone is enough. If you come again and stand before Me, I will say the same thing over and over again. If I scold you, accept it. It is also good for you". "Let the mind wander as it likes. Do Namasmarana. It is like placing the pot of water on fire for boiling. The fire of Namasmarana eliminates all the impurities in mind and it becomes pure. That is the SECRET". "The fire called Namasmarana will burn away your Karma. Butter does not melt until heated. Swami is as soft as butter. Ammayi, this butter (showing Himself) is melting under the heat of your Namasmarana. That is why you are getting opportunity to have Samipya, Sparshan and Sambashan". "Look, even Purandaradasa has said that remembering the Name of the Lord is enough. I tell you the same thing. Name of the Lord alone is enough"
- Swami in the book "Sathya Sai Anandadayi"
Namasmarana the sacred chanting of the names of God will invoke the divine presence and bring peace, love and joy to your spirit and your mental, emotional and physical life. Bhagavan Sri Sathya Sai Baba recommends chanting God's name especially for the Kali yuga (age) we are living in. He says:
“The present age is described in the scriptures as very conducive to Liberation, for, while in past ages, rigorous penance was prescribed as the means, the present Kali Age requires only Namasmarana to win Liberation. When the Name of the Lord is remembered with all the glory that is associated with it, a great flood of happiness wells up within the mind. The Lord is full of Bliss and in fact He is Bliss itself. All this Bliss is to be tasted through the Name. Vyaasa himself knew this, for, when some sages once went to him to find out which Yoga is most conducive to success in man's efforts for Liberation, Vyaasa anticipated their question and repeated to himself aloud, 'How fortunate are those destined to be born in the Kali yuga! It is so easy to win the grace of the Lord by Namasmarana in the Kali Age'.”
Source: Garland of 108 precious gems p115-121
Here a touching story that describes how singing the Lord's name with love and devotion
evokes the love and attention of the Lord:
http://aravindb1982.blogspot.com/2013_09_01_archive.html
Bhagavan Baba also provides instructions on how to use the japamala:
“The japamala teaches you Unity, though it has 108 beads! If it is a crystal mala you can see the string running in and through each bead, the inner reality on which all this is strung! If the beads are not transparent, you still know that the string passes through, holds together, and is the basis for the mala to exist!”
“Hold the rosary, over the middle finger, keeping the three Guna fingers (middle, ring and little fingers) together. This means that you are now transcending the world of attributes, and qualities, of name and form, proceeding towards the knowledge of UNITY. The middle (jivi) finger now slowly passes each bead toward the thumb (Brahman), touching the tip of the Brahman finger when the bead passes over, so that mergence is emphasized with every bead and every breath. The tongue too repeats the manthra or the Name with the Pranava (Om).”
Source: Sadhana the Inward Path, p43-44
May we all sing and chant the praises of God and live in bliss.
Lots of Prema,
Sonya Ki