In the previous episode, we had witnessed an important point pertaining to “Sharanaagati” and how Bhagawan Krishna is indirectly illustrating it. We’ve witnessed it from the instance wherein Draupati is appealing to Bhagawan Krishna for help, at a time when she was passing through her monthly menstrual cycle. Normally this is a time when women refrain from performing any spiritual activities, however, for “Sharanaagati”, this doesn’t matter. Even though Draupati was undergoing the menstrual cycle at that time when she was physically assaulted by Duchaasana, she fervently called for Bhagawan Krishna’s help, which was duly responded by Bhagawan invisibly. Thus, we can understand that “Sharanagati” can be exhibited by anyone at any point in time. This doesn’t have any hard or fast rule in this regard. This is an important point that all of us have to keep in mind. There is no time or place or situation to chant Bhagawan’s divine names. It can be done by anybody from anywhere in this world and at any point in time. All what is important here is whether we’re chanting Bhagawan’s divine names with utmost devotion or not. For our sincere calling and Bhakti, Bhagawan will definitely respond! We should have this faith within all of us at all times as we move forward with our lives.
However, having said this, there might be a gross misunderstanding here – Just because we’re chanting Bhagawan’s divine names at all times, should we compromise on our “Nithya-Anushtaanam”? In other words, can we stop performing our regular “Sandhyavandanam” or “Tarpanam” during the “Ama-Vaasya” (No moon) days or our yearly “Shraadha Karma” for our parents and instead just keep chanting Bhagawan’s divine names? None of the “Shaasthras” would approve of this! Of course, Bhagawan’s divine names have their own stature and significance. There’s no question about that. But it is not that we compromise on our “Nitya-Anushtaanam” and go for this. Then there would be one question here – If we’re performing the “Nitya-Anushtaanam”, why should we then chant Bhagawan’s divine names at all times? Or, is performing our “Nitya-Anushtaanam” going to take us towards “Moksha”? Chanting Bhagawan’s divine names are only going to serve the ultimate purpose, isn’t it? Then why perform these “Nitya-Anushtaanam” and other “Karma” that are associated with it?
Now here is an important understanding that all of us should have – Of course, performing our “Nitya-Anushtaanam” is not going to take us anywhere! This is clearly mentioned in all the “Shaastras”. Chanting Bhagawan’s divine names is only going to serve this ultimate goal. However, there would be enormous amounts of “Paapa Karma” that we’ve accumulated over the past and in the present as well, which would come in the middle and “block” us from chanting the Bhagawan’s divine names. Bhagawan’s divine names might not be able to prevent this blockade. It is like this – In an agricultural field, there would be so many important crops that would be grown, in the likes of rice, wheat, millets, etc. However, along with that, there would also be some other unwanted weeds and poisonous plants that might also automatically grow. The crops would give us good yield, but if these weeds are allowed to blossom, they would destroy all the crops, won’t they? So what do we do in this case? We keep cutting down all the weeds and constantly try to prevent them from growing with the usage of certain chemicals, don’t we? Similarly, Bhagawan’s divine names are like the crops of rice, millets, etc. Our “Paapa Karma” is like the unwanted weeds that keep growing on their own, and prevent these rice crops from giving the maximum yield. Thus, to prevent this, just like how we use the chemicals and other equipment to constantly keep a check on the weeds, our “Nitya-Anushtaanam” would constantly keep a check on our unwanted “Paapa-Karma” and prevent it from coming in the middle of our chanting of Bhagawan’s divine names.
Hence, the important point to be understood here is that, as we keep performing our “Nitya-Anushtaanam” correctly, our “Paapa Karma” keeps dwindling, which would automatically pave the way for the blockade to be released, which would in turn enable us to chant Bhagawan’s divine names without any disturbance. Thus, chanting Bhagawan’s divine names without any disturbance would ultimately take us to “Moksha” or “Vaikunta”! Thus, we can see here that both are important. So, for today, let us develop this important understanding and let us perform our “Nitya-Anushtaanam” correctly without any blemish or mis-guidance on this. We shall wait till the next episode to continue this discussion further! Stay tuned! 🙂
The Indian Dharma 