It's the day 11 of April poem-a-day celebration. Let's make the challenge a bit tougher. Today's poem an acrostic hymn to Lord Krishna. The first letter of every verse forms the sacred Mantra, 'Aum Namo Bhagawate Vasudevay', I bow to Bhagwan Vasudeva and so is the name of the poem.
If a chant is suggested by the Sadguru, it's Kalyankari which means it will bring the realization of Mukti. As it is said that 'Sarva deva namaskaram keshavam pratigacchati' all the names of Bhagwan and mantras are divine and reach to Lord Krishna - Keshava.
To understand and follow Bhaktiyoga exemplary lives of devotees teach us a lot. Dhruva, the little boy, disheartened by his fate chanted the mantra 'Aum Namo Bhagawate Vasudevay' and Lord Vishnu listened to his prayers and fulfilled his wishes bestowing Bhakti to Dhruva. This story can be found in the Puranas, like Vishnupurana.
Today, I wish to pray Lord Krishna with the same mantra. Mantrajaap means chanting the divine name or mantra of Bhagwan repeatedly. It's a spiritual Sadhana to grow Bhakti, it's a kind of meditation to discover the peace within. Millions of devotees have met their Bhagwanji by chanting Naamjap.
Auspicious is your name, purifies our hearts, wiping the cover of ignorance.
Unuttered divine letters of your name echo in the environment becoming the vibrations of love in deep Bhakti.
Manifested your grace in your name, chanting, again and again, weaves your name in breaths.
Name, your divine name has your vibes making your presence experienced so existent in my life
Aura of divinity created by reciting your name soothes the bruised heart gently.
My mind captivated by your name is slowly cleaning the amassed doubts of worldly thoughts.
O Dear Lord Krishna, your name is my only hope now, my solace now.
Bhakti is flourishing melting my rioting thoughts in your name and your supreme love.
Having faced unkind ordeals, having searched for answers for so long, your name is the only harbor, I trust now.
Ardently I call your name, again and again, to meet you eternally.
Great promises and the knowledge you imparted in Bhagwadgeeta, I remember again and again, while calling you.
As the days are passing, I feel your deep love filling the core of my heart.
Wish, only one wish now, to dissolve all my desires in you.
And experience the oneness with you.
Though I am not a great devotee like Dhruva, Meeraji, and Draupadi,
Existence of your name in my heart has made me perfect.
Vedas and Puranas tell that you never leave your Bhakta.
Attuned to your flute of love that brings me closer to you.
Sowing the seeds of your name in my heart to grow my life in devotion.
Unattainable Moksha and Gyana -- for an ordinary naive like me -- has become my life now by your Love, dear Krishna.
Dedicating hymns, poems, and songs to you, dearest Lord Krishna, please sing them with the eternal music of your love.
Enchanted, elated and enlightened by your love, by singing your name continuously.
Vagaries of life that made me read your teachings in Bhagwadgeeta transformed ‘me’ in your love.
And now I can’t feel my existence separate from you at all, not for a single moment.
Yearning for your love, knowing and realizing you in my heart.
Naamjapa has different stages of chanting, spoken chanting loudly is Vaikhari Japa, chanting like whispering is Upanshu, unspoken chanting is remembering the name in mind is Manasic, and last is Paravani.
Attaining higher stages in Naamjapa is a process that needs patience and devotion, the guidance of a Sadguru and the Gurukripa or Ishwarkripa.
In the highest phase of Naamjapa, the chanting continues involuntarily without intentional efforts. Such chanting does not have uttered words yet the reciting goes on deep within. An example of Paravani is the Bhakti by Arjuna. Arjuna once while sleeping, unknowingly, was chanting Krishna, Krishna and slowly the voice of the words Krishna, Krishna became so loud that Narada and other people gathered there. Arjuna was still in the deep sleep. The supreme devotion can reach this high altitude. I can believe this incident as the supreme love does not need efforts to feel it. The Bhakta can't live without their Bhagwan. I think such Bhaktiyoga is even above Mukti and Gyanyoga.
Many Bhaktas love Dvaita Bhakti. They wish to worship their Bhagwan believing themselves and the Bhagwan as two, which is a very beautiful form of love. But, I wish to experience Advaita Bhakti where my Bhagwan and Me, won't be 'two', we will be 'one', only Lord Krishna.