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RAM Mantra: Its Meaning, Method of Chanting and its Benefits, by Atul Thakur

Introduction:
Ram Naam (rhythmic chanting of the word Ram) has been the core of Hindu religion. Lord Sri Ram is regarded as the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu. He is the symbol of courtesy and virtue, and a man of values and morals. He is also known as Maryada Purushottama, which means “perfect man” in Sanskrit. Lord Ram is an example of idealism, as he proved to mankind that he was an ideal son, an ideal brother and an ideal husband. Lord Vishnu incarnated to earth with the aim to eradicate the evil forces of his age. Therefore, Ram Naam itself is a divine mantra or prayer. When Rishi Vashishta gave the name Ram to King Dashratha and Queen Kaushalaya’s son, the Demi-Gods in heaven rejoiced. It is proclaimed that Lord Ram was given this name in order to help mankind attain salvation and overcome obstacles in life. The word Ram is an embodiment of bliss and salvation.

Ram mantra is considered to be Taraka mantra. The Sanskrit word Taraka denotes a star. A star traverses in space and acts as a guiding light. Similarly, a Taraka mantra is that which provides guidance and helps liberate one’s self from the cycle of birth and re-birth. When examined, one finds that the word Ram is a combination of two sounds, Raa and Om - sounds of two very important and powerful chakras or centers within the human body.

Chakras:

There are seven chakras in the human body (I won’t go into detail in this article). The lower three chakras deal with one’s material life while the upper 4 deal with one’s spiritual life. The sixth center is the Ajna chakra, which is located between the eyebrows, is considered the king of all chakras. To become spiritually elevated, the body’s prana or life force has to pass through this center. This chakra is the gateway to higher consciousness and is where the powerful light of the ‘Inner Guru’ resides. The third center or Manipurak Chakra is the king of the lower centers and controls the materialistic aspect of life. Anyone with a strong third chakra will usually have all the material comforts in life. Therefore, one’s material strength is not only dependent on our Karma (actions), but is also dependent on the Manipurak chakra.

Meaning of RAM Mantra:

As mentioned earlier, the word Ram comprises of two parts - Raa and Om. When the two sounds are joined, it forms Ram. The sound of the third chakra is Raa, while the sound of the sixth chakra is Om. By reciting Raa, the karma stored in the lower centers is churned. By adding Om to the end, the churned karma is submitted to the sixth chakra (Ajna Chakra) where the light of the Guru evaporates the karma.

This mantra is also called the ‘mantra of Surrender’ as one is surrendering the karma from the third chakra to the sixth chakra. As karma is removed by the sixth center, the ego is reduced and the light of higher consciousness shines through. A sense of lightness and happiness prevails over the body and gives one the power to help one cross the ocean of samsara or life.

How to Chant:

The chanting of the mantra should be done with a lot of vibrations. Beginning the mantra with Ra, the focus should be at the nabhi (navel) and when the sound progresses to Om, the focus should be between the eyebrows – the Ajna Chakra. Both the sounds must have as much vibration as possible. In order to receive its benefit, the mantra should be recited by prolonging the word Ram i.e. Raaamm.

It is important to note that nothing should be recited or chanted before or after the mantra. In fact, the word Ram itself is sufficient and anything added to the mantra only dilutes its effectiveness. Furthermore, one should be attentive and focused, concentrating on the third and sixth chakra.

Benefits:

Over time whoever chanted the name of Ram became famous, strong and attained salvation. Hanuman, a great devotee of Lord Ram, recited this mantra mentally and served and surrendered to Sri Ram every second of the day. He was able to subdue the powerful planets and their effects and perform miraculous feats for Sri Ram. Swami Tulsidas recited the mantra and become a famous poet, and Sage Valmiki overcame his past karma and became a great writer.

In the current environment, this mantra can resolve any mental and/or physical problems one may face. Just surrender your worries to the third eye (Ajna Chakra) while chanting this mantra, and let the higher power resolve the issues. Of course, one’s prayers should always wish well for others and should never foster any negative thoughts towards any being.

Conclusion:

Our scriptures mention many benefits of Ram Naam. For instance, it is mentioned in Vishnu Sahasranama and Ramayana as well as many other ancient scriptures. So why not chant this mantra and feel its benefits?

Group chanting makes this mantra more powerful and enjoyable. When a hundred people chant together for five minutes, it gives the benefit of 500 minutes of chanting to everyone. Also, thirty minutes of chanting would feel like a mere five minutes if done together, and create a feeling of nirvana.

The author leads a Yoga class at the Hindu Temple, Allentown, PA at 9am every Sunday for 1 hour. Currently, the Ram mantra is chanted in a group every Tuesday just before Aarti and after Hamuman Chalisa recitation at the temple. For any questions or comments send email to Atulthakur7@gmail.com.

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This entry was posted on Sunday, August 1st, 2010 at 3:18 am and is filed under Spirituality. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

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