POWER OF CHANTING – STORY
Birbal was a minister in the court of Akbar. Birbal, apart from his sharp intellect, was also a devotee of Sri Rama. Akbar had a special regard for Birbal. Akbar used to openly ask Birbal to clarify his impulsive – and very often strange doubts.
Birbal never failed to give an immediate and a fitting reply to such questions. Wherever Akbar went, he used to take Birbal along with him.
During one such instance, when they travelled for some official purpose, they had to take a route through a dense forest. In the course of the journey, both were totally exhausted and famished.
So they decided to rest under the shade of a tree for a while before continuing their journey.
Since Akbar was very hungry, he wanted to look around the place to see if he can find a house to get some food.
He induced Birbal to follow suit. But Birbal who was in the midst of chanting Rama Nama Japa, turned down Akbar’s request.
Akbar said to Birbal, ‘Mere chanting of the names of the Lord would not fetch you food. You have to put in your efforts…. You cannot achieve anything without self effort…’
Akbar left Birbal in the pursuit of pacifying his belly. In a little while he spotted a house. The inmates of the house were overjoyed to see their King coming to their very doorstep for food.
They treated him to the best of their capacity.
Akbar finished his meal and took a little food for Birbal too and left the house to meet Birbal. He met Birbal and gave him the food.
‘See Birbal, I told you… I took some efforts for the food and I got it. You were just sitting and chanting Rama Nama , and you did not get any food.’
Birbal ignored his scoffing and partook the food given by Akbar.
After he finished the meal, he looked up at Akbar and said:
‘I have just now experienced the power of Rama nama, like never before. You are the ruler of the land. But today even the King had to beg for food. But you look at me. I was just chanting Rama Nama here and the Rama Nama made the king himself to get me food, that too by begging. So I got the food, just by sitting here and chanting Rama nama without any other special efforts. Such is the power of Rama Nama!!’
EXAMPLES OF THE POWER OF HOLY NAMES OF LORD:
The benefits of chanting the Lords name are numerous.
Here are some examples whereby chanting the Lord’s name has brought about numerous
benefits for the devotees in all ways:
(1) Sita braved the taunts, insults and tortures of the ogresses in Lanka. What was it that gave her the stamina? It was Rama-Nama and nothing else.
(2) Of Hanuman it is said ‘Roma-Romamu-Rama- Namame,’ every single hair recited ‘Rama.’ His tail was a formidable weapon, for it was filled with the might of the Name. He is also called ‘Sundara’ or ‘the Charming One’, the Beautiful One’. Why? Because he had Rama installed in his heart and the splendour and beauty of Rama was reflected in his face. This made him charming to behold. He was also a ‘sweet companion’ because he spoke of only Rama and sang only Rama’s glory.
(3) Draupadi, the Queen of the Pandavas, whose story is one long series of humiliations and calamities, was rescued from dishonour and distress time after time just by calling the name of Krishna.
(4) Rukmini and Sathyabhama were curious to know the nature of the devotion that could draw such bountiful Grace of the Lord on her in such a continuous stream. So Krishna took both of them to Draupadi when she was drying her hair after a bath and asked his queens to comb her hair which had got into tangle.
When they did so, they heard from the tip of each hair the sound of Nama-japa ‘Krishna! Krishna! Krishna! Krishna!’
The Name of the Lord had impregnated each single hair of her head ! That was the extent of her devotion to the Lord.
(4) Thyagaraja started Nama Japa of Sri Rama in his twentieth year. He recited it ninety six crores of times and took 21 years and 15 days for the vow to fructify. As a result, he had the Darshan of Sri Rama. ‘The letters of the Nama had taken shape’, he says about this experience.
(5) Meera quaffed the cup of poison with the Name on her tongue, and it turned into nectar.
(6) Namasmarana saved Prahlada from the agony of torture: the elephants brought to crush him turned back when they saw the boy! Fire could not singe him! The rocks on which he was thrown from great heights could not bruise him! No poison could affect him.
Keep chanting the Lords name at all times and see the difference it brings to our lives.
Please Chant:
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna Hare Hare/Hare Rama,
Hare Rama, Rama Rama Hare Hare.