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Article Title:
Naming The Infinite
Article Author:
By Swami Tejomayananda
Category: Vision of Chinmaya Mission
Article Text:
Naman means 'Salutations'. 'Chinmaya' is the beloved name of our beloved Gurudev. Chinmaya also means the intelligent, sentient principle, underlying all our spiritual values.
Time and again, we should all do some intelligent reflection. What is it that we actually offer when we bow down and do Naman? We offer our reverence, our identification with the altar of worship. Worldly people respect materialistic possessions or materialistic people who have such things. In truth, what we should respect is knowledge and the one who has it and gives it freely. When we thus worship the right person, our purity and sanctity increases.
Way back in the early 80's, there was a yajna at Lucknow by Pujya Gurudev Swami Chinmayananda. Swami Shantananda and I had the privilege and the joy of being present there. All the devotees wished to perform a 'Paduka Puja' of Pujya Gurudev and wanted a Namavali for this purpose. We did not have one ready. It was then that Swami Shantananda and I sat down and prepared a namavali in the Sanskrit alphabetical order. We came up with 108 names and each name ended with a salutation.
The names revolve around different facets of Gurudev's striking personality. Some names are pointers to his absolute nature. For example,
Om Avyayaya Namah : Salutations to the Imperishable One.
Om Achintyaya Namah : Salutations to the Incomprehensible One.
Om Antahsakshine Namah : Salutations to the Witness of the inner thoughts.
Some other names reveal the human side of this great sage, e.g.:
Om Prasannatmane Namah : Salutations to the One who is ever cheerful.
Om Madhursvabhavaya Namah : Salutations to the One who has a sweet disposition.
Om Suhrude Namah : Salutations to the One who is the well - wisher of all.
There are still some other names that throw light on his work and accomplishments like,
Om Geeta Jnana Yajna Pracharakaya Namah: Salutations to the apostle of Geeta Jnana Yajna.
Om Granthakrute Namah : Salutations to the One who has authored spiritual books.
Om Dharmasansthapakaya Namah : Salutations to the One who re - established Dharma.
Again, a name like bhaarata - gauravaaya namah shows how he was a glory to our country. The most moving name is sarva - hita - chintakaaya namah, which means 'one who wishes well to all (and works hard for the welfare of all)'. He truly served all - children and adults, Indians and foreigners, the learned and the illiterate. He nourished all those he met, with his wisdom and compassion.
He taught the message of service. He wanted us to know the great message and spread it also. The Upanishad says, "Arise, awake, go to wise teachers and know the Truth." Our Pujya Gurudev added, "Spread the Knowledge."
You, youngsters at the Chyk.Net website, are doing your bit to propagate Pujya Gurudev's wisdom in the cyber space. My congratulations to you. Special best wishes to the Chinmaya Naman issue.
May you kindle new life in many people through your online magazine.
In this fiftieth year of our Chinmaya Movement, may your website inspire a lot of youngsters to volunteer for the noble cause.
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