Om! Gam! Ganapathaye! Namaha!

Om! Sri Raghavendraya Namaha!

Om! Namo! Bhagavathe! Vasudevaya!
Om! Ham! Hanumathe Sri Rama Doothaya Namaha!

SRI RAMA NAVAMI SIGNIFICANCE OF RAMA NAMA
Majority of people in ndia !no"s a#out the story of $ord Sri Rama% the epi&
Ramayana% and $ord Hanuman 'the greatest devotee of $ord Sri Rama() But
only fe" !no" the signifi&an&e of Rama Nama) *o tal! a#out $ord Sri Rama
and the signifi&an&e of Rama Nama perhaps $ord Hanuman is the most
&ompetent person) n this regard a small #ut sin&ere attempt is #eing made
to share the information &olle&ted from various sour&es a#out the
signifi&an&e of Rama Nama)
Who is this Rama?
Ramanthe Sarve +anaah Gunaih ,smin thi Ramah!
! Ramayatheethi Ramah! 'Ramayatha ithi Ramah(
! Ramante yogino-nanthe #rahmanande &hidatmani!
Rama is one of the names of $ord Sri Maha Vishnu in Vishnu Sahasra Nama)
Slo!a No)./ of Vishnu Sahasra Nama Sthothram des&ri#es Rama as%
Ramo Viraamo Virajo Margo Neyo Nayo-anayaH
Veerah Sha!timataam Shresshtah Dharmo Dharmaviduttamah
*he meaning of the a#ove Sans!rit versions is that Rama is the one "ho
!eeps the entire living #eings happy% the one in "hose memory yogis al"ays
revel 'ta!e pleasure( in the #liss of Brahman) He is the one "ho is omnis&ient
and full of #liss) He is the pla&e of final rest for all deserving souls) He is the
one #efore "hom% all else #e&omes pale and insignifi&ant) He is the one "ho
has no desires for enjoyment or any lu0uries) He is the lord "ho &reates path
to the devotees to rea&h the 1ones of li#eration and immortality)
He is the one "ho "ishes to do anything for the devotees) He &ondu&ts
monitors and leads every#ody in this "orld) He is the one "ho&annot #e
felled #y any#ody) He is valiant and is the one "ho stri!es terror into the
hearts of the evil doers) He is the greatest% the supreme most and
theinvin&i#le) He is the foremost among the &elestials and is the most
valiant among the #rave) He is the dharma and his very nature is dharma
and his in&arnation is for the purpose of dharma)
He is the em#odiment of dharma and prote&tor of dharma) He is the
foremost and greatest among the !no"er of dharma) ! Ramo Vigrahavaan
Dharmah! t means Rama is an epitome% a personifi&ation% a manifestation of
Dharma) Rama is the very em#odiment of righteousness) t "as as if
righteousness itself had in&arnated on earth) Dharma and Rama are
insepara#le)
t is said that "hen sage Valmi!i "as as!ed to "rite Ramayana he as!s sage
Narada 2is there any person among the human #eings "ho has all the
si0teenvirtues3 and that person "as none other than $ord Sri Rama)
Mythologi&ally Rama "as the seventh ,vathara of Sri Maha Vishnu in the list
of Dasa ,vatharas) n Ven!atesa Supra#hatham the very first slo!a refers to
$ord Sri Rama 24ausalya Supraja Rama3
,s per the "ords of t"o great sages Vasishta and Vis"amithra it is said that
the four epi& #rothers Rama% $a!shmana% Bharatha and Sathrughna are the
four forms of Vedas that have in&arnated in the *reta 5uga to impart the most
pre&ious message to the man!ind and to set an ideal "orld) $ord Sri Rama
has #een sym#oli1ed as the "isdom of Vedas) n fa&t the four #rothers have
esta#lished an ideal "orld &alled Rama Rajya and have prea&hed and
pra&ti&ed many prin&iples "hi&h have relevan&e even today)
What is the significance of the word Rama?
t is said that Rama Nama has &ome into e0isten&e mu&h #efore the #irth of
$ord Sri Rama) t is said that the "ord Rama is divided into sylla#les Ra 6
,a 6 Ma7 Ra means Rudra7 ,a means Brahma7 Ma means Vishnu and the
&onfluen&e of the three trinal lords Brahma% Vishnu and Mahes"ara is Rama)
*he "ord Rama is a &onfluen&e of t"o letters Ra 6 Ma) t is #elieved and
said that these t"o letters are +ivaa!shara 'life giving letters( &arved out of
the most signifi&ant Mantras the Narayana ,sta!shari and Shiva
8an&ha!shari) *he letter Ra is &arved out of Narayana ,sta!shari 'Om!
Namo! Narayanaya!( and the letter Ma is &arved out of Shiva 8an&ha!shari
'Om! Namah Shivaya!()
*hese t"o letters &alled life giving letters% the soul of these t"o po"erful
Mantras are put together to form the tara!a Mantra Rama) 9ithout these t"o
letters% these manthras #e&ome ineffe&tive) ,ny one &hanting this tara!a
manthra is e:uivalent to "orshipping #oth $ord Sri Maha Vishnu and $ord
Shiva)
What is significance of Rama Nama
Rama Nama is given the same importan&e as that of a pranava manthra OM
that has lin!s to all the other Manthras that ever e0ist) Rama Nama is an
essen&e of all the Vedas% Shastras% thihasas and 8uranas) One of the Saptha
Rishis% Sage Vasista meditated on Rama Nama for :uite a long time that
motivated him to suggest 4ing Dasaratha to &hristen the ,lmighty "ith the
manthra 'Rama( that he had &hanted)
*he "ord Rama has the triple po"er of destroying sins% &onferring pea&e% and
dispelling ignoran&e) 9hen you utter the "ord ;R,M;% you first open the
mouth "ith the sound ;Ra;) ,ll your sins go out "hen your mouth is open)
9hen you utter ;M; #y &losing the mouth% the entry is #arred against the sins
that have gone out)
Rama is not just a name) t is a Mantra% the only Mantra that is &alled *ara!a
Mantra) *ara!a Mantra means the one that helps us to &ross the o&ean of
Samsara and free us from the #ondage &y&le of #irth and death) f it is
&hanted as Rama it is a name% if it is &hanted as Ram it is a Mantra% if it is
&hanted "ith addition of the "ord Sri 'Sri Rama% Sri Ram( po"er of Goddess
Sita is added to it)
t is &alled as the family Manthra of $ord Shiva) $ord Shiva himself tells
Goddess 8arvathi a#out the signifi&an&e of Rama Nama and suggests her
also to re&ite the same all the time) $ord Shan!ara% !no"ing the s"eetness
of it% initiated his #eloved 8arvathi to it) He tells her%
Sree Rama Rama Ramethi Rame Raame Manorame
Sahasranama *at *hul-yam Rama Nama Varanane
'8hala Stuthi of Sri Vishnu Sahasranama Sthothram(
t is only Rama Nama "hi&h is e:ual to a thousand names of Vishnu) 8erhaps
the a#ove slo!a indi&ates that &hanting of Rama on&e is e:ual to <= times
&hanting of Vishnu% &hanting of Rama t"i&e is e:ual to <== times '<= 0<=(
&hanting of Vishnu and &hanting of Rama thri&e is e:ual to <=== times '<= 0
<= 0<=( &hanting of Vishnu) *hus the effe&t of &hanting Rama Nama gets
multiplied in geometri&al progression) t is #elieved and said that $ord Shiva
al"ays !eeps meditating on this *ara!a Manthra)
t is the most favourite manthra of all the deities and #y &hanting% one gets
the #enefit of invo!ing all the // &rores of devathas) *here are many
instan&es in history "here mere &hanting of Rama Nama has resolved many
miseries)
$ord Hanuman is hailed as the personifi&ation of selfless servi&e to $ord
Rama and Sita) $egends say that "hen $ord Rama "as a#out to leave for His
heavenly a#ode "hen the purpose of His in&arnation "as fulfilled% He as!ed
Hanuman to a&&ompany Him% #ut the latter politely de&lined the offer saying
that he "anted to #e present in the holy land "here $ord Rama "al!ed in
human form and "here Sri Rama Nama +apam "as regularly &ondu&ted)
*he prayer slo!a of Hanuman says that "herever Rama Nama is sung% he is
present though not visi#le% "ith his eyes full of tears and "ith his hands
folded in prayer to His $ord)
5atra 5atra Raghunatha 4eerthanam
*atra *atra 4ruthamastha!anjalim
Bhashpavari 8aripoorna $o&hanam
Maruthim namatha Ra!shasantha!am
$ord Hanuman undou#tedly the greatest devotee of $ord Sri Rama
&ontinuously &hanted this tara!a mantra that helped him to a&hieve many
feats during the epi& Ramayana that also attained him the status of
Bhavishya Brahma)
By &hanting the Rama Nama% a notorious #andit Ratna!ara got li#erated of
all his past sins and as Valmi!i% "ent on to author the epi& Ramayana
&ontaining >.=== slo!as) Valmi!i des&ri#es Rama as having <? great
attri#utes) Rama stood for the truth% he "as a #eliever of truth% and "as a
sym#ol of moral e0&ellen&e)
*he Ramayana is not just a great epi&7 it is a &ulmination of philosophy%
history% mythology and spirituality) 9hile the epi& Ramayana &ontains
several thousands of slo!as it is not possi#le to remem#er and re&ite all of
them) +ust #y &hanting the Rama Nama one gets the effe&t of &hanting all
the slo!as of Ramayana)
Rama Nama Smarana is a too for Man!s i"eration@
Different means of li#eration have #een spelled out appli&a#le for ea&h 5uga)
Aor e0ample% meditation '8enan&e( has #een pres&ri#ed as the means of
li#eration in 4rita 5uga% performing 5agnas and &hanting of Mantras in *reta
5uga% ,r&hana '"orship( in D"apara 5uga) But in 4ali 5uga only Nama
Smarana 'repetition of GodBs name( has #een pres&ri#ed as the main means
of li#eration for the man!ind)
Sin&e in 4ali 5uga the people "ill not have the re:uired spiritual strength and
&apa#ility to perform and &arry out the rigorous sadhana% Nama Smarana has
#een pres&ri#ed and advised to a&hieve the re:uired results of li#eration)
*he name of Rama "ill ma!e one free from Raga 'atta&hment( and also roga
'disease(
*his mantra &an #e &hanted any"here% anytime and #y anyone) Rama Nama
has the po"er of inter&ession for the dead) Sthala 8urana of 4asi mentions
that the deity 4asi Vis"anatha '$ord Shiva( initiates this *ara!a Manthra in
the right ear of the people "ho die in 4asi) 4asyanthu
MaranaanMu!hthimeans one "ho dies in 4asi "ill attain Mu!thi) Cven the
8all #earers repeat7 Ram naam satya hai 'the name of Rama is the a#solute
truth()
Rama Nama a reference to the #resent da$ word
n the present day &onte0t "e "ould have heard many great personalities
utili1ing this po"erful tara!a manthra for a&hieving su&&ess in their
respe&tive fields) Nearest e0amples are S"ami Vive!ananda% Mahatma
Gandhi% *hulasi Das% 4a#ir Das% Bha!ta Ramadas 'Bhadra&halam(% Saint Sri
Raghavendra 'Mantralayam(% Saint 8urandaradas% Saint *hyagaraju% and
many others)
Re&iting of Rama Nama also &alled Rama Nama +apa, is a very popular and
&ommon pra&ti&e in ndia) t #e&ame even more populari1ed #y Mahatma
Gandhi for "hom Rama Nama "as a &onstant pra&ti&e)
n the "ords of Mahatma Gandhi it is said I have suggested Rama Nama as I
have been familiar with it since my childhood, and as it is my constant
support in my struggles. Rama Nama gives one detachment and stability,
and never throws one off the balance at critical moments. The incantation of
Rama Nama will free one from addictions and make one clean and get
adored by others) t is said that "hen he "as assassinated his last "ords
"ere 'Rama% Rama.' None of his prayers have passed "ithout Rama Nama
4eertana)
*ulsidas said that if one repeats the mantra un&ons&iously% he is ta!en from
hell to paradise) He said that he is as eager to repeat the mantra as a
Dhata!a #ird is to drin! rain drops% the only sour&e of its survival) 4a#irdas
#elieved that the #enefits of Rama Nama &annot #e destroyed or ro##ed)
8urandaradas% *hyagaraju and Ramadas have immortali1ed the Rama Nama
in their #eautiful &ompositions) *hyagaraju% the saint-poet% is said to have
o#tained the darshan of Rama "ith Sita% $a!shmana and Hanuman after
having re&ited the Rama Nama EF= million times in /G years on the advi&e of
his guru)
*he Ramayana% the story of $ord Sri Rama% tea&hes us t"o lessons7 the value
of deta&hment and the need to #e&ome a"are of the Divine in every #eing)
Aaith in God and deta&hment from o#je&tive pursuits are the !eys for human
li#eration) Give up sense o#je&ts% and you gain Rama) Sita gave up the
lu0uries of ,yodhya so she &ould #e "ith Rama during His e0ile) 9hen she
&ast longing eyes on the golden deer and &raved it% she lost RamaHs
presen&e) Renun&iation leads to joy7 atta&hment #rings a#out grief)
Sri Rama in&arnated as a human #eing to promote pea&e and happiness in
the "orld) ,lso &alled as Maryada 8urushothama He "as an em#odiment and
personifi&ation of all virtues% role model as a son% as a hus#and% as a #rother%
as an a#le administrator% as a friend% as a 4ing% as a human #eing% and a role
model for devathas) He "as the #est e0ample of perfe&t &hara&ter and
human &ondu&t% inspiring human #eings for &ountless su&&eeding ages)
Cveryone should re&ogni1e the s"eetness% sa&redness% and divinity
enshrined in the name Rama)
*here is also a faith among Hindu families to "rite Rama Nama repeatedly
several times &alled as Rama 4oti) Aor "riting this they use the "ords Sri
Rama or Sri Rama +aya Rama +aya +aya Rama) t is #elieved that #y "riting
Rama 4oti% one "ill #e #enefited "ith progeny% progress and su&&ess in
edu&ation% harmony among the &ouple% helps in poverty &onditions% as a
remedy for Saturn related o#sta&les% gain in employment% and fulfillment of
desires) 9hatever may #e the myth or #elief% it is al"ays good to utter the
name Rama "ith full understanding of all that it signifies) t is said that Rama
Nama is mightier than Rama himself)
$ord Sri Rama "as the seventh ,vathara of Sri Maha Vishnu in the list of
Dasa ,vatharas) t is said that Rama ,vathara had o&&urred during *hretha
5uga in the >.
th
Maha 5uga of Vaivasvatha Manvanthara) He "as #orn in
Surya Vamsa% in the lineage of !shva!u% Raghu% and Bhagiratha) Sun God is
said to #e the 8aramatmaamsa of $ord Sri Rama) He is said to #e a
8aripoorna Manushya ,vathara of $ord Sri Maha Vishnu)
He "as the eldest son of 4ing Dasaratha and his first "ife 4ausalya) He had
t"o step mothers 4ai!eyi% and Sumithra) Sri Rama had three #rothers
Bharatha% $a!shmana and Sathrughna) Goddess Sita Devi "as his &onsort)
He had t"o sons $ava and 4usa "ho "ere #ought up in Valmi!i ,shram) t is
said that $ord Sri Rama ruled this "orld for <<=== years)
,s per Hindu lunar &alendar Rama "as #orn on the ninth day 'Navami(% of
su!la pa!sha in Dhaitra Masa) ,strologi&ally he "as #orn under the star
&onstellation of 8unarvasu% .
th
&harana in 4ar!ata!a Raasi 'Dan&er Sign( and
4ar!ata!a $agna) ,t the time of his #irth five planets Sun% Mars% +upiter%
Venus and Saturn "ere in e0alted position)
W%A& IS SRI RAMA NAVAMI?
Sri Rama Navami is a Hindu festival dedi&ated to $ord Sri Rama that is
&ele#rated a&ross the &ountry irrespe&tive of the &aste and &reed) t is
generally &ele#rated as the #irth day of $ord Sri Rama &oin&iding "ith the
ninth day 'Navami thithi( of Dhaitra Masa Su!la 8a!sha as per Hindu
&alendar) n&identally this year it is falling on Ariday the /
rd
,pril >==E
What is to "e done on this da$?
$ord Sri Rama is "orshipped on this day along "ith his &onsort Goddess
Seetha Devi% $a!shmana and $ord Hanuman% and His parents Dasaratha and
4ausalya) ,rghya to #e given to $ord Sri Rama "ith the follo"ing slo!as%
4ausalyaghar#hasam#hootha sadhaa Soumithri Vatsala
+aana!isahitho Rama Gruhanarghyam Namosthuthe!!
4ousalyaanandano Veera Ravanasuramardhana
Seethapathe Namasthu#hyam Gruhanarghyam Namosthuthe
Re&ite slo!as% sthothras related to $ord Sri Rama% li!e Rama Ra!sha
Sthothram% and #hajans are &ondu&ted praising $ord Sri Rama) Sun is also
"orshipped on this day as He is the 8aramatma ,msa of Sri Rama ,vathara
and $ord Rama "as #orn in Surya Vamsa) 8eople visit Sri Rama temple in
the evening and offer prayers)
,t some pla&es they also perform Sita Rama 4alyanam 'marriage of $ord Sri
Rama and Goddess Sita() One su&h pla&e "here Sita Rama 4alyanam is
performed on a grand s&ale on this day is at Bhadra&halam in ,ndhra
8radesh on the #an!s of river Godavari) Govt) of ,ndhra 8radesh ma!es
ela#orate arrangements on this o&&asion and la!hs of people parti&ipate in
this fun&tion)
t is also a tradition in some areas "here people offer s"eet drin! '"ater
mi0ed "ith jaggery% &loves% pepper and lemon jui&e( &alled 8ana!am and
Moong Dal 'soa!ed( &alled 4osam#ari as Naivedya to $ord Sri Rama and
distri#ute the same to the devotees at temples)
*he festival is &ele#rated in a grand s&ale in pla&es li!e ,yodhya '#irth pla&e
of $ord Sri Rama(% Bhadra&halam ',)8( and in all the Rama *emples a&ross
the &ountry) Vasantha Navarathri festival ends "ith Sri Rama Navami)
Some of the pla&es in ndia &onne&ted to $ord Sri Rama are ,yodhya% 4asi%
Gaya% 8rayaga% Naimisharanya% Nasi!% Bhadra&halam% Hampi% Srisailam% and
Rames"aram) 8erhaps in ndia you do not find a pla&e "ithout a temple for
$ord Sri Rama or Hanuman "here Rama is also "orshipped)
'rief a"o(t 'hadrachaam
,s per the legend Sri Maha Vishnu in order to fulfill the promise given to his
devotee Bhadra 'son of Meru 8arvatha( in his avatara as Sri Rama '"hi&h he
forgot to fulfill during his avatara( &ame from Vai!unta and gave darshan in
the form of $ord Sri Rama along "ith his &onsort Goddess Sita Devi and his
#rother $a!shmana at this pla&e on the Bhadradri hills and got manifested
there at the re:uest of his devotee Bhadra) *hen&eforth the pla&e &ame to
#e !no"n in the name of Bhadra as Bhadra&hala)

Rarity of the temple is that the $ord in his hurry to fulfill the promise given to
his devotee &ame to give darshan &arrying his dis& Sudarshana Dha!ra and
his 4oun&h in apasavya position) Isually "e find $ord Maha Vishnu &arrying
his Sudarshana Dha!ra in the right hand and his 4oun&h in the left hand)
But here he is seen holding them in a reverse "ay)
Isually "e find $ord Sri Rama depi&ted "ith only t"o hands li!e any other
human #eing "ith #o" and arro") But here he is seen "ith Dhatur#huja
'four hands( holding dis& and !oun&h in his upper arms and #o" and arro" in
his lo"er arms "ith his lo"er right hand in a#haya mudra) *hat is "hy he is
&alled as Vai!unta Rama "here the $ord Sri Rama is in his original form '$ord
Vishnu(
*here is also another popular legend atta&hed to this temple) During <J
th
&entury Bha!ta Rama Das '4an&harla Gopanna( a great devotee of $ord Sri
Rama &onstru&ted the temple at Bhadra&halam and arranged for ornaments
to the $ord) He "as "or!ing as a *ahsildar under the rulership of ,#dul
Hassan *aneesha the Na"a# of Gol!onda under Ni1am dynasty)
n the pro&ess he had arranged funds from the &offers of *aneesha due to
"hi&h he had to undergo imprisonment and "as !ept in Gol!onda jail #y the
Na"a#) One &an see even today the eviden&es of his imprisonment in
Gol!onda fort at Hydera#ad and the life spent #y Bha!ta Ramadas in jail)
Being a staun&h devotee of $ord Sri Rama% the money spent #y Rama Das
"as returned to the Na"a# #y the $ord Sri Rama along "ith his #rother
$a!shmana in disguise amounting to si0 la!h golden mohars having the
sym#ol of Rama 8atta#hishe!am and too! a re&eipt for it from *aneesha)
*he legend goes on to say that the $ord al"ays &ame to the res&ue of his
sin&ere devotees though initially they might suffer due to their 8rara#dha)
*he temple is lo&ated in Bhadra&halam in 4hammam distri&t of ,ndhra
8radesh a#out /== !m from Hydera#ad on the #an!s of sa&red river Godavari
&alled as Goutami Ganga 'De&&an Ganges() *he temple is one of the main
pilgrim &enters in ,ndhra 8radesh "ell &onne&ted #y Road from Hydera#ad%
Vijaya"ada% 9arangal% 4arimnagar and other main &ities of ,ndhra 8radesh)
By rail it is on the Madras K Delhi main line% one has to get do"n at
4hammam or 4othagudem and &at&h a #us to Bhadra&halam)
Sri Rama Navami festival is &ondu&ted at this temple in a grand manner
"here Sita Rama 4alyanam is performed on this day attended #y la!hs of
people from all over the &ountry espe&ially from ,ndhra 8radesh)
Some of the so)as reated to *ord Sri Rama
Dhyana slo!as@ Rama% Ram% Sri Rama% Sri Ram% Sri Rama +aya Rama% +aya
+aya Rama
Vaidehi Sahitham Suradhrumathale Haime Mahamantape
Madhye 8ushpa!amaasane% Manimaye Veerasane Susthitham
,gre Va&hayatipra#hanjanasuthe *atvam Muni#hyah 8aram
Vya!hyam Bharathadhi#hih 8arivrutham Ramam#hajesyamalam
Dhyayeh ,ajaanu#hahum Dhruthasaradhanusham #addha padmasanastham
8eetham vaaso vasaanam nava!amala dala sparthinethram prasannam
Vaamaan!aaruda Seethamu!ha !amala milallo&hanam neerada#ham
Naanaalan!ara deeptham dhadhatha murujataa mandalam Rama&handram
Sree Raama Raama Raamethi Rame Raame Manorame
Sahasra Naama *hatthulyam Raama Naama Varaanane
,apadaamapa Harthaaram Daatharam Sarva Sampadaam
$o!aa#hiraamam Sree Raamam Bhuyo Bhuyo Namaamyaham
Raamaaya raama#adraaya raama&handraaya vedhasae
Ragunaathaaya naathaaya seethaayaah pathayae namah
Sree Raghavam Dasarathmaja Maprameyam
Seethapathim Raghu!ulanvaya Ratnadeepam
,ajaanu#hahum Maravinda Dalayata!sham
Ramam Nisa&hara Vinasa!aram Namami
5atra 5atra Raghunatha 4eerthanam%
*atra *atra 4ruthamastha!anjalim
Bhashpavari 8aripoorna $o&hanam
Maruthim namatha Ra!shasantha!am
Sree Rama +aya Rama +aya +aya Rama
Sree Rama +aya Rama +aya +aya Rama
Sree Rama +aya Rama +aya +aya Rama
Sree 4rishnaarpanamasthu
#hargavasarma