Power of Rama Nama - Part 2 Date: 2019-04-15 Author: Narahari Krishna das Hare Krishna Prabhujis and Matajis, Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev. This is in conclusion of the series titled, "Power of Rama Nama" where we are meditating on the sloka spoken by Sampati to the monkeys who were bewildered about how to cross the ocean. Sampati told them that by chanting/remembering the name of Lord Rama, one can cross over the ocean of samsara which is immeasurable. But the ocean to Lanka is measurable and limited. Similarly, by chanting the holy name of Lord Rama, even the worst of sinners can cross the ocean of samsara and reach the other side of ocean (which is the spiritual world). The monkeys are not sinners but great devotees and servants of Lord Rama and trying to find Mother Sita as a service to Rama. So they need not feel despondent and they should take shelter of the name of Lord Rama to cross the ocean. Hanumanji took the clue from this statement of Sampati and when he was encouraged by Jambavan (who reminded Hanumanji of his strength and abilities), he meditated on the name of Lord Rama and prayed to all the devatas such as Indra and Vayu. He then expanded his form to very huge size and leaped into the sky and crossed the ocean. When he met mother Sita, she asked Hanumanji how he was able to cross over the ocean to reach Lanka. The answer given by Hanumanji is very interesting and this is stated in the Rama lila of Narasimha purana verses 51.38-39 as follows, katham atrāgato vīra tvam uttīrya mahodadhim ity ākarṇya vacas tasyāḥ punas tām āha vānaraḥ goṣpadavan mayottīrṇaḥ samudro 'yaṃ varānane japato rāma rāmeti sāgaro goṣpadāyate Mother Sita asked Hanumanji: How you were able to cross this great Ocean, O Monkey warrior? Hanumanji hearing this question replied, This ocean was crossed by me like hoof print of a cow, O beautiful lady. I was chanting the holy name Rama, Rama again and again and because of this the ocean appeared like a hoof print of a cow. Just like the ocean appeared as hoof print of a cow to Hanumanji since he took shelter of the name of Lord Rama, for devotees the ocean of material existence becomes very small like a hoof print of a cow so that they can easily cross over. The Bhagavata purana goes one step beyond states that for devotees who takes shelter of the Lord, the ocean of material world is like hoof print of a calf (not even cow). The below sloka from Srimad Bhagavatam 10.14.58 states this, samāśritā ye pada-pallava-plavaṁ mahat-padaṁ puṇya-yaśo murāreḥ bhavāmbudhir vatsa-padaṁ paraṁ padaṁ padaṁ padaṁ yad vipadāṁ na teṣām For those who have accepted the boat of the lotus feet of the Lord, who is the shelter of the cosmic manifestation and is famous as Murāri, the enemy of the Mura demon, the ocean of the material world is like the water contained in a calf’s hoof-print. Their goal is paraṁ padam, Vaikuṇṭha, the place where there are no material miseries, not the place where there is danger at every step. Let us all pray at the lotus feet of Sri Sita Rama and Lakshman Hanuman who has graciously appeared in the new Rajkot temple so that they give the mercy of the Lord’s holy name and take us beyond this material existence. Thank you very much. Yours in service of Srila Prabhupada and Gurudev, Narahari Krishna das Chennai..