ante naryanana smritiH..

ante naryanana smritiH..

अन्ते नारायणस्मृति:

Was just reading a book on mantrams.. or holy chants.

Yes, mantrams do work.. mantrams are potent..
whenther I belive in them or not they ar not abracadabra..

And the minimum guarantee is that a mantram can never harm me..

As a fairly devout brahmin, I was initated into the great mantram of Gayathri.. more than half a century ago..
and it was an unavoidable duty nd ritual to chant that mantram, whether I like it or not,
at least a few times a day

during the worship of Sandhya,

and during pooja

and during preparation for taking food etc..

So whether with faith or just as a mechanical affair
Gayatri.. mother Gayatri ..is a part of my life..
as good as my own mother..

Of course, this is the case with every brahmin.. I am sure about that at least till the last generation.

But Gayatri can be chanted only under prescribed conditions.. not any time and anywhere.. at least that is the prescription and promise handed out when we are initiated into that mahamantram by our elders.. and I had made this promise to my father more than half a century ago, although he is not there to remind me of that promise any more.. A promise is a promise..

But my father, a devout but a naive and rather ignorant person with no initiation into Sanskrit or Vedas,
but extremely rich just is his faith,
had got the mantram of Rama from a guru
and he instructed me too to repeat that..
but again for a limited number of times in the morning and evenings..

But he used to ask me and my siblings to sit together at least for five minutes in the evening every day and chant "Naraynana"

Of course, no rules are prescribed..
The time and number given by him are just the minimum..
Yes, Narayana namam can be chanted anywhere, any way, any number of times..

So simple, so profound.. I have not leaned any greater lesson in faith, in spirituality..

Narayana, the owner of the name..
He is presumed to the the Supreme one..
But His name is powerful.. maybe more powerful that Him, I trust..

Of course I have seen Srivaishnavas acquire the holy name in a more formal fashion with more words and beejams attached to it..

Even the mere name is formallly prescribed with dhyanam, rishi chandas etc.. and is chanted at prescribed times and on prescribed occasions..

But we can call out Narayana at any time..
Ajamila is the witness..

The great saints, who have relinquished all worldly possessions,
if they are called upon to affix their signature,
usually invoke
Narayana Smriti..
remembering the name of Narayana

The word seems to cost nothing, but it is of immense value..

Chant Narayana all the time..
Every moment in life can be the last moment..
And the last moment can be blessed only
if we breathe our last
with Narayana in our lips, memory and hearts..

Ante Narayanasmriti..