22-05-2025
May 22, 2025
Sri Ramanujamji said in a discourse that a man becomes happy when a desire is fulfilled. Until that desire is achieved, his heart palpitates. The palpitation stops when the desire is fulfilled, and that moment is called happiness. But the real problem is that when one desire is fulfilled, another crops up, and equally, the palpitation also goes up. Why should people chase after desires that have no end? It is because the mind is going after them, and controlling the mind is an uphill task. How to subdue the mind?
Thondaradippodi Azhwar says in the first poem of his composition 'Thirumaalai' that chanting the names of God can help a person control his mind. He says, 'I chant your name continually, and I have imprisoned my faculties through the chanting for which I had been a slave before. I have thrown the bundles of sins through chanting.' It is said that the Azhwar took the condensed essence of the Vishnu Dharma sastra from the scripture Hari Vamsam and composed 'Thirumaalai'.
A person need not worry even if he cannot control his mind. Controlling the tongue is within his reach and easier, and if he starts chanting, God will take care of the rest. A person need not be afraid of being alone or who is there to care for him.. Chanting will establish a connection with God, and all our fears will be alleviated.
Chanting God's names will remove depression, sorrow, anger, jealousy, and mental agitation and bring peace and happiness. It will transform a person and society into something good.
The spiritual path flows from the Vedas and streams down to Azhwars and then to Acharyas and Gurus. With the help of a noble Guru, we can tread the path, chant God's names, and derive the ultimate true bliss.
