Names of the Lord
Last night I was explaining the meanings of some spiritual terms, first “Parama Puruśa”, then “Hari”. There is another very popular term and that one is “Keshava.” The word comes from “Keshi.” “Keshi” was the name of a mythological giant.
Actually, what is Keshi? Keshi is the respiratory organ in a disordered form. You know that the mind or mental concentration has a very close relationship with the respiratory organ. When the respiration is [disordered] – the inhalation or exhalation is very [disordered] – the mind becomes restless. When running, inhalation and exhalation are both very [disordered]. So in that state you cannot concentrate your mind. When running, your mind cannot be concentrated because of [disordered] inhalation and exhalation. To correct this, one should try to pause physically and the respiration should be brought under control. Respiration in a disorderly way or disorderly style is called “Keshi.”
[[“Práńán yamayatyeśah práńáyámah”]] – “By the process of Práńáyáma one is to control the respiration,” and when, by controlling the respiration, one is controlling the mental propensities, the mind will be concentrated. One can do it by a special process, and that system is to be strictly adhered to for proper control over the respiratory organ. And without this control, the mind cannot be concentrated, and without concentration of mind there can be no spiritual progress.
The Lord by whose Grace one establishes one’s control over the respiratory system is “Keshava.”
Now during Kiirtana what happens? The mind gets automatically concentrated. So Kiirtana helps much in concentrating the mind. And if one who practices Práńáyáma simultaneously practices Kiirtana, he will get double the benefit. So Keshava, the Lord, Parama Puruśa always encourages Kiirtana.
Now you have understood the meaning of “Keshava”. Another popular name is “Náráyańa”.
In the Saḿskrta language the word “Nára” has three meanings. One meaning of “Nára” is “Niira,” that is, “water”. Another meaning of “Nára” is “devotion”. You know, in ancient times, there was a great sage. His name was “Nárada.” “Nárada” means “the man who distributes devotion”. “Nára” means “devotion.” And the third meaning of “Nára” is the Cosmic Operative Principle, the Cosmic creative faculty.
And “Ayana” means “shelter”. Now who is the shelter of the Cosmic Operative Principle? Who is the shelter of the Cosmic creative faculty? Parama Puruśa. Hence “Náráyańa” means “Parama Puruśa”, the same meaning as “Keshava”.
“Parama Puruśa”, “Hari”, “Náráyańa” have the same meaning. “Water”, “aqua”, “jal”, “pánii”[[, “eau”]] have the same meaning.
Another name is “Mádhava”. In Saḿskrta the word “Má” has three meanings. One meaning of “Má” is simply a negative term, just like “not”, “no”. Another meaning of “Má” is “tongue”. And the third meaning is “Cosmic Operative Principle”. And “Dhava” has two meanings. One meaning is “husband”. Another meaning is “dress”, “cloth”. Now “Mádhava” means “Lord of the Operative Principle”, same as “Náráyańa”: that is, “Parama Puruśa”. So “Mádhava” also means “Parama Puruśa”.
And the very popular name “[[Svádhá]]” or “Khudá” means “the Self Creating Entity”. In old Vedic, “[[Svádhá]]”, in old Iranian, “Khudá”, means “he who creates himself”.
Then another popular word is “Ráma”. The word come from the Saḿskrta root “Ram”. “Ram” means “getting pleasure”, “enjoying bliss”. “Ram” is a root verb, not a word. You know, with a root verb, if we add a suffix a word is created, and if we use a prefix, the meaning is changed. With the root verb “ceive”, we may use the prefix “re” – “receive”, or “per” – “perceive”, “con” – “conceive”. Similarly, the word “Ram” is a root verb, not a word. And when it becomes a noun or adjective, it becomes “Ráma”. “Ráma” means the object from which the spiritual aspirant gets pleasure.
It is the wont of human psychology that a person is never satisfied, because his goal is infinite and whatever he gets is finite. Suppose one has a weakness for cake. You are enjoying the cake, but only until it passes the tongue do you enjoy the taste. After that-the cake is finite, it is something finite, so when it comes here [points to the throat] the taste is lost. Similarly, it is human nature that a person wants to enjoy something infinite. But in our world of relativities nothing is infinite, everything is finite.
So all [[sorts]] of enjoyment are finite. The only infinite entity is Parama Puruśa. So when one loves Parama Puruśa, one enjoys infinite pleasure, infinite bliss.
So “Ráma” means “Parama Puruśa”, because Yogins, that is, spiritual aspirants, get infinite pleasure in Him – the only object from which they get pleasure. All other things are finite, just like the cake.
Another meaning of “Ráma” is “Ráti mahiidhara Ráma” – “the most glittering object in the entire universe.” It is the most glittering Entity because all other entities get light from it. Here in our solar system the sun is the most glittering entity because [[all]] planets are getting light from the sun. There are so many solar systems in the universe, and all those solar systems get light from Parama Puruśa. Hence, He is Ráma. He is the source of all lights, all energies.
The sun may die. Other stars may die. When will they die? When they don’t get sufficient energy from the Cosmic Nucleus. But as long as they are getting that energy they are living. Similarly, when a human structure gets heat and other energies from Him, that structure is a living structure. When Parama Puruśa wants this boy or this girl to change the body, to get another body, He stops supplying energy to that particular body, and starts supplying fresh energy to a new body. We say it the person’s rebirth. So the most glittering entity, the stock or the original source of all energies, is Parama Puruśa. Hence, He is “Rama.”
And a third meaning is “Rávańasya marańam Rámah.”
In this Universe two forces are functioning simultaneously. One is Vidyá, the other is Avidyá. “Vidyá” means “centripetal force” and “Avidyá” is “centrifugal force.” Vidyá is the centre-seeking force; that is, Vidyá is helping everybody in their movement towards the Supreme Nucleus; it is the centre-seeking force. And the other force is Avidyá.
Now, the human mind undergoes distortions due to the influence of Avidyá. And due to the influence of Avidyá, human propensities, moving in so many directions – in ten directions - the human structure gets distorted. Now this human mind is moving in ten directions under the influence of Avidyá. Avidyá is just like a demon. It has deteriorating effect on the human mind. Hence it is known as a “demon.” The human mind, being influenced by that centrifugal force, moves towards crude matter, and when the goal is matter, the very structure is also turned into matter. Because the mind takes the form of [[its]] object, so where matter is the object, the mind is slowly converted to matter. So this Avidyá, goading the human mind unto crude objects in ten directions, is called “Rávańa”.
There are ten directions. East, west, north, south, up, down – these six directions are called “Pradisha”; and the four corners are called “Anudisha.” These are the ten directions. It is called a ten – it is just like a ten-faced demon. The ten-faced demon is called “Rávana.”
Now how can you kill, how can you destroy this Rávańa? This depraving force, this degenerating force is “Rávańa.” How can you destroy the Rávańa? You can destroy this Rávańa only when you take shelter in Parama Puruśa. So “Rávańasya marańam Rámah” here “Ráma” means “Parama Puruśa”. Without the help of Parama Puruśa one cannot destroy this ten-faced demon.
This demon is inimical not only to a particular person but to a family, to the entire human society. And this demon is the worst, rather, the blackest spot in the human mind – in our individual life, also in our collective life. And this darkest spot in the human mind is mutual intolerance and hatred. A spiritual aspirant must know that in a civilized society there is no scope, no room, and no option for hatred or mutual intolerance. All are equally-blessed human beings. All have the same parentage, and will have to move with all others. And our process of marching should go on until all of humanity attains salvation.
11 May 1979 morning, Fiesch, Switzerland
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