Dear sri vaishNava perunthagaiyeer,

What will happen if you start uttering a word repeatedly even without knowing
* Whether it is a mere sound or some thing else
* What is the content of the word
* What is the meaning of the word
* What is the essence behind the word

This repeated speaking of the same word in simple terms is called japam.

Generally it is believed, why believed, to a good extent proved also, that all
sounds "produce vibrations" around that subject utterer [one who speaks that
word]. These vibrations create to human beings a positive or negative benefit
depending on the word, the nature of it, and the good and bad intention of the
person behind that word.

In such a situation, when that word is the name of our pet lord, and the
intention of the person behind that uttering is simple and pure devotion to that
lord, will it not produce immense benefits for him, around him, and confer
benefits through him to the entire mankind?

That "maraa" by vaalmeeki gave him the eternal fame linked with the epic
raamaayaNam. That "raamaa" by saint thyaagaraaja gave him the very "su-
darsanam" of the lord raamaa.

But has this continuous uttering of raamaa gave him the "sukham" - the
enjoyment, the happiness, or welfare to him? Perhaps the answer will be a big
"NO" for he himself asks
"sukhi evarO, raama naama - sukhi evarO". Since he raised this question in the
form of a krithi, the question itself makes clear he is the not sukhi. Then who
else was it?

Further question arises, if he is not the enjoyer - sukhi - why then he
continued that repeated uttering - japam. Dear bhakthaas, if, he has not
continued that, perhaps we, you and I, need not worry about this person, discuss
his "point" of "who is the sukhi?", sing his krithi with deep devotion on that
raamaa, shed tears singing his krithi or hearing his krithi. That is the benefit
he got, the name and fame even after his physical removal from this world.

Now the full krithi. raagam: kaanadaa taaLam:
dhEsaadhi
22nd mELa karthaa kharaharapriya janya
Aa: S R2 G2 M1 D N2 S
Av: S N2 P M1 G2 M1 R2 S

Composer: Sri thyaagaraajaa Language: telugu:

pallavi
sukhi evarO raama naama sukhi evvarO -- (sukhi)

raamaa naamaa - name of raamaa
sukhi - enjoyer
evaro - who is it

meaning: who is the raamaa naama enjoyer?

anupallavi
sukhi evarO sumukhi evarO
akhila saaramagu thaaraka naama -- (sukhi)

sukhi - enjoyer
evaro - who is it
sumukhi - one who has a good face
evaro - who is it
akhila - entire, whole, this world
saaramagu - the essence
thaaraka - liberating, saving, releasing, the eye, the pupil of the eye
naama - name

meaning: Who is the raamaa naama enjoyer? Who is that person having the good
face [as a result of uttering the raama naama]? Like the pupil of the eye that
liberating naama, which is the entire essence of all - that liberating raamaa
naama, the enjoyer who is it?

charaNam
sathyamu thappaka sakala lOkulaku
Bhrthyudai dhaiva bEdhamu lEka
nithyamaina susvarapu gaanamuthO
nirantharamu thyaagaraaja nutha raama -- (sukhi)

sathyamu - the truth
thappaka- missing or wrongly
sakala in all entirely
lOkulaku - to the people of the world
nithyamaina - eternal, permanent
susvarapu - with the sweet svaraas [of music]
gaanamuthO - the music
nirantharamu - permanently
thyaagaraaja nutha - eulogised by thyaagaraaja

meaning: that naamaa eulogised by thyaagaraaja, which is truth and nothing but
truth in the entire world, guiding all people, without creating any difference
or distinction between different gods, the eternal, with good quality singing
made permanent, the enjoyer of that naamaa, who is he?

The question in the krithi is some thing fantastic - who is the happy person
enjoying the raamaa naamaam. Not only that sukhi but the sumukhi - one who has a
good face? Dear bhakthaas, now perhaps you will be clear that he is not the
sukhi - the enjoyer. But he has not answered this question he himself raised,
just left it unanswered. Does it mean that he is not aware of the answer?

But one thing he made clear in this krithi- he is not the enjoyer but he
continued to do that raamaa naama japa, for he said, realised that it is
thaaraka naamam- life saving naamam.

Is this not the real karma yOgam - just doing the duty - my duty is to do japam
- not enjoy the fruits of the japam - but really not aspiring for the fruits of
that action of doing the japam.

karmaNi Eva aDhikaarasthE maa phalEshu kadhaachana|
maa karma phala hEthur Bhoormaa thE sangO~sthva karmaNi ||
2 -47 of srimadh bhagavath geethaa.

Dhasan

Vasudevan m.g.

PS: let us see in next post whether he answered this question or left
unanswered.