So it doesn’t matter where and when you repeat the Name.
Siddharth: When we repeat the Name, should we concentrate only on the Name? Or on something else? Where should we hold our attention?
Maharaj: You don’t need to hold attention on anything else, only on the Name.
Someone from those gathered: Maybe on some image or form?
Siddharth: Or breathing?
Maharaj: No. There is only the Name, you must hold onto It. Don’t be distracted by anything else. Different types of sadhana have different rules, but in nama-chintan sadhana your attention is directed only at the Name.
Siddharth: But how can we live, work and engage in any kind of activity when all our attention is held only on the Name? Or should we completely give up all activity?
Maharaj: The sound of the Name resounds within you. In your head. But your hands are free. Do what you want with them. As Kabir said, repeat the Name when you sit, stand, eat, drink, go somewhere. Your hands work, you work, but the Name continues to sound in your head. It should never be interrupted.
Live like this for about a year, and then you won’t even need to specially remember about it. The Name will live its own life, it will automatically pulsate in you, whatever you do, at the subconscious level – even in sleep, because the Name doesn’t sleep. You breathe and don’t even think about it, inhalation and exhalation happen by themselves. That’s how the sounding of the Name will become an integral part of your life – like breathing.
Siddharth: When will I reach that level where the sound of the Name happens at a subconscious level, what should be my next step in this practice?
Maharaj: What comes next is progress. Changes will come to your life, your consciousness, behavior, thoughts, and destiny. The Name will do its work independently of you. Your only task is not to interfere with It and never stop the practice. Continuously continue repeating the Name. If you get distracted by thoughts like «what’s next? what’s the next phase?» – then the process will be disrupted, and the practice will break. Don’t distract your attention from the Name, allow It to continue its work. It’s like when you’re watching a movie on TV and then you switch the channel, the film cuts off, and you miss the plot that follows. Abhyasa [practice] should not be interrupted. If you jump around and try new things, you’ll disrupt the process that’s begun.
Siddharth: Alright, my hands are free and I can do what I want with them, but some activities, like professional work, involve mental activity. And as soon as we start thinking concentratedly about something, we break our concentration on the Name. What should we do in such cases?
Maharaj: Mental activity isn’t really an obstacle. Several mental tracks can run in your consciousness at the same time. You can simultaneously cook food, talk to a friend, watch what’s on TV, and keep an eye on a child. Simply, when you clearly attune yourself to repeating the Name and it becomes part of your life, it’s as if a dedicated track for repeating the Name is created in your head. It becomes fixed in memory. Part of your attention will always be with this process, whatever you’re doing. This comes gradually, with practice.
Imagine two women carrying pyramids of pots stacked on top of each other on their heads. You can often see such a picture in an Indian village. The women walk with pyramids on their heads and chat cheerfully with each other, while part of their attention is constantly maintained on keeping the necessary balance.
One craftsman sat by the roadside engaged in his craft, making arrows for a bow. The main thing in his work was to sharpen the arrowheads, which required effort and great concentration. Once an entire royal procession on chariots passed by him. «Did you see what a luxurious procession it was?» someone asked him. «What procession, I didn’t see anything, I had to sharpen arrows.» That’s the level of concentration you need to develop in yourself.
Siddharth: Such level of concentration is only possible when we have strong love. How can we achieve such love to begin the practice of nama-chintana?
Maharaj: Such love doesn’t come immediately. But as you engage and practice, the power of love will grow in you.
Someone from the gathering: Should love be developed first? Or does it develop during practice?
Maharaj: You should already start this practice with a bit of love for the Name, then the Name will begin to respond.
Someone from the gathering: And how do we build up these three components for real practice that you talked about – shraddha, prem, vishvas [zeal, love, and faith]?
Maharaj: This builds up gradually during abhyasa. First comes a little love, which transitions into passionate worship and spiritual zeal, shraddha. Then firm faith, vishvas, appears.
Siddharth: Still, what should serve as the main motive to start this practice? Can we start it having in mind rather a certain goal in this world, or should we strive specifically for self-realization, mukti? Or should we start our practice without having any specific goal in mind?
Maharaj: You don’t need any desires. Just repeat God’s name with love in your heart. The «Ramayana» says: «He who distances himself from desires, fear, sorrow, and joy will find refuge in my heart.»
To realize any specific desire or goal of yours, you can perform anushthana14, recite some specific mantra. And then your desire will be fulfilled, the goal will be achieved. But the Divine Name – it is, first and foremost, about liberation, mukti.
Don’t set any goals. Don’t look for motives. Just repeat the Name. Repeat the Name, and your thirst will be quenched and you’ll be fed. Everything you need in life will be yours. Уou’ll achieve goals. There won’t be obstacles on the path to achieving them. If you ask for mukti – you’ll get mukti. If you want simple happiness in life – you’ll get that too, but then the Name won’t gift you its love and mukti, it will only help fulfill your desires. You’ll simply get plenty of what you want, according to your prarabdha15. On this path, you won’t have hindrances and obstacles. The Name will take care of this. The road will be cleared for you. Even if problems arise, the Name will help remove them.
Remember that your guiding thread and spiritual core are within you. And the Name is the foundation on which you can stand firm in your spiritual practice. The Name will never betray you, just remember It, and It will always come to your aid. The main thing is, don’t abandon It.
PART TWO. SATSANGS AND MEETINGS
After we’d done the interviews presented above, I received translations of many of Vankhandi Maharaj’s satsangs into Russian. These satsangs revealed deeper information on topics we had only briefly touched upon in the interviews and elaborated on many things we hadn’t discussed at all. But most importantly, in these conversations, you can hear Maharaj’s living voice, his flow, his vibration. And the stories and parables he tells read like an engaging literary work. «Truths are well conveyed through fairy tales, parables, and fables,» he says. «We should more often clothe them in literary form. Perhaps this way people will understand faster and begin to implement it in their lives.»
Anupriya